World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas
Pages:
About | Countries | Tours | Trips | Bucket List – Done | Bucket List – To Do | Airport Lounges | Flight History
Travel Categories:
Flight Reviews | Lounge Reviews | Destinations | Short Breaks | World Trip 1986 | World Trip 1998 | World Trip 1999-2000 | World Trip 2006 | World Trip 2009 | World Trip 2009-10 | World Trip 2010 | World Trip 2011 | World Trip 2012-13 | World Trip 2015 | World Trip 2016 | World Trip 2017 | World Trip 2017-18 | World Trip 2018 | World Trip 2019 | Australia 2022 | World Trip 2023 | World Trip 2024 | World Trip 2024-25 | World Trip 2026-27
Thursday 14 December 2017. Photos
Highlights: The Long Hot Drive
Today was an extremely long and hot travel day to get us closer to Dar Es Salaam tomorrow in reasonable time. We also had two new members join the group, Mark and Thais. The travelling wasn’t made easier when one of our travel members Maggie had her only credit card ‘eaten’ by the ATM machine at the Arusha Shopping Mall. The card was eaten due to ‘time inactivity’ according to the notification slip but I wasn’t there.
Wednesday 13 December 2017. Photos – Serengeti and Tanzania (General)
Highlights: Fighting elephants, baby zebra
An early morning waking in the Serengeti found that no tour members had gone missing but all were excited for this morning’s final game drive in the Serengeti. Yesterday was off the scale with major encounters with wildlife so today we were a bit more subdued at least initially but the morning sunrise over our camp was worth the early start.
Part 2 of 2. Tuesday 12 December 2017. Photos – Serengeti
Highlights: The elusive leopards, fighting antelopes, elephants, lightning storm
In the afternoon we moved into the Serengeti itself. This was a much more rough and dirty road and we coped a significant amount of dirt following other vehicles across the afternoon.
The amazing sight in the Serengeti is the thousands of wildebeest who have mitigated here from Kenya. There were everywhere but the best sight was when they were running in long line. Most of the time they intermixed with the zebras.
Part 1 of 2. Tuesday 12 December 2017. Photos (Ngorongoro Crater)
Highlights: Sunrise, Amazing view of the Crater, Lions eating a kill, Hippos having fun
Today was easily one of the highlights of the trip so far, right up there with trekking to the mountain gorillas in Uganda. A very early morning start meant we were at the gates of the Ngorongoro Crater around 6.15 am ready for today’s adventure. In my mind I was playing the Jurassic Park music as we past though the gates. The Ngorongoro Crater is a conversation area meaning some traditional tribes are allowed inside the boundaries and can farm.
Monday 11 December 2017. Photos – Tanzania (general) and Ngorongoro Crater.
Highlights: Snake Park Centre, Arusha Culture Museum
Today we had time for activities in Arusha before the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti Excursion left at 1 pm later today. First up after breakfast was a visit to the Arusha Mall in order to purchase supplies for the next few days on the road. This allowed for a short visit to the Arusha Culture Museum which had some impressive indigenous artwork from sculptures to paintings to bracelets. Expensive items but still very impressed items.
Sunday 10 December 2017. Photos Kenya and Tanzania
Highlights: The semi arid landscape
The first day of the second leg was underway with a scheduled 8 am departure meaning breakfast at 7 am. The first day with new people is always a bit chaotic so we left closer to 8.20 am. A welcome surprise was James and Ang coming down early in the morning to say one final goodbye, they are great people. Our new passengers are Jess, Tara, Tim, Lorraine, Yukon, Matt, Jess (we have two Jesses), and Bill. Another two passengers will join us after the Serengeti.
Saturday 09 December 2017. Photos
Highlights: Final Farewells
The first leg of this tour officially ended with us arriving back at the Wildebeest Eco Camp. Only six people for the first leg will continue; Maggie, Roz, Aaron, Emilie, Logan and myself. We started the day with a 5.45 am wake up, but in my tent I set the alarm incorrectly as 4.45 am, but Nick corrected me without throwing a shoe in my direction which I think I deserved for this mistake.
Friday 08 December 2017. Photos
Highlights: Failing on the Hell’s Gate National Park Bike Ride
Not that I needed a reminder about my lack of fitness but I got one when when attempting to ride a bike to Hell’s Gate National Park and failed badly 😦
Thursday 07 December 2017. Photos
Highlights: Lake Nakuru Game Drive, Sharing time with Orphan Children
Today we got to experience the diverse wildlife in Africa and the amazing spirits of the young orphans at the East Africa Mission Orphanage (EAMO). I got to experience nature at it’s best and complete the ‘Big Five’ while being moved almost to tears when playing with the children of EAMO who were so happy doing the most simple things when they have so little.
Wednesday 06 December 2017.
Highlights: Uganda-Kenya Border Crossing
Today we farewelled Uganda undertaking to 430 km 10 hour drive to Nakuru in Kenya. The only real highlight of today was having a very fast border transfer but into Kenya with no problems today. Very glad I got the East African Tourist Visa when crossing into Uganda, while I effectively wasted the Kenyan eVisa it made everything much easier crossing between Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
