Tanzania Travel Diary: Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater

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10.12.2013 Mwanza (Tanzania)

In no time we are already in Rusumu, the border, while a cascade of red water fills the scene!

We are in Tanzania and the landscape changes completely again... only sparse, wretched huts, barefoot children on ruined roads...

A long day of transfer to Mwanza, on the shores of Lake Victoria... We pitch the tents by the glow of our head torches, listening to the calls of a group of hippos not far away...

11.12.2013 Serengeti (Tanzania)

[Stefy]: "I find myself grinding out km after km on our truck and suddenly the feeling of having plunged into the photo I have on my chest of drawers. Moments made of quick but intense glances, smiles that reach inside you, straight to the stomach. Then I open my eyes and immerse myself in the clouds, big clouds of whipped cream, red earth beneath me. The green stretches as far as the eye can reach, all the way to the most distant horizon. A stop in a village; I get off the truck, breathe in deeply and feel that this is the right air for me, I feel that there is no other place I would rather be. This land belongs to me - or rather, I belong to it. And then suddenly a little girl raises her hand, I raise mine; in a smile there is so much love that it is impossible to contain, I feel good inside, I feel good in my heart.

My gaze returns to the road; three small boys walk along the edges with axes on their shoulders; bicycles overloaded with bananas are pushed by men in jackets that are far too big and shoes a few sizes too large; in their eyes one might read resignation, but that is a mistake - they are just tired eyes, but full of dignity. On the other side of the road hordes of children jump, wave, shout: "musungu" with endless cheerfulness, unaware of what they do not have because they have never had it, yet so enthusiastic about the little they do possess that they make you realise how lucky we are in everyday life, even if by now we hardly notice it any more and take it as a routine we are owed."

In the Serengeti park it pours with rain; we take advantage of a few minutes of respite to pitch our tents...

12.12.2013 Serengeti (Tanzania)

[Stefy]: "It is dawn in the Serengeti. Three hyenas walk with a slow step; zebras, wildebeest, impala run frightened to escape from who knows which hidden predator... Suddenly two splendid cheetahs, with a regal and refined bearing, come towards us, stare at us and then cross the dirt track and continue their search towards the horizon. A little further on, another hyena rests in a pool of dirty, muddy water.

Two lionesses and, a little further, the carcass of a buffalo... They have just hunted this great animal and now they keep watch so that no other predator approaches; they await the arrival of the king of the forest... they will eat the leftovers. The rules of the savannah."

13.12.2013 Ngorongoro (Tanzania)

We pass through the gate of the Ngorongoro National Park and are projected into another world. An endless plain stretching as far as the eye can see, where every kind of animal grazes undisturbed.

Zebras, Thomson's gazelles, giraffes look at us, bored... this is the perfect hunting ground of the leopard; here the poor herbivores can count only on their own physical abilities, since there are no natural shelters, bushes or trees...

We stop to visit a Masai village, and after an offering to the village chief we have the chance to immerse ourselves again in another dimension. They greet us with a very characteristic and engaging welcome dance... the men, slender and tall, wrapped in red robes, intone an ancient harmony as they jump on joined legs; the women accompany the litany with their sweet voices. The robes, the decorations are very picturesque and colourful, as are the bracelets and anklets...

Shortly after we find ourselves inside one of the many little huts, listening to the stories of this ancient and proud nomadic people; we are very curious about this culture, about their everyday life and their traditions.

We climb with effort ever higher, reaching the Simba Camp, where we pitch our tents under a big acacia and enjoy one of the most evocative views of the whole trip; at about 2450 metres we dominate the Ngorongoro crater.

The night in the tent is hard; the cold puts us to the test, but a marvellous starry sky, which seemed to fall on you, makes everything sweeter!

14.12.2013 Ngorongoro (Tanzania)

At 5.00, far too early, our alarm clocks ring. Outside it is pitch dark.

We plunge completely into the ancient crater. Ngorongoro. This term that sounds so funny means in Swahili: "hole". And indeed it is a genuine volcanic hole 19 km in diameter and a natural enclosure for hundreds of species of animals.

It is about six... an enormous orange ball timidly begins to appear on the horizon. An incredible explosion of wildlife before our enchanted eyes: giraffes, wildebeest, gazelles, impala, ostriches, jackals, vultures, even a rhinoceros...

A herd of zebras suddenly stops and with extreme attention begins to stare at a point... we follow their frightened gaze and make out two young lionesses strolling sinuously and indifferently; they must have already feasted...

Three big-eared jackals chase another that has entered their territory... once again the savannah reminds us that there are very precise rules to respect.

Further on. Two majestic figures parade with great elegance. A lioness... and here he is at last: the king of the forest in all his splendour. He marks his territory... he lies down near a bush while the lioness approaches him as an accomplice... she circles around him several times until he, with a "feline" leap, mounts her... it all lasts a short while but we are incredulous, it feels like watching, front row, a marvellous National Geographic documentary...

With these images well imprinted in our eyes and hearts we leave the crater and nature for the sleepy little town of Mto Wa Mbu.

[Stefy]: "A quick shower and we go straight out for a walk around. Two planks of wood, a chessboard in the centre and around it many men discussing every single move. They invite Mark to play a game and challenge their ace, a plump old Masai with a kind face. Everyone analyses the duel of pieces, but the rules are different from ours and we had to accept defeat with a handshake."

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