photo by Michael Girman
“One cannot resist the lure of Africa.” - Rudyard Kipling
When Tanzania reopened its borders last August 2020, I began planning a safari trip. By September, I had put together a group of six first-time safari travelers. In October, we were on a plane from the US, headed for our final destination: Kilimanjaro Airport.
Why Tanzania? A client had Tanzania on his bucket list and I was inspired by his wanderlust. I’d also heard of the Great Wildebeest Migration and wanted to see it myself. Because there were so few tourists in Africa, I felt this was an ideal time to visit sans crowds.
Even if Tanzania had no COVID test or quarantine requirements, we all agreed to get tested before leaving the US. We traveled in a “bubble” with our guides, and over ten days traveled to Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Eastern Serengeti, and Northern Serengeti.
We arrived on Qatar’s morning flight from Doha and drove straight to Tarangire with a quick stop at Arusha Coffee Lodge.
Tarangire National Park
No sooner had we checked in to the park’s gates when we saw our first herd of zebras and giraffes. Forget jetlag or fatigue; we were on the edges of our seats elated and awed to even be here.
Tarangire National Park has so much to offer with its mountains to the south, granite ridges, river valleys, views of the Masaai Steppe, its spectacular baobab trees, and free-roaming wildlife. I’ll just let the pictures speak a thousand words.
Lemala Mpingo Ridge
The entire property sits on top of an escarpment with sweeping views across the Tarangire River and valley below. Each of 15 the tented suites has THE VIEW — the one that takes your breath away. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms, private decks, an outside sunken lounge, an outside shower and, get this, an outdoor bathtub.
The main lodge has indoor and outdoor dining areas, a swimming pool, and a spa. Designed in neutral tones in harmony with nature, Lemala camps are the epitome of quiet luxury, thoughtful and warm spaces.
Hakuna Matata
On our first night, we were regaled by the whole Lemala staff coming out in full force after dinner. They were singing and dancing with a candle-lit birthday cake. We thought it was for another table but, in fact it was for me. I love traveling during my birthday because, at my age, what more do I really need? Being serenaded by the Maasai at Lemala is at the top of my list of best birthdays ever.
Maasai Chief Lobulo
Just outside Tarangire, we visited the Maasai boma of Chief Lobulo. We joined in some of their rituals and purchased hand-beaded jewelry made by Chief Lobulo’s wives. It was a unique opportunity to sit down with the Chief and hear about his initiatives to better the lives of his village. He’s built two schools which Lemala supports, and has forbidden female genital mutilation in his tribe. The Maasai women in this boma walk for 2 miles each way to fetch water. When Chief Lobulo asked how far I walked to get water, I respectfully replied, “not very far.”
Sustainable Tourism
Located in a banana plantation along the riverbank, we feasted on home-cooked local food from one of the Mamas at Sunday Group, a women’s empowerment program. Suday’s group now has 400 families turning dried banana leaves into biodegradable lunch boxes. After a leisurely lunch, we headed off towards Ngorongoro.
Stay tuned for the next installment: Ngorongoro Crater and why it’s the eighth wonder of the world.
All photos by Michael Girman & Tesa Totengco, all rights reserved.