DISPATCHES FROM EXOTIC LANDS
Staff travel isn’t merely a perk of our job, it is imperative to our expertise.
Joined by her family, Africa and India expert Shelly Vernon recently explored rich landscapes and superb properties on a Tanzania safari. Beginning in Tarangire, home to the largest population of elephant on the planet, she ventured into the unique ecosystem of the Ngorongoro Crater before plunging deep into the Serengeti in search of the Great Migration.
Shelly’s Tanzania Safari Tales
Shelly Vernon recounts the tales of her quintessential Tanzania Safari Exploration:
THE LAND OF THE ELEPHANT
We landed in Arusha and drove to Tarangire National Park, which is absolutely beautiful. There’d been a lot of rain so it was very green and the park was full of lots and lots of lovely elephant herds. We saw cats there too – leopards, lion and cheetah – and also some plains game, but it’s also a wonderful park for birds as well.
Tarangire has the baobab trees dotted around, which really heightened the landscape.
Shelly stayed at Tarangire Ndovu Camp
A HIDDEN KINGDOM
Then we travelled on to The Ngorongoro Crater and literally as you come through the great gate and drive to the rim, you get this most wonderful spectacular, breathtaking view of the entire crater spanning out before you. The following day we went in and explored the crater and had a lovely, lovely day of game-watching.
Shelly stayed at Entamanu Ngorongoro
TANZANIA SAFARI IN THE SERENGETI
One of the many highlights of our trip was actually driving into the Serengeti, where we split our time between Ndutu and Kusini, which are both areas in the southern Serengeti. This is where the Great Migration is most prominent at the moment. This really maximised our migration experience, which was just phenomenal; as far as the eye could see, the plains were dotted with the migration. There were lots and lots of babies, with wildebeest dropping their young. We must have seen about 18 different prides of lion, and a cheetah with her baby, which we actually caught up with on two different days, one day they had just made a kill.
Another highlight was taking a balloon safari across the southern Serengeti into the Kusini. We were literally flying over the migration and on a one-hour balloon flight. We saw lion and cheetah on the ground below, and a hyena kill a baby wildebeest. And then just as we were landing, we had to push the balloon slightly to the right to avoid landing on a wildebeest who had just dropped a calf but was still in its sac.
Shelly stayed at Nasikia Mobile Migration Camp & Serengeti Safari Camp
THE PERFECT TANZANIA SAFARI
So we had an amazing collection of really incredible wildlife sightings, the most spectacular trip and saw all the cats, all the game, even rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater. We even managed to tick off one hundred birds on our new East Africa bird app! The only thing we didn’t get to see was wild dogs. Oh well, next time!
It must be said that the hospitality at all the camps was first class. All the staff were so welcoming and friendly, and made sure that we were very well looked after.
Shelly concluded her Tanzania Safari at Naona Moru Camp.
OLDER POSTS
Photography Equipment on and African Wildlife Safari
An African wildlife safari is a true adventure that will bring you…
An Australian in Zimbabwe
African safari in Zimbabwe goes luxe at Mpala Jena, Zambezi National Park…
A Luxury Chile Wilderness Escape
From Abattoir to Luxury Hotel in Chile's Wilderness The remarkable transformation of…