Breath-taking…Amazing…Inspiring…Magnificent…just a few of the words that describe our October 16-28 safari created with ADS’s phenomenal planner Dawn and put into action with Guide Extraordinaire Simon.

Seeing the “Big 5” plus dozens or other animals up-close-and-personal during our first few days in the Northern Serengeti, without hordes of other vehicles, was a much more intimate and rewarding experience than we ever imagined.

Then, as we journeyed through the Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire, every hour brought surprises: a “new” animal or bird; an animal we had seen before, but with slightly different coloring for this new habitat; a herd/family playing, moving, eating; a carnivore with a kill; an animal coming closer to the vehicle than before.

We truly enjoyed traveling a parallel – and sometimes intersecting — route with ADS guests Dawn and Rob from Indiana and their Guide Patrick. Having Simon and Patrick share information as they surveyed a kopje from various sides, investigated different sides of the river, or evaluated different sections of a game loop, gave us extraordinary viewing advantages. Plus, having new friends to share experiences was wonderful.

Our sightings include: lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, rhinoceros, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, Nile crocodiles, cheetah, warthog, hyena, jackal, mongoose, python, impala, Thomson’s gazelle, Grant’s gazelle, eland, Klipspringer, waterbuck, topi, gnu, reedbuck, dik-dik, rock hyrax, baboon, vervet monkey, ostrich, pink flamingoes, lizards, and many, many raptors and birds.

Our comfy accommodations were staffed by warm and thoughtful folks intent on providing exceptional service to make us feel special. Favorite memories include:

• A 5:15am wake up call at Lemala Mara accompanied by a symphony of bird songs and coffee in bed.

• The awe-inspiring view of the Serengeti plains fading into infinity from our Loliondo hill perch at Buffalo Springs.

• The antics of an exceedingly acrobatic Baboon trying to join us for breakfast at Mbuzi Mawe.

• Watching “Bush TV” and enjoying a glass of South African wine as the sun dropped below the rim of the Crater at Lion’s Paw.

• Dining under the stars at Kikoti and being walked back to our tent under the watchful eye of a Maasai Warrior.

Walt Disney said, “You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it requires people to make the dream a reality.” We could have “built” the most wonderful safari itinerary, but without the knowledge, skill, creativity, and sharp-eyes of the ADS Team, it would never have become a reality.

Larry and Jane M.
Scottsdale, Arizona
Safari Dates: October 16, 2013 to October 28, 2013