#WhenIn the Serengeti (& Beyond)

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#WhenIn

5 min readSep 15, 2017

In the two years I lived in Tanzania, I was exposed to its wonderfully kind people and its absolutely fascinating nature and wildlife. It was incredible to drive around the countryside and visit the many small towns, national parks, and conservation areas, and the unique experiences I gained will stand out in my memory for the rest of my life…

Where to stay:

Since I was there for two years, I stayed at a rented house in Kilombero in the Morogoro Region (in south-western Tanzania). I lived in a very rural area near Kilombero Village and the Kilombero river basin, where there were many Maasai as well as various wildlife (including a certain lion that would come and hang out intermittently in the residential area and eat people, creating much fuss and strict curfews periodically).

How to get around:

Rent (or buy) a pickup truck. They are definitely the most practical vehicles for going around the bumpy dirt roads, and then you can also let the Maasai and the locals hop on and off as you go along (I used to be completely mesmerized by the Maasai tribal attire and unique ear stretching).

Where to eat:

Since the area I lived in was very poor, there weren’t really restaurants to go eat at, and we were also encouraged to hire locals to help out with the house and the garden, so we were fully staffed. Our cook made very good food, so I was happy to eat at home every day.

What to eat:

Our cook mostly made Western food for us (plus everything mango from the tons of mango trees surrounding our house), but I actually preferred eating with him, our housemaid, and our gardener during their lunch break. The most common local food is ugali (a white dough-like substance made of maize flour/cornmeal that is very inexpensive) that you form into clumps in your hand and dip into a sauce or a stew of vegetables or meat. Another favorite of mine is Tanzanian sambusa (similar to samosa but with drier meat filling and a thinner crust).

What to do:

Drive around the Serengeti. The wildlife you encounter is just unbelievable (and sometimes also very friendly).

Drive around in the Ngorongoro crater. This crater is absolutely gorgeous and full of wildlife, and you can often get very close to the animals.

Climb Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest freestanding mountain. Starting in Arusha, this hike takes you up to 5,895m or 19,341ft in 5–9 days (the longer you take, the better chance you have of acclimating). The Machame Route takes 7 full days and provides for some absolutely incredible views. You will definitely need to reserve a spot well in advance with a good trekking company and prove that you have a clean bill of health. Many people do get sick on the way up, and some are not able to summit the last morning, so definitely know what you are walking into.

Visit Zanzibar. This beautiful island is really quite incredibly (although it is starting to get a bit crowded with kite surfers). The water and beaches are just amazing, and the island itself is very interesting.