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Our "Out of Africa" Moment

Audley Clients Share Their Travel Tales

By Audley Travel

August 13^th, 2014

this is for the africa trip

Bill and I had been talking about traveling to Africa for some time when I received an award with the stipulation that it be used on myself. I immediately said, “This is for the Africa trip.” And so it began – our search for the right trip, the right time of year and the right destination to see everything on our bucket list for Africa.

We both wanted to see the wildebeest migration, and I wanted to see thousands of flamingos in a lake, as I have imagined so often after seeing the film “Out of Africa.” We’d asked to see several reserves and to stay in camps that would offer us great photo opportunities and allow us to see as much of the wildlife in the natural habitat as possible.

Before we knew it, our tailor-made journey to Tanzania was all set! Our fabulous Country Specialist, Donna at Audley, had planned for us to stay at Oliver’s Camp in Tarangire National Park, Plantation Lodge near the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara, and Grumeti River Camp and Olakira Camp in the Serengeti.

and it begins...

When we arrived at Kilimanjaro Airport, unfortunately my luggage did not. Flights only come in from Amsterdam once a day, so I knew we would be out in the bush before my bags arrived. The clerk at the desk was very helpful, but it was the Audley/Asilia representative, who met us at the airport, that made me feel secure and that everything would be okay – assuring they would pick up my luggage and deliver it to us no matter where we were. And later, they did just that!

So, we were off to Onsea House for our first night in Africa. It was a charming hotel, and we relaxed with a late dinner on the patio overlooking the rural area of Arusha. From then on, each day was an adventure, with every day seemingly better than the day before – if that’s even possible!

tarangire national park

We set off for Tarangire National Park on a lovely scenic drive with our private guide, heading down the Great Rift Valley Escarpment and past Lake Manyara. The landscapes varied between open plains with majestic baobab trees and riverine forest, and our game-drive began as soon as we entered the park with giraffes roaming in front of us while zebras grazed beside them.

With the dramatic Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano in the distance and the green swamp areas, which are magnets for game, Olivers Camp was the perfect first place to stay. Donna, our Country Specialist, had told us we would see massive herds of elephants migrating through the park this time of year – the most she had seen were 40.

You can imagine our surprise when we saw 70 elephants in the swamp at one time. It was incredible to watch the lions laze on the river bed, have cape buffalo stare at you like you owe them money, and listen to hippos serenade us at night.

clouds of flamingos

Lake Manyara National Park, full of grassy floodplains, groundwater forest, acacia woodland and the rocky base of the escarpment, is known for its tree-climbing lions often found sprawled in the branches of sausage trees. Who ever thought you’d see a lion in a sausage tree?

Today was the day I was most looking forward to - the day where I would have my “Out of Africa” moment. Glittering in the sun and reflecting a pinkish hue, as I approached Lake Manyara it appeared to be covered with a beautiful cloud of flamingos. It was even better than I had imagined!

love in the wild

The vast open plains of the Serengeti are world-renowned, broken up only by rocky kopjes (hills) and the Gol Mountains in the distance. Olakira Camp, an intimate mobile-tented camp of eight guest tents and two common area tents, moves during the year with the wildlife migration through the southern and northern Serengeti. From December to March, the camp is in the southern or Ndutu area. From June to November (and the time we were there) the camp is in the very north of the Serengeti, near the Mara River. We were very surprised at the comfort and luxury this mobile camp provided and found ourselves right at home.

The bird life in the Serengeti is spectacular, and is just as amazing as the mammals, with a variety of different buzzards, the colorful lilac-breasted rollers and the shimmering wings of the superb starlings. It seemed every time we rounded a bend or crested a hill, we saw something to marvel at, but seeing the animals mating in their natural habitat was more than we ever expected.

We saw two separate pairs of leopards mating within two days. We also saw hippos and crocodiles. And then, there were the lions! By the time we saw the lions, we knew all of the mating signs. We were astonished to see the female rub up to the male and flick her tail in his face. It was unbelievable!

the wildebeest migration

We knew we would be in Africa during the wildebeest migration, but we never could have expected what we experienced. As you follow the path of the spectacular migration through the heart of the Serengeti, you’re left with a sense of wonder and amazement over the great journey this animal embarks on each year.

Having breakfast in the middle of 100,000 wildebeest is something you never forget. It took us over 21 pictures to capture this remarkable moment, and I am still amazed by those massive mammals all moving together as one herd!

Afterward, we descended from the fog on the rim of the Ngorongoro crater to an Eden with a full array of wildlife. While we didn’t see one of the ten resident black rhinos, there were large prides of lion, zebra, buffalo and hyena.

the best people in the world

Our eyes were filled with incredible sites, but I have to say the people filled our hearts. Stanford didn’t just show us our first sites, he truly educated us about the environment, ecology, and culture of the Maasai. Wasiri knew exactly where the animals would be and tailored the daily drives to our requests. Nathan and Karim lead us to the mating leopards, which was really incredible. Each of our guides truly added a unique element to our trip and it wouldn’t have been the same without them. I hope they stay friends of ours for a lifetime.

On our last night in Olakira Camp, Martin, the director, announced that the staff had a gift for us. The entire staff sang and danced around our table, while the chef presented us with a small cake with candles.

By then my eyes were filled with tears of joy, as these men had all won my heart, and I was saddened we would be leaving them in the morning. We spent the rest of the evening eating cake and talking about our special adventures with Nathan and Karim.

A LOve for africa

This was the trip of a lifetime for us. It was the first custom-planned trip we had ever done, and we really appreciated the attention to detail and planning that we received from Audley. Our Country Specialist, Donna, worked with us for several months to create our wonderful experience, and she really ensured we would see the wildebeest migration and met all of our other requirements to make it “our” trip. We had never spent money like this on a trip before, but I can say it was worth every penny and more.

You just fall in love with Africa and want to go back! We will travel #TheAudleyWay again.

why this itinerary?

“This was the Autens’ first trip to Africa, so I wanted to make sure that they saw some of the main highlights, such as the annual wildebeest migration in Tanzania, as well as their other requests. To make this vacation really special, I used small, intimate safari camps in locations that would allow them to escape the crowds. They were accompanied throughout by wonderful guides who Audley has worked with for years, giving them access to the best wildlife viewing spots and a real insight into life in Tanzania.”

- Donna Piccini, Africa Country Specialist

Read up on Donna’s personal travels to Africa with Audley.

Footnotes

You see more when you know the right people. Experience the vibrant culture, landscapes and wildlife of Africa, #TheAudleyWay. Visit audleytravel.com/us to book your next adventure!

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FootNotes

You see more when you know the right people. Experience the vibrant culture, landscapes and wildlife of Africa, #TheAudleyWay. Visit audleytravel.com/us to book your next adventure!