Safari trip

It was my first time in Africa travelling with Try Medics to Zanzibar. I study medicine at the University of Copenhagen and chose to take my first clinical stay on Zanzibar to try something new and gain an insight into a completely different healthcare system. Being my first time in Africa also meant I immediately signed up when the opportunity to go on a safari trip during my placement was presented to me.

We were picked up on Thursday afternoon so the trip did not affect our time at the hospital. From the Try Medics house we drove to the ferry to Dar Es Salaam. A staff member waited for us at the harbour in Dar Es Saleem, so he could follow us to our hostel that evening. We knew we had a long day in front of us, so we immediately went out and found some dinner in Dar es Salaam at a local street kitchen before heading early to bed.

Friday morning we ate breakfast before being picked up by our safari guide Paul. Paul is an friendly and fun guide proficient in English and with an incredible knowledge about animals and Tanzania. We had to drive 7 hours before reaching Mikumi National Park but it is an unusually nice drive and there is of course lunch break along the way. When arriving at the park we lifted the car’s roof so we could stand up and look out to all sides and still be in shade.

The safari itself is hard to describe because it is so magnificent and beautiful but also because it varies so much from day to day. We saw Giraffes, Zebras, Hippos, Lions, Elephants, Crocodiles and many more animals. As you are in the middle of the wilderness there is no guarantee you will see all animals found on the savannah but the likelihood of seeing many of the animals in their natural surroundings is huge.

When the sun went down the park closed and we drove to our hotel which was a 10 minute drive from the national park. It was a really nice hotel where breakfast and 3 course dinner was included. Saturday we had a full day in the park and on Sunday morning the trip went home to Stone Town, Zanzibar. It was an amazing experience to see so many wild animals in their natural habitat and I would definitely recommend anyone who has not experienced it to take part in the trip during their stay.

• Julie Lauritzen, Medicine student