In September of 2018, I made one of the trips of a lifetime – I traveled to Kenya and Tanzania for the annual wildebeest migration. One of the most sought-after experiences by intrepid travelers, as well as wildlife and nature enthusiasts, the Great Migration is the ever-moving circular migration of over a million animals across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. The constant movement of columns of wildebeest, joined by a host of companions, follow an age-old route in search of new grazing areas and water supplies.
After calving in the southern part of Tanzania’s Serengeti near the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the animals journey through the Serengeti. They travel up and around in a clockwise direction towards the Masai Mara in Kenya, before returning once again near the end of the year where the cycle begins again. In addition to the massive number of animals traversing the landscape, high drama is always present, as thousands of animals are taken by predators and thousands more are born, replenishing the numbers and sustaining the circle of life.
Habari Gani” (hah – BAR – ee GAH – nee)
Swahili for “What is the news?” or “What’s happening?”
The response when someone says Habari Gani to you is “Nzuri”, which means good.
My trip started in Nairobi, Kenya where my first stop was Nairobi National Museum followed by Amboseli National Park my second day. The name “Amboseli” comes from a Maasai word meaning “salty dust”. With Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, as the perfect backdrop, Amboseli is one of the best places in Africa to view large herds of elephants.
Next, it was off to what quickly became one of my favorite places in the world, Giraffe Manor. Often referred to as one of the most instagrammed properties in the world, Giraffe Manor is set on 12 acres of land within 140 acres of indigenous forest in the Langata suburb of Nairobi. The stately manor with its elegant interior, verdant gardens, sunny terraces and relaxing courtyards dates back to the 1930s. Witnessing the statuesque resident Rothschild giraffes gliding toward the Manor just before dawn to have breakfast with the guests was an amazing sight. Then, like clockwork, to see them return for afternoon tea or treats from the windows of the upper rooms was simply breathtaking.
Next on the agenda was Lake Nakuru, one of the lakes inhabiting the Rift Valley. Nakuru meaning “dust or dusty place” in the Maasai language had an abundance of algae that used to attract a vast quantity of flamingos that famously lined the shore. Several other species of bird also flourish in the area, as do warthogs, baboons and other large mammals and eastern black and southern white rhinos have also been introduced.
After Lake Nakuru, it was off to begin tracking the animals I came all this way to see – the wildebeests. My trek started at a lodge in the Maasai Mara for three days followed by three days at a wilderness camp on the Serengeti. The lodge was beautiful and comfortable but the real deal was my stay in a tent at the Wilderness camp. Trust me, this was not your “family outing” type of tent. This tent came with a “valet”, had a metal frame bed, down pillows, hot water and a flushing toilet! (See the pics above). Talk about glamping! The animal sightings here were absolutely insane and at night you could hear lions roaring and wildebeests bleating. It was truly surreal to be literally immersed in nature with nothing but the canvas of your tent separating you from the Serengeti. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
After a phenomenal three days in the Serengeti, it was off to Ngorongoro crater. Ngorongoro was established in 1959 as a multiple land use area where wildlife co-existed with the semi-nomadic Maasai pastoralists. Ngorongoro is the world’s largest caldera and it was no easy feat to get to the rim where the wildlife viewing truly began.
After a phenomenal holiday, it was off for some R&R on the idyllic island of Zanzibar. Zanzibar is an insular semi-autonomous province which united with Tanganyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. Zanzibar is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the coast of the mainland of Africa. Consisting of many small islands and two large ones: Unguja (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba Island, Zanzibar is literal paradise. The capital is Zanzibar City, located on the island of Unguja, and its historic center, Stone Town, is a World Heritage Site. Zanzibar’s main industries are spices, raffia and tourism. The main spices are cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper. The Zanzibar archipelago plus Tanzania’s Mafia Island, are sometimes referred to locally as the “Spice Islands”.
Check out the photo gallery above for views from this amazing experience.
Cheetah = duma in Swahili.
The lean, mean running machine known as the cheetah hunts mainly during the day and has a penchant for antelopes and gazelles. They will stalk their prey to within 300-1000 feet, then charge towards it and kill it. They have a pretty ingenious killing technique: they trip their prey then bite their throat causing the animal to suffocate.
Fun animal fact: The cheetah is the fastest animal on the planet at a speed of 70 mph – their normal average speed (just a trot) is 40 mph.
Stork = korongo in Swahili.
The Marabou stork is sometimes called the “undertaker bird” due to its shape. From behind its wings appear cloak-like over its long skinny legs, and sometimes a large white mass of “hair”. That’s so unfair, I think he’s kinda cute in an awkward sort of way.
It is a massive bird and can reach a height of 60”, yup 5 feet tall! It has been credited with having the largest wingspan of any bird at 12 feet.
This large, powerful bird eats mostly carrion, scraps and feces (nice), but will eat almost any animal matter it can swallow. It occasionally eats other birds including pigeons, doves, pelican and even flamingos. Oh dear!
Vulture = tai in Swahili.
There were numerous breeds of vultures patrolling the skies of the Serengeti, but I believe this one is called the Ruppell’s Vulture.
Rüppell’s vulture is considered to be the highest-flying bird with confirmed evidence of a siting at 37,000 ft above sea level.
Rüppell’s vulture fun facts:
- You may have notied the head does not have feathers. This is a genetic adaptation that occurred over time due to its practice of sticking its head inside of its prey when eating. Without the adaptation, feeding would be a hot mess!
- A group of vultures is called a committee, venue or a volt.
Hippopotamus = kiboko in Swahili.
The hippo is the 3rd heaviest mammal behind the elephant and the rhino. Males weigh around 3,000 lbs and females 2,700!
The hippopotamus is among the most dangerous animals in the world due to its highly aggressive nature and unpredictability. Maybe if the humans would leave it alone…🧐
Hippopotami fun facts:
- Despite being semiaquatic and having webbed feet, an adult hippo is not a particularly good swimmer nor can it float. It trots along the riverbed by tapping its feet on the bottom. Well, duh at 3,000 pounds I wouldn’t expect it to be particularly buoyant either!
- Despite their physical resemblance to pigs, the closest living relatives of the hippo are cetaceans – whales, dolphins and porpoises. Who knew!
- When hippos venture out of the water for any significant amount of time, they secrete a red-colored substance to cool their hairless skin. The secretion is referred to as ‘blood-sweat’ but it contains neither of these fluids.
Mbuni = ostrich in Swahili.
The ostrich, although it cannot fly, makes up for it in its speed on the ground. Ostriches can sprint up to 43 mph and run on level ground a sustained speed of 31 mph! Their kick is powerful enough to kill a lion. They weigh between 200 and 350 lbs and have a lifespan of approximately 30-40 years. They live in herds and when the females lay eggs all eggs are placed in the dominant female’s nest for hatching.
Ostrich Fun Facts:
- Once eggs have been laid, both males AND females take turns sitting on the nest. Go head, Dad!
Wildbeest = nyumbu in Swahili.
There is a blue wildebeest and a black wildebeest. Blue wildebeests have dark grey coats with black tails and dark beards. Black wildebeests are smaller with brownish black body hair and a white tail. Both species are social animals and live in large herds. Both species can coexist in the same area because they eat different parts of the same grass, eliminating the risk of food competition. Although they are both social animals, blue wildebeest are known to interact with other animals in the area, like zebras.