Couple: Rachel + Jeremey
Location: Tanzania, Africa
Travel Season: September
Length of Stay: 10 Days
Lodging: Gibb’s Farm / Kimondo Camp / The Palms
Top Eats:
1. Rice Pilaf
2. Beef/steak – basically all of the protein they serve is super tasty because of the incredible spices they have readily available at their fingertips.
3. Anything seasoned with local spices – clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, etc..
4. Sweet bananas (baby bananas) – they’re everywhere and great to snack on.
5. Chai Masala Tea (they don’t usually serve this unless you ask but all of the natives love it and drink it. It’s delicious and even a little spicy!)
Things to Do/See:
1. Staying in the incredible safari tents at Kimondo Camp (a mobile camp that actually relocates along with the safari migration).
2. Eating dinner by a fire while watching elephants and giraffes walk by at Kimondo Camp.
3. Taking a game drive through Lake Manyara National Park.
4. Indulging in a luxurious Sultan’s bath for two while staying at The Palms in Zanzibar.
5. Watching the families of elephants cross the Mara river and play in the water.
6. Standing on and taking in the views of the border beacon between Kenya and Tanzania.
7. Learning to speak Swahili the way the locals do and convincing everyone to refer to me as “Malkia”… aka queen!
8. Seeing the village where one of our guides grew up and meeting his mother.
9. The Serengeti Honeymoon lions.
10. Swimming and paddle boarding in the Indian Ocean.
11. Seeing the local people of the Maasai tribe in their traditional red and plaid sukas.
12. Seeing all of the kids in their adorable uniforms hold hands as they walk to school – ages ranged from maybe 5 years old all the way up to high school/teenagers.
7 Things to Bring:
1. A great camera.
2. Open mind.
3. Explorer’s attitude (locals loved when we asked them to teach us the non-touristy Swahili and they loved it even more when we spoke it to them!).
4. High percentage of Deet bug spray.
5. Light jacket (can get cool while on game drives).
6. Binoculars (seeing a mama cheetah bathe her twin cubs magnified and up close but from a safe distance in the comfort of your safari vehicle is everything).
7. Journal.
4 Things to Shop:
1. Tanzanite (Arusha, Tanzania is the only place in the world where Tanzanite is mined).
2. Kangas – colorful wraps worn mostly by women (some men will wear them as well, especially those of the Maasai tribe. You can always tell someone if Maasai because they’re usually wearing a red plaid shuka/kanga).
3. Spices.
4. Gratitude (simple and minor tipping to guides, porters, etc. goes a LONG way).
As seen in Flutter Magazine, Issue No. 8 | Photography: Rachel Forteau
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