Author: Michael

National Geographic Adventure

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Posted on by Michael

Our safari in Tanzania with African Dream Safaris was an incredibly amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Every aspect of the trip was incredible in its own right. Starting from the planning phase, our consultant, Lynn was extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and so friendly. She helped us out with all of the details, last minute questions, and customized our trip to our particular wishes. She even went as far as contacting our family after ensuring a safe arrival in Tanzania. We cannot say enough about Lynn’s support and guidance!

On to the safari aspect, it truly is hard to put in words. Everything from the animals, lodges, food, service, and VIP service was top-notch. Camps such as Swala, Buffalo Springs Tented Camp, Seronera Sametu, and of course the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge are worth special mention, each in their own unique ways. The caretakers/ managers of each camp went out of their ways to make us feel at home from the moment of arrival to departure. Everyone was so friendly and accommodating, and we felt completely safe the entire trip. The food and drinks were amazing. From eating breakfast with the elephants drinking from their watering hole in front of us at Swala, to butler service at Ngorongoro Crater lodge, to fun filled dinners with our newly-found friends at Seronera Sametu, the experiences were unforgettable.

As far as the animal exposure, even our guide called it a “blessed” safari. Every day was like an adventure out of National Geographic. Watching the animals in their various environments was awe-inspiring. Everywhere you looked seemed like a postcard in the making. Particularly interesting was the vast difference in the fauna and surroundings of the various locations- from the dry Central Serengeti and the impressive kopje structures, to the plush Northern Serengeti, to the swamps and woodlands of Tarangire and Lake Masek, and of course the Ngorongoro Crater which has it all.

Our timing at the end of the dry season in September seemed ideal for us from a game-spotting and comfort perspective. We were able to see literally hundreds of zebra, elephants, wildebeests, giraffes, hyenas, buffalo, baboons, hippos many species of birds, lions, cheetahs, leopards, rhinos, hyraxes- of all ages (babies included).

Some trip highlights included ostriches mating, a giraffe mating attempt, lions feeding their cubs, hippo pools, cheetahs with their cubs, leopards with their cubs in trees feeding, baboons on the hood of our vehicle, elephants with their young, tree-climbing lions, and spottings of 8 rhino. Perhaps the most exciting single event was the crossing at the Mara river, where hundreds of wildebeests rushed to swim across and gallop right in front of us. We even saw crocodiles feeding. Our trip to Zanzibar for a few days at the end was a nice relaxing touch as well.

Our guide, Michael, was also amazing. He was able to spot animals in the distance all over the place while driving us safely around all day. His knowledge of the natural world including the animals and the environment was truly astounding. He was extremely nice and accommodating as well and we never felt rushed. He would look out for great picture-taking opportunities and go out of his way to make our experience unforgettable.

Throughout our safari, we had the opportunity to see other tour groups and operators. There is no doubt that there is a huge difference in the experience provided by ADS compared to the others. A private safari is invaluable- providing the flexibility for timing, location, and duration of the game drives, meals, and rest. The large open topped Land Cruisers were ideal for comfort, viewing, and picture taking, and the refrigerator within was a very nice amenity. Other companies had vehicles with people crammed inside and mileage limitations which we believe would significantly detract from the overall experience.

All in all, our trip in Tanzania with ADS was an amazing experience which will never be forgotten. All of our friends who hear our stories and see our pictures (a few of which are attached) are amazed, and we whole-heartedly recommend them to sign up with ADS. Thank you again for such an incredible experience!

Sincerely,

David and Julie Capiola
New York, New York
September 2011

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Stripe Facts

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Posted on by Michael

Most of us know that the stripe pattern of a zebra is much like our fingerprints – no two are alike and even the left side is different from the right.

Different species also have distinctly different stripe patterns, in other words you can tell their “nationality”; if you see a zebra with a grid iron pattern on its rump and stripes all the way down it’s legs, you’ll be in Angola, Namibia or South Africa looking at the Mountain Zebra, spot one with very narrow stripes and an apparent bull’s eye on its rump and you’ll be looking at the massive Grevy’s Zebra in the arid areas of Ethiopia, Somalia or Kenya. While on safari with ADS in Tanzania, you’ll see the Burchell’s Zebra. This zebra has shadow stripes which run between the black stripes on its torso. Interestingly the completeness and boldness of its stripe pattern decreases as you move further south from the equator.

I’ve periodically watched a large group of zebra explode from a water hole in a cloud of dust, only to later re-group into individual families and trot off into the sunset. How do they find each other when they all seem to look exactly the same-at least to us anyway? Incredibly in addition to their smell, zebra are able to recognize other individuals based on their stripe pattern. The question is how can we possibly know this strange fact?

The stripe pattern of a mare is such a critical component of a newborn foal being able to imprint on its mother, that they mare will shield the youngster from other zebras for the first few hours of its life so it cannot imprint on the “wrong zebra”. It is thought that the particular stripe pattern on the face (between the eyes and nose) and shoulder are the most important. 

When you’re on safari with ADS and are looking at these striped beauties, sooner or later you’re bound to wonder Hmmmm “are they black with white stripes or white with black stripe”. Curious? Keep an eye open for my next posting which also includes a fascinating fact about a zebra’s built-in air-conditioning system.

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The Serengeti was Bursting With Life and Natures Beauty

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Posted on by Michael

Lynn – It has been such pleasure working with you to plan our safari. Now I am writing to say “Thank you!” to you, as well as everyone working behind the scenes, and to our incredible guide, for a fantastic safari experience in Tanzania. It was all that Ellen and I were seeking and then some.

We had previously been on safari in Botswana, and have also been to Zambia and South Africa. This time we wanted to visit either Tanzania or Kenya. When I contacted ADS, you really helped us decide on Tanzania. I frequently asked questions about everything and you always had the answers, and would present another point of view that we sometimes had not considered. You helped us select Tanzania – thanks Lynn-great choice!

Each time I called or e-mailed you with questions you were superb, getting back to me so quickly with everything we requested and more, plus lot of patience and quality suggestions. I was impressed with your service and had hoped that was an indicator of ADS company-wide, knowing that could only be determined at the conclusion of our safari. I am pleased to report that not only you, but everyone we met went above and beyond to ensure our joy, comfort, convenience and safety-and thanks to each and every one of you for your kindness and a job well done!! I am sorry it is over-we would have liked it to go on for months!!

As you know, our primary purpose was photography, and thanks to our incredible guide, we got the images we were seeking. He not only knew the wildlife, but had an intuitive sense of where and when the action would occur. He also had extensive knowledge about the wildlife & their habits, birds and landforms. Our guide was top-notch, in fact, we are confident he must be one of the top guides in all of Tanzania, he was that good.

The Serengeti itself was just beautiful, as it had rained recently, and it was quite green. It was bursting with life and natures beauty, as well as teeming with interesting wildlife. Our sightings included a lioness taking down a Cape Buffalo, mating lions, and wildebeest crossing the Mara River with crocs and vultures patiently waiting in the trees, streams and other nearby areas. We also saw a leopard, and many beautiful birds and antelope.

The three cheetah brothers were a very special sighting, as well as female cheetahs and lions with half grown cubs nearby. We witnessed a hugh hippo charge another group of hippos, sending gigantic waves through the previously calm river. Quite a commotion followed, with a bigger male going head to head with her. She was reprimanded in no uncertain terms, with a bloody neck to show for her incursion.

In Tarangerie we saw elephants taking mud baths and digging holes in the river bottom, for fresh drinking water-that was really interesting too! We also visited a swamp there, which looked to us like the “Garden of Eden”. We were able to locate a few boa constrictors in the trees, which I had really hope to see. Of course, by the end of our safari, we had seen all of the big 5 and much, much more. We had an incredibly rich and varied experience.

We debated about whether to visit a Maasi Village, because we had read that some people didn’t like it, and my traveling companion had been at one years ago, and she didn’t care for it either. But our guide said we would enjoy it, and we trusted his opinion so we went. And yes, we really really enjoyed it! One of the Chief’s sons gave us a tour, just for the 2 of us, and he talked extensively about their social customs as we sat in a small structure they sleep in, made of sticks, mud and other local materials. We learned about their lifestyle, his college experience,( thanks to a Missionary) and so much more-all very interesting. We were able to interact with one of his brothers, some children and several different women there, and we made a brief stop at the children’s school. You can see school building in the picture attached. The children were darling. What a wonderful experience we had, thanks to our guide’s recommendation.

Each of our tented camps were unique and we really enjoyed them. The service was great, they were all very clean and comfortable, and the employees went to great lengths to ensure our comfort & pleasure. We were especially pleased with the beds, which were all very comfortable, and when we had twin beds (verses 2 doubles) they were oversized (compared to those we had in Europe and South Africa), and were spaced far apart, giving us a bit of space, which we valued. They were also nicely appointed and super clean.

Food was good, especially dinners, but some camps, such as “Migration” had fabulous five star meals. Other camps had entertainment at night, with native singing, dances and apparel. Some camps had WIFI, so we were able to get on the internet, which was really nice.

One morning just before sunrise, while lying in bed waiting for the alarm to go off, I noticed there were twigs breaking outside the tent. I got up to take a peek and lo and behold!!! There were 5 or 6 elephants (mothers and young) tearing branches off the shrubs around our tent!! What a special moment that was! After about 15 minutes they quietly departed.

One night we heard lions, others we heard hyneas, but we were never afraid and our safety was not compromised. The wildlife never bothered us in our tents, plus there were always 2 Maasi guarding us at night, and though they only have spears, no guns, they are true warriors. Fortunately though, they prefer to scare wildlife away, rather that harm them. What an idyllic environment we were so fortunate to be a part of, if only for 10 nights.

What a great time we had!! It cannot be overstated!! ADS is a company that does everything it can to make sure your safari is to your satisfaction, not just when they are selling it to you, but all the way through to its conclusion. ADS has many great employees who will look out for you and your interests all along the way, not just one great employee who sells you the tour. I also like that ADS is so honest about things in advance, such as the box lunches or the Maasi VIllage. Not many would be so frank!! It was also interesting that you gave us a phone for the duration of our safari, and told us to call if anything was not happening as expected, and that you would “fix” it immediately. Amazing customer service!! I would highly recommend ADS. In fact, we plan return to Tanzania in a few years with ADS, it was that fabulous! Thanks again everyone!!

Sincerely,

Karren Kraemer and Ellen Werner
Helendale, California
September 2011

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Spectacular Photos from Tanzania

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Posted on by Michael

We are recovering at home today from our whirlwind tour of Tanzania. It was an absolutely wonderful experience for both Shawn and me. From the time our plane touched down in Tanzania to the time we were taken back to the airport, out trip was fantastic! It is more than obvious that Africa Dream Safaris provides the highest level of customer service available for trips like this, as we felt always that we were 110% taken care of, and that we were always safe and in the hands of people we could trust and who cared about our experience.

The places you arranged for us to stay and the itinerary you suggested for the dry season was perfect. I would not have changed a thing! When talking with other people there who were on safari trips with other companies, it was readily apparent that we were being managed much more efficiently, and that our level of experience while on safari was much better than anyone else we spoke with. I also noticed many other people struggling in their “pop-up” vehicles to see wildlife or get photos, so I was very happy we had the roll-top safari vehicle that ADS always uses.

Our driver certainly made our trip very enjoyable and productive each day. He is a wonderful, caring, intelligent, thoughtful and obviously very experienced safari guide. I almost couldn’t believe how lucky we were to get a person like him to be our guide! He kept us “on track” every day and made sure that we filled our days with new discoveries and experiences, and worked hard each day for us to be sure we would see all of the animals “up close”, as well as learn about the local ecosystems. He filled our days with amazing encounters of all kinds, including the “big 5” and a river crossing, and also filled our minds with new information. I didn’t realize I could learn so much from one person in a little more than 8 days! We came to adore him before we left and felt that we had truly made a good friend. We would probably like to send him a small gift sometime in the next several weeks, if you could tell me where to send it.

I must also thank you for your correspondence sent to us prior to our trip and all of the information you sent to help us with planning and packing. We had everything we needed for a perfect safari and thankfully did not pack too much! Your advice regarding the travel issues, clothing to take, and what supplies we would need (and not need) while there were “spot on.” I must say one of the best tidbits of advice was taking a multiple outlet cord for plugging in our chargers. I bought a small travel version for about $10 to take along, and it made it much easier to keep everything charged up at the places that had limited generator time and limited outlets. (that should be a “must take” on your list)

We very much enjoyed every tent camp and every lodge we stayed in while there, but the “shining star” was the Swala camp. We also very much enjoyed the location and food at the Buffalo camp. The private luxury camping was also a highlight. We received extremely good service everywhere we stayed, (we have no complaints!) and I almost always ended up tipping a little more because we really felt that everyone was going the extra mile for us to make our stay comfortable and enjoyable.

I would make sure that you encourage all of your clients to do the Private Luxury camping, because we enjoyed those nights of seclusion with the Hyenas howling and the wildlife all around us so much!  (one hyena came to sniff around our tent and howl us to sleep both nights. It was really great!)

Two other things that we enjoyed very much were the Safari walk at the Buffalo Camp (very interactive and educational!) and the Maasai Village visit. I had read in your last e-mail that some people had reported having bad experiences while visiting the Maasai villages, but that was not the case for us. Our guide encouraged us to consider the village visit, and he took us to a remote village close to the Buffalo Camp. The Maasai people there were warm and inviting, and really went out of their way to spend alot of time interacting with us, including teaching us about their culture and way of life, and dancing and singing for us. The Maasai Warriors threw spears and we took video of them. When we showed them pictures and video on our cameras they were very excited and they laughed while watching each other.

Before we knew it, we had them playing with our cameras and they took a lot of neat photos of each other, of us, and of the village that we will always treasure. The close interaction with these young men that were friendly and joyous was heart warming. Nobody “pressured” us to buy anything. Our guide told us before going there that the women did sell beaded work, and that they would set some things out for us to look at and purchase if we liked. They had quite a bit to choose from! Shawn did buy several pieces of beautiful jewelry there, but again we did not feel that we had to purchase anything. I tipped our Maasai village guide, who spoke perfect English, as suggested in your ADS guide, but after I left I felt maybe I should have given him more to maybe help out their small village a little.

It was a really positive experience for us, and we left feeling that we had really made a rare cultural connection with the people of this small village. I’m glad we had the opportunity to understand them as individuals and their Maasai culture better, and I hope they could see we were not there only as “tourists,” as many visitors probably are.

Again, we appreciate your help and all of the ADS staff for making this the most wonderful vacation experience ever for us. Going there has truly changed us, and the time there will be unforgettable in years to come. We are already thinking about possibly going back sometime in the future during the rainy season to see the difference and learn a little more about Tanzania.

ASANTE SANA from both of us!!

Mark and Shawn Pitts
Frederick, Maryland
September 2011

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Peace House Update – September 2011

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Posted on by Michael

Peace House Secondary School with the help of generous supporters has started phase II of their construction project. The expansion includes two classroom wings. The additional space will include new humanities classrooms, science lab, lecture hall, music room and art gallery. After the construction is completed, Peace House Secondary School will provide advance level secondary classes. Secondary classes are the highest level before college (university level education) in the Tanzania educational system.

To make a donation to the Peace House of for more information, please visit http://www.peacehouseafrica.org/donate.html . Your donations to Peace House Africa go directly to helping vulnerable children including AIDS orphans receive an invaluable education. In Tanzania like many countries in Africa, a strong education simply means HOPE. Every contribution makes a BIG difference: $35 covers the cost of school uniform; $75 purchases one desk and chair; $160 provides a dorm room bunk bed; $450 provides all meals for a student for one year and $1,200 sponsors one student for an entire year.

Africa Dream Safaris is proud to be a major sponsor of Peace House.  Monthly donations by Africa Dream Safaris help the Peace House provide vulnerable children with the opportunity to receive a quality education in a nurturing environment. Financial support by African Dream Safaris focuses on the Peace House School, which is a unique boarding school for over 240 AIDS orphans.

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Wow!! Recent Photos of the Migration Crossing the Mara River

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Elise and I wanted to thank you for an amazing safari. It exceeded all of our expectations.  Each day we enjoyed a new thrill. To top it off, our guide/driver was outstanding, and a joy to spend time with. He is very knowledgeable and was unbelievably attentive. Particularly enjoyed visiting the Masai village near Buffalo Springs and seeing the Wildebeest crossing. In addition to the safari – seeing how people live in a third world country with basically nothing, is a real eye opener. We are already thinking about our next trip (plan on bringing the kids) and look forward to planning it with you.

Thanks again,

Greg and Elise Gubitz
Caledon, Canada
September 2011

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A Short Biography of Lynn Newby-Fraser

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Posted on by Michael

I was born to a family whose European roots were planted in Africa over 400 years ago and I have spent most of my life in South Africa growing up in two major cities: Johannesburg and Durban.  Throughout my life I have been captivated by the animals and beauty of Africa and in 2010 I achieved a lifelong goal when I graduated at the top of my class as a certified wildlife guide with the prestigious Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGHASA). I also recently passed The Advanced Course in Behavior of African Mammals taught in Namibia by the world-renowned wildlife specialist Dr. Richard D. Estes.

In addition to my passion about wildlife, I bring Africa Dream Safaris to you from an African perspective. I studied at the University of Cape Town, South Africa before embarking on a five year adventure aboard a 46′ yacht reaching such ports as St. Helena Island, the Amazon, Venezuela, Spain, Monaco, Italy, Greece, Israel and Turkey among others.  My personal achievements include earning a 5th Degree Black Belt in the martial arts and being inaugurated into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 2004 as “Female Instructor of the Year” as well receiving the “Female Filipino Martial Arts Instructor of the Year” in 2006. I have traveled extensively, from crossing the Atlantic in the aforementioned yacht, to hiking in the rainforests of Borneo and Brazil and on the glaciers of South Island, (New Zealand), swimming with sharks in Polynesia and white-water rafting in Nepal as well as studying the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands. I have also been on safaris in many African countries including South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and Kenya  – and yet, to me, nowhere is as beautiful or compelling as the game-filled plains of the Serengeti.

I am the Director of Operations at Africa Dream Safaris however my greatest pleasure is being able to use my knowledge and experience to help clients plan a safari and enjoy the extraordinary beauty and magnificent wildlife of Tanzania.  Accordingly I continue to work with a select number of safari clients each month.

In the words of R. Elliot “If You Visit Only Two Continents in Your Lifetime, Visit Africa Twice”.

 

At the Waterhole
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Video of the Great Migration crossing the Mara River

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Posted on by Michael

We have seen quite a few extraordinary photos this dry season of various Mara River Crossings. Accordingly, we thought this would be a great time to re-post this video taken by ADS guests last September in the Northern Serengeti. Special thanks to Jack Weinberg and David Breliant for submitting this timeless video capturing the raw power of the wildebeest migration. It is truly awe inspiring!

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We Didn’t Expect To Get So Close

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We began our ADS safari with an extra day in Arusha to recover from the 24 hour airline trip. We spent several hours in and around Arusha which was a wonderful introduction to life in a large Tanzanian city–an unexpected bonus! Another unanticipated perk was a private dinner for us in a gazebo on the hotel grounds–as in “The Bachelor”! When checking out of our hotel to head into the bush, the desk clerk told us, “You will see much more than you expect.” His words were prophetic–we simply couldn’t envision the amount of wildlife we would encounter.

As our bush plane landed at the Kogatende airstrip, zebra and ostrich scattered. We met our ADS driver, who as the days went on would begin to feel like a family member. We were disappointed too learn that we wouldn’t be able to cross the Mara River into the Lamai triangle, as scheduled, due to high water. When we parked near the river and saw a Land Cruiser (not ADS) which had been swept off the ford lying on it’s side in the churning water (home to hippos and crocodiles), we had to admit that the itinerary change was a good one. Later that day we were fortunate to see two wildebeest migration crossings (one containing about 700 animals).

Each day was an education as we saw additional species of animals and an ever-changing landscape. Like many tourists, we looked forward to seeing big cats and we were not disappointed. We saw many lions, numerous leopards, and a number of chetahs, and we saw all three species with kills. An outstanding aspect of the big-cat viewing was that we saw them right up close!

We got great pictures even though the only photo equipment we took was a little point-and-shoot pocket camera. What you see on game drives involves a certain amount of luck, but our skilled ADS driver was able to take much of the chance out of it.

We typically spent 8-10 hours a day in the Land Cruiser (our preference) so there was ample time for conversation. We enjoyed chatting with our driver about many topics including Tanzanian history, tribal culture, and language. Of course he had an encyclopedic knowledge of wildlife and delivered great sightings on every game drive.

Although we’re generally healthy, we had some specific travel issues which ADS addressed in a very personalized way. From the moment we landed at Kilimanjaro to the time we ended our vacation, ADS staff members supported all aspects of our experience. Even a jacket I misplaced on the third day of the safari was waiting for me when we got back to Arusha!

P.S. Our safari was a “notch up” for us in terms of adventure travel. We spent the 10 days prior to departure worrying about mosquitoes, malaria, our ability to tolerate anti-malaria medicine, food borne illness, etc. We could have saved ourselves a lot of worrying. We basically had no problems and the food was excellent!

Ronald and Nancy Goodman
Ankeny, Iowa
September 2011

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An Inspirational Story of Hope – Providing Children with Basic Medical Care

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Posted on by Michael

Tanzania is a country of striking contrasts. Endowed with spectacular natural resources and home to the greatest wildlife viewing areas in Africa, Tanzania is also one of the poorest countries in the world. Poverty is critically severe and access to medical care is limited particularly in rural areas. Did you know that an estimated 1 out of 9 children in Tanzania die before their 5th birthday?  Sadly their deaths are often the result of preventable or treatable diseases, including malaria, diarrheal disease, acute respiratory infections, low-birth weight and AIDS.

But, there is HOPE! There are truly great people doing wonderful things in Tanzania. Meet Dr. Frank Artress and Susan Gustafson. They are the founders of FAME, The Foundation for African Medicine and Education. Their mobile medical clinic is penetrating deeper and deeper in the bush to provide medical care to children that have never been vaccinated before or let alone seen a doctor! This is the real deal…real people having a real impact on the lives of children in Africa. Please take a few minutes of your time to watch this amazing short documentary video, which chronicles Dr. Frank and his wife Susan’s journey in Tanzania. You won’t believe it! This is truly extraordinary!

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.

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Quote of the Week: George Filliter Family

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Posted on by Michael

Now is as good a time as any for me to express my admiration for the planning that went into the most wonderful trip I have ever taken. Let me give you my impressions. As we were flying to Kilimanjaro we all wondered how we would identify the person picking us up and this is when we realized how fortunate we were. We were met as soon as we disembarked by Pieter and escorted through the customs line as if we were top rated diplomats! He then helped us get our luggage and whipped us off to meet Monika and Charles.

Now Monika and Charles were fantastic. They got us to the hotel, which by the way was amazing, gave us directions and then picked us up the next morning where we went to the Tanzanite store and visited the cultural centre. On the final morning we were again picked up by these two who got us to the regional airport and whisked us through the line ensuring that we got on the right plane.

Upon our arrival in the Serengeti we were met by our guide. I am afraid that there simply are not enough words in the English language to describe this man. Over the 12 days with him he became our friend, our translator, our confidant, our advisor, our driver and of course our guide. Simply put he is AMAZING. Someone should check his eyes. His ability to see wildlife at a distance was amazing. And, he had an innate ability to sense the location of animals and in fact on one occasion I became convinced that he had the ability to speak to the animals. As a consequence we saw 90 lions, 10 leopards and 11 cheetahs, not to mention numerous other species and he identified over 35 species of birds. We saw the big five early on and Erin and I have the most amazing pictures. I am at the moment going through the over 2000 that I took and will send you some in the near future.

In talking with the other guests at each of the lodges we realized that we were allowed to experience Tanzania at a far different level than anyone else. I really hope and in fact ask that you ensure that our guide as well as Monika, Pieter and Charles are all advised of our complete and total satisfaction.

George Filliter, Erin Filliter and Barbara Baird

Fredericton, Canada

September 2011

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We saw at least five cheetahs, up close and personal

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Posted on by Michael

Judy and I are still basking the glow of our trip to Tanzania. No, it did not fulfill our expectations. Rather, it far exceeded them. No stone was left unturned. Every detail was meticulously covered from the first meeting at the airport in Arusha to being carefully ushered through the confusion of departure. The good news only gets better. Although we were somewhat concerned about the tented facilities, we quickly discovered that each had a personality of its own and offered a unique luxuriousness. In every place we stayed the food was wonderful, the service superb, the beds perfect, and the sense of being cared about and cared for was complete. Our Masai warriors protected us from the animals at night. Our guide opened our eyes to them in the morning.

A safari in Tanzania is not simply a cruise on placid seas. There are a few million bumps in the road. But the comfort we felt in our land rover made the trip the most exciting excursion we have ever done. Judy and I have travelled all over the world during the last twenty years or so. We have had many guides in the most developed and undeveloped nations. Our Guide in Tanzania was the most wonderful of all. Your literature says the guide will quickly become your best friend. He became our younger brother, our protector, our translator, our teacher.

There was almost nothing he did not know about his country or about the animals we had come to see. And not only did he open our eyes to the vast world of wildebeests, antelopes, and cats, but he also introduced us to the world of birds and the beauty of the flowers. Our guide has a marvelous sense of humor and the patience of a saint. Only once, in 12 days, were we on time. He quickly understood that leaving at six a.m. sharp meant leaving at six-twenty, that ending any photo shoot always involved about five more pictures. His English skills were marvelous but he still seemed to love learning some of our antiquated English slang. He was always gracious, kind, and accommodating. He clearly enjoyed sharing the culture of Tanzania with us as well as sharing some of his personal life, his hopes and dreams.

This was our second safari. The last was 23 years ago with a very upscale and famous company. But Africa Dream Safaris was, by far the best. We saw five leopards. At least five cheetahs, up close and personal. We loved the abundant Giraffes. And of course we enjoyed visiting with all the Lions, Dik Diks, Elands, Topis, Wildebeests, Zebras, Elephants, Impalas. We grew to love the Warthogs, the Jackals, and even the Spotted Hyenas. We took about 3,471 photos. So far, we have been able to reduce the number to 1,326. Every one is a winner.

Don and Judy Gluckman
Pikesville, Maryland
September 2011

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On Safari with my Grandchildren

Family Vacations

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Posted on by Michael

I have been remiss in not writing you earlier. Rita and I have been fortunate to have been able to travel to many wonderful places. The one place I wanted to visit again after a trip 6 years ago was Tanzania, and I imagined the possibility that I might make the trip with grandchildren. We were sufficiently fortunate to arrive at a time when both we and are grandchildren were at ages when such trip was possible, and after consulting the Internet, happily found ADS, highlighted by the best, most informative, Africa web site. I consider that the spectacular success of our trip was primarily the result of your advice, guidance and expertise.

Having been on “safari” before, I understood how much the right person could enhance ones experience. Our guide, as you had advised me, was spectacular with the children and indefatigable, in searching for all the beasties he could find us. He maneuvered himself into several drives, which would have been much less stressful to him, were he not so intent on assuring that we saw everything we possibly could, and he did it all with great care and with great calm and expertise. He also was remarkable in his ability to find animals in spite of their many generations evolving adaptive coloration. I can not imagine a guide performing in a more professional manner. Although Bilila was somewhat out of place in the midst of the Serengeti, my 10 and 12 year olds were delighted with the pool, and my teenager with the luxury. Thanks for arranging our stop there. We had expected some problems because of the children’s vegetarian diet, but in fact none arose, and the meals at Buffalo Springs were of world class quality.

You will recall that we had many conversations and exchanged a number of Emails prior to our trip. In every conversation we had, you were warm, helpful, professional and correct. I attribute the spectacular of success of our trip to your help, but I would be remiss if I did not comment on the courtesy and help provided by the in country staff. On one occasion, I accidentally called Monica at 5:30 AM, and she was as pleasant as if I had called at noon. Mattathias, who accompanied us on our day in Arusha, was helpful and flexible.

So thank you again for your guidance and advice. I have been spreading the word about ADS in general and you in particular to all the people I know who might be interested  in a Tanzanian foray.

Thank you on behalf of Sam, Bella, Jed and Rita as well as myself.

Morton A Alterman
August 2011

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Like traveling with “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom”

SAFARI STORIES

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Posted on by Michael

It’s impossible to know where to begin to thank you and ADS for all you did for us before and during our wonderful adventure.  The number of African moments that took our breath away are too numerable to count (although the 14,000 pictures Dale took might be some indication – ha!).  All of our dreams really did come true and we left feeling full and satisfied.  The country is magnificent and ever-changing, the animals are majestic and entertaining, the weather is perfect  and our guide/teacher was admirably focused on ensuring our adventure was an experience of a lifetime.

I know you had a hand in choosing our guide based on our interest in photography and what a gift he was.  Not only was he tolerant of our enthusiasm for photos but he joined in our joy of capturing great moments and lent his expertise to ideas for great shots and they were abundant!.  In addition, his knowledge of the animals and their habits was like traveling with “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom”.

He provided constant commentary, could spot wildlife from ridiculous distances and then could predict what we should watch for as we moved in closer…perhaps they were going to stalk some prey, look for water or even mate.  It was truly remarkable.  Needless to say we saw the big 5 repeatedly and then some!  He was open to all of our wishes for early game drives and met us each morning with a clean vehicle, breakfasts, lunches and beverages.  What a wonderful ambassador for Tanzania!  I am including just a couple of Dale’s more unique photos as proof of what a great photo team we all were!

And finally the accommodations were outstanding.  We loved the uniqueness of each location and their inspiring evening views.  Our meals were excellent, the entertainment was fun and our farewell was both appreciated and quite unexpected.

Again, thank you for guiding us through this adventure and for the service that is clearly a benchmark for ADS. We’ll be back someday with grandchildren!

Our sincerest thanks,

Debby and Dale Hewitt
San Antonio, Texas
August 2011

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This was our First Trip to Africa

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Posted on by Michael

We had the most memorable trip of our entire lives. Never have we seen so many beautiful landscapes as in Tanzania. The people were wonderful. The food was much better than we ever expected. The tented camps and lodges were magnificent, including Mt. Meru Hotel in Arusha.

The magic began when we landed in Kilimanjaro and were met by representatives from Africa Dream Safaris.  Peter and Monica took care of everything at the airport, whisked us away to the car with our luggage and we were off to the Mt. Meru Hotel for a wonderful night’s rest.

The next day Charles took us on a very informative tour of Arusha and he taught us so much about life in Africa. He was magnificent. Charles took us to the school and we had brought school supplies for the children and teachers. That was one of the highlights of our trip.

On the third day, we met our guide. He is the best guide in all of the world and he is such a wonderful person. We loved having him as our guide. We looked forward to each day’s start and dreaded the days coming to an end. Our eyes almost hurt we saw so much beauty, all created by our Heavenly Father.

We were awe struck on our first day of safari. We actually saw all of the big five on our first day!!! We will always remember the campfire at sunset, the beauty in the land and the animals, and our fabulouse visit to F.A.M.E. which we were so pleased to hear is supported by ADS. (Dr. Frank and his staff were wonderful. We will be adding them to our list of giving.)

We couldn’t ask for anything more.  Never have we been cared for in such a wonderful manner as the way in which ADS took care of all the details….from the time we arrived to the day we left. This was our first trip to Africa, but it definitely will not be our last. Francis was telling us about a trip to western Tanzania in February when there is a lot of calving taking place. We will definitely stay in touch when we begin plans for our next visit.  Thank you for all of your time, patience, and guidance.

Sincerely,

Stan and Dianne Rivers
Sharpsburg, Georgia
August 2011

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