Wild, Wooly, and Wonderful Tanzania

By Donnie Sexton
GoNOMAD Senior Writer

As defined by the dictionary, wonder is a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.

Plenty of wonder is a guarantee on an African safari, especially if you’re headed to the Serengeti in Tanzania.

Exploring the Serengeti requires long days of game drives to explore the 12,000 sq. miles of land, including the Serengeti National Park and several game reserves.

There are around 70 mammals and over 500 bird species in the Serengeti, so you never know what you’ll find at any given moment.

A highlight is witnessing the seasonal migration of zebras, gazelles, and wildebeests as they move across the Acacia plains in search of water and grass.

Game Drives in Tanzania

The average 10-hour drive takes place over bumpy, gravel, and dirt roads.

There are bathroom and lunch breaks at designated areas within the Serengeti.

Otherwise, you stay put in safari vehicles, where the top pops up to give passengers the ability to stand and observe or photograph the critters.

The key to a successful safari is bringing plenty of patience, having like-minded travel companions, and traveling with a guide that knows the Serengeti and understands animal behavior like the back of their hand.

I’ve found packing a few snacks (candy corn is my go-to) enhances the day.

Migrating Wildebeests

I was fortunate on an August safari to witness the wildebeests migrating across the Mara River. We watched as the herds gathered up on high banks above the river.

Our guide pointed out that our vehicle needed to stay somewhat hidden away from the river so as not to scare these skittish ungulates.

Once the wildebeests jumped off the bank into the river, our truck raced at the speed of lightning to the edge of the bank to watch the noisy stampede.

My recommendation for a reliable company to travel with is Plains to Peak African Adventures   www.plainstopeak.com.

Find out more from Tanzania Tourism

Donnie’s Scenes from a Tanzania Game Drive

The powerful leopard with its long body and short legs is covered with a coat of dark, irregular spots called rosettes. The average life span in the wild of leopards ranges from 10-12 years.

The brilliantly colored Superb Starling can be found around the picnic areas in the Serengeti, hopping about for a crumb or two of someone's lunch.

The Olive Baboon is named for the color of its fur, which appears a shade of green-gray from a distance.

The Common Waterbuck, part of the antelope family, sports a shaggy brown­-gray coat that emits a smelly, oily secretion thought to be for waterproofing.

The African Redhead Agama male lizard has a bright orangeish-red head, dark blue body, and a multicolored tail. These lizards can grow up to a foot long.

The Serengeti wildebeest is always on the move in search of grass and water. It is estimated they make a migratory circle of 500-1000 miles each year.

Elephants are the world’s largest terrestrial mammal, and can weigh up to 7 tons, with a lifespan of 60-70 years.

There are 22 species of vultures in Africa, which are often seen cleaning up animal carcasses.

Helmeted Guineafowl prefer to run rather than fly when alarmed. They have a short-lived explosive flight and rely on gliding to cover extended distances.

Hippos are the third-largest living land mammal, after elephants and rhinos,and can weigh between 1.4 to 5 tons.

The Masai Ostrich (female shown here) can't fly due to its large size, but compensates by being able to run at speeds of 40 mph.

The black and white striped coats of zebras are unique to each animal. When a foal is born, they have reddish-brown stripes which gradually change to black as they grow into adulthood.

The black and white striped coats of zebras are unique to each animal. When a foal is born, they have reddish-brown stripes which gradually change to black as they grow into adulthood.

The Cape or African Buffalo is one of the most dangerous and moody animals in Africa, known to charge without warning