Apparently Arusha is the gateway for Tanzanian safari, so naturally I thought I should give it a go at the weekend. So along with the other volunteers, I took the short trip to the Arusha National Park, although it is one of the smallest parks it is supposed to be the one with the most varied terrain and includes the not insignificant mount Meru which at 4500 meters is bloody big - but somehow overlooked by Kilimanjaro. I thoroughly recommend the safari. We took a 4×4 on a game drive in the morning seeing buffalo, warthogs, zebra, buffoons among other things - then a walk with an armed ranger. We walked through forest and marshes finding more water buffalo and loads of giraffe which were only a few yards away, also 3 types of monkey all in the trees. When in the forest with the monkeys we heard what sounded like gun shots in the distance, it wasn’t though – the guide told us it was a bush-buck warning the monkeys of some danger. They then all went crazy, making a very loud grunting/barking sort of noise – this, in turn was a warning to other animals further away. I don’t know if we were the cause of the commotion, or if we should have been worried about some other imminent danger. I guide didn’t seem bothered so we continued our stroll. Unfortunately no lions and no elephants, for these I need to take a longer trip to one of the bigger parks which I hope to do soon.
