'I had a farm in Africa...' is how the famous autobiographical story of the Danish aristocrat Karen Blixen starts. Karen emigrated to Kenya and was one of the first to venture into coffee farming on the East African uplands. While success eluded her at the time, the beans of the Arusha Coffee Lodge in neighbouring Tanzania have long been prized throughout the world. I’m here, not far from the mighty Kilimanjaro, enjoying a cup of coffee in the resort’s beautiful gardens. Ready for my African adventure – on a round trip that will go high in the sky and deep into the heart of Tanzania. Ready for the sky safari by Elewana.
It is October, and it is springtime in Tanzania. At a pleasant 28 degrees, the Arusha Coffee Lodge is an inviting place to relax and recover after your arrival. The Elewana Group’s well-kept resort, nestled in lush green coffee plantations, is perfect for leisurely getting in the mood for seeing an authentic Africa that is still largely unspoilt by international tourism. Only the drone of the small aircrafts taking off and landing at the nearby Arusha Airport remind you that you are in a town with over 400,000 inhabitants. Arusha’s uplands, 1,400 metres above sea level, provide the ideal conditions for farming the fine Arabica beans – I learn about this on the next day on a guided tour of the 342-hectare plantation. It is extremely interesting to find out about the journey from the blossom to the red fruit, and then from processing the green beans to gently roasting them. After this, the shuttle is waiting to get us to the airfield: we are off to Tarangire. Memorable moments are already in store for us on the flight – from the air, seeing the vast steppe, river valleys branching out, herds of antelopes and zebras, you get the pure 'Africa feeling'. Birds in magnificently vibrant colours notice our arrival and leave their places on the sweeping baobab trees. A deep red-gold beams at us, green permeating through, an almost surreal beauty.
The feeling of having arrived in the heart of Africa continues in the Tarangire Treetops Lodge: Like treehouses, the stilt houses nestle into the strong trunks of the baobab trees. The wilderness is palpable, the view from the rooms and the wooden terrace in the front is wide and expansive. A unique feeling of nature, of untamed naturalness. The jeep safari lives up to all expectations: Through the open roof of the safari jeep, we enjoy a direct view of the amazing wildlife, including elephants, leopards and lions. When visiting a Maasai village, we are greeted by real African life: Among the round mud huts, we experience traditional songs and marvel at the proud tribal dances and the pearl jewellery made by the women. Elewana’s support of the village through tourism makes the daily lives of these Maasai, who mainly live on livestock farming, that little bit easier. From Tarangire, we travel further on to Ngorongoro. Given that the 5-star complex, The Manor, is built in the style of the Cape Dutch manor houses, it really feels reminiscent of colonial times. Dark wooden beams, comfortable seating and stylish decorations dominate the main house with its restaurant and bar and spacious, elegant rooms, which can also be found in other houses. You can sit here by the open fire, in privacy, and watch the sun go down beyond the coffee plantations. Of course, a tour of the crater is essential: On the two-hour trip, we experience the colourful life in the settlements and villages, before going through wooded, invariable terrain to the crater. At 2,200 metres altitude, the view from the edge of the crater into the vastness of the crater floor, measuring around 20 km in diameter, is impressive.
Local markets, hustle and bustle, locals who exchange, buy, sell and haggle – this is also part of Tanzania. Shoes, clothes, goats and furniture are offered for sale right on the street. We are on our way to Lake Manyara, known for its thousands of flamingos, which gather there in March/April enriching the earthy African colours with a coral-coloured accent. Unfortunately, we can’t enjoy them now in October, but the backdrop of green, blue and ochre still looks like a picture postcard. We take off from the Manyara airfield to get to our next destination before returning to Arusha: the Elewana Migration Camp is in the north of the Serengeti National Park. It is a safari lodge in the truest sense: a tented village with exceptionally high levels of comfort. If it wasn’t for the tent roof up above us, the quality furniture with wooden floors and leather armchairs, soft cushions and curtains would more likely make you think we were in a luxury double room. On the wooden terrace in front of each two-person tent, wildlife is tangible – the monkeys, elephants, giraffes and hippos that live here come up quite close. Our safari holds unforgettable memories: We got to experience a herd of wildebeest navigating the river, in their hundreds, thunderous, powerful, unstoppable. They follow the rain, which failed to appear in Kenya and which, thanks to a short shower overnight, led them here. What a show! The camera hardly gets a break, at most when you go for a dive into the pool or at dinner, where we are served a variety of African dishes and fantastic South African wine. Yes, Tanzania is real adventure. It’s good to get a course of malaria tablets and a yellow fever vaccination, but once done, there really is nothing to stand in the way of this safari experience in what is still a very authentic part of Africa.
