WALKING SAFARIS

Most African safaris involve game viewing whilst in vehicles. In wildlife areas where tourism is prevalent, the animals become habituated to the presence of vehicles allowing for close observation and great photography. It’s only possible to get face to face with an elephant or lion while in a vehicle – under other circumstances the “fight or flight” rule takes precedence and that’s not a situation we want to be in!

In Tanzania, walking is not permitted in most of the national parks. There are areas, however, where you can get out of the vehicle and stretch your legs and learn about the smaller components of the ecosystems. These generally are areas where buffalo and/or lion are not present and where visibility is good. In these circumstances we can observe a dung beetle hard at work, learn to identify some of the grasses and trees up close and simply enjoy the vast open spaces and smells of the wild.

For those keen on a more active trip, but not quite up to attempting Kilimanjaro or Mt. Meru, there are places where we can take off into the wilderness with Maasai guides and trek for days. Donkeys carry our gear and we “adventure camp” under the stars. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is an excellent area to explore on foot and there are several mountains (dormant volcanoes) to climb that offer an incredible view as reward for our efforts. It’s also possible to take off on daily adventures from our base mobile-tented camp pitched near the Ngorongoro Crater.