Halfpom

Day Eight & chimp trekking..

This morning we are going chimp trekking - we're up early, have had a hearty breakfast and are waiting to hear if the trackers have managed to locate the chimps yet. Food is scarce at this time of year and the large M group has broken into smaller units and the chimps also move further up the mountain in their search for food - not great news for the unfit...

At last the trackers locate them and we hurry down to the boat, accompanied by our TANAPA guide and Lazaro, our guide from Mahale. The boat will take us to the spot closest to the chimps to cut the walking time...this is what we are facing...

 
There are a couple of rules for chimp trekking -

:: Long trousers, long sleeved shirts & comfortable walking shoes recommended

:: Do not wear any sunscreen, insect repellant or perfume

:: Keep drinking water

:: When near the chimps don a surgical mask to prevent the spread of diseases

:: No eating or drinking in the vicinity of the chimps

:: No flash photography

:: Fitness training advised as this is no walk in the park - take another look at those hills!!

As soon as you get into the forest the humidity level rachets up several notches - not to unbearable levels but you do start glowing as the pace is quite fast. The chimps move quickly in their search for food so we need to find them as soon as possible before they start their day.

 
At the start of the trek the trails are well defined but the higher we go the narrower these become until the guides are hacking paths through virgin bush which makes the going very slippery....we're quite high up now & you can see how thick the bush is..

We've been told to watch out for the buffalo bean....apparently it is the African equivalent of poison ivy and you don't want to go there...

Suddenly the atmosphere changes and we can hear the trackers communicating by simulating chimp calls and there, just when you think you can't go any further, there they are.....we have two individuals....a 46 year old chimp who has adopted an orphaned baby called Puffy...it is very difficult to see them or get a clear picture as the vegetation is so thick....a dark shape lying on the ground..

 
An arm grasping a branch....

 And finally we are rewarded with a face......how wonderful....

You're only allowed one hour before it's time to move on & let Puffy & her adoptive mother go about their day....

We're back in camp in time for a late lunch but I'm headed straight for the shower & a snoozelet to recharge my batteries....it is seriously tough going...

I surface about tea time and we decide the only thing we feel like doing this evening is another dhow cruise....maybe some fishing with simple little hand reels....the yellow belly were biting and we got a good haul of about six decent size fish...don't you just love Joyce's delighted smile as she catches the first fish of the day...

When we land back at camp we see that a beach barbeque is planned for tonight's meal...fabulous..a quick freshen up although the dress code here is quite casual...& then down to the bar on the point for drinks before dinner.......the chef has made sashimi from one of the fish we caught & served it with soy sauce, sesame seeds and a little pistachio green wasabi....absolutely delicious and you can't get fish any fresher than that...

 
 

Greystoke Mahale....a resounding yes!

So many people have asked me to name the ONE place that I would recommend above all others....it doesn't have to be the most fancy but the one that has made the most impression. I've never been able to give them a decisive answer. Now I realise why.....because I hadn't been there yet.....it is GREYSTOKE MAHALE......absolutely & without a doubt the nicest place I have ever had the pleasure of staying!!

This is my banda..nr 2..with a great view of the beach...the bowl of water at the entrance so you can wash the sand off your feet is a nice touch..and an incense stick & yoga mat should you wish to practise your asanas...

The bathroom complex at the rear of the banda with the dhow shower, its fluffy white towels (not terribly practical but there you go), the complimentary kikoi's for your use and the eco friendly soap, shampoo & conditioner.
 
After we had a shower & settled in, it is time for tea and a decision as to what to do for the rest of the afternoon....a sundowner dhow cruise is a popular choice....

When we get back I can see that my banda has already been turned down for the evening and the mosquito curtains drawn...more for privacy than to deter biting insects. There's nothing that bites here...no tsetse, no mosquito, no sand flies so I can relax my vigilance and not go around smothered in an inch of 'No Bite' which doesn't seem to work anyway...

 All is calm & peaceful.....

 
 

Day Seven...& that airstrip at Mahale

A few more views of Katavi NP before we say goodbye....

 

The flying time to Lake Tanganyika is only 45 minutes so a short hop today. The pilot (who is one of the few lady pilots I have come across in all my travels) has carefully seated us in the plane so that the weight distribution is correct as I believe the Mahale airstrip is infamous amongst the pilots in Tanzania....you'll see why in a minute...I've got a seat in the first row behind the pilot which gives me an excellent view of the proceedings...

Our first view of Lake Tanganyika...

Can anybody spot the airstrip yet? Yep, that's it in the top left hand corner of the photo - between a rock & a wet place....

Now you can see why the pilots get so nervous - most of them won't even consider taking any more than 8 passengers + luggage into Mahale at a time otherwise the plane is just too heavy..

Fortunately I've never been a nervous flier!! If I had to choose a pilot in a tricky situation I would always choose one with experience of bush airstrips - these guys (& gals) really know how to fly...

The trick is to come in really steeply so that you don't run out of runway at the end...

And touchdown - well done Liz!!

And there's our next mode of transport at the end of the runway....a dhow...we LOVE dhows...

A quick stop for the necessary formalities to sign into Mahale National Park...

And another necessity....as it is a good hour and a half to our next destination..a flush loo this time...we haven't seen one of those in a while..

 And then we're off...Lazaro has all the luggage safely stowed..did you think I was joking about the dhow?

Ice cold drinks from the cooler box and an absolutely delicious lunch - didn't get my act together on the photography front until dessert so you'll just have to take my word for it....skewers of grilled beef as well as vegetable skewers and homemade chips with a guacamole dip - yum, yum. Such a good idea to have everything on skewers on a boat - makes things far more manageable...and then for dessert..fruit skewers...fresh, juicy watermelon. pineapple & the best mango I've ever tasted... 

 
The water is a lovely shade of turquoise, warm as bath water and so clear that you can see all the way to the bottom..

 

It IS a tough life...

The first glimpse of our home for the next two nights & I think we're going to like it...

 
 

Day Six & Katavi National Park

I wake up before the official wake up call & managed to catch a spectacular sunrise across the plains in front of the tent...early morning has to be my favourite time of day...

Soon afterwards the tea arrived....in a special monkey proof box as the vervet monkeys can be a bit of nuisance.....thing is I might have trouble figuring it out too...

Nope, not this time....got it...

We've been told that they've packed a picnic breakfast for us and we're looking for a suitable spot next to the river.....just as Philip sees the perfect spot, we see that another camp has nabbed it first - how disappointing as we are all starting to feel a bit peckish now....except that he is pulling our leg & it is actually our breakfast spot....they've set up a lovely bush breakfast for us including a hot breakfast station....eggs & bacon anyone?

With a lovely view and hippo's providing the background music...

A leisurely breakfast ...one of the highlights being the local Tabora honey....which is collected in the wild & is slightly smoky....delicious! I tried to buy some at Tabora Airport but they only had 5 litre vats of the stuff.....good luck in trying to get that through customs...

Katavi National Park has some unusual trees which make it a real contrast to the Serengeti - ilala palms, mahogany and these chestnut trees whose bark turns from grey to white during the dry season..they are beautiful...

Here is a close up of one of the tree trunks in the transformation process..

  

By 10h00 it is starting to warm up and the tsetse flies are once again becoming an issue so we head back to camp....it is nice to just soak up the ambience and enjoy the camp once in a while. They have a sweet vintage safari style lounge tent with a tea & coffee station so we are happy to chill & chat amongst ourselves.

I love the tent ceiling in the dining tent - a really nice touch that elevates the space into something special....

Day Five & Chada Katavi

Captain Chedi surprised us this morning at breakfast by producing a stack of kanga's that he had fetched from the local Maasai village - is the man a prince or what? We took all of them - just so that he didn't have to drive back again to return the unwanted items you understand...

Today is a very sad day as we are going to bid Chedi goodbye....it has truly been a privilege to be able to spend time with him...his patience with the ladies who needed to water every bush on the Serengeti plains & who had a seemingly insatiable desire for shopping was legendary - nothing was too much effort for him. Not to mention his knowledge on a vast array of subjects which made for many interesting discussions. We are so going to miss him...asante sana, Chedi!

It's all too soon and the plane has touched down at Kleins airstrip...

The cargo is off loaded, final goodbye's said & the doors closed....& we are off on the next leg of our journey...

One last look at Nduara Loliondo as we fly overhead and then it is on to Tabora where we will refuel before heading to Katavi National Park - a total flight time of about 3 hours...

It's only once you are viewing the Serengeti from the air that you get a sense of the sheer size of the area that it covers....this is the Grumeti River as we fly over the Western corridor...only one of the many obstacles that the wildebeest have to cross on their annual pilgrimage to the Maasai Mara..

The plane banks and suddenly I see our shadow reflected on the plains below....so small, so insignificant..

We arrive at Sitelike airstrip near the park rangers headquarters & we are met by the vehicle which is going to take us to camp....a view from the bridge going into the park..

It's after this point where trouble begins to rear it's ugly head....it is midday, significantly hotter than Loliondo and the tsetse fly is out in full force.....and we are in an open vehicle!! All of us are being eaten alive and our guide doesn't seem to realise the seriousness of the situation, is not listening to us &  insists on stopping for lunch....we have a total sense of humour failure & virtually have to order him to take us straight to camp...no detours! Oh Chedi....

Four VERY grumpy women arrive at Chada Katavi Camp and it takes a while for the ruffled feathers to be smoothed down slightly. We explore the camp...a simple but stylish bush camp...

 
The tent is in seperate sections, each closed off by zipped doors. There is an awful lot of zipping - 8 zippings (up & down) to get from your front door to the shower (on far RHS) & another 6 zippings if, God forbid, you have forgotten something in the bedroom!! And the zips have to be closed otherwise the tent is inundated with all sorts of flying insects that bite - quite vicious mosquito's for a start...not great when you're using the outdoor bucket shower...

Our bathroom section with the long drop loo....see, they're actually quite civilised..a bit of a throne actually and they shouldn't smell at all..

 
Our tent has big 'windows' with views out over the plains and a little veranda so you can sit & watch the action.. They don't zip the windows up at night here as it is so much warmer than the Serengeti and every small breeze is welcome....which meant that we were woken up by munching sounds & had a birds eye view of the elephant herd that passed through camp on our first night...in fact, one of the elephants passed right in front of our tent (just short of the guy ropes), stopped & looked at us, then calmly carried on about its business. I had to go & check to see if Debs still had a pulse after that...very special indeed!!

 

Day Four...& off to Loliondo

Just as you are starting to feel right at home and have made new friends it's time to say kwaheri (tl: Swahili for goodbye)....

We're heading towards the central Serengeti when we come across a few stray wildebeest...clearly the rest of the herds have left them behind or they've elected to stay...apparently the migration has skipped the Western corridor this year and they are making their way straight up to the Maasai Mara....that is until it started raining in the south again....maybe they'll turn back....who knows....

Another picnic lunch on the plains - Edward, the chef from SSC has really spoilt us...

It's round about this time that I notice the reappearance of an old foe - the dreaded tsetse fly!! There hasn't been a case of sleeping sickness diagnosed in Tanzania for at least twenty years but this is not my primary concern.....if you ever need to know if you have a single tsetse fly around all you need do is call on me....I'm a magnet for the little suckers!! Not only is their bite extremely painful - if you've ever been bitten by a horse fly you'll know what I'm talking about - but a small percentage of people are HIGHLY allergic to said bites and swell up alarmingly....yep, I'm in that lucky group. I did take a photo of my cankles (an anatomical term for when there is no discernable difference between one's calf & ankle) but can't bear to show it to you - this is not a medical blog after all & you might have just had a meal...

Moving on swiftly (with the windows shut for good measure..) we make our way up through the Tagora Plains to Kleins gate where we sign in to the Loliondo Conservancy. The landscape has changed from flat plains to beautiful hills dotted with small trees...

A short drive up & over the mountain & suddenly we come to Nduara Loliondo, a dramatic camp reflecting nomadic cultures & consisting of six Mongolian styled yurts that have been given an African makeover....never seen anything like it before....fantastic....what do you think?

First we have the main yurts - one lounge area & the other a dining area..

All through our travels in Tanzania these napkin birds have caught my eye but the ones at NL are particularly fine specimens....I dismantled one so now I can reproduce them for my next dinner party too...

 
Next we are shown the 'bedroom' yurts..which come complete with Maasai askari (tl: Swahili for guard) at night...

The interiors are gorgeous....I'm now seriously in love with the kanga....

In the bathroom, as it has been since we've been on safari, we have long drop toilets & bucket showers..

 

As in the other camps, all paths seem to lead back to the sundowner spot....nothing wrong with that!!

 
 

Day Three & the Moru kopjes...

It's going to be a fine day today...this is the view from our tent....we're up early - raring to go on our first early morning game drive. Fortified with a hot coffee and breakfast 'to go', we depart camp to see what we can find this morning. Last night we were lulled to sleep by the sound of lion and hyena.... 
This area of the southern Serengeti is known as Moru kopjes - little mounds of rock & vegetation that break up the montony of the endless plains...and also a great place for lions & leopards to hang out with lunch on the hoof nearby...

And sure enough, there they are....

He's quite a handsome fellow....& he knows it...

Down on the plain nearby is the other male in the pride, trying his luck with one of the ladies...

It's these two we've been hearing at night.....swopping progress reports on their respective dates...

After the morning's excitment, it is back to camp for a bit of R&R....lots of books to read...tea & the marvellous Tanzanian coffee on tap...

And a spot of lunch never goes amiss...

After tea we head back out - as this is a national park we have to be back in camp by 18h30 at the latest so no sundowners out on the plains this time...

I'm quite pleased with this flamingo photo at sunset....I have seen the odd couple of birds but never been anywhere like Lake Nakuru or Bogoria where there are a multitude of flamingo's to be able to photograph them in all their pink glory so this will have to do for the time being....

 
 

Day Two...

After an all too brief a stay at Plantation Lodge it is time to hit the road again - it's grey & chilly today but a roaring fire at breakfast starts the day off well...

We had heard that Monday was market day in Karatu but Captain Chedi, who had swiftly & accurately summed up his charges, realised that it was never going to be a quick visit & kept his foot firmly on the accelerator...

It stayed misty & cool all the way along the Ngorongoro Crater rim - we can't see anything until at last it starts clearing as we head toward the western side of the Crater..this dramatic mountain (I think this is called Lemagrut but I might be mistaken..) is viewed en route around the Crater.

Finally the clouds lift high enough for us to get this view of the Ngorongoro Crater....no sooner had we stopped the vehicle than several Maasai appear with various trinkets to sell including Maasai blankets (still in their plastic wrapping). Needless to say this was not quite the shopping experience we had been hoping for..

 
A bit further on we stopped at Olduvai Gorge...except that it is now known as Oldupai Gorge - after the local Maasai name for the sisal plant that grows in the gorge. Apparently Olduvai is a mispronounciation and the name changed in 2005.....there is a guide who gives a 15 minute introduction and then you can wander around the museum at your leisure.

 
Oldupai has the dubious honour of having the MOST disgusting toilet I have ever visited....seriously only for the desperate (which we were - eyeballs were floating at that stage). Most visitors have to use the facilties though as the surrounding countryside is riddled with little Maasai herd boys who have the unnerving ability to pop out of nowhere as soon as they hear a vehicle stopping & surprise the unsuspecting soul who is trying to inspect the local flora.... 

We passed a sign saying 'Shifting Sands' but I didn't pay it much attention until Chedi started showing us the markers for a dune that is moving across the southern Serengeti...they mark it's location every five years to see how far it has moved. In the middle of nowhere we come across the cresent shaped dune quietly going about it's business....very odd indeed..

 
We find a nice spot under some flat top acacias for our picnic lunch...Chedi having checked for bees & other things that bite first..

Picnic lunch on safari...everybody gets their own lunch box....so nicely presented..

We pass through & get signed in to the Seregeti National Park proper at the Naabi gate...we take it slowly, stopping when something interesting presents itself....like this group of elephants looking for water at the end of the day..

 

There is such a beautiful light & the smell of rain in the air....heaven...

Finally we reach home for the next two nights...Serengeti Safari Camp, situated in the Moru kopjes area when we visited...simple but perfect..in fact, I'm convinced I could quite happily live in one of the tents on a permanent basis..

 

 

En route to Karatu...

Not such an early start this morning & really starting to feel the fizz of exitement now as today is the day that we start our journey proper. Once the group has been assembled at ACL we set off and hit the countryside almost immediately as the lodge is on the far side of town only 5 minutes from the airstrip. A brief stop for a delicious lunch & quick look around at Manyara Ranch...this picture simply could not have been taken anywhere else except East Africa...

A short but surprisingly productive game drive through the conservancy back to the tar road & then on to a look out point to view lake Manyara - so many places we would like to stop but I suppose we have to leave something for next time...

I love driving through a new country as you see so much more of the local customs & population than you do when flying.....in the middle of Karatu village at a rough hand painted sign for the lodge we turn right & make our way up what looks like a farm road....all of us are wondering what we have let ourselves in for as the sign is basic to say the least & the road doesn't inspire confidence either.....but it just goes to show that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover....Plantation Lodge turns out to be one of my favourite places on this trip. Owned & run by  a German couple who have lived & farmed in Tanzania for many years it is delightful - everything is perfect. They have upgraded us to Garden House so that we each have our own room - this touch is the mark of a true hospitality professional. We are all in love with the gardens, our house for the night, the friendly staff  & owners.....it is quite difficult to please four jaded & highly critical travellers but Plantation Lodge have come up trumps!!

It doesn't look like much from the outside although the immaculate subtropical gardens do give a slight clue what to expect. This area reminds me so much of the area around Tzaneen in Limpopo province in South Africa - the same plants in the garden - jacaranda, bougainvilla, frangipani etc as well as the cool misty conditions as this is the tail end of the long rainy season in East Africa.

 

The lodge is beautifully but simply furnished using lots of local materials which really gives you a sense of place when you walk around. The innovative flower arrangements are all done by the staff using flowers & foliage from the gardens - no mass produced hot house roses here....I love all of them & take far too many photo's.

 You could just sit forever with views like this...very happy!!

 
 

Jambo & karibu... (Swahili for hello & welcome...)

Finally arrived in Tanzania after a journey consisting of many legs & a very early morning start at 02h00. This is one (& possibly the only..) of the downsides to living in Cape Town - when you are travelling within Africa Johannesburg has the edge in that it serves as the hub for all the flights. No matter - one has to keep the end goal in mind here - everything went according to plan & the lovely Mohammed was at Kilimanjaro Airport to transfer me to Arusha Coffee Lodge as arranged. The rooms at this lodge are all set in amongst the coffee plantation...

 Red coffee berries on the bushes....no time for a coffee tour this time unfortunately..

Another must have for my dream house is mosquito net curtains around the bed....there are few things worse than being woken up just as you've managed to get to sleep by the droning of a moquito - it just puts me in a very bad mood. I've come to the conclusion - after trying almost all of the mozzie repellants on the market  - that none of them work except to give me a blocked nose so the mosquito net is the green way forward...& besides they just look so lovely.