A safari trip was never my dream, it had always been his.
A favorite childhood memory for my fiancé, Aviad, was growing up watching ששטוס (Shesh Tus) – The Flying Classroom. This is a children’s game show where classrooms from all over the country, ranging from Grades 1 through 6, competed in a series of mental and physical challenges. At the end of each season, the winning classroom is treated to an educational trip abroad, from Bulgaria to Spain, Greece to Hungary, and even in our current home now, in Thailand.
In that memorable year in 1996, it was Kenya.
Every week throughout that year, he tuned in to learn and watch classrooms compete.
Every week, he, alongside the competing classrooms, learned the tune of “Jambo Bwana”, the Swahili song released in 1982 by the Kenyan band Them Mushrooms, which has surpassed the mainstream definition of popularity and has become the cultural anthem of East Africa.
Every week, the nation’s wonders were showcased.
In awe of this beautiful country, with its iconic Baobab trees sprawled against the Serengeti horizon, the distinctive red clothing of the Maasai tribes, the famous Big Five, and the opportunity to witness animals in their natural habitat, has become a core memory and a wishlist for this 8-year-old boy.
But this daydream began long before the Kenya episode. From when he was seven years old, he spent four summers at the Haifa Educational Zoo, learning about prehistory, local wildlife, and conservation. By the time he turned ten, the age limit for campers, his time as a participant came to an end. Yet that did not stop him. At eleven and twelve, he returned as a volunteer, this time more deeply involved with the animals and the work behind the scenes.
He recalled spending an hour preparing food for different animals, then scraping and cleaning all sorts of excrement. The highlight, though, was entering the enclosures with predators, even if it meant being peed on by baby wolves.
As for me, a provincial girl with my own set of career ambitions—that was as far as I ever let myself dream. The idea of going on a safari never even crossed my mind. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine setting foot on African soil, let alone realising a dream I didn’t know I carried deep within me. And getting engaged in my dream destination? Well, that’s a story for another entry.
I have always loved animals. Who doesn’t, right? My fascination grew with every nature show I watched, but it truly deepened when I met Aviad and his passion for wildlife matched mine. Together we binged on documentaries, especially David Attenborough’s iconic series in all their HD glory, and my appreciation only grew stronger.
Day 1. Tarangire National Park
December 2024. From Arusha to Tarangire.
Thirty-one years after that Kenyan game show aired, the dream of that eight-year-old boy finally came true, though little did he know that he would be carrying an engagement ring in his bag the entire time. And little did I know that I was about to be caught up in the biggest surprise of my life (a story for Zanzibar).
On December 22, 2024, we landed in Tanzania. I know, technically not Kenya, but part of the same ecosystem. This time, the adventure included not only the safari but also the white-sand beaches of Zanzibar; a journey that gave us the best of both worlds.
Our first day in the tourist hub of Arusha was for rest, a quiet pause before the whirlwind to come. Then, the next morning, we began our five-day safari game drive, and with it, the adventure of a lifetime.
With my Mirrorless Camera and my 70-300mm telephoto lens in tow, we set off in our private 4×4 safari land cruiser. The drive to our first national park took 3 hours, well, that’s according to our itinerary.
Driving in a safari vehicle on the main roadways was quite an experience; seeing people go by their usual day, while we wiggle excitedly on our seats (along with countless other tourists), waiting to reach our dream destination. If you ask me, those 3 hours flew by quickly.
And so the journey began.
Upon arriving at Tarangire National Park, we were treated to our very first sighting of the famous Baobab trees.
Our first stop was the local park office, where our guide registered us while we walked around the vicinity. Here, we saw a massive ant mound in the middle of the parking lot. Yes, not an exciting start, but it was still quite impressive to see. This area was also the only place where we got to take photos under a Baobab tree (for the entire 5 days game drive), so if you’re taking the same route, I suggest to take advantage of this opportunity.
The office area is also home to a family of mongoose, which I honestly did mistake for being Timon, the meerkat’s family. To my dismay, this is when I learned as well that Lion King’s creative license meant they can lie to me about meerkats being in Serengeti. But no, they’re only located in Southern Africa.
Something to note about Tarangire is that it won’t have the iconic horizons of Serengeti. This park is more intimate, defined by its rolling hills, ancient Baobab trees, and the lifeblood of the Tarangire River that draws huge gatherings of elephants and other wildlife.
For lunch, your safari driver will take you to the designated picnic sites across the national parks. In Tarangire, ours had a view of the river and adorable Vervet monkeys waiting patiently for leftovers.
I must say, the picnic lunches during our game drives were an experience of their own. Your driver will either bring along a packed meal prepared by the lodge or stop somewhere to pick it up before heading deeper into the park.
The picnic sites are simple: basic tables under the shade of trees or a shelter, nothing fancy but perfectly functional. Drinks are unlimited and always stocked in the car, so you will never go thirsty. The food itself was straightforward, nothing gourmet, but okay enough for something prepared to travel. After all, that’s part of the safari charm.
Once we started the game drive, everything was a blur. Here’s a list of what we spotted and how it has forever etched in my mind, chronological order or not:
- A cheetah first spotted among the trees, before sprinting closer and surprising us as it darted across our vehicle.
- A herd of African savanna elephants, their bodies coated in the park’s distinctive red mud.
- A tower of giraffes, with Pumbaa the warthog munching on grass at their feet.
- A pride of beautiful lionesses resting together in the shade.
- Southern ground hornbills peeking out from behind tall grasses, these striking birds growing up to four feet (125 cm).
- A leopard stretched out and napping on a tree branch, completely unbothered by the safari vehicles below.
- A waterbuck grazing peacefully alongside a group of impalas.
- A lone owl perched on a treetop, showing off its remarkable 270-degree head turn.
I do have to give props to these tour guides. I get that most of them have been doing this for many years, so they must have picked up the skill, but spotting an animal is so wiiiild. These animals camouflage so perfectly with the landscape, and for good reason.
Throughout the 5-day game drive, I tried my best to spot animals first and ended up pointing at either a fallen tree bark, an ant hill, a literal tree, or even a rock. Suffice it to say, guiding or driving safaris one day is a career I can safely cross off my list. (Let’s face it, I will forever be a passenger princess.)
Capping off the day’s safari was a warm welcome at our lodge. And just like earlier, the familiar notes of Jambo Bwana filled the air. Aviad sang along as always, loud and proud, and I had no choice but to keep up. By then, I had picked up the lyrics quickly, and the tune has been looping in my head ever since, like a cheerful broken record.
That was only Day 1 of our 5-day game drive. The rest of the journey was filled with surprises at every turn. Meeting people along the way made us realise how much of it was down to a stroke of luck. Your safari might look completely different, maybe even better.
If you are piecing together an itinerary and wondering which national parks to choose, I would pick our plan again in a heartbeat.
On Day 2, we stopped at the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater Viewpoint before rolling into the vast Serengeti: dust, wilderness, and all. Stay tuned for my next entry.