March 11

Tanzania | The Grass is Greener on the Other Side

1  comments

March 11, 2014

Lazying in their tv rooms, watching the Academy Awards with their hands hovering over microwave popcorn, the majority of couch spectators couldn’t care less who earns the title of best make-up or costume design. We put up with the bulk of the broadcast because we’re waiting for the juicy bits, listening for those magic words: the Oscar for best actress goes to…

The Great Migration is not dissimilar. With good reason, travellers concentrate on the stars of the show: over a million wildebeest crossing vast distances for the promise of green grass.

An aerial shot of the Great Migration | National Georgraphic
An aerial shot of the Great Migration | National Geographic
Photograph by Sergey Agapor | Barcroft Media
Photograph by Sergey Agapor | Barcroft Media

The supporting roles – the gazelles, zebras and eland – also get their share of the limelight but as entertaining as the cast is, the stage deserves its share of the attention too which is why I’ve decided to switch it up a bit. Rather than tell you an epic story of how a sea of black gnu move from Tanzania to Kenya, I’m going to tell you the less widely told tale of how the land moved. Admittedly, a geologist would make a better case for the intricacies of the Tanzania landscape than I can but, alas, you’re stuck with me. And so – with my limitations and vague sense of timeline in mind – let me begin.

Once upon a time – about 200 million years ago – the earth’s crust grew weak. The tectonic plates beneath East Africa began to part, splitting to create the Great Rift Valley. With the potential of tearing a piece of the continent off, this was no minor crevice. Mountains rose on either side of the great divide. Lakes, including Lake Manyara, sprung up on the floor of the valley. Lava made its presence known – taking advantage of the crust’s vulnerability – oozing its way to the surface. Volcanoes sprouted. The wind played its part too, sweeping in, collecting ash and then dumping it gently over a flat bed of crystalline rocks. This mineral rich ash was to become the crucial ingredient of the soil that makes the Serengeti plains famous because, year on year, sprouting from the fertile earth is the green grass that inspires the wildebeest to run. In time, many of the volcanoes collapsed into themselves to form calderas, the most well known of these ruined mountains of fire being the Ngorongoro Crater.

Forever scouting out the best destinations in Africa, six of our travel experts were lucky enough to recently witness the wonder that is the Tanzanian landscape. As always, their intention was to soak it all in so that they, in turn, could use their knowledge to create tailor-made trips for our wanderlust clients. There’s little left for me to do except introduce our explorers (from left to right): Billy Hare, Geraldine Symington, Anja Kemp, Helen Kirby, Dee Dlamini and Silke Grüner.

Six of Rhino Africa's travel experts

With the history lesson and the introductions behind us, let’s have a look at some of the incredible spots they visited…

Lake Manyara National Park

A herd and a flock | Lake Manyara National Park
A dazzle of zebras, a flock of flamingos | Lake Manyara National Park

Approaching Lake Manyara from the east, the wall of the rift valley escarpment looms on the horizon. With two-thirds of the park covered in a shallow, alkaline lake, it is no surprise that Ernest Hemingway looked upon it and declared that it was the “loveliest I had seen in Africa.” Renowned for its tree-climbing lions, massive troops of baboons and the flamingos that smudge the glassy water pink, Lake Manyara punches about its relatively small size.

The picturesque scenery of Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara National Park

The Lush scenery of Lake Manyara

Recommended accommodation:
Lake Manyara Tree Lodge

Ngorongoro Crater

The Ngorongoro Crater defies description; words fail to come close to the awe that this other-worldly phenomenon inspires. Millions of years ago, a volcano that was comparable in size to Mount Everest erupted and then collapsed on itself. The Ngorongoro Crater is the graveyard of that volcano but, home to 25,000 species of mammals (including the Big 5), it is anything but lifeless. This natural sanctuary deserves a place on any serious traveller’s bucket list.

Photograph by Marc Borom
Photograph by Marc Borom

Anja-Overlooking-the-Ngorongoro Crater

Photograph by Claire Berry
Photograph by Claire Berry

Geraldine at the Gorongoro Crater

Springbok-in-the-Ngorongoro-Crater

Billy Hare | Ngorongoro Crater

Lionesses in the Ngorongoro-Crater

Recommended accommodation:
The Manor at Ngorongoro, Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge and Ngorongoro Crater Lodge.

Serengeti National Park

Entrance to the Serengeti National Park

Arguably the best wildlife destination in the world, the Serengeti National Park plays a crucial role in the Great Migration. The name Serengeti is derived from the Maasai word, ‘siringet’ which means ‘endless plains,’ and rarely have so few words done such a good job of striking at the very essence of a place.

Photograph by Greg du Toit | Serengeti
Photograph by Greg du Toit | Serengeti National Park
Anja getting into safari mode| Serengeti National Park
Anja getting into safari mode | Serengeti National Park
Photograph by Michael Nichols | National Geographic
Photograph by Michael Nichols | National Geographic
Famed for its tree climbing lions | Serengeti National Park
In the Serengeti National Park, the lions show that leopards are not the only big cats that have mastered the skill of climbing trees
Wildebeest at sunrise | Photograph by Jonathan Gale
Wildebeest at sunrise | Photograph by Jonathan Gale
Helen and Dee at the Serengeti National Park
Helen and Dee at the Serengeti National Park
Photograph by David Lazar | Serengeti
Photograph by David Lazar | Serengeti National Park
Photograph by Michael Nichols | National Geographic
Photograph by Michael Nichols | National Geographic

Recommended accommodation:
Singita Faru Faru LodgeKleins CampSingita Serengeti House.

Tarangire National Park

Offering an alternative to the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park is appealing for being quieter than its popular neighbours but its advantages extend further than mere tranquility. In the dry season, the Tarangire River – which the park is named after – attracts an abundance of wildlife as it is the only constant water source in the area. Other attractions include the baobabs that silhouette its skyline and huge herds of elephants.

Tarangire National Park | Photograph by Ian Cummings
Tarangire National Park | Photograph by Ian Cummings
Beneath the Baobab | Tarangire National Park
Beneath the Baobab | Tarangire National Park

Recommended accommodation:
Sanctuary Swala Camp, Tarangire Treetops and Oliver’s Camp


It would be a shame for all the experience and knowledge gained on this trip to go to waste. Listen to your curiosity and contact one of our expert travel consultants to start planning your trip to Tanzania. Not only will you get the opportunity to follow in our consultants’ footsteps but you’ll also have the option of blazing your own trail by asking us to create your own tailor-made adventure.


Tags


You may also enjoy 

About the author 

Matthew Sterne

Matt discovered a passion for writing in the six years he spent travelling abroad. He worked for a turtle sanctuary in Nicaragua, in an ice cream factory in Norway and on a camel safari in India. He was a door-to-door lightbulb-exchanger in Australia, a pub crawl guide in Amsterdam and a journalist in Colombia. Now, he writes and travels with us.

  • {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
    >