Travelogue from Tanzania: The Big Five – in just one day!

At the end of 2024, our travel specialist Ingun journeyed to Tanzania with her whole family. Read about her experiences on their first day below.

It’s early morning in Tanzania. We’re on our way to the Ngorongoro Crater, driving through the highlands as the day slowly awakens. The road is red and the hills around us are lush green. As we travel through this stunning landscape, we encounter several Maasai heading to the Friday market in Enduleni. The animals are still penned in, and the children are on their way to school. A mist lies over the hills, and I feel a growing anticipation ahead of our day’s safari in the crater.

Upon reaching the crater floor, it takes just 10 minutes before we spot our first animal of the day. It’s a rhinoceros standing amidst a large herd of buffalo. Ludvig, aged 8, exclaims spontaneously, “This is life!” Later, we witness a pride of lions attempting (unsuccessfully) to hunt three buffalo, and we also spot a snake. Ngorongoro is one of the most remarkable national parks in Tanzania, and this is just a small fraction of what we experienced this morning!

After a delightful lunch and an additional safari round, we wind our way up from the crater floor and set our sights on the Serengeti.

The landscape shifts rapidly, and the temperature rises as we move into the lowlands. The hills are verdant with acacia trees and abound with giraffes! The giraffe is the only animal you won’t find in the crater, as the crater’s sides are too steep for them to ascend. Yet in this area, giraffes thrive, and we capture some stunning photos of them along the roadside. As we drive away from the crater area, the landscape becomes increasingly barren, and by 3:00 PM, we enter Serengeti National Park.

We’re fortunate this afternoon, and Tenga, our guide, is quite skilled. As we venture across the Serengeti plains, we suddenly veer off the road onto an open plain. The vehicle stops just 5 metres from a cheetah, comfortably sprawled atop a small mound. It remains still for a long time, before rising and gracefully traversing the savannah.

Just 10 minutes later, we come remarkably close to a proud male lion resting in the shade of a tree. It’s mating season, so perhaps a rest is especially welcome.

A bit later, a message comes over the radio, and our guide, Tenga, turns and asks, “Are you ready to rock and roll?” We understand it’s best to be seated in the safari vehicle, as Tenga takes off at a thrilling pace through the park. We hold on tight, excitement building. What creature has he found for us now? Shortly thereafter, we park beneath an acacia tree where several vehicles are already stationed. Above us, a leopard reclines on a branch, its tail dangling languidly, seemingly unfazed by its audience.

The landscape around us takes on a golden hue as the sun sets, marking the close of a magnificent safari day.

In just one safari day across two parks, we’ve already ticked off all of “the Big Five.”

Ingun,
TourCompass – From tourist to traveller