Tanzania

Pangani: Paradise Found

Pangani: Paradise Found

After working for 3 weeks in schools, speaking to hundreds of kids each day, and after bumping around the hot and dusty interior of Tanzania, we decided to conclude our time in Africa with a few days on the beach.

Zanzibar had long been on our bucket list. Images of its white beaches and aqua marine water made me drool. However, the more we read about Zanzibar, the less sure we were about going there. It seemed very busy and crowded with 1.5 million people, a plethora of shops, restaurants, vendors, disco’s and bars…

Our travel agent at Mambulu Safaris, knew exactly what we needed. “You’re looking for Zanzibar the way it used to be,” he said, “You should go to Pangani.” No one I asked about it had ever heard of Pangani. But what we read online sounded just like what we were looking for: white beaches, palm trees and warm water.

Rhinos of the Ngorogoro Crater

Rhinos of the Ngorogoro Crater

After having spent time in the fabled Serengeti, we left - albeit reluctantly - we explore our next destination in Tanzania and drove along the cloud laden rim of the Ngorogoro crater. We had heard about and read about this legendary place all of our lives. To finally see the crater in person was pretty overwhelming. We had read so many books about animals of the Serengeti, and accounts by wildlife preservationists. Now we are here…

Serengeti: The Circle of Life

Serengeti: The Circle of Life

Our home for the next few nights is a row of large tents, Kati Kati Camp. Our tent is like a cabin, with a wooden floor, camp beds, and a tiny bathroom. On the ‘porch’ outside is a canvas wash basin. One of the servers, who showed us our tent, says “If you want to come for dinner, just wave your flashlight and we will come get you.” I am surprised. It is a a mere 30 meters or so to the dining tent.

“We can find it by ourselves,” I tell him.

“No, ma’am,” is the answer, “there are lions around. Call us!” I wake at 4 AM to the grumbles of a lion and the call of hyena. At 5:15 we get up and head out to watch the savannah come to live with the first rays of sun. I asked, in camp, if they’ve had any animals nearby. “Yeah, last week a cheetah killed a wildebeest by tent #5,” was the response.