Before I begin any epic trip, I watch a Disney movie. You’ll find there is one for nearly all occasions!
arusha- start of safari
Arusha is where most safaris leave from.I flew into Kilimanjaro airport from Amsterdam and arranged for a taxi to pick me up from my accommodation.
If I’ve never been to the country and I don’t know how to navigate their public transport. I usually opt for a paid transport service, even if it costs me a pretty penny.
Although it’s an international airport, Kili was quite small. I walked down the steps onto the tarmac, where a line-up began. They were checking boarding passes to make sure the right people got off- the plane continued to Dar es Salaam.
Once inside, another line-up smacked me in the face. To the right were some signs to pay for the entry visa. I got mine online a few months prior and had it printed, so I scootched more to the left, where a bunch of shorter lines were with what looked like border guards at the front of them. I ended up waiting in one with a piece of paper at the front that said locals.
Upholding signage is not their strong suit.
After the border guard chit-chatted with passengers about Spanish football for half a century, I finally made it through to baggage claim.
I had only carry on, so I headed for the exit where one official sign said nothing to declare and another goods to declare with a baggage scanner underneath. I went to the nothing to declare, which turned out to be just a desk for lost baggage; everyone needed to put their luggage through the scanner, signs be damned.
I walked out of the airport and was greeted by a circle of people all holding name signs. I went through each stupid sign only to not see my stupid name on any of them. Admittedly, I’m a bit sensitive about this.
Because I’m impatient, I had zoomed through the arrivals process (read: cut in front of people who were fumbling for their passports, rummaging for their boarding card or flummoxed by having to make a decision), so I figured the driver wasn’t there yet. How quickly our brains try to justify being rejected.
I waited.
Some people offered to help, but finally I went back inside and asked someone to call my accommodation. The airport worker didn’t have any minutes left on his calling card, there was no working internet and I didn’t have a SIM card.
The pristine choices we make.
Finally, someone at the airport got hold of the driver, he was there (the burn of rejection slightly soothed), he just thought I was with 2 people, so he didn’t approach me since I was alone. I’m not going to read into that too much.
In daylight, you can see Kilimanjaro from the airport, but since I arrived at night, I never caught a glimpse of the mountain.
The taxi to my accommodation in Arusha was $$$$40 (I had $450 cash with me).
danger (time) zones
The next day I went on a walking tour in Arusha National Park. I booked through my accommodation for $250 ($263 with the visa card fee). I was told I should have been charged $300 and not to tell anyone (you’re a someone so it doesn’t count). Private tours online were $400+.
The pristine choices we make.
That morning, I was in an extreme state of frazzle dazzle.
Side note: The last time I was late was when I was 17. We were about to leave for school and I was learning to drive. My father and brother were in the automobile. I grew up on a farm, with a large parking lot that was virtually empty this morning. My broskies was on purpose freaking me out that we were going to be late. In this frazzle dazzle state, I backed the SUV out of the parking spot and into a parked semi truck, despite the safety alarm going off informing me I was getting too close to a (massive) object.
Breakfast was included at set for 08:00 and my tour started at 08:30.
My phone didn’t auto-change the 1 hour time zone difference when I arrived, like I thought it had so I set my alarm for 07:24 (I only like waking up at even times).
Luckily, I pre-packed my day pack and set my clothes out the night before (I’m such a frigid time keeper).
At 08:16, the hotel owner knocked on my door (07:16 in my blissful world) and said, “Corrine, are you having breakfast? It’s 08:16”.
I should also note, it takes a hot minute for my brain to work in the morning, so when Frank started asking if I like beer I said no? And if I wanted a soda? What kind?!? I don’t know Frank, why are you asking me such complicated questions at 07:16 in the morning.
I got ready in 8 minutes- picked a green tea to have with breakfast like a psychopath and added milk to it, thinking it was the hot water even though Frank literally said to me moments prior this is hot milk.
Gawd. So embarrassing.
I finished breakfast at 08:38. Then the tour began.
arusha national park safari neh walking tour
Apparently, you can’t call the Arusha National Park walking trek a safari because you’re not in a vehicle the entire time or something- so a walking tour it is.
Predators like lions and tigers and bears oh my! don’t exist in Arusha National Park so you’re able to do a 1.5-2 hour walk with an armed ranger. Not sure what stops a pride of lions from toeing the different national park boundaries, but I don’t question things- especially not when I’m frazzle dazzled. It does take a while for the frazzle to dissipate.
It’s about a 40-minute drive from Arusha town to the national park. For all parks, the guide needs to get out of the vehicle to pay the entrance fee. This is part of the reason why safaris are so expensive- the entrance fee to the parks is apparently about $100 per person per day.
When I asked the guide where the money went, “Straight to the government. No corner. Straight from the machine”
Within 20 minutes of driving through the park gate, there was an open field to my right where I see some zebra and buffalo in the distance about half a kilometre away. Then all of a sudden a giraffe is 5m away from the vehicle, chomping away on some leaves and we stop. right. in. front. of. it.
I was squealing, nearly in tears.
If you remember from earlier on- as you should remember everything I say-, I wanted to get licked by a giraffe.
The guide was like first time first time seeing?
me “yes, yes” I was thinking is this a normal reaction for someone who sees these majestic beasts on the regular?
me “I can’t believe this is happening”
guide in a whisper “it’s real”
He also kept saying Africa on repeat, like he was getting royalties for it.
The pristine choices we make.
We get to the walking part. I thought other people were joining, but it was just me. I’m with a guide and a ranger with a gun.
The guide shows a bunch of skulls and bones from different animals and was doing that whole quizzing thing like I was competing on freaking jeopardy or something.
Fun fact: hyena faeces are white because they eat bones and the calcium makes their poopy look like chalk.
I was enticed by what the guide was saying, but also severely stressed I was going to answer incorrectly.
He was telling me the difference between male and female animals, other than their genitals- don’t get me wrong, I do care. But I won’t be able to spot the difference in the angle of a horn a kilometre away. Trust me.
Side note: When I was 10 I was playing a car game where we had to yell out motorcycle! when we saw a motorcycle and in the distance I saw a motorcycle so I yelled motorcycle! with such gusto the entire 8 seater vehicle heard very clearly. There were no doubts about what I saw.
It was a cow.
So I’m not the most reliable spotter.
After the bones, he says to me we have a surprise. Your guide from the car Frank he said you really like giraffes.
Understatement. I want to get licked by one.
Giraffes are the national animal of Tanzania and are iconic so we have an extra surprise for you. Instead of going left and following the other tours we’re going to take you across the street and go right.
An excitement quiver.
We walked a very easy, flat, unpaved path until we got to this open, plain grassy area.
And what do I see? A giraffe. A baby giraffe. Sleeping. Well it was sitting down but it looked like it was sleeping. His (maybe her, as noted before identification isn’t my strong suit) mama was in the bushes eating.
Off in the distance are buffalo and some zebra. I watched The Lion King less than 24 hours ago and it was unfolding in front of my very eyes.
The magic of Disney.
We walked back and started the standard walking loop, where I saw some buffalo, warthogs (pumbaas) and giraffes then to a waterfall and back through flora to where the vehicle was parked.Is that right? Fauna is animals? I wanted to say the way back to the vehicle was more nature- flora.
Fun fact: although up for debate, there is a near consensus that the buffalo is the most dangerous animal since they tend to be aggressive and kick humans. If faced with this situation, drop to the ground and crawl.
In Arusha National Park, normally you’ll see maybe one giraffe- I saw 5 in another clearing plus the mama and baby, so I was beside myself snapping up all the pics.
I gave the guide and ranger a tip because the guide was implying that I should give him a tip. For my 6 days, 5 night safari package, I was told to tip $5 a day for the cook and $10 a day for the driver/ guide. So I gave them a $20 between the two of them and then got back in the car with the original driver/guide Frank and we continued.
There’s a few lakes in Arusha National Park and around here, you can’t get out of the vehicle unless it’s a designated place for eating. The lakes were lakey- apparently you can see hippos sometimes and a lot of filming gets done around here.
It was midday at this point (13:30 to 14:00), so most of the animals were within the trees to have afternoon tea after their luncheon or for shade, but we did see a few giraffes along the side of the road. There were also some monkeys or baboons that crossed the road.
Apparently, animals sleep in the open plains so if you go early in the morning when they’re waking up, you can see them quite close by. That’s why I saw the giraffe right when I got into the park at around 09:30.
I arrived back at my hotel Serengeti Villa for dins and to prep for my 06:00 departure the next morning.
