A relaxing, laundry day for the two. Tomorrow they plan to go to Iringa & Mikumi National Park & stay the night at Tan Swiss, just outside the park.
FACTS - MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK
The Mikumi National Park is a national park in Mikumi, near Morogoro, Tanzania. The park was established in 1964, currently covers an area of 3230 km² and is the fourth largest in the country.
Mikumi is bordered to the south with the Selous Game Reserve, the two areas forming a unique ecosystem. Two other natural areas bordering the national park are the Udzungwa Mountains and Uluguru Mountains.
The landscape of Mikumi is often compared to that of the Serengeti. The road that crosses the park divides it into two areas with partially distinct environments. The area north-west is characterized by the alluvial plain of the river basin Mkata. The vegetation of this area consists of savannah dotted with acacia, baobab, tamarinds, and some rare palm. In this area, at the furthest from the road, there are spectacular rock formations of the mountains Rubeho and Uluguru. The southeast part of the park is less rich in wildlife, and not very accessible.
The fauna includes many species characteristic of the African savannah. According to local guides at Mikumi, chances of seeing a lion who climbs a tree trunk is larger than in Manyara (famous for being one of the few places where the lions exhibit this behavior). The park contains a subspecies of giraffe, that biologists consider the link between the Masai giraffe and the Somali giraffe. Other animals in the park are elephants, zebras, gnu, impalas, eland, kudu, black antelope, baboons, wildebeests and buffaloes. At about 5 km from the north of the park, there are two pools inhabited by hippos. More than 400 different species of birds also inhabit the park.
FACTS - IRINGA:
Iringa is a city in Tanzania with a population of 112,900 (as of 2004). It is situated at a latitude of 7.77°S and longitude of 35.69°E. The name is derived from the Hehe word lilinga, meaning fort.
Iringa is the administrative capital of Iringa Region. It has many established industries, including manufacturing and food processing. Most of its electricity comes from the nearby Mtera Dam.
Iringa was built during the 1890's by the German Army as a defensive base to be used against the Hehe uprising lead by Chief Mkwawa. The town stretches along a hilltop overlooking the Ruaha River to the south, and spreads along ridges and valleys to the north. The altitude for the town's environs is more than 1550 meters (5000 feet) above sea level. The months of June, July, and August can see low temperatures near freezing. The Tanzam Highway passes through the valley below the town; the highway distance from Iringa's limits to Dar es Salaam is 502 kilometers (312 miles), via Morogoro. The Isimila Stone Age site, which lies about 20 km (12 miles) to the southwest, contains archeological artifacts, particularly stone tools, from human habitation about 70,000 years ago.
Iringa is famous for its woven baskets, made from local reeds. The baskets are used across Tanzania and also exported internationally.
Sunday, 30 January 2011
They are sleeping tonight at Old Farm House - about 600km from Dar es Salaam. Sharon is starting to feel better.
Ralph arrived safely back in Port Alfred! From the time they all left on the trip, Bacu stopped eating and Cleo ate all her stress away - did I mention she's .. hmmm .. a female! :-) (Bacu & Cleo - the two beagle children)
Facts:
The Farm is a gracious old farm homestead with some thatched guest cottages. Rooms are available in the farm itself or in these self-contained cottages. The home of the Ghaui family for over 70 years, Kisolanza remains a working farm providing beef and vegetables to the surrounding markets as well as further afield in Dar-es-Salaam.
The farm is 50km south-west of the town, Iringa and between Mikumi National Park and Ruaha National Park. The farm is at an altitude of 1600m ensuring a pleasant fresh climate in one of the most scenic areas of Tanzania- the southern Highlands. Activities on offer include swimming and fishing on a nearby lake, visits to the colonial town of Iringa and trips to Isimila Stone Age Site- Tanzania’s combination of Stonehenge and the Grand Canyon.
Nicky Ghaui is the hosts and according to several websites, they serve lovely fresh, organic farm-produced meals.
Saterday, 29 January 2011
Larry & Sharon are at the north end of Lake Malawi. They only did 190km and Sharon is suffering from flu. They are watching her closely for malaria.
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