Times in Tanzania: Shambala Swamp: Trip II

Ana checking out the swamp

We recently discovered Shambala Swamp (Trip I) and realized it was the perfect place for a bush camping excursion. So this weekend we packed up our gear and headed out early Saturday morning to the swamp.

We arrived at the northern end of the swamp at around 10:30am. We enjoyed some coffee and a snack of chapati while doing some bird-watching. We noted that the sun was already quite hot but the acacia woodland always provided a nearby tree for some shade. We spent the day slowly making our way down the eastern side of the lake, frequently stopping to walk the shoreline or acacia woodland. The bird life was prolific and there were signs the wetland was recovering since a month previous. The recent drought had apparently caused the wetland to dry up for the first time in decades. Now we could see a variety of waterbirds comfortably fishing or wading along the shore.

The area is sparsely inhabited, mainly with a few scattered villages or bomas (semi-permanent Masaai settlements) just upland from the swamp, though there were two really dodgy looking temporary fishing villages set up. Otherwise the Masaai only grazed with their cows during the day, so the night looked to be quiet.

We reached our goal by making it to the southern end fo the swamp. We were rewarded by some really great birdlife and open areas at the southern edge. The reeds gave way to open water and the mountains in the background provided a stunning backdrop. We off-roaded a bit until we found a comfortable campsite that wouldn't be visible from the main road. We set up our tent, lit a fire next to the swamp, and enjoyed the night.

At dusk thousands of Barn-swallows came to drink and we were treated to a beautiful sunset as the sun dropped below the horizon on the opposite side of the lake. A tiny sliver of the moon rose, along with stars so clear that the Milkyway was visible. For how thin the moon was, it illuminated the area quite well and we didn't even need a headtorch most of the time. It was an absolutely beautiful place and as night set in there was a cacophony of sound from the insects and reptiles of the swamp.

The sunrise the next morning was equally beautiful and watching the light change over the completely still swamp water was as peaceful as it gets. We had breakfast and then took a small walk up the swamp. The rest of the day was spent basically retracing our steps of the previous day, checking at some points we didn't stop at on the way down, and enjoying the cool morning before the sun got too strong. We ended up leaving the north end the swamp at 11am and still made it back to Moshi in time for lunch.

I'm very thankful for my interest in birds because without the bird watching aspect, I wonder if it would be worth it for most people from Moshi and Arusha to visit the swamp. There truly isn't much to do aside from admire the local widllife and the views, but if you enjoy spending the day checking out those things, Shambala swamp is the place to go!