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African Adventure
  • Karen Long

African Adventure

Africa has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember, and the dream is finally happening. Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 4, 2023
    Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Setting off!
    Gorgeous sunset to see us offPretty econimical packing.In the back row.Woohoo we made itGorgeous roomChandeliers everywhere.Celebration dinner.Dessert oh the house.

    Africa Bound!

    June 3, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Three flights to get us to Africa. Brisbane, Sydney and then on to Johannesburg. We had a quick trip trough security this morning, Pam and Alan weren’t so lucky. Alan has a big ass camera lens which attracted the attention of the security scanners. They took so long in there we thought they’d been arrested.
    We left Sydney at 9.30 this morning and arrived into Johannesburg at 4.00 in the afternoon, it’s been a very long day. About the only thing good about any of the flights was the free alcohol. 14 hours sitting in a very cramped space is enough for the most patient of travellers. We are just hoping there will be someone there to meet us??

    Well there was thank goodness. Two someones in fact. An airport employee who got us through a bit quicker and then a driver waiting after immigrations. We thought we’d have to go through customs as well but no stamp on our passport and straight out.
    Johannesburg is a huge city of 8 million people. All we’ve seen so far is the airport which was surprisingly empty and the industrial area around it on the way to our accommodation.
    The Residence is fancy! Don’t think we’ve ever stayed in such luxurious accommodation.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Messages left outside Nelson Mandala's home when he died
    Nelson home before his arrestDrink anyone?Soweto Hotel, book in there next time.One of the many shanty towns.Squatters huts.Our HavenPity its a bit cold for a dip.

    Johannesburg!

    June 6, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    After a delicious breakfast at The Residence we’re being taken for a tour of Johannesburg today. Our driver is Lucky his mum named him that because she was lucky to get him. 😂He kept us entertained on a six hour tour taking us to 2 of Nelson Mandela homes. One very modest one from his early years before his arrest and the big house where he spent his last years.

    A drive through the city which was full of street markets, it looked like you could buy anything there. I would have loved to have a walk around but I don’t think Lucky thought that was a good idea. Followed by a quick tour of a gold mine museum which funnily enough is in the basement of one of the biggest banks in South Africa.

    South of Johannesburg is Soweto, a city developed as a township for black people under the apartheid system. Most of the struggle against apartheid was fought in and from Soweto. The name Soweto is an acronym, made up - in apartheid days - from the first letters of the words “south western township”. It’s where Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Hector Pieterson lived.

    Johannesburg is quite a confronting place. There are lots of people, lots of traffic, lots of crime and lots of poverty. We felt the inner city was more threatening than Soweto. The people of Soweto seemed friendlier, ready to smile and laugh with you. I was really impressed with how many sculptures and murals there where everywhere in Soweto. Disappointed I couldn’t get more photos of them some of them were so detailed. It’s a bit of an uphill battle but it nice to know someone is trying to bring some colour and art into what is really a very crowded community.

    It’s a little surreal coming back to The Residence after that. It’s a luxurious haven in this vast city.

    .    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Wallow Lodge
    They are turning into TwitchersWarthogsGoliath Stork.BuffaloImpalaSundowners

    Wallow Lodge.

    June 7, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    I think we were all relieved to be leaving Johannesburg behind today. It’s a very foggy morning and we’re hoping that doesn’t mean the flight will be delayed. Johannesburg airport is huge but customs and immigration was quick. It’s so quite in this airport hardly any people at all, but the ones who are here are all flying to Victoria Falls.

    Arriving in Victoria Falls and it is hot, really hot and dry. Reminded us all of Western Queensland. Driving into the Lodge we saw a Giraffe right in front of the truck, he was so big, the resident
    male apparently, just wandered casually off as we got closer.
    The Lodge is gorgeous and set on 6000 hectares of National Park. After we’d checked in, had a welcome drink and a bit of a tour of the common area, they asked us if we’d like to go on a game drive this afternoon. Hell Yes!

    Our tents overlook the river and a bit of a clearing on the other side so we spent a couple of hours watching, Impala, Warthogs, Baboons and numerous birds in the trees around us and the clearing.

    The game drive was amazing. We found Elephants, Buffalo, Crocs, Warthogs, Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Impala, Hippo and so many birds. Stopped to watch the Sunset and have a drink and then back to the camp for an amazing dinner.
    Emma had organised a bottle of champagne for us and a celebration cake. Both were delicious.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Victoria Falls
    So much mist.Dr Livingstone I presume.Hungry HippoWoah the elephants!So many Hippos.So cool tonsee one out of the watet.We may have had a few sundowners.Lucked out with a gorgeous sunset.

    Victoria Falls

    June 8, 2023 in Zimbabwe ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We’ve had an amazing day today. First up was a visit from a Troop of Monkeys at Sunrise. Must have been about fifty of them jumping all around the trees above our tents. They are pretty quick and loud when they jump on the roof. So entertaining watching them.

    First off today we’re going to breakfast at the Lookout Cafe. A gorgeous cafe that overlooks Zambezi River. There has been quite a lot of rain upstream and the river is in full flow. This is adrenaline central here. They have zip lines, bungee jumping, flying foxes. Just what you need after a big breakfast.

    Then on to a tour of the falls. You can see the mist from the falls for miles. The Smoke that Thunders the locals call it. You get wet doing this tour so we all got raincoats from one of the stalls. I noticed the guide changing his shoes before we left. It didn’t take long to see why. The mist is incredible, it goes from a light mist to heavy rain and I mean really heavy rain. Wish we’d got the memo to change shoes. We were all pretty soaked by the time we finished.

    The Falls are incredible, quite hypnotic to watch, they span almost 2 klms and the amount of water coming over them every second is phenomenal. There are a lot of vantage points to see them and you have to take your changes when the mist clears but we had some amazing views between drenching.

    Back to the Lodge for a late lunch and a very short rest and then we were off on a Sundowner cruise on the Zambezi River. It’s more of a river safari and we spent a very enjoyable couple of hours looking for hippos, elephants, crocodiles, birds.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler

    School visits and and heli flights.

    June 9, 2023 in Zimbabwe ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    It’s our last day in Victoria Falls. We have a village visit planned for this morning and then a helicopter flight over the falls.

    We’re off to the village early and there we met Chris the head of his little family communal plot. Lovely man and very community minded. He lives there with his children and some of his siblings and their children, 16 of them all up.

    He has given up some of his land to build a school for the village children. It is only three years old so at the moment only has preschool and grades one and two.
    The kids were all so well behaved and happy to see us. Did a little rehearsed welcome which was lovely. The government provide the teacher but that is all. The village have to provide everything else.

    After a late breakfast we were off to our helicopter ride. You get a whole different perspective in a helicopter. Great to see it from both sides and the ride goes way too quickly.

    We are waiting at the airport now for our flight to Nairobi    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Such a cutie
    They loved the mudSo gentle considering their size.MojitoLethal cocktails.Karen Blixen Museum.They are so gentle

    Nairobi

    June 10, 2023 in Zimbabwe ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    We’re only in Nairobi for one day and there is a full day planned. Our accomodation here is at someone’s private residence. It is a gorgeous place with beautiful gardens and hidden corners everywhere.

    First off is a visit to the Elephant Orphanage. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust started a trust for orphaned or abandoned baby elephants. Baby elephants need a lot of care and it’s a long time until they are weaned and are able to be released. They start weaning at 4 years and start introducing back to the herd at five. They are just like toddlers, fighting over the food, rolling in the mud, trying to take things off each other.

    Then on to the Giraffe Center. Nice to see them up close and be able to feed them but I’m really looking forward to seeing them in the wild. They have the longest blue tongues and are so gentle.

    Lunch was a bit of a fiasco but we did eventually get fed and watered. Had to wait so long for the food we were a bit too well watered.

    Then the Karen Blixen Museum. After a few drinks at lunch it took a bit of concentration to follow the guides commentary but we think we got the gist of it. Karen Blixen was best known for writing Out of Africa. She had a coffee plantation here for many years was much loved by the Kenyan people which isn’t surprising as she did numerous things to improve the community around her. Started a home for women of domestic violence. A school for the children. I feel like a celebrity here, there is Karen everything. School, shopping centre, hospitals. All named after me..😂
    We are staying in Karen, the suburb in Nairobi named after the famous author and where the coffee plantation was located.

    We had a quite last evening at the Hotel, game of cards and a few drinks. Because we’d had such a late lunch we all settled for a bit of soup for dinner.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    1

    From Narobi to The Cliffs.

    June 11, 2023 in Kenya ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We’re got an early start today. Leaving Nairobi at 7 to drive to Nakuru National Park. It’s Sunday so supposedly not that much traffic. Holy moly so many trucks, and so many little settlements. There are speed limits for the trucks and speed bumps on the highway so it was quite a tedious drive.

    We had a break in the drive by stopping at Hell’s Gate National Park. Hired some bikes and a guide and rode through the national park to Ol jorowa Gorge. It was still reasonably early in the morning so the bike ride was lovely, not too hot and the Zebras, Giraffes Warthogs, Waterbuck, Impala, Buffalo were all still out grazing.

    Another hour and a half driving bought us to the edge of the national park. Looked pretty unremarkable when we stopped. We drove down this dodgy street with a few skinny dogs and a couple of ramshackle houses. Bit of a coffee shop and a souvenir shop.
    We had a break and then a two hour game drive into the park and around the lake to The Cliffs.

    It was absolutely amazing we saw so many animals. We are ticking them all off the list. Every time you think you can’t top that we’d see something else incredible.

    Our accomodation for the next two nights is unbelievable. Ten tents perched on the top of a cliff overlooking Lake Nakuru.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    1Its a zebra crossing.
    1Wer'e loving our gane drives.Beautiful sunrise.He is so cute.A king in the making.The babies are so sweet.So many giraffes.On the boat.

    The Cliffs

    June 12, 2023 in Kenya ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    This morning we are going on a cruise of Nakuru Lake. We’re taking breakfast with us so that’s good, gives us a bit of a later start at 8 am.

    We passed a group of giraffes and Zebras so close to the road on the way so of course we had to stop and take some photos. It amazing to be so close to them.

    The lake is a Mecca for bird life and our guide is very knowledgeable about all of them. So many birds and so many photo opportunities. There’s a lot of mammals on the waters edge too. Buffalo, Zebras, Hippos to name a few.

    They whipped out breakfast to feed us after about an hour on the lake. It’s amazing how they keep everything hot. We had eggs and potato scallopy things, chia pudding with fruit and peanut butter, pancakes ,croissants, juice, coffee. I think they were a bit disappointed we couldn’t eat it all. I’m sure the guys finished up our leftovers.

    This lake is know for flamingoes and there were certainly a number of them but they were hard to get close to and hard to photograph. The bonus while we were watching the flamingoes were a pair of hippos coming back into the water after feeding. Such beautiful big creatures, supposedly one of the most dangerous in Africa although they don’t look it.

    The giraffes were waiting for us on the way back to The Cliffs, and again when we went for a game drive later that afternoon. We’ve seen so many gratifies and zebras here and this afternoon we had a treat in store. We saw our first lion sighting and a mother and baby White Rhino plus another group of about fifteen or twenty rhinos all grazing on the marshes.

    The Cliffs is a gorgeous place to stay, two nights here hasn’t been long enough. We feel very spoilt.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    OMG I nearly shit myself.
    Our gorgeous tent.King of the jungle.Off to the Massai Mara.Thomson gazellesTopisWaiting for the right moment.SunsetsIts freezing as soon as the sun goes down.

    Off to the Massai Mara

    June 13, 2023 in Kenya ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Another early start today, we’re catching a light plane to the the Massai Mara. It’s a 2 hour drive to the airstrip and our guide is worried about getting us there on time so we’re leaving at 7.

    He’s got his foot down this morning but we did have time to stop for a lioness just a few meters off the road and then her cub sitting up looking at us a few meters on. She is the head lioness and has a tracking collar on. Only the head lioness has the collar, supposedly if they know where she is they know where all the Pride are.

    Jim knows a shortcut back to the main road so we can avoid some of the truck traffic that is so horrendous on that highway. Skinny little rutted dirt road and Jim was flying along at more than 100 ks, I think I was 2 inches shorter by the time we got back to the highway.

    The plane came right on time. It’s more or less a milk run between the different camps and we landed once to drop some people off and then another quick ten minute flight to our airstrip. This airstrip is busy, six little planes landing and one bigger one. Lots of people changing planes, I’m sure they must be timed to all land at similar times because five minutes after we landed they were all gone.

    The Massai Mara is totally different to where we’ve just come from. It is wide open savannah with the odd tree here and there. The are more trees around the river beds and waterholes. Definitely big sky country, you can see for miles.

    We have a Massai Warrior guide here. His name is Joseph he has two wives and six children, pretty normal here apparently. It took us about an hour to drive back to camp stopping a few times to look at Giraffes, Impala, Waterbuck, Topis, Tommys, there are so many grazing animals here, lots of birds too. Almost at the camp and we came across a pair of mating lions, oh my goodness they were so close, and then started walking right up to the car. This car has no windows and no roof and I was thinking that’s it we’re going to be eaten but they just circled around and keep going. Phew!!!
    Joseph tells me they see the car as one entity, too big for them to worry about, until someone gets out. There was another car next to us and they settled into its shade. It had a little boy in it and I think he waved his arm out the window. Something anyway for the male lion to snap at it. I nearly wet my pants. 😂    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    A big bull.
    Topi. Or blue jeans as the locals call them.Mating time.Doesnt take long.Discussing strategies.So silent abd lethalJackals are tiny.Elans are huge. The biggest antelopeMassai Mara

    Massai Mara

    June 14, 2023 in Kenya ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    What else can I say about African Safaris. Just when you think you’ve had the most amazing sightings something else incredible happens.

    Today our safari started at 6 am. Wake up call from the staff at 5.30 with a cup of coffee to our tent. Our camp is just near the river and we could hear Hippos, Lions, Wild Dogs and Baboons all night. There is no fence so the staff patrol the boundaries all night to make sure we don’t get eaten I guess.

    This morning we saw Mating Lions, Cheetahs, A big herd of Elephants, Mongoose, Jackals, Elan, Giraffes, Baboons.

    Our guide Joseph is fantastic, he is constantly scanning the area for birds and animals. Sometimes he sees them so far away they are just specks in the distant for us. When he saw the Cheetahs they were a couple of hills away and we had no idea what he’d seen until he was almost there but he was on a mission to get us there as quickly as possible. They were a hunting pair and stalking a Impala. It was a bit of a standoff for a while and we thought the Cheetahs were getting ready to go when the Impala saw them. He was off like a rocket and they just casually walked away to look for something else.

    One of the Massai villages is close by and we called in for a visit on the way back to camp. The Massai people are so welcoming and so colourful. They did some welcoming dances for us, showed us around the village and of course their little market where they make belts and jewellery. We all brought home a momento.

    Back to camp for a few hours rest and we were off on another game drive in the afternoon. More incredible sightings, Hyenas pulling a Carcass to bits, a huge Black Rhino, a Massive big Massai Giraffe. A
    Pretty sunset to finish off the day.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Balloons at sunrise
    Mamas and babiesMore Mamas and babiesHe is a big boy on a mission.Lion feastOh oh he's coming this way.Happy HipposThat is some mouth.In depth discussion about something.Last sunset on the Mara

    Entim Camp

    June 15, 2023 in Kenya ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Entim Camp is amazing. This is our last full day here and it didn’t disappoint. Joseph said “We meet at 6 again in the morning” Alan asked “Can we make it a bit later”, “Ok 6.15” 😂😂😂
    The camp has no fences and they have guys patrolling all night. If you want to go anywhere at night you have to have an escort with you. Probably just as well, you can hear Hippos, Lions, Hyenas, Elephants on and off all night.

    We set off in a different direction this morning. At least I think it was, it’s a bit hard to tell. There are tracks through the long grass everywhere here and only a few trees and river beds to distinguish one area from another. Beautiful sunrise this morning and there are about ten balloons up enjoying an early morning ride.

    We met a couple of Mama Giraffes with their babies and then a big Bull Elephant striding across the savannah. He was on a mission to get somewhere, wasn’t even stopping to eat and they eat all the time.

    There was some activity near one of the waterholes. A pride of lions, only half the pride according to Joseph. There was a young male, three lionesses and five cubs. The cubs where so funny, jumping on each other, racing into the bushes and down the road, pouncing on their Mum.

    The lions are out in force today. We saw two more different prides. One with all females and another with several cubs. The male lion was on his way back to them while we watched. It was all a bit tense until the lionesses greeted him and when he settled down for a nap the rest of the pride could relax again.

    Joseph is always scanning the savannah and he noticed a couple of trucks over on a distant hill so we were off again to see what it was. It was a Lion kill. Three Lionesses and a Lion all dining on a Buffalo. Mesmerising to watch, a little scary too. I never though we would be so close to these big cats and they seem to look up and straight at you. The Lion got a little too close for comfort again, walking straight towards our truck. Yikes!!
    Its hard work hunting and eating in this heat and the Lion was looking for a bit of shade. Even Joseph thought it was time to move.

    Back to the camp then for a bit of lunch, you get fed like a king here and they are always horrified when you only want one course instead of three.

    This afternoon we are off to see the hippo pool. There are lots of Hippos in the river near our camp but you can’t get too close to them. It’s in another direction again and we have to cross a muddy rocky river. The bank is pretty steep and it’s not exactly shallow either. I was already freaking out a bit and then we got stuck on a rock half way across. That’s it I thought we’d be spending the night on top of the truck but no Joseph just got out into the raging river and locked the hubs in. Then with a bit of back and forth and some encouragement and advise from Graham and Alan which I’m sure he appreciated we were off again.

    So many hippos in this river. Luckily we’re standing on a very high bank they can’t get up. One of the most dangerous animals in Africa. Our last sunset on the way home was a pretty special one.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    1

    Arusha

    June 16, 2023 in Tanzania ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Today we are leaving the Massai Mara. We’re all a bit sad about that it’s been such a wonderful experience. It rained again last night and the river is up so the trip to the airstrip is a bit more challenging. We have to go to another camp and over their suspension foot bridge with our luggage and then into another car and on to the airport.

    Joseph doesn’t seem to concerned about time. He kept stopping to show Graham different birds, point out a giraffe or an antelope. All the while I’m thinking we better hurry up and get there. Then I think he realised we were running out of time and he put his foot down, well as much as you can on slippery black soil roads after a decent shower.

    The trip between airstrips and airports was pretty seamless and we had someone there to walk us through immigration and customs. We had so many documents out, Passports, Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificates, Visas, Covid Vaccination Certificates. Needed them all except the Covid nobody gave a toss about that, how things have changed.

    We had a bit of a hiccup at Kilimanjaro Airport when our driver didn’t turn up. Lots of people out there with signs but no Long/Boyd. One of the airport security rang the accomodation and tried ringing the driver, no luck with either. He’d just gone off to check the VIP lounge and our driver Charles turned up. Reckoned he was there all the time but we have our doubts. I think he was having a nap in the car and didn’t realise the plane had landed. Anyway he was full of apologies for being late, and he did bring us a nice gift of a Massai Mara Shawl,

    We finally set off for Arusha, far out it was a long drive to the accomodation and the car Charles had bought was not actually roomy. Graham, Pam and I were crammed in the back seat. I think it took about an hour and a half to get to our Hotel. By that time the caged lion beside me was over it.

    We’re going to Mt Kilimanjaro tomorrow which is out past the airport, think it would have made more sense to stay somewhere out there because now we have to do that horrible drive again tomorrow. We’re leaving at six in the morning so hopefully there won’t be so much traffic to contend with.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Mt Kilimanjaro
    The entrance to the National ParkHere it is out in glorious sunshine.Were all keen to go.The keeness didn't last long.Almost there.Yah we made it.So many sunflowers on the way home.Saturday is a busy day for markets.On of the porters who carry all the camping stuff, food, etc up the mountian for the hikers

    Mt Kilimanjaro

    June 17, 2023 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ -4 °C

    Today we’re going for a hike up Mt Kilimanjaro. We saw it briefly from the plane yesterday but there was a lot of cloud around it.
    The day is not looking too promising though, we had some rain overnight and it’s very overcast this morning

    David arrived to get us at 6.30 because it’s a bit of a drive to get there. Well they weren’t exaggerating about that 3 hour later we arrived at the gate, but that wasn’t where we started the walk no we just had to sign in there and then it was another 30 or 40 minutes drive.

    The drive has been all up and we’re staring this walk at 3,400 meters so I’m expecting It to be a bit of a challenge at this altitude. We walking over to Shira Camp 1 across the Shira Plateau. The great thing is as we came up from the gate we drove through the cloud forest and out into the sunshine above the clouds. We have a gorgeous clear view of Mt Kilimanjaro.

    The plateau is covered is bushes and grasses and a lot of them are in flower so it’s a pretty walk across and then up and down the three gorges we had to cross. It was a bit of a struggle with the altitude, it’s surprising how much water we went through and the ups on the gorges we definitely felt. Everyone lips had a nice blue tinge and I look at the guys hands as they were walking in front of me and they were so white!

    The walk took about three hours there and back and we had a packed lunch overlooking the gorge. Then we had to do the drive back which no one was looking forward to. It was even longer because of course it is much busier at 4 in the afternoon than at 7 in the morning. The speed limit on the highway here is only 80 and then down to fifty if there is any built up area. Makes for very long trips. Trucks and buses have to go even slower and there is so many of them.

    Can’t say there wasn’t any thing interesting to look at on the way though. Markets, Weddings, Motorbikes packed high with everything from potatoes to firewood, beautifully dressed woman, usually carrying a baby or something massive on their head. Little kids rounding up the goats, fields of sunflowers, tiny little butcher shops, one especially that looked immaculate with three puppies waiting patiently out the front for scraps.

    Four hours it took us to come back and we were all knackered. We’ve had a shower, a few drinks, dinner and a game of Jango and are feeling much better. Definitely ready for an early night.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Lookout at the park entrance.
    I think she's sick of the goatsI cant even begin to imagine having to do this everyday .Taking their grain to marketMama and two babies, one of which cant be hers because they are too close in age.Snake EagleWhite Headed Buffalo WeaverSo many ZebrasWaterbuckMasked Lovebird.So protective

    Tarangire National Patk

    June 18, 2023 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    We’re on the move again today. Heading down to Tarangire National Park. Thank goodness on a much better road and with less traffic. Actually most of the traffic on here is the little vans the locals use as buses and safari vehicles. Again there were interesting local things to see. Water is at a premium in this area and there were lots of woman collecting water from the wells and in some cases ponds and muddy puddles.

    Lots of herds of cows and goats. The Massai rarely eat wild caught animals and rely on their cow and goats to feed the village. We turned off the main road to come into the camp from a back road. Went past so many little communities. They must be almost totally self sufficient because they are miles from even the little shop and there didn’t seem to be any vehicles around either.

    This camp we’re staying at only opened last October. It is lovely, a little more rustic than than other camps we’ve stayed at. The staff are amazing they seem to be right there as soon as you want anything. We are the only ones here at the moment so we’re getting well and truly spoilt.

    We’re off for our first game drive this afternoon. It’s almost an hours drive to the National Park Gate but it’s 4 wheel driving through the bush with plenty of things to look at on the way. The National Park is a huge wetland surrounded by savannah studded with Acacia trees and Mapuna trees.

    The elephants love Mapuna trees and there are plenty of them here, plenty of Elephants, Zebras, Impala, Giraffes, Waterbuck, Tiktik, Buffalo, Heartabeast, Hippos as well as Leopards, Lions, Jackals, Hyenas plus 480 species of Birdlife 200 of which Graham made us stop and take a photo of.

    It was a great few hours drive, I think we saw everything except the Leopard and Lions, maybe tomorrow for them. The camp ended up ringing our guide and asking if he was ever bringing their guests back for dinner. 😂😂    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Its getting hot!Afternoon napsLooking for dinner

    Day 2 at Tarangire

    June 19, 2023 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Today has been an epic, marathon day. We started the day with a wake up coffee and 4.30 heading off on our game drive at 5.00. It’s still dark then of course but it takes an hour to get to the park so it’s almost light by the time we get there.

    The animals were all a bit quite this morning and we were all thinking we could have sleep in for another hours but then they started appearing. It’s weird how the bush looks empty and then the animals sort of just appear out of nowhere. First the Elephants and the Giraffes, Zebras, Antelopes then the Jackals and Hyenas. A huge herd of Buffalo, little Monkeys and Mongoose. Still no elusive Leopard but not for the lack of trying on all of our parts especially our guide David.

    We were just on our way back out of the park and had stopped to look at yet another herd of elephants, this one playing in the marshes and David says, sit down guys someone has spotted the leopard. One of his guide friends had pulled up beside us and he’d just seen it jumping into one of the trees, so off we went flying down the road, all those trees look the same to me and I still don’t know how he found it from his friends directions but find it he did.

    It was a young female and she was just beautiful, sitting there lazing in the tree, just relaxing until she spotted something she though she could hunt then it was full attention. Sadly for us but luckily for the Waterbuck she decided he was too big for her and she settled back down for an afternoon nap.

    Five minutes after leaving her we came across a big lioness in almost the exact same position in another tree. I don’t think we would have spotted either one they blend in to the trees so well.

    We have Sundowners tonight somewhere and then a night drive. David drove us to where we were watching the sunset and wow what a setup, they had a fire going a table with every drink you could possibly imagine, snacks, tables and chairs all set up in the bush waiting for a glorious sunset.

    We may have been a little tipsy on the night game drive but 4 wheel driving quickly sobered us up, a little anyway. I didn’t expect to see much on a night drive but was pleasantly surprised. We saw a Porcupine, Airsprings, African Hare, Dickey Dickey, Elephants, a Giraffe, a Lion, a Hyena. After an eventful night back to the camp for a late dinner.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler

    Road trip, Olkeri Camp to Acacia Farm

    June 20, 2023 in Tanzania ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We’re heading off from Tarangire National Park today towards Ngorongoro Crater. All the Olkeri staff came out to see us off. It’s been another lovely stay at this safari camp.

    Our drive out took us past all the little villages again, not as many out today as Sunday but we still got some happy waves and smiles.
    We stopped in Mto Wa Mbu for a bike tour through the back streets of the village and to the local market, then on to an art gallery and a banana plantation. Stopping for lunch at a local food bistro for village guests and lastly a Banana Beer which was about as good as it sounds.

    Graham started talking to a guy selling tshirts while we waited for our bikes to be ready, this same guys kept popping up everywhere we stopped. Pam’s Dad hasn’t been well and they needed to buy a SIM card and while we waited for that, it’s not the simple matter it is at home, this dude kept bringing out more and more tshirts. Eventually he found one that graham couldn’t live without.

    Acacia Farm is not much further down the road and after one more stop at a arts and craft gallery where I finally found some fabric to buy, albeit at an exorbitant price but it is lovely and has all the colours of Africa in it, we arrived to a heart warming welcome at Acacia Farm. What a beautiful well maintained property. Everything is immaculate, the grounds, the food, the accommodation, the staff.
    After a few drinks we headed down for dinner, there seemed to be a bit of confusion about our table and after a few minutes Godfrey who is looking after us comes in and says oh no table for you here and leads us to a private table with our own fire and butler and chef. Curtesy of Emma we’re sure. We have been so spoil on this holiday.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Down in the crater
    Happy trippers.Love the crowned cranesOur ranger guide.Loved all the umbrella AcaciaHes not happyThis paved road goes for kilometers.Heading for the waterhole

    Ngorongoro Crater

    June 21, 2023 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We have a trip to the Ngorongoro Crater today. It is the worlds largest Caldera, it’s not actually a National Park but a conservation area so the Massai Mara live in the conversation area as well. It’s a pretty overcast day as we leave the Farm. Since we’re going up higher to get to the crater the weather is not improving. We passed the lookout and it was a total white out. No panorama views today. David assures is it won’t be raining in the crater.

    It a very steep decent into the crater on a little narrow road which luckily is one way. The entire road to the bottom is paved, the amount of labour in just that bit of road is incredible.

    The bottom of the crater is a wide open space perfect for grazing animals and of course all the predators that prey on them. We saw a lot of animals today but not really in the large numbers we’re used to. I think we’ve been very spoilt. We did see lions as well but they were a long way away. Plenty of bird life and so many Crowned Cranes. These cranes are so pretty and it must be a favourite breeding place of theirs so many of them had chicks.

    We had a bit of car trouble on the way back and David had to perform some bush mechanic magic to get us home. He couldn’t turn the car off then so he dumped us and was going to get it sorted this afternoon. We’re a long way from a major town so hopefully he’s had some luck.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Olduvia Gorge
    Olduvia GorgeGates of the SerengetiFinally hereGiraffesMore giraffesThis is what happens when you fiddle with the camera.VultureCheetah!Such a cute little baby

    Getting to the Serengeti

    June 22, 2023 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We are on our way to the Serengeti today. It’s going to be a long day driving. Google maps say it only 120 klms but will take four and a half hours. We have to drive past Ngorongoro Crater again so up through the clouds and over the Ngorongoro Mountains. When the Serengeti was declared a National Park in the Fifties they moved all the Massai people out of the park and we passed so many little villages on the way.

    Made a stop about mid morning at Olduvia Gorge. It’s a famous archaeological site called the “Cradle of Mankind” . It yielded the very first known fossil remains of two contemporary bipedal hominid species. There was a really fascinating museum there with an overview of the history of the region, and all the fossils found there. Then the gorge itself was pretty spectacular as well.

    From there we kept going towards The Serengeti over the most horrendous road I’ve ever been on. God I thought we had some shockers in Australia but nothing compared to this. It is the only road into the Serengeti and it’s a nightmare. Seemed to go on forever but we did eventually arrive.

    Time to put the top up and look for a animals. Thank goodness we got off the main road and while they are still bumpy at least they don’t have a million corrugations.
    It saw lots of things this afternoon but it was a really a giraffe day. So many of them all in groups of six or more.

    We spent so much time game driving we got to the camp in the dark and the rain. There was a little confusion about our room when we got here and for a brief moment we though we’d be sharing a room. We were okay with it but Pam and Alan were ready to call a taxi. 😂 Turns out we are sharing a family tent but with two bedrooms and a sitting room between them.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Balloons on the Serengeti
    So peacefulCoffee up high.Hes a big boyAnd another one.Oh oh private momentCheers to another good day.Fantastic views.Zebra twitching!

    Day of the Lions.

    June 23, 2023 in Tanzania ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    First up this morning is our balloon ride, the guys are coming to pick us up at 5. There are six balloons in their company going up this morning and five with another company. It’s a well oiled machine and we were up just as the sun was coming out.

    The Serengeti is beautiful to see from the air and it’s so easy to spot the animals from the sky. We saw lions, giraffes, buffalo, zebras, Impala, even a hippo. It’s a surreal experience being in a balloon everything is so quite, until they turn the gas on that is. After being in this land cruiser for so many days it was lovely to have such a smooth ride and over far to quickly for us.

    David picked us up after our champagne breakfast and off we went looking for more animals. First a leopard and then the lions started appearing. Mummy lions, Daddy lions, Baby lions, Resting lions, Mating lions. I think we saw fifteen in total today. We told David we had to be back home before dark today, we haven’t even seen this campsite in daylight yet. We only just made it.

    The Serengeti is fulfilling all it’s promises. We are off to hopefully find the migration tomorrow.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Proud Mama watching over her cubs.
    Heading out of the river.The zebras migrate with the WilderbeestSo many.Wereall looking a bit more tan or red then we were three weeks ago.David guarding Al while he checks the tires.Where is Al.Oh oh he missed.They go for miles.Landcruiser city

    Migration

    June 24, 2023 in Tanzania ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Today we are heading off to look for the Wildebeest migration. But just as we got down the road from our lodge there were two cheetahs on the road so we had to stop for them and then a few minutes more and a group of Lions. So many animal on the way, eventually David put his foot down, I think he thought we would never get there.

    All of the roads are bumpy but some are horrendous. This one was the later but after about an half an hour of corrugations we started to see a few Wildebeest and then more and more. It’s unbelievable how many animals there are, they stretch from horizon to horizon.

    We found a river the Wildebeest were crossing and stayed to watch them for a while. While we were there a young Lion came down to try his luck catching one. Think he got a bit bamboozled with how many there were and couldn’t decide which one to go for so ended up with nothing. There were so many cars there, and our driver David was getting cranky with some of the other drivers coming too close to the river and eventually got out and started directing them back so the animals had more room to get to the river.

    Wildebeest are so funny, let’s go, let’s not go, and then whoop I’m going and then they are all in and then all out and then maybe all in again. We thought it’s would all be over once the Lion turned up but David said No just wait, they will forget about the Lion in ten minutes.

    David found us a spot to have lunch with the Wildebeest so they bleeped all round us for an hour or so. Then I wanted to go back and see another river crossing. I’m glad we did because it was only us and one other car there.

    We came back a different and more scenic way in time for a cocktail and a fire before dinner.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler
    Such a big group of Lions.
    Zebras sleeping.He's on the prowl.Thirsty work.Isnt he gorgeousThey just keep pooping ip out of the grass.On the top of Gong RockOur last sunsetIts obviously a favourite lion hangout.

    Last day in the Serengeti

    June 25, 2023 in Tanzania ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Today is our last game drive, and last day in the Serengeti, and we are off to hopefully find a Rhino. There is a section of the park where only two female Rhinos where left after the horrendous poaching that happened here. One more male Rhino migrated from the crater and they have slowly been building up the numbers. The rangers monitor all the Rhinos and they don’t release the numbers to anyone but our guide estimated about fifty or sixty live in this section of the park now.

    I think we found four of the big five today but sadly no Rhino. Buffalo, Elephants, an amazing group of Lions lazing about on a beach, I think there were 16 in total. Plus a Leopard on the prowl for some dinner and a Cheetah looking for a shady tree to rest in. And of course the usual assortment of Giraffes, Zebras, Impalas and Wildebeest.

    We had a few sightseeing stops today as well at Gong Rock where you could play music on different sections of the rock and another cave with some Massai Rock Art.

    There were lots of cat prints at Gong Rock and plenty of cat poop and Hyena poo lying around everywhere. Someone said to David, do you see many cats here “ oh yeah all the time” Yikes!

    Had lunch at a nice shady little picnic area near the Rhino Centre with the resident Hyrax bouncing around on the rocks.

    Back at the camp early today to pack up and get organised for the flight home tomorrow. The staff had planned a lovely private dinner for us beside the fire. It was a perfect last night in the bush for us, cocktails, lovely sunset, great food, good company and a send off song and dance from the staff.    Read more

  • Karen LongAfrican AdventureTraveler

    Home

    June 29, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    After six flights, countless security checks, an overnight stay in Nairobi, delayed flights and a few rushed connections we made it back with almost all our baggage. Our paintings got left behind in Nairobi somehow.

    What a fantastic trip this has been, we’ve seen the Big Five, the Ugly Five and almost all of the Little five except for the Elephant Shrew. The tented safari camps were amazing. We all loved the game drives. It really has been the trip of a lifetime.    Read more

    Trip end
    June 29, 2023
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