A fortnight parked under palm trees left Landy deflated. Although she hadn't actually been abandoned, she obviously felt it and definitely looked it. She was covered in leaves and grime and sporting another flat. Once she was tidied, repacked and repaired, we climbed on in and headed for the hills.
Tanzania is home to some of the biggest names in Africa. We left Dar es Salaam to see them all (as well as a few extras on the side). While the Usambara Mountains do not make the 'big' list and aren't famous by any means, they definitely make our own 'beautiful' list. After a hot, hectic day on the road we climbed a steep escarpment late in the afternoon. Off the flat brown Masai Steppe and into lush green tropical forests.
We left behind the herdsman leading animals across dusty plains. Instead, tiny patches of terraced veggies clung to steep hillsides. Bananas, papaya, coffee and beans completing the super green palette. Irente farm became our base. Everything grown, processed and cooked on site meant that it was both beautiful and delicious. The little farmhouse was a colourful spot, where a united nations of ethical adventurers gathered for feasts by the fire. Apart from the food, a Swede with a ukelele and a bottle of Scotch, a few tunes and some terrible singing meant a wonderfully late night.
The next few days we hiked the mountains and villages. Fresh made yoghurt and cheeses meant amazing picnics, well trained guides took us off the beaten track and cool mountain air was perfect after the humid coast. Chameleons clung to almost every branch, though it took eagle eyes and a lot of practice to spot them. The tent at tree height meant some shy Sykes monkeys crept past in the mornings without knowing we were there. A viewpoint out over the plains looked like the Lion King's pride rock, and we now know that the animals from the film spoke Swahili. (Rafiki is friend, Simba is lion but poor old Pumba is a maize porridge!) The name Marangu doesn't mean much, but it's from Marangu that most people start climbing mount Kilimanjaro.
The biggest name in Africa. She towers over the surrounding mountains and looks enormous from the plains. From more that 70 kilometres away we caught our first glimpse. Although she's usually shrouded in clouds, at around sunset every day she is revealed. Her slopes are similar to the Usambaras - green forests and productive little farms. Home to the Chagga people, who traditionally lived in cone grass houses. Hiking in these hills was beautiful too, but it's Kili that people come to see.
Arriving at the park gate and watching as hikers, porters, guides and cooks gathered their things got the attitude for altitude thrumming in our veins. We ummed and aaahed about making a trek to the roof of Africa, but for this trip it isn't to be. We watched her through the rear view mirror as we left Marangu and vowed to conquer her another day. Back on the plains we passed by Moshi and Arusha, headed for the tiny town of Mto wa Mbu. We have no idea how to pronounce it, but at Mto wa Mbu our friend the Wayward Physician awaited. A few phone calls on the road and we were heading on safari together. Ngorogoro Crater and the Serengeti in our sights.
These are the parks where the world's 'great migration' happens. Absolutely teeming with animals at any time of the year, but full to the brim when wildebeest and zebra make their move. The prices for foreigners with foreign cars made the trip alone unviable, so Landy got yet another break as we loaded our gear into a tan land cruiser, complete with cook, driver and pop-top roof. The ultimate stereotypical safari experience. And what a safari!
As soon as we'd hit the floor of Ngorogoro Crater a huge pack of hyenas were gathered around the carcass of a zebra. Two male lions were clearly unimpressed and making a big show of warding off the whining, yelping, laughing beasts. It was noisy and messy. Across the grass more hyenas were loping. The numbers were huge and the noise reached fever pitch. Just when it looked like the lions would have to retreat, 3 more manes appeared on the horizon. The big boys took it slow, strolling across the plains and onto the road. By the time they passed within patting distance of the car, the hyenas were all but gone. They'd melted into the grass and disappeared. Even a huge group of them weren't keen to take on 5 of the big cats.
Apart from the lions, Ngorongoro scenery was stunning. Vast yellow plains backed by towering blue hills made for a photographers dream. Huge herds of zebra and wildebeest, impala, gazelle, warthog. We stopped for quite some time to watch a pod of hippos. Their muddy pool was shallow and their backs were constantly exposed to the sun, so this bloat had developed a hilarious coping mechanism; rolling over with their clodhopper toes in the air! Not something that you see every day and really quite comical.
Soon enough the time came to mosey on out of the crater. We perched among the clouds on the rim and set up camp. It was freezing cold and windy 600m up off the crater floor, but dinner prepared by a chef, hot showers and warm sleeping bags more than made up for the chilly conditions. The corrugated road into the Serengeti was a dusty, bumpy, long journey that shook us to the core as our driver made the trip through Masai country at rapid pace. We were glad to have left Landy behind. Our faces were caked in layers of dirt and dust shook from our clothes when we moved.
It was a long way, but well beyond worth it. The wildlife could only be described as prolific. Over 2 days we were rewarded with 6 leopard sightings; streaking through the grass, sprawled out in trees and in one case, furrowed away among rocks hiding two tiny cubs. A mumma cheetah dragging a gazelle back to her five cubs, another lying across an anthill inspecting the plains, as well as 2 sitting on hills in the distance meant a total 8 of the world's fastest and most gorgeous cat. There were more lions than we could count, if that's even possible. One enormous pride of lionesses and just as many cubs chowing down on a wildebeest, two mating pairs, two hunting lionesses and another two staring at us from the grass, and several prides doing what lions do best. Which is not much at all.
It was strange to see elephants grazing the savannahs instead of destroying trees like we were used to, but their silhouettes on the horizon were brilliant. Out in the kopjies we saw our first blue duiker among the rocks. Giraffe in huge numbers and buffalo that were just plain huge. Epic might be a good word for the Serengeti.
We had a tiny run in with our driver, but even that ended well. He was under the impression that seeing these animals by day two meant that he might take the best part of day three off. We explained that we weren't inclined to spend our day sitting in a campsite, and didn't mind if he parked us under a tree, provided that it was a tree in the park. He felt that we would spend the day where he wished, and stormed off. The car was left running for two hours whilst we enjoyed our lunch. When he returned his mood had not improved and he was determined to avoid stopping for anything that afternoon. Karma has never been so glorious. Not 2km past a spectacular viewpoint (at which he refused to stop), the car choked and died. We had 2 hours of incredible views to enjoy in peace with a picnic, whilst the fool hitched a ride to a petrol station and back. His two hour huff had run it dry!!
An afternoon on top of a hill with a cool breeze and good company meant there was no way we could be unhappy with how the trip panned out. The final glory came at the exit point. A last gloat over the Ngorongoro crater from the top caused quite a stir. At the bottom, quite apart from anything else, stood a black rhino. We needed good binoculars and a fair bit of zoom, but we did without a doubt get a glimpse of the big 5.
Up Next: Onward!