Safari Diary

Big Five and The Hadzabe tribe

Our clients Riho, Monika, Raivo, and Karin left snowy Estonia to start a new African adventure. Though they are experienced travelers, they seemed very excited when we met them at the airport in Arusha. Our driver Musa sent us some pictures from their safari and they are really impressive!

One of the most unique things about Tanzania is the world-famous Wildebeest Migration which takes place throughout almost the entire year. Our travelers were lucky to come at the time of the calving season and see lots of wildebeest moving in the Seronera region of the Serengeti. This is the time when predators are chasing them and their newborn kids.

Aside from the migration, our Estonian tourists also spotted the Big Five including small elephants and big prides of lions. They even saw a rhino in Ngorongoro in the company of some hulking buffaloes.

After experiencing Tanzania’s wildlife, Riho and his companions woke up early in the morning to experience hunting with the Hadzabe tribe which lives close to Lake Eyasi. Meeting this tribe is another unique experience as they have been leaving out of the civilized world for hundreds of years.

At the end of the trip, our clients met the Datoga people – a tribe of farmers and craftsmen. They are neighbors with the Hadzabe and even sell them some metal tools like knives and arrowheads.

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The Calving Season Safari

Our clients Bradley, Risa, Alejandro, and Giovanna decided to go for a safari during the calving season. They had a six day safari with a night in Arusha in order to explore Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, and Lake Manyara National Park. In their itinerary, our travelers combined lodges with luxury tented camps. It is the best way to be close to wild nature, but still enjoy a comfortable stay.

But of course, the main point of the trip was to see the most famous African animals, and they were lucky enough to spot all of the Big 5, including a rhino in Ngorongoro Crater.

They also saw four cheetahs, as well as a lot of zebras, giraffes, wildebeests and antelopes. Our guide Musa shared some pictures from their trip!

Tanzania is one of the best destinations for a safari and every  trip of our customers prove it!

From Dubai to Big Five!

Last week we had guests from Dubai, UAE. Yevgenia and Ilya decided to have an adventurous vacation this year. They visited four national parks, including Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

They also  visited Africa Amini Maasai Lodge for a night of relaxation and activities with the local Maasai.

Yevgenia and Ilya were lucky to see the Big Five, with some highlights including watching how lions stalk zebras and even witnessing the thrill of a leopard killing a wildebeest!

Of course, it means lots of great pictures and unforgettable memories! Just look at these photos, they are really good photographers, aren’t they?

Active Safari with Empaakai Trekking

If you are active and fit, the best option is to mix your safari with trekking activities. Our clients from Russia, Anna and Ivan had a really impressive itinerary!

They explored four national parks, had activities with the Maasai tribe, and did trekking to Empaakai Crater in just six days!

They started from Arusha National Park, where they had a walking safari and went canoeing in Momella Lake. That was a really remarkable experience that allowed them to see wild animals upclose. They’ve met giraffes, hippos, and buffaloes.

Later, they spent the night at Africa Amini Life Maasai Lodge, where they spent time with the tribe and enjoyed a night in a luxury Maasai style hut. The next day, Anna, Ivan, and our guide, Loma went to Tarangire National Park for a game drive and enjoyed watching herds of elephants there. And of course, they didn’t miss Serengeti National Park to spot lots of predators.

They also had a night in the Ndutu area, where the Wildebeest Migration takes place at this time of year. The Ndutu region is close to Ngorongoro Crater, so the best option was to continue their safari there.

One day they had a game drive in the Crater and the next one, they trekked to the beautiful Empaakai Crater. That was a perfect experience for the end of the trip. A walking safari is a great way to get a really immersive feel for the natural beauty of Tanzania.

Great Big Five Safari!

What an amazing safari experience!

Our clients, David & Jessica were so lucky to see lots of groups of predators starting from Tarangire, all the way through Serengeti and Ngorongoro.

They spotted twelve cheetahs during their safari, as well as a number of leopards and even a prides of lions who had just finished hunting. Isn’t that great?

They were also lucky enough to see rhinos up close in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Even our driver Edwin was impressed and took lots of pictures! You never can predict what exactly you will see on safari, but in Tanzania it is never boring!

Kubu Kubu Tented Camp in Serengeti NP

Kubu Kubu Tented Camp in Serengeti NP

Kubu Kubu Tented Camp in Serengeti NP

Great Trip to Selous National Reserve!

Are you a real adventurer?  Then this post is definitely for you!

Jake & Natasa from our Shadows of Africa team had a trip to one of the most virgin parks in Tanzania – Selous National Game Reserve. Four times larger than the Serengeti National Park, Selous’ northern regions can be difficult to get to by car.

Due to the extreme distance, the best option for a Selous safari is to take a flying safari. Close to the airstrip you will find the luxurious Azura Camp, where our team spent two nights. The camp is located near the Great Ruaha River, famous for lots of hippos.

The amazing thing is that you can find a pride of lions called the ‘Azura Pride’ within ten meters of the camp! Jake & Natasa were so lucky to follow the hunting of these gorgeous predators. It took them around two hours driving and it seemed to be a real adventure.

They also saw lots of impalas, giraffes, and even two leopards, but the most interesting thing for them was to meet a herd of wild dogs. These animals are very rare on Tanzania’s Northern Circuit and you have more chances to see it here in the South of Tanzania.

Our team recommends spending at least three to four nights in Azura Camp so you will have enough time to explore the most interesting parts of this huge reserve. The camp offers game drives, walking safaris, canoeing, and fishing. You can even request a night game drive for additional cost.

Natasa & Jake admired the amazing work of the chef in the camp. They really enjoyed each meal created by the Azura team. The camp also has free Internet, but it’s not crazy fast because of the location. Though you can still be connected while surrounded by wild nature!

A safari in this Southern part of Tanzania is mostly for people who really prefer a private safari. You won’t find the usual tourist crowds in Selous. While the size of the reserve means there will be longer drives between game viewing locations, in the end, you can always combine a safari in Southern part  of Tanzania with some time on the famous Northern Circuit! You cannot compare these two destinations, they are too different, but you can visit both!

Combining Wildlife & Cultural Experience

Our adventurous customers, David and Carol decided to include the most interesting spots in Tanzania in a short time. They started with a walking and canoeing safari in Arusha National Park, which is a perfect option to add to the usual game drive.
Of course they didn’t miss famous Tarangire National Park, where you can find huge herds of elephants this season. After overnighting in Tarangire Safari Lodge with its amazing view of the Tarangire River, they continued with a game drive in Serengeti National Park. They really loved it and were lucky to see lots of predators very close! Lions, cheetahs, and even a leopard showed up during their game drive. Stunning Ngorongoro Crater impressed them even more with its gorgeous views and variety of wildlife.

After a tiring safari, the travelers and our guide, Bashiru visited Amini Life Maasai Lodge for some well-earned relaxation. It is a perfect place to explore Maasai culture and even participate in some tribal activities.

Before coming back home, David and Carol had a chance to get closer to Kilimanjaro. What a perfect option before the flight! Instead of sitting at their hotel, they had a tour to Marangu village, learned about Chaga culture in the ancient caves, trekked to a beautiful waterfall, and tried fresh coffee on the local coffee plantation.
We agree with our customers that you need to explore different sides of Africa and combine your tour with lots of cultural experiences! It gives you the opportunity to experience the real lives of local people.

Father and Son Safari

Having never been to Africa before Juan and his son were excited to finally get a taste of the African continent starting with a safari in Tanzania.

On day one they started with a quick trip to the Shadows office in Arusha to have a briefing, as we do with all clients, and for Alex their driver to pick up the last minute things like their lunchboxes, and water, coffee and tea. They then started the 2 hour drive to Manyara National Park, excited to see the flamingoes, elephants, giraffes etc. and crossing their fingers that they might be to see a tree-climbing lion in the park.

Day two they got up early to start the drive to Serengeti National Park. The drive was broken up with visits to Oldupai and a visit to a Masai cultural boma before arriving at the campsite of Kati Kati. The next day was a full day of game driving around central Serengeti ecosystem where they saw lots of the big cats: leopards, lion, cheetahs.

Day four they heading to Ngorongoro crater with a game drive along the way.

A Fly-In Two Day Safari

Andrew picked up his clients in the Serengeti after they flew from Arusha to the Seronera Airport there. They had two days in the Serengeti where they saw lions, cheetahs, leopards, and hunting lions taking down a zebra.

On the way back to Arusha, they stayed at Africa Amini Masai Lodge for an authentic cultural experience.