The accomodation for our next couple days is Lake Manyara Serena Lodge, if only we can find it. It is located on a bluff high above Lake Manyara but there are no signs towards it so we are quite lucky that we are prepared with GPS points and routes. The road doesn’t look like it goes to a luxury lodge, in fact a few times we assume we took the wrong one even though the GPS unerringly tells us that we are on the right one.
Luckily it was the right way even though the gatekeeper seems to be very surprised to see our truck arriving. Especially with a white person driving. We explain and show our reservation and we are let in into a huge parking lot which with us has exactly one car in it. How did the other guests arrive, because there are at least four more groups?! At the reception at least they know about us but it takes a long time to sort everything out and then we are taken to our room. While the boma like building looks impressive it is not private, there are at least three rooms inside each boma.
The room is quite hotel like but we really like the bird painting above the bed. And the fact that we have a balcony.
In fact from the balcony we can watch both afternoons, the cultural show. Or athletic show?
The dinner is four courses only :). We are happy with this as we do not want to double in weight while in Tanzania. As usual it starts with salad and soup, followed by mains and dessert. Unfortunately even though we have full board not even water is included so we order tea and coffee, those are included, go figure.
The mains are looking appetizing but are not as good as at the previous accomodation. The mid spiced mutton curry was also midly spiced in someone imagination, we would have called it medium to hot.
The desserts are quite good and full we have to return to the room. Here even though it was a very safe area the guards insist to escort us with their flashlights. They are quite surprised that we have a much better flashlight and even ask to play around with it and are really impressed.
In the morning we explore a bit the views from the grounds but don’t have that much time as we have to drive to Lake Manyara National Park for the day.
So we eat breakfast and then go back to the room to pick our stuff and then we walk to the reception to ask for lunch boxes. As usual they are surprised and have forgotten that we do not have a driver that would pick the boxes but in the end say that they will deliver them to our car.
We pass through a group of students on the way to the car, it seems they have arrived to learn how the lodges are maintained and operated. And then we pack the car and wait for our lunch boxes. Just as we assume they have forgotten someone brings them by, phew, time to explore Lake Manyara.
Returning from Lake Manyara we decide to buy a couple books in the gift shop that will allow us to prepare for the next national parks. And then we explore the lodge a bit as there still is a bit of time before dinner.
This includes enjoying the beautiful dusk views over Lake Manyara. Such a beautiful area and views!
We try different dinner items today but they are still only average. We might also by this point be quite full all the time given how much we are eating every day. And then it is back to pack for tomorrow, we have to leave early as we are going to meet with our guide again. We will now have two days with him as we have to use a guide in Ngorongoro, so why not a birding guide?
We wake up with the birds and walk to get breakfast as soon as it opens.
Breakfast is quite similar and after we finish it is time to pack the car and then get our lunch boxes and soon we are on our way to the meeting point with our driver.
