Bucket list: On Safari in the Serengeti

You only have one lifetime to experience this world, and often times it’s easy to forget that the world is a truly a vast and astonishing place. If you are anything like my husband and I, then your passion for travelling is oftentimes limited by the beloved time and finances that are available. These resources must be spread widely and spent wisely. Since the clock never does stop ticking, we’ve taken on a Bucket List mentality to living out our one wild and precious life. But with so much of this big, round globe to see, how on Earth do you decide what tops your list and where to run
away with your lover next?


Well let me tell you, we threw ourselves into a trip that wasn’t even on our bucket list at all, let alone at the top of it. But lucky for us, it was the pivotal journey topping our very best friends list. So in true Fly Duo style, we embarked on a couples expedition to Tanzania, Africa to spend five life-changing days on Safari exploring the massive expanse that is the Serengeti.


Tanzania is filled with breathtaking landscapes, exotic wildlife, vibrant cultures and beautiful friendships. To think that we could have missed out on some of our most memorable days, has me shouting from the rooftops the top five reasons why you need to rocket this destination straight to the top of your bucket list! My reasons are all to do with the feels that you’ll get in exchange for leaving a little piece of your heart on the golden plains of Africa:
1. Adventure –A safari grants you direct access to the magic of the bush in a rich variety of ways. From sunrise to sunset, we spent full days captivated by our exclusive guides, as they escorted us across the landscape, through muddy streams and over rocky outcrops, on game drives racing to scenes that only locals know. With the heat of the sun on our skin, wind in our hair and a cold brew in hand, we watched as the circle of life played out in front of our eyes from the comfort of our open-air land rover. Just imagine going on a date with your love to see the world renowned Wildebeest river crossings on the deadly Mara River or staking out a gorgeous, velvety leopard post-afternoon nap, there was adrenalin radiating at every dusty turn.



2. Romance - It permeated the atmosphere and ambiance of our gorgeous camp. Our simple, yet luxurious canvas tent was a space to relax and feel at home, in a setting that was the furthest thing from our home. The camp we stayed at was called ‘Serian’ which aptly comes from the Masai language, meaning “serene, calm, or tranquil”. There was an element of this as I nestled up to my husband while darkness filled the night sky and the wild life slept in the national park, just beyond the comfort of our deliciously warm bed. 


3. Culture – At the start of every day, Seidja, our quiet but experienced guide, set out to show us another fragment of his routine as a tribe hunter. Breakfast and lunch unfolded according to the ingredients at hand – simple tasty food and relief from the bustle of contemporary life. Jeremiah, our fun-loving driver prepared for us a daily picnic so that not a moment was spared from immersing ourselves in the savannah. After each day out in the immensity of the bush, the ancestral ritual of coming together to enjoy a fire and more amazing food flooded us with a sense of community. Each evening we indulged in a gourmet dinner gathered round the family table and mused over the colorful details of the day.



4. Wonder – There was so much more to the safari than driving around ticking big animals off the list, and though we did see the big 5…it was all about being open to falling under the spell of this mesmerizing land. Much of it has to do with distance from the rest of the world – not just a physical distance, but the deliberate distance in the way the people live. If you immerse yourself in the local way of living, osmosis takes effect, and the quietude and the beauty quietly infuse your being. The people are attuned to its essence and can translate it by showing you to see through their eyes.



5. Wildness – In its literal sense, is the state of being untamed. We came to Africa to feel it, up close and personal, with minimal separation between ourselves and the wilderness. We immersed ourselves in the pure air amongst the undomesticated beasts that are well and truly wild. A mother black rhino grazing with her baby calf, two of the remaining six of their kind in all of the Serengeti or a pride of lions from the cute, cuddly cubs all the way up to the dominant alpha male protecting his brood under the shade of wiry, dry bush.  There is an indescribable passion to being immersed in a wholly natural setting.



So, Fly Duos, if you are crazy like us two love birds, somewhat unaware that this life altering experience is out there waiting for you, take it from me and just GO! I promise it will be worth your every penny. Don’t wait forever; adventure, romance, culture, wonder and wildness await you!