HOMECOMING: CY EXPLORES Tanzania & Zanzibar
On June 20, 2022 the Camp Yoshi co-founders took a small group out of the country– for a homecoming, ironically. Venturing out to the Eastern edge of Africa to visit Tanzania. This was no typical Camp Yoshi experience. This time we decided to up the luxury. That’s right, we took a slight detour, swapping out our usual top-of-the-line premium tents for luxurious hotels and lodges. Chef Rashad took a step back to soak in the native cuisine, as local chefs did what they do best: create intoxicating dishes. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Yoshi function if the drinks weren’t flowin’ as well. Each 5-star hotel had its own share of delectable cocktails as well.
Opulence aside, it was very important that we stayed tapped into our roots and values. Adventure was still at the forefront of our priorities. After meal time, it was right back into the wild. Mainland Tanzania offered the quintessential picturesque safari rides.The Ngorongoro Conservation Area was where we were able to enjoy watching the likes of lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and leopards at their level, closer than ever before– a true once in a lifetime opportunity. Local professionals guided our group through the Ngorongoro Crater, which is also home to hippo, wildebeest, warthog, zebra, eland, buffalo, gazelles and waterbuck.
At Serengeti, arguably (but not really) the world’s most captivating national park, we were once again greeted with the exciting presence of exotic wildlife. The park is notable for housing the “Big Five” (rhino, African buffalo, lion, leopard, and elephant). We were lucky enough to see all five members of the predatory gang, as well as the great migration of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra, which happens every year in that 5,700 square miles of grassland plains.
The island of Zanzibar offered us views of the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean and gorgeous white sand beaches. This terrain one-eighty is just within a cool puddle-hopper plane trip away from mainland Tanzania.
“As a chef, I was especially excited to see Zanzibar, which is affectionately nicknamed the Spice Islands. That’s where we got to see some of the world’s rarest quality of spices as they were being grown on local plantations. Stuff like achiote, nutmeg, and vanilla.” says co-founder Rashad.
Arabic culture is highly prevalent over the islands, especially in Stone Town. We’d spent most of the trip up until that point taken aback by how wild animals were living. It was really nice to take a moment to connect with foreign humanity, taking in the carefully crafted and nurtured culture of people on the other side of the world. Ornate carved wooden doors and rustically elegant architecture were just a few things that kept our eyes locked into the place around us.
This African homecoming trip was less about camping and more focused on the two CY Pillars of Thrill and Community Building. Rashad says “CY is not all about camping, this trip was about pure adventure, building community, and going home… getting a better understanding of where some of our ancestors come from, meeting with authentic tribes and experiencing the best of what nature has to offer.”
This trip changed our lives and has expanded the mindset of the Camp Yoshi crew as far as how we conceptualize the future of our company. We look forward to bringing this experience, and more like it, to the rest of the CY fam in the near future, and with it new perspective, more inspiration, and restoration to our growing community. See you outside!