Scott's African Adventure Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania Dec 10-25, 2023

Africa is on many people's bucket list. But how many actually take the journey to the world's second largest and second most populous continent? On December 10, 2023 I boarded a United flight from Phoenix to Chicago to do just that. Once in Chicago, I found my next step along the way, Belgium Air to Brussels departing at 5:50 PM. While in Chicago I passed the time at United's Lounge where food, drink, resting areas and plenty of computer docking stations blanketed the area. This was my first Business Class experience, but now I think I’m spoiled. It was such a treat. Once on the east-bound plane, I relaxed with a glass of wine, delicious dinner, and most of all, comfort stretching out. Nine and a half hours to Brussels was going to be a breeze.

Arriving in a new country was exciting, but I was most exhilarated about getting to the Mother Continent, the oldest inhabited continent on the planet. It was now 7:15 AM, December 11th, and I was scheduled to depart for Kigali, Rwanda at 10:35 AM, a short layover. I scrambled to find the information board for Arrivals and Departures once in the terminal. Looking up and down the times for Departures, I found my flight...Brussels to Kigali, flight 9955: Cancelled. I stared at the board in disbelief, but saw a rush of departing passengers head towards the terminal. After asking a few people, I hurriedly ran to catch up with a growing group of unhappy travelers as they started cuing up at the Belgium Airlines Service Center. There were two people at the center helping re-route the growing displaced group. This was going to take some time! One thing you learn quickly with international travel is the concept of patience, which I don't typically have an abundance of.

After standing in line for almost two hours, I finally got to the front of the line where I was re-routed to Africa the next night…only one flight a day to Kigali. The airline put me up at a very nice hotel just across a walkway from the airport, along with food vouchers. As a person who doesn’t like to waste time, I made the most of the situation and decided I’d see some of Brussels. Heading out early the next day with camera in tow, I found the subway close by. With the help of Google, I made my way to the Grand-Place, the central square of the City of Brussels. It is known all over the world for its decorative and aesthetic wealth. The area was certainly festive, with bright decorative lights strung across the streets. Christmas was only 13 days away. After spending a day in Brussels taking in the sights of the central square shops and interesting architecture, I made my way back to the hotel and then the United Lounge until my flight was ready to board for Kigali, Rwanda. I missed two days of seeing Kigali, but did find out I would be able to make another Gorilla trek.

After spending a day in Brussels taking in the sights of the central city, I was routed to Kigali, Rwanda to make my Gorilla trek. What I didn't expect was arriving without my luggage. Another snafu! My driver from Gate 1 met me at the luggage carousel, and after the final passenger left the area I realized I was wearing the only clothes I had. No tooth brush, hair brush, insect repellant, or change of clothes. My driver was super nice and took me to a small outdoor shopping area where I picked up some necessities, like a pair of safari pants, shirt, hiking shoes, etc. Finally making it to the hotel after a long, bumpy drive, I grabbed some lunch and met the others from Gate 1 that were in my group.

I could go on with more details, but the bottom line is my Africa adventure was more than I could have hoped for. I ended up getting my luggage back (several days later), made the Gorilla trek, and everything went smoothly from there.

Rwanda was an amazing country. Very progressive governmentally, with a highly respected woman president who has made Rwanda a country to admire. Women hold 64 percent of seats in the lower house of Rwanda’s national legislature, the largest share of any country. For comparison, only 19 percent of seats in the U.S. House are held by women. Clean (known as the cleanest country in Africa), extremely friendly, and beautiful, I was very impressed with this first leg of the journey. Especially having the opportunity to see the endangered Mountain Gorillas, where only are 1,063 considered to still roam the hills and rain forests of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kenya, my next stop, felt markedly different. Not in a dangerous way, but the small villages we drove through were more impoverished, with lots of trash and half-built (or half-decayed) buildings. The Masai population is large in Kenya from my observation, as they led cattle, sheep, and goats along the roads shared by lots of motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, and cars. The kids along the road frequently waived as we drove by, but many of the Masai adults seemed more cautious and reserved. But the game reserves and parks didn't disappoint. We saw an enormous variety of animals and birds, especially the Masai Mara National Reserve, home to large grazing herds of zebra, giraffe, buffalo, gazelle and topi.

Tanzania, our final destination, certainly delivered on the wildlife we saw as well. Tanzania is home to many of the best and biggest parks in Africa, and some of the most varied and unique landscapes in the world. From grasslands to woodlands, rock formations, and mountain peaks, there's no question that Tanzania features some amazing opportunities for sightseeing, and photo-hunting alike. The Serengeti National Park was huge, flat in most areas, and had that Out of Africa movie look. Lots of Acacia trees dotted the landscape, along with swamp areas that attracted amazing birdlife. The problem with the Serengeti seemed to be its size. At times the wildlife we saw were really spread out, requiring longer drives to find them.

The people we met were all very warm and hospitable, the guides were terrific, and the accommodations were always 4-5 star. I thought the food was great, with most hotels providing large buffets for all the meals. There is definitely an Indian influence to much of the cuisine, and there was always something good to try. The fish was wonderful, as were the salads, breads, and other main courses. And of course lots of fruits, veggies, and of course, dessert. Thank you Gate 1, our tour operator, for taking such good care of us!

Enough talk, let's see some pictures!! (One note: if you double-click on the smaller photos, the image will enlarge.)

The opulent and beautiful architecture of The Gand-Place in Brussels's center square. The Grand-Place is considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. (Above) Brussels, Belgium, the seat of the EU, is known as the “capital of Europe,” making its significance as a centre of international governance and business a true global city.

The Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla Gorilla Berengie), the world’s most endangered ape, is found only in small portions of protected afro Montane forests in northwest Rwanda, southwest Uganda, and eastern DRC. Today nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas live in the Virunga Mountains of central Africa, at the intersection of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Far from being shy, these Mountain Gorilla's were a bit curious and showed no aggression towards their human observers. But these kings of the jungle are wild animals, so we kept our distance as they passed by.

The first Leopard we saw made this gorgeous cat the fifth of the Big Five animals we found (Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Cape Buffalo, and Elephant). Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

The Common tsessebe (topi), or African Antelope. Beautiful, with killer yellow eyes and horns. Serengeti, Tanzania

This poor creature, the Marabou Stork, looks like he had a rough night. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya (Top) The Mountain Gorilla and her baby are part of the Muhoza family that roam the foothills of the Virunga Volcanoes of Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park), one of nine gorilla families that live in the area (Right)

Hippopotamus in the rain. These hippos lounge in the "hippo pool", a fifteen-minute drive from our hotel in the Serengeti National Park (Top). One of the most colorful birds I saw was this Lillac-Breasted Roller, found in both the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, and in Masai Mara National Preserve, Kenya (Above)

A male African Lion didn't seem too upset that humans were invading his space. We found lions throughout Tanzania and Kenya (Top) My room at the Embalakai Authentic Camps, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Don't let the canvas walls fool you, this tent had it all, including wifi, full bathroom, and electricity that went off in the middle of the night (Above)

A herd of African Elephants passed by our Jeep in an orderly, single-file line. Found in most areas of Tanzania and Kenya, this photo was taken in the Amboseli National Park, Kenya, known for its large population of African elephants. Elephants will walk at the pace of their slowest member, with infants surrounded by nurturing members of the herd.

My favorite bird was the Grey-crowned Crane. They will sometimes follow cattle to eat insects that have been flushed out. This bird is a sacred symbol for Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, and South Africa. Many people believe that these cranes can bring rain, so they include pictures of cranes in their rituals to encourage the rainy season to come. (Upper Left) This villager was leading his cattle along the road, a common site in Kenya and Tanzania. (Upper right) Snake on a plate...this is a Southern Ground Hornbill with a yummy looking lunch. The Southern Ground-Hornbill is carnivorous. It feeds on lizards, frogs, snails and insects (grasshoppers, beetles and termites), but also on small mammals, such as hares and squirrels, and also snakes. (Lower right)

An African Elephant in the Serengeti of Tanzania seemed upset we were on the hunt...for a good photo. It was heartening to see mammoth tusks on most of the population we encountered. Elephants are the largest land mammals on earth, yet are strict vegetarians.

The Speke's Weaver is a common, bright yellow song bird of East Africa. This was found in the Serengeti.

The Spotted Hyaena, the most common large predator in East Africa, has a large head with a long, thick, muscular neck and powerful jaws that give the hyaena the strongest bite of any mammal. (Above) This Fish Eagle, found at the Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya, is the national bird of Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. (Left)

Locals of East Africa, gave us a cultural flavor for how they live. The blue-suited, dapper gentleman was enjoying the morning at the Sarova Lion Hill Lodge at Lake Nakuru, Kenya. (Top) This young woman and her baby were great subjects for a portrait. They were standing in front of a church filled with kids in Mugumu, Tanzania, during a rest stop. (Middle) More Masai villagers led their cattle down the rural roads of Kenya. The children and often the adults would wave to us as we drove by. The kids were yelling something in Swahili...I presumed they were asking for money, but our guide corrected me stating they were asking for candy! Of course! (Bottom)

The Masai Giraffe is found all through Kenya and Tanzania. The pattern of their brown patches distinguish two sub-species of the Masai Giraffe, the Reticulated Giraffe and Rothchild's Giraffe. The flake-like patches on these indicate they are Masai Giraffe. No Safari would be complete without seeing these towering creatures, the tallest animals in the world.

A herd of Impala are looking for guidance from the single male that keeps close attention to his harem. Graceful and beautiful, the female Impala's (ewes) have no horns, as do the males (rams).

Although I used a 500 mm zoom lens for extended reach, many on safari depend on their trusty iPhone for collecting their memories. As you can see, the animals were often "iPhone close" while others were far enough away that a zoom lens was necessary. (Upper) This Cape Buffalo was a common sight throughout the Serengeti and Masai Mara. Their large stature and thick horns look menacing, and they are! Cape buffalo are not predators. They are herbivores, feeding on grasses and other vegetation. However, they are known to be one of the most dangerous animals in Africa due to their unpredictable nature and aggressive behavior when threatened. (Lower Left) Common Zebra are also plentiful throughout Tanzania and Kenya, and are a major component in the Great Migration. (Lower Right)

The Great Migration of Tanzania's Serengeti. Vast herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelles migrate from the southern Serengeti in Tanzania to Kenya's Maasai Mara in their constant search for fresh grasses. (Top) December is known as the short-rainy season, where storms are common, but not all-day gushers. The Great Migration is a cyclical event that takes place all year. Traveling to the right area of the Serengeti in any month guarantees sightings of the herds. The vista of animals was breathtaking! These Cape Buffalo generally don't migrate, but do often travel in large herds. (Bottom)

Stunning sunsets added warmth and movie scene landscapes to the Africa adventure. This sunset was at the Ngorongoro O'ldeani Mountain Lodge in Tanzania, one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever had the pleasure staying in. Rose petals covered the bed and floor, while hot water bottles under our blankets warmed up the cool evenings.

Lots of Common Ostrich are found in both the Serengeti and the Masai Mara. The males have dark feathers with pink legs and neck. The Ostrich is the largest bird in the world, and it's flightless body is can run 43 miles per hour. Males are typically larger than females, weighing 220 to 287 pounds and measuring 6.9 to 9 feet in height.

This Leopard was enjoying a nice rest and cool breeze in the Serengeti. (Top). An unfortunate Hyaena became a Jaguar's lunch, another link in the Circle of Life. (Upper Middle) Two Village Weavers eating seeds by our hotel at the Sarova Mara Game Camp in Kenya. (Middle Left) One of the most dangerous animals in Africa is the Cape Buffalo. Do not anger a buffalo if you cross their path, they will charge instead of fleeing! And the Cape Buffalo is not to be confused with the domesticated Water Buffalo, found in Asia and along the Nile. (Middle Right) The Common Warthog is found throughout Kenya and Tanzania. Warthogs are omnivores that eat grass and tubers almost exclusively. They may eat insects or scraps from a kill, but never hunt for their food.(Lower Left) I just loved watching the graceful nature of the giraffes. (Lower Right)

Hippos, Hippos, and more Hippos! The Hippo pool in Tanzania's Serengeti was the place to meet if you wanted some company!

Hippos in a river, as seen from a hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti. (Top). Back at the Hippo Pool, the rain seemed to be a real treat for this open-mouthed Hippo. (Bottom Left) "You've got a Friend", The Red-billed Oxpecker was frequently seen on top of the mostly submerged Hippos, picking off ticks and insects. (Bottom Middle and Right)

Zebras as far as you could see were quite a spectacle as we watched the Great Migration in progress. (Upper) This Tawny Eagle was spotted in the Serengeti. Numerous factors, particularly loss of nesting habitat due to logging and global warming, are driving the once numerous tawny eagle perhaps to the brink of extinction. (Middle Left) Two Marabou Storks are an erie sight in this Alfred Hitchcock-looking tree. This large and powerful bird eats mainly carrion, scraps, and faeces but will opportunistically eat almost any animal matter it can swallow. (Middle Right and Bottom)

A rare Black Rhinoceros was exciting to see in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area of Tanzania. By the end of the day we were lucky to have spotted five Black Rhino's in total. Poaching for their horns and habitat loss are the primary threats to eastern black rhino. Only 6,400 Black Rhinos have survived, but are heavily protected. (Upper) Baboons were everywhere. They are survivors! Baboons are seldom dangerous to humans; however, they are known to threaten humans, especially when they are on the hunt for food. These wild animals have been recorded to have assaulted humans only when they feel vulnerable and threatened, and not otherwise. (Middle) A pair of African Spoonbill were a treat to observe, as the male sent his mating ritual message to the waiting female. (Lower)

Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa. At 19,341 feet, it towered in front of us for several days during our safari in Tanzania. Continually obscured with clouds, one afternoon we were finally able to get a peek of the peak. Much taller than expected, it was a wonderful way to close out my African adventure! (Top) The icing on the cake was traveling Business Class! During layovers, I took advantage of the Airline Clubs that are scattered around the airports. Food, drink, and a quiet place to rest or work on the computer were incredible respites from the craziness of the terminals and gates. Even though it was 9:30 AM, I found beer on tap in the Lufthansa Club in Frankfurt. I was still on vacation, right? Although not much of a beer drinker, it was a fun way to conclude this most amazing trip! It was also a huge pleasure to sit where I could stretch out, have privacy, and eat wonderful food. I think I'm hooked on Business Class!

Here are some additional photos, not yet labeled:

Created By

Scott Fishman