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When you think about Africa, you usually think about extremely warm temperatures. Although the weather in the Serengeti was on the warmer side, we found residing at 2,000 feet above the crater floor at Ngorongoro to be quite chilly. We hadn’t pulled out our swimsuits…yet…and after all of our travels, we were ready for some fun in the sun!
Driving through Tarangire National Park and coming over a slight rise, 140 kilometers from Arusha, we found ourselves looking down at the Tarangire Sopa Lodge. As we pulled in to the picturesque property, we were elated to be off of the dusty park roads and were ready for a big lunch!
The always attentive Sopa staff was waiting at the entrance with cool, perfumed towels to wipe away the grime and we were each assigned a porter who escorted us to our circular suites with conical roofs, complete with sitting room, mini-bar, two queen beds, mosquito nets and balconies overlooking the wooded areas adjacent to the lodge.
Heading quickly out to the pool area, where we were instructed that lunch would be waiting, we stared in awe at the lawn where hundreds of rock hyrax lounged in the bright sunshine, munching on grass, leaves and insects. Not afraid of us, they perched on the short bordering walls next to the pathways and stared up at us curiously while we strolled by.
As we rounded the buildings, an oasis presented itself to us…a large lazy-river-type pool with a bridge leading to a small island in the center! Wow! We couldn’t wait to finish lunch, jump in and cool off!
Lunch, a buffet-style affair was the utmost in deliciousness! Barbecued chicken and sausage, fish, shawarma, rice dishes, salads and fabulous desserts were available for us to enjoy while sitting under thatched umbrellas. Though we filled our bellies and could have been happy to descend in to a short food coma, we forced ourselves to our rooms, donned our swimsuits and returned to the pool to relax in the sun with our friends and a few beers! Though the waters were extremely cool, it was nice to enjoy the African afternoon. This was the life! Were we only going to be here for two nights?
The lodge, built on different levels is a comfortable respite in Tarangire National Park. The large, main public area, is filled with carvings, African relics, hand-woven carpets and marble floors. The lounge, where we convened before dinner that evening, is on an upper level with floor to ceiling windows and an outdoor terrace. Surrounding the bar, there are televisions with sports broadcasts for those unwilling to miss their favorite games and a pool table for friendly competitions. Wifi is also available in the main building and large comfortable seating groups and fans provide comfortable resting areas to surf the internet and contact loved ones back home.
Our breakfasts and evening meals were served buffet style in the large, open dining area in the main building and consisted of many types of dishes and fabulous service. My favorite, mandazis (a fried donut), were present at breakfast and I was determined to eat my fill during my final days in Tanzania.
An outdoor terrace ran along one length of the dining room so breakfast could be enjoyed along with the view of the park’s tree-studded, grassy plains and a large outdoor patio offered dinner every other night beneath a star filled sky. Inside the dining room, an intricately painted mural at one end of the room is not to be missed as well as the exotic flooring with its multi-colored timbers and copper nails.
As with both of our mealtimes during the midday, lunch is always served, weather permitting, beside the pool. During the rainy season (April-May), the dry river bed fills up and offers a sparkling, gurgling backdrop…just watch out for the monkeys who lurk nearby, hoping to sneak a piece of fruit!
As the lodge property is not enclosed in any way, animals are at liberty to come and go as they please and we spotted quite a few gazelle and monkeys from our balconies. We didn’t realize, however, how many other animals make their way on to the property. On our first night, while heading back to our room after dinner, we were greeted at the head of the pathway by one of the lodge’s guards. He informed us that many different animals are spotted on the property during the nighttime hours…even lions! Indeed, two Cape Buffalo were not far away grazing on the front lawn. They didn’t glance our way and our guard did not seem very fazed by the situation. We wondered, however, what would happen if an elephant decided to charge or if a lion decided to have a late night “touristy” snack. Checking out the guard, we realized that he did not carry a gun or weapon…only a flashlight. Gosh! How ever would he defend us?
With its position within the Tarangire National Park, the Tarangire Sopa Lodge is truly what one expects with a safari adventure in Tanzania. As I closed our mosquito net around us and listened to the night sounds through our screened patio door, it dawned on me that it was our last night in Tanzania. Our safari adventure was coming to an end and in the morning, we would be making our way back to Arusha.
One more mealtime in the morning…have to make sure I get some mandazis before we leave this amazing place!
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Tarangire Sopa Lodge
- http://www.sopalodges.com/tarangire-sopa-lodge/overview
- Address: Tarangire National Park, Manyara Region, Tanzania
- Rates: Rates vary by season, Low, High and Peak, Single Suite, Double Suite and Triple Suite and Full Board and Half Board. $170-$867 per night