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Africa 2024
  • Janice Guimond
  • Janice Guimond

Africa 2024

A 14-day adventure by Janice Read more
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  • Trip start
    October 30, 2024
    Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    Goodbye Tom, welcome Deb! (Abcoude)
    Utrecht - Dom Tower (no building can be built higher than this tower)Utrecht canalUtrecht canalMiffyReproduction of a painting of the cityUtrecht streetSmallest house on the blockUtrecht LibraryUtrecht LibraryUtrecht LibraryHarry Potter cafe in the Utrecht LibraryHot chocolate in the Harry Potter cafeUtrecht Walk of FameDomtorentje (Dom Tower) - a traditional chocolate from the city of UtrechtPancakes at Ollie's in AbcoudeAnd then the next morning we were off to begin our African adventure!

    Pre-Africa in the Netherlands

    October 29, 2024 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    Tom departed for the U.S. on Monday, just as Deb was arriving from Alberta, Canada. Unfortunately the nice weekend weather did not continue into the week, so it was overcast, and rainy at times. On Tuesday we took the train to Utrecht and did an audio walking tour in the mist. What a vibrant university town - I imagine it's even better with nice weather!Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    Welcome to Rwanda - Authentic Africa
    We have arrived!Our wheels for our four days in Rwanda. Two of these to accommodate nine of us.Kigali, RwandaBelgian Peacekeepers MemorialBelgian Peacekeepers Memorial (bullet holes)Kigali Genocide Memorial - such a sad time in Rwanda's historyKigali Genocide MemorialKigali Genocide MemorialKigali Genocide MemorialLunch stop enroute to the mountains (Elaine - smoothies were excellent!)Lunch stop enroute to the mountains - Corinne

    Kigali, Rwanda!

    October 31, 2024 in Rwanda ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    And then we were off! Flew from Amsterdam to Kigali, Rwanda where we were met by Olivier (one of our drivers/guides for the 4-day Rwanda stay). It was a quick overnight, then the next morning we met the rest of our group and toured some Kigali sites. Then, we headed for the hills and our gorilla trekking destination!Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    Huge gorilla 'sculpture ' enroute. The whole country is hilly -- beautiful and green.
    This gorilla sculpture is made of straw.One more shot showing the backdrop and beautiful morning.The crew in our vehicle, excited to see mountain gorillas up close.Volcanoes National ParkVolcanoes National Park - our Rwanda group including leader Andrea, stoked for the trekVolcanoes National Park - we are all wearing gaiters to protect from brambles & ants.Rokundo & Francois -- our guidesVolcanoes National Park - pre-trek briefingAt the trailhead, my chariot awaits 😉We were so fortunate to get Francois as a guide. He was called back from retirement due to requests.He stripped a thistle stalk to show us how much moisture was inside. Then he ate it!We crossed potato fields to get to the 'jungle.'The able-bodies......and me. Sedan, Helicopter, Stretcher -- all terms used to describe this service."Watch your head!" I learned quickly to put my hood up and cover my ears (tree ants!)Gorilla trackers carry rifles and shoot onto the grass to scare away big game if necessary.1The money shot 🙂Me and my entourage. Good grief!🫣

    Gorilla Trekking (1 of 2)

    November 1, 2024 in Rwanda ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    What an amazing day! Started out with a short drive to Volcanoes National Park, where we met our guides and learned our trekking group. We then drove to the starting point of our trek, where we met our porters, and for me the guys that would carry my 'sedan.' (I thought there would be four of them, but there were eight! 😲) From here, we set out on the hike to find our designated gorilla family.Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    First glimpse...an adult hanging out in the bush...
    Then a mother and babe - SO cute!Then a Silverback!Hard to get a pic, but we were very close. Wore masks to protect the gorillas. Didn't need binocs.Silverback and adultTaking a restSilverback #2The 1-month old babyAnother babe - So cute!Mountain gorillas are differentiated by their nose features.Our groupSo fun to watch them interact & play. I don't know why this video is in slo-mo though🤔Silverback #1 ("The President"😉) walked right in front of our group enroute to his family.

    Gorilla Trekking (2 of 2)

    November 1, 2024 in DR Congo ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    It's a little hard to describe this experience. Trackers preceed the groups, to inform the guides where the gorilla family is. Ours was a family of 17, including two Silverbacks and a 1 -month old baby. When we got close, our first glimpse was of a couple of juveniles playing, and an adult hanging out. The guides, however, do a good job of teasing out where the others are, and bringing us closer to them. We were very close to some, in fact Deb had a leg brush with one of the larger adults! It was very cool to watch them for an hour...Mother doting over baby, 3-year old jumping and spinning around, Silverback moseying over to the others, juveniles climbing trees and playing. The hour went fast! Here are some pics, but of course it's hard to capture the experience adequately with photos.Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    Ives and Olivier
    Love the Rwanda flag colors on the bike shorts Ives was wearing 🙂Pre-ride. Ives only had three helmets, and mine was way too big (looked pretty dorky 🤨)Our 15-mile loop. It took a couple of hours due to the rough roads, but was exhilarating.Local boys fist-bumping with Olivier.Finally a smooth section of road!🙂

    Rwanda Mountain Bike Excursion

    November 1, 2024 in Rwanda ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    After the gorilla trek & lunch, Deb & I did a 27K mountain bike loop. Our 25-year old guide Ives had been a professional cyclist for 7 years! He was great. Our loop was partly on the main road, but mostly on gravel roads through the rural villages. These are not gravel roads like Americans are used to. They are in awful shape - big rocks and big ruts. Still, this was a great experience. As we rode, locals were either enthusiastic (mostly the kids), curious, smiling, or stone-faced (sometimes only until we said hello in their language). Young boys sometimes ran alongside us, others often looked at us curiously. Ives later told us that Rwandan women in this area do not ride bicycles. So, we stuck out for both our race and gender. Despite the road conditions, I was grateful for this experience (and a good workout 🙂).Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    Flowers lined the corridors to the guest rooms
    Flowers lined the corridors to the guest roomsFlowers lined the corridors to the guest roomsPrivate & peaceful roomsWe discovered hot water bottles warming our beds 🙂! (They stayed warm for hours!)The Virunga InnTraditional Rwandan music/dancingTraditional Rwandan music/dancing1Traditional Rwandan music/dancing

    Rwanda - Virunga Inn

    November 2, 2024 in Rwanda ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    Our stay near Volcanoes National Park was at the Viruga Inn, which I loved! It was peaceful, quiet, & cozy. The staff treated us so well. For example, when we returned from the gorilla trek, they promptly took off our gaitors, removed our shoes, and provided us with sandals/slides temporarily while they took our shoes away for cleaning 🙂. The grounds are lush with corridors lined with a medley of flowers. Food was excellent. Even had some local music/dance for us.Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    Hills of Rwanda
    Guide/driver Simon purchasing bananas from a roadside vendor.Mark holding the bananas. They are so good -- better than those we get in America for sure.Pool at Heaven Resort. I had a 45-minute massage (for just $35!) which was wonderful.

    Rwanda Tidbits

    November 3, 2024 in Rwanda ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    On Sunday, we transferred to the Rwanda Airport, to catch a flight to Tanzania. I was surprised how much I enjoyed Rwanda. It is beautiful (green rolling hills) and clean. It's definitely a culture shock though. From Kigali to Ruhengari, there is one main paved road. It is abuzz with activity. Women carrying baskets and large full sacks on their heads, children (including very young) walking to/from school on their own, men on bicycles hauling huge loads of stuff -- we even saw one transporting a door on his bicycle, cows and goats being herded by their owners. All of this with motor bikes and cars making their way along this narrow road with barely a shoulder. I have no photos of this, unfortunately, but vivid memories.Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    Welcome to Tanzania!
    Mount MeruHuge cactus in this tree at Mount Meru LodgeBonnie & Dan relaxing on their patio at Mount Meru LodgeMount Meru LodgeColumbo monkeyOur riverside dinner table, ready to goLoved this beer!Watching the Columbo monkeys 🙂Cool river setting

    Welcome to Tanzania!

    November 3, 2024 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    Arrived at Tanzania's Kilimanjaro Airport. It's an interesting security process here. At Rwanda, we had to unload all of our luggage from the vehicle for scanning, just to enter the airport grounds. Then regular security once inside the airport. On arrival in Tanzania, our bags were scanned yet again before exiting the airport. Go figure!
    We transferred to Mt Meru Lodge, surrounded by mountain forest foliage. Columbo monkeys reside -- we enjoyed watching them high in the trees. Excellent meals yet again!    Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    This is fake! It"s a sculpture at the park entrance. On a mission to see real ones 🙂
    Arusha National ParkStarted out by seeing some colorful birds.....and egrets......and heron (if I've got that right).Lilly pad areaIt was a warm & sunny day.Me & Deb at the crater overlook -- saw animals roaming below, but far awayLaurie in one of our two Safari vehiclesThe happy crew in my vehicleNow we're seeing some stuff up close 😊. BaboonI got a big kick out of watching the baboons🙂MonkeyZebrasOur whole group in our Safari gear, at an overlook. Mt Kilimanjaro was shrouded in clouds, darn.Dorlan stood by this big skull for me, for contextWe arrived to a wonderful catered lunch, instead of the box lunches we were expecting!Such a fun surprise by our tour leader, Andrea!Most of the crew. Yummy lunch.Ken & John - cheers to a great lunch!BaboonBaboons

    The Safari begins!

    November 4, 2024 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    We eased into our Safari experience with a visit to Arusha National Park on Monday. It's an adventure! The park roads are dirt/gravel, rocky and rutty, "The African Massage." 😉. Arusha was a more 'scrubby' park vs. lush, and one of the smaller parks. It was a good intro, and a good day!
    No elephants yet 😉.    Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    Me by a baobab tree -- shows how huge it is! Love these trees!
    Walking safari. We walked silent and single file -- just like the animals do 🙂.A little glimpse of color!Zebra kill, likely by a lion a day or two ago. The vultures were in the area.Another baobab treeLunch at Honeyguide. Mark, Elaine & DebHoneyguide Tent CampHoneyguide Tent CampHoneyguide Tent CampEnroute to Lake Eyasi, women selling bananas (or trying to -- loads of locals doing the same).Enroute to Eyasi - beautifully staged market. Bananas here too 🙂.Enroute to Eyasi - Deb 🙂Kisima Ngeda Tent CampKisima Ngeda Tent CampKisima Ngeda Tent CampKisima Ngeda Tent Camp - SunsetTent camp at Eyasi - Fire ring circle from the lookout tower (photo by Corinne).Tent camp at Eyasi - SunsetKisima Ngeda Tent Camp - SunsetKisima Ngeda Tent Camp - lookout tower

    Tarangire Day 2 & Lake E

    November 6, 2024 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    Started the morning a with a walking Safari to notice the smaller things in the park (footprints, plants, birds, bugs, dung). While I like the big game, this was rather interesting. Plus, it was great to be walking rather than sitting! Back to Honeyguide Camp for lunch, and then off to Lake Eyasi (Kisima Ngeda Tent camp) for one night.Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    Entrance to Acacia Farm Lodge
    Entrance to Acacia Farm LodgeAt each lodge, staff greeted us with hand sanitizer, rinse water, and wet washcloths 😊.Acacia Farm LodgeAcacia Farm LodgeAcacia Farm LodgeAcacia Farm LodgeAcacia Farm LodgeAcacia Farm LodgeAcacia Farm LodgeAcacia Farm Lodge

    Acacia Farm Lodge

    November 7, 2024 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    This afternoon we made our way to Acacia Farm Lodge, for one overnight before heading to Serengeti National Park. The Lodge is a working Farm on 25 acres. Tried cycling the grounds but found it a bit small for that, so walked instead. Very lush and peaceful setting near the town of Karatu.Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    Lake Magadi and the crater floor from atop the rim. Visible smoke from controlled burns.
    Descended down on this paver road, which was built entirely by hand.Wildlife sightings were plentiful. Here's a Thomson gazelleBaboonsPink flamingosGolden Crested CraneGolden Crested CraneServalServal (of the cat family)Serval. It sat just beside our vehicle for a while. Beautiful cat.HipposPink flamingo with hippos in the backgroundOne hippopotamus got up! (Second in weight only to the elephant.)Loads of birds in this spot. The saltwater/foam provides an interesting contrast.Zebras are plentiful!Grants gazelleWildebeastWildebeest & gazelle; caldera rim in the background.

    Ngorongoro Crater

    November 8, 2024 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    Ngorongoro Crater, "The world's largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera filled with ample wildlife and bird species." Yup!
    It was foggy on our drive up to the top of the rim (where the air was refreshingly cooler), but the fog burned off and we could see the Crater floor and Lake Magadi in the center of it. Interestingly, it is a saltwater lake.Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    Sculpture at the entrance
    View from the Visitor Center.

    Olduvai Gorge

    November 8, 2024 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    En route from Ngorongoro Crater to Serengeti, we stopped at Olduvai Gorge.
    It's called the “Cradle of Mankind” because it is believed to be the site of found remains of the first human beings to walk on Earth. Not many pics, but I am including anyway.Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    Our group in flight!!
    Morning Twilight - view from the loo.1A loo with a view 😉Prepping the balloonHappy to be upright before lifting off 🙂.Dan & Bonnie's smiling faces in the background 😄.Stoked!And we're off!WowBalloon over the SerengetiSO Cool!Our shadowChampagne toast - Andrea, Bonnie, Dan & DebAndrea, Bonnie, Dan & DebThis couple from the Netherlands got engaged in our basket during the flight!!💕Pilot Nik between two crew members. These guys & others seemingly appeared from nowhere at landing.1A little taste of our flightOur group post-flightDan and his harem 😉😊

    Serengeti - Hot Air Balloon

    November 9, 2024 in Tanzania ⋅ 🌙 63 °F

    On our first full day in Serengeti National Park, five of us rose early to depart at 4am for the drive to the launch site. We arrived before sunrise, met our pilot Nik, went through instructions, and loaded into our basket with 11 others (16 total + Nik). Its so interesting how they load the passengers -- the rectangular basket, with four passenger compartments accommodating four people each, is tipped on its long side. We had to slide in feet first, lay on our backs with knees bent, and clip our safety belt onto a clasp. When everyone was loaded, Nik filled the balloon and the basket tipped upright. Before we knew it, we were off the ground, barely feeling anything. It was amazing. Floating over the Serengeti, watching the animals from above, on a clear day with the sun rising was very special. Not a hint of motion sickness for me, because the movement of the balloon is so gentle. Nik could fly low or high, as did the other three balloons that went up. The landing was a little bumpy, but we were briefed on that, so expected it. I loved this experience!Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    So thrilled to watch this amazing mature male lion
    This was a different one but pretty cool.ImpalaZebras at a 'watering hole.'Cape Buffalo. Such strange horns and face. Reminds us of the George Washington era 😉.Fun to see a few different interesting rock piles among the flat plains.Warthogs - so funny looking but the babies are cute! We saw loads of these, but have only this pic.A large herd of wildebeest crossing the road. Saw this a number of times, but it didn't get old.Impressive rock at one of the rest areas.Picnic lunchOur guides/drivers: Blassy & PriscusHyena peaking out from a culvertLeopardHippo on land was fun to see, because most of them are mostly submerged in the Hippo pond.Hippo lumbering back to the water.Caution: This is sort of X-Rated. We were amazed to see lions mating right before our eyes.Serengeti sunset

    Serengeti National Park

    November 9, 2024 in Tanzania ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Serengeti is Tanzania's flagship national park, with a large number of animals and opportunities to see them. There were still some unchecked boxes on my list, so Serengeti was a good place to find them. The photos don't do justice, so after a while, I just put the camera down and enjoyed watching the animal behavior. My favorites to watch: elephants, mature male lions (with mane), giraffes, and baboons 🐘🦁🦒 😊.Read more

  • Janice GuimondAfrica 2024Traveler
    Painting at Shanga
    Cool mural at the Serengeti airportHard to tell from the pic, but it's a raised form, not a flat painting.Co-pilot Deb 😊Cockpit view -- I sat right behind the pilotHappy to be flying -- the alternative was a 5-hour drive on rough roads that we already traversed.Throwing in a couple of shots to show how the vehicle was loaded. They really jam the bags in!Throwing in a couple of shots to show how the vehicle was loaded. They really jam the bags in!Shanga - The big five!Arusha ResortShangaArusha ResortLunch at Arusha ResortArusha Resort - outdoor dining areaArusha Resort

    So Long, Serengeti

    November 11, 2024 in Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    We did one more early game drive before catching a puddle jumper flight out of the Serengeti. A 12-seater, I focused on not getting motion sickness 🤢. Fortunately, the flight was only 40 minutes, and I made it without needing my air-sick bag - yay! 😄
    Enroute to the airport, we had our final group meal, lunch at Arusha Coffe House. The resort houses a workshop called Shanga where disabled folks create all sorts of art, including glass blowing and metalwork. The grounds were lush & beautiful, a nice punctuation mark to our trip after days on dusty roads 🙂.    Read more

    Trip end
    November 12, 2024
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