Author: Michael

ADS Recommendation

AFRICAN WILDLIFE

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Posted on by Michael

You can read about itineraries, animals and locations on the Africa Dream Safari (ADS) web site and blogs. I want to complement the company at another level – with the expert help my husband and I received from our safari consultant, Lynn and our guide, Petro.

From the very beginning, as we compared safari companies, Lynn was the difference maker. As a matter of fact, it was Lynn’s quick email response and the way that she answered our questions that convinced us to travel with ADS.

As time got closer to our departure from home and arrival in Africa, I had an excited anticipation of the journey in front of me, but I also wondered about language, customs, etc., and if all the preparations and connections would be smooth. I cannot emphasize enough how well everything went, how perfect African Dream Safaris were in meeting us at our lodge (we had a meeting before our safari), taking care of us the night before the safari began, getting us to the Arusha airport, and meeting our guide as we stepped off the commuter plane in the Serengeti.

The following are some practical things I either experienced on the safari or would have wanted to know before going:

• Our driver, Petro, took very good care of his vehicle. Every day we entered a washed, cleaned Land Cruiser. Even the floor was washed, which gets very dirty and dusty from the roads.

• Each morning, you get welcomed by your guide in a fully stocked vehicle, complete with as much water as you can drink and any meals needed for the day’s drive. It is such a luxury, there is no thinking necessary for you for the day’s essentials. You only have to think about what you want to bring and how to enjoy the day.

• It is uncanny how rocks and trees can look like animals in the distance when you are in nature. Petro had amazing eyes and knew how to distinguish tree limbs from animal limbs. He also knew animal behavior well enough to know when to wait for something to happen.

• Wonderful meals were served in the lodging establishments where we stayed

• There was plenty of bottled water to drink

• Deluxe bed coverings on queen size beds

• Tents are not the pop tents of boy and girl scouts! These tents are complete with queen or king sized beds, sitting rooms and bath facilities. Most had desks. Staff at tent camps were very friendly and helpful.

• The tent lodgings are in the middle of the jungle, and there are animals around, but do not be afraid. There is protection from local Masaai people, who know how to deal with the animals. They walk you to and from your tent after dark and they stay up all night, keeping the animals away.

• Do not bring old currency (before the year 2000) or even new currency that is taped together. Not accepted. Bring more small currency than you think you will need.

• In January, in the lodgings we have stayed at, the flies and mosquitoes were not been bad at all. I also invested in anti bug clothing. My husband and I did not use, nor need, any Deet products.

• At several establishments, coffee was delivered to our room, with a cookie, as soon as the light was turned on in the morning, as we had discussed the night before .

• Ipads and Apple products can be plugged directly into socket, with adapter. You dont need a converter

Very early in our vacation , we learned to relax and trust the company. Our faith in Africa Dream Safaris was always realized and all connections were seamless. I wholeheartedly recommend this company and would travel with them again.

Jim and Nancy Barnett
Fox Point, Wisconsin
Safari Dates: January 15, 2013 to January 25, 2013

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Our Top 7 African Safari Highlights

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We’ve been home from Tanzania for a few weeks now and we’re still talking about our experiences and continue to find ourselves “in the bush” watching the animals in our dreams at night. Our time in the Serengeti was amazing!

We had spent months thinking about this trip, reading reviews of different tour operators and considering various options. We are so glad we chose ADS. Lynn Newby-Fraser listened to our wish list and gave us good advice in the planning phase. Other ADS employees in Tanzania who were friendly, helpful and a pleasure to work with: Martias and Emanuel (Meet & Greet in Arusha), Jonas at Sametu Camp, Kidevu and all the private camp staff at Naabi Hill who did a wonderful job of taking care of us.

Our driver-guide, Arnold Mushi was truly outstanding. His knowledge of the Serengeti and his uncanny ability to spot animals (or predict where they would be) made all the difference. We were there in January, the green season, and the big herds of the migration were not where they would have been expected to be. But, Arnold was able to track them down for us. With all his experience in the Serengeti, he still hasn’t lost his fresh enthusiasm for each game drive.

We are also glad Lynn suggested adding the Grumeti Reserve to our itinerary. Our stay at Sabora Tented Camp was another unique experience. The choice to spend a few days in historic StoneTown instead of a beach resort on Zanzibar worked well for us also. We did a walking tour of the old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and learned a lot about its varied history. We topped off our Zanzibar sight-seeing with a spice plantation tour, which was also interesting and fun.

While on safari, we especially enjoyed the pre-dawn and early evening game drives. Along with the increased animal activity, we got to enjoy spectacular sunrises and sunsets in some very different landscapes – the lush river valleys and lakes, wide-open plains dotted with kopjes, the magnificent mountains and Ngorongoro Crater. All beautiful. The morning and evening views of flat-top acacia trees silhouetted against the reddening sky were some of our favorite sights.

Choosing favorite experiences and favorite photos from our safari has been difficult – there are so many! But, here’s some of what we would consider highlights of the trip:

1. Watching a very large pride of lions in the Seronera Valley who were spooked by a couple of hot-air balloons coming in quite low. The lionesses were herding ten very small cubs away from this danger in the air with a lot of worried looks back and anxious noises to the cubs until the balloons were out of sight.

2. Driving slowly through the migration near the Simiyu River with the vehicle parting the tide of wildebeest and zebra. We will always remember the sounds they made – a sort of low-key grunting from the wildebeest and braying from the zebra.

3. Watching another large pride of lions climbing a sausage tree near the Moru kopjes. We counted five in the tree when we arrived. All lionesses and nearly adult-sized cubs. Then watched as more arrived and climbed up – two big males, another lioness and eight small cubs. The cubs piled on top of the last lioness, sometimes falling off, but usually climbing back up. One independent-minded little cub gave up on the crowd in the tree and settled under a nearby bush.

4. Watching beautiful birds: flamingoes on Lake Ndutu and Lake Magadi in the Ngorongoro Crater, yellow weaver birds at work in many places, lilac-breasted rollers, superb starlings, gray crowned cranes, Fisher’s lovebirds and many, many more.

5. Chasing after a couple of fast-moving honey badgers near the Barafu Kopjes and watching them dive into burrows in the ground.

6. Watching two hungry cheetah brothers in the Grumeti take off after a group of warthogs. One managed to bring down the last in the line of warthogs, but it got away from him and faced off with the cheetah. Face-to-face, those horns on the little warthog are pretty intimidating. All of the warthogs turned on the cheetahs and managed to chase them off. The predators became the prey.

7. Touring a Maasai boma and learning about their culture. They were gracious hosts who sang and danced for us and invited us into one of their dwellings. We also enjoyed visiting the children in their classroom.

This was a trip of a lifetime for us and we have Africa Dream Safaris to thank for making it a smooth, seamless experience. If anyone reading this is still debating a safari with ADS, we would say DO IT! It was absolutely worth all the planning, expense and long hours of travel. We will treasure our memories of the Serengeti.

Asante Sana!

Will & Beth S.
Salida, Colorado
Safari Dates: January 20, 2013 to February 4, 2013

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African Safari Photo Tip

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While travelling on one of our African Safari Tours we recommend taking along a minimum 300 mm telephoto lens to ensure the best photography. A zoom lens such as the Canon EF 100-400mm offers the best flexibility allowing for great photos whether or not that lion is 10 feet or 100 feet away. But, why spend $1,500 or more on a lens for a once in a lifetime trip when you can rent one for a fraction of the cost. See our safari photo recommendation section for more information.

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African Safari Binocular Review

TRAVEL TIPS + UPDATES

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One of most important items to take on any african safari is arguably a great pair of binoculars. Binoculars are critical for wildlife viewing are will greatly enhance the enjoyment on your safari experience by allowing you to closely watch the behavior of each animal or bird. We provide complimentary high quality Nikon Action 7 x 35 binoculars for every guest for the duration of their trip. To take your safari tour to the next level, you might want to consider investing in a higher power set of binoculars with image stabilization (IS). Our top pick is the Cannon 12×36 IS Image Stabilized binocular, which will allow you to spot a cheetah at 1,000 meters!

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An Experience We Will Never Forget

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Posted on by Michael

After trying to “lay low” on my 65th birthday last July, you can imagine how excited I was when my husband surprised me with a trip to Africa. Africa….that’s a trip you only dream of. And, yes, it turned out to be just that!

ADS went beyond our expectations. From whisking us through the Kilimanjaro airport on day one until they dropped us off on our last day, they were there. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide, either. Francis was wonderful! He had telescopic eyes and was very knowledgeable. He soon became our friend.

Francis picked us up after our 1 1/2 hour flight on a little bush plane and we immediately began seeing animals. We saw gazelles, elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes, buffalo, impalas, baboons, ostriches and monkeys all within a few hours of arriving. And this was our first day!

We observed a mother lion with 2 half-grown cubs try to take down a young buffalo. The next thing we knew, the whole herd of buffalo chased the lions back. We stayed 3 nights at Mbuzi Mawe tented camp. This was our favorite camp. We sat by our tent and observed a giraffe, gazelles and deer in our backyard. The highlights came at night, though, when we’d lay awake listening to the lions roaring and elephants walking around outside.

It’s hard to point out specific events since they were all great. We enjoyed the hot air balloon ride; watching the migration; being welcome into a Masai village; observing the elusive Serval cat; seeing 5 black rhinos; and I could go on forever.

Thanks again to Sharon who answered hundreds of our questions and especially to Francis, who made us feel welcome and opened our eyes to a new world. We have made many new memories of a beautiful country filled with wonderful people and amazing animals.

Bill and Sandy F.
The Villages, FL
Safari Dates: January 20, 2013 to January 29, 2013

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We Spotted a Rare Aardwolf in the Serengeti

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It was a tremendous experience. Well planned and I thought ending the trip at the Crater was a good choice. Having the Day Room was wonderful. We really appreciated the welcome gifts and the cake on the last night. Anglebert worked tirelessly to make the trip perfect. He wanted to tell you about seeing the Aardwolf fighting with the family of cheetahs. It was late at night (if it was up to Anglebert, he would never go back to the camp) so the pictures are not great but I am sending the best one we took. We would normally be the first around an animal and in minutes the vultures would show up. It was great when we could get out away from everyone like at the Gol Kopjes and the open plains around Ndutu.

I awoke with a start this morning. I wondered what all the noise was. I realized it was sounds of the city. A couple of nights before my wife and I were kept awake by the roar of lions and the alarm “barking” of baboons seemingly from our front porch. It was a week of quiet nights with beautiful stars.

The days were filled with game drives that surpassed our expectations. We are used to open spaces in Texas but it is interrupted by fences, gates, and cattle guards. To be able to travel miles and see no one and not to have to get out and open gates is a grand experience. We viewed massive herds of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles. All set to backdrop of vast plains and far away mountains. There were lions and tigers and…no, not bears, but cheetahs, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and cape buffalo. A couple of unexpected sightings were the Ardwolf and the honey badger (look up the video on Youtube).

The guides in all the letters are fondly remembered. Everyone believes he must have lucked out and got the best one from ADS. Unless they got Anglebert, they couldn’t have gotten the best. His ability to not only spot the animals but anticipation of what the animal would do next or where the animals next move would be is extraordinary. We saw some cheetahs late one night (Englebert will stay out from six in the morning to dark thirty), the next morning Englebert said “I think I know where they will be this morning”.

We drove out and as the sun made visibility possible, the three cheetahs were right beside us. Not only did he spot the animals, get the best viewing possible, but also put us where the sun would provide the best lighting for the camera. He was, as was everyone we met, unfailingly polite and patient. He truly became our rafiki yangu.

We stayed in three camps. Each was unique having its own architecture, style and views. All the camps were perfectly suited to the surrounding environment with as little intrusions as possible. What didn’t change from camp to camp was the quality of the meals. Each was served on white table cloths, complete complement of dinner ware and wonderful variety of food. The service was outstanding at each location at each meal. We were amazed that such dining could be found in the remotest of areas.

Lastly, I humbly suggest you learn a little Swahili. Your host will appreciate the effort and it will make the trip more fun. Also, stop by the FAME hospital. See the great work they are doing. They don’t have their hands out, they are just proud of what they are doing and want to share their excitement.

Richard and Mary Morgan
Houston, Texas
Safari Dates: January 3, 2013 to January 9, 2013

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Where’s The Best African Safari Destination?

PLACES TO EXPLORE

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There has been an explosion of growth in the african safari industry over the last couple of years. A search on the Internet for African Safari Tours yields thousands of safari companies offering trips to hundreds of destinations within Africa. Guide books all seem to have conflicting opinions whether it’s recommending Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana or South Africa. The information can quickly overwhelm even the most experienced traveler.

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African Safari Packing Tip

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Getting ready to depart on your safari trip? Remember there is a 33-pound weight limit on most flights within Africa. Furthermore, due to the risk of delayed luggage on all international air carriers, we recommend a 22-inch rolling suitcase, which will fit in a typical overhead bin. For more packing information and recommendations refer to our luggage guide entitled ‘What To Bring On Your African Safari‘. Thanks for choosing ADS – offering exclusive african safari tours to Tanzania.

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Lunch with Lions

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Posted on by Michael

Lunch with a lion, breakfast with a baboon, and dinner with a genet…those are just a few of the memorable moments from our totally amazing trip with Arica Dream Safaris. We are so glad that we chose Africa Dream Safaris for this “bucket list” trip. ADS came highly recommended by a co-worker who did a similar trip last year. To be honest, I thought his effusive praise for ADS and the wonders of the Serengeti were a little over the top. But I can happily admit to being wrong, from our first contact with Dawn (the most patient and responsive trip planner ever) to the final goodbyes at the airport, Africa Dream Safaris was absolutely the best!

I can’t thank ADS and our guide, Wilfred, enough for making this truly the trip of a lifetime. They delivered all of the things you’d expect – first rate accommodations, comfortable and reliable vehicle, flexible itinerary, but also the little touches that made the trip special – the lovely Maasai bracelets, gifts and champagne to celebrate our anniversary and the good-bye cake! We always felt safe and cared for – having Wilfred was like having an encyclopedia of the Serengeti at our disposal. Not only was he great at locating animals and getting us into position for great photographs, he would also share the most interesting facts about the animals, plants, and ecosystem. By the time we left, he was “Uncle Wilfred” to the girls and we truly hated to say goodbye.

From the first day in Seronera when we ate our lunch in the vehicle just a few feet from a huge male lion, we had one amazing experience after another. We took over 6000 photos and videos, but no images or words can convey the sense of wonder that the Serengeti evokes. I’ve wanted to write a review since we returned, but have been dragging my feet because I just don’t feel like I can do it justice. One of my favorite memories couldn’t be captured digitally. (I tried!) Our second night in the private camp (which should not be missed) I was snuggled in the incredibly comfortable bed watching a spectacular lightning storm that lasted for hours, listening to lions roaring just yards away from our tent. I had this huge grin on my face that just wouldn’t quit.

We saw so much more than we expected and yet you can never see it all. We’ll have to make a return trip to find the elusive honey badger, python, and pangolin! We saw a clan herd of over a hundred elephants, many incredible cheetah sightings (16 in all, including two hunts!), hyenas and lions with their kills, herds of wildebeest as far as the eye could see, and so many other amazing animals and birds I can’t begin to list them all.

While the “Big Five” were awesome, many of the highlights of the trip were smaller things – spotting the rare African wildcat, the yellow-winged bats, a double rainbow with an elephant at the end of it, and delicious fresh mango for breakfast. The animals are amazing and the reason we planned the trip, but we found the Tanzanian people to be equally wonderful. The stop at a Maasai village and a visit to an elementary school class in Arusha brought home both the differences and similarities of our cultures and lives.

The grin returns whenever I think of all the delightful people and places we visited. I’ve had a wonderful time sharing stories and pictures from the trip, here’s a link to some more of our favorites: http://www.pbase.com/teddi_and_roger/africatrip2013. Needless to say, Africa Dream Safaris has another huge fan!

Teddi and Roger, Randi and Rian Edington
Kent, Washington
Safari Dates: January 1, 2013 to January 9, 2013

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Going Out On A Limb

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Well, I hope you got decent reports on us as guests, because we sure had wonderful hosts! Francis is just a fantastic guide, driver and all-around wonderful person– we loved him! And boy, is he a great driver– despite the rains, he always got us back to the lodges/tents safely. The ADS meet and greet guys in Arusha were great, too, as was Jonas. Thank you for the Maasai club and necklace– so special and thoughtful– very appropriate for our 25th anniversary!

Asante sana!

Victoria Russell and Family
Los Angeles, California
December 24, 2012 to January 5, 2013

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If You’re Thinking About Going – DO IT NOW!!

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Posted on by Michael

Our trip to Tanzania was everything we could have dreamed of and then more. It started off perfectly when we were met at the airport by the ADS team and were whisked through the process like dignitaries while everyone else was standing around waiting.

The next morning we took our short flight to the Serengeti where we met the BEST guide, Francis. Yes, we had the best guide! Francis made sure that we were comfortable, that we saw everything we wanted to for as long as we wanted to and he answered all our questions-and believe me-we had a lot of them. We wanted to know EVERYTHING about the animals, how and what they did, about the people we saw and met and all about the culture of the tribes as well as the people living in the cities.

We spent 7 days in the Serengeti and every time we thought it couldn’t get better-it did. We also visited the FAME hospital, which was a great experience. We visited the Shanga project which we felt privileged to do.

There are so many stories we could tell but I guess the most memorable for me was one morning in the Southern Serengeti. I knew there was a possibility that I might see a “kill” but I really didn’t want to. This one morning we saw a group of zebras heading down to the water to drink. We drove nearer to the water to watch them and when we approached we saw several hyena waiting to attack when they got close enough. We stayed where we were, between the zebras and the hyena, till the hyena gave up and left and the zebra were able to get to the water and drink. (see pictures)

The hot air balloon ride was great and don’t be worried about it if you are afraid of heights. The folks that do it are wonderful and put out a fabulous native breakfast afterwards. There is a great velvet monkey story that we will leave for Francis to tell. Our hero!

We loved the accommodations. The tented lodges were so much more then we expected. The people everywhere were wonderful but Mbuzi Mawe was, by far, our favorite. The people there welcomed you as if it were their home.

If you’re thinking about going-DO IT NOW!!

Nancy & Lenny Max
The Villages, Florida
Safari Dates: January 20, 2013 to January 29, 2013

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The Best of 2012

AFRICAN WILDLIFE

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It has been an incredibly rewarding year here at Africa Dream Safaris. The stories, pictures and videos submitted from returning guests over the last 12 months have been spectacular and even inspirational. I thought it would be great fun to revisit some of the more exceptional postings from our blog during 2012 and highlight some of the most remarkable photographs. Note: Please click on each link to access the entire original posting.

Best Overall Photo Collection – by Jeff and Ginger Smith: If you missed this posting from June 2012, make sure check it out. Simply click on the above link to see the complete collection of photos. This was Jeff’s 2nd safari with ADS and the pictures were incredible. My personal favorite is the shot of the critically endangered wild dog (the 2nd picture in the full blog posting).

Wackiest Video – Lions Eating ADS Tire by Tom Poole – Click on this link to watch a very entertaining video of lions chewing on one of our tire covers. It never occurred to our designers that having a head shot of a male lion on the tire covers would illicit this type of reaction. But, it has happened several times this year.

Best Detailed Bush Report by Dawn Anderson – Wow…check out this extraordinary report from our very own safari consultant Dawn Anderson who details her safari to the Serengeti in January 2012. Great pictures too!

Best Cultural Tour Picture  – This picture speaks for itself. One of my very favorites of the year!

Best Crocodile Picture by Bruce and Amy Power  – Simply Wow!

Best Honeymoon Blog Posting by Jacob and Liz – There is a cheetah picture in this posting, which is one of my all time favorites. It depicts a mother cheetah who has just killed a gazelle and is now watching for danger (marauding lions and hyenas) as she lets her 4 cubs begin eating. Cheetahs have to eat quickly on the Serengeti plains as their kills are quickly taken by larger predators.

Best Cheetah Picture by Bradley Parks and David Rivenbark – David and Bradley captured some truly professional grade pictures. Make sure to have a look at their full posting.

Best Bush Report – Huge Lion Kill Near Our Home  – This was a thrilling report from our friends at the Serengeti Lion Project where they witnessed the large local lion pride (23 lions in total) bring down a buffalo just 150 meters away from their house.

Best Hyena Picture by Mark and Donna Thomas – A classic hyena shot here. Hyenas are actually very capable hunters and are the most abundant predator in the Serengeti.

The Scariest Video by Randall and Barbara Myer – Click on the link to watch a thrilling video of two male lions fighting over a warthog. Turn the volume up and watch the ending. Randall and Barbara also had a superb wildebeest migration video too.

The Most Adorable Picture Of The Year by Kevin, Roger and Eddite Watson

The Most Unusual Posting – The Bizarre, Quirky and Deadly – Spotting the rare pangolin is equivalent to winning the safari lottery. Even our most senior guides have only spotted a few times over their extensive careers.

Best Giraffe Shot by The Harkey’s

 Best Posting By A Driver-Guide by Arnold Mushi – Great job Arnold!

Best Elephant Photo by Jan Duggan – A very tender moment captured here.

Best Group Picture – We were delighted to host Stewart Tours this past May in the Serengeti and even more pleased with the results.

Best Safari Journal by Mark Bumler – One of the best journals I have ever seen matched up with over a dozen  photos. Mark traveled in the green season when many animals are born. There are some great shots of baby cheetahs, baby lions and even a baby wildebeest being born.

Best Landscape Photograph by the Leighton Family

The Most Endearing Photo – Best of October

Best Video Of The Year  – Click on the link to watch 3 extraordinary videos taken along the Mara River in the North Serengeti.

Best Leopard Photo by Sandy Jacobson – Simply an amazing picture.

Best Bird Photo by Randy and Rhonda Soth – Martial Eagles’s are powerful air-borne predators!

Best Macro Photography Example by Gary and Nancy Prade – Gary and Nancy also captured a Puff Adder on film, which is one of Africa’s deadliest snakes.

Best Primate Photograph by Steven and Suzanne Omlstead – The beautiful black and white colobus monkey. See the full blog posting for some more unique animals that Steven and Suzanne captured including a greater kudu, eland, crocodile and wild dog.

Best Scavenger Picture by Chris and Terrence Campbell – This picture is unique as it depicts a common scene out on the Serengeti plains with a spotted hyena, black backed jackal and lappet faced vulture all sharing in the spoils of a scavenged cheetah kill.

The Most Thrilling Video Of The Year – ‘Pop Up’ Gina – My favorite video of the 2012!

 Top 10 Serengeti Highlights – Documents very well why the Serengeti is simply the greatest national park in Africa.

Best Zebra Picture by Dave and Judy Washburn – Dave and Judy witnessed 4 separate hunts in 1 day while on safari with ADS. That’s a company record!

Best Hippo Picture by Peter and Lynne Hare – Peter and Lynne captured some amazing moments on their safari. Have a peek at their full blog posting.

The Most Famous Safari Of The Year – Author of the Bradt Travel Guide to Tanzania – This year we hosted Phlip Briggs (author of various safari guide books including the popular Tanzania guide) and his wife and professional photograhper, Adiadne Van Zandbergen, on a 2-week safari in Tanzania.

Best Wildebeest Migration Pictur by Bob and Diana Brodel – They also auquainted us with the phrase “Mal d’ Afrique’, which means that restless urge one experiences after spending time in Africa to make a return visit. We figure that’s a good marketing slogan for us to have!

Best Rhino Photograph by Gerd and Susan Grave – Gerd and Susan also had many other top notch pictures. Have a peek at their full posting to see their baby elephant shot, which was a close runner up.

The Best Live Birth Picture by Stephen and Mariglyn – Stephen and Mariglyn had extraordinary timing when coming across this mother zebra giving birth!

Most Endearing Picture by Dave and Fiona Friar

Best “How Did They Capture That” Picture by Jim Barbara and Madeleine Hill

Best Smile Of The Year Photo by Steve, Jody and Matthew Jochams

Most Artistic Photo Of The Year by Michael and Usha Rafferty

Best Buffalo Photo by the Clinkscales Family

Best Lion Picture Of The Year by Rolf Jacobson – Now this was a tough category with hundreds of extraordinary lion pictures to choose from. However, this lion pride photo take by repeat ADS guest Rolf Jacobson stood out especially with the 2nd picture of his children watching the aforementioned pride.

Best Family Safari Of The Year – Last, but certainly not least, who can forget the Maguire-Moore family who traveled with us in April 2012. It’s always extra special having young families go on safari with us.

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When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!

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Sharon,

We are back in Arusha. Don’t know how we got so lucky to have our other trip cancel and stumble onto you. The best trip ever! People were awesome and whenever we mentioned your name a smile would enter their face! Thank you thank you for everything!!!

Jenny and Phil Greger
Woodlands, Texas
Safari Dates: January 10, 2013 – January 16, 2013

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The Trip to Tanzania Was Simply Mesmerizing

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Posted on by Michael

It’s Super Bowl weekend. Excitement is in the air. Bobby had gone back to Florida to start planning another safari with Sharon, possibly challenging Mt. Kilimanjaro in October. I am finally rested enough to start organizing pictures and videos taken on the trip. Reflecting back, worlds apart from my current reality, Tanzania, the scenery, the animals, the sound, the smell, the color, and the people. Each frame and clip transport me right back to the magical land; its primordial essence and life force.

Bobby and I booked the safari with ADS two months before our departure. Unlike Bobby, who talked to everyone and their brother who’s ever been on an African safari, I barely read the handbook and got all the gears just a few days before Bobby and I met at the airport.

I wanted to have a firsthand and empirical experience of my African dream safari so I went on the safari without much preconceived notion or expectation. And boy was I elated and amazed by the entire voyage! Our guide, Russell, was AWESOME! Game drives were exciting!! All the tented camps were great. The food was delicious and everybody we met along the journey was wonderful!!!

Since we got back a week ago, I started reading all the other fellow ADS travelers’ “bush reports.” Ha! Our safari was just as brilliant as they had all described! Out of all the memorable moments forever etched in my heart and mind, I think my biggest amazement was that, not unlike human beings, how lonely and vulnerable a wild animal can be once being “kicked out” of its own group, and how collaboration helps survival, with the exception of the solitary female cheetahs, of course.

Two special sightings I’d like to share here are both with cheetahs.

When Russell pulled the car close to a pair of young male cheetahs feasting on their early morning kill, the poor little wildebeest was more than half eaten. Nearby, 30~40 vultures were waiting, and they waited patiently. As each cheetah took turn feeding on the best part of the meat while his buddy on the lookout over the next hour, more vultures landed from above and inched in on the cheetahs as if they knew the cheetahs were almost done. Their patience finally paid off as one of the cheetahs began to walk away. The flock moved in swiftly before the remaining cheetah left. Annoyed, the cheetah turned to the scavengers to chase them away as his buddy joined in to fend off the birds as if telling them THEY were the boss. Wow…what an ugly sight! Within the next 20 minutes, vultures fought off each other to grab a good bite. They squealed, and they fought. I now have a fresh understanding of why calling someone a vulture is such an insult!

Then one day we came upon a slender female cheetah hiding in the tall grass of the open plain. She appeared to be hungry and weak. We watched her in the car over our box lunch rooting for her to get some lunch of her own with perhaps a weaker prey coming through her hideout spot. Without the usual ease and grace, the girl cheetah paced, lied down, stood up, patrolled, dug the ground then sat upright. Appearing alert and a bit nervous over the vultures overhead, the three of us in the car all wondered what was going on. As an hour passed by without much action, Russell suggested that we’d moved in a bit closer before moving on. As soon as we parked the car directly in front of the cheetah blocking her view, she actually became relaxed and fetched out something and began to eat. Much to our amazement, the cheetah actually had a small gazelle hidden in the bush. With this bigah-ha, Russell explained to us about the cheetah’s behavior that we’ve observed in the past hour. Instead of devouring on the fresh kill, for over an hour, the cheetah was trying to fake the vultures so they don’t attract the hyenas to loot her food away. And once we parked the car in front of her blocking her from the hyenas’ view, the cheetah felt safe enough to start dining on the baby gazelle in a hurry. WOW, we had just witnessed a harsh reality for the survivor of the fittest on the Serengeti Plain!

Aside from all the wonderful safari activities, Bobby and I had so much fun competing to see who could spot the most animals without Russell’s help. We even managed to learn all the Swahili names of all the animals encountered along the way. I won, of course. And Bobby was a good sport. But think Russell was actually the one who got entertained the most in our 9-day-long expedition!

All in all, the trip to Tanzania was simply mesmerizing. I am grateful for Bobby and thankful for ADS for making my African dream safari a reality. Wishing all who hear Africa’s calling would come to this magical land and experience its enchantment for themselves at least once in a lifetime. Surely, I will be back.

Aloha,
Judy Peng and Bobby Snyder

Los Angeles, CA and Highland Beach, FL
Safari date: January 17~27, 2013

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After 50 Years of Dreaming, I Had Some High Expectations!

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Posted on by Michael

Did you ever, in all your travels, have a trip from leaving the house to returning to the house without a single hitch? Well, we did, even including air transportation. Now who ever heard of perfect on time flights?

Sharon, your itinerary sold me on the deal and after dreaming about this for around 50 years, I had some pretty high expectations. Well, ADS met them all. Unfortunately for ADS, in terms of its evaluation form (which frankly was silly), it was impossible to exceed my expectations. How can anyone exceed an expectation of perfection? After all if we stay at a five star hotel it should be perfect, and it was. But why quibble about a form?

Everything went as smoothly as promised–from arrival at Arusha to final departure from Arusha. And in between: Wow. Our guide, Ally, was fantastic. He seems to have binocular vision: he spotted animals at five hundred yards while driving along on twisty, incredibly rutted roads. He really took good care of us. He was very knowledgeable, very solicitous and an easy conversationalist. And topping all that, he understood and laughed at my dry sense of humor. What a pleasure!

We saw all of the so-called “big five” and everything else to boot. We saw a bunch of lions feasting on a freshly killed cape buffalo (we might have missed the kill by less than an hour). Most interesting experience? We were twenty feet away from a new born gazelle, maybe five minutes old, struggling with its first few steps and learning how to suckle; unfortunately, something went wrong with those shots, we’ll see. All lodges were great and food was fine, even the picnic packs.

We’ll follow with selected photos. Have no doubt, everyone we talk to will know how great Sharon Lyons and ADS are. By the way, my granddaughter Alix did her own blog, meant more for her college friends but very interesting (http://alixinafrica.wordpress.com/). She had the same fantastic time that we did.

Bob Litke
Somerset, New Jersey
Safari Dates: January 8, 2013 to January 16, 2013

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