Meet Your Guides: Hashim Kindu
After every safari, we hear from guests that their guide was amazing, and that he “must be the best.” At this point, we’ve heard this about every single guide that leads our trips!
We know that highly-skilled, friendly, attentive guides can make the difference between a good safari and an unforgettable one; that’s why we’re so honored to be able to work with so many amazing individuals, such as:
Hashim Kindu
Let’s start with the basics: where are you from, and what should guests call you.
[Laughs] They should just call me Hashim; I’ve never really had any nicknames. Originally, I’m from Morogoro, a city about 100 miles west of Dar es Salaam.
How long have you been working for Rick and Judi?
I started in 2006. I love what I do!
What do you love the most? Do you have a favorite place to visit on safari?
My favorite park is Tarangire. I love the remote landscapes and all the baobab trees, and I love tembo [“elephants” for you non-Swahili speakers!], and Tarangire is the best place to see them.
Is that your favorite animal to spot on safari?
No, my favorite animal is the cheetah, because they’re shy, so it’s always exciting to see one. Sometimes I find a cheetah in a small tree, or on top of a termite mound.
What animals do you wish you saw more often?
Wild dogs—they’re very rare, especially in the north. And kudu. They are so strange-looking, with their spiral horns!
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen on safari?
Well there were two things. One time, I saw a hyena attack a wildebeest calf while the mother was giving birth to it. That was a bit disturbing to watch. Another time, I saw a leopard up in a tree with a kill. A lion climbed the tree and stole it from the leopard, who climbed higher up into the canopy. Then, after the lion had been eating a while, he dropped the kill out of the tree, and a hyena waiting at the bottom stole it from the lion!
Is there anything you’d like to tell guests about Tanzania?
Just that it’s a beautiful country and a perfect place for safari. People have heard of the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, but many don’t realize they are in Tanzania. I love my country, especially the parks, and I’m happy to be able to show it to so many visitors!
