On to Arusha

We got off to another early start today.  I am getting anxious to get to Arusha, the start of our three-day game drive into Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

The drive today took us past Mount Kilimanjaro, but the weather did not cooperate and we didn’t get any good views of the mountain.

Near Moshi

We passed through the small city of Moshi around 10:00 a.m.  Moshi is situated in the heart of a major coffee growing region and is an attractive small town of about 150,000 people and lies at the base of Kilimanjaro.

We arrived in Arusha around 1:30 p.m. and stopped at a mall where we had lunch and then stocked up on supplies, used the internet and did a little banking.  Arusha, also known as Tanzania’s “safari capital”, is undoubtedly the most important center in northern Tanzania.  With many protected national parks, reserves, and mountains nearby (on a clear day, you can see Mount Kilimanjaro in the distance), Arusha is a modern town, and with its markets, services, and fine location, it is a great base for starting our safari trip.  We will be setting up camp just west of Arusha.

Bananas on their way to a Moshi Market

We arrived at our campsite at about 4:00 p.m. and got all settled in, had supper, put my cameras on charge and had a few beers with the others, while I watched them charge.

I am looking forward to tomorrow and the next few days as we will be heading into the Serengeti and Ngorongoro for three days of camping and game driving.

Until tomorrow.