Travel stories

A journey to North, South and East Tanzania

What a fantastic holiday we had! This was our third time traveling with Explore Tanzania, and everything was taken care of down to the last detail!

We started in Arusha with a mountain bike tour, then continued on to the coffee tour where we learned about coffee making, received an interesting history lesson about Tanzania, and learned about the Meru people’s way of life. We even made our own coffee.

The next morning, our guide, John, picked us up to go to Tarangire, our favorite lodge, Tarangire Safari Lodge, with its stunning views. This time we stayed in a bungalow, what a luxury! Of course, we saw all sorts of animals, from small to large, and many bird species. A lioness walked near the lodge, climbed a tree, and posed beautifully.

After three nights, we said goodbye to John and flew in three small planes to Nyerere National Park, Lake Menze Tented Camp.
We arrived late in the afternoon and met our guide, Chombo, and driver, Mhanda. On the way to the camp, we saw many animals; we were the only guests for that day/evening. The other days there were more guests, and in the evenings, we all enjoy a meal together at a long table under the stars. We enjoyed the boat safari, weaving among the many hippos and crocodiles, and saw 20 giraffes crossing the river. The riverbank was inhabited by a colony of bee-eaters, which flew back and forth into their burrows. After two wonderful days, we flew to Ruaha National Park, Mdonya Old River Camp. Our guide was Jonas, an acquaintance from three years ago, and we were able to reminisce. He even had a photo of us on his phone, and he missed our sons. Sunday evening saw a total lunar eclipse, and while the moon was obscured, all the stars were visible. The highlight was Monday: the hot air balloon ride. We woke up at 3 a.m. and enjoyed a cup of coffee/tea with biscuits. A two-hour drive to the starting point included a night safari along the way, where we saw a lion, a civet cat, a hyena, and sleeping impalas. We arrived around 6 p.m., time for tea and some biscuits. Luckily, there was a portable toilet with a view; in the distance, we heard lions roar. After a short briefing, we climbed into the balloon’s basket, strapped in with a safety belt—nothing could happen to us—and so we soared into the air. What a magnificent sight to see everything from above: the baobab trees, hippos, giraffes, elephants, lions, and, of course, impalas. After about 80 minutes, we had a soft landing, time for champagne and a very extensive breakfast, freshly prepared by a chef.

Jonas and Shabani pick us up, and we go in search of the lions we saw from the hot air balloon. They’re all lying quietly under a tree, but they spot a group of zebras. We wait patiently to see what happens. The lions prepare for an attack; they sprint off in pursuit of the zebra calf, which is a bit faster and survives the attack. Next, we go to the leopard, which was patiently waiting for us; it poses nicely in the tree. After that, it’s time for some sleep, we skip lunch, and head out again in the late afternoon. Here, too, you all dine together under the stars.

On to Zanzibar, what a culture shock from the quiet safari life to the bustling Stone Town, where it’s also very hot. Time for a tour of Stone Town after freshening up and dinner on a rooftop terrace in the evening with the sunset.
We’re not on a beach holiday, but on a 5-day cycling tour of the island, which is a special experience. Under Suleiman’s very expert guidance, we set off. It took some getting used to driving on the left, and there’s only one road with all the traffic, or rather, speeding along. We visited a spice farm, sampled various dishes, and enjoyed a delicious lunch. We cycled between 20 and 55 km per day at a leisurely pace, stopping regularly for fresh fruit, water, and Suleiman’s stories. The lodges were very comfortable.
In Fukuchani, we visited a small zoo and turtle sanctuary. In Pongwe, we watched the sunrise from our room.
Kizimkazi was our final destination, where we enjoyed a dhow cruise and the sunset over the ocean. The next day, we had a mangrove canoe trip and a village tour in Muugoni. It’s so special to experience life in a village. Our guide, Rama, canoed with us through the mangroves, then showed us around the village. We had lunch at his house, prepared by his wife. We met an elderly woman who wove all sorts of things from palm leaves, which she did very skillfully. We bought two bags and a fan; she was so happy. She also gave a demonstration of grating coconut; every household has one in their kitchen. Hanneke was also dressed in various traditional costumes by a cheerful villager.

On the last day, we recovered from all our adventures and impressions. From our bungalow, we saw colobus monkeys swinging through the trees. Time to head back home on the night flight. We had a wonderful time again, thanks in part to the excellent organization of Explore Tanzania. We were even able to pick up my forgotten travel diary from Ruaha at Zanzibar Airport.
We’ve already made plans for our next trip to Tanzania.