A trip into central Tanzania

Sara was very nervous on arriving in Mahali National Park (MNP), a bit odd as we are both seasoned safari guides and have lived in the wilds of East Africa for much of our lives. She was putting on a brave face but her chimp phobia was threatening to spoil our stay.

I was pleased to hear that we were to go strait to camp and out immediately to see the chimp cousins as they were near the camp for the first time in days and the opportunity might not arise again during our stay. This would kill the stress about seeing the chimps up close and allow her to relax and enjoy the break. (Every body that has gone to Greystoke camp to see the critters this year has seen them, but some have walked all day in order to do so.)

We had arrived at a small village just north of the park in a Cessna 206 after a short (1hr) hop from Katavi National Park (KNP), a scenic trip from the hot floodplain surrounded by Miombo woodland over the Mahali Mountains down to the bright blue Lake Tanganyika shoreline. (Driving to these areas is not worth considering, as only KNP is accessible by road after a very long tedious bumpy hot dusty drive that would take at least three days from Arusha. There are now scheduled flights and that has reduced the prohibitive cost, in the region of $7000, to charter a small plane there and back. Obviously the logistical costs of maintaining a camp in the area are also high.)

KNP is the only National Park in Tanzania that was established at the behest of the local people. At the heart of the park are several open grassland seasonal swamps that are rimmed by sandy knolls covered with woodland containing beautiful huge shady Acacia Albida, Tamarind and Pod Mahogany trees. The park is surrounded by Miombo woodland covered hills and to the northeast the Mlele escarpment down which flow several clear small rivers.

Buffalo herds of three thousand head were ranging over the swamps on our visit, I wander if there is any where in the world that can rival the huge pods of hippo that were in the middle of the swamp in front of the camp. I found the Lions to be unusually gangly and the lionesses, the heaviest I have seen, were bothering a very large heard of buffalo along the same river. The bigger finer striped Selous type of zebra and the generally larger eastern Tz Topi were abundant. We saw Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest, Roan antelope and where unlucky to miss Sable. It was a time of hippo though, as they were being forces into a smaller patch by hunting outside and less water within KNP. We saw fearsome battles as groups of males struggled to dominate the shit full puddles. I have herd their battles at night but this was the first time in my life I saw the drama unfold before my eyes and only yards away. I would recommend this experience for anybody especially second time visitors to Tz who have seen the wanders of the Serengeti before.

MNP is a very different place. After the 30-minute ride on the dhow to camp we found ourselves on a root march through thick tropical forest and abandoned oil palm orchards trying to catch up to the habituated troop of chimps. Teams of scientist from Japan have been studying the troop since the sixties and, with little fanfare, have built up a detailed knowledge of all aspects of the troop daily trials and tribulations. After about 40minutes of speed walking we met up with the camp manager who had been waiting to accompany us to the troop and started playing catch-up again hearing chattering and loud screams all around us.

Suddenly one of the guides at the back of our group told of approaching chimps from the rear and we obediently sat down on the side of the narrow bush path. Sara was looking decidedly nervous as the whispering of information started and seven of the top males in the troop, numbering about fifty individuals, paced by in a very determined manner indeed scarcely looking at us sitting inches away as they passed. We, and the chimps, seemed to be avoiding eye contact and pretending that this was an inconsequential chance passing in the forest. It probably was for the chimps but for me it was totally surreal, and for Sara? By the time we headed back to camp we had watched a full display of aggression from the number three ranked male and seen the gentle play and grooming sessions within a family group. She was very pleased that she had made the effort and almost overcome the fear of them.

Mahali is really a small piece of the Congo basin that was marooned on the wrong side of the rift valley as the lake (the second deepest in the world) formed. It is not ideal for game viewing as the generally dense vegetation makes picking things out in the forest very difficult. However I have seldom been in a place more like paradise, and felt very much at home and relaxed. The lakes clear water offers excellent snorkeling and fishing being a recognized source of some very beautiful and endemic tropical fish. All of these activities cost a little extra, as licenses are required from the National Park. I hope to return soon and explore further.

Both of the camps that we stayed in were very comfortable and have been creatively put together. The food was excellent.