Tanya’s Escape to Tanzania with Thrillophilia: A Review
“We’ve all got a bucket list, right?” my friend, Aditi asked as we sat in our favourite café one afternoon, sipping coffee.
“Yes, why?”, I replied
“What’s one thing that we all want to tick off together?”, she asked with a clever smile on her face.
That’s when Karan said, “A safari in Africa!”
The idea instantly clicked, and we all exchanged glances, waiting for someone to give their opinion.
After a pause, I said, “"Love the idea, but seriously, how do we plan such a huge trip? Africa isn’t the kind of place you just pack and go!"
Neha interrupted and said with sparkly eyes, “This is not a last-minute plan, is it? We’ve been planning about this for ages. And speaking of planning, let’s simply book a package from Thrillophilia. They will take care of everything while we pack our bags and book our flights.”
A few weeks later, we found ourselves flying to Africa, ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
The Call of the Wild…
If you had asked me a year ago where I’d be spending my vacation, I wouldn’t have guessed Tanzania. But here I was, hopping into a safari jeep with my closest friends, ready to explore the beauty and wilderness of Serengeti National Park.
“Do you think we’ll see a lion?” Karan asked while buckling up for our first game drive.
Our guide, Jackson, chuckled, “You’re in the Serengeti. Just wait.”
He wasn’t wrong, we did get to meet the king of the jungle! But before that we got to witness the most breathtaking scenery: golden savannahs stretching endlessly, acacia trees, and animals—oh, so many animals! Zebras and wildebeests roamed in massive herds, and giraffes strolled by as if they owned the place.
A really fun moment was spotting a bunch of monkeys playing with each other. One of them noticed our jeep and tried to scare us away. I made sure to grab the opportunity and click the little ‘pretentious-ferocious’ creature.
Then came the real thrill– a lioness resting next to a huge boulder while her two beautiful cubs were playing with the mother’s tail. Karan, of course, couldn't contain his excitement and shouted, “Look, a lion!” The guide shushed him in a second and asked everyone to be quiet.
I gave him the classic wide-eyed look and whispered, “You are lucky that she is not hungry!”
We spent around three days in the Serengeti National Park, stayed in a luxurious tent camp and had hearty meals throughout the day. My favourite moments in Serengeti was when we would return back to our stay after a thrilling game drive, gather around for dinner and talk incessantly about how our day went.
Ngorongoro Crater: Natural Wonderland
Next up was the Ngorongoro Crater, and trust me, it looked like it belonged in a fantasy novel. As our jeep descended into the vast caldera, I exclaimed, “It feels like we’ve stepped into Jurassic Park!”
Whereas, Neha added, “No, I think this is like the real-life Lion King.”
The crater was full of life, starting from lush greenery to all kinds of animals surrounding us. We spotted rhinos grazing in the distance, herds of buffalo casually strolling past us, and flamingos painting the lake pink. That was not all, two giant giraffes literally stood next to our jeep and gracefully nibbled on the treetop above us.
I have to admit that our guide, Jakson, had eagle eyes. He pointed out to a leopard who was hiding behind the bushes. Even after he pointed it out, it took us some time to find out where the creature was. But as soon as all of us got a glance, he said, “It is better we get moving. He is searching for his next prey!”
This one sentence sent chills down my spine. And that is when I truly realised, I was in Africa, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by some of the deadliest creatures and living my lifelong dream!
For our lunch, we enjoyed a wholesome picnic under the shade of a giant tree. “This might be the best meal of my life,” Neha said, biting into a chicken sandwich while we watched zebras grazing nearby.
Sun, Sand & Serenity!
Lounging under the sun and eyes closed, Aditi said, “After so many jump-scare moments, thrills and literal adrenaline running through my body, I needed this!”
Neha added while sipping on her mojito, “I couldn’t agree more! This was the best way of wrapping up this trip.”
We were at Zanzibar’s one of the iconic beaches, the Kendwa Beach. It was way more beautiful than I had imagined. Turquoise water with soft white sand that was sparkling due to the rays of the sun.
We spent hours lounging on the beach, occasionally dipping into the warm ocean. “This is therapy, guys. Who needs a spa?” I said, lying under a giant umbrella.
“So, what’s the plan today?” Karan asked while looking at the vast blue ocean.
“Relax, Eat, repeat,” I replied, making everyone laugh.
As all four of us were enjoying the moment in our own ways, Neha said with a huge sigh, “Yes, eat all you want. We have to leave this paradise tomorrow anyway!”
Her statement brought us all back to reality in an instant. Our smiles faded away, realising that tomorrow all this will be gone and each one of us will be back to the daily hustles.
I added, in the hope of lighting up the mood, “Well, we can always plan a next trip! Let’s not forget we still have an entire day of unlimited fun, food and thrills.”
Read More: Thrillophilia Tanzania Reviews