Trip Report: Rwanda and Tanzania in Feb 2007
Mar 11th, 2007, 05:50 PM
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Trip Report: Rwanda and Tanzania in Feb 2007
Went to Tanzania and Rwanda starting February 11th through the 24th. I started planning the trip back in June. As some of you might recall, we were doing this trip for our 20th wedding anniversary. Frankly, I didn’t even think about Africa for this trip initially (I know, how could that be?) but my TA suggested it and the rest is history. Here was my original itinerary:
Day 1: Long flight from SFO to Boston, to Zurich to Nairobi. Husband travels a lot, so I cashed in FF miles for business class.
Day 2:
Norfolk Hotel.
Day 3:
Jomo Kenyatta Airport for Kenya Airways #474 at 8:00am, arrive Kigali at 10:00am.
Volcanoes Safaris takes over from here. Visit the Genocide Memorial in Kigali. Stay at Gorillas Nest Hotel.
Day 4:
Go gorilla tracking in Parc National des Volcans. Back to Kigali and stay at Hotel des Mille Collines.
Day 5 and 6:
Coastal Travel shared charter from Kigali to Manyara Airstrip departing 06:00am arriving at 11:30 into Manyara Airstrip. Swala Camp.
Day 7 and 8:
Kuro Airstrip for the 09:05am Air Excel scheduled flight departing for Manyara Airstrip. Upon arrival at 09:20am and met by Ngorongoro Crater Lodge vehicle and transferred by road to the lodge, approx 1 ½ hours. Private vehicle safari.
Day 9 thru 12:
Manyara Airstrip for the 08:40am Regional Air scheduled flight departing for Seronera Airstrip. Tanzania Under Canvas. Rocco suggested I do 4 nights in the Serengeti.
Day 13:
Seronera Airstrip for 11:00am Regional Air schedule flight departing via Kilimanjaro International Airport and then on to Wilson Airport. Day room in Nairobi. At 4:30pm a visit to Daphne Sheldrick Center for a visit to my adopted elephant, Chyulu. Head to the airport about 9:00pm that night for my 12:20am flight home. I did also rent a day room in the Zurich airport (I read it on the board, but can’t remember whose great suggestion it was, but thank you!) since I have a 6-hour layover. Arrive back to SFO at 8:20 pm that same day.
Books I read that I found fascinating:
-Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fossey: Saw the movie, but the book was a good refresher on the plight of the mountain gorillas
-No One Loved Gorillas More by Camilla De La Bedoyere: A great find on Amazon. I bought this used book and was so excited about what I found inside. This is a short story of Dian Fossey built around the letters she wrote. The pictures are beautiful!
-Left To Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza: An account of her life hidden away during the genocide.
-Shake Hands with the Devil by Romeo Dallaire: Very detailed book about the genocide.
-Africa’s Top Wildlife Countries by Nolting: Good book to read about the different wildlife areas
-Northern Tanzania by Bradt
The Safari Companion by Estes
-Tanzania and Kenya Insight Guides
-Tanzania and Kenya, Fodors
-Ghosts of Rwanda by PBS Frontline: Not a book, but a DVD about the genocide.
Packing:
Thank you LindaS for your packing list, which I used as a guideline, except for the stapler J. Here is what I packed:
Clothing:
3 Buzz off zip off pants
3 long sleeve shirts
3 short sleeve shirts
4 pairs socks
Assorted undergarments
1 bathing suit
1 tennis shoes
1 sandal
1 sweatshirt (never used and left it behind)
1 fleece pull over
1 pj’s
1 baseball cap
1 set gloves (for nettles in Rwanda)
Bandanas
Rain poncho
Flight outfit (pants and a t-shirt)
I sprayed my non-buzz off clothing with the spray repellant that lasts for 6 weeks. I used the laundry services of the camps, so I always had clean cloths.
Other:
-8 power bars. because I can become a challenge (my description, not by husbands…he might describe it with more flowery adjectives) to be with if I go without food for too long. Ended up eating almost all of them.
-4 books bought at Goodwill for $.99 each to leave along the way
-All the toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrush…you get the picture)
-All the medical stuff suggested on this board and more!
-The idea of packing cloths and stuff in 2 gallon zip lock bags is a brilliant idea. This made it easier for us to pack and to find what we needed.
FLIGHT TO KENYA
Flights went just fine and arrived in Nairobi at about 7pm Monday night. CCAfrica was there to meet us and whisked us to the Norfolk Hotel. Since I was so excited to be in Africa, I insisted on a cocktail and some snacks in the bar area of the hotel, before going to bed. The room at the Norfolk was outdated, but very large. I was happy to have a hot shower and a big bed!
The next morning, we were picked up and taken back to the airport for our flight to Rwanda.
NEXT, RWANDA.
Day 1: Long flight from SFO to Boston, to Zurich to Nairobi. Husband travels a lot, so I cashed in FF miles for business class.
Day 2:
Norfolk Hotel.
Day 3:
Jomo Kenyatta Airport for Kenya Airways #474 at 8:00am, arrive Kigali at 10:00am.
Volcanoes Safaris takes over from here. Visit the Genocide Memorial in Kigali. Stay at Gorillas Nest Hotel.
Day 4:
Go gorilla tracking in Parc National des Volcans. Back to Kigali and stay at Hotel des Mille Collines.
Day 5 and 6:
Coastal Travel shared charter from Kigali to Manyara Airstrip departing 06:00am arriving at 11:30 into Manyara Airstrip. Swala Camp.
Day 7 and 8:
Kuro Airstrip for the 09:05am Air Excel scheduled flight departing for Manyara Airstrip. Upon arrival at 09:20am and met by Ngorongoro Crater Lodge vehicle and transferred by road to the lodge, approx 1 ½ hours. Private vehicle safari.
Day 9 thru 12:
Manyara Airstrip for the 08:40am Regional Air scheduled flight departing for Seronera Airstrip. Tanzania Under Canvas. Rocco suggested I do 4 nights in the Serengeti.
Day 13:
Seronera Airstrip for 11:00am Regional Air schedule flight departing via Kilimanjaro International Airport and then on to Wilson Airport. Day room in Nairobi. At 4:30pm a visit to Daphne Sheldrick Center for a visit to my adopted elephant, Chyulu. Head to the airport about 9:00pm that night for my 12:20am flight home. I did also rent a day room in the Zurich airport (I read it on the board, but can’t remember whose great suggestion it was, but thank you!) since I have a 6-hour layover. Arrive back to SFO at 8:20 pm that same day.
Books I read that I found fascinating:
-Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fossey: Saw the movie, but the book was a good refresher on the plight of the mountain gorillas
-No One Loved Gorillas More by Camilla De La Bedoyere: A great find on Amazon. I bought this used book and was so excited about what I found inside. This is a short story of Dian Fossey built around the letters she wrote. The pictures are beautiful!
-Left To Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza: An account of her life hidden away during the genocide.
-Shake Hands with the Devil by Romeo Dallaire: Very detailed book about the genocide.
-Africa’s Top Wildlife Countries by Nolting: Good book to read about the different wildlife areas
-Northern Tanzania by Bradt
The Safari Companion by Estes
-Tanzania and Kenya Insight Guides
-Tanzania and Kenya, Fodors
-Ghosts of Rwanda by PBS Frontline: Not a book, but a DVD about the genocide.
Packing:
Thank you LindaS for your packing list, which I used as a guideline, except for the stapler J. Here is what I packed:
Clothing:
3 Buzz off zip off pants
3 long sleeve shirts
3 short sleeve shirts
4 pairs socks
Assorted undergarments
1 bathing suit
1 tennis shoes
1 sandal
1 sweatshirt (never used and left it behind)
1 fleece pull over
1 pj’s
1 baseball cap
1 set gloves (for nettles in Rwanda)
Bandanas
Rain poncho
Flight outfit (pants and a t-shirt)
I sprayed my non-buzz off clothing with the spray repellant that lasts for 6 weeks. I used the laundry services of the camps, so I always had clean cloths.
Other:
-8 power bars. because I can become a challenge (my description, not by husbands…he might describe it with more flowery adjectives) to be with if I go without food for too long. Ended up eating almost all of them.
-4 books bought at Goodwill for $.99 each to leave along the way
-All the toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrush…you get the picture)
-All the medical stuff suggested on this board and more!
-The idea of packing cloths and stuff in 2 gallon zip lock bags is a brilliant idea. This made it easier for us to pack and to find what we needed.
FLIGHT TO KENYA
Flights went just fine and arrived in Nairobi at about 7pm Monday night. CCAfrica was there to meet us and whisked us to the Norfolk Hotel. Since I was so excited to be in Africa, I insisted on a cocktail and some snacks in the bar area of the hotel, before going to bed. The room at the Norfolk was outdated, but very large. I was happy to have a hot shower and a big bed!
The next morning, we were picked up and taken back to the airport for our flight to Rwanda.
NEXT, RWANDA.
Mar 11th, 2007, 05:54 PM
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RWANDA AND THE GORILLAS!
Arrived in Rwanda via Nairobi about 10:00am. The interesting thing was that the flight was on a very large plane that had about 30 people on it. I laughed because I was in a seat at the back of plane with a 100+ seats ahead of me that were open. I asked the flight attendant if this was truly the right plane to Rwanda since it was huge…he said it was. They were taking a large plane because they needed to take a lot of freight. Oh, and the flight was stopping in Burundi. Yes, I did think of Imelda and I did not get off the plane.
On this flight, we met two women (Debbie and Mary) that worked at the Oklahoma zoo, one worked with gorillas and one with birds. We were excited that they were doing the gorilla trek the same day as us. They were then heading out to the Congo to visit a friend working with the gorillas.
Bill, from Volcanoes Safari’s, picked us up and started giving us a tour of the city. Bill showed us an area of Kigali that they are building HUGE homes. He told us that the government is paying people to move out of their small homes to make way for the big mansions. These were million dollar homes he told us. He then took us to lunch at a place he frequents. They had a buffet of sorts of traditional Rwandian/African fare. It was delicious! And those tiny bananas were so sweet….yummy!
Then off to the Genocide Memorial. I found the memorial very well done. It is a two story complex with different rooms and hallways dedicated to certain aspects of the genocide. The first hallway chronicles the genocide from the beginning to the end with pictures, text and video. Then you flow into different rooms. One room has clothing of those murdered in glass cases while a video of a survivor plays on a large screen. There is a room dedicated to the children of the genocide…I honestly could not get all the way through that one. Another room has walls full of pictures given by the families of those killed. Another area had the history of other genocides that had occurred throughout the world. Once you are done walking through the inside, you can walk through the gardens outside and then amongst the mass graves.
I think everyone that takes a trip into Kigali must stop the memorial. Bill also took us to the barracks that the Belgians were killed at the beginning of the genocide. Again, very touching. You can see all the bullet holes and the corner of the inside of the building where the grenade was tossed. There is a chalkboard in one of the rooms with a plate of glass over it. On the chalkboard are the writings of some of the family members. What struck me first was a big skull and cross bones with the name of Dallaire next to it. Outside they have created a memorial garden what has granite posts dedicated to each of the Belgians that were killed. Each post has the initials of the person and then these large “cuts” or “notches” indicating each year of their age. So if the person killed was 28 years old, there are 28 notches. Again, very well done and very touching.
After these two stops, we started to make out way to Gorillas Nest. I was so amazed that the roads are filled with people…all roads! Rwandan’s dressed in beautiful colors, carrying all sorts of stuff on their heads, kids, men, everyone. It was amazing. Bill just cruised down the middle of the road at high speed and somehow, everyone knows instinctively to step out of the way…how does that happen? The countryside was beautiful but it was interesting to see what almost every piece of land was being cultivated. I know Rwanda has a large population and you wonder how it can continue to sustain all these people. So, a couple of hours later, we were about to turn onto the final road that takes us to Gorilla’s Nest and there was a bus that had gotten stuck trying to get over the bridge and was in the process of being dug out. So, now what? Well, lucky for us, we had Bill. Bill knew there was another back road to the hotel, he just wasn’t sure which one it was. After a few exploratory twists and turns, along with driving down the middle of a large open market area, he found the right road. It was bumpy, but he got us to the Nest with a small 30 minutes detour.
At the Nest, we checked in and we were taken to our room. I was a little nervous about staying here based on some comments given on the board, but the found the room to be more then adequate. Volcanoes Safari had originally booked us into their hotel, Virunga, but I didn’t want to be 45 minutes away from the park entrance. Bill did take us to Virunga on the way to the Nest and the views were fabulous. I did talk to some other people that stayed there and they loved it. But since my goal was strictly gorillas, I thought the Nest was the best place for us. The bed was very comfortable and we slept great. I would warn others to make sure you shut all the windows upon arriving in your room. We thought we shut all our windows when we left for dinner, but found out one was still open hidden behind the drapes. There is no heat, so anything you can do to keep the cold out is best.
Dinner at the Nest wasn’t very good. It was buffet style and very ordinary. We didn’t have high expectations, so it was fine. The next morning our alarm went off and we showered, packed and were ready to go. Only one small problem. My husband forgot to adjust his watch to correspond with Rwanda time, so we got up at 4 am and not 5 am. So, we had another hour to kill before breakfast. Finally, it was breakfast time and again it was buffet style and not bad. They had cereal, toast, eggs, omelets, etc. The time had come….off to the Park!
Upon arriving at the park, we ran into Debbie and Mary and discussed which groups we wanted to see. I had requested François (based on input here) but he was not guiding this day. Bill requested Group 13 for us since it had a newborn baby and lots of young gorillas. Debbie and Mary did Susa. There were seven of us in our group; us, another couple that did Susa the day before, a single man and a professional photographer and his assistant. The photographer is putting out a book in July on baby animals. A short 10-minute ride to where we parked the cars to begin the hike. It took about ½ hour to walk to the wall. The walk to the wall was stunningly beautiful; I could have sat in those fields all day.
Now, I had heard the climb over the wall could be challenging and was happy to see there was a sort of break in the wall making it easy to get into the park. Our hike to the gorillas took another hour. The walk was muddy and there was one area that was rather steep. I am afraid of heights so when I saw that I had to walk up and what would happen if I slipped in the mud (long, long slide down he mountain) it took my breath away. The other woman in my group recognized my fear and said she was also afraid of heights and just to keep my eyes looking at her back at all times. So, I trudged on, and silently and sometimes not so silently cursed my way up the slope. Thank god for bamboo, because without it, I would have surely slid down into oblivion.
Having surmounted the slippery slope, and having not been stung by nettle (yet), our guide asked us to drop our gear and to take what we needed as the gorillas were up another (not so) steep slope. We begin to hike again and within 5 minutes gorillas surrounded us. My first sight was of the youngsters tumbling down the hill and them chasing each other back up. I was so flabbergasted, I could not move. Luckily, my husband shoved the video camera in my hand or I would have never even thought of it. We had to keep moving back as the youngsters kept tumbling over into where we were standing.
I was standing next to gorillas!! The youngsters were hilarious and I watched them for a long time and only moved on when they went into the bushes. The Silverback was above us on the slope and we could see him munching on leaves. We climbed further up and again I could not believe my eyes. A silverback! And some of his females. The gorillas continued to move up the hill, so we followed. Everywhere I turned there was a gorilla. The guide then pointed out the new mom and her baby. I never saw more then the foot or the top of the head of the baby as mom was very protective. The photographer was getting pushy trying to capture a picture…he never did. Lucky for us, my husband was able to get a beautiful picture of the baby because he took the time to wait for the mom to eventually move.
We started to make our way back down the hill as time was running out and we again ran into the silverback and some of the females. He was so regal. He moved amongst us with no fear and came close to us a few times. The guide was always trying to move us away and to keep us together. As we were watching the silverback for the last time, we heard some gorilla squabbling going on above us. The silverback turned to take a few steps into the open and almost ran right into my husband. They both looked at each other, both equally startled. My husband said he stopped breathing until the silverback moved on past him.
It was so sad to leave, but I knew we had to. On the way down the hill, I ran into stinging nettles and, damn, those things hurt. Luckily for me, I was hit only three times. I was getting tired from the hike and watching the gorillas, I started getting sloppy on the way down and slipped twice onto my butt. I was happy I could amuse everyone else in the group. When we got back to the steep part, I just sat down and scooted down….again, everyone amused.
After we said our goodbyes to everyone, Bill took us back to Kigali. On the way back to Kigali we saw two local tribunals taking place. We saw about 8 tables outside in a row with people sitting at them. We saw someone addressing the audience made up of those that lived in the village or town. We also saw a few men armed with large guns. Bill said the trials go on for half a day or so and then the guilty are taken to jail right away after sentencing.
Stayed at the Hotel Des Millnes and agreed with everyone on the board……needs a remodel. Swam in the pool, which was very refreshing. We tried to eat dinner that night by the poolside bar but they had a convention and it was packed. It was also Valentines Day. We decided to go back to the room and order room service since we had a 6:00 flight the next morning. Long story short, room service never came. So we ate Cheese-Its (yes I am being serious) and went to bed.
NEXT-OFF TO TANZANIA AND SWALA (SO WE THINK)
Arrived in Rwanda via Nairobi about 10:00am. The interesting thing was that the flight was on a very large plane that had about 30 people on it. I laughed because I was in a seat at the back of plane with a 100+ seats ahead of me that were open. I asked the flight attendant if this was truly the right plane to Rwanda since it was huge…he said it was. They were taking a large plane because they needed to take a lot of freight. Oh, and the flight was stopping in Burundi. Yes, I did think of Imelda and I did not get off the plane.
On this flight, we met two women (Debbie and Mary) that worked at the Oklahoma zoo, one worked with gorillas and one with birds. We were excited that they were doing the gorilla trek the same day as us. They were then heading out to the Congo to visit a friend working with the gorillas.
Bill, from Volcanoes Safari’s, picked us up and started giving us a tour of the city. Bill showed us an area of Kigali that they are building HUGE homes. He told us that the government is paying people to move out of their small homes to make way for the big mansions. These were million dollar homes he told us. He then took us to lunch at a place he frequents. They had a buffet of sorts of traditional Rwandian/African fare. It was delicious! And those tiny bananas were so sweet….yummy!
Then off to the Genocide Memorial. I found the memorial very well done. It is a two story complex with different rooms and hallways dedicated to certain aspects of the genocide. The first hallway chronicles the genocide from the beginning to the end with pictures, text and video. Then you flow into different rooms. One room has clothing of those murdered in glass cases while a video of a survivor plays on a large screen. There is a room dedicated to the children of the genocide…I honestly could not get all the way through that one. Another room has walls full of pictures given by the families of those killed. Another area had the history of other genocides that had occurred throughout the world. Once you are done walking through the inside, you can walk through the gardens outside and then amongst the mass graves.
I think everyone that takes a trip into Kigali must stop the memorial. Bill also took us to the barracks that the Belgians were killed at the beginning of the genocide. Again, very touching. You can see all the bullet holes and the corner of the inside of the building where the grenade was tossed. There is a chalkboard in one of the rooms with a plate of glass over it. On the chalkboard are the writings of some of the family members. What struck me first was a big skull and cross bones with the name of Dallaire next to it. Outside they have created a memorial garden what has granite posts dedicated to each of the Belgians that were killed. Each post has the initials of the person and then these large “cuts” or “notches” indicating each year of their age. So if the person killed was 28 years old, there are 28 notches. Again, very well done and very touching.
After these two stops, we started to make out way to Gorillas Nest. I was so amazed that the roads are filled with people…all roads! Rwandan’s dressed in beautiful colors, carrying all sorts of stuff on their heads, kids, men, everyone. It was amazing. Bill just cruised down the middle of the road at high speed and somehow, everyone knows instinctively to step out of the way…how does that happen? The countryside was beautiful but it was interesting to see what almost every piece of land was being cultivated. I know Rwanda has a large population and you wonder how it can continue to sustain all these people. So, a couple of hours later, we were about to turn onto the final road that takes us to Gorilla’s Nest and there was a bus that had gotten stuck trying to get over the bridge and was in the process of being dug out. So, now what? Well, lucky for us, we had Bill. Bill knew there was another back road to the hotel, he just wasn’t sure which one it was. After a few exploratory twists and turns, along with driving down the middle of a large open market area, he found the right road. It was bumpy, but he got us to the Nest with a small 30 minutes detour.
At the Nest, we checked in and we were taken to our room. I was a little nervous about staying here based on some comments given on the board, but the found the room to be more then adequate. Volcanoes Safari had originally booked us into their hotel, Virunga, but I didn’t want to be 45 minutes away from the park entrance. Bill did take us to Virunga on the way to the Nest and the views were fabulous. I did talk to some other people that stayed there and they loved it. But since my goal was strictly gorillas, I thought the Nest was the best place for us. The bed was very comfortable and we slept great. I would warn others to make sure you shut all the windows upon arriving in your room. We thought we shut all our windows when we left for dinner, but found out one was still open hidden behind the drapes. There is no heat, so anything you can do to keep the cold out is best.
Dinner at the Nest wasn’t very good. It was buffet style and very ordinary. We didn’t have high expectations, so it was fine. The next morning our alarm went off and we showered, packed and were ready to go. Only one small problem. My husband forgot to adjust his watch to correspond with Rwanda time, so we got up at 4 am and not 5 am. So, we had another hour to kill before breakfast. Finally, it was breakfast time and again it was buffet style and not bad. They had cereal, toast, eggs, omelets, etc. The time had come….off to the Park!
Upon arriving at the park, we ran into Debbie and Mary and discussed which groups we wanted to see. I had requested François (based on input here) but he was not guiding this day. Bill requested Group 13 for us since it had a newborn baby and lots of young gorillas. Debbie and Mary did Susa. There were seven of us in our group; us, another couple that did Susa the day before, a single man and a professional photographer and his assistant. The photographer is putting out a book in July on baby animals. A short 10-minute ride to where we parked the cars to begin the hike. It took about ½ hour to walk to the wall. The walk to the wall was stunningly beautiful; I could have sat in those fields all day.
Now, I had heard the climb over the wall could be challenging and was happy to see there was a sort of break in the wall making it easy to get into the park. Our hike to the gorillas took another hour. The walk was muddy and there was one area that was rather steep. I am afraid of heights so when I saw that I had to walk up and what would happen if I slipped in the mud (long, long slide down he mountain) it took my breath away. The other woman in my group recognized my fear and said she was also afraid of heights and just to keep my eyes looking at her back at all times. So, I trudged on, and silently and sometimes not so silently cursed my way up the slope. Thank god for bamboo, because without it, I would have surely slid down into oblivion.
Having surmounted the slippery slope, and having not been stung by nettle (yet), our guide asked us to drop our gear and to take what we needed as the gorillas were up another (not so) steep slope. We begin to hike again and within 5 minutes gorillas surrounded us. My first sight was of the youngsters tumbling down the hill and them chasing each other back up. I was so flabbergasted, I could not move. Luckily, my husband shoved the video camera in my hand or I would have never even thought of it. We had to keep moving back as the youngsters kept tumbling over into where we were standing.
I was standing next to gorillas!! The youngsters were hilarious and I watched them for a long time and only moved on when they went into the bushes. The Silverback was above us on the slope and we could see him munching on leaves. We climbed further up and again I could not believe my eyes. A silverback! And some of his females. The gorillas continued to move up the hill, so we followed. Everywhere I turned there was a gorilla. The guide then pointed out the new mom and her baby. I never saw more then the foot or the top of the head of the baby as mom was very protective. The photographer was getting pushy trying to capture a picture…he never did. Lucky for us, my husband was able to get a beautiful picture of the baby because he took the time to wait for the mom to eventually move.
We started to make our way back down the hill as time was running out and we again ran into the silverback and some of the females. He was so regal. He moved amongst us with no fear and came close to us a few times. The guide was always trying to move us away and to keep us together. As we were watching the silverback for the last time, we heard some gorilla squabbling going on above us. The silverback turned to take a few steps into the open and almost ran right into my husband. They both looked at each other, both equally startled. My husband said he stopped breathing until the silverback moved on past him.
It was so sad to leave, but I knew we had to. On the way down the hill, I ran into stinging nettles and, damn, those things hurt. Luckily for me, I was hit only three times. I was getting tired from the hike and watching the gorillas, I started getting sloppy on the way down and slipped twice onto my butt. I was happy I could amuse everyone else in the group. When we got back to the steep part, I just sat down and scooted down….again, everyone amused.
After we said our goodbyes to everyone, Bill took us back to Kigali. On the way back to Kigali we saw two local tribunals taking place. We saw about 8 tables outside in a row with people sitting at them. We saw someone addressing the audience made up of those that lived in the village or town. We also saw a few men armed with large guns. Bill said the trials go on for half a day or so and then the guilty are taken to jail right away after sentencing.
Stayed at the Hotel Des Millnes and agreed with everyone on the board……needs a remodel. Swam in the pool, which was very refreshing. We tried to eat dinner that night by the poolside bar but they had a convention and it was packed. It was also Valentines Day. We decided to go back to the room and order room service since we had a 6:00 flight the next morning. Long story short, room service never came. So we ate Cheese-Its (yes I am being serious) and went to bed.
NEXT-OFF TO TANZANIA AND SWALA (SO WE THINK)
Mar 11th, 2007, 06:12 PM
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LAKE MAYNARA
Bill got us to the airport and it was dark inside. The parking lot was empty and I wondered how we were supposed to find the plane we were taking. Bill was surprised to see the pilots waiting for us in the darkened terminal. The pilots opened the door for us, took down our names and we followed them through security…all of this in the dark. We went through passport control as soon as we found someone to stamp our passport and we were on our way. It was only my husband and I for the first part of the trip. We landed in Mwanza, picked up more passengers and then landed in Lake Maynara airstrip.
We were met with Claude from CCAfrica and he told us we were not going to Swala. What? With the rains, no one was going to Swala because they could not cross the river. So CCAfrica put us into Tree Lodge for the night. I asked Claude if I was staying for two nights and he said yes. So, off we went with 4 others to the park. What a fabulous game drive. I saw tons of elephants, giraffes, a hippo, baboons, monkeys, the tail of a black mambo snake, a leopard in a tree (I could only see the tail and the foot, does that count?) and many other animals. I told my husband I felt like I was on one of those cars they have at Universal Studios (that is what the vehicles reminded me of) and we were driving through a manufactured “safari world”. I was once again amazed.
The scenery was spectacular. Everything was very green and lush. There was even a waterfall which made a stunning backdrop to a bunch of buffalo.
We finally made it to the lodge at 7:00pm and they had a bath waiting for us. The rooms are gorgeous and the location is outstanding. Now for the bad part. After unpacking, sorting laundry and going to the bar for a drink before dinner, Claude comes over and tells us what time we need to leave in the morning for the Crater Lodge. Huh? Oh yeah, he failed to mention that I was being transferred in the morning. I already had two nights at the lodge and did not want a third. The manager came over and wanted to discuss it with us in front of other guests. I suggested we move elsewhere and got really upset that they were telling us this now, after we made plans for the next day already. I was never given an explanation on why I wasn’t told this from the beginning. I would have certainly tried to make other arrangements earlier in the day to secure a room elsewhere for two nights.
At this point it was late, so we skipped dinner so we could repack everything. They wanted to transfer us to Crater Lodge in the morning and I refused to go that early. We ended up negotiating a private safari in the park until 1:00 and then we were driven to the entrance of the crater at about 3:00. The game drive out of the park was great and I saw my first lions during the last ½ hour. Our guide, Tawanda, and tracker, Arnold, were a pleasure to be with.
Final thoughts....we LOVED Lake Maynara and I wish I had more time there.
NEXT, CRATER LODGE
Bill got us to the airport and it was dark inside. The parking lot was empty and I wondered how we were supposed to find the plane we were taking. Bill was surprised to see the pilots waiting for us in the darkened terminal. The pilots opened the door for us, took down our names and we followed them through security…all of this in the dark. We went through passport control as soon as we found someone to stamp our passport and we were on our way. It was only my husband and I for the first part of the trip. We landed in Mwanza, picked up more passengers and then landed in Lake Maynara airstrip.
We were met with Claude from CCAfrica and he told us we were not going to Swala. What? With the rains, no one was going to Swala because they could not cross the river. So CCAfrica put us into Tree Lodge for the night. I asked Claude if I was staying for two nights and he said yes. So, off we went with 4 others to the park. What a fabulous game drive. I saw tons of elephants, giraffes, a hippo, baboons, monkeys, the tail of a black mambo snake, a leopard in a tree (I could only see the tail and the foot, does that count?) and many other animals. I told my husband I felt like I was on one of those cars they have at Universal Studios (that is what the vehicles reminded me of) and we were driving through a manufactured “safari world”. I was once again amazed.
The scenery was spectacular. Everything was very green and lush. There was even a waterfall which made a stunning backdrop to a bunch of buffalo.
We finally made it to the lodge at 7:00pm and they had a bath waiting for us. The rooms are gorgeous and the location is outstanding. Now for the bad part. After unpacking, sorting laundry and going to the bar for a drink before dinner, Claude comes over and tells us what time we need to leave in the morning for the Crater Lodge. Huh? Oh yeah, he failed to mention that I was being transferred in the morning. I already had two nights at the lodge and did not want a third. The manager came over and wanted to discuss it with us in front of other guests. I suggested we move elsewhere and got really upset that they were telling us this now, after we made plans for the next day already. I was never given an explanation on why I wasn’t told this from the beginning. I would have certainly tried to make other arrangements earlier in the day to secure a room elsewhere for two nights.
At this point it was late, so we skipped dinner so we could repack everything. They wanted to transfer us to Crater Lodge in the morning and I refused to go that early. We ended up negotiating a private safari in the park until 1:00 and then we were driven to the entrance of the crater at about 3:00. The game drive out of the park was great and I saw my first lions during the last ½ hour. Our guide, Tawanda, and tracker, Arnold, were a pleasure to be with.
Final thoughts....we LOVED Lake Maynara and I wish I had more time there.
NEXT, CRATER LODGE
Mar 11th, 2007, 06:20 PM
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Moremiles-
That was a question that plagued me until the weekend before we left. I shopped for the “right shoes” and almost gave up and threatened to just wear my Keds. I finally found a good pair of comfortable trail shoes that were lightweight and I could wear the rest of the trip. I was very happy to have some traction.
I bought a pair of $8 cargo pants (on sale) to wear for the hike and they were the same pants that I wore on the plane. They were thin, but at this point I was too exhausted to shop anymore. The other people in my group had the same thin type of cargo pants I did, and we all laughed that we would regret it. I actually wasn’t stung with nettles on the leg, only the arms. Then, I just wore a t-shirt with my fleece pull over.
I did bring gloves for the nettles and used them. We did bring cheap rain ponchos and did not use them.
Monica
That was a question that plagued me until the weekend before we left. I shopped for the “right shoes” and almost gave up and threatened to just wear my Keds. I finally found a good pair of comfortable trail shoes that were lightweight and I could wear the rest of the trip. I was very happy to have some traction.
I bought a pair of $8 cargo pants (on sale) to wear for the hike and they were the same pants that I wore on the plane. They were thin, but at this point I was too exhausted to shop anymore. The other people in my group had the same thin type of cargo pants I did, and we all laughed that we would regret it. I actually wasn’t stung with nettles on the leg, only the arms. Then, I just wore a t-shirt with my fleece pull over.
I did bring gloves for the nettles and used them. We did bring cheap rain ponchos and did not use them.
Monica
Mar 11th, 2007, 06:46 PM
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THE CRATER
We were met at the Ngorongoro Crater Park entrance by a guide from the Crater and proceed up the bumpy and picturesque road. I recognized the lodge from the pictures on the Internet. They look like Hobbit Huts. We were met by Irene, manager, and our butler, Patrick. We stayed in South Camp and actually had the hut next to where we would eat our meals…very convenient. The views were too die for…ok, perhaps I could struggle to stay here for three nights J. The rooms are fabulous and way over the top. Our room had two decks, one off the bedroom area and one off the bathroom. We had a fireplace, a sitting area and two sinks with a large shower area between them. Even the toilet had a view of the crater.
The food was good, but not outstanding. There was plenty to eat each night and we actually asked Patrick to lighten up on our portions. The first night after we ate, I was not feeling well. Within a couple of hours after dinner, I was projectile vomiting (just trying to paint a picture, a disgusting picture, but a picture none-the-less). My husband was sure that the drink I had that night, Kailua and Milk, was the culprit. But, an hour or so later, my husband got sick and we determined the only thing we both had that day was a sandwich made by the Tree Lodge at 6:30 that morning which we ate at 1:30. Now why we thought that it was a good idea to eat a sandwich made 7 hours earlier in the day that sat unrefridgerated was a good idea, is beyond me. I wouldn’t do that at home. I told the story to an English couple we met and her rule is..never eat a sandwich you haven’t made. Good advice…a little too late for me, but good advice.
We were due to have a private safari the next morning, but called and rescheduled for the afternoon. Even the afternoon was a bit touchy, but I wasn’t going to miss safari time just because my insides had been turned upside down! The bumpy ride down didn’t help, but the discomfort was so well worth it once we were in the crater. Saw lions, rhino, cheetah, zebra, hyena, wildebeest, warthogs, etc. I love the lighting from about 4:00 on and the crater took on a magical look.
When it came time to leave, I could not understand why we were heading to the steep looking mountain….there is no way there was a road there. Our guide, Martin, indicated that , “oh yes there is a road on that mountain.” Really? Now, I just thought some of the people on the board were exaggerating about the road to and from the crater since I didn’t think the one down was that bad. But, dear god, the one out took my breath away. That was an E ticket ride for sure. Now here is the best part (and I am getting ahead of myself but I can’t resist), do you know they take school children in buses into the crater? That is a great idea isn’t it? Show the children the animals, get them to buy into the fact they need to be preserved, etc. Do you know that school buses comes up that very same dirt road? I only know this because when we got back to the lodge on the second day, we told Irene we saw a school bus stuck in the mud in the crater. That is when it occurred to me that it had to come back up. I asked Irene if they go up another road, and she told me they tend to go up the same road. She then told us that at the one sharp switchback, the bus actually has to make the turn, back up, pull forward, back up and then pull forward. For those of you that have done that road, can you possibly imagine that??? Whoa.
So, the second day into the crater we got in at about 7:00 am and returned to the lodge at 2ish. We saw about 5 lions, another cheetah, more rhino, zebras, jackals, hyenas, warthogs, ostriches, and elephants. We also saw a hundred or so wildebeest babies. Some of the placentas were still attached to the mom. Some babies had been born recently as they were trying to get the hang of walking. It was amazing to see this nursery of babies. We had lunch at the hippo pool (very good) and returned back the wildebeest nursery since we were so fascinated.
I know many people described the crater like a zoo and I do agree it was less wild then the Lake or the Serengeti, but I did like the fact I could see some of the animals up close and really take in what they looked like. Plus, seeing Rhinos was thrilling. The only time it got crazy with vehicles was at a lion sighting we came upon. There were already 10 vehicles there and within a span of 10 minutes another 10-15 showed up. I wasn’t disgusted or annoyed by it since I figure we all should have the thrill of seeing such a magnificent sight. The lions were rustling in the bushes and finally one male and one female strolled out for about 30 seconds and went back into the bushes.
Final thoughts on the Crater Lodge: I really did enjoy it (especially the bubble baths each day), but found three nights to be one night too many. I would recommend the lodge for a stay once in your life.
NEXT-THE MIGRATION AND THE SERENGETI (my favorite)
And, pictures on the way.
We were met at the Ngorongoro Crater Park entrance by a guide from the Crater and proceed up the bumpy and picturesque road. I recognized the lodge from the pictures on the Internet. They look like Hobbit Huts. We were met by Irene, manager, and our butler, Patrick. We stayed in South Camp and actually had the hut next to where we would eat our meals…very convenient. The views were too die for…ok, perhaps I could struggle to stay here for three nights J. The rooms are fabulous and way over the top. Our room had two decks, one off the bedroom area and one off the bathroom. We had a fireplace, a sitting area and two sinks with a large shower area between them. Even the toilet had a view of the crater.
The food was good, but not outstanding. There was plenty to eat each night and we actually asked Patrick to lighten up on our portions. The first night after we ate, I was not feeling well. Within a couple of hours after dinner, I was projectile vomiting (just trying to paint a picture, a disgusting picture, but a picture none-the-less). My husband was sure that the drink I had that night, Kailua and Milk, was the culprit. But, an hour or so later, my husband got sick and we determined the only thing we both had that day was a sandwich made by the Tree Lodge at 6:30 that morning which we ate at 1:30. Now why we thought that it was a good idea to eat a sandwich made 7 hours earlier in the day that sat unrefridgerated was a good idea, is beyond me. I wouldn’t do that at home. I told the story to an English couple we met and her rule is..never eat a sandwich you haven’t made. Good advice…a little too late for me, but good advice.
We were due to have a private safari the next morning, but called and rescheduled for the afternoon. Even the afternoon was a bit touchy, but I wasn’t going to miss safari time just because my insides had been turned upside down! The bumpy ride down didn’t help, but the discomfort was so well worth it once we were in the crater. Saw lions, rhino, cheetah, zebra, hyena, wildebeest, warthogs, etc. I love the lighting from about 4:00 on and the crater took on a magical look.
When it came time to leave, I could not understand why we were heading to the steep looking mountain….there is no way there was a road there. Our guide, Martin, indicated that , “oh yes there is a road on that mountain.” Really? Now, I just thought some of the people on the board were exaggerating about the road to and from the crater since I didn’t think the one down was that bad. But, dear god, the one out took my breath away. That was an E ticket ride for sure. Now here is the best part (and I am getting ahead of myself but I can’t resist), do you know they take school children in buses into the crater? That is a great idea isn’t it? Show the children the animals, get them to buy into the fact they need to be preserved, etc. Do you know that school buses comes up that very same dirt road? I only know this because when we got back to the lodge on the second day, we told Irene we saw a school bus stuck in the mud in the crater. That is when it occurred to me that it had to come back up. I asked Irene if they go up another road, and she told me they tend to go up the same road. She then told us that at the one sharp switchback, the bus actually has to make the turn, back up, pull forward, back up and then pull forward. For those of you that have done that road, can you possibly imagine that??? Whoa.
So, the second day into the crater we got in at about 7:00 am and returned to the lodge at 2ish. We saw about 5 lions, another cheetah, more rhino, zebras, jackals, hyenas, warthogs, ostriches, and elephants. We also saw a hundred or so wildebeest babies. Some of the placentas were still attached to the mom. Some babies had been born recently as they were trying to get the hang of walking. It was amazing to see this nursery of babies. We had lunch at the hippo pool (very good) and returned back the wildebeest nursery since we were so fascinated.
I know many people described the crater like a zoo and I do agree it was less wild then the Lake or the Serengeti, but I did like the fact I could see some of the animals up close and really take in what they looked like. Plus, seeing Rhinos was thrilling. The only time it got crazy with vehicles was at a lion sighting we came upon. There were already 10 vehicles there and within a span of 10 minutes another 10-15 showed up. I wasn’t disgusted or annoyed by it since I figure we all should have the thrill of seeing such a magnificent sight. The lions were rustling in the bushes and finally one male and one female strolled out for about 30 seconds and went back into the bushes.
Final thoughts on the Crater Lodge: I really did enjoy it (especially the bubble baths each day), but found three nights to be one night too many. I would recommend the lodge for a stay once in your life.
NEXT-THE MIGRATION AND THE SERENGETI (my favorite)
And, pictures on the way.
Mar 12th, 2007, 02:22 PM
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EXCELLENT report!
Thrilling to read of another Rwanda traveler. It also makes me sorry once again I missed the Kigali memorial and the Belgian soldier memorial.
sure, Crater is like a zoo, but a really really big one where the animals get to walk around a lot. Nakuru is sort've like that, and that is the only place where I saw a rhino on my trip. Can't wait to see your pictures.
Welcome back Monica!
Thrilling to read of another Rwanda traveler. It also makes me sorry once again I missed the Kigali memorial and the Belgian soldier memorial.
sure, Crater is like a zoo, but a really really big one where the animals get to walk around a lot. Nakuru is sort've like that, and that is the only place where I saw a rhino on my trip. Can't wait to see your pictures.
Welcome back Monica!
Mar 12th, 2007, 03:38 PM
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That was a good idea to include your book and packing list.
You had a great description of the genocide memorial. I agree it is important to visit if you possibly can.
Being unable to move at the first sight of the gorillas is understandable, especially when the first sight is tumbling babies.
It appears your time in Manyara was productive despite it not being what you had expected. Your insistence on a proper game drive in the morning at Manyara was a good one.
I am so sorry you became ill. Those boxed lunches are quite common and undesirable side effects from eating them are not. Based on your analysis, I would agree that it was the sandwich. I wonder if requesting cheese sandwiches, not meat, would diminish the odds of a problem? That's what I get anyway and have never gotten ill.
Good for you not to let a couple of unpleasant surprises ruin things.
Your description of the crater road will give people an idea of what to expect. Those drivers have a specially skill to navigate it. You are lucky to see rhino in the crater. They can be hit or miss. Newborn wildebeests has to be a treat too.
Looking forward to the Serengeti.
You had a great description of the genocide memorial. I agree it is important to visit if you possibly can.
Being unable to move at the first sight of the gorillas is understandable, especially when the first sight is tumbling babies.
It appears your time in Manyara was productive despite it not being what you had expected. Your insistence on a proper game drive in the morning at Manyara was a good one.
I am so sorry you became ill. Those boxed lunches are quite common and undesirable side effects from eating them are not. Based on your analysis, I would agree that it was the sandwich. I wonder if requesting cheese sandwiches, not meat, would diminish the odds of a problem? That's what I get anyway and have never gotten ill.
Good for you not to let a couple of unpleasant surprises ruin things.
Your description of the crater road will give people an idea of what to expect. Those drivers have a specially skill to navigate it. You are lucky to see rhino in the crater. They can be hit or miss. Newborn wildebeests has to be a treat too.
Looking forward to the Serengeti.
Mar 12th, 2007, 06:05 PM
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Marija, Bat, Waynehazle and Atravelynn, thanks for your kind words.
I have a new appreciation for all the trip reports posted on this site, as they are more time consuming then I ever imagined!
Bat,
To answer your question whether I would add another gorilla trek…the answer is YES! I met a group of people from San Diego that did two treks in Uganda and two in Rwanda and I decided the next time I come back, that is what I am doing. I don’t think you could ever get tired of staring into those gorilla eyes….not ever!
Trying to finish Serengeti…………..
I have a new appreciation for all the trip reports posted on this site, as they are more time consuming then I ever imagined!
Bat,
To answer your question whether I would add another gorilla trek…the answer is YES! I met a group of people from San Diego that did two treks in Uganda and two in Rwanda and I decided the next time I come back, that is what I am doing. I don’t think you could ever get tired of staring into those gorilla eyes….not ever!
Trying to finish Serengeti…………..
Mar 12th, 2007, 06:12 PM
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Thanks for your report, Monica; I'm enjoying it. I also really like the way you've organized what you packed/brought here--very easy to read and helpful.
Glad to hear you're now a committed gorilla trekker. It's something I very much want to do.
Glad to hear you're now a committed gorilla trekker. It's something I very much want to do.
Mar 13th, 2007, 06:11 PM
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Atravelynn-you apparently travel quite a bit, and not just to Africa. So, if you're thinking July or August for gorillas, I know you have something specific in mind. As long as Zimbabwe doesn't pull a trump card for you 
I've kept my Namibia portion of the trip for this summer, so Namibia won't trump Uganda/Rwanda for me this year, so it looks like gorillas in 2009. Please let me know what you have in mind. Don't want to intrude on your trip (unless you welcome tag-alongs), but would definitely welcome the knowledge. Once I get Namibia/Bots planning complete, I am going to start planning for the next trip so I am not so rushed (like I am with Botswana this year).
I would love to tack on a Masai Mara extension, since I'll likely fly through Nairobi anyway, and would prefer to do that in September. I would love a couple of nights at Little Governor's or Kichwa Bateleur's or somewhere similar in location on my return. Yes, I know, I try to fit too much in. Hence my asking for your advice/knowledge about July/August. Timing for me would be based on the best time for the gorillas, not the Masai Mara.
Thanks,
Dana
I've kept my Namibia portion of the trip for this summer, so Namibia won't trump Uganda/Rwanda for me this year, so it looks like gorillas in 2009. Please let me know what you have in mind. Don't want to intrude on your trip (unless you welcome tag-alongs), but would definitely welcome the knowledge. Once I get Namibia/Bots planning complete, I am going to start planning for the next trip so I am not so rushed (like I am with Botswana this year).
I would love to tack on a Masai Mara extension, since I'll likely fly through Nairobi anyway, and would prefer to do that in September. I would love a couple of nights at Little Governor's or Kichwa Bateleur's or somewhere similar in location on my return. Yes, I know, I try to fit too much in. Hence my asking for your advice/knowledge about July/August. Timing for me would be based on the best time for the gorillas, not the Masai Mara.
Thanks,
Dana
Mar 13th, 2007, 06:40 PM
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Here are some animal pictures. Next...pictures of where we stayed.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLan...fromshare&Ux=0
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLan...fromshare&Ux=0
