We arrived at the Tarangire National Park public camp site early afternoon. Whilst Gabriel, our cook, was setting up the tents and looking after our gear we were heading out for our afternoon game drive.
Game Drive in Tarangire National Park.
No more than fifteen minutes from camp and we saw our first lions. About a hundred meters away, on a yellow, grassy slope we observed a small family through our binoculars. Just eighty meters away we noticed a dead zebra that the lions had killed. But we were lucky enough to see a lioness go down to eat some more. Meanwhile cubs were playing at the top of the slope.
In just 15 minutes we had become Tarangire National Park fans! Moving on, up and down the savanna laden hills, we saw more than just animals. Sparsely dispersed dark green Acacia trees provided shade, always a good spot for a lion or leopard. During this drive we saw many zebra, impala, baboons with young, elephant with young and giraffes, waterbuck, buffalo, more lions and a jackal. We saw much more than that, so much that I cannot recall it all.
Splendid views all the way giving us all the same feeling – we had been transported into the film: “Out of Africa”.
Finally, but sadly, we had to get back to camp…
Wildlife! wildlife, down into the valley, along parts of the Tarangire river and wildlife, it was everywhere, even the small dik dik. You can see so much in just one afternoon tour. Kanuth pointed the landrover back towards camp, and we begun searching all trees for a leopard. “Stop” we would shout, and he would drive back to the tree. But we were always disappointed to see nothing, or “just” a baboon. It was our guide who spotted the animals, in spite of driving, long before we did.
Tired but not ready to stop we stood in the landrover with our heads propped up on the roof, scouring the countryside for more game. And, of course, it was there, we missed nothing! Often we would stop to study a group of animals, mainly elephant, buffalo and baboons. One baboon troupe fascinated us: sitting on the roadside, their young either playing together or being cuddled by the females.
Daylight dimmed, dusk fell just before six. By seven it would be dark and we should get back to camp where dinner would be waiting.
I will come here again, maybe on this tour.
