Wednesday, July 27th:

Sleeping outside we had a great view of the stars and later the sunrise.  In the morning we packed up and said our goodbyes to Kimambo, Oleseci and the Hadzabe. We exited the Yaida Valley to the north driving on “roads” with no tire tracks and seeing a few other Hadza on the way.  Killerai was still identifying new bird species as we went.  Finally we climbed out of the valley, into Iraqw farmland and then to the main road.  We passed through the town of Karatu to the Wayo office in Mto wa Mbu where we ate our picnic lunch with Killerai.

After lunch we met our new Wayo guide Godlisten.  We were sad to say goodbye to Killerai.  With Godlisten we entered Lake Manyara National Park.  The park entrance was circled by hundreds of yellow billed storks that roosted in the trees. We enjoyed a long game drive across the park through dark forests and along the lake shore.

The camp was located in the Endabash riverbed along the dramatic rift valley wall.  The river  dramatically entered the valley as a tall narrow waterfall with a steep top and boulder strewn bottom. Baboons and elephants frequented the river right in front of our camp. We joined a Dutch couple around the fire and later for dinner on the river bed.

Thursday, July 28th:

In the morning as we got ready and ate breakfast on the riverbed scores of olive baboons came out of the trees and hung around the riverbed.  Then six elephants made their way upstream drinking from the river.

Next we did a morning game drive with Godlisten.  First we visited a spot where a hot sulphurous spring emerges and empties into the muddy Lake Manyara. On the lakeshore were wildebeest and zebra and tons of white pelicans and yellow billed storks. We walked out on a pier over the lake.  From there we drove on game drive circuits in the woodlands enjoying a few elephant sightings.  The last part of the drive the road went along the dramatic rift valley wall.

Back at camp for lunch the girls and I climbed around the boulders and waterfall.  We made it about halfway up before returning for lunch.  Lunch was set up in the shallow water of the river under the shade of sycamore fig and acacia trees.  The afternoon was scorching hot, but in the shade with our feet in the cool water it was very pleasant.

After lunch we climbed back up the waterfall boulders.  We had to wait a half hour for a huge baboon river crossing before Carrie could join us. We made our way up the boulders to an area with a larger pool and the steep part of the waterfall which was surrounded by vertical slick rock.  The girls took a dip in the pool of colder perhaps spring water.  Then we all ran in and out of the waterfall before descending slowly down the rocks.

After dinner we joined a Canadian couple on a night game drive.  Jane fell asleep in Carrie’s shoulder immediately and was sad to miss out.  The rest of us were also dozing. Using a large spotlight we saw bush babies, mongoose, civet, giraffe and elephant.  We also got a flat tire and returned to camp very late and exhausted