On to Tarangire National Park

On Wednesday, July 8th, we left the beautiful Arusha Coffee Lodge to travel to the Tarangire National Park. We were driven to the Arusha Airport first.

This airport is for local flights only, nothing international. It's pretty spartan, as you can see.

 

 

We were escorted out to our very own 6-seater Cessna Grand Caravan, piloted by Jose, from northern Spain of all places!

 

 

We landed 20 minutes later at Kuro Airstrip, a dirt runway at the edge of Tarangire National Park.

 

 

 

We were greeted with cold towels and juice drinks first.

 

The six of us loaded up in this safari land cruiser along with all our luggage.

 

 

 

One of the first things we saw was this tree dotting the park everywhere we looked. It's an umbrella acacia tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And shortly after we were underway, we got a flat tire!!! But, as our driver Elly was prepared with two spares, we got fixed up in no time!

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a shot of an African dik dik, the smallest of all antelopes.

 

 

I love this photo because it is so typical of the views we have seen here in Tarangire National Park. There are more than 3,500 elephants in the park.

 

 

We saw starlings down in South Africa, but this one here in Tarangire has more dramatic coloring.

 

 

After driving around looking at animals for awhile, we stopped for lunch, complete with hot soup, fried chicken, various salads, and a variety of beverages.

 

 

I know I've already posted many photos of elephants, but I couldn't resist this one of the baby and its mother.

 

 

I have been waiting patiently to see a herd of wildebeasts, and today I was rewarded!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a video clip of the above herd of wildebeasts that somehow got spooked and took off running! To watch it, go to goldentrailsofafrica.blogspot.com

Here's a video of two young bull elephants fighting! Eventually the one on the left retreats.

We saw this herd of zebra grazing under a baobab tree. These trees can be 1000-2000 years old growing very slowly. Sometimes called the tree of life, they hold a lot of water, and elephants love the bark. Older baobabs sometimes are hollow inside, and poachers have hidden in them from the national park police.

 

 

 

When we arrived at the Tarangire Treetops Lodge, we were greeted by Nicholas, our personal butler offering cold towels for a quick cleanup.

 

 

This photo shows the inside of the reception/dining area.

 

 

All rooms are built around a baobab tree with a circular staircase rising to the room consisting of a large bedroom, a separate bathroom with shower and dual sinks, and a balcony overlooking the bush.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This view shows the balcony and the door to the room.

 

 

 

Here's a shot of the bathroom.

 

 

Here is a view from our balcony looking at another room attached to another baobab tree.

 

 

And this is the central lodge area for dining and the reception area. There is also a small zero edge pool!

 

 

After dinner, when guests retire to their rooms, they must be escorted if it's after dark for safety reasons. Once you are safely "tucked away" up in your room, the escort closes this door on the circular stairway so that animals cannot get up to your room!