Great Rides

When you join us, we have the blessing of four new Toyota Land Cruisers for our safaris with Donatus.

Pictured here left to right: Donatus, 'Momma Doreen', Robbie, Gennifer & Elia. We have three other new guides joining the team as well.

On safari, I strive to connect you with the 'Big 5', the abundance of bird life, as well as the people who easily become our friends along the way. On this day, I was reminded of a cultural difference as Elia gently reminded me that Don's wife is named Anna but in Tanzania, once women are mothers they are called after their firstborn.

We form a great team and love to laugh together.  Won't you join us?

Empakai Caldera

A new location for me and very close to Ngorongoro Caldera, Empakai is located inside of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

It is a spectacular drive across fields of waving grass, with Golden Jackals hunting 'blind' gophers while Kestrels and larger birds of prey soar the heights above. Tall hills are in the distance and red-clothed Maasai stand tall while the cattle, goats and sheep graze freely. 

We stopped to admire the views of 'Ol Donyo Lengai' an active volcano in the not so distant horizon. It spewed forth most recently in 2008, with ash heading out over the Serengeti plains. 

As we approached, the tantalizing views of Empakai opened up as we whizzed by the lush greenery. Stopping for a short walk to stretch our legs, Donatus told us of the animals resident here including thousands of flamingoes covering the lake in soft pink during the dry season. 

Visits to Empakai may be added as a half day or even a two day trip, with hikes down to the lakeside.

New GenSafaris Web Site!

Take a browse through our updated website which has many more photos and lots of information.

Please send me your feedback and any thoughts. Suggestions about the information you would like to see is always welcome.

Asante sana (thank you very much)!
 

On The Way To Ngorongoro Caldera

Greetings rafiki (friends) from beautiful Tanzania!

This is a short stay for me to research a few new lodges, activities, areas and friends to introduce into our future safari journeys. 

On the road up to the Ngorongoro overlook, we ran into a large troop of the friendly baboons. At times they can be up to mischief and our Land Cruiser windows closed quickly, but today they were content to let us photograph to our hearts content as we wound around them, all using the same clear path for access up and down the steep hillside. 

At one point we parked next to a very large male. He was at eye level as he sat on a hillock just an arms length from my open window. His amber eyes looked at us with no particular interest and I was struck by the intelligence behind them. 

Karibu (Welcome) Tanzania!

Tembo (Elephant) Waking

It has been a while since I’ve updated you, so in preparation for the next safari(s), a few remembrances of special moments will help us set the stage. I’ll begin with one of my favorites…

Early one morning, we left our lodge at Ndutu and headed out to see who else was also up and about early. The dew was heavy on the ground and we were all a bit chilly with the roof hatches opened for viewing. Thoughts of the damp vanished as we rounded a corner to find a lone bull elephant just standing up.

(A bit of a biology lesson before proceeding: Elephants rarely lie down as their lungs are so compressed by their enormity and it can be more difficult to breathe).

He rose on his large frame, lumbering slowly to stretch and relieve himself and appeared very much like me after a good nights sleep. His eyes still only half open, he took the delicate tip of his sensitive trunk and rubbed away some ‘eye goobers’. I was in awe of the feelings of similarity between his and my waking rituals. Shortly after that he ambled slowly to the nearest bush for a bit of breakfast.

Amazing synchronicity abounds if we are just open to sitting still and feeling those around us. See the photo and you can get a connection with his (and our) mood that early morning. Also notice the dew darkening the upper part of his body and the lower dry area that was in contact with the ground while he was prone.

Hoping this adds a smile and a bit of wonderment to your day.