November 27 - 30
Five people chose to participate in the "pre trip" segment of OAT's Safari Serengeti.
After arriving at the Kilimanjaro airport, we were shuttled to Mama Wilson's Lodge in Arusha.
Photos for this lodge are presented later in this travelog when the other ten tour members joined us for the main event.
On November 28 our tour guide Alex drove us to Sinya Camp which is owned by Kibo Safaris, the company OATs hired to lead us on Safari Serengeti. The photos below show the dining pavilion and also our cabin. This is a permanent camp, that is, the buildings have been there for years. Sinya Camp provided a luxurious introduction to the wilds of Tanzania.
Photo 1: Each cabin was supplied with a machette and also a whistle in case of emergencies. This was probably mostly for show. However these items helped us take seriously the warning to stay inside our cabins during the night.
Photo 2: Our cabin was situated on a bluff, overlooking a treed plain.
Photo 3: One morning soon after sunrise we had a view of Mt. Kilamanjo.
At Sinya camp, all electricity is generated by small solar panels; thus there are no electric stoves.
Photo 1: A small charcoal-fired stove was the main source for cooking! Wonderful meals came from such a basic stove.
Photo 2: The kitchen was airy and a wonderful place to work.
Photo 3: Delicious bread was baked in this "oven" which was heated by placing charcoal on top and underneath.
Photo 1: Cooks bring food from the kitchen to the dining pavilion.
Photo 2: The staff danced, sang, and jumped for joy at an evening entertainment.
Photo 3: Luka was a Maasai guide who joined Alex and us on safarai rides.
During the pre-trip we could do off-road exploring in our Toyota Land Cruiser. For the rest of Safari Serengti the parks had more tourists and environment regulations prohibited off-roading. The density of game is much less than in Tarangire National Park than on the Serengeti, so fewer tourists visit this area. However, this was our first safari adventure and we loved spotting a giraffe, elephant, or zebra. Also, adding to the experience were numerous species of birds, including ostriches.
Photo 1: This abandoned surface mine was used to produce fine white clay for Meerschaum pipes.
Photo 2: Elephant bones and antlered skulls were the only white objects seen on the plains.
Photo 3: We briefly crossed the border into Kenya!
During our rides we often saw Maasai villages, and young children minding herds of cattle, goats, and / or donkeys.
On November 29 we visited a Maasai village. The patriach, shown here with his bicycle, had 6 wives, more than a dozen children, and more than a hundred cattle. As is true for most of the Maasai in this region, their diet consists of beef and goat meat and milk mixed with cows' blood. Later during Safari Sarengeti we went to a Maasai region where farming, especially the growing of corn, had been introduced. The diversity provided by farming led to an improved standard of living at the second village (at least from our Western perspective).
A scheduled school visit was cancelled because of school vacation. We returned to Mama Wilson's Lodge on November 30. The rest of our fellow travelers arrived later that night while we were sleeping. We met them the next morning at breakfast. We were perky and they were jet-lagged!
On November 28 our tour guide Alex drove us to Sinya Camp which is owned by Kibo Safaris, the company OATs hired to lead us on Safari Serengeti. The photos below show the dining pavilion and also our cabin. This is a permanent camp, that is, the buildings have been there for years. Sinya Camp provided a luxurious introduction to the wilds of Tanzania.
Photo 1: Each cabin was supplied with a machette and also a whistle in case of emergencies. This was probably mostly for show. However these items helped us take seriously the warning to stay inside our cabins during the night.
Photo 2: Our cabin was situated on a bluff, overlooking a treed plain.
Photo 3: One morning soon after sunrise we had a view of Mt. Kilamanjo.
At Sinya camp, all electricity is generated by small solar panels; thus there are no electric stoves.
Photo 1: A small charcoal-fired stove was the main source for cooking! Wonderful meals came from such a basic stove.
Photo 2: The kitchen was airy and a wonderful place to work.
Photo 3: Delicious bread was baked in this "oven" which was heated by placing charcoal on top and underneath.
Photo 1: Cooks bring food from the kitchen to the dining pavilion.
Photo 2: The staff danced, sang, and jumped for joy at an evening entertainment.
Photo 3: Luka was a Maasai guide who joined Alex and us on safarai rides.
During the pre-trip we could do off-road exploring in our Toyota Land Cruiser. For the rest of Safari Serengti the parks had more tourists and environment regulations prohibited off-roading. The density of game is much less than in Tarangire National Park than on the Serengeti, so fewer tourists visit this area. However, this was our first safari adventure and we loved spotting a giraffe, elephant, or zebra. Also, adding to the experience were numerous species of birds, including ostriches.
Photo 1: This abandoned surface mine was used to produce fine white clay for Meerschaum pipes.
Photo 2: Elephant bones and antlered skulls were the only white objects seen on the plains.
Photo 3: We briefly crossed the border into Kenya!
During our rides we often saw Maasai villages, and young children minding herds of cattle, goats, and / or donkeys.
On November 29 we visited a Maasai village. The patriach, shown here with his bicycle, had 6 wives, more than a dozen children, and more than a hundred cattle. As is true for most of the Maasai in this region, their diet consists of beef and goat meat and milk mixed with cows' blood. Later during Safari Sarengeti we went to a Maasai region where farming, especially the growing of corn, had been introduced. The diversity provided by farming led to an improved standard of living at the second village (at least from our Western perspective).
A scheduled school visit was cancelled because of school vacation. We returned to Mama Wilson's Lodge on November 30. The rest of our fellow travelers arrived later that night while we were sleeping. We met them the next morning at breakfast. We were perky and they were jet-lagged!