The Pumziko Safari Lodge Experience
WWW.PUMZIKO.COM is Located on the edge of a mighty African cliff, Pumziko Safari & Wellness Lodge, is in a setting of exquisite beauty and tranquility. With it's remarkable location, Pumziko has the privilege of being the only lodge built in this raw, untamed bush at the heart of the Iraqw tribal homeland, an honor for which we are deeply grateful to the Iraqw. Here we're able to offer guided walking safaris just steps from our front door, and convenient jeep safaris to the best safari destinations in Northern Tanzania. Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and the Serengeti are all short, easy drives from Pumziko. And our close relationships with our tribal neighbors allow us to offer our guests unique cultural tours, including visits to our friends in the Iraqw villages, Maasai Boma and Hadza Bushmen villages.
Miracle Corners of the World--Arusha, Tanzania (PART 2 of 2)
Miracle Corners of the World has empowered youth throughout Africa with many community centers that offer classes in many topics, including language instruction, business and entrepreneurship, preschool education, and information technology.
This is the story of the first of these centers, founded in Arusha, Tanzania in 2001.
Tanzania June 2003
Tanzania Expedition 2003
Dublin to London, London to Dubai, Dubai to Nairobi, Nairobi to Tanzania...... It took forever to get us and our gear here, but we made it!
After arriving in Dar es Salaam, we made the epic bus journey to Moshi, the most fun town in Tanzania! Standing at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, it turned out to be our home from home! Staying at the wonderful Kindoroko Hotel, where the steaks were delicious and the alcohol flowed. Hakuna Matata shots, i'll miss them the most!!!
Just outside Moshi was our first stop... the Mweka Primary School! Greeted by hundreds of smiling, laughing faces! We never felt so welcome! We were delighted to be able to help the local craftsmen plaster the school walls and paint the classrooms, teaching english to the kids when we could. Teaching us Swahili didn't fair as well to our untrained tongues, although we managed a few words!! We soon found out with the young guys that football was the universal language of Africa :D
Longido was our next stop, a small town north of Arusha, 2 hours away from Moshi on the Kenya-Tanzania border. This was our first glimpse of Maasai culture. What an extraordinary group of people they are! As they guided us up Mount Longido, a teaser for Mount Kilimanjaro, they never ceased to amaze us with their knowledge of plant and animal life. This leaf.... soothes burns, these flowers.... cures migraine, this twig..... a menthol toothbrush.... the list was endless! Bear Grylls had nothing on them! Their way of life was a shock to all of us, mud huts, no electrcity, running water if they were lucky. And calm as the warriors looked, as they patrolled the edges of their camp for lions, with spears in hand ready to pounce at a moments notice, they always made you feel very safe.
No sooner had we become accustomed to the Maasai way of life, we embarked on the most incredible Safari trip, to the Ngorongoro Crater. This fertile plateau seemed to stretch forever into the distance, and was flourishing with all kinds of animals, big and small. From the galloping herds of zebra, gazelle, and wildebeest, to the majestic walk of the elephants and giraffes, the crater was also home to the big five of rhinoceros, lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo. And apart from the elusive leopard we got intimate views of all the wildlife!
And then the day arrived! Our first steps on the road to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free standing mountain in the world!! At first it was an easy hike, and everyone was full of energy, enjoying the company and unusual surroundings. And before we knew it, a few days into our climb, we were above the first layer of clouds! What a feeling to be looking down on what we'd only ever seen from a plane!!! It seemed as if you could just step out onto them and chase the sun as it set over the horizon. Another day of trekking, stories were flowing, jokes were told, and everyone was reminiscing shared childhood memories. It really brought our group closer together and was welcomed..... with what still lay ahead! More trekking, more climbing, aches and pains, wind burns and numbness, it all became common place until we reached Kibo Huts, the last stop before summit day. It was a hard climb, but the hardest was yet to come, and we knew it. After heading to our tents early, we awoke at midnight to the frigid temperature, but with the determination to reach Uhuru Peak by sunrise. We set off, not entirely sure of what to expect. This was definitely harder than the last four days combined, the temperature fell the more we ascended, and by Gilman's Point at 5681m it was -20'C. Suddenly two pairs of gloves and three pairs of socks didn't seem so silly anymore! The summit felt so close! Slowly and steadily we continued on, crunching the ice and snow under our boots, willing our muscles to go just that little bit further. The wind was against us, and sent constant shivers through our worn out bodies. And then, like a light at the end of a tunnel, the sign at the summit slowly came into view through the clearing snowfall. We had made it! The overall sense of relief was indescribable, for that moment we felt like we were on top of the world! And as we got closer and closer, the sun began to rise, silhouetting the ever welcoming sign of Uhuru Peak at 5,895m Emotions ran high, the adrenaline surging through every part of you, the feeling of success was overwhelming! Yeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaa!
So we travelled to Tanzania as a group of individuals, with our own experiences and memories, to leave with a common appreciation for the wonders of Africa and all it has to offer! Those new found memories will stay with us forever, and the people will always hold a special place in our lives........ by far, one of the greatest decisions ever made :)