Tarangire National Park - Elephants

Tanangire National Park

It was a bit of a change staying  at the Mount Meru Hotel (a high end destination for safari tourists) in Arusha compared to some of our earlier hotel experiences at the Peacock.  After an upscale breakfast and splitting my belongings into a bag that goes with me on safari and a second that Emmanuel will store for me ... we meet our 3 drivers and Toyota Land Cruisers for the first time.  We are in for a fantastic day and new sights we have never seen before. 

We are told to expect to see elephants .. as the park is best know for its herds of up to 300.  The 2850 sq km park has all the other animals including migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland.  During the dry season it is the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem - a smorgasbord for predators – and the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the stately  fringe-eared oryx and peculiar long-necked gerenuk are regularly observed.  It is the start of the rainy season (but we have seen limited rain this season) so we are told the seasonal animals are scatter until they exhaust the green plains and the river calls once more. But true to form Tarangire's mobs of elephant are easily encountered, wet or dry.

First stop is along the roadside to look at coffee plants. Red means getting close to good for harvest.

We are now officially tourists so stopped at a shop to look at all kinds of African art, etc.  ... and Tanzanite
(through the glass)

We were very fortunate to witness an event that happens just once every 3 years for 3 months.  I want to look more into it but in short the Maasai boys at about age 16 (3 years around that age) are circumcised.  For 3 months they dress in black to mark the occasion.  These two were just off the highway and David Sawe asked our driver to stop.  Speaking Swahili he asked if we might take their picture and 5000 Tzsh we were allowed to.  Our vehicle had a starting problem so for 2 bottles of water (more valuable than cash given they drink out of any available water source) I took a few more pictures.  A couple of my favourites of  the entire trip.  Maasai believe cattle were put on earth for them .. they own them all.  Another right of passage (not practiced as I understand today) is to kill a simba (lion) with he spear, knife or club they each carry as adults.  Take a look at the land they manage behind them .. to raise cattle!  This is the rainy season!    PS if interested in the Maasai this weeks (April 9/12) Amazing Race episode visits a tribe/village just outside the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania .. check it out!   

 

Lots of other interesting sights particularly colorful Maasai  just in everyday attire.

We arrived at the park gate about 11 am.  I found the posted rules of interest.  I was riding with David Sawe (IBM Tanzania GM) and his family.  David is a local .. so knows lots and really enriched the experience.

The sights and sounds leading up to lunch (packed boxes that we would come to enjoy over the next 6 day) were new to us.  Every park as it turns out is different in terms of landscape and color.  Every once in a while you just stop watching animals and gaze at the dirt and grass and trees and sky.

Where are we going?

Male Impala

Park is know for largest  African animal the elephant and largest trees .. the Baobab

Having fun climbing up on mom

Pumba

Black Faced Monday

Lots of birds are here all year round (550 varieties) and the most breeding species in one habitat anywhere in the world. On drier ground you find animals like the heaviest flying bird; the stocking-thighed ostrich, the world's largest bird.

 From the cliff were we had lunch we could see baboons, large elephants and other animals down by the river.  We headed there next ... lots of elephants!! 

Lots of other animals along the way but most interesting was a family of baboons ... with the female below in a tree almost within reaching distance. Were we watching her ... or ... her us.  

                                                    

We arrived at the Maramboi Tented camp for the night.

Main building

Shaun and I teamed up on the safari - our canvas "tent".

Lake Manyara - Final Safari - Borrowed Camera

With 1 day of safari and a travel day left on the trip my camera gave up the ghost.  It has been brilliant but as one might expect got a lot of work and pocket time to say nothing of the magnet sands yesterday.  Looks good... just won't work ... so will check out the warranty back home.

I was thinking it was a relief as I would just enjoy the sights vs. taking pictures .. but Jonathan handed me his hand held and once again I saw the world through a camera.  Funny but I can now see why Jean enjoyed our trip last summer and composing "shots".  I am constantly hearing a little voice saying things like oh that would have been a great picture ... or dang I missed that one.  Anyway... off I go with Jonathans and will really on our shared photo site once established when I get home.

We headed out of the Ngorogoro hotel at 8:30 headed for the final safari at Manyara Lake Game Reserve

Break downs of extremely colorful vehicles
 along the roads is a common sight.  I think this is a transit bus

Lake Manyara  a shallow lake in the East African Rift of Tanzania.  Ernest Hemingway called it the loveliest lake in Africa.  It is the home of a diverse set of landscapes and wildlife.The name Manyara comes from the Maasai word emanyara which is a species of plant that is grown into a hedge around a family homestead and is a Masai description not for the lake, but in general for a lake shore region."
The National Park itself is 27 square miles and the lake's alkaline waters cover approximately 89 square and dry spells expose large areas of mud flats. While most known for baboons, the lake and area is also home hippos, elephants, wildebeest, buffalo, warthog, monkeys, birds, lions, etc.  










I really liked this shot and another I had but appear to have deleted.   I'm sure one of the others got a similar one and I will add it later. These beauties were 15 yards away wandering along through he forest.








































These animals are all impressive for very different reasons.

Black Face Velvet Monkey - Male!

Ground Horn Bill

We got maybe our best baboon experience as advertised when we  came across a group of maybe 100 baboons (they were everywhere) that were in the trees, on the ground and road.  We stopped and with engine off just listened to them ... very very cool.  Lots for young to old and teenagers rough housing as well.  We loved watching the little ones getting off an on ... some riding stampede rodeo style.

Leading away from the forest to the fringes of Lake Manyara are the flood plains. Lake Manyara provides has over 300 species of migratory birds including flamingoes. We got down to the flood plain and lake just before noon.

There is such an amazement with the animals and sky.  These adults /  kids were hanging out and grazing by the water.

Maybe what I liked best were the giant fig, mahogany and other immediately around the park gates draw nourishment from the underground springs replenished from the crater highlands.  A hippo pool gave us a chance to see some of the big monsters up close and out of the water.  

I rode with Christie, Francis,
 Jonathan and Petra with
driver Nyiti.

 A hippo pool gave us a chance to see some of the big monsters up close and out of the water.  At the same pool I got someone to take this one with David our IBM Tanzania GM, his wife Grace and Evelyn .. they have been a great addition to our group.  Mr. Hollander and Mr. Young though are a little crazy for young Evelyn!!

We spent about 5 hours observing the flora and fauna.  The red and yellow barbot was at our lunch stop.

Saw many of these 6 ft. + termite hills all week 

2 ft. tall dik dik in hiding

A couple of shots along the drive back through the forest.  This scenery and sights in this country just never gets tiring.

 Last night of the safari and last night in Tanzania was spent at the Lake Manyara Lodge.  Like many the sleeping quarters are away and not attached to the main reception and dining area.  It makes for some interesting walks back to your room after dark with many patrolled to ensure the safety of guests from the animals.  I had a close encounter with a security guy on my way back to my room ... he saw me coming ... I did not notice him sitting on a rock until 2 feet away.  Spectacular views and even greater from the pool.  Group shot to follow!

 Spectacular views and even greater from the pool.  I had returned the borrowed camera to Jonathan by the time someone took a picture of a bunch of us relaxing at the end of our last day of safari. I'll add one later.

Well I finished this off at 4 am. in Calgary after travelling from Kilimingero to Dar es Salaam to Amsterdam .. then Calgary.  This photo kind of sums up in a muted way my feelings on the entire experience, our hosts,  my team mates, the sites, the sounds ... Tanzania.  Very different and at times less comfortable than home... but wonderful and both a work and life highlight.  Thanks to everyone who contributed to the experience!!

Asanteni Sana !!