“Wow.”
There has not been another word I’ve uttered so often in one day as the amount
of times I gazed in awe and ‘wow’ while on a safari with my cousin Andy last
month. For six breathtaking days we traveled through three safari parks in the
northern part of Tanzania: Lake Manyara,
the Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Crater.
The Serengeti National Park spans an astounding 12,000
square miles and held us in its magical spell for three days. There is not much in this life that is more
beautiful than exploring the land of lions and leopards without seeing any
other people or vehicles for miles.
Stopped with the engine off and the roof of the Land Cruiser safari vehicle raised, we stood up doing a slow 360° turn trying to commit it all to memory. The sound of the breeze rustling through the tall, dry savannah grass-grass that was brittle and desirous for a drink from the vast, cloudless, sky. The smell of nature, of cleanliness. A smell devoid of any human recognition, for seldom do we experience such a naturally fresh scent. Seeing the brilliance of heaven displayed on earth. The golden grass bowing in the breeze to its Maker. The flat-topped acacia tree standing in the foreground whose dark green leaves harmonize brilliantly with its surroundings. The lilac-breasted roller who looks as if she were Monet’s painting come to life. The feeling of being in an intruder in a place that is not your own and peeking into a show unlike one you’ve ever seen. Feeling the hundreds of miles of separation from you and any town, store, or hospital.
Scary, yet freeing for the mind and the spirit.
Then, as if
waiting for his audience’s rapt attention, there was a brief rustle in the
grass before the emergence of star of the hour, the cheetah. He looked at us
nonchalantly before continuing his leisurely stroll in search for something far
more entertaining than the camera yielding human spectator whose eyes were wide
with excitement.
After a
short time the entertainment had retreated back into his camouflaged haven of
land and we left in search of more animals of the African savannah. The diesel
engine roared to life and we were off. We stood gripping the bars of the roof
to help steady us as the vehicle bounced over rocks and holes. The wind blew in
our faces and our eyes frantically scanned the landscape for a glimpse of
another animal. Often there seemed to be no animals around and then we would suddenly
come upon a herd of elephants, giraffes, or gazelles, a pride of lions, or a
bloat of hippos in a lake and the awe-struck spectatorship would commence once
again.
The last of
our three destinations served as the pinnacle of our trip. The spectacular
5,151 sq. mile Ngorogoro Conservation Area occupies the volcanic highlands
between the Great Rift Valley and the
Serengeti Plains. The rugged Crater Highlands consist of an elevated range of
volcanoes and collapsed volcanoes rising up from the earth. With its stunning
ethereal blue-green vistas, the 12 mile wide Ngorogoro Crater is the unarguably
perfect ending to a wonderful vacation. A vast, unbroken caldera left behind
when an enormous volcano collapsed, created a crater that teems with animals.
The deep bluish-purplish color of the crater walls provided a spectacular
backdrop to the panorama.
Animals of
all kinds share the Highlands with the local
Maasai tribal people, who have grazing rights and are often seen herding their
cattle throughout the area. We got to experience these native people when we
stopped and visited their boma. We
were welcomed with a traditional Maasai music and dance which is based on a
call and response format that combines singing with a guttural accompaniment
and a dance convulsion that starts in the chest and works its way to the head
while the men jump high into the air as if they are on pogo sticks. After the
initial welcome we were invited into their homes made of grass, sticks, and a
cow manure/water paste to learn about their culture. This was a fascinating
opportunity to learn about a people group who live so differently than we can
imagine.
Click here to check out my pictures! Click on the first picture to make it larger and be able to click through the rest.
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