Author: Michael

The Migration Crossings were the Highlight – September 2012

TRAVEL TIPS + UPDATES

Share

Posted on by Michael

I just wanted to write and thank you for the amazing safari that you helped arrange for my wife Amy and myself. Tanzania and ADS delivered a truly memorable experience on all fronts. Our driver and guide, Arnold, was truly fantastic. His knowledge and enthusiasm for the wildlife, graciousness and hospitality were simply exceptional. We couldn’t have been happier with him as our guide to experiencing Tanzania. Lynn was also a wonderful facilitator in arranging the itinerary and in providing all the advice and help in preparing for the trip over the past year. Thanks Lynn! Both Arnold and Lynn are a credit to ADS. They definitely deliver a great experience to the clients.

September was a great time to visit the Serengeti, as it was not too crowded, and we got to witness the migration of the wildebeest herd up in the beautiful, green regions of the northern Serengeti. Due to the recent rains in Tanzania, the herd was crossing back into Tanzania early this year. Seeing the wildebeest migration crossing the Mara river was a spectacular sight. We were fortunate enough to witness it on 3 different occasions over 2 days. One of these was a massive crossing that lasted over 2 hours.

Our back of the envelope calculation was that at least 100,000 animals had crossed in that single crossing, and that was actually only about half of the animals that had assembled at the river’s edge. I thought it would be a once in a lifetime experience, but then we saw the whole thing again each of the next 2 days! Arnold knew just when to be around the river to wait for the crossing. He was also brilliant at positioning the vehicle so the light was best for photographs. Along with the wildebeest herd, the northern serengeti was packed with wildlife. Thousands upon thousands of zebra and antelope of all variety.

Witnessing the migration crossings were definitely the highlight of the trip, but there was so much more to see as well. We also visited the Loliondo Conservation Region, the Lobo Valley, the central Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Olduvai Gorge, and Tarangire National Park. All were special places with their own character.

The Loliondo region and Lobo Valley were beautiful wooded hilly regions with elephants, lion prides, and hundreds, if not thousands, of giraffes. The central Serengeti truly embodies the sense of “endless plain”. Seeing it in the dry season was fascinating, as there was a sparse beauty to it at this time of year. Fortunately there were still abundant antelope, lions, leopards, and cheetahs to view. Learning to spot them in the dry, yellow grasses was a great game to play.

It was also great to be in our private camp in the central Serengeti. We could hear lions mating throughout the night, and hyenas calling as they walked through the campsite. Pretty neat. The Ngorongoro crater was also not too crowded at this time of year, but still contained a great assortment of animals to view, including several pairs of rhinocerases (what’s the plural for rhinoceras? rhinoceri?). The crater itself is also a beautiful spot. Sunset on the crater rim was something special.

We also loved the time we spent at Tarangire National Park. This is a truly beautiful park with relatively few visitors, at least in September. We hardly ever saw more than 1 or 2 other vehicles on any of the game drives here. Watching all of the elephant families and herds coming to the Tarangire River to drink was beautiful. There are also large numbers of buffalos, zebras, giraffes, and antelopes, as well as several large prides of lions that follow them around waiting for their chance to hunt. My advice to anyone planning a safari trip would be to definitely include some time in Tarangire.

We’d also like to thank all of the people working in the various camps we stayed in during our trip (Lemala Mara, Buffalo Springs, the ADS private camp, Lemala Ngorongoro, and Swala Tarangire). The level of comfort, food, and service we encountered was fantastic. The people of Tanzania are incredibly warm, friendly, and hospitable. They all made the trip very special. Thanks again to Lynn, Arnold, and all the ADS people for making our trip such a memorable experience. Maybe one day we’ll be lucky enough to visit Tanzania again. If so, we’ll definitely use ADS again.

Regards,

Bruce and Amy Power
Berkeley, CA, USA
September 2012

1 Comment
Read Full Post

A Childhood Dream

SAFARI STORIES

Share

Posted on by Michael

Visiting Africa had been a dream since childhood, and it was only when I realized how easy planning a safari could be with ADS that I decided to go for it. The ADS staff guided our every step in the planning process and let us focus on just having a great trip. The safari itself exceeded our every expectation.

Our driver, David, was a true professional with an incredible depth of knowledge on African geography, culture, flora, and fauna. If we told David we wanted to spot a particular animal, he found it-against all odds. In fact, when we told him we’d like to see a snake, he located an African Rock Python sunning itself about 20 feet up in a tree (how did he do that?).

He knew just where to see reclusive leopards, and the perfect place for spotting a black rhino in the Ngorogoro Crater. In addition to David, all the other ADS staff were fantastic. Our private camp was an incredible experience-particularly the traditional African meal, which left us groaning (with pleasure) from overeating! Plus, we were thrilled to find a pride of 17 lions camped out a mere 100 meters from our tent. What an experience!

I’ve already told several friends about ADS and encouraged them to make their Africa dreams a reality sooner than later. ADS really deserves its fantastic reputation as an outfitter.

Jim, Barbara and Madeleine Hill
Saratoga Springs, New York
August 2012

2 Comments
Read Full Post

FAME Medical Admitting!

GIVING BACK

Share

Posted on by Michael

At 9:29 a.m. on August 30th, we were handed our approval letter from the Ministry of Health in Dar es Salaam. With all the required inspections of the new facility behind us and enough doctors and nurses to cover 24 hour care, we have been given official permission to upgrade from outpatient clinic to hospital. We can begin admitting patients at FAME Medical.

And to every single one of you who have helped us reach this moment in time….our deepest love and gratitude.

Susan, Frank & the FAME Team

Africa Dream Safaris is proud to be a major sponsor of FAME and Dr. Frank Artress since 2008 and was honored with the Tanzanian Humanitarian Award specifically because of our work with FAME. Our ongoing monthly donations help FAME fund their mobile medical clinic bringing medical care to children living in remote areas. Many medical conditions can be treated correctly with proper healthcare including respiratory infections, waterborne diseases and diabetes. We suspect many children with juvenile diabetes simply die in rural Tanzania due to limited access and resources.

You may be asking yourself “How can I help?” The good news is that it doesn’t take much to make a real positive impact. Please consider a $50 donation to help Dr. Frank and Susan meet operational expenses for their Mobile Medical Service, purchasing laboratory equipment to provide more comprehensive diagnostic services, and completing the next phase of the medical project which involves expanding the existing Outpatient Clinic into a small hospital. The facility will include 12 inpatient beds and a major and minor Operating Room.

Africa Dream Safaris will match dollar for dollar any $50 donation thus turning your contribution into $100, which has real significant purchasing power in Tanzania. Please click here to contribute to FAME and to learn more about the organization. Make sure to enter ‘Africa Dream Safaris’ in the designation field to ensure that your $50 donation is matched correctly.

1 Comment
, ,
Read Full Post

If you want to maximize game viewing, ADS is the way to go!

Bucket List

Share

Posted on by Michael

What an experience, it seems like words alone can’t do it justice! When planning our trip to Africa, we searched for many long hours and compared a number of different safari outfits. However something about Africa Dream Safaris (ADS) made it stand out from the rest. Perhaps it was the excellent reviews, the amazing testimonials, or the dedicated attention provided by our sales representative Sharon Lyon; something just kept us coming back. Now we know first-hand what that something is and why ADS receives such praise. By sharing our journey, we hope to give you a glimpse into that special something that made ADS the perfect choice for our African safari!

From the first moment you get off the plane at Kilimanjaro, ADS is there to assist you by expediting the Customs process. We were then escorted to Mt Meru Resort, an amazing five star resort with all the amenities of home plus many more. The resort was an excellent place to stay and get some sleep after such a long flight. Of course it was hard for us to sleep too well with all the excitement of knowing that the next morning would be the start of our safari. The next morning we started off with a delicious buffet-style breakfast. The food was very delicious and always fresh. A trend that carried throughout our trip at all of our lodges and even with the picnic baskets we took on the road.

Our safari journey began with a short drive to the Arusha airport where we caught our flight that would take us into the breathtaking wilderness of the Serengeti. The flight was about an hour, during which we got to see the vast landscape of Tanzania. As our flight made its descent towards the air strip, we got our first glimpse of African wildlife as we spotted elephants, impalas, and hippos. After landing, we were greeted by the sights of all the different safari outfits and the excited travelers who, like us, were beginning their safari experience. We were soon greeted by our very own ADS driver and guide, Miko.

We can’t sing enough praise for our guide Miko. He was an excellent guide and helped add so much to our experience while on the safari. He was very knowledgeable about the animals and the history of the area in general. His ability to spot animals from a long distance and by sound alone was uncanny. The rest of the day was spent driving into the northern part of the Serengeti and provided some very memorable moments.

The first of these moments was when we witnessed a herd of elephants cross the Mara River. The baby elephants were so cool to watch as they wrestled with each other. Later, on our drive, we came across a pride of lions on some rocks. Among the young lions was a majestic male lion, which was not afraid to smile and show his teeth to the camera. Our luck continued the rest of the day as we spotted all sorts of wildlife, from zebras to beautiful African birds. However, the best spotting came in the late afternoon, with our first sighting of a cheetah. What made this cheetah so memorable was that she had cubs with her, not just one or two, but five cubs. With so much excitement and awe in the first day, we couldn’t wait to see what the rest of the trip had in store for us.

We eventually had to start making our way to the first of our safari lodges, Buffalo Springs Lodge. While all the places we stayed during our safari exceeded our expectation, Buffalo Springs managed to shine the brightest. The staff really stood out to us here, as they were very friendly and went way above and beyond to ensure our stay was comfortable and enjoyable. The food was amazing and we were able to enjoy the company of our driver, Miko, who was happy to answer all of our questions and to tell us more about the country he loved so much.

One of the best perks of Buffalo Springs is their night game drive. The night game drive gave us a chance to experience wildlife that would not normally be present or perhaps active during the day. A memorable part of this game drive was the hyenas, about thirty total, we got to see in action around a carcass. While Buffalo Springs was our favorite lodge, the trend of friendly staffs, excellent food, and breathtaking views from our accommodations continued with all of our lodges. The other lodges we stayed at included, Seronera Sametu Camp, the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, and Kikoti Tented Lodge.

The following day we got to experience some of the local culture by visiting a Maasai village. We were taken on a walking tour of the village by one of their young scholars. He talked about their culture and their beliefs. We were amazed by all the vibrant colors of the clothing that the Maasai wore. Later after the tour, we got to watch the young men and women of the village perform a dance and we even got the opportunity to join in on the dance.

During our trip, we got the opportunity to see and discover so much wildlife. We could talk for hours and write hundreds of pages of our experience and still not do it justice. Starting this safari, we had big expectations of what we hoped to see. Within the first couple days into the safari, we had seen almost everything on our list, leaving the rest of the trip as a bonus.

Perhaps the biggest highlight of our trip came on the fourth day of our safari. Late in the evening we had approached a leopard sighting, when a commotion was herd. The safari vehicles raced over to check it out and to our amazement was a leopard that had just killed a Thomson’s gazelle and carried it up a tree. Miko helped get us a great view of the leopard with the kill while a couple hyenas were at the bottom of the tree looking out for some scraps.

Our luck with the three big cats (lions, leopards, and cheetahs) would continue on with us spotting all three big cats in the same day on two separate occasions. Going into the trip, we were concerned with how close we would get to the animals. While some animals required a good pair of binoculars to spot, we had plenty of chances to see animals right outside of our vehicle. We got close-ups of such animals as lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebra, wildebeest, baboons, and various gazelles, just to name a few.

While nothing beats the Serengeti, in our book, we had other great days at places like Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire National Park. The highlight of the Ngorongoro Crater, and one of the perks of ADS, was being the first vehicle into the park. This early start allowed us to maximize our time spent in the crater. The crater offered a chance for us to immerse ourselves amongst thousands of wildebeest and zebras as they migrated across the vast plains of the crater. During lunch at the crater, we got the opportunity to picnic while only a hundred yards away slept a pride of lions.

As for Lake Manyara, traveling through the park felt like we were making an excursion through a wild jungle. This park gave us the opportunity to see vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, and baboons up close and in action. The last part of our trip took us to Tarangire National Park. This park by far offered the best views of elephants all trip. We saw a huge number of elephants, numbering in the hundreds. We also got the opportunity to see lions around a cape buffalo carcass. At the end of the day, we were treated with the site of a mother cheetah with her cub. The cheetah made her way down to us and stopped no more than ten yards away from our vehicle giving us the perfect photo opportunity.

We want to thank everyone at ADS, especially Sharon Lyon for helping answer the hundreds of questions leading up to our trip. She was always quick with responses and very friendly. She helped answer any concerns we had and made the booking of the trip so much easier than expected. We felt very well prepared going into this trip thanks in large part to Sharon’s friendly advice and wealth of knowledge.

We’d also like to thank our guide and driver Miko, whose expertise and passion for the job made our safari experience so much more enjoyable. If we ever end up going back on a safari, we will definitely choose African Dream Safaris. We don’t see how any tour group can offer more than what ADS gave us. Long after the other safari outfits had returned to the lodges, we were still out in the park seeing stuff like a leopard with a kill in a tree. If you want to maximize your time spent game driving, ADS is the way to go. Thanks again for an unforgettable trip!

Sincerely,

Bradley Parks and David Rivenbark
Manchester, Tennessee
Safari Dates: August 26, 2012 to September 3, 2012

9 Comments
,
Read Full Post

Awesome Africa!

TRAVEL TIPS + UPDATES

Share

Posted on by Michael

Reading the AD newsletters makes you realize that Africa Dream sets their clients expectations high and then consistently surpasses them.  Our trip was no exception.  Our guide, Reggie, showed us so much on our first afternoon that we did not know how there could be much more in the ten days to come.  Nevertheless, he delivered time after time.

First, there was a buffalo stand-off with a lion in a tree.  Then, there was a hippo out of the water followed by a large herd of elephants which were not only close but also crossed the road immediately in back of our land cruiser.  Several times he spotted leopards and lions in trees, including a pride of eight.  Of course, there were zebra, wildebeest, topi, baboons, ostrich, gazelles, giraffe, and many other animals. This was in the first afternoon.

I thought to myself that seeing a lion on a kill would be nice but too much to ask.  Well, the very next day we saw hyenas finishing off a kill.  A few days after that we saw a handsome male lion on a kill with more than thirty predators waiting their turn.  When he walked away the frenzied free-for-all among the hyenas was fun to watch.  Very quickly that wildebeest carcass was gone and if we’d come into Ngorongoro Crater after breakfast as some tours do, we would have missed it.  Okay, now we’d seen a bonus, more than one could ask for, right?

Wrong.  The big thing left to see was a predator making a kill and that is exactly what happened hours later.  We watched a single lioness patiently stalk a wildebeest.  Reggie said she was waiting for the wildebeest to not be paying attention.  Sure enough, after more than fifteen minutes of our waiting, another wildebeest challenged him to a fight and in seconds the lioness was on him.  Her skill at overcoming an animal much larger than herself was fascinating.  Reggie got it all on our video camera.

Time and time again, Reggie demonstrated his understanding of animal behavior by positioning us in the ideal spot.  The male lion crossed the road directly in back of our land cruiser when he finished eating.  Several times we were able to watch elephants extremely close.

When my husband’s joking response to the first distant giraffes was “Reggie, I want to see their eyelashes”, Reggie delivered by finding giraffes feeding next to the road.  Two black rhinos crossed immediately in front of us because Reggie anticipated what they would do and signaled other cars not to move so we’d maintain a rhino-friendly gap.  We were able to drive right into the migration and sit there surrounded by wildebeest and zebras.  It was awesome.  A cheetah with three cubs was a bonus as were the sleeping lions on the kopjes.

Our accommodations were all outstanding but we especially enjoyed the tented places and Gibbs Farm.  Reggie’s response to my husband’s health problem on day two was superb and saved our trip.  My only regret was that my husband’s health problems prevented all but one early morning departure – something both Reggie and I would have preferred.

Thanks Africa Dream for making dreams come true.

Bobbie and Rich Kinsinger
Dousman, Wisconsin
June 2012

3 Comments
Read Full Post

ADS Guest Spots Rare Gerenuk Antelope On Safari

Bucket List

Share

Posted on by Michael

We have been procrastinating writing about our September 2012 adventure with ADS as it is impossible to put the most EXTRAODINARY trip ever into words. There are not powerful enough words to describe how all your senses are overwhelmed during a safari. However, we will try.

After much research we chose ADS which turned out to be the best choice for a truly wonderful adventure. Dawn Anderson was remarkable from start to finish in planning our adventure for the two couples in our party. It really makes a difference to have a company with offices here in the United States and offices in Tanzania. Dawn was only a phone call away during all the planning and preparation. She never made you feel like any question was out of the ordinary. She was even able to pull off a last minute request for a driver (Russell who was also excellent) to take us to visit a medical doctor and his family our church sponsors. While travelling to and from the small village we saw many animals in the wild including the very rare Gerenuk which even Russell had never seen!

After flying to the Northern Serengeti we were greeted by the fantastic guide: Raphael Mollel. There cannot be a more skilled, patient, intelligent, professional and gentle guide! He surprised you day after day with all the animals he could spot, his knowledge of wildlife and just plain fun to be around. His command of the English language is phenomenal. He was able to give us ring side seats at the Mara River crossing of wildebeest’s and zebra’s, close up views of the “big five”, “ugly five”, beautiful birds, varieties of unique trees, many natural instincts that all animals engage in, a monkey joining for a couple minutes in our vehicle, Mesa rituals and historical facts, his life experiences living in Tanzania and other laughs and experiences too funny and embarrassing to mention here!

Each member of the ADS team from our airport arrival, help in filling out legal paperwork, the instructions from the “Meet and Greet Teams”, along with those mentioned above are professional and a cut above the rest. Having a small group of four along with a personalized itinerary was perfect. During our two weeks on safari we meet other travelers with other safari companies and none compare in our minds to ADS. They are the “BEST”.

Bob and Cindy Sandberg
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Safari Dates: September 7, 2012 to September 16, 2012

1 Comment
,
Read Full Post

A Wonderful Family Vacation!

Family Vacations

Share

Posted on by Michael

Dear Sharon and the ADS team,

Jambo! Thank you for making our African safari such a memorable experience. From the smallest details (covering our luggage in the truck to keep the dust out) to the larger ones (whisking us through the chaos of Kilimanjaro Airport when we arrived in Africa), you guys dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s.

We had no choice but to relax and have a wonderful vacation! All the ADS personnel we dealt with were very professional and knowledgeable. The highlight of our experience was our driver, Reggie. He is superb and served as our guide, teacher and guardian.

We would recommend ADS to anyone thinking of doing a safari (in a heartbeat!). Thanks again for helping us make our dream a reality.

Thankfully yours,
The Alduino Family (Susan, Peter, Nicole and Matthew)
Yorktown Heights, New York
August 2012

1 Comment
Read Full Post

Thanks for Memories – Our Safari in September 2012

Bucket List

Share

Posted on by Michael

My husband and I took a luxury safari with ADS in Sept. 2012. Since I am not a travel writer I will keep it short and to the point. WOW!!! Says it all. Dawn Anderson put a trip of our lifetime together for us and Francis our guide in Tanzania put the finishing touches on our spectacular Serengeti/ Ngorongoro crater tour. We only hope that down the road we can book once more with ADS. In the meantime thanks for the memories.

Gerd and Susan Grave
New Port Richey, Florida
Safari Dates: September 9, 2012 to September 15 2012

1 Comment
,
Read Full Post

September Cheetah Report – Just in from the Serengeti

GIVING BACK

Share

Posted on by Michael

The latest news from the safari capital of Africa has just been released. Here is a link to the September 2012 Serengeti Cheetah Report prepared exclusively for Africa Dream Safaris by Helen, the on-site researcher for the Serengeti Cheetah Project. You won’t find this information anywhere else.

Africa Dream Safaris helps fund the Serengeti Cheetah Project’s ongoing conservation efforts. In turn, periodic reports are prepared exclusively for Africa Dream Safaris by the on-site researchers for the Serengeti Cheetah Project.

There’s lots of exciting cheetah news in this latest issue directly from the bush. There have been several new arrivals as well as quite a few cubs reaching independence and having to start making their own way in the world and a few funny cheetah stories!

Read about the new camera traps in the Serengeti and inquisitive cheetah cubs having a bit of fun with them. There is also a story of what happens when a mother with 4 almost fully grown (one-year old) cubs defends its kill against a single spotted hyena. Who will win…the family of cheetahs or the single spotted hyena? Lastly, read about ‘Tiramisu’ and ‘Pecan’ who at 14 years old are the two oldest cheetahs in the study area.

Click here for the current Serengeti Cheetah Report.

2 Comments
, ,
Read Full Post

We May Never Go To Another Zoo!

Bucket List

Share

Posted on by Michael

The trip to Tanzania was truly the trip of a life time, more than we anticipated or expected. To see animals up close and personal is a thrill, to the point we may never go to another zoo and for sure another circus. In addition, every person we met felt they absolutely had the best guide, which is a tribute to African Dream Safari. African Dream Safari answered all of our questions prior to the trip and we know from descriptions from another couple who lost their passport, took care of them. It was a great experience.

Dick and Diane Cromwell
Grand Haven, Michigan
Safari Dates: September 7th, 2012 to September 16th, 2012

No Comments
,
Read Full Post

Buffalo Luxury Camp: Recommended During the Dry Season

WHERE TO STAY

Share

Posted on by Michael

One of our favorite accommodations for any african safari, this newer camp (constructed roughly 2 years ago) offers a great base for safari activities in the wild reaches of the Northern Serengeti. Buffalo Luxury Camp is actually located just outside the official boundary of the Serengeti in a private game concession within the Loliondo Game Controlled Area.

No Comments
Read Full Post

We Saw Over 40 Species Of Animals!

Photo Safaris

Share

Posted on by Michael

Lynn, Asante Sana to you and the entire Africa Dream Safari (ADS) staff for putting together an adventure of a life time. From my first phone call with you last year in looking to going on safari to the final drop off at the airport in Arusha to come home it has been a pleasure dealing with the professionals at ADS.

The pre-trip info shared by you not only got us excited but helped us prepare for the adventure, what a great way to prepare us. Our guides Ellison and Ally were amazing not only with their ability to see animals but with their knowledge of the animals and behavior. We saw over 40 different animals and somewhere close to 80 different birds which really excited the birder in our group.

The camps we stayed in were incredible experiences with the Seronera Sametu camp and the way Jonas took care of us, being everyone’s favorite. Seeing little green eyes in our flashlight beams while we were being escorted to our tent was as exciting as watching the giraffes walk through the middle of our camp as they sampled the trees one morning. What an African experience and one we will never forget.

With some 3000 pictures to choose from wildebeest crossing the Mara river to lions guarding their kill to three cheetah cubs playing with their mom it’s hard to pick out two or three favorites since they all bring back amazing sightings. The dwarf mongoose were highly entertaining and the longer we sat watching the more of them came out of the termite mound to see the ‘tourists’. The pair of cheetah’s walking up to the vehicle and then seeming to pose for a brothers together picture was astounding. Finally the Cape buffalo who’s look seems to be saying ‘do you really want to interrupt my breakfast?’ are just a few of many amazing photos.

Africa Dream Safaris gave us all a chance to experience Africa, see the Serengeti, meet some amazing people and have an incredible experience. Asante Sana for coordinating and providing an experience of a lifetime. ADS has our vote for the best safari company and I will happily tell anyone going to Tanzania to call Africa Dream Safari. It is the only safari company to visit the Serengeti with.

George and Margaret Gluski
Tucson, Arizona
Safari Dates: September 8, 2012 to September 18, 2012

No Comments
,
Read Full Post

Did I Mention Our Fantastic Driver?

Bucket List

Share

Posted on by Michael

I have been meaning to write to you since we returned but it seems to have taken me a couple weeks to readjust! That was an amazing trip, although not the most leisurely vacation. In hindsight we probably shouldn’t have moved camps so often, but I don’t regret it because it gave us the chance to experience so many different areas.

First and foremost I have to say that our guide Claude is fantastic. He truly made the trip for us, he is so knowledgeable about the wildlife and the history of the country and was willing to share all of it with us. We learned so much, and enjoyed not only the larger animal sightings but looking at plants and insects too. He made us feel very comfortable so that we could enjoy every minute. We also thoroughly enjoyed having the whole truck to ourselves!

We had a little more rain than expected, and as a result we saw some of the wildebeest crossing the Mara River, apparently they started the return trip early. And because of their presence there were a lot of well fed predators around. We had many close encounter sightings. Claude has an unbelievable skill for spotting animals and birds, and even showed us tracks along the roads. He was always extremely sensitive to the animals as we approached and was able to get very close without startling them. And did I mention he’s a fantastic driver too! I just can’t say enough about him. If you would send along our best wishes to him, he told us he is getting married at the end of this month.

I want to thank you and all of the ADS staff for the wonderful experience. You really saw to every detail so we didn’t have to worry about anything. My husband is already talking about going back!

Patricia and Robert Sharp
Boston, Massachusetts
Trip Dates: September 6th 2012 to September 15th, 2012

No Comments
,
Read Full Post

Our 2nd Safari with ADS

Bucket List

Share

Posted on by Michael

This was our second african safari with ADS and we thought our first trip could never be topped…we were wrong. Our trip was during the dry season in August because our priority was to see the great migration river crossing. Our guide Reggie was simply awesome and his keen sense of animals was incredible. His anticipation of where animals might be and his awareness of events that may occur was amazing. We started each day at 6 AM and didn’t return to our lodge/tent camping until 6 PM daily. We kept count of all the lions we saw and ended with 99 different lions.

Our 9-day safari only had 2 nights in a lodge with the rest in various tented camping sites. Tented accommodations were incredible and luxurious. Dinners were amazing and we threw our diets out the window. Bonfires for Happy Hour every night, spectacular sunsets and sleeping with the sounds of lions, wildebeest and zebras in our ears was magical.

Seeing the wildebeest migration make THREE separate crossings during the first two days across the Mara Mara River was exhilarating. Crocodiles closed in to stop two of the crossings midstream, but not before we heard the thundering sound and saw the wild chaos of thousands of wildebeest stampeding. WOW !!!

We patiently watched a pride of 9 lions stalk a warthog before it ran away in haste. We followed the pride as it came upon a herd of wildebeest, waited as the females surrounded the herd and just when we thought a chase was in order…a jackal appeared from the middle of the wildebeest herd. It sensed danger and came forward within a few feet of the lead lion lying low in the grass. It barked loudly and was chased away by the lead lion, but by doing so, the wildebeest scampered off in haste.

Many cute moments included seeing lion cubs up close playing with their mother and poking their heads up through the tall grass. Baby elephants are adorable as they hug close to their mothers and imitate many of their mom’s mannerisms. And then watching them slide down a river embankment on their knees was a treat.

A real rare treat was seeing 3 different leopards with one very, very close on the ground. Seeing them in the trees while their “kill” stashed in the branches above was special. Beautiful cats with pretty faces.

A couple real-close encounters with animals were quite thrilling. We came across 2 elderly male lions in a remote area that nuzzled on our vehicle and used it as shade…that’s close. Another moment was a herd of elephants where one large female came so close that when she raised her trunk, I actually had to step back because I thought for sure she was going to touch me through the open roof.

I haven’t forgotten the other animals we saw…majestic giraffes as the flow across the plains, the elusive black rhino, playful Tommie gazelles, bashful hyenas, cheetah brothers just hanging out after a kill and many, many more.

We also brought various school supplies with us from the U.S. and Reggie brought us to a remote schoolhouse to donate them. The teachers were very appreciative and shared with us the daily school routine. The students were excited on seeing us and were not shy on getting their pictures taken.

The people of Tanzania were kind, friendly and very gracious hosts everywhere we went. We will miss them and the treasure of a vacation that Africa Dream Safaris provided us.

Steve, Jody, Matthew J.
Northville, Michigan
August 2012

2 Comments
Read Full Post