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Click here to return to the main Pictures index.
Click here to return to the General 2010 Piccies Page, or click on one of the links below:
Page 1: 15th August 2010 - Kilimanjaro Approach (7)
Page 2 (This Page): 16th August 2010 - Karama Lodge and Safari (77)
Page 3: 17th August 2010 - Trek Day 1: Start to Machame Camp (51)
Page 4: 18th August 2010 - Trek Day 2: Machame Camp to Barranco Camp (72)
Page 5: 19th August 2010 - Trek Day 3: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp (110)
Page 6: 20th and 21st August 2010 - Trek Days 4 and 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp and Shabbat (91)
Page 7: 22nd August 2010 - Trek Day 6: Summit Day (53)
Page 8: 23rd August 2010 - Trek Day 7: Barafu Camp to Mweka Camp (58)
Page 9: 24th August 2010 - Trek Day 8: Mweka Camp to Exit (33)
Page 10: 25th August 2010 - Kilimanjaro Exit (10)
Total: 562 Pictures
I slept well albeit woke up later than planned since the ear plugs prevented me from hearing my alarm. (Thankfully Susan knocking on the door eventually roused me.) I rushed it to breakfast. However I needn't have as we had a nice leisurely start. I had time to take these pictures before setting off. My room was a pretty looking and cosy chalet on stilts. Even UK style sockets. Although electricity was unreliable except when the local generator was active (and that was when I kept the mobile charged up). The grounds were pictoresque too.
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| My room at Karama Lodge consisted of a chalet on stilts. The bed and facilities were cosy. | The grounds of Karama Lodge were pretty too with plenty of flora and fauna. | |||
Soon enough we set off to Arusha National Park. We stopped at the Tropical Trails HQ near Karama Lodge first. Then onwards to the Ngongongare gate. En route I noted how many banana plantations there are. They are everywhere. I also noted that they drive on the left in Tanzania too. That plus the UK style sockets made me feel slightly at home. After spending a while looking at the displays at the entrance the roof was raised on the jeep and we were ready to set off into the reserve.
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| On our way to the safari. I see they drive on the left in Tanzania. | One of many banana plantations we passed en route. I've never seen so many bananas! Yum! | The entrance to Arusha National Park (Ngongongare gate), and putting the roof up so we can view the wildlife. | ||
Once through the gate we set off along a gravel track and through a mixture of woodland, clearings and bush. It wasn't long before we spotted our first big animals. Zebras, Warthogs and Buffaloes / Wilderbeasts. In the woods there were Blue Monkeys and Colobus Monkeys with their long white tails. The Blues were the most numerous and quite tame and curious too. It was quite hard taking pictures of the monkeys though as light levels were rather poor in the woods. Before long we arrived at a gate on the far side with a good view of Mount Meru from the South.
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| Wild zebras and other animals in a clearing. | Long range views of zebras, wilderbeast and warthogs. | ||||
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| Blue monkey. | Colobus monkey. | Blue monkeys. | Colobus monkeys. | ||
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| Blue monkeys. | Mount Meru from the South side as we approach the place where we start our walk. | |||
So the jeep parked up and we got out, and were handed big red lunchboxes with various goodies to eat and drink. Then we set off on foot (there are no lions or tigers or other major predators in Arusha National Park) and soon got good views of some Wilderbeasts as well as some Warthogs nearby that kept their distance from us. One of the highlights of the day though came next as we climbed up a small hill and got a great view across the reserve. It was then that we first saw a group of wild Giraffes walking across the valley floor. We headed down into the valley and managed to get really close to them. No zoo fences or keepers, just us and the giraffes in their native habitat. And they weren't too bothered by our presence too. Amazing! Of course then came the inevitable conversation about Giraffes and that they are actually kosher!
We then followed the valley for a while. At one point we were pointed out claw marks on a tree, made by a leopard! We arrived at a waterfall in this alcove of rock. We stopped here for lunch, eating underneath the waterfall, with butterflies fluttering around the walls of rock. A very peaceful and pretty lunch break. After lunch we carried on our walk. At one point we got quite close to some Warthogs digging around near a camp site. Soon enough the walk finished and we returned to the Jeep. A nice pleasant warmup for the start of the hike tomorrow. With the weather feeling like a cool and fresh British summer's day (low 20's, sunny and a pleasant breeze) it was just gorgeous out there.
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| Setting off on foot to see more wildlife. | Wilderbeast. | ||||
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| A great view as we walk up the side of a hill to a view point. | My first view of wild giraffes. | Walking back down to the valley below. | Giraffes! | ||
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| Me in front of wild giraffes. No zoo. No fence. They are surprisingly docile and friendly. | More giraffe pictures. | A waterfall in a crevice where we stopped to eat our packed lunches. | |||
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| Susan, Anne, David, Bob and the guide posing in front of the waterfall. | Butterflies near the waterfall. A biggish one on the far wall and a small one on the ground. | Impressive tree roots. | Walking on after lunch. | |
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| Closeup views of Warthogs. | |
Back on the road, we followed a different route back. Early on we saw giraffes grazing up in the hills and I caught on film a zebra having a dust bath. We also got a first glimpse of Kilimanjaro through the haze as we drove past some soda lakes (very alkaline) populated by thousands of flamingoes. On the edge of one lake were a troop of baboons, including a baby albino. Also seen were Ibis and Hoopoe. Then we drove up to the Mikindu observation point which looked out over the Ngurdoto crater from the rim.
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| Giraffes in the hills. | Looking back at Mount Meru as we get further away. | My first view of Kilimanjaro summit, just visible through the haze. | More zebras. One of them enjoying a dust bath. | Driving towards the Momela soda lakes. | |
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| Soda lake. | Ibis. | An island in the soda lake. | Warthog. | Thousands of flamingos are some of the few creatures able to withstand the caustic conditions of the soda lakes. | |
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| Flamingos in flight. | Two long range shots of a Hoopoe. | More Ibises. | |||
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| Baboons, including an albino baby. | Zebras, Giraffes and more in a clearing. | Panorama of the Ngurdoto crater from the Mikindu observation point. | |
Quote from sign at Mikindu Point: "Mikindu point is named after the WILD DATE PALMS that grow precariously on the crater wall. At this point the crater stratches 3km across. The bottom of the crater is at an altitude of 1474m and is an ideal place for buffaloes with good grazing permanent water and convenient mud wallows. Because of the damp misty atmosphere here, ferns, orchids and lichen flourish. Mosses and ferns have no flowers but are propagated by spores."
So the bottom of the crater is a similar elevation to the summit of Ben Nevis! That puts that into perspective! Up here at 1800m it was nice and cool. After the crater we drove back to the Ngongongare gate. As we reached the gate we were seen off by a group of giraffes feeding on the vegetation. What a nice way to say goodbye to a nice day's safari.
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| Giraffes feeding next to the track as we exit the park at the Ngongongare gate. | ||
In the evening we had supper. Then I readied my gear and had my last shower for a little while, as well as topped up the charge on my mobile so it would last the whole trek (used sparingly to send and receive texts where a signal could be found). I set my alarm for 5:45AM with the plan of having breakfast at 6AM and a 7AM drive to the Machame gate to start the trek. No ear plugs this time! I wanted to hear my alarm and be up on time... But it was much quieter than 24 hours ago and I soon drifted off to sleep no problem.
Click here to return to the main Pictures index.
Click here to return to the General 2010 Piccies Page, or click on one of the links below:
Page 1: 15th August 2010 - Kilimanjaro Approach (7)
Page 2 (This Page): 16th August 2010 - Karama Lodge and Safari (77)
Page 3: 17th August 2010 - Trek Day 1: Start to Machame Camp (51)
Page 4: 18th August 2010 - Trek Day 2: Machame Camp to Barranco Camp (72)
Page 5: 19th August 2010 - Trek Day 3: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp (110)
Page 6: 20th and 21st August 2010 - Trek Days 4 and 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp and Shabbat (91)
Page 7: 22nd August 2010 - Trek Day 6: Summit Day (53)
Page 8: 23rd August 2010 - Trek Day 7: Barafu Camp to Mweka Camp (58)
Page 9: 24th August 2010 - Trek Day 8: Mweka Camp to Exit (29)
Page 10: 25th August 2010 - Kilimanjaro Exit (10)
Total: 562 Pictures