Motorcycling in Tanzania isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. But this is the place to be if you’re after a trip that offers a rewarding mix of bliss and adrenaline.
Tanzania is a country of insane beauty and an incredible variety of almost everything.
Home to dozens of distinct ethnic groups, tremendous wilderness, and a topography that is no less jaw-dropping. Vast grasslands, ragged mountain ranges, exquisite beaches, and several of Africa’s Great Lakes bedded in a riot of unlimited colors.
Scouting Tanzania on a motorcycle and an edge between bliss and adrenaline requires a quench of boldness.
And those who dare are in for a blessed affair.
Nothing gets you closer than riding in Tanzania
Tanzania greets the world to explore its enchanting backyard. A playground for every rider, no matter where you are on your riding path. But beware: Once you start spinning your wheels in this bustling, color-insane country, where nothing seems to be a problem, you will not want to leave again.
A gorgeous daybreak at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. Music drifts in from a Kenyan bazaar, barely a stone’s throw away. A feeling of cushy homeliness sinks in, even though I’ve only been here a few days— an excerpt from personal journal
With its serious wildlife, Tanzania holds magic once you scramble the wondrous nature. Once you ride to meet its upright people and noble tribes, relax under stone-age old baobab trees, and inhale its colorfulness and invincible liveliness.
On a motorbike, you are exposed to all of Tanzania’s complex vibrancy firsthand. It is intense because you’re really close.
Wilderness without wildlife is just scenery
Tanzania is blessed to have some of the world’s finest national parks, incl. Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti. Home to the abundant wildlife that most of us have only observed from a safe distance.
That’s in the zoo or on TV.
These include the famous big five — elephants, lions, rhinos, buffalos, and leopards. But it doesn’t stop there yet. Zillions of zebras, wildebeest, ostriches, flamingos, giraffes, hippos, and so much more inhabit the plains and turn Tanzania’s scenery into a heart-pounding wilderness.
The big national parks are closed to motorcyclists, but the fact that animals migrate and cross park boundaries is hardly surprising.
And that’s an alienating thought!
So you may find yourself scanning the horizon or looking over your shoulder more frequently. But, ultimately, an encounter can never be completely ruled out. And perhaps this is where Tanzania’s charm comes in — the fascinating interplay between its people and the untamed wilderness.
Riding this close to nature is a once-in-a-lifetime thrill — a wilderness that swells your heart and pumps your adrenaline.
The greater the diversity, the greater the perfection
When Tanganyika united with the island of Zanzibar to form Tanzania in 1964, it embraced the motto Freedom and Unity. In keeping with this motto, Tanzania has become a wellspring of enormous diversity.
It is like a love song that captivates your senses.
The cultural richness, the stunning nature, the heartiness of its grand people, and the encounter with what seems to be a heavenly relic of the past when time stood a little stiller. A catchy tune. One you won’t get tired of listening to.
Try to get off your bike and attend with all your heart. To grasp the country and its genuine people that seem alien yet so near to us. Where early morning cockcrows end the night when it is still pitch dark. To step out into the African night that swallows everything along with your breath. Where it’s black and impenetrable, and only the celestial bodies keep glittering from an endless sky.
It’s Tanzania’s diversity that makes it so perfect.
In summary, riding in Tanzania is a bliss
And as you ride on, allow yourself to surrender to how wonderful it is to experience a world like this. To dwell in its richness that soothes every battered soul.
It’s right here in Tanzania, where your yearning will find a safe haven at the very pulse of nature — a sanctuary for all humans and beasts in its infinite vastness.
Jambo. Jamba Tanzania!
Every bird flies with its own wings — Tanzanian proverb
PS: If you’re eager to ride in Tanzania, learn more about our upcoming women-only tour Riding with Maasai and Prey. Or grab a free reader with riding tips for Tanzania.
Originally published at: https://medium.com