Weaver Bird on Safari in Tanzania

Everyone who goes on a wildlife safari wants to see the Big 5. That is Elephants, Lions, Buffalo, Leopards and Rhino. They are called the Big 5 because they were at a time the 5 most difficult animals to hunt on foot. Now they are the ones that everyone wants to see on the game drives. It is breathtaking to see these animals in the wild. But after seeing the Big 5 (though rhinos are rare) as well as Giraffes, Zebras, Impala and all other sorts of mammals (and reptiles) you begin to focus on the incredible variety of birds that are found in the parks.

I admit I am not a “birder” but I have learned a lot about the birds of East Africa and the unique ways they adapt to the environment. They range from the beautifully blue Malachite Roller, to the Saddle-Billed Stork and the clever weaver birds who build their ball-shaped nests hanging from trees with the entrance at the bottom to prevent predators from getting to their young.

They are fascinating to watch and beautiful to see. So when you go on a wildlife safari don’t forget your binoculars or zoom lens to see the wide variety of feathered residents of the wilds of Africa.

Malachite Roller, Selous Tanzania

Saddle Billed Stork in Tanzania

A few weeks ago a suicide truck bomb exploded in Somalia.  It killed an estimated 70 people, including students hoping for foreign scholarships.  The group taking responsibility for the bombing is called Shabab.  They are affiliated with Al Queida.  It is a terrible tragedy without meaning or justification.

It also means that I will get asked the number one question that I always get – is going to Tanzania safe?  Last February I wrote an item about whether it was safe to travel to Tanzania. The answer is still yes. Tanzania is not Somalia.  It is perfectly safe.  It does not have the tribal strife of other countries.  It does not have extremist groups. 

Tourism is one of the major contributors to the Tanzanian economy.  The Tanzanian people are warm, friendly and helpful. My partner Steve and his wife Teena live there and have always felt safe.  They have a 4-year-old son, Aidan, (our VP of Entertainment) who took my wife Diane around town by himself on his own “safari.”  Steve always knew where they were.  Everyone looks out for everyone there.  Over there the phrase “it takes a village” is real. 

Yes, it is safe.

Mt. Kilimanjaro

The highest mountain in Africa is probably, next to wildlife viewing, is one of Tanzania’s greatest attraction. It is actually a dormant volcano and stands nearly 6000 meters (over 19,000 feet to you non-metric folks) above sea level and is the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. Every year, about 20,000 people try to reach the Summit, but only 40% actually do.

Have you climbed Kili? We’d love to hear your experience and any suggestions you have for folks thinking of climbing it.

We’ll be posting all responses on our Facebook page for Kili Week. You can climb Kili with us- contact us for more info.

Last week we mentioned that biking around Zanzibar was on our Tanzania bucket list.  This is an Island we will almost insist you visit when you plan your trip to Tanzania, it is an unforgettable experience so different from mainland Africa. It is here that the spice trade between the Arab and Indians began – and the whispy feeling of ancient Arab lands lingers in the doorways of Stonetown.

Not to mention, the beaches are simply spectacular, with clear blue water and white sand beaches.

Here are five things you may not have known about Zanzibar:

• People have lived here for 50,000 years
• Even today, the island continues to produce cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper.
• You can find the red colobus monkey here –one of the rarest monkeys in Africa
• People say the purest form of Swahili is spoken on Zanzibar (you might here one of them say “Swahili was born in Zanzibar, died in Dar and buried in Kenya.”)
•  Freddie Mercury from the band Queen was born on Zanzibar. An eponymous restaurant serves delicious seafood near the ferry terminal

With all the news of our budget problems and the deficit here in the USA – here is an interesting fact – according to Moody’s Investors Service both rated and unrated sovereigns in Sub-Saharan Africa economies which includes Tanzania, are expected to grow at a rate of 5.5%

In this area the economy rebounded in 2010 after experiencing the global economic crisis.  The reason for the growth is attributed to liberalization of domestic industries, better public finance and debt management and a boom in the region’s commodities spurred by growing demand from other emerging markets.

Moody’s also reported that political stability has also improved and a growing middle class has emerged, both of which are leading to profound societal changes that are helping to bolster the region’s resilience.

All of this is good news for Tanzania but also creates challenges on how to balance the growth of your country and the benefit of its people with issues such as wildlife conservation, and environmental issues.