Trip Report - Tanzania

Our Trip & Itinerary

We fell in love with Tanzania in just 14 days. The people, the wildlife, the landscapes - everything has simply taken our breath away. While other countries have made us feel the same, we’d like to preface this report by noting that this segment of our trip was sponsored by Sarah’s parents and planned with the help of Nale Moru, a socially responsible, experiential luxury travel company. We acknowledge that the experiences below are most definitely out of our typical budget, but highly recommend saving up for this kind of trip, so that you can connect with the country in the most intimate, informed, and personalized way. 

Nale Muro is run by a German-Tanzanian couple, Anja and Rob, who have a depth of experience, a love for East Africa’s hidden beauties, a strong attention to detail, and a passion for keeping things local. They are the kindest pair and welcomed us to their home country with open arms, truly offering themselves as our trusted contacts and friends throughout our trip. Thank you Anja, thank you Rob – you were incredible!

Kilimanjaro Coffee Lodge

We transitioned from Egypt to Tanzania rather chaotically, plagued by a series of flight delays caused by multiple medical emergencies, panicked sprints through airports, and with our backpacks unfortunately left behind in Doha. Arriving in Arusha, we were exhausted and repeatedly fell asleep in between conversations with our lovely driver, Ali, on the way to our lodge. When we managed a look at the outside world, we watched tuk tuks weave through traffic, markets selling tropical fruit in full swing, and vibrant fabrics blowing in the wind – a bright contrast to Cairo’s beige and black palette. After about an hour's drive, we pulled into a terribly battered dirt road and charged through the leafy green hills in our minivan. As we climbed, driving through towering banana trees – Ali explained that locals made use of multiple cropping, meaning they plant maize, beans, wheat, coffee, and bananas on one piece of land, utilizing the nutrients from different crops. We rounded up another road bordered by coffee plants, this time approaching a sign that said “Kilimanjaro Coffee Farm”.

The opening front gate gave view to a stunning sight: rolling lawns, vibrant hibiscus bushes, and rows of coffee trees on the horizon. Noticing our sleepy state, the manager Prince quickly showed us to our temporary room, so we could settle in. The room was only temporary because the staff had graciously set up one of the rooms so we could rest and recharge ahead of my parents’ arrival that evening. Before launching ourselves onto the massive bed, we had a tasty breakfast in the main dining room with a full view of the upper coffee trees. Full of omelet and avocado toast, we set our timer for a 30 minute nap and woke up 2 hours later after an unexpectedly long snooze. We awoke frazzled and decided to take a walk around the grounds. The lodge property consists of six spacious rooms, one family villa, a main dining area, a fire pit among the coffee plants, a spa, and a hidden pool by the banana trees. That afternoon, we spent our time lounging, chatting with a well-traveled Dutch couple by the fire, and eating plenty of fresh food from the kitchen. A great change of pace after the Egyptian chaos! Once my parents arrived, we had a swift dinner and moved into the family villa to catch up on some z’s before our big coffee adventure. 

We awoke to the sound of the hornbills growling and the farm’s cows making their way through the coffee trees. We were treated to yet another incredible breakfast spread and chatted with Bente, my far removed cousin who runs the Machare Coffee Farm. Mama Bente, as she is known around Moshi, is an incredibly capable, knowledgeable woman who left her Northern German roots behind to grow the Tanzanian coffee industry over thirty years ago. In the span of ten years, she transformed Tanzanian coffee by leading the path towards organic production, which was unheard of at the time. By putting new standards in place, the farm is now 100% organic certified, meaning it reuses all waste, enforces ethical employment practices, uses gravitational irrigation systems, leverages natural fertilizers, and has a no pesticide policy. Not only did Bente establish Machare Coffee Farm as the first organic producer in Tanzania, but she also believes in giving back to the communities that surround the property. The farm mainly employs people of the Chagga tribe in the hills beyond the farm and works to support the community through reliable (and fair) salaries, renovations and donations to the local school, road maintenance, and even projects that provide clean water solutions.

Now to the good stuff – buckle up for an in-depth explanation of coffee production!

To understand organic production, we embarked on a farm tour on our first morning, led by Machare veteran Thadeus. Thadeus is a man of many trades - he speaks seven languages, has four children, works as a Kilimanjaro trekking guide, and is Bente’s right-hand man as Farm Manager. Joined by his trainee, Joyce, we began our tour at the source: the Arabica and Bourbon coffee plants. There, we learned that the beans are wrapped in a fleshy shell, making them ‘cherries’ directly off the branch. These cherries grow from a blossom that can also be harvested for the farm’s innovation: coffee plant tea! The workers at the farm hand-pick each cherry, making sure they are a deep crimson. After picking, every worker sorts their harvest to double-check that they are ready for the next step. The bucket of cherries is then poured into a funnel filled with water where the bad cherries float and the suitable ones sink to the bottom. Traveling in separate pipes, the cherries drop into a heavy-duty machine from the 1930’s (still kickin’!), so they can be sorted further and their pulp removed. Once free of the pulp, the cherries are sorted again based on their quality – floaters are once again the outliers here. Beyond the machine, the beans are dropped into a fermentation pit where they ripen over the course of 2-3 days. This is the point in the process where the beans acquire their unique flavor – a very delicate balance that needs to be closely monitored with the help of fruit flies. After a few days, the beans are then moved into the washing area where, once again, they are sorted by isolating the floaters. During the tour, we were lucky enough to watch a coffee farm worker gently brush the beans through the snake-shaped canal until the floaters had made their way to the end by way of the water and the high-quality beans stayed behind. Even then, the quality control doesn’t end there, as the washing process repeats 2-3 times and the straggler floaters are finally removed from the best batches by hand. Once complete, the batches are separated by their quality rating and dried on raised sunbeds for the best air flow. Within a few weeks time, the parchment dries up, leaving the green coffee bean beneath it! Now the coffee is ready for roasting or packaging, depending on the needs of the supplier. Bente’s farm only produces about 135 tonnes in a good year, ranging to around 40 tonnes in a particularly rainy year like this one. As her husband and business partner Ralph explained, the coffee is typically exported to a select few repeat clients who are willing to pay the price for the quality and ethical value of the coffee. That said, German coffee retailer Tchibo is a main client, sourcing Mama Bente’s beans for their African Blue coffee range for European stores. 

Mama Bente is truly an all-rounder, as she’s currently trialing tea production alongside her coffee hustle. Tea farming is an entirely new concept in the foothills of Kilimanjaro, as the government has designated the land specifically for coffee production. With that, Bente has been given the trial permission to grow Chinese Camellia Sinensis, the root of black, green, and oolong tea. We were taken to the small plot of land behind the expansive coffee rows where the tea shrubs grow. Here, tea is also harvested by hand, the three-pronged sprigs plucked as soon as they grow back. Compared to coffee production, tea is rather simple and takes much less time. The first step of tea production after harvest is withering, where leaves are laid out to wilt for a few hours at most, a process that later determines the tea’s flavor and aroma. Next, the leaves are rolled with the help of special machines that can handle up to 100 kgs of leaves, aiming to break the cell structure and release essential oils. When producing a batch of oolong or black tea, the whole sprig is fermented and dried – oolong is fermented for just 1-2 hours, while black requires up to 24 hours. And finally, once the fermentation process is done, the leaves are dried and ready! For green and white tea, the fermentation step is skipped. White tea is the most delicate of all, as only the middle bud of the three-pronged sprig is processed by wilting and drying.

We were just as overwhelmed as you are now! Bursting with new information, Thadeus realized it was time to contextualize our knowledge by trying the finished products. We began with the teas – each of them were light and easy to drink, even the black tea. Oddly enough, our favorite was the coffee leaf tea, as it had the subtle flavor of a hot cup of joe. Next, we eagerly tried the coffee blends – medium roast, black honey, and mocca. The medium roast fit the label, as it was balanced, non-acidic, and simply a good cuppa. Black honey beans were fermented less, which led to its sweeter, more fruity taste. And finally, mocca was fermented similarly to medium beans, but roasted for longer, meaning its flavor profile was deeper. Filled with bean water, leaf juice, and plenty of caffeine, we felt in awe of this detailed, meticulous process. Having watched each step unfold, we suddenly realized how many hands each bean has to pass through to create a scientifically perfect cup of coffee. From now on, coffee wasn’t just a morning buzz, but rather an individual work of art that deserved to be savored and appreciated. 

Our remaining time at the Coffee Lodge was spent visiting the sweet farm dogs, sipping farm-to-table coffee on the veranda, wandering through the mountain’s foothills with Thadeus, and spotting Kilimanjaro through the cotton candy clouds by the fire pit. Each moment inspired us to take it slow or as the locals say, “pole pole”. While we relished in the calm, we knew we wanted to learn about the Chagga people that have inhabited the rich earth at Kilimanjaro since the 11th century. Given Bente’s work in the local community, we had come laden with pens, chalk, paper, pencils, and more for the kids at the school down the road. We learned it was best not to encourage the kids to expect charitable behavior, especially from people that look like us and to not upset the parents. That said, we had Thadeus drop off our gifts and decided to visit the school to see the works in progress. We were greeted by the school’s principal, one of the teachers, and many very curious looks from the kids. During our tour, we visited the few rooms of the school, half of which were fairly basic and others renovated by Mama Bente. The new rooms are brighter and much livelier, sparking joy through paintings on the walls, new flooring, and bright walls. The key renovation now is the dining hall, where kids will soon be able to share meals, stories, and ideas. Visiting the school – seeing the battered classroom tables, the rudimentary kitchen, and the barren walls of the old rooms – truly put things into perspective as to how lucky (and spoiled) we are. Both of us grew up with all kinds of educational gadgets, like laptops and smartboards, and had endless opportunities at our fingertips. Meanwhile, these kids get up every morning, walk to school for multiple kilometers, and happily absorb knowledge in the barest of settings. For these kids, going to school is more than a few hours in the same classroom, but the key to a better life. 

Northern Serengeti

We embarked on our safari early in the morning, breakfast packed and bags loaded in the back. Dazed, we all piled into the back and began our descent through the village and the banana trees. We watched darkness softly turn to light as people woke up with us, jogging in their sweats, loading onto motorbikes in threes or more, and stacking tropical fruit on the roadside stands. After about an hour, we reached Kilimanjaro Airport and worked our way through check-in, security, and passport control in a breeze. As the waiting area filled with other tourists, we curiously looked out at the armada of propeller planes meandering on the airfield, wondering which one was ours. We snapped out of our daydream when the attendant approached us, telling us it was time to board our flight. We pushed through the crowd, out the door, and found ourselves boarding our flight alone — just like we had our own private jet! Despite the exciting prospect of flying out like celebrities, I was feeling rather nervous about hurtling through the clouds in a tiny metal tin. Still, the only option was to be brave. So, I took a few deep breaths, plugged into my favorite music, and watched as the wheels gracefully lifted off of the ground. We were air-bound! As we rose towards the clouds, the landscape unfolded below us — the volcanic hills stretched towards the horizon and villages came and went as we flew. Our first flight lasted only half an hour, after which we descended into Lake Manyara Airstrip. There, we loaded up the plane with the remaining passengers, all from LA. The gaggle of senior friends brought the party by whooping and cheering at the views, grinning at the sheer excitement of the journey. Below, the landscapes changed from scattered towns, to the lush bowl of green that is the Ngorongoro Crater, and later to the fawn of the Serengeti. Right before landing, we spotted our first elephants — a pair, meandering slowly through the mossy marshes. Giddy with the first sighting, we landed at Kogatende Airstrip. 

We were greeted by Solomon, who quickly became our trusted companion, guide, and friend. Solomon is a shorter man, but makes up for his missing height in confidence and knowledge. During our time together, we learned that Solomon is a man of many trades and masters each one with grace and precision, thanks to his perspective on life that “clean is smart”. Our new companion started things off with a bang, decking the hood of our safari vehicle with snacks galore and freshly brewed coffee. Underneath the spread we saw our beauty of a ride: a matte olive green Toyota Land Cruiser with all the outdoor bells and whistles you could dream of. Inside, the seats were plush, padded, and covered with Maasai blankets for cooler moments. The seat backs were covered in an array of pockets – one to hold our binoculars, another to store our horse-tail fly swatter, one for our custom tour water bottle, and a last for our safari booklet. Luckily, Solomon was also a master of tetris, so he quickly loaded our collection of mismatched bags into the back of the car, filling it to the brim. The way to our first accommodation, Nyikani Camp, immediately became our very first game drive. We bounced over the dirt road, buzzing with anticipation for what we might see. Beyond the airport trees, the landscape opened up to grasslands dotted with wildebeest, antelope, and zebras as far as the eye could see. As we drove, the wildebeest kicked and reared, making sure to stare our car down threateningly as we drove by. We headed up a slight hill until we reached a buffalo skull, marking the entrance to our home for the next three nights. 

From its quiet perch, Nyikani Camp offers amazing views over the National Park and a safe place to rest between game drives. The tents are far beyond what you’d expect on a regular camping trip – the canvas walls are robust and house a fully equipped bathroom, a spacious bedroom, and a patio facing the savannah. All tents line the path to the main tent, where meals are served and the fire pit is the perfect spot to watch the sunset. We had full board, meaning the camp staff provided us not only with in-house meals, but packed breakfasts or lunches that Solomon kindly set up for us in the middle of the Serengeti every day. After a rest that afternoon, we embarked on our evening game drive where the focus was on the Great Migration. The Great Migration is a yearly phenomenon that draws crowds from around the globe between July and November, when millions of wildebeest and zebras move across the Serengeti in pursuit of the rain. As we were there in August, the herds were frequently crossing the Mara River as they moved closer to their final destination: the Masai Mara in Kenya. The river crossing is among the most incredible moments of the Migration and is worth the wait. When one wildebeest has mustered up the courage to cross (after they’ve all been eyeing the riverbank for ages), a beautiful chaos ensues and hundreds of animals hurry towards the water, plummeting into the rapids below. As we were watching the scene out of Planet Earth unfold below, a hungry crocodile began to sneak its way towards the line of crossing wildebeest. Propelled by its swift tail, the croc approached at top speed and spread its massive jaw to meet the wildebeest. Its teeth clamped powerfully into its back and began the thrash violently, until the wildebeest drifted lifelessly in the water. While this all sounds brutal, it was strangely exhilarating to witness, knowing that it was mother nature in action. Thrilled with our first game drive, we routed back to camp, as the Serengeti became dipped in golden light. 

Our second morning began before the sunrise, but thankfully we were met with a tray of hot coffee on the porch. We filled our cups and watched the Serengeti plains come to life with hues of lavender and fuchsia. In the quiet, a zebra strolled just a few meters shy of our tent and grazed as we sipped our coffee. Silly with excitement and looking forward to the day, we wrapped ourselves in Maasai blankets. As he would do every early morning from then on, Solomon brought us hot water bottles to tuck under the blankets — just incredible! Our plan was to head back to the river to see if  a new herd of wildebeest was ready to brave the journey across. Instead, we encountered a bathing elephant first! He used his massive trunk like a straw, then flung it up over himself, releasing the water in a make-shift shower. Throughout our time with him, Solomon was constantly listening into the park radio frequency or stopping to chat with other drivers he rates, picking up on any sightings that were close and worth a detour. That afternoon, after yet another spectacular lunch in the bush, Solomon was alerted to a lion sighting and off we went! We wove our way through the landscape, spotting multicolored rollers and pygmy kingfishers as we went. Eventually, we could see a few other vehicles parked in the distance and it became clear what all the fuss was about: three happily fed lionesses near a fresh wildebeest carcass. The ladies lounged about in the shade of an acacia tree, rolling belly-up and licking their lips just like the average house cat! The scene would have looked quite innocent, had it not been for the smelly carcass next to them and their bloodied paws. By the early afternoon, we had seen a number of giraffes, ostriches, and antelope, but suddenly came across a dead tree laden with vultures. Solomon slowed the car and told us that this many vultures can only mean one thing: lions. We rolled up on the short bridge ahead and spotted a lioness and her cub hidden in the trees on the other side. After a moment of watching her laze about and the cub climb over her, we were surprised by not one, but two male lions as they wandered out from under the bridge! They turned to examine their observers, one of them locked eyes with us. Instead of ignoring us, he walked confidently towards the car, amber eyes on us. Just a meter from the car, he stopped short to give us one last look, then continued about his business. What a thrill to be stared down by the king of cats! That afternoon, as we drove past the airstrip to camp, our eyes met the vague outline of a leopard in the grass. He was solitary and remained lying in the grass for a while, tail flicking away as if it had a mind of its own. Then, he stood up, exposing his spotted, muscular body. He took each step with ease and precision on his large paws, slipping into the crevice below. While he was shielded by grasses, we could see his pale blue eyes watching us as we pulled away for the night. 

The last morning at Niyakani, we headed out before breakfast to catch any action by the Mara River. As we approached, we could see plenty of other vehicles waiting for that first wildebeest to pounce. We saw the herd beginning to shuffle nervously, others began to trot down the hills in anticipation — this was our queue! Solomon skilfully drove towards the riverbank and slid into position right when the herd began to cross. The wildebeest awkwardly fought the water and were swept away in the current mid-river. Still, they pushed through, making sure to follow one another in a neat line as they reached the other bank. Once there, they paraded right past our car, shaggy hair dripping wet and calling out for their loved ones on the other side. This time, there were no crocs to deter them off of their path, so more and more wildebeest charged towards the water from near and far. It was incredible! The sheer willpower and determination that sent them after each other. Buzzing from what we had just witnessed, Solomon brought us to a secluded spot upstream and set up our breakfast within full view of the bathing hippos. Feeling very much like our hippo friends after our pancakes were eaten, we spent a few hours tracking our way along the Mara in search of wildlife. Solomon stopped at the groups of impalas, explaining that they travel in bachelor clubs or harems led by an all-powerful male. Every few weeks, the male is challenged by another, booted from the harem, and left to his own devices to die a solitary death after passing on his genes. We also discovered that the river was practically infested with hippos, lying all over the banks disguised as massive rocks. Eventually, we headed out again to try our luck at The Rocks, a heavily-frequented spot for all cats. As we pulled up to the boulders jutting out of the landscape, we could see that Solomon was right about his hunch. There, sandwiched between a large rock and a tree lay a leopard, tail dangling in our direction. There was a rustle in the bushes when suddenly, a whiskered snout appeared from the bushes, led by two tiny paws clinging to the rock. Once the first leopard cub clambered onto mom, another teeny spotted face popped out! The cubs were just over two months old, yet still small enough to pass as a house cat. One baby was braver than the other and dared to venture along a thin ledge in the rock, his small paws pattering directly towards our truck. He only made his way out far enough to give the tourist air a sniff, then shyly retreated back to mom’s side. Such a lucky sighting! Just when we thought it couldn't get any better, we went out for our evening game drive after some time to rest and have lunch. We spent some time looking for action on the river, but mostly watched the crocs nap and wildebeest faff about. Discouraged by a contrastingly slow drive, we began to head back to camp before sunset. Without warning, I shouted, “Elephants!”. As Solomon slowed down, we realized what we had found: a herd of 19 elephants of all ages. They all snaked towards us — munching on leaves and grasses as they went, a few month-old calves holding on to their mother’s tails for safety, ears flapping with contentment. Without warning, they began to split off, surrounding each side of the truck. They breathed just a mere few meters from us, close enough to see their long eyelashes, the cracks in their wise skin, and the little pink on their trunks. It was an absolute dream to feel the gentle strength of these giants as the sky faded to fiery reds behind them — the perfect end to our time in the Northern Serengeti. 

Central Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater

The next morning, we began our lengthy drive to the Central Serengeti. While we had a long road ahead, the whole way there was another game drive, filled with diverse landscapes and wildlife. We drove for a few hours, encountering more elephant herds and plenty of hyenas on the prowl. The landscape momentarily changed from grassy savannah to being scattered with tall Umbrella Trees. Within this grove, we spotted dozens of giraffes, making full use of their abnormally long necks. Turning off the track, Solomon began to pursue a tip he had gotten from a trusted driver. We powered through the shrubbery and spotted a cluster of trees in the distance. There, sheltered by the shade, lay a pride of nineteen lions. Cubs of different ages piled on top of each other, curiously poking their heads up to watch us approach. Lionesses relaxed guardedly nearby, while the old head of the pride surveyed his family. He got up laboringly, giving view to a massive tumor protruding from his belly. We left the lions behind in search of a lunch spot, at a safe distance from the big cats, of course. After several more hours down the bumpy track, and a bit closer to our next camp, we made sure to stop at the Hippo Pool. This area is fairly heavily trafficked, as it is a marked point of interest on the map, but it is very much worth a visit! There are hundreds of hippos here, swimming or piled on top of each other in the murky sludge. We watched as they twitched their little ears, rolled in the mud, and opened their huge mouths that were very much in need of a dentist visit. Nearing Nyumbani Camp, we continued our lucky streak and wound up among another herd of elephants, once again just meters from the car. Our highlight here was the teeny baby that decided to show us what he’s made of. Flaring his disproportionately large ears, he charged out of the grass at the truck and trumpeted his trunk, only to realize he was quite a bit smaller than us, and hurried back into the greenery. The others were seemingly unbothered by his “attack”. Instead, they quietly chomped on palm leaves and looked at us with their knowing eyes, close enough to feel like they were really looking at us. Finally, after a full day of serengeti massages (bumpy roads) and amazing sightings, we fell asleep immediately that night.

We awoke for our game drive that morning before the sun came up. While we were waiting for the others at the main tent, we could hear the lions roaring in the rocks behind us. Swaddled in our checkered blankets, we drove a mere few meters down the road and were met by cheetah brothers. They were fairly young based on the tufts of hair on the nape of their necks and had, according to Solomon, been expelled from the coalition as it is the norm when they are ready for the world. They were clearly on the hunt, crouching low through the scarce grass, moving almost mechanically towards the impala grazing ahead. They must have misstepped and the impala perked their little ears, sensing a predator in the dawn. Knowing it was now or never, the cheetahs began to sprint, leaping at 100 kmh. The older brother pursued the impala, while the other fell behind, watching closely from a distance until the impala eventually made its escape.  What a start to the morning! The sun was barely up and we were already seeing the world’s fastest cat on the prowl. We meandered through the marshes for an hour, spotting Egyptian Geese and fowl pecking at the saturated ground. Suddenly, Solomon made a beeline for the rocks ahead, informing us that we were on the lion trail again. Where the marshes transitioned into savannah, we could see a cluster of wiggling fur and as we got closer, a massive pride of lions! We counted fourteen (!) animals – two males, three females, and nine cubs! The cubs stumbled over the lionesses in search of a snack, while the lions lounged as the wind blew swiftly through their manes. We could have spent all day watching this group, but had to give other people a chance to take a look, so after fifteen blissful minutes, we were off! Not far from the last spot, we found ourselves face-to-face with a lioness, elegantly lazing on a termite mound. She was an older lady and stared into the distance, squinting as the wind whipped around her face. Suddenly, she yawned, exposing rows of large, ferocious teeth! We left her to survey her kingdom in peace. That same morning, we hit another jackpot. A cheetah mother and her teenage cub prowled through the landscape right in front of our truck. She was eyeing some antelope ahead, while the cub watched and learned from her body language. She went ahead, her calculated movements hidden from the grazing antelope. The cub hung back to let mom hunt and decided to watch us curiously from a mound among the grasses. We saw all of this before breakfast! Tell you what, game drive pancakes have never tasted so good! 

That evening, to celebrate our final evening in the Central Serengeti, Solomon took us out for a sundowner – drinks in the vast plains of Tanzania. We didn’t drive far from camp, but felt like the sunset was entirely ours. Once parked with the view of a jagged, dead tree on the horizon, Solomon performed his next magic trick by pulling out a large box from the back of the truck. He opened the top and the box began to morph into a standing bar, filled with whiskey, gin, and wines. Next, he set up an array of snacks on the hood of the car – popcorn, warmed cashews, and homemade potato chips. Given it was my birthday in a few days, he had even arranged for a champagne bottle! We set up our chairs to watch the colors change in the sky and thanked Solomon for an incredible time in the Serengeti. To top our evening off, we watched a lioness stalk through the grasses at dusk, meandering towards our camp. 

Early the next morning, we departed Nyumbani Camp to drive to the Ngorongoro Crater. On our way, we made a quick stop in the bush to visit two remote Maasai villages. The villages are built to accommodate a family, which includes the husband and father, homes for each of his wives, and their children. Each house is built with several branch arched rooms on top of walls of cow dung & mud bricks, creating a little maze for sleeping, cooking, and sitting. The Maasai are a nomadic people who typically herd cattle, moving freely between Tanzania and Kenya based on the changing seasons. The people at the villages were curious and watched closely – little children peeked out from huts and women watched us closely. Each wife had a different beautifully crafted pair of earrings, headpiece, or belt, meticulously crafted from a rainbow of glass beads. Our tour organizer, Nale Moru, has launched an initiative that supplies these off-grid villages with small, portable solar panels that can be used to charge phones (yes, they have phones!) or other electrical devices. So, when guiding a tour, Solomon takes his guests to see a true Maasai village (unlike the tourist hotspots) and observe how the solar panels are installed. 

After visiting the Maasai, we sped on towards the Ngorongoro Crater, which is a unique volcanic caldera, or a cauldron-like basin that was formed two to three million years ago when a large volcano erupted and collapsed in on itself. What remains today, is a 610 meter deep bowl that spans over 260 square kilometers. Due to its shape, the crater forms a natural enclosure for the 25,000 animals, including lions, hippos, zebras, and other indigenous species. Only 20% of the migrating animals vacate the crater each year, making the difficult climb up the steep walls to follow the Spring rains. Not only does the Conservation Area demonstrate a unique natural environment, but it is known as the Cradle of Humanity due to fossilized evidence of hominid activity over 3 million years ago. It is also the home of the famous Australopithecus afarensis, Lucy, the oldest known ancestor of humans today. We drove around the crater, mostly clockwise, making stops to watch the hippos, masses of zebras, and buffalo. We made a stop for lunch in a secluded spot among the acacia trees, the only known grove in the entire crater. Full up on a delicious meal, we continued on our drive with a refreshed drive to spot the rare black rhinoceros. These incredible animals are critically endangered due to decades of poaching, leaving only 30 animals left in the wild. Miraculously, we received a tip from another guide on the road and sped through the grasses until we reached an open plain. We only saw wildebeest and zebra with the naked eye, but with the help of our binoculars we scanned the landscape until we hit the jackpot. There it was – munching its way through the greenery, horns dangerously curved towards the sky. We had done it, we had seen the Big Five! There was a stir of excitement just up the road because - lo and behold - there was another black rhino! This one was also quite far away, but instead tucked among the hills leading to the steep crater wall. We could barely believe our luck! Feeling grateful for our fantastic guide, Solomon, our unexpected luck, and our wonderful time in the wild Serengeti landscape, we climbed out of the crater and were off to Arusha. 

Zanzibar

After arriving in Arusha for a cozy lunch at The Blue Heron with Nale Muro’s owners Anja and Rob, it was time to tackle the airport chaos. Thankfully, Solomon and Rob guided us through the many lines and made sure we were guaranteed a flight out that afternoon. After extensive waiting in the heat, then more waiting in the outdoor gate, we boarded our little plane to Zanzibar to trade the savannah for the beach. While we took off late, we found ourselves watching the sun set over Kilimanjaro through the clouds. 

During our time in Zanzibar, we took things pole pole – the true Tanzanian way. From late morning until night, we were taking dips in the pool or the ocean, lounging in the sun, kayaking, or getting a massage at the spa. We also, of course, ate our body weight in freshly caught prawns doused in garlic butter. Again, while our travel budget this year doesn’t usually allow for this kind of luxury, we made sure to soak it up while we could. Little did we know that we would soon be swapping a great time for a rough time…

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