Lake Nanja: Trip III

Beautiful landscape

The last place we visited on our trip north was Lake Nanja. We had visited twice before (Trip I, Trip II) but hadn't visited in the wet season. We were greeted with a sublime landscape of fresh grasses and flowers. We parked our car not too far in the mud and then walked around the western side of the lake. We met a few groups of Maasai taking their cattle to drink and saw some interesting waterbirds. We tried to drive around the south end but we were met with an impassable road so had to turn back before our long drive to Dodoma.

You can see our car, tiny in the bottom right. I climbed an escarpment for the photo. 

Shambala Swamp: Trip III

Eerie setting

During our time up north we were late to discover Shambala Swamp, a vast wetlands about 45 minutes south of the Kilimanjaro Airport, halfway between Arusha and Moshi. As we had only visited twice (Trip II) before we were excited to visit again and try to drive a loop from the airport to Arusha town.

The swamp is notable for having large stands of dead trees on the northern part of the swamp, giving it an eerie vibe. The swamp is full of bird life and also full of fisherman. We were surprised to see several temporary villages along the coast. We had seen a few in our previous visits but they had multiplied significantly. They looked rundown with temporary shelters made from tarps and plastic. They had a real strange feel of a temporary fishing village though the residents were very friendly towards us. They certainly had plenty of fish with several buckets full and small fish smoking operations.

We enjoyed the drive down the eastern side of the swamp and also met several Maasai that lived in the area. It was an interesting combination of pastoralists and fisherman with still plenty of swamp uninhabited. It was somewhat alarming at how many more fishing villages there were and we thought about the way it may affect the birdlife in the area. It's always a delicate balance of economic activity and conservation activities and my concern was that the area was completely unmanaged.

We ended up finding the road around the south end of the swamp and looped back around to Arusha. The road was wild at times and had us doubting since there were no tire tracks for large stretches. It required us to cross a dried river bed that put our four wheel to the test; always fun! The area is highly recommended for anyone wanting to get off the beaten track

Shambala Swamp viewed from the southern end. 

Cow going for a drink

Fishermans boats. 

Nyumba ya Mungu: Trip XVIII

Ana checking the bird book with the Blue Mountains in the background

Nyumba ya Mungu is one of our favorite places to visit in Tanzania (Trip XVII). This is a result of a view factors, mainly the uniqueness of the landscape and the proximity to where we lived in Moshi. The continually fluctuating water levels means the wetlands at the north of the reservoir constantly change. The reservoir had received a significant amount of water meaning that it wasn't as picturesque as usual with muddied water.

We were happy it was a cloudy day. On a clear day the landscape is stunning but stifling. With some cloud cover we were able to walk around the wetlands in the north and check out the fisherman and birdlife in the area. The last time we had visited there was a ban on fishing in the area but we inquired with local fisherman and it appears the ban has been lifted.

We left Moshi at 6am in order to reach early and leave early. We ended up getting back to Moshi around 1pm, perfect timing to grab a nice lunch after a hard day out!

Checking the water for birds...

Fishermen are ready...

West Kilimanjaro Farmstead: Trip V

Mt. Meru far off

The farmstead on west Kilimanjaro is not only an amazing visit for the vistas of Mt. Meru and the plains between Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro, but also because it has amazing farm fresh food. We've enjoyed our previous visits (Trip IV) and looked forward to camping again on the property. We've experienced two different variations of their camping facilities and we were pleasantly surprised to see they had improved their tourist facilities. The farm is first and foremost a working farm but they have a few cottages and an old farm house that people can rent. They cater towards families with loads of activities and they recently built a specific camping area. It has showers, toilets, and level soft ground to put a tent.

We noticed a bunch of small things that showed that they were gearing up for more tourists. Several separate seating areas were created, one with a fireplace, and a communal firepit was built and lit at night. They had some informational posters about the wildlife and signs indicating where certain arm activities and hikes were located. We were very impressed and hopeful that more people from Moshi and Arusha visit since it is one of our favorite spots to relax at!

Getting the fire ready for the evening. 

Hatari Lodge: Arusha National Park

We are lucky to have been invited to stay at Hatari Lodge a few times over the past few years. During our first few stays we knew the place was nice but didn't realize just how amazing it was. Now that we've had more years of experience staying at a variety of accommodation in Tanzania we have more perspective. And I can say that Hatari Lodge is one of my favorite places to stay in Tanzania. Not only does it have a stunning setting, now inside Arusha National Park, but it has impeccable service and beautiful furnishings with extreme attention to detail. I'll be completely honest and say that the place is far above my usual standards but done in a very tasteful way that was not too opulent yet very luxurious. Furnishings aside, the way the lodge is built within the landscape of acacia trees and grassland means that buffalo and giraffe frequently wander through the area and Mt. Meru is visible in the mornings towering over the lodge.

The few times we had visited before had only been a stop over so this was the first time we were truly able to enjoy the place. We were invited for Christmas Eve dinner and joined a large group of Germans for Christmas festivities. I hope we get to return soon!

Viewing platform is frequently surrounded by buffalo and giraffe. 

Pretty baller room!

The bathroom was huge. 

Arusha National Park: Trip IX

Checking out a Lesser Jacana

In our trip north we were looking forward to returning to one of the most underrated parks in Tanzania, Arusha National Park (Trip XIII). It used to be only an hour drive from our house and the variety of habitats inside the park means that the relatively small park (137 km2) has an astonishing variety of birds. It's awesome to drive from a grassland to a montane rainforest to alkaline lakes all in the same day.

Unfortunately most people are not looking to view a variety of habitat or 100 different species of birds. We often wonder how tourists end up at the park because the overall wildlife pales in comparison to the other parks of the north. You're lucky if you see a couple of giraffes and zebras although if it's your first safari in Tanzania the landscapes are stunning.

Ngurudoto Crater

We took a classic route through the park starting at Ngurudoto Crater, then passing through some lakes on the way to the northern end of the park. We checked out all the lakes before heading up Mt. Meru way and soaking in the montane rainforest towards the top. The highlight of the trip for sure was seeing our first cerval which we caught crossing a road. It was a fantastic view of an enigmatic carnivore!

Beautiful waterfall. This place is one of the most picteresque picnic spots in Tanzania

Tarangire National Park: Trip V

Friendly elephants

It had been almost a year since we had visited Tarangire National Park (Trip IV) and we were excited to visit the north after some time away. We had remembered Tarangire for being a paradise for birds and elephants and we were not disappointed!

Beautiful campsite

Sunrise over the Silale Swamp

We arrive to Tarangire National Park around noon and were shocked at the amount of safari cars waiting to enter. We've gotten used to the non existent queues in Ruaha National Park and seeing nearly 40 safari vehicles was a shock to the system. However, this meant they were much more efficient at getting people registered and paid for and we quickly paid for our entry and special campsite. Quick side rant; camping in the park is an already expensive $30 per person and camping at a special campsite is $50 per person. The irony of this is that a special campsite literally means there is nothing but a clearing; no water points, toilet, etc. So in turn you are actually paying a ridiculous amount for absolutely zero services, it doesn't make sense! But we were willing to splurge since we assumed the public campsite (which do actually have services available) would be crowded during the holiday time and we wanted to camp in the middle of the park by the Silale Swamp.

After getting into the park we drove about 10 minutes and in the distance we saw a group of about 10 safari cars. Some seemed to be moving and jockying for space but it was obvious they were looking at something. We got excited and thought it was perhaps a cheetah hunt or some lions. We raced ahead and had to laugh at ourselves when we realized they were all taking pictures of a troop of baboons. One thing to note is that several tour operators have a "standard safari" which starts in Tarangire. As a result, the majority of the people in Tarangire are on their first day of safari and thus eager to stop for any wildlife, even distant giraffes or zebras that they can barely see. This was on full display in this instance as baboons are numerous and actually a nuisance at several of the picnic areas. But I remember MY first baboon, and it was exciting, so we just waved at the group of cars and passed by.

We had a wonderful day in the park that included several elephants within 5m of our car, tons of birds, and an unexpected car break down. The bumpy road had broken the wiring to our fuel pump but we were saved by a group of workers from the park. They helped us diagnose and fix the problem and in a very Tanzanian way were insistent that they did it not for money but because everyone needs to help each other in the bush. They were a chatty and fun group and even knew one of our co-workers from when they conducted an internship at the park. This incident happened late in the afternoon and we ended up making it to our campsite late in the evening.

The campsite was completely empty and far from anyone else. We set up camp under a tree, lit a fire, and began to prepare dinner. I was unloading stuff from the car and Ana was cooking when I wandered over to the fire. We had been speculating if a storm was going to hit us and Ana had her head down chopping veggies when she said, "I think we're gonna get hit". This was aptly timed with a buffalo that had strolled into our campsite not 15m in front of Ana. My brain registered that she was talking about the buffalo, a very uncharacteristic nonchalance from Ana. I shouted to her and she immediately shot up and ran to the car. Luckily we have some noisemakers in our car and we scared off two buffalo that were a bit to close for comfort.

We did not get hit by the storm and packed up early the next morning to explore the swamp. It was a beautiful morning and part of the benefit of camping deep inside the park is having the place to yourself in the morning. We tracked some lion and hyena footprints, did some birdwatching, and enjoyed the beautiful sunrise over the swamp before heading out of the park.

Kitulo National Park: Trip II

Overlooking the valley to the south. 

Our first visit to Kitulo National Park was in the dry season and as a result we were excited to visit in the wet season. After all, the park is most famous for its flowers. Although the park does not have much wildlife the unique setting of a highland grassland is a treat in itself.

We arrived on Saturday in the afternoon and enjoyed a drive through the north part of the park. We tried to reach a waterfall on the east end of the park but unfortunately the road was blocked by a tree fall. It was unfortunate as we had successfully passed through an extremely muddy area and were feeling good only to have to turn around and struggle through the mud again without having seen the waterfall. However, the ride back to the campsite was nice and we enjoyed a lookout point across the south end of the park.

The campsite was greatly improved since the last time we stayed and they have even built two permanent structures nearby. They are a bit of an eyesore as well as a visible phone tower but it's part of what comes with a recently gazetted park. Kitulo was used in the past for grazing and there are even villages and farms directly on the border and interwoven around the park. Locals drive motorcycles and buses through the park which takes away from the aesthetic a bit. Still, there are parts of the park and recently opened roads that allow you to drive to the isolated part of the park and feel the unique isolation and environment.

Grassland in the evening. 

Beautiful cloud cover in the morning.