Hubers go Africa

Four remarkable differences of East Africa to the South. – Impressive are the huge animal herds (wildebeest, zebras, buffalos, elephants). What we lack (on this trip) is the loneliness of a Hoarusib valley in Namibia and the confrontation with transient cultures like the Himbas. – What you get in the parks for quite a lot…

Nine lions. Batteries are charged and the fridge is full. I could sit and watch for hours. Als wir den badenden Elefanten zusahen, gab uns ein Guide den Tip, wo zwei Löwen liegen. Als wir ankamen waren es neun! 

Two thirds of the three million mammals are wildebeests, zebras and Thomson gazelle, which (often followed by lions accompanying their food) participate in this unimaginable annual migration through the vastness of Serengeti and Maasai Mara. Serengeti migration is the last mass migration of wildlife on Earth. Circular, clockwise, they migrate 1,000 km west in May/June…

Boundless space, storybook savannahs and an adventurous wildlife. This is how Professor Grzimek once awakened the understanding and longing for Africa. With its adjacent conservatories, the Serengeti has the size of the Netherlands and with the unimaginable number of 3 million larger mammals, it’s the game richest national park. Endlose Weiten, Bilderbuch-Savannen und eine Tierwelt…

A piece of Eden in Africa, the Ngorongoro-Serengeti ecosystem, once the exclusive habitat of the Maasai. We start with a day in the Ngorongoro Crater. From Karatu you climb a steep mountain forest and cannot find a suitable superlative when you reach the top of the crater rim. The view into the 600 meters deep,…

From Tarangire it is only a few kilometers  to a completely different national park: Lake Manyara. Its highlights are the many (water) birds and the famous tree lions that are typical here and in Elizabeth Park in Uganda. By the way, they are not a species of their own, but smart lions who flee from…

When guides tell us where they saw the famous tree lions, we countered with our (photo) trophy: a pregnant cheetah. That made an impression! Als uns Guides beiläufig erzählen, dass und wo sie die berühmten Baumlöwen gesichtet haben, kontern wir mit unserer (Foto-) Trophäe: einer schwangeren Gepardin. Das macht Eindruck.

Back from city life to the wilderness. It is said that the density of elephants is nowhere greater than in Tanzania’s Tarangire Park. A place to be! And: It is a MUST especially in the dry season from July to October/November. For many animals here the Tarangire river is a guaranteed source of water. However,…

Thanks to our rescheduling (plan B, cf. previous post), we have immediately increased our knowledge of Africa. Lesson learnt: The capital of Tanzania is not Dar es Salaam at all, but Dodoma – since 1974 already. But still not all ministries are here and the planned international airport is far from being finished. Reminds us…