If you take anything from this blog post, let it be this: Enjoy your safari trip AFTER trekking Kilimanjaro. Safari requires zero effort and it is the perfect opportunity to let your body heal. We booked our 4 day safari trip with Popote African Adventures. There are several reasons why we recommend this company but the one I love to mention first is the price. On top of their already spectacular pricing, we were given an additional discount for bundling our Kilimanjaro trek and safari guided tour.
As we headed West out of Moshi Town, there were several miles of stretched Tanzanian plains with the tallest mountain I’d ever seen in the background. It was such a picturesque moment that left Margeaux and me completely baffled. Did we really just climb to the top of that beast of a mountain?! Indeed…
Tarangire National Park
Our first day of our safari adventure was spent at Tarangire National Park: a 4,600 square kilometer park that houses four of Africa’s Big Five. The Big Five include the lion, the leopard, the rhinoceros, elephant and Cape buffalo. We managed to see all of the following: elephant, giraffe, leopard, lion, warthogs, water buffalo, ostrich, zebra, gazelle, impala and hyena. In comparison to the Serengeti, the square footage is drastically smaller, making it easier to find the animals. Honestly, I think Tarangire was my favorite. Our first stop was a watering hole where several species spent their day drinking, playing and lounging.
Margeuax and I immediately fell in love with the warthogs, haha! They eat and drink while kneeling because their necks are too short. They also run with their tail pointing straight in the air. This is used as a “follow the leader”/”I’m right here” tactic.
There was an abundance of elephants (including a brand new baby). I’ve never seen one so small and it was the highlight of the day. We did learn something quite disturbing… elephants eat each other’s poop for nutrients. The second picture below shows a tribe of elephants chowing down on some fresh doo doo.
The only water supply throughout the park is the perennial Tarangire River. Water levels vary throughout the year and if the water is not accessible, the elephants will burrow holes in the ground with their trunks to reach the water underground.
The weaver birds, specifically males, make the nests to house the eggs. The female weaver birds then go around and decide which one is the best for their home.
Tarangire River 
Lions hiding below the second tree 
Dust Devil 
Serengeti National Park
The Serengeti “AKA The Big Mama of Safari’s” is a whopping 35,000 square kilometers. This makes finding the animals more challenging because they are scattered across the park. Because of this I suggest spending more than one day here. Nevertheless, we saw several hippo (which are actually VERY MEAN), gazelle, ostrich, cheetah, giraffes, monkeys, hyena, fennec fox, lions and even a LEOPARD! A cool fact about ostrich: Males have black feathers because they guard the eggs at night while the female ostrich are brown to protect the eggs during the day. Camouflage and baby duty!
Sleeping lions 
Hippo 
All female gazelle 
The one male gazelle. Those are all of his ladies 
Hyena
Before dusk, we headed towards our lodging within the Serengeti; Mawe Tented Camp. Upon arrival, the lodging staff informed us that a leopard was nearby. We left quickly in hopes of finding the spotted beauty. Our guide Beatus suggested we look in the trees. As we were all looking up, the leopard startled us because it was laying in the grass RIGHT NEXT TO OUR JEEP! Hilarious! Beatus said the leopard had just eaten a meal which accounts for its sluggishness.
Popote arranged all lodging for our safari trips and I gotta say this one was my favorite and the most unique. We literally slept in a luxury tent in the middle of the Serengeti Plain. Wifi and meals are included. At night, you’re not allowed to leave your tent unless accompanied by an expereinced guide. There is a flashlight system if you need any assistance. The tent included two queen beds with canopy mosquito nets and a full bathroom with a beautiful wooden floor shower. I was very impressed.
Margeaux and I paid extra for a hot air balloon ride within the Serengeti. This was also scheduled by Popote but the company they chose is called Miracle Experience. The next morning, we and a handful of others hopped in two hot air balloons that sailed high above the Serengeti Plain. Unfortunately, we did not see many animals but it was still a cool experience. This was my first time riding in a hot air balloon and we were well taken care of with their experienced pilots and exceptional staff. Shout out to our friend Dixon for being so kind. His positive vibes and big smile made for a pleasant morning. Not only was the hot air balloon a unique experience, but they also provided brunch within the park and it was CLASSY. Here’s a little secret.. don’t forget to use their restroom. Weird, I know… but whoa!
The scariest animal of them all can be seen below in her natural habitat. She’s extinct in Tanzania and only exists in Austin, TX. We are so fortunate to have caught her sleeping.
Ngorongoro Crater
Myself, Beatus and Margeaux
This 260 square kilometer crater was created 2-2.5 million years ago when the active volcano exploded and tumbled upon itself. We were immediately greeted by 3 lions when we descended into the crater. It was so neat to see them traveling together across the field. They even zig zagged throughout the vehicles.
At one point, the zebras and wildebeest congregated in the road, leaving us at a standstill for several minutes. With these views, I could sit there all day. We searched the entire crater for a Rhino but never saw one. We left seeing four of the big five. A successful trip for sure.
The Maasai tribe live throughout Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Plan on seeing a lot of cattle during your drive. The new norm also includes seeing giraffe and zebra along the road. A couple tips for the journey: the Popote jeeps are equipped with USB chargers, allowing you to keep your phone fully charged at all times. We suggest buying snacks because most of your time is spent in the jeep. One pair of binoculars were provided by Popote for the trip.
We really enjoyed our safari time with Popote African Adventures. Thanks are in order to Beatus for showing us around. Unfortunately, Margeaux had to head home after safari so I left the next morning solo for Zanzibar.