To Tanzania – despite the pandemic? I experienced that on the Serengeti safari

There are thousands, no: thousands upon thousands of white-bearded wildebeest that have gathered on the banks of the Mara River. Behind them lies a marathon through the Serengeti savannah. Now they want to go to Kenya, to the Masai Mara, because the grass on the other side is always greener for wildebeest too. The air is filled with dust and flies, with the monotonous grunts of the hartebeest.

But the lead animals are still hesitant, because jumping into the murky and crocodile-infested waters is life-threatening. More and more wildebeest are pushing towards the river, lions and other predators sneaking up from behind. And suddenly, as if someone had fired a starting gun, it starts. The first, bravely, jump into the water, which literally begins to boil. Clear the stage for the greatest spectacle the animal world has to offer!

Many camps in Tanzania closed due to a pandemic – hardly any tourists

A total of around 1.3 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras go on the hunt for new grazing grounds every year. During normal times, this animal show attracts tourists from all over the world. The more exclusive safari camps then charge four-digit top prices per night. And yet there is not enough space in the around 100 accommodations in the Serengeti.

However, this year everything is different. There are only half a dozen vehicles on the bank, on the Kenyan side there is not a single one. Because of the corona pandemic, most tourists do not dare to go to Africa, many camps are not even open. The spectacle can be enjoyed all the more, unmolested by the cameras of the others. The great migration of animals in 2020 – it must have been so heavenly and lonely here when Bernhard Grzimek made his Oscar-winning film “Serengeti Must Not Die” in 1959.

Surf tip: You can find all the news about the corona pandemic in the news ticker from FOCUS Online

Tanzania's President declares pandemic over

But is it safe to travel to Tanzania right now? To the continent of wars, diseases and disasters? John Magufuli, the authoritarian ruling President of Tanzania, is accused of covering up the number of corona infections and deaths in Tanzania. On April 29, he published case numbers for the last time (509 infected and 21 dead). He then banned coverage of the virus, recommended three days of prayer to his compatriots, and soon after declared the pandemic over. This makes Tanzania one of the few countries that does not provide the World Health Organization (WHO) with figures and is strongly reprimanded by it. Nobody knows how many people infected, died, recovered, how many were tested.

We arrive with Qatar Airways via Doha. The airline is one of the few that reliably serves a large route network even in Corona times. At check-in and on board, a plexiglass protective shield must be worn in addition to the mask (except for meals), the flight attendants are in white protective suits. It takes getting used to, but it gives you a good, secure feeling. Apart from that, there is a lot of space in the machine, each guest has an average of three seats to themselves: wood class with business flair.

Disinfected land cruisers and germicidal lotion

After arriving at Kilimanjaro Airport near Arusha, the mask is quickly over. They don't seem to appear in public life. The drivers of our Land Cruisers, with whom we will be on the road for the next few days, place even more emphasis on hygiene. The cars are cleaned every day with a disinfecting solution, the drivers wear face masks if they wish, and there is a dispenser with germicidal lotion in the car.

At the first stop we get to know the Osterwalds from Hanover, who arrived the day before and are now looking forward to their self-drive safari. They are the only guests in their hotel. Father Bernd has already been to Africa several times, already standing on the summit of Kilimanjaro. "It's our first vacation after many months of hard work," says the self-employed sales representative.

The reactions at home were mixed, tenor: The main thing is that you come back healthy! He's not afraid of a lockdown here in Tanzania, which is more likely to happen in Germany. For his daughter Isabell and her boyfriend it is not that easy as an employee. Because they will be back before the end of September, they will not be quarantined, and a mandatory and free Covid-19 test at the airport will quickly clarify this. At some point in October, when the mandatory quarantine is supposed to come, things will of course look different. "Our employer would not have understood this, the trip would probably have been canceled."

The organizer has not sold a single trip to Africa since Corona

The Osterwalds are the first customers that David Heidler is sending on tour in Tanzania again after the Corona outbreak. The 30-year-old is one of the two founders and managing directors of Akwaba Travel in Leipzig with a focus on Africa travel. Before the pandemic, trips to Tanzania accounted for around 50 percent of his total sales. The studied Africanist speaks fluent Swahili and knows the country from many tours.

He has not sold a single new trip since the Corona outbreak, but was able to postpone 80 percent of the tours booked to 2021. The blanket stigmatization of Africa as the “Empire of Evil” by the travel warning from the Foreign Office is highly damaging to his business. Together with Elangeni African Adventures (who have since given up), he therefore initiated a lawsuit. However, the urgent application was rejected by the Berlin Administrative Court.

Densely populated countries are much more dangerous than a game drive in the Serengeti

On July 17, around 40 Africa tour operators, who had joined the lawsuit, appealed against the decision. Now the Higher Administrative Court Berlin-Brandenburg is dealing with the case. The organizers oppose the fact that the countries affected by the travel warning are not viewed differently. They want to have the travel warnings for Mauritius, the Seychelles and Tanzania lifted first.

"Especially when compared to European seaside resorts, the African travel destinations have all the arguments on their side," says Heidler: "Low infection rates, small hotels, activities in small private groups and strict hygiene concepts." The Osterwalds see it similarly: "Densely populated countries are clear more dangerous than a game drive through the deserted Serengeti. "

Corona was in Tanzania before you knew it

The next interview partner is a German doctor working in Northern Tanzania who should not be named because he is not allowed to talk about Corona according to the media law. He makes it clear in advance: “I cannot say anything specific about the number of cases. That would be pure speculation. ”But he is networked with a dozen other doctors in a WhatsApp group, whose area of ​​application certainly covers 50 percent of the country and the larger clinics. He is also in regular contact with the German embassy in Dar es Salaam. They all observed more cases of colds in January and February, especially among foreigners living in the country. "In retrospect, that was certainly Corona."

But then the feared catastrophe did not occur. Small hospitals often only had a handful of cases to care for. He believes: “If there were tons of infections, we would notice.” His conclusion: “Corona was in Tanzania before we knew it. And it left the country before we knew it. "

Many people here have other, bigger problems. The risk of dying from malaria or tuberculosis is many times higher. In addition, the global recession caused by the lockdown in the spring led to severe collateral damage, which would hit Africa much more dramatically than Europe.

Young mothers with their babies no longer know what to do without work

This is confirmed by Rohel Shah, managing director of the tour operator Shah Tours in Moshi at the foot of Kilimanjaro. “We have 95 percent fewer bookings this year.” In a normal season, more than 30,000 people climbed the highest mountain on the continent, this year it was only a few hundred. Nice for the brave who have the summit to themselves, bad for Shah's 20 permanent and 500 freelance workers.

The situation is similar with Horst Bachmann. The German runs the African View Lodge in front of the gates of Arusha National Park, owns other tented camps in Tarangire National Park and in the Serengeti: "We had to reduce our staff from 120 to 48, it just couldn't be any other way." , now at least a young Swiss couple has checked in. “It breaks our hearts when young mothers stand in front of the hotel with their children in their arms and don't know what to do because we can't give them any more work. We try to cushion that as best we can. "

People employed in tourism do not know how to feed their families

Our driver and guide Mohamed are also happy to finally be on tour again: "Each of us in tourism feeds and supports a whole family, often up to ten people." That is why the stress after the corona shock was initially great . In the meantime, many tried to adapt to the new situation. For example, they grow vegetables and crops to keep themselves afloat. Otherwise, as everywhere in Africa, the motto is: Hakuna Matata! Loosely translated: "No problem, everything is fine".

Of course it is not. On the way to the Serengeti, we pass souvenir stands that currently rarely sell anything to tourists. Nobody wants to photograph the Maasai and pay money for it. Nobody can buy a soft drink from the street vendors. Instead, children call after us “Corona, Corona!”. In other words: We, the whites, the "Mzungu", are the ones who bring in the virus and whom one has to be careful of.

Why Corona is less affected by Corona

But if it really is the case that the pandemic in Africa is less raging than on other continents: what could be the cause? "I'm at a loss," said the South African epidemologist Salim Karim of the "Süddeutsche Zeitung". "It seems that the virus is spreading differently in Africa and with a weakened result." There is no consensus on the causes.

But the fact is: half of Tanzanians are younger than 18, the average age is 40 years. Those who grow up in the village and survive the often poorly hygienic environment in the first few years are much better armed against germs than sterile Europeans. Life largely takes place outdoors. On average it is warmer than in Europe. And blood group 0, which is widespread in Africa, may also provide better protection against infection.

Renovations postponed to save money

The German doctor criticizes that it is all the more frustrating that the President of Tanzania is not allowing more transparency. “There is nothing to hide.” Simon Beiser, whose family runs the Blue Oyster Hotel in Zanzibar on Jambiani Beach, the first sustainably certified hotel on the island, also speaks of a “disservice”.

“Everyone was disciplined during the lockdown, even the mosques remained closed,” he says. Only three of its 18 rooms are occupied, also because comfortable flights such as the direct connection with Condor from Frankfurt to Zanzibar are currently not available. In order not to have to lay off employees, the Beisers postponed renovation work and saved the money.

Now they hope for better times. To the fact that more kite surfers will come back soon. The hotel fills up at Christmas like it used to. There are bottles with disinfectant solutions available everywhere in the hotel. The food is served outside on the balcony, where there is always a breeze. The impression: It is very unlikely to get infected here.

Less tourism means less animal welfare

One thing is certain: Those who currently dare will be rewarded with deserted beaches. With lonely peaks. With prides of lions on safari that you have exclusively for yourself.

A ranger in Tarangire National Park tells us that her anti-poaching teams stayed in the field and would continue to be paid. Nevertheless, less tourism means less animal welfare because the income for projects is lost.

At normal times, up to 200 safari cars drive through the park, “this summer we had weeks without a single visitor.” Lions would now come closer to the public camps, sniff the toilets. Aha, the cats have probably not heard of "social distancing". Even before Corona, it wasn't a bad idea to keep enough distance from large carnivorous fauna.

But maybe the lions fell into a crisis of meaning when the tourists stayed away with their cameras – and suddenly they were no longer allowed to play super models.