11 Things You Do Not Expect to See on Safari
Written By: Gail Clifford | Published By: Weekend NOTES | April 07, 2022
https://www.weekendnotes.com/things-you-do-not-expect-to-see-on-safari/
For my recent milestone birthday, we took a safari in Tanzania. We landed in Kilimanjaro, took two more small planes into the bush, and started in the Ndutu Conservation Area adjacent to the Serengeti National Park, then went to the NgoroNgoro Crater, then to Tarangire, the land of the elephants.
Along the way, we spotted several unexpected things.
1. Butterflies
While many in nature see butterflies, somehow they seemed incongruous among the lions and leopards, and elephants. Gladly, there are some flitting about in the Serengeti and surrounding areas of Tanzania.
2. Termites That Do Not Eat Trees
Termites are a force in nature. They can destroy entire structures in a short time. But in Tanzania, we saw termite mounds several feet high, even adjacent to large thriving trees.
3. Cactus
The candelabra tree, seen in Ndutu, became one of my favorite sites as we left camp each morning. Towering over the acacia trees, our guides told us that the “leaves” are very much like the cactus in Arizona.
4. Ranger Buildings
From our camp in Tarangei, we passed a ranger building on the way out each session. While we didn’t ever see rangers leaving the buildings, it was comforting to know they were nearby.
5. Rest Areas
A very welcoming site, in many of the preserves, rest stops with picnic areas, relatively safe from the roaming wildlife, had fully stocked bathrooms. They were clean and had non-potable running water. We learned that people either air-dried their hands, or wiped them on their own clothes, or used toilet paper. Note to self, carry a small hand towel next time.
6. Concession Stand
Our group had just been joking about who could possibly say a negative thing about the NgoroNgoro Crater and one wise soul said, “those social media people would lament the absence of Starbucks, WiFi, fast food, and concession stands.” At the rest area, where we stopped for lunch and to see the hippos in the lake, we found a concession stand. This trailer, connected to a generator, served ice cream and hot dogs and snacks at only double the price for “Mzungu” (white people) as those from Tanzania.
7. Government and Supply Vehicles
The supply truck was the biggest vehicle we saw and was a welcome site to the chef at the campsite. That’s their connection with civilization and a way to restock so they can create wonderful meals for us and provide all the creature comforts.
8. Private Cars
Our antennae sounded when we spotted a private car filled with men whilst in the Ndutu Conservation Area. We saw the car on two consecutive days, with a different license plate each day, both from Kenya. Our guide stopped to inquire if they needed assistance. They asked for directions to the lions. He declined having seen them.
9. Litter and Broken Glass
This was the saddest thing we saw, yet we were not allowed to get out of the truck to retrieve it. One large piece, the driver did, but too much of it was adjacent to tall grasses that could hide a deadly animal. It’s such a beautiful area, when you go, be sure you take out anything you take in.
Gail Clifford
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