Wild Tanzania

Plain views Staying at Maasai Lodge brings you closer to Tanzania’s scenery

WILD TANZANIA

Home to vast protected areas, this East African country offers plenty of chances for one-on-one encounters with the locals and wildlife alike…

WORDS BY MARK GILLIES, TANZANIA SPECIALIST

TANZANIA

“I turn around and not ten feet away from me is a young bull elephant, looking us over absent-mindedly while searching the ground intently for pine nuts and fruit with his trunk.”

The 12-seater Cessna Grand

Caravan bucks in the hot African sky as we make our way from the bustling metropolis of Dar es Salaam to the Selous. We spend an hour above the clouds before descending quickly.

What strikes me first is the vastness: seemingly endless expanses of acacia trees, wide snaking rivers and golden savannah. The Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest protected areas in Africa, second only to Namibia’s Mudumu National Park, and the descent via light aircraft is one of the most captivating parts of a safari here. Below us, a tower of giraffe rambles in slow motion across the rain-washed plains and hippo laze in the shallows. As we draw closer to the ground, the landscape blurs with heat and we finally glide parallel to the airstrip. Our suave pilot turns around in his aviator sunglasses: “This is Siwandu. Welcome to the Selous.”

Even before I step out of the plane, I know it’ll be love at first sight. I hop out and take my first steps onto a sandy runway surrounded by naked baobab and green acacia trees, their branches shaking violently with vervet monkeys. This is the Selous: wild, remote, the same way it has been for hundreds of years.

My guide, Leverd, comes running over to grab my bag and hands me a cool towel to wipe my face. Then we’re off, cruising over bumpy paths beside lush doum palm forests and

along the banks of Lake Tagalala. We stop to watch a black heron feeding in the shallows, systemically crouching low and opening its wings to create an umbrella shape around its head. Leverd explains that it’s called canopy feeding – the heron casts a shadow over the water, which attracts fish.

Entertained by the bird, we sit for a few moments enjoying views across the lake, the surface dotted with smooth dead trees that remind me of inverted lightning strikes. Leverd tells methe different names of the trees and birds we can see (the Selous is excellent for birdwatching) and we listen to the hauntingly beautiful cry of a fish eagle as it settles on one of the protruding trees. We then head for Lake Manze Camp, where I’m to spend the next three nights.

MAKING CAMP

A bush camp on the banks of Lake Manze, this property is the epitome of a simple life spent in the open air, a camp that could be packed up in a day and leave no footprint behind. The thatched main area has tables, sofas and chairs set right in the sand. The tented rooms are raised up slightly on earthen mounds overlooking the lake.

There are no frills here, but it’s very comfortable and its proximity to nature is difficult to match. Leafy

YOUR TIP“We’ve been to Tanzania several times – we’ve seen cheetah, lion and the Great Migration. It’s our recommended safari spot!” Adrian Marsh, Audley traveler

palms frame views of the lake, and the place has a languid, tropical atmosphere unlike any camp I’ve been to before.

I take a seat closest to the lake, ask for a cold Kilimanjaro lager and chat to the other guests. One couple have just arrived from their home in the Canadian subarctic, over a 40-hour journey away, and can barely believe their surroundings. Then, suddenly, Shaun – an amiable South African who runs the camp – says in a soft, no-nonsense voice, “Now, no quick

movements.” I turn around and not three meters away from me is a young bull elephant, looking us over absentmindedly while searching the ground intently for pine nuts and fruit with his trunk. I’m so close that I can see his amber eyes and long eyelashes. Despite only being an adolescent, he’s huge.

“It’s okay, he comes by here often. He likes the fruit on the ground,” Shaun reassures us.

We sit in awed silence until the great beast ambles away towards the lake for an afternoon drink.

KEEPING BUSY

One of the major draws of the Selous for me is the variety of activities you can do. I head off on game drives, boat safaris and walking safaris, spotting big game while barely encountering another vehicle.

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a. A Masai giraffe slakes its thirst on the waters of Selous Game Reserve b. White-fronted bee-eaters perch near their nesting holes in a riverbank of the Rufiji River c. A male greater kudu antelope keeps an eye out for predators d. Lake Manze and the Rufiji River are home to large herds of hippo e. An elephant feeds on the lush grass of the reserve f. A brightly colored crested barbet rests in a tree g. An old male Cape buffalo stands stoically h. A stork sits on the banks of the Rufiji River i. A lioness stalks an impala antelope

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TANZANIA

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a. The Maasai people inhabit the lands bordering Kenya and Tanzania b. A young Maasai marrior (moran) with his flock on the Serengeti Plains c. A male lion shows off his mane d. The inside of one of the bungalows at the Maasai Lodge e. Handmade beaded jewelry is part of the Maasai’s traditional dress f. Views of the area around the Maasai Lodge g. An elephant wanders the Ngorongoro Crater h. The swimming pool at the Maasai Lodge i. A Maasai warrior surveys his land

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But, sadly, on the third morning I have to leave, so I say a heartfelt thank you to Leverd and board a plane for my next stop: Arusha.

Soon, I’m being driven to Maasai Lodge, a three-hour trip by road. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest peak, hoves into view, its snow glittering in the sun. Long ago, eruptions from ‘the roof of Africa’ fertilized the wide savannah plains.

The lodge lies flanked by Kilimanjaro and its younger brother, Mount Meru. The scattering of traditional round mud-and-thatch huts dots the plains and blends perfectly into the landscape. Wepull up and are welcomed warmly by the Maasai who run the lodge. Men and women dressed in all the colors of the rainbow sing their greeting, and the lodge manager, a noble warrior with intricate beading draped around his head and chest, offers me a large horn filled with a dark liquid. I’m relieved to find it’s not the animal blood that the Maasai drink during special occasions but a vegetable substitute.

I’m led to my clay-walled hut and am amazed. Unlike a traditional Maasai building, this has windows and plenty of natural light, furniture made of local wood, beaded dreamcatchers, embroidered animal skins and woven rugs.

TOP TIP

“The Ruaha is a wonderful reserve, especially for a walking safari because of its climate, wildlife and knowledgeable guides.” John Park, Audley traveler

I drop my bag and head outside to watch Maasai warriors partake in a spear-throwing competition. With infectious joy, they sing, dance, laugh and scream at each other’s attempts to hit the target, a rolled-up bale of grass hung in a tree. To me, the Maasai seem to be constantly celebrating life.

That afternoon, a Maasai called Kiserian (meaning ‘the peaceful one’) takes me on a nature walk through the foothills and I start to learn practical insights into his lifestyle. We dig out roots that store water in case of thirst, stop to inspect tracks in the dirt and cut sticks from

Salvadora trees to make toothpicks. We walk by wild zebra and through herds of cattle trailed by shepherds. The Maasai live in harmony with nature, and we spend time really taking in our surroundings, making note of what’s around and what to stay clear of.

LEARNING THE ROPES

After a few hours, I return to the lodge feeling refreshed, so much so that I’m willing to try a portion of barbecued goat. It’s not my favorite, but the meat is tender and juicy, and not a single part of the animal goes to waste.

Relaxing by the fire, I chat with a few Maasai, who tell me about the struggles they face in balancing

the tensions between their traditions and the pressures of modernity. It’s an interesting conversation that never turns somber but stays matter-of-fact, and we all learn a little bit from each other. This is what makes Maasai Lodge special – no one is here for show.

The lodge provides an authentic insight into Maasai culture as well as somewhere to hit the pause button for a few days. It is part of Austrian-registered NGO Africa Amini Alama’s efforts to help Tanzania’s Maasai communities benefit from foreign visitors. All of the staff are from local villages, and profits from each guest’s stay are fed back into the local communities. I ended my time in Tanzania watching Maasai women sing and dance, the sun setting in a blaze of reds, oranges and pinks behind them.

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS:

Flight information: Flight time from New York City to Dar es Salaam is around 16 hours direct. When to go: February is green season in the Sealous— the park is lush and it’s the best time to see wild dog. Get me there: A six-night tailor-made trip to Tanzania, including accommodation, meals, activities and international flights, starts from £3,115pp. For more information, please contact Mark or one of our other Tanzania specialists on 01993 838 545.

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TANZANIA: YOUR STORY

‘EVERY FEW MINUTES WE’D ENCOUNTER GIRAFFE, ELEPHANT OR WARTHOG – WE SAT IN OUR VEHICLE A FEW FEET FROM A CHEETAH AND HER FOUR CUBS’

Nicola & John Park walk on the wild side in Tanzania

Tanzania times With a little help from their guides (bottom), the Parks saw an huge amount of wildlife in their time in Ruaha, including cheetah (left) and elephant (right)

This was our first safari adventure and we chose Tanzania for its variety of landscapes and habitats. We started at Lake Manyara and the extraordinary Ngorongoro Crater, where numerous wildlife sightings are guaranteed, but often in the presence of other visitors.

For the second phase of our trip, we flew south in a tiny plane from Lake Manyara to Ruaha, the largest national park in Tanzania, arriving in late January at the end of the low season. The landscape was startlingly different, lush and green at this time of year, with distinctive baobab trees dotted among acacia bush. We were the only guests at tented Kigelia Camp, which dedicated itself to imprinting the lightest possible footprint on its environment. The staff made it clear that nothing could be too much trouble, the food was excellent and we had a wonderful tent with a huge comfy bed, separate bathroom area with jugs of river water for the wash basin, plus the outdoor ‘bucket’ shower. A balcony outside our tent overlooked the river, just feet away, where elephant came to drink. Hyena footprints dotted the sand in the mornings; the camp was literally in the bush.

Our safari guide Eli Sante was fantastic and seemed able to identify anything and everything. The wildlife was prolific: every few minutes we’d encounter a dozen giraffe peering at us over bushes; further on, elephant families crossed the road ahead of us, the babies suckling as they toddled forwards; a family of warthogs would trot by, keeping a careful eye on us; a ‘business’ of banded mongoose would scurry along, stopping to sit upright and watch us like meerkats; and tiny dik-diks crouched motionless in their dens, but close enough for us to see their whiffly noses and large round eyes. Once, we sat in our vehicle for an hour, no other visitor within sight, just a few metres from a mother cheetah and her four cubs. In three days we passed perhaps six other vehicles.

SUPER SAFARI

On our second day we had just left camp when Eli spotted a huge lioness sitting a couple of feet from the roadside – what a start to the day. Later, we walked accompanied by two rangers, heading in the direction of elephant that they had spotted from the top of a hill. The terrain was quite difficult, with thornbushes and muddy ascents and descents, crossing ditches and riverbeds, following elephant paths which prevailed for much of

the walk. The rangers checked paths before entering them, not wanting to come across animals unexpectedly.

After 20 to 30 minutes we spotted a sole young male elephant; we stayed carefully out of range, about 100 feet away, watching him. After a few minutes he began to flap his ears and wave his trunk, showing that he had smelt us, and he turned away. We met a small group further along and approached cautiously; four elephant – one being a baby – were ripping off branches and foliage and feeding on the other side of a dry riverbed. We watched them disappear up the opposite bank via a steep elephant path.

Further along we realized we were being watched by a group of giraffe, who kept their distance but followed us for some time, their gaze intently focused on us. There were perhaps 20 of them – dignified, extraordinarily tall, beautiful. It was just us and them in an empty landscape. From Ruaha we flew to the Selous Game Reserve, which was different again but equally untouched and unvisited.

It was a huge privilege to visit such areas, which seem so much more the terrain of their wildlife than their visitors – we had found the untouched African bush we had hoped to see.

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