We have spent the last 3 weeks in Tanzania & Zanzibar surrounded by breathtaking landscapes, incredible wildlife, and the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Tanzania was an adventure, from climbing Mount Kiliminjaro, safari’ng (is that a word?) through the Serengeti, and relaxing on the beaches of Zanzibar.
Summiting Kilimanjaro
We began our time in Tanzania with a 2 day stay in Arusha. We spent our time relaxing at a beautiful brick house air b and b, gathering the final materials we needed for our trek. Mount Kilimanjaro stands at 19,340 ft or 5,896m, and is known to be challenging due to the drastic increase in altitude/elevation, which can cause altitude sickness.
The journey up Mount Kilimanjaro was a test of endurance and spirit. Hiking through diverse landscapes, from lush rainforests to barren, rocky terrain, was beautiful. We went “pole pole” (which means slowly slowly in Swahili), and with every step, the air grew thinner, but the motivation grew stronger, pushing us to reach the “Rooftop of Africa.”
Summit day was by far the most challenging day, as we awoke at 11pm, ate and started our headlamps hoping they wouldn’t run out of batteries (we had extras but still) and guide us to the summit.We passed by other hikers coming down the mountain, some receiving oxygen support, some exhausted and struggling with the altitude. We met an amazing group of 11 strangers who became friends, and all stood at the summit at sunrise together, which was a surreal moment — a view that words can hardly capture. After summiting, we descended back to camp, had a 1 hour nap and then hiked additional 7km down the mountain where we camped. Our final day was a continued descent, where we ended up back in the forest, passing by monkeys.
This was an incredible experience and we are very thankful to have met an incredible group of people along the way! A group of folks who hiked the mountain alongside us were hiking to raise funds for a charity in the UK called Camphill Village Trust, and if you’re interested, you can check out their website and donate via the link https://www.camphillvillagetrust.org.uk/donate/donation/.
Safari
After descending from Kilimanjaro, we headed into the wild for a safari adventure alongside 2 friends from home. We started our safari with a flat tire, and then a broken fuel line, and quickly realized our driver, Peter, was a jack of all trades and that this was going to be a real adventure.
On safari, Peter guided us through Tarangire National Park, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara.
We seen the big 5, and were lucky to see the start of the zebra and wildebeest migration through the Serengeti (so many zebras & so many wildebeests & so little words, this was truly amazing). Unanimously, our favourite part of the safari was the Serengeti, where our tent (Serengeti Pure Luxury Camp) was nestled into the Serengeti, and each night we were greeted by different wildlife, including African buffalo, elephant, zebra & wildebeest and lion.
While driving the Serengeti and throughout the safari, we spotted a lion in a tree & lions lounging under trees (once with a freshly killed wildebeest), herds of elephants, leopards, giraffes, hippos and many beautiful birds (the helmeted Guinea fowl being a fan favourite). Each day, we ended our safari reminiscing about how amazing the days had been. This trip would not have been the same without our driver Peter, who was an expert in all things Safari, Landrover and wildlife related. We organized our safari through Home Villa Arusha and highly recommend Hillary who did an amazing job planning our safari & time in Arusha.
Unwinding on Zanzibar’s Shores:
Zanzibar welcomed us with white sandy beaches, clear turquoise waters, and a laid-back atmosphere that was perfect after our safari adventure. We wandered Stone Town’s winding streets, tried food from a local bakery and made it to our first hotel. We explored local markets, went for a bike ride and simply relaxed by the ocean. We travelled to Nungwi for our second hotel. Our days on the island gave us the chance to reflect, rejuvenate, and take in the beauty of Zanzibar with wonderful friends.
What’s next?
From Kilimanjaro’s summit to the shores of Zanzibar, Tanzania has been an amazing adventure. We’ve had such wonderful hospitality and each step of this journey has been something new and exciting for us. Our next stop is a 15 day road trip through Uganda!
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