Tarangire ft. Dik Dik

First of two safaris with Greg’s Adventures. There are quite a few National Parks near Arusha, and today we’re heading to Tarangire. The park is pleasant enough and we see lots of Elephants and Monkeys whilst driving through. Unfortunately for us, this area is infested with Tsetse flies, which are like mosquitos on steroids. The bites genuinely feel like they are taking a chunk out of you, and I swear I feel one biting through my shirt. We spray DEET liberally around the car, but they are determined, and soon enough someone in the car will let out a sharp cry.

It’s all worth it though for one of the most unexpected animal surprises of the trip. As we turn a corner past a dry riverbed, we come across a tiny little deer, which our driver Solomon introduces to us as the Dik-Dik. It’s a great name for an even greater animal. It is miniature on an inconceivable scale, and one of the cutest things we’ve seen.

Towards the end of our game drive, we chance across a lion up a tree. It’s quite the sight, and a good surprise since we were told in Uganda that the only Tree-Climbing Lions were to be found in Queen Elizabeth National Park. So either we are not looking at a lion in a tree, or we were DECEIVED.

Our accommodation for the night is in a campsite set on the side of a hill. It has an infinity swimming pool overlooking Lake Manyana, which would be perfect but for the fact that a colony of bees has set up on the “infinity” side of the pool, and don’t take kindly to being disturbed. It’s still an incredible view, and a nice refreshing way to spend the remainder of the day.Read more