March 3, 2017

We heard from IMG senior guide Emily Johnston that the team had another great day of game viewing on their final day of the safari.  They left the Serengeti in the morning, visited Olduvai Gorge along the way, and then made their way to Ngorongoro Crater for an afternoon game drive. It’s hard to put Ngorongoro Crater into words.  In a nutshell, it is a large volcanic caldera which is chock full of nearly every type of big game that East Africa is known for.  This makes it super interesting both from an animal density viewpoint as well as a geological viewpoint, and you always see something different and unique here. To top it off, there is a seasonal lake in the middle of the Crater which is often filled with thousands of flamingos.  The day wrapped up for the team at their luxurious safari lodge, just outside the Crater and surrounded by coffee plantations.

Tomorrow the team will take a relaxed morning to enjoy the safari lodge and grounds, before they head back to Arusha, no doubt stopping for some souvenir shopping en route.  After picking up their duffels of smelly Kili gear and doing a quick repack, the team will grab a late lunch and then continue on to the airport for their evening flights home. This has been another incredibly fun trip to follow. 100% of the team stood on the Roof of Africa and then they spent 3 days on safari seeing untold amounts of wildlife.  As the long rainy season sets in over in Tanzania we take a break from Kili, but come June when the rains stop, we’ll be at it again.  We hope you can follow along on our summer and fall Kilimanjaro programs!

Dustin Balderach

March 2, 2017

The Kilimanjaro Team had a fantastic first day on safari over in Tanzania. Guide Emily Johnston checked in and this is what she had to say, “Great flight to Seronera (the central region of the Serengeti) this afternoon. We saw about 15 lions eating a wildebeest, hippos, topis, antelope, baboons, and a leopard napping in a tree. Not bad for day one! Oh yeah, we also saw jackals, hyenas, gazelles, antelope, buffaloes, a tawny eagle, goshawk and lots of other cool birds!”

Wow! I can’t think of a better way to cap off a climb of Mt Kilimanjaro than with that! Now the team is settled into the Serengeti Wilderness Camp, probably sitting around the dinner table eating excellent food, or perhaps sitting out around the fire drinking Safari Beer and sharing stories. To call this place a ‘camp’ is misleading. The super comfortable ‘tents’ sit out in the grasslands of the Serengeti completely surrounded by wildlife but totally safe. These ‘tents’ are fully kitted out with comfortable beds and each has its own attached bathroom. They are pretty nice! There is also a huge open air dining tent and a lounge tent with a bar! Its all very posh and civilized for being in the middle of the Serengeti. Tomorrow the team can look forward to a full day of wildlife viewing on the Serengeti.

Dustin Balderach

February 28, 2017

We heard from IMG senior guide Emily Johnston over on Kili and everyone is now back at the hotel in Moshi, Tanzania. They made the short hike out to the Mweka Gate this morning and got all loaded up for the half-hour drive to the hotel. Then their afternoon went like this: lunch, showers, clean clothes, rest, repack for the safari, rest, finish off with our traditional celebratory dinner with the Chagga guides. They are now soundly sleeping and when they wake up the fun will continue. This time, very little work will be required of the group as they spot wildlife from the pop-top Land Cruisers! Its really a neat way to explore the Serengeti. Sit when you please and stand when you please – which is usually when your driver/guide points out some interesting animal.

After breakfast, they will head to the city of Arusha where they will catch a short flight to the Serengeti in the early afternoon. Once they touch down on the runway in the Serengeti they will immediately jump into the safari vehicles and start seeing wildlife. It really all happens so quickly. One minute you are sitting in the airport, waiting to get on the plane. Literally an hour later you are looking at zebras and warthogs. It amazes me every time. This group will have a blast the next 3 days on safari and they deserve every minute of it. Congrats again to the team on the huge accomplishment of summiting Kilimanjaro. Happy game viewing!

Dustin Balderach