Author: Michael

I Was Taken Aback By The Hospitality And Friendliness Of Everyone

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Posted on by Michael

My experience, both in Tanzania and with African Dream Safaris, was absolutely incredible. My dreams of traveling to Africa began when I was a little girl, and I was extremely blessed to see them come true at only 18 years of age. Not only was I immediately impressed by the beauty of Tanzania when I stepped off the plane, but I was truly taken aback by the hospitality and friendliness of everyone from Africa Dream Safaris that we worked with throughout the entire trip.

Our guide assigned to help us through the airport process and get us to our hotel was not only friendly, but also efficient. That was easily the quickest I have ever made it through customs, and definitely the most painless. Our trip out of the airport on our way back to the United States was equally enjoyable. Sharon, every place we stayed in was not only beautiful and comfortable, but also surrounded by wildlife.

We could hear animals moving around outside during the night, and we would often spot their foot prints the next day. Not to mention the food! The food at every location was delicious and plentiful. Our guide, David, truly helped us experience the wildlife around us to the fullest. He pointed out well-camoflauged animals, insects and birds that we never would have spotted otherwise. He also did an incredible job of manuevering the sometimes difficult roads, and taught us about local culture.

We even learned some Swahili! I saw every animal I could have imagined in Tanzania. We saw hundreds of elephants, huge troupes of baboons, and even the rare black rhino–among countless other creatures! I wouldn’t change a thing about my experience in Tanzania with Africa Dream Safaris. Not only will I be returning someday for another safari with this wonderful company, but I would recommend it to any family or friends who are interested in the adventure of a lifetime.

Nicole G.
Holland, Michigan
Safari Dates: December 5, 2013 to December 15, 2013

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Then The Unexpected: Zebras And Wildebeest Crossing The River

AFRICAN WILDLIFE

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Posted on by Michael

Our Africa Dream Safari experts planned for our family of seventeen a custom itinerary for eight amazing days in Tanzania! They prepared us on what and how to pack, what to expect, how to tip; selected for us a variety of accommodations (three hotels and two tented lodges); and answered questions right up to the night before we headed to Africa.

Seventeen us us climbed into a bush plane and headed out from Arusha on our adventure. We enjoyed stunning views of Mount Meru, and flew for an hour across Tanzania. Upon landing, we were welcomed by our three fabulous guides, Francis, Ellison, and Pokea, who would spend the week with us. We hit the trail and immediately came upon two baby giraffes sitting and “posing” for us, followed shortly by a larger group, generating our catch-phrase “Welcome to Giraffic Park”.

We saw first one then dozens of hippos in the water, and spotted thousands of wildebeest in the distance, quickly realizing they spanned the horizon along with smaller groups of zebras. Next came a herd of elephants happily munching trees – very close to our vehicles! Then the unexpected: zebras and wildebeest crossing the river — not once, but two major herds within a couple of hours! Even our guides took photos. Parked along the river during the second crossing, the animals flew past our vehicles, a spectacular site and an amazing experience! We continued to spot animals left and right with our guides educating us not only on the type of species, but about each species.

Other highlights included our night game-drives where we spotted various animals, including a pack of hyenas eating dinner; a pair of lions mating twenty feet away; several subsets of the Central Serengeti super-pride of lions at watering holes, and in grassy fields seeking shade of our vehicles or awaiting prey; hunting cheetahs and lounging leopards; a lioness chasing a warthog (he escaped); a jackal chasing a baby gazelle; dozens of bird species, great and small, some monochrome and others brilliantly iridescent; my nephew swimming in the Four Seasons pool with a herd of 25 elephants at the watering hole beside it; rare black rhino in the Ngorogoro Crater; elephants outside our rooms at Serena Lodge; zebra wandering our campgrounds; and our spectacular Thanksgiving Day hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti with lions, hippos, birds and more, followed by breakfast in the Serengeti with herds of buffalo, zebras, and antelopes in the distance (and baboons nearby)!

Our day trip to a Masai village included a tour, introduction to villagers, and the opportunity to dance with them – good times were had by all, followed by shopping of local crafts and jewelry. My brother-in-law delighted several Masai women by gifting his own handmade bracelets to them.

Armed guards kept us safe each night. Our expert and personable guides continually fielded our questions, spotted animals we hadn’t seen, demonstrated respect for animals and environment, and educated us on safety, people, animals and culture….

The hot meals in camp were exceptionally delicious, with many choices at the buffets.

It was the trip of a lifetime and more so because our family experienced it together — and seeing it through the eyes of my nieces and nephews made it even more special. I have shown my photos to friends and colleagues with narration of our adventures, encouraging them to pursue their own Africa Dream Safari…

Overall, our expectations were exceeded. Thank you, Dawn, Ellison, Francis, Pokea and others at ADS!

Heather and Robert T.
Pflugerville, Texas
Safari Dates: November 24, 2013 to November 30, 2013

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Over 50 Lions In One Day On Safari!!!

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Posted on by Michael

Decided to be in Africa for my 55th B-day and what a great decision that was. Jenni and I decided to go with ADS after narrowing the search for safari tour operators down and we couldn’t have been happier. Dawn did a wonderful job handling all the ins/outs of the trip, plus referring us to Cathy for the airline ticketing was great as well (we really didn’t have to do much for this trip other than complete necessary paperwork and pack).

We saw just about everything and then some. We witnessed some very funny animal behavior (Zebra stallion incessantly chasing a warthog piglet, a Monkey saving a hyrax from an eagle then chasing after the eagle from wherever it landed nearby, and a Hyena playing dead in a puddle on the road). We saw a lot of action and a lot of animals (over 50 lions in one day!!!)

Our guide (Peter “eagle eye” Huka) was amazing. He not only could spot the wildlife but was very informative about everything (animals, trees/vegetation, environment…you name it) and was very accommodating to our needs.

On behalf of ADS, Peter Huka presented me a Masai “elders club” (I really didn’t qualify for being an elder though) and then I received 2 birthday cakes + dinner celebrations at 2 different lodges. Speaking of lodges – our favorite was the Mbalageti lodge, but ALL of them were unique in one way or another and had all the accommodations necessary.

Donald O. and Jennifer B.
Cocoa, Florida
Safari Dates: October 29, 2013 to November 10, 2013

***Nobody wants to have breakfast with me?***

***When you got an itch, you just got to scratch it!!***

***Shhh, I’m playin’ possum!! (yes, he was alive)***

***Right up front for the action!!***

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Over the Top – POA POAAAA!

SAFARI STORIES

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Posted on by Michael

We have been planning a trip to Tanzania for two years to celebrate our 15th anniversary. We wanted this trip to have elements of what we like about our lives together: adventure, “luxury”, excitement and sharing educational experiences. We also wanted to witness, first hand, the magnitude of the great migration.

Sharon, our ADS planner, arranged the perfect agenda. And Arnold, our jovial, incredibly knowledgeable guide, made it come to life. From the minute we woke in Arusha, to the day we left Tanzania, it was amazing. Arnold, sporting a huge grin, met us upon arrival at the Mara River Airstrip and off we went on our first game drive en route to Buffalo Springs. We came across over 35 animals and exotic birds that day (1 of the 35 would be a few thousand wildebeest!). If this was any indication of the rest of the trip – we’re in heaven!

Our tented camps were beautiful with all the luxury we expected. The staff was very friendly and so accommodating, and every meal in our private camps was delicious. I say private because, at times we were the only guests, which made our trip even more special.

Having the vehicle and Arnold all to ourselves allowed us to get out earlier and stay out much later than if we had shared the time with other guests. We saw more Cheetah, Lions and Leopards than we ever expected to see. The migrating herds we witnessed, standing above the Serengeti plains at Mbalageti Tented Lodge, made us dumbstruck. The rivers were incredibly low but Arnold diligently followed his instincts to try and get us to see a big crossing somewhere along our journey. It never happened. The changing global weather patterns prompted the migration to start a few weeks before we arrived.

However, every day we saw thousands of confused herds of Wildebeest and an unexpected hundreds of thousands of Zebra moving in every direction. We were mesmerized by the closeness to animals eating, resting, hunting, fighting and even lions mating. We saw two nocturnal Crested Porcupines heading out on a dawn drive and an elusive/nocturnal Serval Cat hunting in broad daylight. Our last morning in Tarangeri Park, we came across two Verreaux Owls in different trees. It’s pretty hard to spot one and we saw two. And the mama Cheetah hunting to feed her four cubs was a big highlight. Going through our photos we saw and captured far more than we realized.

Our balloon flight over the Serengeti on our anniversary was spectacular. We highly recommend you add it to your trip. And our special anniversary celebration with champagne and gifts that night at our favorite accommodation, Seronera Sametu Camp, was a wonderful surprise from the staff. Our visit to the Masai village was very educational and well worth taking a break from our morning game drive to experience. Our stop at F.A.M.E., en route to Tarangire Park, was very moving and inspirational. This is a cause worthy of donations from every person who travels with ADS.

And lastly our surprise farewell celebration at Kikoti Tented Lodge, complete with the staff dancing and singing while presenting us with a “Welcome Again” cake, made our trip’s ending very special and sadly, all too real.

We’ve done safaris in other countries on the African continent and without hesitation, highly recommend Africa Dream Safaris (which we’ve already started to do!) to everyone we know planning a safari in Tanzania. The professionalism and genuine personal interest in customer satisfaction was over the top. We made the right choice with ADS and can’t thank Sharon and Arnold enough for ALL the special touches added to make this our best safari ever!

Gayle & Sandra
Vancouver, Canada
Safari Dates: October 20, 2013 to November 1, 2013

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Serengeti Lion Project – Report for November 2013

GIVING BACK

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Posted on by Michael

Africa Dream Safaris helps fund the Serengeti Lion Project’s ongoing conservation efforts. In turn, periodic reports are prepared exclusively for Africa Dream Safaris by the on-site researchers for the Serengeti Lion Project. So you won’t find this info anywhere else!

Since there are MANY lion prides in the Serengeti, we picked 6 specific study prides to focus on. Talk about having the inside scoop! These Serengeti Lion Project researchers live, sleep, and work out in the bush every single day, so they are able to offer invaluable information about the location and adventures of our favorite lions.

Reading like a soap opera at times, we think you will also enjoy the real-life drama and adventures of these awesome animals as they live, hunt, and raise their families together in the harsh African wilderness. So what new adventures have our favorite lions been up to lately? Continue reading below for our latest report dated November 1st!

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By Daniel Rosengren / Field Biologist with the Serengeti Lion Project

It’s November 1, 2013 and about a month ago we were running out of water at the Lion Research House. At the Serengeti Lion Project our only source of water is rainwater collected from the roof of our house. We use it for drinking, cooking, washing and cleaning. The gutters lead down into big water tanks all around the house. Now we were down to only one tank with water and just a few liters remaining in the bottom of the tank. One morning a baboon managed to open the tap to get a few mouthfuls of water in the dry weather. But he was not considerate enough to close the tank afterward and the rest drained out and disappeared down the ground, making bees and butterflies happy. The rainy season wasn’t expected in another couple of months, at least.

Just when we were getting really desperate for water, the Matabele Ants, living under the house, decided to move their eggs to a higher situated location. This is usually a sure sign that rain is on the way. Sure enough, the next day it started raining and we got at least some rain every day for a weeks time. Sometimes it was pouring down filling our tanks in the hundreds of liters. In the end of the week we had about 8,000 liters. We were very lucky to get that in the dry season, just when we needed it the most.

Let me introduce you to a lion pride called Simba Survivors. It’s a small pride struggling on the seasonally harsh plains near Simba Kopjes. The pride consisted of only one adult female, a young brother and sister, and three small cubs. In December 2012 the adult female died, likely in a fight with other lions. We though that the young brother and sister, Leo and Kira, could possibly survive on their own. They were only 3.5 years old and inexperienced. But but for the three cubs, only being 5 months old, we had no hope. After their mothers death all the rest disappeared and we didn’t see them again. Not until mid May 2013 when I was driving along a shallow valley on the plains, quite far from their normal territory. I saw a young male together with a small male.

At first I didn’t realize who they were. But after plowing through all the lion ID-cards I found a match with Leo and one of the small cubs. Later I also found Kira. I was amazed, not only had the young inexperienced lions managed to survive. But they had also managed to raise one of the small cubs too. The Simba Survivors has proven to be true survivors. They are still roaming around the vast plains. It seems like they haven’t settled in a territory yet.

Another pride I haven’t written about before is the Rofliondo pride. It’s a fairly recent pride that broke off from the Loliondo pride. The Rofliondo Pride is a bit of a mystery pride to us. We still haven’t managed to put a collar on any of the females and thus have to rely on luck to find them. The place they have been spotted most often is near Sametu Camp. The pride seems to consist of five females between 6 and 8 years old with five offspring. On late July though, one of the females was seen with a long lost male, TR146, from the Transect pride. They were mating. So if everything goes well there will be some new tiny lion fluff-balls born in mid November 2013. The gestation time for a lion is about 110 days.

There are lots of news from the Transect pride. In September 2010 eighteen cubs were born in the Transect pride. Fourteen of those were males! Now, just over three years old, it seems like they finally have left the pride to start a life on their own. Since we don’t have a collar on them and males from the Transect pride typically disperse to the north, out of our study area, it will be difficult knowing what they are up to. But a male coalition of fourteen is something unseen in the history of our lion project. Typically a male coalition consists of two to four lions. A coalition of fourteen could theoretically do whatever they like and crush any other competition for females. But since they then would have to share the females among themselves such a big coalition is very unlikely to persist. It’s more likely to break up into several smaller coalitions.

As for the rest of the pride it looks like they are breaking up into two separate prides. Tarragon, TR141, Pippi Långstrump, and Lotta På Bråkmakargatan are busy raising their now seven one-year-old cubs. The four young females from 2010 are now reaching an age where they can start being reproductively active. And as a matter of a fact, they have just started to solicit two males, Nisse and Sotis. These impressive males have come into our study area from the west and are already the resident males and fathers in the Mukoma Hill and Tower Hill prides. Together with these young transects are also Zico, the old grandmother born 1998. She is probably in menopause now but has valuable experience to share with the young females. Last week I also saw Madicken with this group of lions. She hasn’t been seen since June this year and she looks pregnant.

But Tarragon, Pippi Långstrump, TR141 and Lotta På Bråkmakargatan and their seven cubs better stay away from the new males. Nisse and Sotis are not the fathers of those cubs and will kill them if given the chance. That’s why we think that the Transect pride will split up. While the younger females will want to start having their own cubs as soon as possible, the older females that already has cubs still has about a year and a half before those cubs reach independent age. With different interests it makes sense to split.

The demography of the Maasai Kopje pride has changed drastically since last I wrote about them. All the really old females that were in this pride hasn’t been seen for long and are surely dead. Now Mato Keo, born in 2002, is the oldest female in the pride. Together with her is now Blixten, MK129 and Laura. They have had a small baby boom and there are now eleven cubs in the pride. But they have failed in synchronizing their litters, something lions often do to better be able to raise the cubs together. The oldest cubs are now about one year old while Blixten just introduced us to four new cubs.

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Amazing Africa!

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Posted on by Michael

Our African Safari was beyond what any of us expected! We had heard so many stories about how amazing Africa was but it is difficult to understand until you actually see it yourself! Our trip was absolutely incredible!!

The people were so friendly, constantly going out of their way to make our stay unforgettable. The organization and planning was great making it simple for us to enjoy our trip and the reason we were there. We were able to enjoy boxed lunches often and not miss a single part of the action, which helped make the most of our visit.

The places that we stayed at were beautiful! Our favorite places being the Serengeti Bushtop Tented Camps and The Ngorogoro Crater Lodge. The food was fresh and delicious with many options and the places were each decorated with a little African touch that was very neat. But the reason you go to the Serengeti is to see the animals and beautiful landscape!

We were able to get so close to the animals and really watch them in their natural habitat. Our driver, David, was so knowledgeable. He answered all of our millions of questions. He educated us on the animals, the plants and also the people that live in Africa. He constantly would spot something that we would have never seen if it weren’t for him. He was very professional and determined to make our trip one we would never forget.

We could not have asked for a better trip! We cannot find one thing wrong because everything went so smoothly. Now we are constantly looking at our photos and sharing our stories with others! This is a trip that is a must on everyone’s list and we were very happy we were able to enjoy all that Tanzania had to offer!

Mark and Tracy Varshawsky
Oxnard, California
Safari Dates: November 14, 2012 to November 22, 2012

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Our Safari November 9 to November 21, 2013

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Our safari experience with ADS was truly incredible, and enjoyable. From our initial inquiry and booking with Sharon through being returned to the airport, everything was handled in an efficient, and friendly manner. The meet and greet staff in Arusha were most helpful in getting us settled and prepared for the upcoming adventure, and in taking us back to the airport. Our driver/guide/concierge/porter Francis Peter was very patient and accommodating, and we always felt safe and comfortable wherever we went.

Having opted for the extra day at Mt. Meru Resort at the front end of our safari after the long day(s) of flying, our itinerary was 2 nights each at Mt. Meru Resort, Buffalo Luxury Camp, a Private Luxury Camp, Ngorongoro Serena Crater Lodge, and Kikoti Tented Camp, with game drives in Northern and Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara National Park and Tarangire National Park.

All of the camps and lodges were very well run, comfortable, and exceeded our expectations, and offered a variety of experiences. The meals were abundant and tasty with a variety of choices from very familiar to more local offerings. The attention given us at the private camp was a real treat. In addition to the daily game drives, we were able to visit a Maasai village, go on a night game drive and two private walking safaris complete with Maasai guides and armed escorts, and take a sunrise hot air balloon ride.

Although we were there during what turned out to be an extremely dry time, Francis managed to take us to where the animals were. The number and variety of animals that could be seen together at one time, and the diversity of the landscape especially surprised us. He was very good at spotting and approaching the wildlife so that we could watch and take pictures, and willingly shared his knowledge of the nature and culture of the areas we visited.

The animals and landscapes are what we went to see and were more than satisfied with, but we will also always remember our exposure to “African massage, bush TV, wake up calls, and checking a tire”. Our advice to anyone thinking about going on safari is to go sooner than later. Opportunities are and will continue to be changing.

Thank you ADS for a wonderful and unforgettable experience.

Dan and Marti W.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Safari Dates: November 9-21, 2013

 

Ostrich with chicks, Tarangire
Resting Leopard
Young Lion With Toy
Superb Starling
Lion prints in the pathway from overnight, Kikoti Camp
Lilac-breasted Roller on Acacia
Grey Crowned Cranes
Elephant with Youngster
Banded Mongooses on the move
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Our 9th Safari To Africa!

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Posted on by Michael

Deborah and I have traveled to Africa a number of times. In fact we have made eight trips to the continent before our recent tour to Tanzania. We are amateur bird watchers and also very much enjoy viewing all of the unique animal species of Africa. We had previously visited twenty countries in Africa so we had quite extensively covered the continent. However, we have never been to Tanzania and the Serengeti. We had purposely avoided the Serengeti because we had heard many stories about the crowds of tourists that overrun the region. With that said, we finally decided that we really needed to see the Serengeti to fill out our African experiences.

We searched the Internet for a tour company that covers Tanzania and would meet our requirements as seasoned African travelers. I am very pleased to say that we discovered Africa Dream Safaris. We were very pleased with the tour package that they offered to us. They laid out our itinerary with our suggestion in mind that we hopefully wanted to avoid as much as possible the tourist crush. They provided us with an excellent guide that specialized in bird watching; a modern, comfortable vehicle that served us well during our tour; and luxury small camp accommodations that were our preference. I am very pleased to report that we experienced an excellent game viewing tour with ADS. We added 53 new birds to our African Bird list and 3 new mammals to our African Mammal list.

Deborah and I are now saying to ourselves that we made a big mistake avoiding the Serengeti for so long. It is now our belief that it is the premiere game viewing location on the African continent. We would also highly recommend the African Dream Safari tour company to anybody interested in visiting Tanzania for the wildlife viewing experience. They handled us very well on our recently completed ninth trip to Africa.

Bill and Deborah C.
Dixon, Illinois
Safari Dates: October 3, 2013 to October 13, 2013

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Another Fantastic Safari From ADS!

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Posted on by Michael

When my husband and I planned our first safari to Tanzania way back in 2011 with Africa Dream Safaris, we thought it would be a once in a lifetime trip. We were barely into the third day, however, when we decided that the country was so amazing that we would return! This past month in October 2013 we made that return journey. There was never any doubt in our mind who to use, as Africa Dream Safaris had done such a spectacular job with our past safari.

Dave and I had thought the first trip was unbelievable…but this second trip….wow….words simply cannot describe it. The Northern Serengeti in September is nothing short of magical with a lush green wooded landscape teeming with wildlife. We had targeted September for our visit as we wanted to see the migration crossing the Mara River, as well as view Tarangire at its finest. And see both we did thanks to Africa Dream Safaris!

We started our trip in Tarangire and spent two wonderful nights at Swala Camp where we dined and fell asleep to the roars and grunts of lions roaming in the vicinity of camp and the footsteps of elephants walking near our tent. We could even see them from the deck of the dining area!

Our first guide, Michael, drove us throughout the park and showed us the huge elephant herds walking to the water, as well as more than a dozen lions hunting, eating, and resting under the shade of the trees. On our first full morning at Swala we left camp at 6am for our game drive and within a mile of camp we saw a lion nonchalantly strolling down the road. We watched him intently, until we realized that there were twelve more about four feet from our Land Cruiser sitting in the grass staring at us!

From Tarangire, we flew to the far north of Serengeti where we were picked up by our guide for the remainder of the trip, Arnold, in a sparkling and very new Land Cruiser with a sunshade. My husband was especially keen on seeing a river crossing and we were very hopeful of catching one while we were there. Well, within 30 minutes of landing on the Kogatende airstrip….we were right in the MIDDLE of one!

Arnold used his experience and network of guides to find out where the crossing was occurring and quickly get us there. It was absolutely amazing and like nothing we could have prepared for – imagine thousands of wildebeest and zebra clamoring and climbing over one another down the banks of a river and into the rushing water, all the while braying and barking and grunting and kicking up dust. As they tried to get across the water, some would get caught on rocks – or worse yet – in the jaws of a croc.

We found ourselves rooting and cheering as a wildebeest luckily made it to safety after getting pulled down by a croc. Or when a young zebra got swept downriver towards a group of hippos…only to bump face to face with a big mama hippo who submerged herself and appeared to give him a strong push that was enough to get him back upriver and towards shore. As if one river crossing wasn’t dramatic enough, we saw FIVE in total over the three days we spend in the North. We also saw tiny leopard cubs playing, as well as two adults leopards making some new cubs on a rock a few yards from us!

Our other reason for loving the North was the camp we stayed in, Bushtops Serengeti. We had picked it out especially as the place we wanted to spend our anniversary. If we could live anywhere in this world – it would be right in this camp! Absolutely heavenly and luxurious, while still feeling comfortable. The tents were out of this world, with an outdoor shower, couches, hot tub, and a private dining table right on the deck! But, it was the view and the people that truly made this camp. From our deck we watched the sun setting over the expanse of the Serengeti, while sitting on the couch with a glass of wine.

The camp manager and the entire staff were so welcoming and really topped off the whole experience. They made the night of our anniversary very special with a dinner on the deck of our tent, lit up by lanterns, decorated by rose petals, and completed with a song, cake, and visit from the camp staff and our guide Arnold who we had quickly already bonded with. Bushtops also had this insanely cool infinity pool that looked out over the Serengeti. After a game drive one day my husband and I cooled off in it and then stood back in the pool with Safari beers in our hands and happily sighed as we looked out over the plains and said, “Now this…THIS is why we work – for moments like this.”

From the North, we went to the Lobo area and then onwards to the Central Serengeti where we stayed at Africa Dream Safari’s outstanding Sametu Camp. Jonas made us feel right at home with warm towels and Safari beers when we arrived. For the first night we were the only guests and enjoyed a beautiful evening watching the sunset, sipping wine, listening to the hyenas whoop, and chatting with our guide Arnold. A lioness even chased a zebra through the camp after we finished dinner and headed back to our tents!

The Central Serengeti provided our “32 Cat Day” thanks to Arnold’s amazing skills as a guide. In ONE day we saw 7 cheetah (including two cubs), a leopard in a tree, and 24 lions (including 10 different cubs, four of which were less than three weeks old).

I can’t say enough about how Africa Dream Safaris made our second journey to Africa the incredible experience it was. Dawn flawlessly planned a breathtaking trip that went far beyond our wildest expectations. Arnold and Michael were amazing guides who showed us the wildlife of Tanzania, knew exactly where to position us for great photographs, maneuvered the Land Cruisers through difficult terrain safely (unlike many other companies we saw), and gave us memories that will sustain us until a third trip! I have no doubts that without them our trip would not have been the same incredible experience.

Having done two trips now to Tanzania, we have seen many other companies and guides and listened to the stories from their guests. They simply don’t compare to the high level of quality, professionalism, kindness, and expertise provided by African Dream Safaris. We will be back to Tanzania and will most definitely use ADS again! Thank you Dawn, Arnold, Michael, Jonas, and the entire Africa Dream Safari staff!

Moira and David F.
Chicago
Safari Dates: September 25 to October 4th

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One’s Own Personal Chariot

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What an adventure! Stunning vistas filled with all forms of wildlife – and one’s own personal chariot with a knowledgeable driver/guide who answers all your questions as well as making sure you get as much out of the experience as you want. We enjoyed sharing our lives and experiences with the other guests at the relaxed settings of the evening camps, yet were secretly glad we weren’t crammed into a vehicle with 6 or 7 others continually negotiating which person’s opinion should determine where to go, what to see, and how much time to spend. This, in combination with the amazing scenery and friendly helpful people, is a real strength of the personalized African Dream Safari experience.

John R. and Glenda W.
Claremont, California
Safari Dates: October 5, 2013 to October 11, 2013

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Jim and Kit’s Trip To Eden

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Posted on by Michael

We are glad to tell you of our appreciation of the glorious adventure of a lifetime. I think these pictures hint at the magnificent wonders. From the Wildebeest crossing, the most exciting event in nature I have ever witnessed, to the quiet lush beauty of the Manor Lodging, Kit and I were in a true romantic Garden of Eden.

We were especially aware of this in an outdoor shower where we were surrounded by so many fabulous plants, animals, and splendid birds. While the evening meals at the lodges were not up to their aspirations the lunches in the field and especially all meals in the private luxury camp were superb.

Our guide suited our temperament to a tee; not too much and not too little information. His assistance and bravery (he got us out of an aardvark hole while a leopard was on the hunt near by) was unbelievable. He never rested on his laurels but to the very end was looking and making us aware of the many sights of Tanzania. I only wished I’d been told before hand that if at the Masai dance performance I had jumped higher I would have gotten a shot at a pretty girl, I think I could have jumped a little higher.

If anybody is looking to see cats we saw the big three in profusion and in all manner of activity, from supping to making love. I’ve never seen such a brilliant a melange of avian life. To deny oneself, the experience, if one can afford it, is not to have lead a full life.

Jim and Kit H.
Brooklyn, New York
Safari Dates: October 2, 2013 to October 13, 2013

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Amazing!

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Posted on by Michael

It is hard to put in words the amazing trip we had in Tanzania. This was our first trip to Africa and we didn’t know what to expect.

Within 5 minutes of landing, near the Mara river in the Northern Serengeti, we were face-to-face with a giraffe…and that is how the trip continued! All I can say is that every day was exciting, fantastic and an experience of a lifetime.

We spent 11 days in the bush and enjoyed every minute of the time with our guide Russell. We often spent 9, 10 and 11 hours a day on game drives and I can’t even begin to list everything we saw. Let’s just say I took over 1600 pictures and our friends traveling with us took over 6,000!

I think if you are reading this blog you are interested in a few things about traveling to Africa. I have listed our experience with each:

• ADS – Sharon and the ADS team paid attention to every detail of our trip often recommending changes in our itinerary to maximize the number and variety of animals we encountered on our trip. Over the 11 days we saw two wildebeest river crossings, the big 5 and on some occasions other animals we never expected to see. We saw the rare Egyptian Vulture, a mother and baby rhinoceros (very close up…within 50 feet), a white tailed mongoose, a bush baby (on a night safari), and a tree python. ADS did a great job in making sure we saw everything.

• Our Guide – What can I say about Russell. He had eyes like an eagle (spotting a leopard in a tree from 300 yards without binoculars), a great personality and his knowledge of the animals, the landscape and culture was fantastic. He made us feel very comfortable and we enjoyed our time with him.

• The ADS Vehicle – ADS vehicles are the best. They are clean, comfortable and well stocked with everything you need for your game drive. Each night Russell would wash the car and clean it, inside and out, so when we started our game drive the next day everything was fresh and clean. Note that this is not the case with other safari companies in Tanzania. We were glad we chose ADS.

• Accommodations – All of the accommodations were great rivaling 5 star US Hotels. The staff were extremely friendly and made our time in Africa fantastic. This was not roughing it…and it was incredible the level of luxury and service provided considering we were in the middle of Africa.

• Food – The food was great. Buffet style is common for many of your meals, but several locations (Swala and Lemara) served gourmet food in wonderful settings. We enjoyed many meals looking over the Serengeti as the sun set. Your food on the road is great and you won’t go hungry.

• Wildlife – We saw everything. I was not expecting to see lions, elephants, rhinoceros, giraffe, topi, wildebeest, zebras, warthogs, bush buck, élan, gazelle, ostrich, hyenas and many more right next to our vehicle. I purchased a zoom lens for the trip and often didn’t need it for my pictures. We also spotted over 150 different species of birds.

We have attached a few pictures of our trip. We hope that you have as wonderful of a trip as we had (and you will if you choose ADS)! Enjoy.

David and Renee C.
San Jose, California
Safari Dates: October 8, 2013 to October 18, 2013

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Viewing The Wildlife Privately Was A Huge Bonus For Us

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Posted on by Michael

Words and pictures will never quite express our feelings and memories from our recent trek to Tanzania. From the very first contact with Africa Dream Safaris, with our safari specialist, Dawn Anderson, to the final trip to the airport to go (sadly) home, every detail was attended to. Not only were our questions answered in a timely manner, but they were answered with full explanations which better helped us to prepare for the safari.

We began talking about the trip in January of 2013, making the final commitment in April to go on our trip in late September of the same year to coincide with our 30 year anniversary and our son’s plan to study abroad at the University of Dar es Salaam. We began our trip with a two day extension to spend some time in the Mount Kilimanjaro area. We flew from Dar es Salaam (where we had been visiting with our son) to Arusha on Friday, Sept. 27, 2013.

We were greeted warmly by ADS staff and whisked up to Ndarakwai Ranch. While there we enjoyed the stunning views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, a walking safari, a night game drive, and a day hike excursion on the Shira Trail. The food was superb and the accomodations were delightful, including the nightly visit of the bush baby to the dining tent! On Sunday we left the ranch to travel back to Arusha for shopping at the Cultural Heritage Center and a one night stay at the beautiful Mt. Meru resort. ADS staff picked us up on Monday morning and transported us to the Arusha airport for our early morning departure to the Serengeti. At last, our long awaited safari was beginning!

Our driver/guide, Claude, met us as we got off the plane, quickly introduced himself, gave us traditional Maasai gifts as anniversary gifts, and helped us with our luggage. Within minutes we were settled comfortably in our safari vehicle and had entered a land full of animals only seen in zoos before. Our first stop was at the Mara River to catch the very tail end of a wildebeest crossing. We would end up being entertained both this day and the next as we watched the herds gather at the very edge for quite some time, only to change their minds and disperse and regather later in the day.

Our first day of safari was quite successful as we saw a partial river crossing, lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippos, a cheetah with two young cubs, and countless birds and antelope of various species. We stayed the first night (Monday) at Lemala Kuria Hills, which was a place of abundant beauty. We were surprised during dinner with an anniversary cake with our names on it and it was presented with a song by the kitchen/dining staff!

Our safari continued with a two night stay at Buffalo Springs Camp. During the next two days, the wonders of the Serengeti continued to reveal themselves as we saw a rhino with a young baby, a cheetah just after she had killed an oribi, a lion pride of 11 lions, and continued abundant sightings of zebras, giraffes, elephants, wildebeest, and water buffalo.

During our two nights (Tuesday and Wednesday) at Buffalo Springs we enjoyed a walking safari to the top of a hill behind the camp, a night game drive, and a traditional bush dinner served from an overlook area away from the main dining area. The food was delicious and the hospitality extended was remarkable. We felt as if we were personal friends/guests of Mark and Neil rather than international travelers. On Thursday we visited the local Maasai village before beginning our drive to the Seronera Sametu Camp. The village visit was both fun and educational and we came away with a renewed appreciation for the Maasai traditions and work ethic.

As we drove to the Seronera Sametu camp, where we would spend the next two nights (Thursday and Friday) we continued to see a great number of zebras, giraffes, elephants, water buffalo, hippos, and various antelope and birds. Jonas, and the staff at the Sametu camp, were very attentive and excited to hear about the things we had seen.

On Friday we were thrilled to watch a mother leopard with two young cubs and a recent kill. It wasn’t long before the mother and one young ran off but we were able to watch the other cub eat the kill for quite some time. Eventually a baboon family ventured into the area and chased off the last cub who dropped the meat and ran up a different tree. This whole event was thrilling to watch.

On Saturday we departed the Sametu camp with the desire to see an adult male lion – this was about the only thing we had not seen at this point. It wasn’t long before Claude was able to follow the tracks to a grasslands area and one beautiful male lion popped us as we were driving by. It was almost surreal how he just raised up at the perfect time as he was completely hidden in the grass prior to popping up. As we stayed and watched him, we discovered that there were another 15 lions also hidden in the grass. As we stayed and watched this beautiful pride, all 16 lions moved about and we were able to enjoy this in the quiet beauty of the early morning.

From there we ventured to the Oldubai Gorge and the Ngorongoro Crater and a one night stay (Saturday) at Lion’s Paw Camp. The crater was unbelievaby beautiful and filled with abundant wildlife viewings. On Sunday morning we were able to watch the drama unfold as two packs of hyenas enclosed on a water buffalo herd, killing one of it’s young. It was a back and forth fight as the hyenas would attack the baby and the adults would then chase the hyenas off. The hyenas would come back, attack again, only to be chased off once more. This lasted for over an hour, until the baby water buffalo was too badly injured and the adults were too exhausted to continue the fight.

From there we traveled to Lake Manyara and finally back to Arusha. We had a day room at the Mt. Meru Resort, a pre-arranged dinner at 5:00 and a 5:30 departure for the airport. The ADS staff saw us safely to the airport check in. Although we have many great memories and pictures from the trip, it is hard to summarize them in a short article – we felt we could have written a book!

A large part of the success of this trip goes to our driver/guide, Claude. He was attentive to our every need and desire, was excited to teach us about the wildlife and vegetation of the Serengeti. He provided us with wonderful picnic areas and he was able to use his knowledge to find the wildlife away from the other safari vehicles. This luxury of being able to view the wildlife privately and for extended periods of time was a huge bonus for us. All in all, it was the trip of a lifetime!

Alice and Mark P.
Prospect, Ohio
Safari Dates: September 27, 2013 to October 6, 2013

 

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ADS Waives Cancellation Fees With Regards To Ebola

TRAVEL TIPS + UPDATES

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Posted on by Michael

October 22, 2014

We would like to reassure our guests that there continues to be no (i.e. zero) reported Ebola cases in the 33 countries comprising the regions of Eastern, Southern, Central and Northern Africa. In West Africa, the countries of Nigeria and Senegal have been declared Ebola free by the World Health Organization while three remaining countries (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone) are still having new cases of Ebola being reported.

The affected areas in West Africa have had zero impact on East Africa and specifically Tanzania where we operate our private safaris. It is our continuing opinion that the risk of an outbreak occurring in Tanzania where we operate our safaris is exceedingly remote. Therefore, we would like to provide further reassurances to our guests by offering a generous and revised cancellation policy for all new and existing bookings with Africa Dream Safaris with immediate effect as follows:

– AFRICA DREAM SAFARIS WILL GUARANTY THAT ALL CANCELLATION FEES WILL BE WAIVED UP UNTIL 24-HOURS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL IN THE EVENT AN EBOLA OUTBREAK IS DECLARED IN ANY COUNTRY IN EAST AFRICA BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION.

Please allow us to demonstrate our reasoning why we believe that the risk of Ebola spreading to Tanzania to be very remote by sharing with you several relevant factors:

– The affected areas in West Africa are thousands of miles from the famous safari circuits of Tanzania. To put things in perspective, many major cities in Europe and South America are actually closer to the affected areas of West Africa. London, Paris, Rome and Rio de Janeiro are all closer in distance to the Ebola outbreak area then Arusha, Tanzania where our safaris originate.

– The primary airline (Kenya Airways) that would connect East and West Africa has suspended all flights to/from the infected countries since August.

– Entry has been suspended for passengers travelling from and through the infected countries, excluding health professionals.

– There is no viable land route by rail or road between West and East Africa. It would take several months to travel overland from West to East Africa.

– Recent encouraging news that two countries in West Africa  (Senegal and Nigeria) have successfully contained the Ebola Virus and have now been declared free from Ebola by the World Health Organization.

We hope that the above provides reassurance in travelling with Africa Dream Safaris over the remainder of 2014 and 2015. We have several happy guests currently in Tanzania on their dream safaris and many more who have just returned (check out our travelogue). We look forward to welcoming more of our esteemed guests here shortly in November and during the holiday period in December.

We are optimistic that some good comes out of this tragedy in West Africa in that the significant media attention may raise awareness on the greatly underfunded and inadequate medical facilities that exist in Africa. Though there is no denying the horrible situation in the affected Ebola areas of West Africa, the much larger humanitarian crisis in Africa still remains AIDS and many other widespread and easily treatable conditions and diseases. Sadly, there are roughly 1 million deaths reported in Africa from AIDS each year.

We urge all our upcoming guests to stop by the F.A.M.E. facility in Karatu for a brief tour and presentation and learn more about how Africa Dream Safaris is making a real difference in the lives of local Tanzanians by sponsoring quality medical care. You can read more about Africa Dream Safaris and F.A.M.E. here.

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A Dream Come True

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Posted on by Michael

It has always been a dream of mine, since I was a child, to visit Africa. I would tell friends “if I could go anywhere, I would love to go on an African Photo Safari”. Well…… my husband was listening. One day about a year and a half ago, he gave me a small stuffed lion toy and a travel book on African Safari’s, and told me to start planning. And believe me, I began my research that day!!!

Luckily, I came upon the Africa Dream Safaris web site. After much research comparing Safari tours to Safari Tours, I soon discovered that ADS rose far above the other tour operators. It is wonderful to have your own vehicle, driver/guide and to realize that it truly is all about what you want to see and do! And now after returning from our Safari, I am very happy to say that ADS did not let us down!! Our Safari was simply the most amazing trip of my/our life!!!! It definitely was a dream come true!

Our Safari began when we landed at an Airstrip near the Mara River in the Northern Serengeti. From minutes to within an hour, we saw Wildebeest, Zebras, Giraffes, Impala, Waterbuck, Crocodiles, Hippos and many species of birds. At lunchtime, we ate under a beautiful tree and talked about what we might see next.

Just as we began to drive off in our Rover, our amazing guide, Russell, stopped driving, pulled out his binoculars and looked toward a grove of trees. He smiled broadly and then took off. When we finally drove out of the trees into a clearing, we saw what he had seen…. a Mother Rhinoceros and her baby! This was all within 3 hours after landing in the Serengeti!!!

When Russell, our driver, spotted animals, he always made sure that we had the perfect angle/lighting for our photos and viewing, but always showed complete respect and gave the animals the distance they needed to not feel threatened. Russell’s knowledge about Tanzania, its parks, and what “lives” there (animals/birds/plants/people) and its history was remarkable! It is safe to say, that without Russell, we never would have experienced a Safari like we did.

When we left home for our safari, I was sure that we would see a lot of animals, but what we saw far exceeded any expectation I could have possibly imagined! I thought we would drive along and “here and there” see an animal or two. Instead, mainly due to “Hawkeye” Russell, our wonderful guide and friend, it seemed we were constantly spotting an animal or a bird, or something! There was never a boring minute!

We were fortunate to see two Wildebeest crossings, one on the Mara River and one on the Grumeti River. And we saw hundreds/thousands of animals close enough that sometimes they were almost too close (haha!! ) to frame in my 80-400mm lens. I highly recommend that you bring 2 cameras if possible. We had one camera with an 80-400mm zoom lens and one camera with an 18-200mm lens. It seemed that what one camera /lens couldn’t completely capture, the other did! And I would also recommend that you bring lots of SD cards! I am a “photoholic”  , and I took well over 6500 pictures by myself, and with both cameras, my husband and I took a total of over 7500 pictures!

We saw “The Big 5” (numerous times), 2 of “The Little 5” and even made up our own “The Ugly Five” and “The Fake Five”!! (Explanation: when you are looking intently for animals, sometimes your imagination can get the best of you, and a stump may look like a monkey or a log in a river like a croc! We definitely had a few good laughs at ourselves! Just some of the wildlife that we saw while on Safari were: Wildebeest, Zebras, Hippos, Crocodiles, Giraffes, Elephants, Cape Buffalo, Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs, Jackals, Klipspringers, Steinbok, Orbi, Bushbuck, Dik-Dik, Kudu, Waterbuck, Hyaenas, Baboons, Colbus Monkeys, Rhinoceros, Python, Ostrich, Impalas, Gazelles, Warthogs, Topi, Eland, Bushbaby………….. and over 150 species of birds! I’m still amazed at all that we saw!

The lodgings and camps were wonderful! The accommodations that we stayed at were Lemala Kuria, Buffalo Springs, Mbalageti, Seronera Sametu, Lion’s Paw and Swala. “If it looks like a tent, it must be a tent”, does not hold true here. Some of our accommodations may have looked like a tent from the outside, but upon entering you walked into a beautifully decorated and comfortable room with a king sized bed, wardrobe, couch, chairs, desk and a fully functional bathroom.

And there is nothing better than falling asleep to the sound of animals all around you! And the staff at each of the places we stayed were all so warm and friendly, and always attentive to our needs. My only wish?… that I could have had more hours in a day to enjoy my 9 to 11 hour Safari drives with enough time leftover to still have been able to enjoy all of the many amenities that were offered at our lodgings, especially watching more “Bush TV”!!

If I could go back and do it all over again, I would do it in a heartbeat, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Our adventure was a trip of a lifetime and was made possible by careful preparations made by ADS stateside (Sharon and Michael) and in Tanzania by Russell and the ADS staff. Thank you!! Thank you!! (Asante) for making my/our dream of an African Safari come true!!!! And, a special thank you to my husband Jim for the best gift ever!!

Below are some of the pictures we took while on Safari. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as we enjoyed taking them!

Thank you!!!

Pam and Jim B.
San Jose, CA
Safari Dates: October 8th – 18th, 2013

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