In June 2022, we embarked on a 10-day trip to Tanzania, starting with a 6-day safari across four national parks in the north-east of the country: Lake Manyara, the famous Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Tarangire.
We chose to go on a safari with a small group (4 tourists) and with tent lodging, and we trusted Arunga Expeditions to organize our trip. We were not disappointed - it was an incredible adventure. Thomas, our guide, and Isaac, our cook, took great care to ensure that everything was perfect. While tent lodging may not be the most comfortable option, it does provide an incredible proximity to the animals. At night, we were surrounded by the noises of the hyenas and zebras, and some animals even wandered through the camp in search of food.
Day 1: Lake Manyara
On the first day of our safari, we visited Lake Manyara. Our guide referred to it as the "appetizer" of the national parks, as it is the closest to Arusha (1.5 hours away) and the smallest, with 230 km² of the 325 km² park being covered by the lake. The park's name, Manyara, comes from the Maasai language and refers to a common tree found in the area.
Due to heavy rains earlier in the season, the lake had overflowed, killing many acacia trees. The vegetation in the park is quite dense, almost like driving through a forest, making it harder to spot large mammals. While we didn't see any lions or leopards (our guide told us he had only seen a leopard 7 times in 30 years at the lake), we were fortunate to come across a herd of female elephants crossing a river.
This park was a great opportunity to see smaller animals, such as various species of monkeys (blue monkeys, velvet monkeys, and baboons) and the rock hyrax, which is surprisingly closely related to elephants despite resembling a marmot. Our guide also found a leopard tortoise on the side of the road. While Lake Manyara may not be a "must-see" park in Tanzania, it is a nice stop on the way to Serengeti and is a good place to spot birds during migration.
Rock hyrax, a close relative to elephants
Female Elephant, Lake Manyara - Tanzania 2022.
Velvet Monkey
Bee eater
Baboon
Eagle
Next: Day 2-4: Serengeti