Jongomero is a critically underrated and under-visted part of Ruaha National Park. The lodge is the furthest west and the furthest south of any of the lodges in Ruaha. This means it is closer to the headwaters of the Ruaha River which means it is wetter than other areas of the park. It has some unique landscapes and mean tsetse flies (part of a deterrent for some) but the beautiful Jongomero Camp provides some respite. The camp is one of the older camps in the park and is wisely constructed around the contours of the river. Until the past few years, the pool at the camp was the only one in Ruaha (I think there are now five?). So much action occurs around the river that phenomenal sightings can occur while checking out the river from the pool!
Grab your binoculars or cold beer and enjoy the view.
In this specific instance, someone had rented out a small stall in Iringa town and transported these bundles for storage. They were all branded with a tag that the seller indicated was a sign they all came together in one shipping container. That means someone in America consolidated the items, wrapped them up, and arranged their shipment to Dar es Salaam. The seller explained that the bundles were graded and the cost of one was anywhere from 250,000-450,000tsh ($100-200). The contents could range from designer items sourced from throw away culture in an affluent suburban neighborhood, or it could be full of dilapidated and disintegrating clothes.
These bundles will be purchased by entrepreneurs and then usually sold to smaller vendors. Nicer clothes will attract a premium at shops while other items may end up in a random pile with other goods at a fixed price (often accompanied by someone shouting the price). The journey of a t-shirt or pair of jeans can be unexpected...
Tanzania’s rainy season brings about a sensational transformation with an explosion of leaves, seed germination, and grasses. Tanzania has given me a newfound interest and respect for a variety of grasses and their veracious life cycle. Where I am from grasses are mostly landscaped and planted for their aesthetic but the wild grasses here are robust and wildly varied. Grasses here might grow 2m (6.5 ft) tall or be only a few centimeters. The size and orientation of the seeds give grasses unique dimensions akin to the silhouettes of trees: some have seeds hanging from the top like a palm tree, others are densely packed like a fir.
The thing I ultimately appreciate the most about the grass is the cycle. In the dry season you might see some thin, dry, brown grass in patches or see stubbled patches where herbivores grazed. By the end of the dry season most of the grass is either burned, eaten, or trampled. Dried grass fields are dusty and uninviting. But when those first rains hit, the rapid germination is incredible. Suddenly dry bits of brown earth explode into green as blades of grass compete to proliferate. These grasses are bright green and continue to grow quickly while also attracting various insects like mantises and grasshoppers. The grasses flower and put out their seeds while gradually drying up. Late rains can restart this cycle and the grass growth can be a barometer for predicted rainfall.
Fresh grass in the rainy season.
Dried grass.
Although the grasses are beautiful and interesting, they can be a pain. The first thing is that they obscure visibility. When you have 2.5m (7.5 ft) long grass, visibility is poor if you're keeping an eye out fr elephants and buffalo. And feeling vulnerable while walking, or even driving, is less than ideal. The second thing is that I have allergies and if I’ve done even a half decent job of explaining how prevalent and prolific grass is here, then you can put 2+2 and imagine how I feel about that. Otherwise don’t be surprised if someone comes back from a trip to Tanzania and exclaims that yes the lions are wonderful BUT, have you seen the different types of grass?!
Can't see much over this grass.
Trail blazing roads can lead to an incredible amount of grass seed accumulating. This photo was taken after the video below.
There is a nice area of village land nearby that is unique in our area. Located at the foothills of a small range, the area is unique in that it marks the area where the dominant habitat changes from miombo woodland to acacia/commmiphora. It's nice to have a literal change of scenery and because miombo wodlands have poorer soil there is less vegetation and undergrowth making it easier to walk around. It's also nice to be up in the hills as the vast majority of our landscape is flat and thus you don't often get nice views.
There was evidence that indicated daily movement of elephants and we ran into some impala and kudu. We also found a carcass of a giraffe that had been licked clean by lions and hyenas. It was a really nice cool day and the added elevation made the temperature enjoyable and thus extended the hours of our walk!
One of the coolest features of the highway from Dar es Salaam going west is the passage through Mikumi National Park. Although photography and stopping to view animals is permitted, you can easily see several different kinds of animals in what I dub a, “poverty safari”. It’s not unusual to have to stop to let a giraffe or elephant cross the road and although game viewing is much better in the dry season, the rainy season can still offer some surprises.
I’ve driven through Mikumi dozens of times but I had never seen a lion from the road. Well, my luck changed the other day when we saw a sturdy lioness come on to the road at 11am. She was completely unbothered by our car and oncoming traffic and continued to stroll for about five minutes before she went off the side of the road.
For some reason, the national park posts signs in the park indicating that photography is not permitted if you are passing through, and thus to technically get permission to take and post this picture, I had to stop at the national park office and pay the admission fee for the national park. It’s a shame because Mikumi National Park in transit is the only opportunity the majority of Tanzanians get to enter a national park. In my opinion, the sharing of pictures should be encouraged to raise awareness about domestic tourism as well as encouraging positive feelings towards wildlife.
One of our go to local day excursions is a small generously labeled “waterfall” (previous trips) located in the foothills to the south. The area is inaccessible during the rainy season and thus we usually try to go as soon as it dries up so that we can see the water level in the river/waterfall. It’s a pretty little hike up to the water point and the length of the hike can vary depending on how close you park your vehicle. There are some trails around the foothills and you can climb up to get a beautiful vista of the surrounding area.
Because the water level varies, it is always tricky to try to find a place to swim. When it’s dry there are several little pools and it’s easy to navigate over dry boulders but in the rainy season it is more slippery and the fast flowing water requires you to be a little more careful!
Any Mountain Wagtails?
There was so much water I couldn't even get to my normal spot to take a comparison pic.
I've written about Kisolanza Farm House before but I want to highlight their food as they have just opened a roadside cafe meaning more people will be able to easily access their menu.
They have always done an amazing job with their food across all the meals and I've appreciated their creativity with local ingredients. Some of my favorites are their farm-fresh light lunch, chocolate mousse, farm fresh strawberries with homemade cream, carrot lasagna, and the t-bone steak. I am excited that their roadside restaurant will offer lunch and dinner on weekends. I swear I am not a paid sponsor or anything like that; the food is just delicious!
