Adventures in Tanzania

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Hello from Tanzania!

"Africa is hot!" Especially when we compare to current temperatures in Europe!
This was the first thing we realised when we stepped out from our plane to Kilimanjaro International Aiirport on the 12th Jan.
On the way to Moshi we fell in love the landscape of the dry savannas and acasia trees right away. Our plans were the following:
-of course we came to climb Kilimanjaro, that is why most of the travellers come, but before that we scheduled in an aclimatisation climb of Mount Meru first-
-then safari, which is a must if you are in East Africa
-then beach, we need to have a rest after the tiring climbs and the dusty roads


Meru was really great!
The fist day of the climb was rather a walking safari. We went through open savannas where buffalows herds and giraffes were very close. Later on the vegetation changed to being green everywhere. The third day is was rather rocky, but no supprise if you are above 4000 meters.
The sunrise while approaching the summit was breathtaking!
It was beautiful to walk down, the crater of the mountain was only visible after the sunrise, it was exciting to even think about how energetic this vulcano have been.
Walking down to the gate was a difficult one after being awake since 1:00 am, but it was worth it!


Kilimanjaro
After a full resting day we headed up to the hills of Kili, taking the 6 day Machame route. As we have climbed Meru for acclimatisation we felt very confident and strong that we would get up on it. All our gear was carried by porters, they cooked for us all we had to do is walk nothing what we were used to on earlier mountaineering trips. It started with a rainforest and was amasingly green, but my favourite vegetation was the alpine desert, which started above 4000 meters on the third day. We went to bed on the 3rd day after a big dinner being excited that we are so close. But Kili did not want us! Or our cook did not want us?.........after that dinner Gabor has developed severe food posining symptoms which lasted all night and left few other options the following morning than to go down the mountain. Kili was still an amasing experience, seeing the snows of Kilimanjaro was great!





Safari
We had a 7-day private safari planned in National Parks of Tarangaira, Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro. It was us, the driver, and the cook in a Land Cruser, which had an open top to enable us to see the animals better. It was amasing to see the animals free; zebras, giraffs, elephants, buffalos, wildebeests, dik-diks, hippos, rhinos, but the best was when they were doing something, like a cheetah chasing a small pig or a lion trying to save the buffalo lunch from the vultures, or a hippo charging us from the water!
Camping in Sergengeti was cool, in the bush with nothing to keep animals out if they wanted to come in. They did come in at night, don't know escatly what was it but it was a hoofed animal...probably zebras (we have seen animal bones around the camp)
Overall we got extremely dusted and got the first sunburns but it was well worth it!



Zanzibar
We arrived on this tropical island in dark so we could only hear the voice of the Indian ocean which was just next to our bungallow. The sunrise woke us up and we suddenly saw we were in paradise: white sand everywhere, green and amasingly warm water, cocconut trees and sunshine! Can you imagine something better when it is freezing in your home country? We had a wonderful time doing nothing, laying on the beach, reading and eating seafood every day. Although it was nice where we lived, further up the shore or whereever local people lived, the garbages were everywhere......but unfortunately this was true to all parts of Tanzania we have visitied with the exception of national parks.


Our next destination is Kathmandu, Nepal! You will hear from us soon!

Kwa heri (Goodbye)!

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