Exploring Tanzania

The Road to the Rim: Entering Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Entering the Ngorongoro Conservation Area? Discover what to expect at Lodoare Gate, from the UNESCO history of the Ngorongoro Crater to baboons dropping from trees!

A Marimba Welcome at Safari Junction: Staying at the Farm of Dream

The Farm of Dream is a lodge nestled in purple hills above the Great Rift Valley. The nearby town, Karatu, is conveniently positioned between Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater. Knobby-tyred rigs like TIK regularly rattle down its mudded street like a military convoy. Karatu’s nickname, unsurprisingly, is “Safari Junction.”

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Lake Manyara: A Good Park for a Safari Start

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Is Lake Manyara truly the home of tree-climbing lions? Explore Tanzania's hidden gem and discover why this bird-watcher's paradise is the perfect safari start.

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The Serengeti and Beyond: Starting an 8-Day Northern Circuit Safari in Tanzania

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From the disbelief of a recovered suitcase to the roar of a Land Cruiser engine, our journey through Tanzania’s famous Northern Circuit is finally underway. Destination: Bush Country.

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Dreams of Cinnabar: A Midnight Arrival in Zanzibar

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Experience a midnight arrival in Zanzibar and explore the rich history of Stone Town, the origins of the word "safari," and the legends of explorers like David Livingstone.

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The “Flat-Top” That Isn't: Exploring Kilimanjaro’s Secret Caldera

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Think Kilimanjaro has a flat top? Think again! From hand-drawn diagrams to summit photos at Uhuru Peak, explore the volcanic 'cooking pot' at the top of Africa’s highest peak.

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The Last Full Night: Resting at 13,000 Feet

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Explore the beauty of Mount Kilimanjaro from Karanga Camp. Follow along as we recharge at 12,992 feet, observing glaciers like "icy fingers," moorland chats, and the surprising sounds of John Denver drifting through the East African clouds.

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Critically Endangered: The High-Flying Griffon Vultures of the Serengeti

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Meet the bird that can fly at 36,000 feet! From its 'gut-of-iron' to its unique oxygen-moving blood, discover the incredible Rüppell's griffon vulture and the German explorer who gave it its name.

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Ants in Your Pants: From Fiction to Kilimanjaro’s Slopes

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From Charlton Heston to Indiana Jones, movies love a good ant apocalypse. But would they really eat you in six minutes? Explore the facts—and a real Kilimanjaro ant dance.

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An Amateur’s Guide to Surviving Your Own Travel Habits

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From tooth-brushing in an African sink to barefoot sprints through mamba-filled grass, learn why being a ‘savvy traveler’ beats being a white-toothed barefoot amateur.

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Stork Swarm in Mtowambu

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Stork Swarm in Mtowambu

Swarms of giant storks were suddenly everywhere. They were beyond counting. In the hundreds? For sure. Thousands? Maybe. Some circled slowly overhead, great wings outstretched. Many more rested, nested, and clattered their bills from poo-spangled trees. 

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The Chicken of the Serengeti

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The Chicken of the Serengeti

Safari operators often speak of the "Big Five." This is a linger-longer from the blood-sport days. The phrase does not identify Africa's largest species, but rather the five most difficult/dangerous animals to hunt on foot.