Author: Dawn

Dawn’s FAQ of the Week: Travelling with a CPAP Machine

I use a CPAP Machine to help me sleep.  Will this be a problem on safari?

CPAP machines seems to be pretty common these days. But, since the machines need a power source, it is important to be aware that some lodges only have generator power, and only run their generator during certain hours of the day. Even lodges that operate 24/7 electricity, in ‘the bush’ there can sometimes be unplanned power interruptions. Taking this into consideration, I would strongly recommend you consider bringing along a CPAP battery. If you don’t already have one, you can purchase one at the link below. That way you can recharge the battery each day during hours when the generators are operating, and then have full use of your CPAP machine at night. This has been a fantastic solution for past clients, and continues to be useful for other travel occasions well after the safari is over. Here is a link where you can read about and purchase a CPAP battery:

http://www.cpap.com/productpage-advanced.php?PNum=2299#keyproductinformation

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Dawn’s FAQ of the Week: What is Proper Guest Etiquette While Out on Safari?

I couldn’t answer this any better than what Garth Thompson already has. Garth is the author of the great guide reference book “A Guide’s Guide to Guiding” and he has some great advice for all well-intentioned guests:

“Tourist Etiquette

o Try not to be loud when in a wildlife area. Don’t whistle and bang on the vehicle to attract an animal’s attention.

o Don’t always take the prime seat in the safari vehicle.

o Be considerate of others with you.

o It is pointless comparing things in Africa with your home country.

o Be considerate of African culture and etiquette. Don’t treat the locals as if you are from the civilized world and they are inferior.

o Ask permission to take a photograph of someone or to hold their child or enter their hut.  Imagine if they barged into your home, picked up your kids and photographed all and sundry how upset you would be.

o Try not to be argumentative with the guide and others in the safari vehicle or camp.

o Don’t leap around when other people are trying to take photos, thus rocking the vehicle and potentially messing up the photo.

o Don’t get drunk and unruly when in wild areas, the bush doesn’t lend itself to this kind of behavior. It’s a long way to travel to behave like you can at home.

o Don’t encourage the guide to break park rules; it could cost him or her their job.

o Be sensitive to what you say about other nationalities, gender, gays, politics etc.

o Try not to enter into ‘We saw more than you’ competitions with other guests. It cheapens the experience.

o There is a lot of bureaucracy in Africa, be patient and keep your cool.

o Most of all don’t disturb the natural order of things. Don’t keep pressuring animals for a better photograph. Remember they are wild and that is why you have come so far and spent so much to see them.

o Lastly remember that ‘please’, ‘thank you’ and a genuine smile go a long way in Africa.”

Garth Thompson, author of the book “A Guide’s Guide to Guiding”

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Dawn’s FAQ of the Week: Is Tanzania a Safe Place to Visit? What Safety Measures do you Have in Place?

Regarding the question of security and safety, you can rest assured you are in good hands with Africa Dream Safaris! We’ve never lost a client yet! (ha)

Seriously, your safety is of ultimate importance, as well as your comfort and peace of mind. We have offices both in the U.S. and Tanzania to support all segments of your trip, and all safaris are 100% escorted and chauffeured from arrival to departure. Every vehicle is equipped with a long distance radio. These radios are used for communication between other driver-guides for game reports and with our main operational office in Arusha. If there is any problem on safari, your driver-guide can immediately handle the situation as he is trained and has the experience to handle any problem. He also can use his long distance radio to communicate with our operational office in Arusha. As part of our standard procedure, we also lend all our families or groups a “local” Tanzanian company cell phone during their time in Tanzania so they have a way to contact our staff in the event of an emergency. The phone comes pre-loaded with approx $10 worth of “time”, which is plenty of credit to make several calls within Tanzania. The lodges and camps each have guards that watch over the property at night, and whistles or radios in the tents to get a guard’s attention if you have any urgent concern.

In terms of politics and national security, Tanzania is a VERY safe place to visit! Although many of the people in Tanzania still live a very simple life in rural villages and may not have a lot in the way of material possessions, Tanzania is inherently a very PEACEFUL country. To go back into Tanzania’s history would allow one to understand how early government policies encouraged the various tribes to intermarry and mix together years ago, thus creating a melting pot of cultures and dissolving any of the tribal tensions that one might hear about in other African countries. All the people of Tanzania are united by a common language of Swahili, which has encouraged communication and cooperation between the different tribes as well. Everyone here just ‘gets along’, literally. I have traveled to Tanzania all by myself on a number of occasions, and never once have I felt unsafe in any way.  You can check for yourself and see that there are no warnings issued for Tanzania on the Government’s Travel Warning website.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html 

It’s our job to look out for you and help you make the right decisions, and of course safety is our #1 priority for all our guests, always.  The local Tanzanian people are extremely gracious, polite, conservative and just a wonderful culture overall.  Guests are always overwhelmed with the warm smiles and general hospitality that immediately envelops them upon arrival, and just seems inherent to the local people of Tanzania in general.   You will see!!!

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Dawn’s FAQ of the Week: When is the Great Migration?

 

One of the most common questions I get is “When is the Great Migration?” The answer is surprisingly straightforward, but there are a lot of misconceptions out there. Let me address that here!

“When is the Great Migration?”

The Great Migration is perpetual, and thus it is always going on without any beginning or end! But as the name accurately implies, the animals are still *moving*. Like a big lawnmower, the giant herds quickly exhaust their food resources and must keep moving to find more grass and water. The Serengeti National Park is wide and vast enough that it captures the bulk of the Great Migration within its boundaries all year long. So even though the migratory animals move around from one area of the Serengeti to another throughout the year, they do follow a fairly predictable pattern. The trick to finding the animals lies in understanding their patterns of movement. And we do! Therefore we strategically design your itinerary to put your where the most animals are, including the Great Migration, and thus setting you up for success no matter what time of year you ultimately go on safari.

Some noteworthy events include the great wildebeest calving that occurs during February, and the crossing of the great Mara River that can occur almost anytime during the dry season, usually crossing the river multiple times between late July and early November.

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Another common variation of the question, worth addressing here, goes something like this:  “My safari is during the dry season (July – Nov).  Don’t I need to visit Kenya to see The Great Migration?”

The short answer is “No”.  You can see The Great Migration by visiting Tanzania alone, but if you just go to Kenya without visiting Tanzania you may miss it!

The long answer:  If you look at a map, you can see that Tanzania borders Kenya, and that the Serengeti National Park butts up against the Northern border of Tanzania aka Southern border of Kenya. The Masai Mara is quite simply a small extension of the Northern Serengeti ecosystem, the part that lops over the Kenya border, and even though it is a large area, it is quite small in size compared to the vast Serengeti on the Tanzania side. It’s true that a (relatively) small portion of the Migration may spill over into Kenya’s Masai Mara during the dry season, August through September, but even during this time it is estimated at least 80% of the Migration is always on the Tanzania side. There is not a convenient way to cross the border from Tanzania to Kenya at the Mara, or vice versa. There is a gate “Sand River/Bologonja Gate” that links the Masai Mara to the Serengeti, but this is NOT an official border crossing between the two countries. It’s no secret that the Masai Mara has become overbuilt with many tourist lodges, and Tanzanian officials have been adamant about keeping the Sand River Gate closed “for environmental reasons”, which basically means keeping all those crowds of Kenya tourists at bay. Not a particularly convenient policy for people wanting to visit both countries, but it has been an invaluable strategy in keeping the Northern Serengeti in its pristine condition. There is another border crossing at the “Isebania/Sirari Gate” several miles away, but the trip consists of hours and hours of unpleasant transfer driving that has not always been the safest route.

So as stated previously, you can see The Great Migration by visiting Tanzania alone, but if you just go to Kenya without visiting Tanzania you may miss it. But don’t take our word for it. Per the latest research report in 2008, which was published in Serengeti III , Human Impacts on Ecosystem Dynamics:

-The use of the Maasai Mara Reserve and the Mara area by the Serengeti migratory wildebeest population had dropped by some 65%.

-The percentage of migratory wildebeest moving into Kenya was at its highest in 1984 when an estimated .866 million wildebeest or 68% of the total wildebeest population entered into Kenya. Since 1984, there has been a precipitous drop in the numbers of migratory wildebeest entering the Mara area and Kenya, which has never recovered.

-It is estimated that currently only .307 million or 27% of the wildebeest migration enter into Kenya during the dry season (July to October). The remaining 73% or .830 million of the migratory wildebeest remain in Tanzania and within Serengeti National Park during the dry season.

-In the absence of any evidence of major changes in rainfall, various explanations have been hypothesized as to reasons for this phenomenon including:

–Explosive growth in large scale (mechanized) agriculture on the borders of the Maasai Mara Game Reserve

–Small-scale cultivation and land subdivision in the Mara area

–Concentration of both pastoral settlements and tourist facilities within and around the Mara reserve

 

 

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Dawn’s FAQ of the Week: What is the Food Going to be Like on Safari?

 

A topic that often gets discussed with prospective clients is the food that will be served during their trip, so thought I would address it here!

• What is the food like on safari?

Guests on safari are often surprised at the variety and sheer deliciousness of the meals served at the lodges while they are on safari, as well as their familiarity with commonly served items such as fresh fruit and vegetables,  chicken, beef, lamb and fish.  If one is conjuring up images of seeing zebra or wildebeest on the menu, that would be inaccurate to say the least!

A typical dinner at many lodges/camps will consist of approximately 3-4 courses. You’ll be able to order a la carte off of a menu most of the time, and have a choice of an appetizer, soup or salad, main course (consisting of baked or grilled chicken, beef, lamb, or fish) often served with delicate sauces, vegetables and a starch (baked potatoes or cooked rice, etc.), followed by dessert such as a fruit torte or tiramisu and tea or coffee.

The buffets are also very good. For example, the international dinner buffet at Serena hotels usually consists of many (many) items. Salad bar with salads and vegetables such as fresh avacados; fresh fruits such as mango, watermelon, pineapple and passion fruit; fresh breads and cheeses; sliced meats or baked or grilled entrees (such as those listed in the first paragraph above), and a dessert bar with an assortment of fresh fruits, pastries, cakes, tortes, pies, etc.

Hot lunches may be lighter than dinners, but you’ll still have a variety of many of the various items listed above to choose from. Hot breakfasts usually consist of eggs cooked to order along with a breakfast meat such as sausage or bacon, along with a cold buffet of cereals, yogurts, breads, fruits and sliced meats.

You will always have the option of eating a hot breakfast and lunch at the lodge, but we do recommend going out early in the morning on most days and maybe even staying out all day on some days… in these cases we do recommend bringing a picnic breakfast and/or lunch with you. Usually the boxed meals feature items like roasted chicken (served cold), sandwiches, hardboiled eggs, bread, fruits, cheeses, coffee, tea, etc. If you want to enjoy an early hot breakfast at the lodge, they can usually be arranged around 7am or even earlier at some if requested ahead of time. Or you can go out for an early morning game drive at say 6am, and then come back to the lodge for a hot breakfast mid morning maybe around 9am. The options are endless!

• I have a special diet (ie. Vegetarian, gluten-free, food allergy, etc.) Will that be a problem?

Special diets are not usually any problem, as long as we know about them ahead of time. On our “Reservations Booking Form”, which you’ll fill out and return to us when you book the safari, there is a question that asks you to note whether or not you have a special diet. Please make a note there so we’ll be sure to alert the lodges ahead of time, so they are well prepared before you arrive with the right ingredients to make delicious meals for you that still fall within your dietary requirements.

 

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Dawn’s FAQ of the Week: Will my cell phone work in Tanzania?

One question I am frequently asked by clients prior to their safari is “will my cell phone work in Tanzania?”  Often times people just want the option to periodically touch base with family, friends or even work colleagues back home.

Guests need to check directly with their cell phone service provider to see if their personal cell phones will work in Tanzania. The ability to use a personal cell phone is a direct function of what coverage each guest’s personal cell phone company can provide, and may also be influenced by the specific phone device. It’s important to check before trying to use one’s personal US cell phone in Tanzania because even though it may “work”, one wouldn’t want to be surprised later with some nasty roaming fees or other expensive international charges.

Guests can also use a Tanzanian cell phone, which seems to work out as the best option for most people. As part of our standard procedure, Africa Dream Safaris will lend each family or group a “local” Tanzanian company cell phone during their time in Tanzania so they have a way to contact our staff in the event of an emergency. The phone comes pre-loaded with approx $10 worth of “time”, which is plenty of credit to make several calls within Tanzania. They can use this phone to make outgoing calls to the US, but be aware the international fees to make these calls are pretty expensive and causes the pre-loaded credit to run out pretty quickly.  An alternative would be to have the clients’ family or friends call them directly on the Tanzania cell phone, as it will be free for them to receive calls and probably a lot less expensive for someone in the States to call Tanzania than vice versa. They can buy more time as they go in the form of calling cards, which are typically available for sale in Arusha and at many of the lodge gift shops.

The clients will be given this cell phone immediately upon arrival in Tanzania. Then… they can send an email from the hotel or make a quick call to a family member or friend to give out the number. These seems to be the easiest way to get the cell phone number out there to family and friends.

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Confused by Vaccinations? Don’t Be. Here’s the Skinny!

Confused by african safari vaccinations? You are not alone! This may be the most common question I get from clients as they are preparing for their upcoming safari!

Although we ALWAYS recommend you visit with your own doctor or travel clinic before making any decisions, here’s my own special cliff notes version to help the casual safari traveler navigate through the waves of conflicting information out there:

Lucky for us Tanzania is an easy country to travel to and not much is required in terms of vaccinations.  As far as what vaccinations you *should get*, ultimately the decision is up to you, I can only tell you what I would personally choose for myself (that’s my quick disclaimer!) That being said, personally I would get a “Hepatitis A” vaccination, a “tetanus booster” (only as needed) and “polio” vaccination (only as needed, many people have already had this one as a child). I would also get a prescription for “anti-malaria medicine” (Malarone is a good one) and a broad spectrum anti-biotic such as “Cipro” (to bring with you as a precaution, to combat a common annoyance we like to call “traveler’s diarrhea”).

A few words about a couple specific vaccinations that I am commonly asked about:

**Yellow Fever: There is a lot of conflicting information out there about the Yellow Fever vaccination and whether or not it is required. Basically, a Yellow Fever vaccination is NOT required as long as you are traveling to Tanzania directly from the US or Europe (most of our clients fall into this category, and consequently most clients do not need to get a yellow fever vaccination). You can even see from the CDC website that a Yellow Fever vaccination is “generally not recommended” for travelers to Tanzania only.  However, if you transit through a yellow fever endemic country such as Kenya or Ethiopia on your way to Tanzania, and remain in transit in one of these countries for over 12 hours, then a yellow fever vaccination is required for entry into Tanzania. Also, if you have other countries besides the US or Europe on your travel itinerary, check to see if you need a Yellow Fever vaccination for those countries. For example, A Yellow Fever vaccination is required for entry into South Africa for anyone traveling to South Africa after visiting East Africa.

**Typhoid: Typhoid is a very low risk situation while on safari and a vaccination against Typhoid is generally not recommended for the casual safari traveler. Typhoid is generally spread by food or water poisoning in unsanitary conditions, and may be a problem in rural villages of developing countries. But since you are staying in very nice lodges and only drinking bottled water you can rest assured it is all safe for your consumption.

Travel clinics will generally take a very conservative approach to vaccinations and you may feel like a pin cushion by the time you leave! Nothing wrong with that viewpoint either and the decision is obviously yours, but the casual safari traveler just isn’t at high risk for many illnesses. Of course, if you were working with sick people in a medical clinic in Tanzania or if you were going to be living in a remote Tanzanian village for several months and drinking tap water, my recommendations would be different.

Please also make sure to discuss any medications or vaccinations with your personal physician to ensure you can take them safely. For example, some types of anti malaria medications conflict with some types of heart medication. Not something you want to find out while you are out on safari!

It’s worth noting that some family doctors are not very familiar with travel abroad and may not carry all the vaccinations you need, in which case you’ll likely need to pay a visit to your local travel clinic (most major cities have one).

If you choose to get some or all of the vaccinations, please try to schedule them several weeks ahead of your trip. Best not to save this type of thing for the very last minute!

For even more information on vaccinations, visit the subject at the Company’s FAQ section:  Safari Health

So don’t let the subject of vaccinations scare you!  Travel to Tanzania doesn’t require much except for an appropriate amount of awareness and maybe a few precautionary pricks.  But trust me, it’s SO worth it.

NOTE:  *This advice represents personal opinion only and is no substitute for a doctor or nurse’s professional recommendations.  Africa Dream Safaris always recommends that each guest seek advice from a local Travel Clinic and/or Doctor regarding what vaccinations and medications are appropriate for each individual’s situation.*

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Client Photography Tip – A Tripod “To Go”!

Richard Kinsinger and his wife Bobbie recently returned from their ADS safari adventure in May.  Prior to leaving for their safari, Richard had indicated he was a serious photographer and asked me if I would recommend bringing along a tripod.  I shared with him my own experience, that I had not personally found a tripod very useful because of it’s inherently immobile nature.  Most of safari photography tends to be focused on wild animals of course, which are moving targets and which need to be photographed from the safety of a vehicle.  But Richard was determined to find a way to steady his camera anyway, and came up with a very ingenious camera mounting system that we’d like to share with you here!  The following explanation features Richard’s description of his camera mounting system and a few accompanying photographs to help illustrate. A big THANK YOU to Richard and Bobbie for sharing their clever idea with us here!

“The pipe clamp arrangement for camera support really worked great. I carried two pieces in my camera case – a screw-tightened pipe clamp fitted with a 3/8-inch tripod thread, and a standard tripod ball head with quick-release camera mount. In the car I fixed these two pieces together and clamped the combination to the roof rail on either side of the roof opening. Each camera lens was fitted with a tripod ring and quick-release plate, so it was a quick operation to mount the camera with any lens to the roof. As long as Reggie turned off the car engine this provided a very stable camera mount. And the ball head allowed me to pan and tilt for repointing and video work. The simple pipe clamp allowed me to switch to the opposite side of the car when the action changed.  The clamp part is here:

I used a Manfrotto 035 clamp with a 3-8ths mounting screw (tripod standard) at about $40, but any clamp for mounting lighting fixtures could be adapted. The tripod ball head is here:

Again I used a Manfrotto product, MH054M0, but all tripod manufacturers have similar products. The base of this unit has a female 3-8ths socket to receive the mounting screw from the clamp. The main ball head knob loosens (or tightens) the ball socket which then rotates freely in any direction. The unit at the top is a Manfrotto quick-release clamp which gave me quick fastening or unfastening of my camera from the car roof. The clamp and ball head together are shown here:

And the whole system mounted from a pipe standing in for the Land Cruiser roof rail is here:

The height of the system was perfect for me (6 ft 2 in) standing on the car floor, but a shorter person would probably need to stand on a car seat. Mounting or dismounting the camera from the rig was a one-second operation. Switching the rig from one side of the car to the other was 10-15 seconds. With the car engine off this was a very steady camera mount. Reggie and I had a standing challenge to do an inventory of giraffe eyelashes.

In the full resolution version of this shot you can count 235 long lashes on this tall Tanzanian beauty – even before she put on her mascara.”

Rich Kinsinger

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What’s in My Day Pack?

I was answering safari prep questions for one of my clients the other day, when she asked what I thought was a very good question. “Dawn, when you are out on safari, what items do you bring in your day-pack?” Aside from my main suitcase full of clothes, I do also bring a smaller back-pack that travels out “into the bush” with me during the course of a day, while the larger suitcase stays at the lodge. I thought it was a clever question, and perhaps the answer will be helpful to others as they embark on their own safari adventure.

Here it goes, my “Master ‘Day Pack’ List”!

• Sunglasses
• Lip balm (SPF 45)
• Facial cleansing clothes (“Olay Daily Facials Express” or similar)
• Mints or chewing gum
• Tylenol or Advil
• Small notebook and pen
• Sunscreen (SPF 50 or higher)
• Safari hat
• Pony-tail holder
• Kleenex
• Pet-waste bags
• Hand-sanitizer
• Insect repellent towelette
• Money/passport wallet
• Camera

Okay, so many items on the list are self-explanatory and seem to be common sense. But this list actually took me several different safaris to perfect!

Sunglasses are rather obvious. But it took me at least 3 trips to Africa and several episodes of sunburned/chapped lips before I figured out to bring lip balm with sunscreen!

The facial cleaning clothes, like the ones made by Olay, are a big lifesaver, especially when conditions are dusty, and the type that are especially formulated for your face will double as a skin care regimen for morning and evening.  At home I use facial cleanser and moisturizer, but these bottles of liquid are cumbersome to pack and I much prefer to leave them at home.

I bring along a small pack of Kleenex for minor emergencies. They are easy to keep with you, and just in case the toilet paper runs out I have my own backup. On a similar subject, I also bring along a pack of opaque “pet waste” bags to dispose of any toilet paper from using “bush bathrooms”. An easy and low-profile way to avoid being a litter-bug! Bringing along a small bottle of hand-sanitizer is also a good idea!

Nothing ruins a great trip like a headache. Sometimes the sun, dust and bumpy roads can initiate one, so I’m quick to nip it in the bud with couple Tylenol or Advil before it becomes a bigger problem. Of course I also bring along any other medication I might need during the day.

As much as I love to pop my head out the open-topped land-cruiser and feel the wind in my hair, it also gets tangled pretty quickly unless I use a trusty pony-tail holder or safari hat. I also bring along a brush or comb. One trick I’ve found to keep long hair tame is to wear it in a braid; this will result in very few tangles at the end of the day!

Instead of bringing insect repellent lotion or spray, which can be cumbersome to pack, I now use these handy pre-packaged towelettes. I like the brand “OFF” because theirs include DEET, which is extremely effective against mosquitoes, and they easy to find and purchase, either on-line or through many outdoor-type stores. The best part about these is how easy they are to pack and use! I can usually get by using only 1 per day.

I also bring along a small notebook and pen to take journal notes, as well as mints or chewing gum.  A clever product I’ve recently discovered are Brush-ups, which are a great way to quickly ‘brush your teeth’ while on the go.  Sunscreen is an obvious item to pack, but I think it’s a good idea to bring the strong stuff!  Think SPF 50 or greater. The climate in Northern Tanzania feels mild because of the high elevation, but here on the equator, the sun is stronger than you think! And if anything can ruin your trip faster than a headache, it would be sun-poisoning.

Of course I keep my passport and money with me at all times. I use a travel wallet, similar to this one:  Eagle Creek Travel Wallet

So that’s my day pack!  Obviously your contents may differ slightly from mine, but hopefully I’ve offered an idea or two that you too can use!

Of course, I also bring along a camera. But describing what type of camera equipment I bring and why is another (long) subject all on its own, and probably one that deserves special focus, perhaps in a future post!

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Dawn’s Reading List

Okay, so many clients ask me what books to read before embarking on their safari adventure.  Some people want to learn more about Tanzania, and others just want a great story relating to the area.  Well there are MANY great books out there, and many of them are already listed on the ADS reading list.  I’ve read most of these books myself, but the truth is I do have my favorites!  If I had to pick a *TOP 3* favorite all time African Safari books, I couldn’t do it.  So here are my *TOP 4*:

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#1:  “Lion’s Share: The Story of a Serengeti Pride”

By Jeannette Hanby and Illustrated by David Bygott

Sigh.  This is one of my FAVORITE stories of all time.  Beautifully written and exquisitely illustrated by Jeannette Hanby and David Bygott, both of whom actually lived among the Serengeti lions for four years (wow), this is the story of the “Sametu” lion pride.  Not only is it packed with fascinating information about lions as told by scientific experts who have observed real animals in the field, it is a beautiful story. Unique and creative, this story transports the reader to another place and time and allows one to experience the Serengeti from a lion’s perspective.  You will journey alongside the lions and get to know them as individuals as they earn your empathy and respect.  You will experience all the highs and lows, the triumphs and tragedies, and the living and the dying that is the dance of Africa.  The story takes on an even more special meaning when one visits the Serengeti in person, specifically Sametu Kopjes, and gets the opportunity to meet one of these amazing lions in person.  Perhaps even a descendent from one of the lions in the story!  Rare is the book that can teach and still capture your imagination in such a special way at the same time.  This is a must read.

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#2:  “My Serengeti Years: The Memoirs of an African Game Warden”

By Myles Turner

It’s truly amazing what a mass of information and factual data you can pick up by reading this book, without even realizing you learned anything!  This story is the perfect solution for those of you interested in learning more facts about the Serengeti and how it came to be, but tire quickly of reading long dry articles or textbook-style literature. This is a memoir of Myles Turner, an African Game Warden, involved with the Serengeti in the early and turbulent years when it was being defined as a National Park.  A true story told by not only an amazing man but an extremely articulate writer; you will be drawn head over heels into his personal journey.  All told by Myles himself!  And accidentally you’ll learn a lot too.

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#3:  “Serengeti Home”

By Kay Turner

A companion to the aforementioned book “My Serengeti Years”, this is the story of Kay Turner – the wife of Myles Turner.  If “My Serengeti Years” is the ying, this is the yang.  Told by Kay herself, this is her amazing story of how she lived alongside Myles for many years in the raw wilderness of the Serengeti and its many challenges, an amazing feat in itself, and somehow successfully raised two children along the way!  Kay has a profound respect and appreciation for the beauty and solitude of the Serengeti’s great wilderness and the amazing animals that reside here, and she has a wonderful knack for conveying the feeling of Africa to the reader.  Kay’s writing style is equally brilliant but quite different than her husband Myles, and her description of the Serengeti reads almost like beautiful prose at times.  Reading Kay’s writing is decadently cozy, like wrapping yourself up in a favorite blanket by the fire on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon and sipping hot tea.  A heroine, humorist, artist, poet and adventurer, by the end you’ll want to be her best friend.

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#4: “Whatever You Do, Don’t Run”

By Peter Allison

The funniest book I’ve ever read. This one had me laughing out loud.  A lot.  Technically not written about Tanzania or the Serengeti, the truth is there are just some safari experiences that translate across the board to any safari anywhere in Africa.  Peter Allison is a Safari Guide in Africa, and his collection of real life stories and humorous outlook is Jerry Seinfeld brilliant.  Not only has he gathered an amazing collection of experiences that will have you gasping in awe, part of his art is observing and articulating the funniest animal (and people) behaviors that anyone who has been on safari will instantly relate to.  This one is a rare gem.  Go get yourself a copy and read it!  Now!!!

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A quick side note.  Some of these books and others on our reading list may be out of print.  But a quick internet search can usually yield positive results!  I’ve personally had very good luck finding inexpensive used copies of these books on websites such as Albris and Amazon .  Happy Reading!!!

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Safari to Tanzania – January 2012

Well, we are finally back from Tanzania!  What an amazing trip this was, and what a special way to celebrate the New Year.  I feel rich!  I have come back with a treasure trove of precious memories, as tangible to me as a suitcase of souvenirs.  The color of the Serengeti sky is still fresh in my memory, along with the warm feel of the African sun against my face and the smell of earth and rain in the air.  I can still hear the grunting sounds of a thousand wildebeest all around me, interspersed with the distinctive brays of hundreds of conversing zebra.

As much as I love coming home after a long journey, it is always a bittersweet return.  I already miss the solitude of the open plains and the delightful decadence of losing complete track of time.  Even knowing what day of the week seems like superfluous information out there in the African wilderness, unnecessary and too tedious to track in a place where time is measured only by the daily rising and setting of the African sun.  A stark contrast to the demands of daily life here in the US!  But the memories shine on in my mind like polished gems, each one sparkling with the colors, sounds and feel of Tanzania’s wilderness.

Day 1:  The first day we arrived in the Serengeti was a joyous one!  Our plane landed at the Seronera airstrip and we met our guide Arnold, who greeted us with a beaming smile and a big hug that exuded all the genuine warmth and graciousness that is seemingly inherent to all Tanzanians.  With a few minutes of exchanging pleasantries we were off in the Landcruiser!

I so love the beginning of a safari, ripe with unknown adventures immediately ahead of us.  It certainly didn’t take long for them to start unfolding!  After initial sightings of large elephant herds, buffalo and giraffe, we found our first leopard of the trip!  A beautiful male leopard lounging in a sausage tree along the Seronera River.  Shortly afterwards, we spotted two others, one in a nearby tree and one in the tall grass.  Three leopards!!!  We concluded the three were together, perhaps an adult female with her two subadult cubs.  The female treated us to a very close encounter, walking through a stretch of short grass straight towards our vehicle and getting quite close to us before melting into the long grass near the river.  What a treat!

Day 2:  On the second day of our safari, we saw many (many) more elephants – huge matriarch elephants, teenie tiny baby elephants, young adults and all sizes of teenager elephants, as well as some large bull elephants with impressive tusks.

We also had many sightings of many gazelles, warthogs, baboons, klipspringer and many different varieties of beautiful birds, including an interesting interaction of a lilac breasted roller battling with a large dung beetle!

One of the most memorable sights was a huge python slowly inching its way across the road in the Lobo Valley.  I’m amazed at how slow and lethargic these giant beasts seem to be on a casual encounter, but still knowing they are capable of lighting quick speed when they are hunting their prey.  I was glad we weren’t on the menu!

An impressive sighting for sure as pythons are rare to see, but the animal sighting that took the cake for me was back at the Seronera Valley when a gorgeous female leopard walked right up to our vehicle and rubbed her head against the front bumper of the Landcruiser in a move that was not unlike my own domestic housecat at home when she rubs up against my leg looking for affection.  It was amazing to be so close to such an elusive and beautiful creature!!!

We had an appointment with the onsite researcher for the Serengeti Lion Project at their research station, Daniel Rosengren.  It was a real pleasure to meet him!  We discussed recent activity of the Serengeti Lions, especially our own “adopted” prides, as well as the challenges and successes of their ongoing camera trap study.  We are excited to get the periodic lion reports going again.  More on this later!  We also met briefly with Helen, the onsite cheetah researcher, who lives in a house nearby and currently writes quarterly cheetah reports for Africa Dream Safaris.  It is a real honor to be involved with these dedicated research projects, we so admire the hard work they are doing to understand and preserve the precious wildlife of the Serengeti.

We drove through a huge herd of Cape Buffalo on our way back to Sametu camp, and were treated to an especially beautiful Serengeti sunset along the way.  What a day!

Day 3:   Today we launched into an early morning game drive to one of my most favorite places in the entire Serengeti ecosystem – the Gol Kopjes.  The Gol Kopjes consist of a wide expanse of open plains in the Eastern part of the Serengeti ecosystem.  Endless plains spilling out to the horizon in all directions, broken up only by “islands” of rocks spaced several hundred meters apart, or “kopjes” as they are called, which are simply large piles of granite boulders, all shapes and sizes, which are piled on top of one another in impossible positions.  The nooks and crannies where the boulders intersect make cozy homes for all sorts of creatures, including lion and cheetah dens.

We saw several gazelle grazing the short green grass that is characteristic of this region before finally spotting our first cheetah!  She was “in a hunting mood” as our guide Arnold articulated.  She certainly did look like she was on a mission, trotting through the short grasses for several yards, stopping periodically to lay down and “roll”, a way of “stretching her muscles” Arnold explained, as any top athlete would need to do.  She had spotted a lone gazelle in the distance.  Our guide positioned the vehicle so we could watch the action ensue.  The cheetah approached the gazelle carefully, stopping and crouching when the gazelle looked towards her and stalking quickly closer when the gazelle would look the other way.  In heart pounding anticipation we watched as she finally got close enough to commit and launched her full-speed assault, running towards the startled gazelle at full throttle!

The chase took only a few moments.  The gazelle spotted the cheetah just before it was too late, and zigzagged herself away from the cheetah’s deadly paws – just inches away – and spurted off to safety while the cheetah gave up and sat panting in the dust.  We weren’t sure whether we should be happy for the gazelle who could live another day or sad for the exhausted cheetah, who had worked so hard but would still be forced to go for another day without a meal.  The day closed with sundowners around the campfire at Sametu.  What an incredible day!

Day 4:  Today we headed south towards the Ndutu woodlands and the Great Migration. We perused past the Maasai Kopjes marsh and found a lone lion cub (we were sure there were more lions in the marsh grass, we just couldn’t see them!), before we headed down 7 hills road towards Simba Kopjes.  We found a serval cat stalking mice near the gravel pits next to the main road, which was a very nice find as servals are rare to see!  As we passed through the Triangle (a large expanse of open plain that lies between Naabi Hill and Ndutu), we entered the first big herds of the Great Migration.  Wow.  Countless migratory animals, wildebeest, zebra and gazelle, were on all sides of the vehicle and spanned for miles to the horizon, well past the distance our human eyes could see.  The sheer mass of animals was nothing short of staggering.

We were driving and enjoying the views when our guide suddenly exclaimed with excitement “Hey!  Look at that gazelle!  She’s birthing!!!”  Sure enough, a lone Grant’s gazelle stood by herself in the distance.  At first glance, all seemed normal, but upon a bit of closer observation it became apparent something unusual was going on.  Her stance seemed a bit awkward, and you could see something (which we were able to identify later as the head of the baby gazelle) starting to emerge.   We watched the entire birth from start to finish.

Over the course of 45 minutes or so the gazelle struggled and strained with great effort until the baby’s two front legs appeared.  The mother gazelle laid down and finally gave complete birth to a beautiful gazelle fawn!  We watched in quiet wonder and awe as the baby gazelle bonded with his mother and then quickly struggled to his own two feet. He staggered very close to our vehicle before collapsing from exhaustion into the grass after his first big walk in the new world!  We left the two together, mother and baby, and were very touched by the beauty of the miracle we had just witnessed.  Before departing, we named the tiny gazelle “Tuemeni”, which means “Hope” in Swahili, or “To Breath”.  When observing the Great Migration and such massive numbers of animals together at one time, it can sometimes be easy to forget how special each beautiful animal is as a unique individual.

Later on that same day, we had another special encounter with a baby zebra that is worth it’s own post in the future, so stay tuned for more on this later!  We closed the day with countless sightings of many other animals including lions, cheetah, and some adorable bat-eared fox kits.  What an incredible day!

Day 5:  Today was filled with countless animal sightings, including giant herds of migration, lions and cheetahs!  One highlight was seeing a mother lioness drowsing in a the low branches of an acacia tree, accompanied by her tiny and adorable 5 week old cub!

But the most special sighting of all was watching a coalition of 3 cheetah brothers hunt.  I will write a separate posting to describe this later, it was a very memorable event and one that I won’t soon forget, so stay tuned for a future post and pictures!

Otherwise we saw several lions squabbling over a zebra carcass, a tawny eagle with at bat-eared fox kill, and the cutest most tiny baby warthogs ever.  Yes, in spite of their less than appealing adult appearance, baby warthogs ARE cute!  This was a really incredible day.

Day 6:  We left the lodge early in the morning to game drive the Ndutu plains, looking for the 3 cheetah brother we had spotted and watched hunt the day before.  Unfortunately we never did find them again, but still the game drive did not disappoint!  In addition to spotting a ratel very close to our vehicle (aka “honeybadger”, which are extremely rare to see during the day), we had many other exciting animal sightings!

We found a huge pack of cackling hyenas who had just chased 4 lions away from their breakfast, which was the remains of a recently captured wildebeest. The 4 lions scampered away, casting spiteful glances back at the motley crew, while a flurry of hyena teeth and claws absorbed the rest of the wildebeest carcass.  The hyenas cackled and argued and crunched bones in a chaotic frenzy while a parade of different characters, marabou storks, jackals, and all types and sizes of vultures, arrived one by one to join their grisly party.  We watched them for a while as the lions made their way towards another huge herd of migration.  We watched the lions halfheartedly hunt until they gave up to rest underneath a tree.  Their bellies were full and it was obvious they were not hungry, and they seemed content to let the migratory herds graze in peace for the moment.

We found another pride of lions near the Ndutu marsh – large males, gorgeous females and several sub adult cubs.  One of the young males came and laid in the shade of our Landcruiser for a very “up close and personal” encounter!

As we drove along the shores of LakeNdutu, we were lucky enough to observe a large herd of wildebeest and zebra gallop across the glittering waters of Lake Ndutu!   Epic.

We enjoyed our last Serengeti lunch in the shade of an acacia tree and relished our last few moments in the bush.  Sadly, the time had finally come for us to leave the Serengeti.  My heart filled with bittersweet emotion.  The unknown adventures waiting for us at the beginning of the trip had been played out now, but in their place a treasure trove of memories remained!  I felt a deep satisfaction for all we had experienced, but a deeper longing to return to Tanzania had already taken hold of me, and I’m left wondering what new and exciting adventures await us next time!

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A Tribute to Daniel

The Holidays are a time to celebrate family and friendship, as well as remembering special times with loved ones we’ve lost.

Louise, a previous ADS client, shared a special safari experience with her husband Daniel this past April. One month later, Daniel suddenly and unexpectedly died of a heart attack. Our hearts go out to Louise and their family for their tragic loss. With bittersweet sentiment, we are also thankful Daniel could share a wonderful safari experience with his wife and friends shortly before his passing, and what an honor for us here at ADS to share any part in this memory. It is with humble gratitude we pay this tribute to Daniel.

Here is what Daniel wrote to me immediately after the safari was over:

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“Ann got us seven from Aviano to take the Serengeti safari from April 8th to today, April 17th.  We all have found the whole package overwhelming and more than anything we had hoped for. Our guides, J.P. and Angelbert, made the safari with their knowledge, humor, and warmth. We leave them as friends and wish you to extend our greetings […] The variety of sites to view the animals in the spacious and open jeeps were perfect. Also, the different lodgings were fun and comfortable. We especially liked the different tent sites and miss Jonas’ camp and his work. I believe the best outdoor food was there. Martin and his Arusha Coffee Lodge were the perfect start to the trip.

In short, my wife-Louise- and I finally did what we had planned for years. Thank you.”

(A few weeks later he wrote again…)

“After a month, I still feel the immense Serengeti and the peaceful nights at the campsites. Always having wanted to sense the cave drawings of wildebeests coupled with pre-historic man, the safari plus the visit to Dr. Leakey’s research area took me to the point of understanding and experiencing what basic life was and is on the Serengeti. It was a fabulously done trip for Louise and me.”

Daniel Thompson

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Serengeti Lion Project – Smile! You’re on Candid Camera!!

This Big Cat news just in!  The dedicated researchers at one of our very favorite wildlife conservation groups, the Serengeti Lion Project, has been cooking up some special new projects including this fascinating new study using HIDDEN CAMERAS to study the Serengeti wildlife!  Check out these images to see what the Serengeti wildlife is up to when no one else is around!  This report and accompanying photos come to us courtesy of Serengeti Lion researcher Ali Swanson – thanks Ali!  Read on to learn more about this exciting new camera project, why it’s important and how YOU can help!

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Over the 30 years, Dr. Craig Packer and the Serengeti Lion Project have discovered a lot about lions – everything from why they have manes to why they live in groups.  Now we’re turning our sights to understanding how the “king of beasts” coexists with his competitors.  Whereas lions completely overwhelm leopards, cheetahs, and wild dogs, hyenas often thrive amongst lions – even though lions steal more food from hyenas than the other way around! So how do lions, hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs manage to co-exist in so many parts of Africa – even though they will kill each other if they get the chance?

To answer this question, Ph.D. candidate Ali Swanson has set out 200 camera traps on a 1,000km2 grid  – covering the same area so our 23 radio-collared lion prides. We use these photographs to measure how competing carnivores use their habitat in space and time, trying to understand what behavioral and environmental characteristics promote (or inhibit) carnivore coexistence.  It hasn’t always been easy – in our first year we lost over 50 cameras to hungry hyenas and angry elephants!  But we’ve gotten creative in learning how to protect our cameras (think power tools) – and we’ve captured some breathtaking secret snapshots of the Serengeti’s most elusive animals.

Our “problem” right now is that we’re drowning in an ocean of data. The cameras capture >1,000,000 images each year, but without any internet access at the field station, our discoveries get stranded in the Serengeti for months on end, waiting to be hand-carried home.  If you’d like to help us get the Serengeti online, please visit http://www.rockethub.com/projects/3725-serengeti-live to learn more about the project and how you can contribute.  We also invite you to follow along with us on our scientific journey through our Facebook Page and LionResearch.org website.

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Swahili Anyone?

I just wanted to share this latest great find with you!

As many of you may already know, Swahili is the main native language spoken in Tanzania. Many clients express a desire to learn a few fun words and phrases in Swahili ahead of time.

There are many basic Swahili-English two-way dictionaries on the market. But most of them contain only the spelling of the Swahili translation, which is fine for spelling the words correctly but can still be difficult to pronounce the words, especially if you’ve never heard them spoken in Swahili before.

We finally found such a book that ALSO contains the PHONETIC spelling, so actually teaches you how to SAY the word, not just spell it!  And a cute travel-size to boot!  Dimensions are a mere 5.6 x 3.7 x 0.5 inches, and it weighs in at only 5 oz!  So it might be teenie-tiny in size, but it’s big on information!

It’s published by Lonely Planet.  But beware, Lonely Planet makes more than one version, and most of them do not contain the ‘phonetic spelling’.  So be sure to pick up the correct one!

For example, “Hello” in Swahili is “Habari”.  This is pronounced “ha-ba-ree”

“Thank you” is “Asante.”  This is pronounced “a-san-tay”

“Goodbye” is “Tutaonana.”  This is pronounced “too-ta-oh-na-na”

Again, the title of the book is simply “Swahili” by Lonely Planet Phrasebooks and Dr. Martin Benjamin (4th Edition, July 2008)

Look for it at your local bookstore or purchase online at Amazon.com: Swahili – Lonely Planet Phrasebook 

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Dawn Anderson – A Short Biography

“Not one American in fifty thousand has any idea of the potential strength of Africa.” Eugene White

A visit to Africa can change your life. It has certainly changed mine!

I grew up on a farm in the rural Midwest. Over the years of my childhood, I was constantly immersed in the great outdoors. I had many animal companions during this time, everything from dogs to horses, and developed an early love for animals and an appreciation for nature that has become an inseparable part of my core.

After high school, I went on to study in Manhattan, KS and graduated at the top of my class with an Engineering degree from Kansas State University. Immediately after graduation I went on to attend and graduate from Trane’s prestigious Graduate Training Program in LaCrosse WI. Over the next several years I became very focused on building a successful career and climbing the Corporate ladder. I traveled extensively and met many interesting people. On the surface I was successfully navigating through the fast-paced corporate environment, but at a deeper level was having some difficulty connecting with my work.  *Something* seemed to be missing. Well, I’m happy to say I found *it* when I went to Africa!

When I first stepped foot in the Serengeti, something clicked. I was inspired beyond measure by the vastness of this authentic wilderness, and completely captivated by the profound beauty, inherent peace and sheer magnificence that I found in this place. I promptly walked away from the tedious Corporate world of my previous life to pursue my passion for Africa.

The rest is history! I have now been back to Tanzania on several intensive research safaris and developed close working relationships with various conservation professionals, including the world-renowned Serengeti Lion Project. Writing and photography are my other two passions, and I have found sheer delight in applying them both to my travels to Africa. I am also a published author, spanning a wide range of audiences with a variety of work from children’s books to essays about the Serengeti, Lake Manyara and Tarangire ecosystems. I have also been privileged to teach continuing education classes about East Africa at JCCC College. My favorite animal is the cheetah, and it is a real passion of mine to help ensure this graceful cat continues to live and thrive in its natural habitat in the wild. When I’m not traveling, behind my camera or at my desk, you are likely to find me outside riding my horses or running with my two collies.

I have been fortunate enough in my lifetime to visit many beautiful places in this world, but nothing rivals my experiences in Africa. Over my years of travel within Africa, my passion for this place continues to grow and develop. It started out with my falling in love with the beauty of Tanzania’s wildlife and people, and with the desire to be immersed in Africa myself. But this passion, although still very present and constantly burning, has also matured into an overriding desire to share my Africa with other people. Africa is not just a place on the map, it is an experience.  And it’s not just any experience… it’s a profound, earth-shaking, mind-blowing, life-changing type of experience.  You’ll see!

“I know this all sounds a bit much, but if I have ever seen magic, it has been in Africa.” John Hemingway

Dawn Anderson

Email:  dawn@africadreamsafaris.com

Direct Toll Free:  866-457-9977

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