Saturday, October 22, 2016 (Lake Duluti Lodge, Arusha, Tanzania)

After a good night's sleep, we were up and rarin' to go! We showered and dressed...and oh yeah, I found out that the adapter we purchased before leaving is a piece of "$%hit", not only would my hairdryer not plug into it (grrr! yes, I ended up taking the only way I can properly straighten my hair for a very nice holiday! LOL), it was very temperamental, not keeping an electrical connection to even charge the camera batteries! We were not impressed...it will be going back to London Drugs when we get back!

Footnote: We are having a heck of a time with the pictures being out of order, due in part to forgetting to change the cameras to the local time zones...along with the combining of photos from 3 sources. This holds true for all 4 weeks...so we'll do the best we can sorting them out.

With our backpack all ready for our first game drive...binoculars, sunscreen, bug spray, hats--check!...we headed up to the lodge for breakfast. We were delighted as we stepped out of our room...beautiful, lush gardens surrounded stone-built cottages which are grouped in clusters.

Our walk towards the lodge...

Always amazed at the way bananas grow...

There's Lake Duluti...

We joined others at the breakfast buffet. Steve, Jean, Brian, Kaye, Joann and Anne (not the best picture unfortunately)...

After breakfast, we all gathered on the front lawn for our welcome greeting and briefing. First of all, though, some pictures!
The lodge...

Beautiful lawns...with the lake on the far right....

Steve, with Marjorie walking on the left and Gordon speaking to one of the guides on the right...

Steve, Esther and Gordon...

Briefing from the guides...we would have four guides (Raymond, John, Lucky and Aneseo...not good with spelling!) with four Toyota Land Cruisers, each holding six. We were encouraged to change guides and travel with different folks each day. They would be with us for the whole time we are in Tanzania.

Then it was time to get into the Land Cruisers and head off on our first game drive...Arusha National Park, home to Kilimanjaro's unassuming cousin, Mount Meru.

Arusha National Park is one of Tanzania's smallest (552 sq km) but most beautiful and topographically varied northern circuit parks. Not only is the wildlife in the park abundant...the park's most significant features include not only Mount Meru, but also the notably different coloured Momela Lakes, and the 3 km wide Ngurdoto Crater, which was formed about fifteen million years ago. The varied and beguiling animals and flora found in this game reserve are mainly determined by the altitude and geography.

As we left the compound and headed towards the main street, we came across a big market. Apparently every Saturday is market day where everyone brings their goods to sell. The place was jammed packed...very interesting...

Used shoes anyone?

We arrived at the entrance to the park...Ngongongare Gate. Time to get out of the vehicles, stretch, have a pottie break...and read some of the information boards...

No, this one isn't real...

A busload of kids from a local school also stopped...they were so cute! Very friendly and curious about us...

                                                       (Click to enlarge photos)

Mount Meru - the fifth highest peak in Africa at 4,566 metres (14,900 feet) dominates the park's horizon...

Mount Kilimanjaro way in the distance...

And our first sighting of wildlife! Albeit in the distance...Zebra...

Cape Buffalo....

And my favourite....Black and White Colobus Monkeys...

Ngurdoto Crater, like the famous Ngorongoro, is extinct, and both have the graduated bowl known as a caldera, which is formed when the molten core of a volcano subsides into the earth and the steep crater walls fall inward. 

The crater is 3 km’s across and is surrounded by riverine forest, while the crater floor is a lush swamp. The crater with its many visible animal trails, provides a natural sanctuary to many African animals, including elephant, African buffalo, a variety of monkeys and baboons, as well as birds like hamerkop, spur-winged geese and herons. It is however unfortunately prohibited to descend down to the bottom of the crater. 

Blue Monkey...

And then we came across some Giraffes...

Lots of giraffes...see them all climbing the hillside...

Bush-Buck...

The Momela lakes, also located inside the Arusha National Park, are shallow alkaline lakes and are made up of seven lakes, being big Momela, small Momela, El Kekhotoito, Kusare, Rishateni, Lekandiro and Tulusia. All seven lakes are mainly fed by separate underground water sources. Due to the varying mineral content of these underground sources, each lake supports a different type of algae growth, resulting in uniquely differently colored lakes. Because these lakes are alkaline, the water is not utilized by animals for drinking, but they do however attract a wide variety of African bird life, particularly flamingos.

We stopped at small Momela Lake for a picnic lunch. The school kids were also there...

Hippopotamus...

And a variety of birds...

Sacred Ibis

After lunch and a nice break, we were back in the Land Cruisers on the hunt for more wildlife.
Waterbuck...

Worthogs....

Female Waterbuck...

Then we came across one of the lakes where the entire shoreline was completely covered with Flamingos...

Amazing!

A resort on the far side of the lake...

Acacia Tree...look at the thorns! And they are a popular food for giraffes that can nibble between the thorns but the Elephants can pass them (ouch). According to our guide you never drive over Elephant dung unless you want a flat tire!

And more giraffes were sighted!

Baboons...

Mongoose...

Cape Buffalo...

Zebras and Bushbucks....

Dual exhaust pipes!

We arrived back at the lodge late afternoon...where we gathered on the lawn for a drink. Cheers to an incredible first day!

Left to right...Steve, Esther, Larry, Joyce, Barb, Donna, Linda, Gordon and Alberto...

There were some Vervet Monkeys hanging out around the lodge...

After cleaning up, we all gathered again in the lodge for dinner...Betty, Brian, Jean, Shelagh, Marianne, Joann, Kay, me and Joe...

Annette, Alan, Anne, Joan, Byron and Marjorie...

Alberto, Larry, Joyce, Barb, Esther, Gordon, Linda and Donna...

And so ends our very first full day in Tanzania! So much more to come...