MY “OUT OF AFRICA” TRIP – PART 1

And so Ratty’s Rambles is back - off on African adventures and dying to tell you all about them.  In fact so excited to do this that I am rambling too long in my blogs – much to the horror of my social media guru who tells me emphatically to “keep it short” – some things are just too exciting to tell in a few loose paragraphs. 

I have just returned from Tanzania.   A first-time trip for me – a real look-see!  Travelling with a great school friend - Blev - and visiting another dear school friend en-route - Ray, who works in Tanzania - we planned to visit as many lodges as we could, to get a good feel of what the Tanzanian “Northern Circuit” was all about.  This trip therefore included Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. 

I can confirm that I am now fully “hooked” on this rather special part of the world.  Realistically, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  To me, East Africa had always been the classic movie “Out of Africa” even if that was based in Kenya.  Apart from a dashing Robert Redford, I hoped it would live up to my romantic expectations of a vast African savannah, endless plains of game, densely forested mountains flecked with coffee plantations and rather quaint colonial plantation lodges and tented camps.   I can, after my trip, confidently confirm it is exactly what I imagined- and more!  However, only after my visit, I realized that my pre-trip impression hadn’t quite done enough to impart the strong soul East Africa has.  This is made up of firmly entrenched traditions, an eternal sense of history, a community of generations of families and Tanzanians’ overwhelmingly warm hospitality.  Everywhere you go you hear Jambo (hallo) and Karibu (welcome).  This felt like a genuinely happily settled nation – everyone so keen to make you feel welcome and to love their country.  So began my “Out of Africa” trip.   

We had been advised to take Rwandair – Rwanda’s national airline-  and so we embarked on a rather “around Africa” trip – stopping at Lusaka in Zambia, Kigali in Rwanda and then eventually onto Kilimanjaro.  I highly recommend this airline- the flights were very pleasant. 

Beautiful Plantation Home - Legendary Lodge

Upon arrival in Kilimanjaro we were whisked off to Legendary Lodge at the foot of Mt Meru in Arusha - and this is where the magic began.  Everyone who goes past Arusha MUST stay at Legendary Lodge.  There is just no “two ways” about it!  We were met by Gregory and his team and felt immediately at home.  How can you not, when you have your heavy bags whisked away from you and in their place handed an icy cold ‘gin & tonic’ to settle your weary ‘travel’ bones.  My goodness, I loved them all immediately.    Here we met Rupert Finch-Hatton from Hoopoe Safaris who was providing a vehicle and guide for our weeklong sojourn.  He is apparently the great nephew of Denys Finch-Hatton (yes – the one in “Out of Africa”) although when I mentioned it to him, he looked weary of this constant link that every tourist must bring up – sorry Rupert!  However, it certainly provided roots for my “Out of Africa” frame of mind and positioned me firmly into yesteryear.    This lovingly maintained colonial plantation home could have been Karen Blixen’s and is full of history – you could feel it seeping out of every corner.   I woke up in the morning listening to the birds and a far away train whistling.  Whilst wondering what delicious feast Max the chef was preparing in the kitchen, I heard the clinking of a tray being delivered to our room…and in came the smell of freshly ground coffee and lavender cookies. 

Waving good-bye to our newly made friends at Legendary Lodge, we were off on safari with our guide -Hashim – who regaled us with his new American accent and had us in stiches from the start (Hoopoe Safaris had just recently hosted an American group and the accent certainly had had an effect on Hash – from then on I felt I was travelling along the dusty African roads with Bill Clinton).

Although aware that most visitors to the Tanzanian “Northern Circuit” use the short charter flights, I was thrilled to do this bit of the trip from Arusha through to Tarangire and Lake Manyara by road.  You really get to know a country this way.  After witnessing the majesty of the 19,341 ft. Mt Kilimanjaro with its snowy cap, I found the area around Arusha so densely forested and fertile -coffee plantations abound. Everything was so colourful – especially the people and the vibrant “Maasai” colours they wear.  I loved watching everyone going about their daily routines, colourful buses, motorbike taxi’s weaving in and out of the traffic being stopped by very official policemen in their all-white uniforms, small informal plant street sales, cafés with old men bantering over pipes and young children playing with wire cars.  

After the busy streets of the Kilimanjaro and Arusha area, we ventured out towards Tarangire.  It started to get more sparse and every now and again, we would see the colourful figure of a Maasai tending to his cows and the small villages dotted here and there. You could see that the fierce sun sucks the moisture out of this landscape.  

Tarangire National Park is but a brief stop off and unfortunately I do not get to experience the magnificent bird life, the tree climbing pythons and great elephant herds that it is well known for.  However, I did experience my first tsetse fly bit (wow, they sting!!) Onwards to ChemChem Lodge we went. 

ChemChem Lodge, described as “an authentic haven that awakens the senses”, is situated in a private wildlife concession assisting the migration corridor between Lake Manyara and Tarangire.  Quite magical the work that the owners – Fabia Bausch and Nicolas Negre- have done here assisting the surrounding communities by protecting their wildlife and supporting their education system.  This small tented lodge is a true oasis where the key words are SLOW SAFARI – a place that demands you to wind down and enjoy nature at its soothing best. (complete with a yoga mat in your tent). Surrounded by palms, exquisitely decorated with natural fibres such as canvas, lava-stones and wood and giving you spectacular lake views, the lodge and its attentive staff, led by manager Kelly, ensure you have no choice but to relax and enjoy this tranquil holistic haven.  

You can do a number of activities from here – a trip into Tarangire should be on the cards (or staying over in Little ChemChem Tented Lodge in Tarangire).  However a must is a holistic spa treatment, bush walk (the bird life is incredible) and sundowners on the lake.   After being thoroughly spoilt with a spa treatment, we were taken on a walk with a Maasai warrior and a field guide whilst being watched by inquisitive giraffe and zebra.  It was fascinating learning how the Maasai have survived for generations in harmony with nature.  The perfect end was a surprise sundowner on Lake Manyara.  Nothing could be more incredible than sitting on the tranquil shores of Lake Manyara with a view of the Great Rift escarpment – you could not be further from frenetic city life if you tried. 

And so with ‘sundowner’ in hand, I leave you with my memories and photos….until Part 2 of my “Out of Africa” adventure which sees us onwards to Ngorongoro Crater and the lush valley of Gibbs Farm.  Kwaheri (good-bye) until next time.....