African Safari – Exploring the Incredible Wild in the Birthplace of Humankind
After months of planning, we finally got off on the trip I’ve waited to take for a long time, hoping it turns out as exciting as I imagined – our journey into the remote, mysterious, wild reaches of deepest Africa, the original birthplace of our species, the continent from where our earliest ancestors made their way across the world.
Africa is a once in a lifetime experience that everyone should explore but it is critical to start planning early because permits for the different safaris are limited per season and, of course, travel and stay costs tend to increase the closer you get to your travel date. To give you an idea, we started planning in October 2022 for our trip in July 2023.
Our first stop in Africa was Kenya, one of the two best destinations in Africa for wildlife safaris, the other being Tanzania. We stayed a night in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital and a leading economic & commercial hub. Known as Safari Central, it is one of the most significant cities in Africa and the only city in the world with a national park sprawled on its doorstep.
We took a small flight out of Wilson Airport to Masai Mara in the morning, Masai Mara is a photographer’s paradise. This region is known for pristine riverine forests, dramatic towering escarpments, stunning sprawling savannahs and of course, it is world famous for hosting the epic Great Migration of the Wildebeest between July & September.
The Mara Triangle is considered by many safari experts as the most beautiful spot in the whole Masai Mara and is a photographer’s paradise, with abundant elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion and cheetah, alongside the migratory wildebeest and zebra. Leopards are frequently encountered, endangered black rhino hide in the dense thickets, and large rafts of hippo and enormous crocodiles are found in the Mara River. It is also home to over 450 bird species.
The &Beyond Bateleur Camp we stayed in was rustic and beautiful. We were given a warm welcome, and a butler was assigned to take care of our every need and dietary requirement. Being respectful and mindful are so important, and add that little extra to the overall experience. Truly, the people make the place!
The Camp comprises just two intimate camps of nine Luxury Tents each and a Luxury Family Tent. Each comes with its own private butler and housekeeper and reflects the ambiance and glamour of the Kenyan explorers of old. We slipped into a world of hardwood floors, polished silver and copper bathtubs, beautifully handcrafted artefacts, fine antiques, leather buttoned Chesterfield sofas, books, and crystal. All juxtaposed against the romance of the open Mara plains, with their abundant herds of wildlife.
African safaris are all about game drives and luck. We had a wonderful driver who knew the area intimately, and luck was on our side. We saw three leopards on our first safari. The next day we witnessed a beautiful sunrise and, on the game drive, we spent an awesome hour viewing the amazing sight of wildebeest migrating. It was an epic, once-in-a-lifetime experience. On the way back to the camp, we encountered many African species of primates, including baboons, and black face monkeys. Back at the camp, before indulging in the champagne breakfast that was laid out for us, we treated ourselves to a bird’s-eye view of Masai Mara by taking a trip in a hot-air balloon.
We spent three nights in all in Mara and then left for Tanzania.
Tanzania has a rich history and a fascinating culture. It is home to seven world heritage sights, including Africa’s highest mountain, the Kilimanjaro, the spectacular Serengeti, home of the Great Wildebeest Migration, the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest caldera and the historical cultural hub of Stone Town in Zanzibar. But you will definitely come back for the people, who exude wonderful kindness, warmth and authentic hospitality.
We reached Serengeti National Park in the afternoon after 2 flights from Masai Mara and immigration at the Tanzania-Kenya border.
Serengeti means “endless plains” in the Maasai language, and the National Park is one of the world’s most celebrated wilderness areas; and is definitely a source of inspiration to filmmakers, writers and photographers alike. It is Tanzania’s oldest national park renowned for its annual Great Migration, when over 2 million wildebeest migrate to Masai Mara in Kenya. It’s a once in a lifetime wilderness experience and deeply moving. It’s one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Alphonce, our driver and guide for the next three days, met us at the airstrip with lunch and coffee, after which we went on a game drive. The Big Five – buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and black rhino – can be found throughout the park. We saw a beautiful herd of elephants with babies as well as a group of five lions walking majestically on the grassland.
We got to see the lions at close quarters, and though we had seen lions in Mara, this was an absolutely exhilarating experience. Serengeti also had many more wildebeest than Masai Mara, owing to the migration in progress. We also saw several species of antelope, including the topi (also known as yellow jeans & blue socks) and Grant’s gazelles, and foxes and ostriches. The safari ended with a beautiful sunset and we reached our camp late in the evening. Incidentally, the word safari means “journey” in Tanzania, perfectly encapsulating the experiences of this East African Country.
We stayed at &Beyond Serengeti Under the Canvas. This is a moving camp, in that it moves with the migrating wildebeest. Moving five times a year, it attempts to anticipate the movements of the Great Migration, to bring guests as close as possible to the wildebeest, as well as catch sight of magnificent resident game. With just nine tents nestled at each private campsite, you really get to enjoy the luxury of complete contentment and nights spent in the African bush.
We were designated three tents with our own personal butlers. The tents were unique with facilities like showers and more. After a wholesome dinner, cooked by Chefs KK and Jaffery, under the stars, we called it a night as we had an early morning safari.
Next day, we spent most of the morning following the trail of the migration but didn’t have the good fortune to see it. After breakfast under the jungle trees, close to the river, we began following the cats. I, personally, couldn’t have enough of the deer and antelopes but everyone else was focused on the big cats.
We went into leopard territory, driving over rocks and looking into trees. All of a sudden, there it was, perched on a tree about half a kilometre away. I really don’t know how Alphonce spotted it but he took us close to the tree and as we came to a halt, as if on cue, the leopard leapt down gracefully. It was a delightful spectacle.Satiated but hungry, we headed back to camp for lunch with a promise to come back for the afternoon game drive and look for more cats.
After three wonderful nights at Serengeti we went to Lake Manyara. Lake Manyara National Park offers a wilderness experience in diverse habitats, from its Rift Valley soda lake to dense woodlands and steep mountainsides. Its picturesque and gorgeous landscape is very different from Mara and Serengeti. Manyara is famous for its unusual tree climbing lions and huge flocks of flamingos. It has a lake with more than 400 species of bird life, like pelicans, bee eaters and the crested eagle, many elephants, plenty of baboons and black face monkeys, zebras and giraffes.
We stayed at the &Beyond Tree Lodge, which is cradled in the boughs of an ancient mahogany forest and melts into the natural beauty of its breathtaking surroundings. Rustic but with old world luxury, it has a wonderful vibe with people who exude gentle Tanzanian hospitality and have a passion for delighting guests. It has ten stilted treehouse suites, crafted from local timber and makuti palm fronds, which weave a sophisticated blend of intimacy and romance, offering privacy and exclusivity in the cool, leafy surroundings, with elephant visitors passing through.
Designed to exert minimal impact on the environment and provide a tranquil haven, the Lodge offers an exclusive interpretive safari in a more remote area of the National Park. Just being here, experiencing the majestic mountain, and listening to the lapping of the waves on the lakeshore and the sounds of nature, is a treat in itself. From Manyara, we travelled to Ngorongoro Crater in Nothern Tanzania. Once a gigantic volcano, it is the largest intact caldera in the world and shelters one of the most beautiful wildlife havens on earth; it is home to the endangered black rhino, giant tusk elephants, large lions and flamingos.
After Serengeti, Masai Mara and Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro took our breath away. The lakes were full of flamingos, hippos and, of course, the big five. We were very lucky to see as many as twenty lions in the span of just two days. The King of the Jungle, was a beautiful sight against the landscape of the crater. We stayed at the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, a beautiful property overlooking the crater’s rim. Nowhere else on earth can you wake up among all the trappings of an elegant baroque châteaux that transports you into one of the most famous African landscapes. An eclectic blend of teak panelling, Victorian furnishings and whimsical African touches creates a sumptuous atmosphere that is as elegant and unique as the crater itself. In this place of dramatic contrasts, anything is possible and the natural luxury of the beautiful setting ensures the dramatic interior of the suite blends perfectly with its stilted thatch architecture. Everything is chosen to delight the imagination and enhance the spectacular views of the magnificent surroundings.
Our African Adventure would have ended here in Tanzania after being in the bush for twelve days, if my father hadn’t thrown a curve ball in June and asked for Rwanda to be included, as the Gorilla Trek was on his bucket list. It was a huge challenge because &Beyond had already said that they had availability of permits and accommodation only for the following year.
But since I always love challenges and we had just launched “Sublime Wilderness Odyssey” we could not only organise Gorilla Trekking permits for four but also the best African experience, courtesy Singita whose exclusive-use properties offer travellers the ultimate privacy and space as they experience the uniqueness of Africa.
We stayed at Kataza House, which had 4 spacious bedrooms, our very own pool, spa, gym, butler, chefs and all the trappings of luxury. Set right on the edge of Volcanoes National Park, it puts gorilla trekking experiences within easy reach and the villa’s four luxurious suites provide comfortable, reflective and nurturing spaces. Rwanda is one of the cleanest nations on earth and you’ll find some of the best coffee in the world here. A beautiful and fascinating country with a rich history and culture, it is often called the “heart of Africa”, because of its central location on the continent. It is also known as “land of a thousand hills”, in reference to its hilly landscape.
Golden monkey trekking or tracking in Rwanda, which is done in Volcanoes National Park, is an exciting adventure that offers an epic encounter with a rare and beautiful species of monkey called “Golden Monkey”. As the name suggests, these monkeys have a striking golden fur coat and a sprightly character. They are quite lovely to watch and offer excellent photography. They are an endangered species and are endemic to the Virunga mountains range which covers the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. The golden monkey trek in Volcanoes National Park is overshadowed by the popular gorilla trekking adventure, to which it is, in most cases, done as an add-on.
Gorilla trekking is an awesome, memorable experience that any tourist in Africa must have. The one hour that you get to spend in the midst of the gorillas is totally amazing and makes the entire experience of gorilla trekking worth every penny! To avoid the rains, plan your gorilla trek some time between June and September, or between mid-December and mid-February.
Our experience in Africa was nothing short of amazing. The people were so wonderful, cordial, respectful and caring. The places, each one so different – from Masai Mara’s stunning, sprawling savannahs, to Serengeti, to hilly woodlands, to open grasslands, Lake Manyara’s lush forests with the mountains on one side and the lake on the other, and, lastly, Ngorongoro Crater, the biggest intact volcanic caldera on Earth. Besides, every property we stayed at was beyond compare – the service, the food and the location were simply outstanding.Right now, all we have are memories of the beautiful experiences and the wonderful people we met. Would I ever come back? It’s a resounding ‘yes!’ Likewise, we at “Sublime Wilderness Odyssey” will make your African experience unique and unforgettable, to keep you coming back for more. Talk to us to plan your African Safari.
Signing off… Uzma Irfan Founder Sublime
