Simba Farm in Kilimanjaro Region

Mt. Meru

 

One of the other things we were looking forward to while in the north was visiting Simba Farms. It used to be one of our favorite places to go on the weekend and although we have found a substitute (Kisolanza Farmhouse), there is some romanticism in the return to Simba Farm. And I really need to acknowledge them for all the improvements they've made since we last came. They've expanded their veranda area, included more activities, and are currently in the middle of expanding even more accommodation options. I was also happy to see the food is still as stellar as I remember it, high quality, healthy and farm fresh food for every meal.

Simba Farm is also super family friendly with tons of neat activities. I have to highly recommend their river walk which I was initially skeptical of. I was only skeptical because years ago it was a free walk but now there is a fee to pay the Tanzania Forestry Service. This allows the walk to be much longer and they have a really cool trail that takes you along a river, complete with a swimming hole for those who don't mind a freezing cold river stream! 

Simba Farm is another place on my underrated destinations in Tanzania and one that I think more people should visit, especially after a safari. Having two or three days to laze around and relax is the perfect compliment to safari.

Serengeti Grass Fires

The smoke gives the sky a pretty color at sunset.

 

The Serengeti has a massive grassland ecosystem and this time of the year the park authorities schedule burns. I am no grassland ecologist so I'm not sure what the method to the madness is but what I do know is that northern Serengeti was full of smoke from the afternoon into the evening. We managed to avoid it most days but one day we were engulfed in smoke and fire at our sundowner spot.

The smoke helped contribute to a really pretty sunset and around some of the burn areas we were treated to some birds that were snatching all the crickets and other insects desperate to escape. We were lucky to have some breeze at night which cleared it from our camp and the burns didn't start until mid-morning so we had time to enjoy the morning game drives.

Watching the sunset, engulfed in smoke

Ngorongoro Conservation Area Hike

View of the crater

As much as I love safari, one of the biggest drawback is the extended time spent in the car on bumpy roads. I always recommend people to try to include some walks in their safari to stretch their legs and to view the landscape at a different speed. Driving is great for covering huge distances but it's a "miss the trees for the forest" kind of situation. We were lucky to have a walk in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area that took us along the crater rim on the northeast side. 

The walk was stunning for the views across the Ngorongoro highlands on one side and the crater on the other. We saw some giraffes and we avoided a trail with elephants although we had very good visibility so the danger would not have been all that high. The highlands are at altitude so the walk was a little tougher than we expected which allowed for several breaks to check out the smaller flora and fauna. The crisp climate meant that we could hike mid-day without it being too hot. It was nice to enjoy our big breakfast without any rush since most of the safari days have us up at the crack of dawn. 

I highly encourage everyone to enjoy the national parks of Tanzania on foot, preferably with a good guide. You'll get to see all the beetles, grasses, animal dung, and all the little things that come together to create the larger landscape.

Ngorongoro Crater: Trip V

 

View from the rim

The Ngorongoro Crater is one of my favorite places in the world and I've been lucky to visit it a few times (previous trips). I always recommend tourists to include it in their itinerary and for those that can't afford a full safari, whether it be time or money, I urge them to strongly consider at least a Ngorongoro Crater day trip. It's a very expensive trip but even beyond the wildlife, the setting is truly unique and stunning. 

From the first views of the crater from the rim to the winding road leading to the descent road, the unique Ngorongoro Highlands offer a different landscape than the typical African savanna. Lush forested highlands surround the road and the cool weather is a welcome relief. The descent down to the crater is stunning and the wildlife is abundant and extremely habituated. 

This trip was one of the best visits I've had yet, we saw tons of lions, elephants up close, rhino, and a very cool swarm of midges (small mosquito like insects). There were relatively few tourists which also enhanced the experience as it is always the biggest drawback to the crater. 

One very cool development was the addition of an espresso machine at the lunch spot! There was a small kiosk with someone selling fresh coffee, a really welcome surprise. 

 

Lake Duluti: Trip VIII

We had some guests that had a long flight and one of the best Arusha area activities for a short walk is Lake Duluti. We had not visited for a few years and continued to see some positive developments in the area.

The area is now much more gated and they have a proper entry fee that is paid by government control number. This makes pricing much more transparent, a welcome departure from the "flexible" pricing in the past. There are also guides available but they were not too pushy when we declined as we know the area very well. 

The walk is not very long and it is also flat so it's suitable for people of all fitness levels and children. The lake is a crater lake which means there are steep hills surrounding it which isolates the walk from the busy development surrounding the lake. 

There is a religious group that uses the rim of the crater for ceremonies and their acolytes were seen on the trails chanting to themselves. They were friendly enough although the scene was a bit weird and you could hear vigorous chanting from one side of the walk. 

As mentioned this is a fantastic activity to do in the morning or evening. It's a great way to stretch your legs and there is a nice little bar/restaurant on the other side of the lake if you wanted to hang out. The organization of the activities and entry fees seems much better organized these days which will hopefully bring in some well needed tourism revenue.

TPC birding V

 

A view to the Blue Mountains in the south

 

We used to do quite a bit of birdwatching at TPC Sugar Plantation south of Moshi and we had a free afternoon so decided to pop out there. In the past we had accessed both the Namalok protected area as well as a group of pools near to the clubhouse but unfortunately both areas were locked and due to our last minute plans we didn't have time to arrange to access them. We were still able to do a classic river walk and although the main pools were not accessible there were some pools around that were accessible and we didn't manage to see some other birds.

It's still a great area to birdwatch but I would recommend people to get in touch with the management to get access to the gated areas. Next time we will plan better for sure!

Cafe review: Kilimanjaro Native Co-operative Union (KNCU)

I'm surprised I never covered my favorite cafe in Moshai, the Kilimanjaro Native Co-operative Union (KNCU). It's a historic organization, the oldest co-op in Tanzania and the building gives off historic charm. They have a pretty cool history that's worth checking out and they are now the largest purchaser of small holder coffee in Kilimanjaro. Bringing it all together they offer a coffee tour that I highly recommend.

One of our favorite traditions was coming to the cafe for a coffee and a cake, in particular their chocolate cheesecake. I recommend sharing it with someone alongside your preference of coffee. The combination is like strawberries and cream, wine and cheese, peanut butter and jelly...put this pairing in the pantheon of paired foods!

 

Resturant review: Jay's Kitchen

The spicy pork

One of the best parts about being back in Moshi, in fact, the reason we added another two hours onto our already 9 hour journey, was because of the Korean restaurant, Jay's Kitchen. We were living in Moshi when it opened and it used to be one of our favorite spots. It has authentic Korean food, complete with banchan, as well as a pleasant and quiet location. 

We had not been to Jay's Kitchen in a few years and they renovated the front area to be more of a cafe. I used to really like the Asian chef behind the counter that bowed as we entered, a nice touch of true authenticity. Still, the cafe in front/restaurant in back combo takes good advantage of their space. 

They had a new menu and I initially had difficulty locating their spicy pork (Jeyuk Bokkeum). This dish is probably one of my favorite dishes IN THE WORLD and I had a short panic when I didn't see it on the menu. However, after asking the waiter he immediately knew which dish I was talking about, as if this inquiry was of such regular frequency that he wished the menu would have it clearly as to save him time constantly fielding this question. 

They used to have a lunch special but this doesn't seem to be on the menu anymore. Still, I've got to recommend this restaurant and in my opinion it is one of the best in Tanzania. I often look for Korean food while traveling and I have not found any as good as this one.

Driving from Iringa to Arusha via Dodom

 

A view down to the Mtera reservoir

Iringa to Arusha is not easy from a logistics perspective. There are no direct flights and thus one would have to fly to Dar es Salaam and then up to Arusha. Flights from Iringa to Dar are only available once per day and are quite costly at $550 round trip, and then another $200 round trip to Arusha. Already for one person the costs are high and if you are traveling with a group then driving becomes a viable option. The road is paved the entire way and there is very little traffic making for a rather pleasant drive.

The journey starts in Iringa and the first notable part of the journey is the drop down the escarpment. It's a beautiful view looking down over Mtera Reservoir and although the road is windy there are not a lot of cars and it's nothing like the hectic nature of the escarpment coming up the other side from Dar es Salaam to Iringa. You then pass along the Mtera Reservoir before crossing over it. There is a bunch of security at the reservoir due to the fact that it is of strategic national interests and there is an immigration check so make sure to have your passport. 

After Mtera the drive is a tad boring, though pleasant enough passing through sparsely populated areas peppered with Baobab trees. Luckily the highway passes around Dodoma and thus there isn't much traffic and the journey continues through the acacia/commiphora landscape. One thing to note; there are currently no gas stations in between Dodoma and Iringa although I saw a few under construction. 

The road then begins to climb into the highlands in the north around Babati, a growing yet still quaint little city. There are hippos in the lake so keep your eyes peeled! After Babati the road begins to have much more traffic which gradually increase as you reach Arusha. There are expansive views of the rift and Lake Manyara and after we pass Tarangire gate we enjoy counting the number of safari vehicles that we pass. I think we got somewhere around 100 this past trip but depending on the time of day it can be impressive!

Google Maps estimates the journey at a cool 10 hours and there are a few ways that we approach the journey. We usually like to leave Iringa in the evening and make the 3-4 hour drive to Dodoma and overnight there. We then continue the journey in the morning to Arusha which can be anywhere from 4.5-6 hours. I think most average folks would make the journey in 9 1/2 hours. The quickest I've made it, driving with pace but not like a total maniac, was 7 1/2 hours. 

As mentioned, the journey is overall pleasant and the lack of traffic reduces the amount of constant attention that is typically required on the roads of Tanzania. The road is in great shape at the moment with very few sections pot-holed or under construction. It's a long journey but not a bad one!