Considering an African Safari? Try Something New!
Hike and Bike Northern Tanzania’s Splendor
Kambona Mollel, a Tanzanian native, highly experienced naturalist and owner of Elevate Trekking and Safaris, believes that more people should add an active component to their safari holidays. In addition to jeep-based safari adventures, Mollel believes adding a walking or biking component is essential: whether for a day or for multiple days and whether traveling with friends or with family. Mollel believes hiking and biking let you become one with the land and its indigenous people, tighten family bonds, and let you find a new dimension to your spirit. Of the many people he has escorted on safari trips, he says of them, “They return feeling closer to their friends and family having shared memories of sweating and camping together, and with a new zest to go after what they want. And if that is not enough, the wonder of seeing a zebra or giraffe saunter by, just cannot be beat.”
Adding an active component to your jeep safaris will of course increase your fitness. You won’t feel as guilty enjoying dessert and you may even return home fitter. But there are additional advantages: Stanford University’s Gregory Bratman and his colleagues found that study participants who took a walk in nature showed a decrease in negative rumination versus those who walked in an urban area. Melanie Rudd, also of Stanford University, found awe-inspiring experiences, particularly of nature, enhance well-being and cause people to behave more altruistically. Tokyo Medical and Dental University professor emeritus Koichiro Fujita, took us back to our childhoods. He says, “our obsession with ‘germ removal’ and ‘disinfection’ is driving out ‘good’ bacteria… lowering our immunity.” In effect, we need to get dirty to stave off disease.
Get Dirty in the African Bush
Mollel has carefully identified the best walking and biking routes around Mount Kilimanjaro, the safari parks of northern Tanzania and Lake Natron. These routes are safe; they wind themselves through the villages of the indigenous Maasai people providing the opportunity to walk with them and experience their culture and village life, and are designed to provide scenic views of the vast landscape and its friendlier wildlife such as zebras and giraffes.
On these fully escorted trips, everything is well planned for. From tents to comfortable lodges, from walking or biking to game drives in jeeps, you can relax, enjoy your once-in-a-lifetime experience and be unafraid to get dirty in the African bush.
Planning Tips
Best Time to Visit: During the wildebeest migration is no doubt the best time to visit Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. This is between the months of August through October when you will see hundreds of thousands of wildebeest cross the Mara river at top speed in northern Serengeti National Park on the border with Kenya. In June and July and January through March, you will see a sea of wildebeest grazing as far as the eye can see in western and southern Serengeti National Park. Additionally, if you travel in February, you will also see the birthing of little wildebeest calves.
Must Do’s:
- See Africa’s Big Five (lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and rhinoceros) up close and personal on Game Drives in Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara National Park and Tarangire National Park.
- See Lake Natron for its Pink Flamingos.
- Relax in Zanzibar Island, well-known for its tantalizing beaches, Stone Town and for its rare red Colobus monkeys.
- Go on a balloon ride for a birds-eye view of the African savanna as far as the eye can see.
- And for extra credit, climb up Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak.
Elevate Trekking and Safaris has a reputation for excellence in planning lodge and tented wildlife safaris, bush treks, and walking and biking safaris, Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru climbs, Zanzibar holidays and community volunteering projects. You can contact Mr. Kam Mollel, experienced naturalist and owner – for guidance and to get your questions answered. Kambona can also plan your Tanzanian holiday for you. TravelMyHeart does not make any commissions. Please ask Kam for the best value.