Unfortunately today we have to leave Tarangire and our lodge both of which we enjoyed immensely. We have to exit by a specific time as the permits are given in increments of twentyfour hours. In other words we have to exit at the same time or earlier than we arrived initially or else we have to pay for an extra day. Here we are a bit blessed due to our usual tardiness, we have entered at 15 so we can exit at any time prior. We start at around 10AM after breakfast, carrying our luggage, getting breakfast boxes and so on and soon are on the main road towards the main entrance.
Obviously we do not plan to drive directly, that is only one hour of driving, but instead to try different river loops along the way that we noticed as we drove in. But first we have to reach them, we stop repeatedly to look at interesting birds on the side of the road.
The first river loop we plan to take is loop #6, each loop is usually a short deviation from the main road reaching the river and then returning. However the quality of the side roads is quite variable and in many cases we just drove in and then returned instead of finishing the loop.
But the first deviation we encounter is actually a major crossing of the river with a bridge still standing, barely. It actually is the fastest way to the Sopa Lodge, another lodge on our short list but we were quite happy with our choice in the end.
Next to the river is a small pond that we assume initially has only Egyptian Geese but as we stop and look more carefully we notice a few more birds like a quite hidden Squacco Heron.
There are also some shorebirds like a Three-banded Plover and a Wood Sandpiper, quite a good selection of birds for such a small pond.
We then find loop #6 and turn inland immediately meeting impalas and quite a few birds, mostly Northern Grey-headed Sparrows.
Here we find also a broken down bridge, not sure if it was carried here from upstream or if there was a crossing here at some point. But not anymore, that is certain.
On this stretch we also see our first Hildebrandt’s Starling, relatively similar to the Superb Starling but with some differences if you look closely.
We turn back to the main road, it was no loop as the trail was closed and continue on looking for #5. At this point we are still hoping that we might be able to do all of them even though the time passes faster than expected with all our stops.
Like a stop for impala crossing the road and for the African Fish-Eagle surveying the savanna for some reason instead of the river.
We then find river loop #5 and turn towards the river. This seems to be giraffe territory with lots of giraffes everywhere including in the dry riverbed.
We reach the river again and it is dry here, it seems it flows in sections and it is underground otherwise at least for now.
Returning we meet with a giraffe right next to the road which is hosting lots of oxpeckers. And from a nearby termite mound a Tawny Eagle is observing both us and the giraffe unflappably waiting for something, hopefully not to catch an oxpecker.
As we reach loop #4 it is starting to get late so we decide it is the last loop here and that we will drive straight to Matete afterwards to explore also that location. And then depending on time we will stop a bit more on the way back. Loop #4 is the elephant loop today. There are dozens of elephants and because they are such an attraction there are a few other safari tour cars around driving as close as possible to the elephants, a bit annoying.
We take a side road from the loop to reach the river out of sight of the other safari cars. The view is nice with some birds on the river and even our own elephants. Not in the tens but still a few.
Some of the elephants even come to close for comfort but in the end all is well and have some great sighting of elephants. And a Bateleur that was just sitting in a tree next to the road.
Back on the main road we take no more side loops but still stop when we see something interesting like zebras or mongooses.
And then we reach bridge over the Tarangire River. From here we enter the more touristy area of Tarangire as can be evidenced by the many safari cars we pass. The reason for this is because if you take a day trip for Arusha this is as far as you will usually go, to Matete Picnic Site which is just on the other side of the river.
We stop for a while before passing to see what is coming to the water, antelopes and then our first baboon troop. Here the species is called Olive Baboon and they seem more chill than the ones in India, little did we know what will happen in a few days. But now it is time for the short drive to Matete where we are planning to maybe eat our packed lunch and then to follow the river to the exit.
