Elderly couple's unforgettable tourism adventure in Tanzania

For nearly a week, the couple's travel itinerary was jam-packed with activities.

In less than seven days in Tanzania, they were in awe of the serene beauty of the country and its people.

Lyn and her husband entrusted the local guide with organising all the activities and destinations, and they were pleasantly surprised to find that their visit exceeded their wildest imaginations.

"Honestly, there is nothing we can turn around and say this could have been better,” Lyn beamed excitedly.

Lyn heard about Tanzania from a renowned travel lecturer, Mr Moshe, 10 years ago.

And when the time was right, they decided that words alone were insufficient to satisfy their curiosity, compelling them to experience firsthand the country everyone speaks of so fondly.

Lyn called Moshe and told him they wanted to go on a safari.

Lyn, however, didn’t want to feel like a tourist; she wanted to mingle with the local communities and just enjoy life living amongst the people.

For years, travel to the Serengeti has been on their bucket list.

The lovebirds, who are originally from South Africa, are familiar with the wildlife, and they have been to Kruger Park in northeastern South Africa.

But nothing could prepare them for the awe-inspiring visit to the Serengeti, where Lyn remarked, "Throughout the trip, it felt like we were living in a National Geographic documentary."

The expert planning and execution by their local tour guide played a significant role in enhancing their trip.

Immediately upon landing in the late afternoon, the couple was whisked away to Tarangire National Park for a brief game drive, which Mr and Mrs Bach described as an appetiser of what Tanzania had in store for the remainder of their stay.

What left them speechless and amazed were the keen eyes of their tour guide, who could track animals with astonishing precision.

On one occasion, he followed a leopard so closely that the couple could almost touch the animal.

"The leopard just sat there, marking its territory. I've never seen anything like that," Lyn exclaimed, astonished.

The Tanzanian young men who accompanied them were patient and very well-studied; they answered all their curious questions with precise details.

"There were two young men, both named Daniel—one the driver and the other the guide—and they were truly exceptional," remarked Lyn.

The couple was amazed at the depth of knowledge possessed by the young men.

"They could explain about the different species of birds—what they ate and how they lived—it was truly phenomenal," they remarked.

Their adventure couldn’t end without visiting the famed Ngorongoro Crater.

En route, they passed by a Maasai village and were captivated by their ornaments and way of life.

Fascinated by everything they saw, they also had the opportunity to visit a banana plantation, where they witnessed the production of banana wine before returning to their hotel.

The highlight of their journey was its authenticity; they never felt like mere tourists or overly pampered guests.

They engaged in activities like hunting with the Hadzabe in the mountains, facilitated by a guide who had lived among the tribe for 15 years—someone they trusted implicitly due to their long-standing relationship.

During their bird-hunting expedition, there was a moment when they felt they had lost their way.

However, with just a single whistle, the bushmen promptly appeared and seamlessly resumed the hunt, displaying remarkable unity and coordination.

The dense bush posed a challenge, yet the huntsmen navigated it effortlessly, knowing each step with precision.

They could shoot an arrow and accurately follow its path to retrieve it where it had fallen.

The Hadzabe hunters amazed the couple by starting a fire with just the figs of trees.

Mr and Mrs Bach stayed in several hotels while they were in Tanzania.

Besides the lack of enough salad at some of the hotels, they loved the cleanliness, hospitality, and warmth of the people.

One night, while inside their tent, they could hear the roar of lions just outside.

The tent was spacious and equipped with all necessary amenities, including a bathroom.

However, unlike a traditional door that one closes at bedtime, they simply zipped the tent shut, leaving only the tent fabric between them and the wild animals outside.

It was a surreal experience that left a lasting impression that they will never forget.

In just two days, the couple witnessed more wildlife than they had in all their years of visiting Kruger Park in South Africa.

They were fortunate to encounter all of the Big Five animals.

They saw a cheetah who had just killed a buck. It was pulling its kill to a shed while her two cubs watched.

The animal was less than five feet from the couple; they just froze in awe.

"Witnessing something like that, something inexplicable, is just phenomenal," they remarked.

They advised future visitors to enjoy their time in the park, emphasising the necessity of a sturdy truck built for rough roads and a skilled driver to navigate them.

They noted that the rugged terrain is part of the exhilarating experience.

"The bathrooms in the middle of the national parks are spotlessly clean; we have to highlight that," they added.

The cherry on top was a trip to the local organic coffee farm in Singisi village.

Coffee farm tourism, which is very popular in Ethiopia, has recently gained admirers in Arusha, and Daniel Joachim, a local tour guide who is also an expert farmer, introduced it to tourists, who have had positive remarks about the new addition.

 Mr and Mrs Bach roamed through the farm, where they picked the coffee beans fresh from the trees, cleaned them, roasted them, ground them, and made coffee right there on the farm.

As the couple were going to the airport to board their flight back home, they turned around, looked at their tour guides, and told them they had made their dream come true.