Amathole ezilwane zasendle angaba ngu-8,000 awela emathafeni otshani obufushane eningizimu yeSerengeti nsuku zonke ngesikhathi sokuvuthwa kwamathole eTanzania. Akuwona wonke phakathi nesizini. Nsuku zonke. Emasontweni amaningana egijima, amathafa aphakathi kweNdutu nezintaba zaseNgorongoro agcwele izinsana ezisanda kuzalwa ezima ngezinyawo ngemizuzu embalwa futhi zigijima ngehora elilodwa. Amabhubesi, izingulule, kanye nezimpisi zisebenza endaweni efanayo. Cishe akunakwenzeka ukuzibamba izinombolo uze ume phakathi kwazo.
Sekuyiminyaka sithatha amakhasimende ezindaweni zokuzala, futhi lokhu kusalokhu kungenye yezinto ezidala imiyalezo eminingi ngemva kokuba abantu befike emakhaya. Hhayi izindawo zokuwela uMfula iMara, ezithola iningi labezindaba. Ukuzala. Kukhona okuthile ngokubona ukuzalwa nokudla kwezilwane ngesikhathi esisodwa, ngezinga, emkhakheni ofanayo, okuhlala kubantu ngendlela okungenakuhlala ngayo ngezinye izikhathi ukuwela umfula.
Lo mhlahlandlela uhlanganisa isikhathi, izindawo, ukuguquguquka okuqotho, izinto zokuhamba, kanye nemibuzo esivame ukubuzwa ngabantu abacabanga ngohambo oluya eTanzania kusukela ngoJanuwari kuya kuMashi.
Isikhathi sokuzala kwezilwane zasendle siqala ngasekupheleni kukaJanuwari kuya maphakathi noMashi, lapho iningi lezilwane zasendle ezimhlophe ezicishe zibe yizigidi ezingu-1.35 ezihlala entshonalanga endaweni ye-Serengeti zizala khona. Isikhathi nendawo akuzona izinto ezingahleliwe.
Amathafa otshani obufushane endaweni yaseNdutu eningizimu yeSerengeti aphansi ngqo komoya Ngorongoro Crater Izindawo eziphakeme. Eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane, umlotha wentaba-mlilo ovela ezindaweni eziphakeme uye wavunguza wangena kulezi zindawo, wazifaka i-calcium, i-sodium, i-potassium, ne-phosphorus. Utshani obukhula lapha bunezimpande ezingajulile futhi bunomsoco ongavamile. Izilwane ezikhulelwe ziye zavela, eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane, zafika lapha njengoba izimvula ezimfushane zikaNovemba noDisemba ziletha utshani esicongweni sazo sokudla.
Umphumela uba indawo ecishe iphelele yokuzala. Utshani bucebile ngokwanele ukusekela omama abancelisayo. Indawo evulekile, eyisicaba isho ukuthi amathole ahamba ngokushesha, futhi umhlambi ungabona izilwane ezidla ezinye ezisondelayo kude. Ukuzala nakho kuvumelana ngendlela engavamile. Iningi lokuzala lenzeka ngaphakathi kwefasitela elicindezelwe lamasonto amabili kuya kwamathathu maphakathi noFebhuwari. Izilinganiso zisikisela ukuthi cishe amaphesenti angama-80 awo wonke amathole azalwa ngaphakathi kwalesi sikhathi esifushane.
Lokho kuvumelanisa ngokwakho kuyindlela yokusinda. Ngokugcwalisa amathafa ngamathole asanda kuzalwa ngesikhathi esisodwa, izingwenya zidlula amandla ezilwane ezidla ezinye zasendaweni okuzithatha zonke. Ibhubesi eliziqhenya ngokusebenza ezindaweni zokuzala lingadla amathole amaningi ngosuku. Lapho kufika angu-8,000 njalo ekuseni, iningi lawo lisinda ngesisindo sezinombolo. Kuyizibalo ezinonya, futhi kuyasebenza.
Ifasitela lokuzala liqala cishe ekupheleni kukaJanuwari kuze kube maphakathi noMashi, lapho inani eliphakeme lokuzala livela ngoFebhuwari. Engxenyeni yesibili kaMashi, amathole amaningi asuke esenemasonto amaningana ubudala futhi ehambahamba ngokwanele kangangokuthi ukuguquguquka kwamathafa kuqala ukushintsha. Imihlambi iqala ukuhlangana futhi ibheke enyakatho.
Izixwayiso ezimbalwa eziqotho mayelana nesikhathi. Indawo yokuhlala yaseSerengeti inkulu futhi ukufuduka akulandeli ikhalenda elihleliwe. Imihlambi ingafika endaweni yaseNdutu ngasekupheleni kukaDisemba ngonyaka kanye nezimvula zakuqala, noma ihlale kuze kube ngu-Ephreli uma utshani baseningizimu buhlala. Silandelela amaphethini emvula kanye nokuhamba kwemihlambi ngesikhathi sangempela futhi silungisa indawo yamakhasimende ngokufanele, okungenye yezinzuzo ezisebenzayo zokubhuka nomqhubi wendawo kunokuba umqhubi wephakheji elihleliwe osebenza ngencwajana.
Uma izinsuku zakho zinqunyiwe futhi ziwa ngoJanuwari, uFebhuwari, noma uMashi, ukuzala kungenzeka kube yisigameko sezilwane zasendle esivelele emathafeni aseningizimu. Uma unokuguquguquka, maphakathi noFebhuwari kuya ekuqaleni kukaMashi kukunikeza amathuba aphezulu kakhulu okubona ukuzalwa okuphezulu kanye nokuziphatha kwezilwane ezidla ezinye izilwane.
Izindawo zokuzala ziphakathi komngcele phakathi ISerengeti National Park kanye neNgorongoro Conservation Area, egxile esifundeni saseNdutu. Lokhu kubalulekile ngoba kusho ukuthi udinga indawo yokuhlala ekubeka endaweni yokufinyelela izinhlangothi zombili zalo mngcele ngaphandle kokuchitha amahora amaningi ushayela njalo ekuseni.
Indawo yaseNdutu, ezungezwe yiLake Ndutu kanye neLake Masek entshonalanga kanye neNabi Hill Gate enyakatho-mpumalanga, yiyona ndawo eyinhloko. Ihlathi eliseceleni kwamachibi ligcina amabhubesi ahlala khona, izingwe, kanye nezingulule ezazi kahle ukuthi kuzokwenzekani minyaka yonke futhi zizibeke ngendlela efanele. Amathafa avulekile ngale kwehlathi yilapho imihlambi igxila khona futhi lapho iningi lokuzala nokuzingela kwenzeka khona.
INdutu Safari Lodge iyindawo endala kunazo zonke endaweni futhi itholakala ngqo ogwini lwechibi. Ikhululekile kunokuba ibe yinhle kakhulu, kodwa indawo yayo ayinakuqhathaniswa. Ukuvuka uye emahlathini ngesikhathi sokuzala amathole amaningi akuyona into engavamile. ILemala Ndutu kanye ne-&Beyond Ndutu Safari Lodge zinikeza induduzo yesimanje kumakhasimende afuna izinga eliphezulu lesikhala ngaphandle kokudela indawo yokuhlala.
Ngeke sincome ukuthi ushayele eNdutu usuka eKaratu noma e-Arusha ngosuku olulodwa phakathi nalesi sikhathi. Amabanga maningi kakhulu futhi ulahlekelwa amahora abalulekile ekuseni kakhulu nantambama, okuyilapho kanye umsebenzi wezilwane ezidla ezinye izilwane uphezulu khona.
Amathafa amakhulu avulekile eningizimu naseningizimu-mpumalanga yehlathi laseNdutu, aqonde eGol Kopjes naseNaabi Hill, yilapho imihlambi isakazeka khona lapho indawo yaseNdutu igcwele. Ngezinsuku lapho izinkonkoni zihamba khona, ungashayela amakhilomitha angu-40 unqamule la mathafa futhi ungashiyi umhlambi oqonde phezulu nxazonke.
Yilapho futhi ukubonakala kwezingwe kungaba okungavamile ngesikhathi sokuzala. Indawo evulekile kanye nobuningi bamathole amancane kuhambisana kahle nokuziphatha kokuzingela kwezingwe, futhi sivame ukubona isenzo sezingwe lapha ngoFebhuwari kunanoma yisiphi esinye isikhathi sonyaka kunoma iyiphi enye ingxenye yesifunda esisenyakatho.
Ngezinye izikhathi abantu bafika belindele udwendwe oluqhubekayo nolubonakalayo lokuzalwa kuzo zonke izintaba abadlula kuzo ngemoto. Iqiniso liyahlukahluka kakhulu, futhi ukuqonda okukusiza ukuthi uqonde lokho okubonayo.
Ukuzalwa kwenzeka ngazo zonke izikhathi, kodwa amahora asekuseni ngemva kokukhanya kokuqala kanye nantambama ngaphambi kokushona kwelanga yizona zikhathi ezimatasa kakhulu zokuzalwa kanye nokudla. Ngosuku olugcwele eNdutu ngesikhathi sokuzala amathole aphezulu, umjaho ojwayelekile wezilwane ungafaka: izinsana eziningi ezisasemanzi kusukela ekuzalweni, okungenani ukuzingela noma ukuxosha isilwane esisodwa esidla inyama, amabhubesi amaningana adla isidumbu, izingulule ziphumule phakathi kokuzingela, kanye nokunyakaza okuqhubekayo nokungaphumuli kwemihlambi emikhulu emathafeni.
Ngezinye izinsuku, konke kwenzeka ngesikhathi esisodwa futhi imoto ayinyakazi ihora lonke ngoba kuningi kakhulu ongakubuka endaweni eyodwa. Ezinye izinsuku zithule kakhulu. Yilokho uhlobo lwezilwane zasendle. Kodwa ukuminyana komsebenzi ngesikhathi sokuzalwa kwamathole kuphakeme kakhulu kunanoma yisiphi esinye isikhathi sonyaka, futhi ngisho nokusa okuthule lapha kuveza ukuxhumana okuningi kwezilwane zasendle kunosuku olumatasa kwamanye amapaki amaningi.
Into eyodwa esiyitshela amaklayenti ngokwethembeka: isikhathi sokuzala sihilela ukubuka izilwane zifa. Amathole athathwa amabhubesi, izimpisi, izimpungushe, kanye nezinkozi zempi ngezikhathi ezithile zingakapheli imizuzu yokuzalwa. Uma unezingane ezincane ezingase zibe nenkinga ngalokhu, khuluma nathi ngaphambi kokubhuka. Asizami ukukudikibalisa, sifuna nje ukuthi ulungele. Iningi labantu abadala lithola isenzo sesilwane esidla ezinye njengenye yezingxenye ezithakazelisa kakhulu zesipiliyoni. Akuyona into ecacile, eqondile, futhi akunakwenzeka ukuyibheka kude.
Lona umbuzo esiwuthola kakhulu kumakhasimende angafika kanye kuphela futhi afune ukwenza ucingo olufanele.
Ukuwela uMfula iMara kusukela ngoJulayi kuya ku-Okthoba kuyisenzakalo esimangalisayo kakhulu ekufudukeni, ukuma okuphelele. Izinkulungwane zezinkonkoni eziwela emfuleni ogcwele ingwenya ngokukhukhuleka nokwesabekayo kuyinto engenakukwazi ukukopishwa yizithombe namafilimu. Uma ulandela isithombe esisodwa esidumile, ukuwela yikona.
Kodwa isikhathi sokuzala, ngokolwazi lwethu, siwukuhlangenwe nakho kwezilwane zasendle okucebile nokuqhubekayo. Isenzo asigxilile enkathini eyodwa ephawulekayo osebeni lomfula. Siqhubeka njalo emathafeni amasonto amaningi. Ubuningi bokubona izilwane ezidla ezinye buphakeme. Ukukhanya kwesizini eluhlaza kuthambile futhi kungcono ukuthwebula izithombe. Kunezimoto ezimbalwa kakhulu emathafeni uma kuqhathaniswa nesizini yokuwela emahlathini ngo-Agasti. Futhi imali yepaki iphansi.
Uma ungakhetha eyodwa kuphela, khetha ngokusekelwe kulokho okubaluleke kakhulu kuwe. Uma ufuna isithombe esibe sekhava ngalinye lomagazini, iya ezindaweni zokuwela. Uma ufuna ukujula, ukuhlukahluka, kanye nokuhlangenwe nakho komuntu siqu okunezixuku ezimbalwa, woza uzozala.
Indawo yaseNdutu inezindawo ezimbili zokukhokha. Ukufinyelela eNgorongoro Conservation Area kubiza ama-USD angu-82.60 kumuntu omdala ngosuku kusukela ngo-2025, kanti izimali zeSerengeti National Park nazo zikhokhwa uma ungena epaki. Umhlahlandlela wakho womshayeli uzophatha zombili lezi zinhlobo zemali njengengxenye yohambo lwakho lwansuku zonke lomdlalo. Lezi zindleko zifakiwe kuzo zonke iziphakheji zeKiwoito Africa Safaris futhi azifakwanga njengesimanga esangweni.
Indawo yokuhlala eNdutu isukela ku-USD 250 ngomuntu ngobusuku emakamu aphakathi nendawo akhululekile kuya ku-USD 600 nangaphezulu ngomuntu ngobusuku emakamu aphezulu. Izindleko eziphelele zijwayelekile kuwo wonke amakamu kule ndawo, njengoba kungekho ndawo yokudlela.
INdutu iqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-130 ukusuka e-Arusha ngomgwaqo, idlula eKaratu. Uhambo luthatha cishe amahora amathathu nesigamu kuya kwamane ngosuku oluhle, okuhlanganisa nohambo oluya emigwaqweni engagandayiwe endaweni yokulondolozwa kwemvelo. Amakhasimende amaningi andiza eya eKilimanjaro International Airport akhetha ukuqeda uhambo ngokulala eKaratu noma elodge emphethweni weNgorongoro Crater ngaphambi kokuqhubeka eya eNdutu ngakusasa ekuseni.
Ngaphandle kwalokho, izindiza eziqashiwe ezivela e-Arusha ziya esikhumulweni sezindiza saseNdutu zithatha cishe imizuzu engama-45 futhi zitholakala ngabaqhubi bezindiza abaningana abalula. Singazihlela njengengxenye yohambo lwakho.
Uma izinsuku zakho zokuhamba ziba ngoDisemba noma ngo-Ephreli, isikhathi sokuzala asiyona into ozoyithola eNdutu. UDisemba yisikhathi sezimvula zokuqala lapho imihlambi ingase ifike noma ingafikanga emathafeni aseningizimu. U-Ephreli ubona imihlambi iqala ukuthuthela enyakatho, futhi izimvula ezinde zingenza eminye imizila ingadluleki. Zombili zingase zibe izinyanga ezinhle kakhulu ze-safari kwezinye izingxenye zesifunda esisenyakatho, kodwa ngeke sikubeke ikakhulukazi eNdutu kunoma iyiphi inyanga futhi sikubize ngokuthi i-safari yokuzala.
Singumqhubi we-safari waseTanzania onelayisensi ohlala e-Arusha, obhaliswe ne-Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) kanye ne-Tanzania Tourist Board. Izimoto zethu ziyi-Toyota Land Cruisers ezifakwe ngokwezifiso ezinophahla oluvulekile, izindawo zokushaja, kanye nesikhala esanele abagibeli abayisithupha ngemoto ngayinye. Asipakishi abantu abayisishiyagalombili emotweni enezihlalo eziyisikhombisa, okuyinto abanye abaqhubi abayenzayo.
Abaqondisi bethu bahlala futhi basebenza enyakatho yeTanzania unyaka wonke. Ababona abasebenzi bezinkathi ezithile zonyaka. Bayazi indawo yaseNdutu mathupha, balandelela ukuhamba kwemihlambi phakathi nesizini, futhi bayaqonda indawo encane yezindawo zokuzala ngendlela eyenza umehluko omkhulu kulokho okubonayo njalo ekuseni. Uma umqondisi azi ukuthi yimuphi umzila wokukhipha amanzi osetshenziswa yiqembu lezingulule ngesonto eledlule, noma ukuthi iyiphi ingxenye yehlathi laseNdutu isilwane esihlala khona esizisebenzisayo, kushintsha ikhwalithi yomdlalo wakho wezilwane ngokuyisisekelo.
Sifaka zonke izimali zepaki kanye nendawo yokulondolozwa emananini ethu ephaketheni ngaphandle kwezimanga zesango. Sinikeza indawo yokuhlala egcwele kuzo zonke izindawo zonyaka wokuzala futhi sihlela izindiza eziqashiwe eziya eNdutu lapho kuceliwe khona. Isilinganiso sethu se-TripAdvisor simi ku-5.0 kusukela ekubuyekezweni okungaphezu kuka-200, kanye nesilinganiso sethu se-Google ku-4.9 kusukela ekubuyekezweni okungaphezu kwe-100.
Uma ucabangela uhambo lwesikhathi sokubeletha futhi ufuna ingxoxo eqondile neqotho mayelana nokuthi izinsuku zakho, isabelomali sakho, kanye nokulindelekile kufaneleka yini, singathanda ukuba nengxoxo manje kunokuba ufike unamathemba angafanele.