Author: Michael

Thank you Africa Dreams

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It’s hard to believe it’s been just over a month since we returned from our trip. And, it’s still hard to find the words to describe the amazing experience we had on our Safari. Tanzania definitely took hold of us. It is truly a beautiful place with a welcoming spirit. Thank you Africa Dreams — and a special thank you to our guide Arnold, for the trip of a lifetime!

We had read the testimonials on the website, but still didn’t entirely know what to expect. However, what we experienced was spectacular and completely surpassed any expectations we both had. On our first day, we took a breathtaking flight from Arusha to Seronera where we met Arnold for the first time. He gave us an overview of the areas we would be exploring and we set off on our adventure.

In that first afternoon we saw 3 of the Big 5; lions mating; a portion of the great migration; and two lioness’ on a successful hunt to feed their 6 cubs! We thought, what more could we see? But, we had 8 more days of amazing experiences thanks to Arnold. He was fantastic! We would go out “fishing” and when we discovered something interesting, he was as excited as we were to see what would happen.

His knowledge was incredible; we learned so much from him. He always had us in the right place at the right time. It was almost if he was orchestrating the scene for us. He seemed to know what the animals would do before they did. Everyday ended with us wishing we had more hours left with which to explore.
While there are too many memories to share, here are some of our favorites:

• Driving in the early morning or late afternoon. It was so peaceful – and inevitably we would run across some baboons for entertainment.

• Being in the center of the migration – surrounded by thousands of wildebeest and zebra as far as you could see.

• Watching two buffaloes fighting for territory.

• Spending hours observing the big cats — the confidence of the lions, the sleekness of the cheetahs, and the beauty of the leopards.

• Seeing the variety of the Serengeti. We were fortunate enough to have time to explore the 4 corners (Central, West, North and South) of the Serengeti, enjoying the uniqueness of each area.

• Experiencing Ngorongoro Crater. What an amazing place! It was like entering the Garden of Eden or a lost world.

• Learning and practicing our Kiswahili.

It was with immense sadness when we ended our safari and prepared to leave for Zanzibar. We weren’t ready to leave the adventure behind – or Arnold! We said our goodbyes and waited to board our flight to Zanzibar. The flight was delayed almost 3 hours. We had been waiting a while when we heard someone call our names. It was Arnold! He and Solomon were still waiting to make sure we got off ok. It was so nice to know Arnold was still looking out for us.

While we enjoyed our time relaxing in Zanzibar, it took us a while to adjust to life on our own again. If you do take the Zanzibar extension, we highly recommend Fumba Beach Lodge. Also, don’t miss out on a spice tour.

This was our first worry-free vacation ever! From the initial arrangements to our return home we were well taken care of by the Africa Dream’s team. Before we had even arrived, Africa Dreams had rearranged our itinerary to adjust for the best wildlife viewing. Plus all of the lodges were first rate. It was hard for us to select our favorite spot.

We loved the spectacular view from the deck of the Soroi; the relaxed atmosphere (not to mention the animals) at Mbuzi Mawe; and of course the breathtaking views from Ngorongoro Crater. There was nothing for us to do but relax and appreciate the beauty around us. Tanzania is one place in the world where you can clearly see that every being has a purpose.

Since we’ve been back, we have shared our many photos and stories with friends and family who are completely awestruck (and of course we are constantly recommending Africa Dreams). And even a month later, we are still talking about the trip, going through our many photos to relive our experiences, and practicing our Kiswahili.

In the words of Arnold, we are very “lucky people”. Hopefully we’ll return again someday. Thank you to the entire Africa Dreams team for allowing us to experience the magic that is Tanzania.

Asante Sana Rafikis,

Sharon & Tim Haller
Trip Dates: May 25 – June 8, 2012

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A Rare Pangolin Spotted!

Family Vacations

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We have just returned from a family adventure of a lifetime- my husband Joe, our 22 year old son Jared and myself (Michelle). Our adventure began on a Wednesday evening when we arrived in JRO Airport. As we walked into the airport any concerns and trepidation I’d had dissolved instantly. Just as Dawn Anderson had assured me, there was someone waiting for us with our name on a sign. He took our passports and quickly got us through the entire check in procedure. We were brought over to our ADS representatives- Mathias and David and we left the airport as other travelers waited on long lines to get through. We arrived at our destination-the hotel where we would have dinner, shower and have a good night’s sleep before leaving for the airstrip in the morning.

Early the next morning after breakfast we met David in the lobby to be driven to the airstrip for our flight into the Serengeti. It was a weekday morning and as we drove through the streets of Arusha I was in awe of the hustle and bustle- the same as in any town and city. Children in uniforms with backpacks walking to school, men and women standing outside shops buying coffee and talking, shop keepers sweeping in front, women cooking in huge cooking pots over fires, people whizzing by on motor bikes. The only differences were the buildings themselves- they were constructed out of pieces of wood and scrap metal, and there were cows and goats walking down the street right alongside the people. I couldn’t believe we were actually in Africa!

We arrived at the airstrip; it was quite cold so I stepped into the quaintest little coffee shop. The man who was working there was so proud of his shop, so of course I bought a cup of hot tea which he wrapped for me so that I wouldn’t burn my hands. I took it onto the plane- a breathtakingly beautiful hour and 15 minute flight into the Serengeti. Because we were not at a high altitude we were able to see the scenery below us- trees, rivers, hills, the plains, lots of green grass. When we landed we were greeted by Claude who was to be our guide for the 8 day trip.

Within the first hour, and not even far from the airstrip (and the bathroom!) we saw impalas, female lions, hippos, crocodiles, Grants gazelles, zebras, and Wildebeast. After a boxed lunch we started heading towards our lodge which was a few hours away. Distance meant nothing as everywhere we looked we saw amazing animals and scenery.

This was when we first saw giraffes- magnificent and graceful. And just as suddenly as that we saw part of the Great Migration- wildebeast from every direction! Thousands of them! Claude waited until he could continue driving and after a short while we came upon another safari vehicle stopped on the side of the road. The people and their guide were looking at something so Claude asked if we wanted to stop and look. Of course we did! We got out and there was a pangolin – a sighting so rare that Claude had never seen one before.

We arrived at our lodge around 5:00 pm. After showering we were brought to the lodge for dinner by a Maasai. We had a wonderful meal and then were surprised when all of the waiters came into the dining room singing to us in Swahili with a cake with candles. Obviously this was something Dawn had planned to celebrate our anniversary. Jared loved this and felt it was payback for all the times we did this to him on his birthday at TGIF. But this was so much better, and I really fell in love with the Tanzanian people that night. They just derived so much pleasure in making us happy! After dinner we were accompanied back to our rooms for the night by a Maasai- this first evening really sparked my interest in learning more about the Maasai people and their way of life.

The rest of the trip was truly fabulous and if I keep on writing it would be a journal of our 8 days in Tanzania. I think everyone should be surprised as we were so that they can have their own exciting adventures. From the magnificent animals we saw on all day safaris (our choice) to visiting a wonderful Maasai village to buying school supplies in a local shop and bringing them to a school for orphaned children (a highlight for me as a retired teacher) the entire trip was just fantastic from beginning to end (when we saw Mt. Kilimanjaro on the way to the airport). Claude’s enthusiasm and knowledge of the animals, the land, the culture, and the people just made an amazing trip all the more spectacular.

We were sorry to leave, and can’t wait to return!

Michelle, Joe and Jared Bodnar
Lakewood Ranch, Florida
June 2012

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Our Retirement African Safari

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Sharon – The safari vacation through Africa Dream Safaris exceeded our expectations. The accommodations and food were over the top. We were surprised to receive welcome gifts at the beginning of the safari, a retirement cake and song for my husband after our second dinner (this vacation was a retirement gift from his former employer) and at the end of our stay we were honored with another song and cake after dinner that welcomed us to come back.

Everyone we met was genuinely friendly. We couldn’t have had a nicer and more informative guide. He was able to locate so many animals for us. In fact, we were able to see and photograph the “Big Five!” When we passed other vehicles crammed with people, we felt very fortunate to be on a private safari. We have travelled to many destinations, but this one was absolutely the best!

Donna and Michael Harper
Glen Carbon, Illinois
June 2012

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A Magical Symphony for the Senses

Romantic Getaways

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Lisa and I have been back for four days now and we still cannot stop talking about how incredible our safari to Tanzania was. When combined with ADS’ attention to detail, the people, parks, conservation areas, animals, and accommodations of Tanzania really became a magical symphony for the senses. I could easily copy and paste from almost any other travelogue or testimonial because based on our experience, everything said by others is undoubtedly true and bears repeating. Here are some key highlights from our trip …

Day 1 – We landed in Tanzania where a visa expert had us processed in minutes while hundreds of others floundered around the passport control line. The local ADS crew was standing by with our bags and gave us a warm welcome, informative ride to the swank Mt. Meru Hotel in Arusha, a safari briefing and a lovely welcome gift in the form of a Masai beaded -bracelet which Lisa wore every day of the trip. It became immediately obvious to us that it would be unnecessary to think or worry about a single detail during our trip as everything was taken care of for us, including check-in.

Day 2 – After a relaxing evening, we spent an extra day in Arusha to recover from jet lag. The ADS team took us on a leisurely afternoon tour of the city which was very informative and interesting. We returned to the hotel for some poolside lounging. That evening, a private dining area was set up for us outside under a pergola and a special meal was prepared so we could celebrate Lisa’s birthday and our anniversary – the reasons for our trip. This was one of the many unexpected and thoughtful touches provided by the ADS team throughout our Tanzanian adventure.

Day 3 – We took an early flight into the bush as it was finally safari time!! We had one stop for a passenger pick-up at Lobo airstrip where we were joined by two crying women who were ending their trip. Lisa and I thought they were nuts until about day 5 when we both realized we too might have the same reaction on our way home. On final approach to Grumeti airport, we were glued to the window of the aircraft as a huge zoo emerged below us. After landing, we were greeted immediately by the highlight of our trip – our guide.

This man proved to be one of the warmest, funniest, and most knowledgeable people we have ever met. Within 15 minutes of being out in the bush, he spotted a lion that we watched from 5 feet away! We literally had chills because THIS is why we came to Africa – to experience up-close all the wildlife and natural beauty. In the first half of the day, we snapped over 200 photos of lions, zebra, giraffe, topi, eland, buffalo, elephant and ostrich.

We regained our composure at lunch on some rocks overlooking a vast plain where were were provided an introduction to the Serengeti and a detailed description of what we could expect on our safari. We continued our game drive all the way back to the Soroi lodge, where just before sundown we stumbled upon a billion (okay, maybe just a few thousand) wildebeest in migration running across the road in front of us. Awesome!! The Soroi was a magnificent property and our room was pure colonial luxury. We had an amazing dinner including a surprise birthday cake for Lisa and were then off to bed for an early game drive.

Day 4 – We awoke for a 6:30 breakfast and then were off to the bush. Our second day provided extremely diverse wildlife viewing again including hippos, monkeys, baboons, crocodiles, turtles, impala, gazelle, lizards and oh yes, the wildebeest. We marveled at how the landscape is ever-changing and always awe inspiring, from the lush tree-packed areas around the rivers, to the vast plains, to the sporadic rocky outcroppings that emerge – the countryside is simply breath taking. We went back to the lodge by 4 p.m. so we could enjoy our spectacular balcony view, outdoor shower, beautiful sunset, and another great dinner.

Day 5 – After a 6:00 am wake-up call and breakfast, we game drove our way to the central Serengeti. Not long into our day, we had a close encounter with a huge elephant. Noticing an unusually large amount of droppings on the road, our guide had a hunch that more elephants were looming, so we drove a few more minutes and – sure enough – stumbled upon a herd of 40+ elephants! We spent an hour just watching them – it was an absolute joy to watch these creatures unencumbered by artificial boundaries.

We continued through areas of dense game which included zebra, wildebeest, buffalo and giraffe, then stopped for lunch at the Serengeti Visitor Center and took an informative walking tour. In the afternoon, we found ourselves driving among the kopjes gawking at lions of every size and shape. The day ended with our guide spotting a cheetah from at least a ½ mile away (we still have no idea how he spots these creatures). After taking a few dozen photos we looked 5 yards to the right and found a cheetah cub sitting in a rut below the grass line. That was good for about another 50 photos!

We arrived at our private camp just before sunset and were greeted by a friendly staff, warm towel and cold drink. The decision to camp was not one we made lightly as this usually isn’t our speed. Suffice to say, we would do it again in a heartbeat as it was one of the highlights of the trip and provided the most amazing views of the sunset and night sky. Dinner was followed by a camp-fire chat and a visit from a “friendly” hyena that was eventually chased away. We drifted into sleep accompanied by the sounds of the “friendly” hyena and tons of other game in the area.

Day 6 – We had a 5:30 breakfast in the Serengeti and headed out on another “fishing” adventure. In the morning we spotted a hyena trailing a few lions, a pair of cheetah unsuccessfully stalking prey, and two lions mating – now that was quite a show! Shortly after we spotted another lion stalking a group of zebra drinking by the river. Our guide instinctively knew this would result in a kill, so he drove us a little distance away so we could have prime viewing of the entire event unfolding. That was by far the most exhilarating show of the trip!

We went back to the camp for a delicious lunch and siesta, and then headed back out in the afternoon to watch a pride of lions frolicking and a leopard return to the impala it had stashed in a tree – mission accomplished. We had another great dinner at the camp with warm birthday wishes and another cake for Lisa! We were briefly awakened at 2 a.m. when a zebra stampede moved through the camp, but quickly fell back asleep to the softer sounds of night in Serengeti.

Day 7 – We woke up very refreshed and compared notes about the stampede and accompanying cacophony. We thanked the crew for a great stay and headed back out to game dive our way to the Bilila Lodge. We checked on our leopard friend again before we left the neighborhood and spent some time with the pride of lions from the day before. We drove us past some ancient Masai cave paintings and we had a great lunch on a large outcropping where there was a musical rock – the “gong rock” – that was totally fun to play.

Our guide wisely thought we would enjoy spending a little more time at the lodge after camping in the Serengeti, so we arrived at Bilila around 2:30 – he was right. Bilila is a beautiful full-service property with amazing views, great food and delicious drinks.

Day 8 –We decided to sleep in since we were only staying one night, and began our leisurely drive towards Ngorongoro Crater at 8:30 am. We saw the usual diverse array of wildlife including a huge python that we spotted off the road. It is really true what everyone says – there is always something new and unexpected to see in the Serengeti. We stopped for lunch at the Serengeti Park exit and continued down to Oldupai Gorge. We visited the museum and listened to a presentation. It was amazing to witness this cradle of humanity first-hand.

After the requisite photo ops, we continued towards the Crater. On the way we delighted in the change of landscape and in the sightings of Masai villages as we climbed to the top of the Crater. Crater Lodge was beyond amazing and to describe it is to short change it. The staff was super professional and we had our own butler. Our room was magnificent and bigger than most apartments in Chicago, complete with a wood burning stove to combat the chill from the altitude. Champagne greeted us upon arrival and dinner was served to us in our room with rose petals scattered all around. This was a very nice end to a long day’s drive from the central Serengeti.

Day 9 – We were up at 5:30 am, grabbed some coffee and claimed bragging rights as we were first to enter the Crater that day. The view from above the Crater is matched only by the spectacular diversity of wildlife that unfolds from within. The terrain changes are just as diverse. We had an amazing breakfast overlooking a hippo pool and were treated to the last of the big 5 – an awesome close encounter with a black rhino that crossed directly in front of our vehicle. Of course, our guide had spotted two rhino earlier (with his unaided eyes) which were literally black specs at over a thousand yards, but proved to have the characteristic horns when viewed through binoculars.

We watched some lions frolicking around and caught sight of another rhino as we were headed to our lunch picnic spot – awesome! On our final rest stop within the Crater, a very precocious monkey jumped into our vehicle and stole an apple because we inadvertently left the cooler opened – oops! We headed back to lodge for some afternoon tea and were pleasantly surprised that a hot bubble bath had been drawn – adorned with rose petals! We had another delicious dinner – this time in the opulent dining room next to the fireplace – followed by another tasty cake and cheerful birthday song! We were off to bed for an early drive to Lake Manyara where we would fly out to Faru Faru for a few days to end the safari.

Days 10-12 – After some coffee and saying goodbye to our excellent butler and the staff, we took a slow drive down the fog enshrouded mountain road – and, of course, came across a leopard! We arrived at Manyara airport and exchanged goodbyes and well wishes with our guide. Though we were sad to be parting with our new friend, we felt confident we would see him again as we already were talking about our next trip to Tanzania.

Our plane arrived on-time and we were shuttled off to Sasakwa airstrip for the private Grumeti Reserve. We were met there by a friendly member of the Faru Faru staff who shuttled us to a resort that needs to be experienced to be appreciated. I’ll simply say that Sharon from ADS was right – this was the perfect way to end a safari, completely immersed in unpretentious luxury with a staff that was exceptional. We spent three incredible days here, experienced amazing cuisine, met interesting people, went on exciting game drives – a cheetah hunt and kill comes to mind – and enjoyed incredible sunsets. We were totally rested and relaxed when it came time to head home.

Day 13 – It was now our turn to get teary eyed as we were about to head home. We had a beautiful flight back to Arusha and could appreciate the Serengeti even more now that we knew what was contained in the landscape beneath us. Once again the ADS staff was there on arrival, shuttled us to the Cultural Heritage Center for some souvenir shopping, got us situated at Mt. Meru Hotel for lunch and made sure we got back to Kilimanjaro in a timely manner for the trip home. We spent the next 30 hours reflecting on our incredible trip and how there was literally nothing we would have done differently.

People who know us have heard us say that the birth of our daughter is the first thing in life that has truly exceeded our expectations. The safari that ADS arranged for Lisa and me is the second. We both agree that this was by far the best trip we have ever taken. We cannot wait to do this again with our daughter. Thanks again Sharon and the rest of the ADS Team!

Michael and Lisa Boffa
Chicago, Illinois
June 2012

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We could not believe the number of animals

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Lynn, We just wanted you to know that our trip couldn’t have been better. The accommodations were great, our guide was exceptional, and the people with Africa Dreams went beyond our expectations. We ran headlong into the Northern migration and could not believe the number of animals we saw. We were fortunate to see every animal of importance including 9 of the 22 Rhinos in the Crater in addition to many lions, leopards and even a cheetah with 2 cubs.

Also we were thankful we had booked with you as opposed to some others we had considered. At the last camp there was a group of 16 with Tack travel with 3 vehicles. They spent much less time out viewing game than we did. It was just so much better being able to come and go whenever you wanted. Thanks again and we will highly recommend you to everyone we know that is considering such a trip.

Dave and Margie Warner
Plymouth, Minnesota
June 2012

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Serengeti Ranked #1 Natural Wonder

TRAVEL TIPS + UPDATES

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Make sure to pick up the latest copy of Wild Travel Magazine. The recent edition features the top 100 natural wonders that everyone should see in their lifetime. I was thrilled that the Serengeti received two of the top five spots. Below are the top five attractions on the African continent:

#1: Witnessing the Great Migration in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

#2: Tracking with Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

#3: Seeing the black/white rhinoceros in Hluhluwe Reserve, South Africa

#4: Encountering leopards in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

#5: Watching lions in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

I was also delighted to see Africa Dream Safaris listed as the Top Tour Operator in the Serengeti National Park! Our company goal has always been first and foremost to deliver the ultimate wildlife viewing experience in the Serengeti so this recognition is very much appreciated. I know our safari guides firmly believe their Serengeti expertise is unsurpassed!

The rankings for the magazine were compiled by African specialist Philip Briggs who has been exploring and writing guide books on Africa for over 20 years. If you are planning a safari to Tanzania (especially to the northern safari circuit including the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Parks), Phillip’s Northern Tanzania Bradt Guide is a must buy. Africa Dream Safaris was delighted to host Philip Briggs and his wife Ariadne Van Zandbergen on safari. Check out their safari testimonial here.

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The Best of 2011

TRAVEL TIPS + UPDATES

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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 2011 and highlight some of the most remarkable photographs.

Note: Please click on each link to access the entire original posting.

Best Zebra – Peter and Jody Arebalo

Best Rhino – Mark and Shawn Pitts Safari

Most Exciting Post – Close Encounters of the Animal Kind

Best Black and White Photo – Laura Krabill and Family

Best Lion – Cindy Chan

Best Leopard – Martha Laing & Douglas Barnes

Most Useful Posting – What’s in My Day Pack? – Dawn Anderson

Best Cheetah – Karina and David Reuter

Most Inspirational Posting – An Inspirational Story of Hope – Dr. Frank Artress

Most Educational Posting -Stripe Facts – Lynn Newby-Fraser

Best River Crossing – Greg and Elise Gubitz

Best Live Bush Report – Sharon Lyon

Best Zanzibar Photo – Barry Rutgers and Kim Gabriele

Best Buffalo – Denny and Mary Ann Dowling

Best Hippo – George Filliter

Best Action Shot – Ronald and Georgette Reckers

Best Migration – Patti and Joel Velasco

Best Elephant – Debby and Dale Hewitt

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Camping with Lions!

AFRICAN WILDLIFE

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A special thanks go’s out to guest Gary Baumgartner who just returned back from safari and sent in this amazing picture showing a lion strolling right through their Private Luxury Camp. We have received many exciting reports from guests staying in the Central Serengeti campsites and also those at Seronera Sametu Camp this May due to the presence of the wildebeest migration, which has attracted large concentrations of predators (lions, cheetahs, leopards and hyenas).

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New Serengeti Lion Report

GIVING BACK

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We are delighted to announce the continuation of the lion reports from the world famous Serengeti Lion Project. After a roughly 2-year long hiatus we were just thrilled to get our hands on a current report and read about all our favorite lions. Click here to see the report.

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? Visit the Lion Report section of our website to access all the lion reports including the current one.

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A Life Changing Event

Family Vacations

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Posted on by Michael

My family and I have been back three weeks and finally all got together, reliving our experiences of “the Trip”. The seven of us are still trying to process our feelings. The Trip was incredible and there is something surreal about being back home, after 10 breathtaking days in the Serengeti and Tanzania.

Lodging: Our Trip was from May 15 to May 24. Two days were spent doing the classic camping. Though I have camped outdoors in past years, it was nothing like the ADS experience. We were completely in touch with the Serengeti. The classic camping staff worked for four days before we arrived to set up our accommodations. Everything was provided, including wet, warm wash cloths and fresh juice when we came in from Safari. A fire ring was set up, blazing with chairs setting around it, with services of any drink we wanted (a cold beer hit the spot after a full day on Safari—try the Tusker beer).

One evening one of the staff members shared with us his experiences in the Serengeti—a story, and the method of telling the story, is forever etched in our minds. Dinner was served at 7:30 PM with a beautiful place settings and wonderful food. One night was Tanzanian food, which we all enjoyed. Breakfasts were feasts.

Sleeping in the Serengeti is something I will never forget. The sounds are spine tingling. During our first night in the classic camp, a herd of 20 elephants came through the camp, mere feet (like 3) from our tents. The second night, a hyena drank from the washbasin in front of my tent—less than 10 feet from me (I was inside my tent). We ended our time at the classic camp by giving the staff Frisbees. We departed from the staff with hugs all around, after the great care they provided to us.

Other lodging was also special. Serengeti Soroi is one of the most unique, breathtaking places I have been. It was just our family and one other couple at the lodge. The staff all knew our names. They celebrated my wife’s birthday with a cake, a Maasai necklace, a decorated basket, and best of all, two Swahili songs with dances.

Wildlife: We flew from Arusha to the West Serengeti. From the air we could see Maasai villages and our first sighting of animals—the great Wildebeest migration.

Have you ever seen Jurassic Park? Do you remember the scene where they first arrive and see the animals for the first time? We had our own Jurassic Park moment. As we were coming down for a landing in the West Serengeti to begin our safari, a vehicle drove the runway to get the animals off it. As we banked over the runway, below us were towering giraffes, herds of elephants, hundreds of cape buffalo and many other species.

After meeting our guide, Ellson, we loaded up. Within fifteen minutes, we were setting below four treed lioness.

That first day of Safari, we saw four of the “Big Five”—missing out only on the rhino. But just a few days later, we found a great rhino in the Serengeti.

We were able to take incredible close-up photos of all animals. Ellson was great at working hard to get us to the animals, but not endangering us or unduly disturbing the animals. We actually drove into the migration herd of wildebeest and zebras on three different occasions—setting in our vehicle and “becoming” part of the migration.

Our wildlife experiences were many, including a life and death drama with a herd of cape buffalo with a new born calf, a pack of hyenas and three lions—an event that went on for over 1.5 hours—with the buffalo on one side of our vehicle, the lions on the other side, and the hyenas all around us!!

We experienced a cheetah so close we could smell him as he passed by us.

We had front row seats observing the mating rituals several species, including the lion, buffalo, hyenas and baboons. The elephants showed us how dominate and powerful they can be.

The lions were incredible and the word Kopjes (where we would search for the lions and other wildlife) will forever be in our vocabulary. It is hard to imagine the size and strength of the cape buffalo, until you see them up close.

ADS experience: none of us have ever been treated like we were with ADS. From disembarking from the plane at Kilimanjaro Airport, an ADS person was with us the whole way. Everything was taken care of; we were always informed of what was going on and what to do if there was a problem. Everything was included in the trip, so there was no “up-selling”, and thus no pressures. Frankly, we were treated like royalty at every turn, with warmth, friendship and accommodation. ADS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BETTER!

Our guide, Ellson, was the best we could have hoped for. Only once did he brag, and that was about ADS. He told me that we can do anything, go anywhere, with ADS; that ADS allows him to do anything and everything for his guests. We certainly didn’t see that occurring with other tour groups we saw, where they had to stay on ridged schedules and hit only the main spots.

Ellson did a great job of keeping us away from other tour groups. Many times we were the only people in the area. We could look for miles and miles, and see no other human, but only great herds of animals and the breathtaking savannah. He really helped us to truly experience the Serengeti as it has been for thousands of years.

Along the way, Ellson shared his broad knowledge of the animals, the Serengeti, the culture of the tribal peoples, and his country, Tanzania, that he so dearly loves. We had wonderful discussions with him, both driving, at our various stops and sometimes in the evening. Yet he was very respectful of our “family time”.

Each morning we met Ellson he would have the vehicles completely cleaned of not only the dirt and mud, but the trash we would accumulate during the day. Our binoculars were cleaned, in their cases and sitting on each of our seats. Our lunches were packed and he had a cooler of fresh water, soft drinks and candy bars (as well as a secret stash of cookies). His smile was infusing, and he inquired of each of us how we felt, and if there was anything he could do to help us.

At the end of the trip, there were tears as we said goodbye to Ellson. He is a wonderful man, who loves his job and is a great believer in the ADS way of first class service.

ADS, Ellson, the Serengeti and the people of Tanzania carved a new place in the hearts of my family. Dawn, thanks so much for guiding us.

The Clinkscales family.
Hays, Kansas
May 2012

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Smiles All Around

AFRICAN WILDLIFE

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Posted on by Michael

Owning a 16-year -old tour company, we travel all over the world and work with hundreds of different ground operators. Once and awhile there is a ground operator that stands out and delivers something extra special, that is Africa Dream Safari.

There are glowing reviews on this blog about all aspects of travel with ADS and the experience. Having just returned from Africa with 24 people this last May, I can tell you that there is very little if any exaggeration of the wonderful experience ADS offers their guests. All of our 24 travelers walked away from the trip with fabulous memories of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

When you work with many tour operators around the world, you get a sense very quickly what their standards are and the level of experience you can expect when the rubber hits the road (or in this case, the dirt road). I was very confident from very close to day one with ADS, because the communications and response to our needs and concerns were met quickly and professionally by Lynn (Newby-Fraser), our safari consultant who was with us the whole way. Lynn always had the answers helped us fine tune the whole group experience with ADS.

When we planned this group departure, we wanted to offer people the experience of an individual Safari and not a traditional group experience. With 5 separate, 8-seat Land Cruisers we were able to put 5 or less people per vehicle and this allowed for a very personal experience. We often did not see the other vehicles and did not need to travel right on top of each other, making for a feeling of an individual Safari. During the six nights in the Serengeti National Park, staying multiple nights at 3 different lodges I did not see a single vehicle as nice as what we traveled in during the trip. We were proud to step in and out of them at every lunch gathering spot or picnic area across the Serengeti.

During our full day with the Great Migration on the plains of the Southern Serengeti, we did not see or pass one other company’s vehicle that PAID the extra admission to be right out on the plain with the Migration. ADS mentioned off the beaten path and this was just one example that emphasizes that point. We only needed to share the thousands of wildebeest and zebra with the lions and cheetahs we came across.

We had a very unique opportunity, and that was the chance to experience FIVE different guides over the course of the trip. All five guides were excellent and each brought a different perspective and life experience. What stood out above it all was how highly they spoke of Africa Dream Safari and how proud they were to be working with the company. Most had one time or another worked for other companies, but they were very pleased to be where they wanted to be, working with a company they respected. On our trip we had the pleasure to get to know Reggie, Pokea, Thompson, Englebert and Petro. I will always remember their warm smiles and genuine spirit. We coordinated each day always with the emphasis of bringing out the best experience.

So let me end this by saying, search no further, you can trust Africa Dream Safari to reveal Tanzania to you in the best possible way, to care for you and make you feel comfortable in the adventure. Whether it is a single family or 12 couples like our trip, you will always feel special. Michael Wishner and his team of Safari consultants are top notch and you can relax knowing you are dealing with a quality company that has a good reputation and connections on the ground in Tanzania!

Mark & Vicki Stewart
Owners / Coordinators
www.StewartTours.com
May 2012

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Beautiful Tanzania

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Posted on by Michael

Our trip to Tanzania was magical. Looking back over the literature sent to us by Africa Dream Safaris (very little of which I read in advance of the trip) I stumbled upon this quote by, Lisa, a visitor from Vancouver, Canada. She said, “The beauty of the unspoiled wilderness and the kindness of the Tanzanian people beckon me to return again and again.” Well, at my age (71) I’m not likely to return to Tanzania, but that beautiful land teeming with wildlife left an indelible mark on my mind and heart.

What did I love most about our African Dream Safari? Wow! It’s impossible to choose one thing. The wildlife was spectacular, of course. Seeing those magnificent animals in their natural habitat was extremely exciting. Francis, our Africa Dream Safari guide was so good at finding the “ah’ nee mals” as he called them. And then, there were the gorgeous birds, both large and small, the fields of blue, yellow and white wildflowers, the dramatic Acacia trees, and of course the friendly Tanzanian people. I loved it all.

It was good to have two nights and one day to unwind and relax before beginning our Safari on Saturday, May 12th, the day after my 71st birthday. The six of us boarded a small plane that left Arusha Airstrip around 8:30 am and arrived in Western Serengeti an hour later. There we met our guide Francis, who as Africa Dream Safari predicted, would soon become our friend.

Before our trip, I knew almost nothing about the Serengeti, except that it was in Africa. I now know that this ecosystem is a geographical region in Africa located in north Tanzania, extending to south-western Kenya, and spanning approximately 12,000 miles. I have since learned that Serengeti means “endless plains” in the Maasai language.

I learned too, that the Serengeti hosts the largest and longest overland migration in the world and is home to approximately 70 large mammal and 500 bird species. The high diversity of species is a consequence of diverse habitats which include riverine forests, grasslands, woodlands, kopjes (small rocky hills) and swamps. Nearly half of the Serengeti is now part of The Serengeti National Park.

Unbelievably, the third animal we saw on our first day (Saturday) was a lion sleeping on the side of the dirt road on which we were driving. The sleeping lion was just a few yards beyond a dead African buffalo which was also lying on the side of the dirt road. Francis explained to us that the lion had almost certainly killed the buffalo the previous night, which is when they hunt, and had taken a nap after feasting on his kill. We waited until the lion awoke, then we watched as he sauntered down the road past his kill and back into the grasslands. Needless to say we were all in awe of this spectacle.

We soon came upon what would be a scene that would be repeated again and again . . . a family of baboons. This group was perched on a dead tree beside a beautiful stream surrounded by grassland. Soon we encountered our first sighting of elephants, including very young ones. It’s sometimes difficult to get a picture of the babies since the parents are quite protective and somehow seem to communicate to their young to say behind or beside them and out of sight of other creatures.

We saw our first live African buffalo as well and many zebras and impalas which we never tired of seeing. The zebras were often in pairs or even three or four together resting their necks on each other’s backs. Francis explained that by doing this they can spot predators more easily. The impalas are spectacular, particularly the males with their gracefully curved antlers and beautiful markings on their hind quarters. Impalas and zebras are often seen grazing together with a backdrop of the beautiful acacia trees.

Towards the end of the day we happened upon a group of probably a dozen giraffes at a water hole. Twiga, as the giraffe is known in Swahili, is the national emblem of Tanzania, and probably the most interesting of all the wildlife. Finally, before we reached our lodging we saw zebras and more impalas. We all agreed that this first day’s “sightings” would be a hard act to follow.

We arrived at the lovely Serengeti Soroi Lodge around 5:30 pm and enjoyed fruit punch while we were briefed by the lodge keepers. The waiters at this lodge were among the friendliest, though everyone everywhere was incredibly hospitable. We all loved the outdoor shower which was situated in such a way that no one could see you as you showered and looked out onto the mountain above and valley below.

On our second day I became enamored with Tanzania’s birds. I had taken pictures of two birds on our first day, but on this day I saw may more birds, and with the help of Francis’ Audubon Field Guide, I was able to identify them.

I was also taken with the beautiful acacia trees, which to me were almost as fascinating as the wildlife. Our well informed guide explained to us that the outer branches of the thorny Acacia’s protect the leaves from being eaten by wildlife, especially giraffes and the Whistling Acacia tree produces thorns that surround a hollow pod that is home to stinging ants. The tree’s sweet nectar attracts the ants and the ants protect the tree from being grazed upon. I must have taken 50 photos of trees.

We enjoyed a drink on the porch at the lodge and a very nice dinner, then on to bed to grab some sleep before our 6 am departure the next morning. The next day we saw many zebras, baboons, our first crocodile, hippos and our first wildebeest.

One of the highlights (there were so many) was the great migration, a sight that I will never forget. Thousands of wildebeests (possibly tens of thousands) and many hundreds of zebras were moving slowly across the grasslands. Another highlight was watching buzzards and hyennas devour the remains of a carcass that was more than likely left behind by a big cat.

Yet another highlight was observing a group of Cheetahs on the kopjes as well as a pride of lions on yet another kopje. Having been told by Francis that leopard sighting are rather rare, we were very excited to see one in a tree. Soon after the leopard sighting we had lunch with some giraffes. Well, we didn’t exactly have lunch with them. They moved on (but not too far away) and we sat on rocks enjoying our box lunches. We had several sightings of lionesses sleeping in a tree, and other sightings of lionesses lounging on kopjes, up close and personal. At one of the hippo pools we saw hippos kissing, hippos fighting and hippos mating.

Our visit to a Maasai village was unforgettable. After watching the Maasai men dance and jump and then dancing with the Maasai women, we were invited inside the huts which are constructed with bent branches, grasses and covered with dung. These nomadic herders live a very primitive life. The Children sang for us.

On our way to the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (it was wonderful) we got our first glance of the Ngorogoro Crater, and our first Rhinos – one male and two females.

Everything about our trip . . . the amazing sightings of the gorgeous and not-so-gorgeous wildlife . . . the dramatic Acacia trees dotting the Serengeti landscape, the breathtaking vistas . . our fantastic, enthusiastic, well-informed guide . . . our fun-loving, easy-going travel companions . . . perfect weather conditions . . . would be nearly impossible to replicate.

Jay and I are not likely to take another Safari but will relive our Safari experience in Tanzania through our pictures and reminiscing with the Perrine’s and the Lutz’s. It was an unforgettable journey, one ne we will encourage others to take.

Jay and Patricia Franklin
Fernandina Beach, Florida
May 2012

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And best of all my dream came true!

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Posted on by Michael

It has been my dream for years to go on an African Safari, but the only roadblock to fulfilling this has been my hesitant husband who does not like to travel too far from home and is reluctant to be too far from a golf course. However, with some cajoling and my volunteering to do all the planning, I finally convinced him it was probably in his best interest to accompany me to Africa.

I searched long and hard to find a reputable company and talked to many people in the DC area about their experiences. Some had good experiences, but not all of them. However after lots of hours on the internet and conversations, I zeroed in on Africa Dream Safaris. ADS came highly recommended to us by three couples. And they were right. We definitely picked the best Safari outfit in Tanzania. Perhaps the best testimonial to our complete satisfaction is seeing the enthusiasm on my husband’s face each day before we started and the excited conversations we had at days end when we recounted all that we had seen.

Plans from the beginning to the end were perfect. We lodged in three different locations and they were all were unbelievable. From the time we landed at Kilimanjaro until our return trip to the states, ADS took excellent care of us. Our Safari into the bush was like a movie – every day was a new adventure. Even though our guide briefed us what we were doing each day, we never knew what we might encounter. And thanks to our wonderful guide, Francis, we were never disappointed.

If I were asked to describe Africa Dreams Safari to someone, I would answer with three words: creative, organized and efficient. Our particular trip was created by the ADS staff after talking with us and asking probing questions to ascertain what we wanted to see and do and then offering proposals to us until we reached an agreement on an itinerary. From the planning stage until we returned home, ADS had organized their staff to meet our every need and “then some”. Everything went like clockwork and we marveled at their efficiency. As a matter of fact their efficiency was the factor that turned my husband’s reluctance around 180 degrees.

Our accommodations were awesome and all possessed a staff that was friendly, courteous and eager to please. We looked forward to mealtimes as the menus were varied and the service excellent. The food was well-prepared and tasty. In fact, the entire evenings were delightful. Two of our three locations had views that were spectacular. We had never witnessed sunsets so beautiful. And who could forget looking up and observing thousands and thousands of stars in the heavens, something truly special for us city-dwellers.

Both my husband and I agree that without a good guide, our safari would have suffered considerably. We were blessed to have Francis as our guide and no one could have asked for a better one than him. His knowledge of the area was vast and he kept us informed throughout each day. His excursions were well thought out, yet he was flexible to alter his planned route if we wanted to remain longer at a particular site or skip one completely.

Each morning he would be waiting for us, packed and ready with all provisions for the day. He would announce what was in store for us that day and what he hoped for us to see. He was careful to explain what he could do and what he could not do and we always felt we were in good hands. He was very patient with us and very mindful of those of us who were not feeling well and needed frequent rest stops.

Francis possessed uncanny eyesight. He could see a small speck of a sandy brown object at 500 yards and tell us what animal it was; he was never wrong. He seemed to sense the animals’ presence before we saw them and he would patiently wait for us to get the perfect photograph. We saw a leopard, a rare sight. We heard hippos snort and sing to each other. We were able to hear the hyenas laugh as they fought over a kill. We learned much about elephants and their love of family. At times we thought we were in Jurassic Park when we watched those stately giraffes walk.

Francis became more than a guide – he became our friend. On our last night with him we invited him to dinner and then afterwards we put on a skit for him depicting our idiosyncrasies on the trip. We all had great laughs that night.

We were sad we had to leave this beautiful country with the most awesome wildlife, but as we said our goodbyes, we knew in our hearts we took a bit of Africa home with us. Our memories and our photos will always keep this adventure with us. And best of all my dream came true!

Diane and Skip Perrine
Annandale, Virginia
May 2012

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Lions and Rhinos and Pythons OH MY!

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Posted on by Michael

Dream vacation – understatement! Life changing – most certainly! ADS was the perfect choice for my mother and I. Can’t thank Omary enough for sharing his country and 15 years of knowledge with us. His eagle eyes (without the help of glasses) managed to spot a python – only the second one he’s seen in his 15 year career.

He also spotted two rhinos in the crater. Added fun at no additional charge was our up close & personal encounter with the resident leopard that has managed to elude the gals that run Soroi Serengeti. Carol graciously gave us the honor of naming him. We chose Tar Heel after our home state of North Carolina.

We tried to race over to Gary & Grant’s campsite to catch a glimpse of the 20+ lion pride that visited them one morning. Unfortunately that was the only day I was running 15 minutes behind & we lost out. That same evening, our campsite was visited by a huge herd of mostly bull elephants. They woke me around 1am & stayed for hours. Omary swore they were only curious. He was awake as well to ensure they didn’t step on his little tent. I had never been so happy to see daylight & the sound of that generator in my life.

The lack of sleep had definitely taken a toll on mother. By the time Kevin came to give us our morning wake up call, she had a story made up about lions visiting us that not even Gary & Grant would believe. Needless to say we got no pictures but did have the bags under our eyes as proof.

On our last day we had the pleasure of meeting Pam who gave us a tour of F.A.M.E. We stopped for a quick bit of shopping after that & met fellow ADSers Debbie & Barry. There Barry insisted on purchasing the shop owners display wooden elephant. This would be his carryon over the next week as they were off to Paris after Tanzania. Hope ya’ll made it back in one piece! It was also on our last day in Lake Manyara National Park that I saw the most amazing sign that summarized my time in Africa just beautifully:

Remove nothing from the park except:
Nourishment for the soul;
Consolation for the heart;
Inspiration for the mind.

Kimberly Green and Donna Kelly
Charlotte, North Carolina
May 2012

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Guest Testimonial – African Dream Safaris

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Posted on by Michael

We returned from our Africa dream safari two weeks ago in May 2012 and we are still smiling from ear to ear and have goose bumps to prove it! The life changing experience we had from the time we landed in Kilimanjaro, to the day we took off can never be equaled. The whole trip took us a year to plan and execute thanks to the professionalism and depth of knowledge shown by our tour operator Lynn.

After a wonderful evening of wining and dining at the lovely Mount Meru Hotel, the next morning we were flown into the Serengeti in an exciting one hour flight over vast tracts of open plains and game which makes Serengeti so enticing. As soon as we landed we were greeted by our very pleasant guide Claude Shitengle who escorted us to our range rover and off we went tracking and spotting all kinds of game during the day.

One must remember that in Serengeti the game doesn’t necessarily come to you, but you go in search of the Big 5. And that’s where the ability of your guide to spot wildlife comes in very handy. Claude was the best spotter if we ever saw one and could spot a leopard in a tree almost 1000 feet away. If that wasn’t enough he had tremendous patience and took endless uncharted tracks and detours to find us game we couldn’t have seen otherwise. Our next few days we were able to see all the Big 5 in huge numbers. Thank you Cluade! The hot air balloon was great too, though expensive!

We know that ADS has little control over Picnic lunches. Sadly the quality was not the greatest and a lot of food goes to waste. Folks at various picnic sites would either throw their half-eaten lunches or give them away. People are not looking for anything fancy for an afternoon lunch, but please no jaw breaking chicken! We would suggest that the caterer be advised to keep picnic lunches simple . For example, Tuna mayo or an egg salad sandwiches with some fruit would do just fine to cater to the American palates!

A piece of advice. Everyone wanting to travel to Africa, must travel light and carry a “carry on” bag, otherwise your checked baggage has a good chance of being lost, as ours was. Oversized duffle bags won’t do and won’t be allowed, as ours was not. On the other hand, oversized bags which fitted into KLM volume checker were allowed! Makes no sense!

In the end we took over a 1000 pics. So all said and done a great trip thanks mainly to our Trip advisor Lynn who was with us right from planning the trip over a year ago and countless hours she spent with us. One great advice Lynn gave us was to carry lots of one dollar denominations, which came in so handy for tips, even though we ran out of dollar bills towards the end. Thank you Lynn from the bottom of our hearts!

The hospitality of ADS ground staff throughout our stay was top notch right to the end. A special thank you also goes to our guide Claude, with whom we made a special bond. Thank you Claude and hope to see you again some day.

Last but not the least, though animals are a big part of why tourists visit Serengeti, in the end it is the kind and friendly people of Tanzania who make the difference. So a big Asante Sana to the people of Tanzania.

Dr. Dawn Sadry, MD, CCFP
Addy Sadry
Toronto, Canada
May 2012

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