After someone asked me for advice on travel to Africa, I started longing to go on Safari again. It has been quite some time, but it is an experience that has stayed with me. Before I went to Africa, a lot of people recommended Kenya as the place to go, but I chose a tour in Tanzania. The Serengeti runs through both countries, but Tanzania has the added benefit of the Ngorongoro Conservation area, Lake Manyara National Park, and Olduvai Gorge. (Both photos courtesy of Glen Gould.)
Lake Manyara is known for its large flocks of flamingos and a place to see lots of hippos. Ngorongoro is a large crater which essentially traps the animals who live there—lions, cheetahs, hyenas, water buffalo, boa constrictor, zebras, and much, much more. Olduvai Gorge is where the Leakys discovered the remains of early humans including elements that helped them to piece together our evolutionary history.
The Serengeti plain is the site of the great migration of animals. We got to stay in a tent for three nights, which was very exciting. We were instructed not to go outside the tent at night under any circumstances due to the danger. The theory is that lions and other carnivores see the tent as a solid structure and won't both us. If we step outside, all bets are off. The first night we heard crunching sounds for quite awhile. The next day we learned that a herd of elephants had eaten a large swath of the vegetation near our camp.
Perhaps travel to Africa will be on the horizon within the next few years.