As I was riding my motorbike through the Tanzanian savannah, a herd of giraffes ran past me.
We rode 250 kilometres full throttle through the rock and bush-strewn savannah, dodging giraffe and ostrich flocks on the way, stopping to eat at Maasai market stalls. Although the journey is risky in many ways, you always feel safe thanks to the reliable team and helpful locals. It's no wonder that travelling in Tanzania has become one of the most defining experiences of my life.
It's fine to go alone
"I've been friends with Janó for a long time. I was really fond of the idea when he decided to found GoBeyond, especially since I surf, ride motorcycles, like hiking and eating well, so I was pretty much ready to go on any of the trips from day one. I wasn't interested in going from hotel to hotel on boring, over-organized trips, I wanted the adventure. And since usually like-minded people sign up for these trips, it's perfectly fine to go alone, you'll get along well with the others.
Ever since I was a kid, I've been watching movies and reading novels that combine action, nature and adventure, and Tanzania has all three. I've been drawn to Black Africa for a long time and motorcycling is an essential part of my everyday life, so this trip has allowed me to indulge both these passions. We learned a lot about Tanzania's culture, its people, their traditions, and the Maasai tribes. We stayed in a wide variety of places, ranging from tents to Bauhaus villas built by German settlers, cross-country biked through the savannah, slept under the stars, and tasted different kinds of locally prepared meat.
What is my most fond memory from there? Maybe when I was a little behind the others on one of the trips and ran into a herd of giraffes grazing in the middle of the road. I had no idea what to do, so I stopped, and we were just staring at each other. Two thoughts ran through my mind at once: how I was going to get past them, and why I didn't have a GoPro on my head. Luckily, I managed to take some good photos of them.
It was also an experience of a lifetime when we arrived to a Maasai market in the middle of nowhere. No folklore or artificial vibes, just the authentic local atmosphere. Six-foot-tall Maasai people were selling slippers made from car tyres, machetes, live animals, practically anything you can imagine, treating us with tremendous kindness and hospitality.
Then we topped off the 10-day intense Tanzanian experience with three days of motorbiking and chilling in Zanzibar. It turned out to be the most memorable trip of my life, largely thanks to the organizers. Even though you go with a group of strangers, the whole adventure is like you planned it with your friends, but without the hassle of actual planning."
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