Day 7 May 12, 2025 Nairobi to Tarangire Resevation, Tanzania
We had to be up exceptionally early this morning in order to arrive at the airport 3 hours before departure time. The hotel gave us box lunches which were a let down from the buffet breakfast they normally have. We thought the three hours seemed really early since the airport didn’t seem all that big. What we didn’t know was that Precision Air was having system problems so checking in was a nightmare. They were entering everything into a lap top connected via the very slow internet. The passport scanners weren’t working either. They also needed three people to get the job done. The person entering used only one finger and hunted for every letter. The flight the day before had been cancelled so those passengers were also trying to get on. Immigration and security weren’t too bad but the gate was a mile down the concourse. We made it but not by much. We had to get to the plane via a bus that drove about 30 feet. We could have walked faster. Precision Air is not on our recommended list.
The flight lasted about an hour. We flew near Mount Kilimanjaro. Clouds surrounded it so we couldn’t see much. They actually served water, tea or coffee plus a choice of cake or croissant.
We landed and before we got inside the terminal a group of folks asked for our passports. Don’t know why because they didn’t look at much. The others in our group said they were asked for proof of Yellow Fever vaccination. We think they saw our COVID record and thought that was it. Our paper visas were accepted without a problem. We picked up our bags which had to go through another x-ray and met our guide outside. His Gate 1 sign was hand written which is not normal.
We got in another of the four wheel drive vehicles and headed for the Tarangire Reservation. The roads here seem in better condition than those in Kenya. The traffic isn’t as thick either. Therefore we made pretty good time. The sights along the way are much the same. Small towns with outdoor markets with farmland in between.
We stopped for lunch at a lodge overlooking a river. We had a table outside and luckily the weather was nice. Lots of clouds but no rain. I think we were the last to eat because the food on the buffet line was depleted and warm but not hot. Only water was included but Connie had already ordered a lemonade. Turns out that lemonade was a virgin Mojito and cost $5.00. It was tasty but not that tasty. A bottle of Diet Pepsi was $3.00. A big part of the population counts on tourism for their livelihood. The average personal income per year is $250.00.
This reservation is known for its large elephant population and the huge baobab trees. These trees can live to be 1,500 years old. Most are hollow on the inside providing homes to birds, snakes and other animals. The reservation also has a large population of termites. These build large mounds called castles. The king and queen termites spend their lives inside the castle producing more termites. They can live 50 years or more.
We saw a few elephants, giraffes, lions, warthogs, monkeys, baboons, birds and antelope. The land is more forested then Kenya. Lots of places for animals to hide. That seems to be what most were doing because this is the hottest day yet. Don’t know the actual temperature just guessing in the mid eighties. The highlight was the lions in the tree sleeping. Well the adults were. The cub was wide awake and curious.
Our lodging tonight is at the Sangaiwe Tented Lodge just outside the reservation. These tents are scattered up the hill side. A “cobbled” path winds up the hill. Sure glad someone is bringing the bags. Once again the beds are inclosed in mosquito netting. I was so tired from three nights of little sleep, the early morning and the heat that i laid down and only got up to shower and brush my teeth. Rob made it to supper.
Spoffords Travel 