Safari Stop #2: Siwandu—Where Tanzania Turns Up the Magic

Welcome to Siwandu, tucked inside the lush, lake-dotted Nyerere National Park—formerly the Selous, but now with even more bragging rights. Compared to our last camp, this one was practically a botanical garden. Greener, wetter, splashier… and full of animals apparently auditioning for National Geographic.

Wildlife Roll Call: Starring the Residents of Siwandu

Our main mission at this camp? Spot a lion.
Not just any lion—a real, close-enough-to-feel-your-heart-thump encounter. And guess what? With the aid of our excellent guide, Sulu…our Wish was granted.

With the help of a very excitable baboon barking loudly from the treetop… indicating danger nearby….Sulu saw the direction he was looking and drove like a “bat out of hell” to that area…where we found two young lions lounging as if they owned the place (which, to be fair, they do).

When one of them casually strolled right up to our jeep, we instantly turned into statues—nobody breathing, nobody blinking. He stopped just 3–4 feet away, thought about it, and then decided to walk around the back of the jeep instead. We all exhaled at the same time. The Lion King soundtrack practically played itself.

On another game dive we saw the “Big Boy”….sleeping under a tree.  He wasn’t concerned at all when we parked 6 ft away and watched him heavily breathing for 10 minute or so…occasionally opening one eye.  He was wearing a collar because the rangers say he’s a BAD BOY and  likes to wander out of the park.  

 Some sightings that were fun…

• Waterbuck: doodled-on by nature with that perfect “target ring” on his backside.
• Crocodiles: only 1–2% of these scaly toddlers survive out of 15–60 eggs. Mom hangs out for two weeks then says, “Good luck, kids!”
• Red-necked falcon: looking like it dressed up for safari too.
• Baby male elephant: we watched him eat, which was somehow both adorable and majestic.
• Kudu: striped like a fancy zebra to confuse predators—and possibly tourists.
• Masai giraffe: Tanzania’s one and only giraffe species with the fancy outlined spots.
• Croc vs. gator fun fact: if you can see the teeth with the mouth closed? Crocodile. If not? Alligator. Easy!

Also: mongoose, greater blue starling, gray-headed kingfisher, baboons eating breakfast in the top of a giant tree, and a civet—a rare, nocturnal cat who showed up like a celebrity making a surprise cameo.

Hippos & Pumbas & Hyenas… Oh My!

• Hippos: poop in water, which attracts fish, which attracts crocodiles… basically an entire ecosystem built on hippo bathroom habits.
• Pumbas: kneel to eat insects—very polite. Disney made this warthog famous in The Lion King.
• Hyenas: the queens of the savanna! Females are bigger, bossier, and only eat every few days.

And of course…

• Wildebeest: travel in herds, unless you’re an elderly male who says “I’m done with these young hooligans” and wanders off.
• Ground hornbills: endangered and extremely dramatic. One female per group of six, lays two eggs, then only allows one chick to survive. A baby every 6 years! They live 20–25 years, probably because they conserve so much energy not raising twins.

A Cultural Adventure: Visiting the Maasai

What’s a trip to Africa without stopping by a Maasai village?
We were greeted with singing, dancing, and a prayer for rain—which, fun twist, showed up later and absolutely gave us the muddiest adventure of the trip.

A few fun Maasai facts:

• They’re nomadic, moving with the seasons.
• Circumcision for boys happens at age 14—no anesthesia, and many faint.
• Small children bow their heads to adults, who respond by gently touching the top of their head.
• At age 8, kids are taken to boarding school for education and come home only for vacations—part of Tanzania’s push for better long-term opportunities.
• They make fire without matches, rolling wood on metal, catching sparks, and blowing into straw like seasoned magicians.
• Chiefs are chosen young based on lineage, and fathers choose their daughters’ future husbands.
• Warriors compete to see who can jump the highest—some leap 3–4 feet straight up like human gazelles.

I’d met Maasai before in Kenya, so it felt a bit like revisiting old friends with fabulous vertical jump skills.

Now… The Rain, The Mud, The Trucks, and The Tilted Jeep

After a superb game drive, the skies opened. And not a polite sprinkle—a full-on tropical tantrum.
The red clay roads turned into greasy spaghetti.

Then we saw them: three enormous 18-wheeler trucks, stuck on the mountain road like prehistoric beasts caught in tar.

Our guide, Sulu, tried to maneuver us past. We slid… and slid… and slid—right into a steep ditch.
Naturally, I was sitting on the ditch side. Naturally.

I suggested we exit through the “high side,” which is polite safari-speak for “I’m not falling into the mud tonight, thanks.”

Out we climbed, boots turning into 10-pound mud bricks with every step. A pickup tried to do what we did and nearly ran us over. Sulu called the camp, and another guide arrived—racing back to pick us up like he had somewhere very urgent to be.

On that speed-demon ride, KK’s sunglasses flew off, ricocheted in the wind, and slapped me on the cheek. I thought a winged creature had attacked me.
The next morning? The staff found the glasses, the missing lens, AND fixed them. Safari magic.

Camp Life: 5 Stars, 2 Guests, 1 Baboon Heist

We were the only guests in camp, which meant bush breakfasts twice—just us, the sunrise, and the sound of birds auditioning for “The Lion King.”

The staff, the chef, the housekeepers, and the Maasai escorts who walked us to dinner each night—pure gems. Especially since hippos are the park’s most dangerous residents.

And speaking of danger…

One morning, right after my tea arrived, a giant baboon appeared in the outdoor shower. He posed handsomely for a photo—very influencer behavior.

While I focused on capturing his best angle, a tiny monkey unzipped the tent, slipped inside, and began eating my cookies.
Yes—the big baboon was the distraction for the little cookie thief.
Yes—I fell for it.
Yes—I felt foolish.
But also impressed.

Final Safari Confessions

Did we chase a giraffe out of his territory?
Well… maybe the giraffe would claim we were in his.

And of course, every evening ended with a hearty “Gonga gonga!” —cheers to sunsets, adventure, great friendships and of course….avoiding ditches.😜

Onward to Zanzibar!