
Jemedari can see the look of concern on my face. “Just to clarify,” I say, “we’re having breakfast and not going to be breakfast correct?” With a bright smile he says, “Hakuna Matata!” He laughs and Rashidi laughs too.
Rashidi is our driver. Jemedari, also known as Jimmy, is our African safari guide. It’s the first morning on my first safari. Bill and I are traveling in a group of four on this adventure. The driver and guide make six. They say there is safety in numbers but, when we stop for breakfast in the bush, there are hippos in sight and we have no weapons. We’ve come during wet season when bushes are thick and grasses are high. Who knows what might be hungry and hiding in the dense terrain. I suppose I should trust them. After all, Jimmy and Rashidi don’t want to be breakfast either and they’ve already exited the open jeep.

I exit the jeep with the others, stepping lightly and looking all around. I make my way to the clearing where Rashidi and Jimmy unpack picnic baskets atop a stone table. The rest of us watch the pod of hippos across the Ruaha River. Despite their dangerous reputation, a young calf steals my heart. My nerves begin to relax. I take a deep breath of the cool, humid air and enjoy the beauty of it all.

“Breakfast is served,” Jimmy calls. We’re so engrossed in our binoculars and cameras that we’ve forgotten we stopped for breakfast. On the table is a smorgasbord of fresh squeezed juice, papaya, pineapple, and freshly baked pastries with butter and home-made jam. Rashidi offers us coffee from a thermos as we take our places on stone seats. We sip our java from steel mugs while we watch the saddle-billed storks and baboons that live in harmony with the hippos. That was just the beginning of an adventure that will forever be in my heart and soul. The opportunity to visit Africa, explore the wildlife, and meet the people of Tanzania has enriched my life.

Daily game drives are enough to deem it the experience of a lifetime. But, what enhances an African safari even more is the remoteness. We stayed in a Banda on the edge of the Mwagusi River in Ruaha National Park. My phone was shut off for eight days. No internet, television or radio. My ears heard only the sounds of the river, exotic birds, monkeys, baboons, the trumpets of elephants, and an occasional roar in the middle of the night. Each day my eyes saw sights that were beautifully unexpected, spontaneous, and spiritual.

Countless Encounters


Educational Expedition
We were equally entertained by the small creatures as we were by large game, spending nearly thirty minutes watching dung beetles roll their treasures down the road.


It was a long process for the chameleon to cross the road and we enjoyed every minute. As soon as it got to the edge and started changing color with dark green stripes to match the blades of grass, Jimmy hopped out of the jeep and laid a hand in front of its chest. The chameleon climbed onto his arm then climbed on each of us before returning to the grass.
Cat Caravan


The Circle of Life


Risky Rides


Don’t Move!

Wondrous Wilderness

I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Those moments of nerves and tension made it real, added to the adventure, and allowed me to experience how powerful nature is. If you do not have an African Safari on your bucket list, consider adding it. There are numerous websites you can visit to determine what type of safari you’d like to do. I’ll share how we chose ours.
Choosing Your Safari

Dry season is popular because of the large numbers of wildlife gathered together at water sources which are limited during the months of June through October. The downfall is that many vehicles gather there for the same reason. Dry season provides better visibility. You can see for miles across the land, spotting animals from afar – a pod of hippos, a herd of elephants, a tower of giraffes, a troop of baboons, or a dazzle of zebras.
Wet or Dry Season?

Wet season will usually guarantee you a smaller populous. With the exception of two nights, we were the only four tenants at Mwagusi Safari Camp in Ruaha National Park. We had more opportunities to interact with the Tanzanian people running the camp. They enjoyed teaching us a few phrases in Swahili and telling us about their culture.
Crowds versus Solitude?

Although there are other camps in the park, we rarely came upon another vehicle. When we discovered the rare leopard, it was just us and the leopard. When we came upon a herd of migrating cape buffalo, it was just us and a hundred buffalo. On our last afternoon drive, we went to an area known as the “Small Serengeti” where there are not as many trees and the terrain is flat. We were the only vehicle amongst several herds of elephants that were practicing some sort of ritual. Many of them were sparring, mothers were chasing intruders from their families, males were trumpeting and charging in all their glory.

In truth, Ruaha is one of Tanzania’s best kept secrets because most people that choose to safari in Tanzania go to the Serengeti. So, if you want an experience away from the crowds, you may want to plan a trip to Ruaha during wet season. Ruaha National Park is also known for its purple-hued hills, giant boulders and massive Baobab trees that are thousands of years old. It is one of Tanzania’s most undeveloped and wildest game reserves. Check out the camps available in the park. Most of them offer the same “Banda” experience which is rustic yet private and intimate.

Make an appointment with a Passport Health Office a month or two before your trip. They provide you with the most current CDC information in addition to general precautions when traveling. Passport Health will vaccinate you for your trip in the same appointment. Be aware that vaccinations are pricey in addition to the required malaria medications so plan ahead for this extra cost.
Pack lightly. The small aircraft that transports you to camp only allows 35lbs per passenger.
One pair of long pants, one pair of shorts, a long-sleeved shirt and a couple of t-shirts is plenty.
Our camp offered laundry service however you should be aware of how that service works. Some camps run off solar energy so laundry is done by hand and they do not have dryers. They will dry your clothes as much as possible but during wet season this is a tricky task. Laundered clothing will be damp when returned and may not dry entirely before you need to wear them again. Also, they do not wash women’s undergarments so bring plenty for your entire stay.
I did not use laundry service. I wore the same pants, shorts and shirts for a week, interchanging them from day to day. But, this is part of the adventure. Everyone else is doing the same thing and no one cares about clothing when you’re on safari.
The camps are very remote so some items or supplies may not be available.
Bring a map of your park
If you want snacks such as cheese or nuts, bring your own (you can pick some up during your layover in Amsterdam). You probably won’t need snacks because the food is plentiful and delicious! But they don’t have foods such as cheese. We brought some from Amsterdam and didn’t eat it. We gave it to the camp and they were so very grateful for the rare delicacy.
You cannot charge electronics in your Banda. The office charges phones or camera batteries. But, it takes all day so bring plenty of batteries that can be rotated each day.
Learn a few phrases of Swahili and bring a Swahili-English dictionary.

Hakuna Matata!
















































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