Tanzania & Kenya:
A Dream Across
the Wild

Lake Nakuru — The Big Four Surprise

After a night's rest in Nairobi, we set off for Lake Nakuru. The drive through the Great Rift Valley — where tectonic plates shift — was eerie, surreal, and completely hypnotic.

Within moments of entering the park, our guide received a radio call — lions had been spotted. Then came wild buffalos. Then two African rhinos. And most unexpectedly, a leopard lazily resting on a treetop. We happily skipped lunch just to watch that majestic tail hanging from the branch. Four of the Big Five on day one.

Masai Mara — Lion Central

The thrill from Lake Nakuru hadn't even worn off when we left for the Masai Mara. If Nakuru had given us a taste, Masai Mara served the full feast. In just three hours on our first afternoon game drive, we saw thirteen lions — lazily sprawled across the grass, full bellies and sleepy eyes.

That image of the wild — powerful yet peaceful — will stay with me forever.

A Birthday I'll Never Forget

It was my birthday, and I was already greedy — I wanted cheetahs, elephants, ostriches, wildebeests, and maybe another leopard. Turns out, the wild had birthday plans of its own.

A radio call led us to a cheetah family — a mother and her four older cubs, likely in hunt mode. The way they scanned the horizon, heads rising above the grass, was poetry in motion. Then came the wildebeests — thousands of them. And then another leopard moment: our guide took us ahead of the crowd and there she was, calling her cubs. Two tiny faces emerged and playfully greeted their mother. We sat silently for 20 minutes, holding our breath.

We had lunch in the middle of the Mara. Watched the river crossings. Saw elephants from a distance — completing our Big Five. And ended the day with a golden birthday sunset over the plains.

The Long Journey to Tanzania

Though the Serengeti was less than 100 km away, the journey took nearly 8–9 hours. The roads were unforgiving — muddy, broken, and slow. In hindsight, we should've taken the short flight. Safaris are expensive per day, and this could have saved us a whole one.

Still, the changing landscapes and raw beauty made the bumpy ride worthwhile. And crossing the International Boundary into Tanzania felt like a milestone worth marking.

Hot Air Balloon & The River Crossing

We woke at 3 a.m. for a hot air balloon ride — one of the most spectacular experiences of our lives. Floating above the Serengeti, we saw hippos heading to the river, millions of wildebeests spread across the plains, and the rising sun casting gold over everything.

After a champagne celebration and breakfast, we focused on the river crossing. We waited all day as the wildebeests hesitated by the bank. The anticipation was intense. At one point, a vehicle blocked their path — halting the crossing. It was infuriating. Just for a picture, some humans disturb this delicate cycle.

Eventually, we saw a major river crossing, and later, smaller groups. We even witnessed a baby wildebeest fight off a crocodile and survive. The tension. The energy. The courage. Unbelievable.

Simba's Land — Central Serengeti

Today we journeyed to the legendary Central Serengeti — a place that truly felt like stepping into a scene from The Lion King. This was a day of innocence: baby animals of almost every kind.

Baby hyenas, baby giraffes, baby elephants, and the most heartwarming sight — a lioness nursing her three cubs. Nature in its purest, most nurturing form. One highlight was lunch at the Hippo Pool, watching dozens of hippos lounging and wrestling in the water.

To Ngorongoro, with a Quick Masai Stop

On the way to Ngorongoro, we stopped at a Masai village — which honestly felt a bit curated and commercial. We saw the same souvenirs elsewhere at better prices. But the landscape around it, and the view of the village from a ridge, was genuinely beautiful.

The drive was long but alive with movement — rare antelopes, zebras, and then, the stillness of a kill. A leopard had made a fresh kill and dragged it up a tree. We waited. Everyone waited. The leopard had vanished into the undergrowth, and no matter how long we sat there, engines off, cameras ready, it never came back. Some things the wild keeps for itself. And yes, more giraffes, my old friends. Finally, we reached the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. The view left us speechless.

The Crater & The Crown

Ngorongoro Crater was lush, green, and packed with birds and water bodies. Unlike other parks, this conservatory has stricter movement rules — but even within those paths, we spotted a pride of lions. The final piece of our safari checklist.

Zebras and wildebeests as far as the eye could see, with the crater walls rising dramatically on all sides. A world within a world.

Final Morning: Kilimanjaro

We set out early for Mount Kilimanjaro, hoping to catch it before the clouds swallowed it. Through the Lemosho Gate, we reached the viewpoint — and there it was. Snow-capped, mysterious, massive.

Ten minutes later — gone. Covered in clouds. But we had seen it. And how lucky we felt. Final lunch overlooking the mountain. Bags packed. Hearts full. Memory cards overflowing.