The authentic walking safari
A DAY IN THE LIFE.
The authentic walking safari
A DAY IN THE LIFE.
each camp area is unique
Some are quiet stretches along rivers where we sit in our camp chairs watching animals come to drink. Others overlook vast stretches of country where we can scan with our binoculars for giraffe, buffalo or lion.
No rules, no smartphones, no roads.
Day 1: Arrival Tanzania, met on arrival and transfer to lodge
(Overnight Arusha Coffee Lodge)
Day 2: Safari briefing & fly to Serengeti, game drive into the
wilderness and first camp (Wilderness Mobile Camping – Camp 1)
Day 3: Trek (Wilderness Mobile Camping – Camp 2)
Day 4: Trek (Wilderness Mobile Camping – Camp 3)
Day 5: Trek (Wilderness Mobile Camping – Camp 4)
Day 6: Trek (Wilderness Mobile Camping – Camp 4)
Day 7: Trek (Wilderness Mobile Camping – Camp 5)
Day 8: Trek (Wilderness Mobile Camping – Camp 6)
Day 9: Trek (Wilderness Mobile Camping – Camp 7)
Day 10: Trek (Wilderness Mobile Camping – Camp 8)
Day 11: Trek (Wilderness Mobile Camping – Camp 9)
Day 12: Fly to Arusha to depart or extend your trip to
see the wildebeest migration, mountain gorillas,
Ngorongoro Crater or Zanzibar
MORNINGS BEGIN WITH fresh cowboy coffee around the campfire and talk of the sounds we heard during the night. We have a hearty breakfast and watch the light come over the land, enjoying the cool morning air. We then pack our daypacks – water bottle, sunblock, binoculars and camera – and set off in single file, in silence, allowing us to listen for wildlife and to walk undetected through the bush, increasing our chances of seeing animals. It also enables the walker to immerse in the quiet of the wilderness. It awakens the senses and develops the novice walker into someone who can spot, listen and understand the African bush.
We may stalk elephants, sneak up on zebra or examine tracks discussing what passed there during the night. We break for mid-morning snacks under the shade of towering acacia trees and maybe explore nearby caves for ancient Maasai rock paintings. We press on, perhaps getting into a nice walking rhythm or perhaps crouching behind a fallen tree to watch a herd of buffalo pass before us, so close we can hear their breath. Anything can happen… we may see that rare animal, that pride of sleeping lions, or that eagle swooping down to catch its prey. By midday, the sun is high and we arrive in camp, which our dependable crew has moved to the new location by land rover. Camp is set up for you and lunch is ready.
MIDDAYS ARE THE HOURS not normally on itineraries, but in this magnificent landscape, they are a highlight. Long lazy lunches, a cold beer and time to absorb the morning’s sightings. We break out the topographic maps to see our route and progress, pinpoint where we saw that eland or that giraffe and look at where we are headed the next day. We then bring our chairs to a shady spot to write in our journals, identify birds, or read one of the field guides from our mobile safari library. It is also time to siesta and enjoy the cool shade of our tents.
AFTERNOON WALKS CAN BE exciting for wildlife sightings. We do not have to walk to a new location, so we take our time ambling through the bush, stopping for photos or views or sightings – perhaps a band of mongooses, a pair of warthogs, or a family of baboons which we watch play, argue and forage. The area has excellent populations of leopard, and we have enjoyed many sightings of these beautiful cats in the golden afternoon light. By dusk, we are back in camp for hot showers and sundowners around the campfire.
EVENINGS AND NIGHT. The sun goes down and the fleece jackets come out. The weather is perfect – no rain, no mosquitoes, cool evening weather for sleeping. We enjoy glasses of South African red wine or cold Tanzanian lager before a hearty meal of curries, pastas or chicken stews and tons of fresh vegetables, fruit and tasty desserts, with options for vegans and vegetarians. We lounge in safari chairs around the campfire and listen to the sounds of the night: spotted hyenas whooping, owls hooting, lions roaring. Conversation is lively with talk of conservation challenges, anthropology, Maasai history or local culture. We head to the tents early for a good night’s rest and look forward to another day of excitement and anticipation of what we may see next.
“We had the trip of a lifetime and the Thornton Safaris team was fantastic. I would happily follow those guys into the bush again. The camp staff were fantastic and logistics were flawless.”