Bucket List Adventure!

Is an African Safari on most folk’s bucket list? It was for me and Gary, however, my best friend and lover died two years ago in March; we had been married for 40 years. Therefore, I had to carry on in fulfilling our bucket list wish and did so with my best friend Karen.

The trip was phenomenal to say the least and I would venture to say it was all due to African Dream Safari (ADS)! Our tour guide has traveled with ADS three other times, and she would not pick any other tour company to travel with and there are almost 300 safari tour companies to choose from. ADS also made certain two women traveling by themselves, although with a group, were always safe.

There were 23 of us traveling on 4 safari trucks and what an epic adventure we all had. Most days we might start off together, but often we would be on our own, unless one of us spotted a den of lions or rhino that we wanted to share with others. The trucks were well stocked with water and other drinks. Note, most days, the rides are pretty bumpy as you are out in the bush on unpaved roads!

Our lodging was first class including Lake Duluti and Ngorongoro Serena Lodges as well as our glamping experiences at Mbuzi Mawe and Lake Masek Tented Lodges. No animals or bugs in our living quarters and mosquitoes were not a problem. The staff at all the facilities made every attempt to meet everyone’s request. Food and liquid libations might not be what you are used to eating at home, but were plentiful.

Tanzania and more specifically the Serengeti was spectacular. We were blessed to see over 75 different animals and birds, including the big five, thanks to our knowledgeable guides who could ferret animals out with their naked eyes when we had to use the binoculars!

On our first day we were amazed to see elephants, lions, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, zebras, and gazelles which we thought would take several days to see. We saw the great migration of Wildebeest and a few other animals including Zebras. Our tour guides really made our trip, especially Peter. His knowledge was boundless – there wasn’t a question he could not answer. Peter also kind, and humorous.

Several of us woke up extra early to take a balloon ride over the Serengeti. The sunrise was breathtaking and seeing the animals, especially the birds from a different angle, was a unique experience. The ride concluded with a champagne breakfast in the open bush.