Summit one of the world’s seven peaks, experience an Afrian safari then dive the beautiful tropical waters off the spice island of Zanzibar. You could do this all in an amazing three-week trip.
Part 1 was on Kilimanjaro – the roof of Africa.
The Safari: Part Two
If it’s your first time to the continent then it goes without saying you will go on African safari. Anytime you in Africa – depending on where you are – you are likely to be on safari in some sense. Roads mean nothing to animals and one night driving into the Maasai Mara we got stuck behind several giraffe walking together slowly who weren’t in any hurry to get out the way. Of course, you can go on safari in different parts of the continent but if you are looking to knock out a three-week trip, including climbing Kili and diving off Zanzibar , you would be best to go on safari in either Kenya or Tanzania.
Tanzania
This is your best bet for an African safari if you are climbing Kilimanjaro and heading out to the country’s tropical island Zanzibar. You might find a company which can help you with all three and do a deal rather than you booking piecemeal. Tanzania is also slightly cheaper than Kenya. And while we are talking cost – many people are surprised with just how expensive it is to be a tourist in Africa. This is the reality of Africa – where else in the world can you go on safari like this? You are a captive market.
Unfortunately, money often goes into official’s pockets, extra charges crop up for no reason – we had our truck ‘raided’ of meat product at a border crossing in 1997 by hungry officials. In Malawi, when someone calling himself Han Solo took over the country for a few days, we got caught up in a coup and couldn’t get out of the country unless we paid serious money. We waited it out. This is the thing in Africa, be patient – the locals will always throw ‘Hakuna Matata’ at you if you seem anxious, stressed or in a hurry.
Ngorongoro Crater
- Close to Arusha
- Fly into Kilimanjaro Airport
- Two day trip out and back to the crater
This is extinct volcanic crater that is about 120km from the Tanzanian town of Arusha. Around 19km in diameter, the crater is mostly grassland so perfect for the wide array of animals that graze there. I wanted to visit the crater since I saw it in the movie Out of Africa. Robert Redford and Meryl Streep fly around its rim (they are actually on a green screen) with the pink flamingos below them. The last time I was on African safari here was in 1997 and it was awesome. We stayed in a campground beside the famous Ngorongoro Crater Lodge built on the crater’s rim and with stunning views below.
It’s possible to base yourself in Arusha and do a two-day African safari trip from there. Actually, if you are really pressed for time you could leave very early and come back late at night in one day – but it’s exhausting. Most of the parks, including Ngorongoro Crater, charge fees that are usually included in the overall cost when you book with a company. So the big question is how many days should you book? I love going on safari, but after several hours I’ve had enough. I have travelled with others who could go from one sighting excursion to the next, all day, without getting bored. So what animals will you likely see at the crater? Elephants, black rhinoceroses, leopards, buffalo, zebras, warthogs, gnu (wildebeests), Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles, and the densest population of lions in the world. The local Maasai people also graze their livestock in the crater. Lake Magadi, a shallow soda lake ringed by extinct volcanoes, is renowned as a habitat for great flocks of pink flamingos. We saw a lot when we were here – my only disappointment was the flamingos did not look all that pink and even in 1997 it was pretty crowded with many vehicles jostling for position.
Kenya – Nairobi
You might have seen those amazing photos of giraffe leaning into the top floor of a historic old Nairobi hotel and wanting to be fed. The Giraffe Manor is a boutique and expensive hotel about 5km from the centre of Nairobi. It’s home to the Rothschild giraffe, who are famous for poking their head in the windows of guest bedrooms. They are free to walk around their forest sanctuary and form part of the neighbouring Giraffe Centre. 
I’ve been here a couple of times and it’s always pretty special standing on the raised platform feeding the giraffe, who have no qualms about approaching you to slobber up the treats that you offer them. It’s a great chance to get close to the wildlife before you embark on a safari out of the city or if you are on limited time and still want to see some animals. There are often warthogs rummaging below you in the mud as well and you won’t be there long.
If there are a few of you then it might be worth hiring a driver and car to head to the Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum (Out Of Africa) and try to time your trip to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust or the Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi.
The Trust has taken on an adoptive mother approach for baby elephants orphaned as a result of poaching. Make sure you are there for 11am when the keepers bring the baby elephants to where the public gather and they play and feed and splash around in the mud. They also explain how the Trust works. It’s all over by around midday each day. Of course if you don’t think you are going to have time to go on safari and you are in Nairobi then you could take a car and driver through the Nairobi National Park.
When you see pictures of rhinos and wild animals with a cityscape background, this is the National Park, at 117 sq km. You fly over it when you come into the main international airport of Jomo Kenyatta and its only 7km from the city centre. If you have already got safaris booked out of Nairobi then I would not bother with the Park. Most of these places I’ve mentioned in Nairobi are not too far from one another (although Nairobi traffic is terrible so be prepared to do a lot of waiting). However, to break up the day, I’d definitely take some time out for lunch at the Purdy Arms and a cold Tusker.
African safari in the Maasai Mara
I have been on safari in many places across East Africa – mostly one day or two-day trips. The Okavango Delta in Botswana was a highlight but we camped and it was ferociously hot. I had not been to the Maasai Mara and, as my brother lived in Nairobi at the time, we decided to leg it out on an overnight trip from Kenya’s capital to the park for a whirlwind one day overnight trip then drive back. It’s exhausting, I won’t lie. I’d recommend at least two days in the park but we were on a deadline with a bus to catch to Arusha the following day. From Nairobi it was an interesting six-hour drive into the Great Rift Valley – interesting as in very scary driving. Overladen slow trucks make their way up and down the long steep hill while everyone else tries to overtake them. You can fly in and it’s only a 45 minute trip if you are on a tight time frame or not worried too much about your budget. Accommodation in and around the Mara is pretty pricey for what you get. We got a recommendation from friends who live in Nairobi to stay outside the park (it’s cheaper) with local Maasai who had just set up their own lodge Oldarpoi.
We did book last-minute and we left Nairobi late and bless them, they had lovely staff waiting for us at the gate around 11pm with drinks and got our late dinner on the go. Accommodation here is very budget but still around $100US each per night in the busy season. However, it was only a 10 minute trip to the Sekenani Gate when we got up very early. We had around seven hours in the Mara and it was among the best days EVER on safari.
We saw a lion kill and feed, battled the tourists to line up when the wildebeest who started crossing the Mara River in their thousands and saw just about everything else in between. Even my brother, who has spent more than 10 years on the continent thought it was one of his better safaris. It often depends on luck, timing and having a good driver who can anticipate and get you to the right spots. We also paid for a guide or scout who helped us locate and find various animals – of course they all use radios as well to find out what everyone else is doing. The Mara is amazing and I’d recommend a flight out, staying a couple of days inside the park to really enjoy it. Be prepared to pay a pretty penny for it though.
African Odyssey: Summit,Surf and Safari. Part Three is on the tropical spice island of Zanzibar coming soon.
