Serengeti is one of the biggest & most popular parks in Tanzania. Do you know that "Serengeti" actually means "endless plains"? Its no surprise why. You cannot see where the park starts nor ends. One can easily spend 3-4 days in this park ... its that big! However, we spent just 1 day as we didn't have much time.
By the time we reached Serengeti National Park, we had seen almost all the common animals and were searching for something different. Although I cannot remember the names of all the animals we saw there, they were in Dominic's guidebook. Here's a glimpse of some of them.
Of course there's one animal that I could never get enough of i.e African Bush Elephants. We saw several elephant families in Serengeti.
The main highlight of our trip to Serengeti National Park were the lions. And not just 1 or 2 lions, we saw atleast 20 of them. Most of the lions were concentrated near a particular rock. One even walked passed us like our pet dog or something. This is what happens when you do not lock animals up in a cage. The park is their home, and they feel so relaxed in it.
Before heading to our next hotel, we decided to stop by a Masai Village. You might have heard of the popular Masai Mara, but how much do you really know about them? They are supposedly one of the smallest tribes among 120 tribes in Tanzania. They are popular because of their eye catching attire.
To visit a Masai Village, we had to pay a total of $50 for 4 of us. On arriving, we were welcomed by a group of male & female Masai warriors. And by welcome, I mean a sort of dance where everyone jumps up and down. By the way, I joined them too. Have a look at the video below.
The Masai Village consists of a number of little huts where the Masai people live. There are more women than men and one men is allowed to marry many woman. I visited one hut and it was really tiny inside. Basically, there's just a little spot for everyone to sleep and a place to heat up some water. It made me wonder if they actually lived there. The hut isn't waterproof and the Masai people have mobile phones too. So much for primitive living!
We even visited a Masai school in the compound where a group of children read the English alphabets and numbers to us. It was a pretty interesting experience.
That night, we stayed at Lake Manyara Serena Lodge. This is a mid-range to luxury lodge. It consists of a number of little cottages facing Lake Manyara. What freaked me out here, were the number of baboons hovering around the lodge. A couple of them were so smart that they could open dustbins & take stuff out. Thankfully, they didn't come near us. What fascinated me the most was the lodge's swimming pool. It had a view to die for. The water was very cold though! After staying at the tent the previous night, this place felt more like home.
17 Comments
10/18/2016 03:47:53 pm
Oh my god I'm SO jealous of your safari visit, looks absolutely incredible and your pictures are awesome!
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10/25/2016 10:49:49 am
Thanks Jamie. It was incredible. I've never seen animals in the wild. I'm not sure of the volunteer program, but I can try to find out & let you know.
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10/25/2016 10:51:43 am
I don't blame you. I was scared of the lion too. It just wasn't bothered about us.
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10/19/2016 12:17:08 am
I've been reading a lot about Tanzania and have been wanting to go for a long time. Serengeti National Park sounds amazing, a friend of ours shared a story about how amazing it fells to hear the lions roar! A safari is on our bucket list to in the next 5 years, I only wish it was sooner! Also your photos are incredible!
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10/25/2016 10:53:31 am
Thanks so much. I wish you guys go there sooner. Its nothing like you've ever seen before.
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10/19/2016 03:49:06 am
If I could just choose any destination/activity right now I would probably do a safari right now. I had no idea about the meaning of the word serengeti - though it makes perfect sense. Love the lodge as well <3
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10/19/2016 01:32:41 pm
What an incredible blog post. The animals looked absolutely gorgeous. What great shots of the cheetah, warthog and hyena! Not to mention the lions. That male lion looked peaceful in his surroundings. I loved the shots of you with the community. I cannot wait unitl I get the opportunity to go and see this for myself.
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