An Experience We Will Never Forget

Bucket List

Share

Posted on by Michael

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4 Comments
,
Read Full Post

By Emmanuel Kichao – There is no remorse in nature…. It is wildebeest calving season.

AFRICAN WILDLIFE

Share

Posted on by Thomson Malekia

Jambo… Im Emmanuel Kichao a guide with ADS, just got back from the bush with my good clients Toni & Richard Olsen.We had a wonderful time and good timing for the Wildebeest calving season as they give birth all in a week or two to fill all the predators bellies  so few get eaten and many survive…… This Leopard had a baby wildebeest kill up on the tree and we got there right on time….

Four cheetah cubs and their mother not in the picture they found this wildebeest calf in the morning, as many of this young’s get lost at night when there is a chase or moving of the big herd. So  mother cheetah  let the cubs learn how to kill and it was so funny watching them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Comments
Read Full Post

By Ally Dhulkfil – Greetings From The Bush

AFRICAN WILDLIFE

Share

Posted on by Ally Dhulkfil



Good morning from Tanzania. I have just returned from a spectacular safari where we enjoyed 9 days in the bush visiting the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire National Parks. One of the wildlife viewing highlights occurred on January 9, 2013 in the Seronera Valley in the Central Serengeti pictured above. It was amazing to see an entire pride of lions in a sausage tree (Kigelia Africana). This tree is known for its numerous sausage like fruits that hang down its branches. We counted 14 lions up in the sausage tree. Amazing! Another highlight was this family of cheetah we spotted on the Southern Serengeti Plains.

By ADS Guide Ally Dhulkfil on January 18, 2012

2 Comments
Read Full Post

Egyptian Mongoose by David Chando

AFRICAN WILDLIFE

Share

Posted on by David Chando

One of the more unusual highlights on my last safari occurred on January 4, 2013. My guests and I were exploring the South Serengeti, just to the west of Ndutu, and we spotted a rare specie of mongoose called the Egyptian Mongoose. This animal is usually completely nocturnal and is seldom seen in the daytime when their eyesight is poor. The social structure of these animals in Africa are solitary,while the species found in Asia are known to be gregarious.

By ADS guide David Chando

No Comments
Read Full Post

Dawn’s FAQ of the Week: What are the guides like at Africa Dream Safaris?

TRAVEL TIPS + UPDATES

Share

Posted on by Dawn

“What are the guides like at Africa Dream Safaris?”

At the end of the day, the single most important factor in our clients having a successful safari is the quality of their GUIDE. And boy do we know it. Our guides are all local Tanzanians, well educated and they all speak fluent English. We hire only the very best, and once we hire someone great we continue to invest in them and their training. It is important to us that our guides are the most educated and passionate in the industry. Our guides are well educated and happy to be working for ADS! Here at ADS, our guides are the heart and soul of our company. They are our employees sure, but they are also our family.

You will have the same guide-driver for the entire trip.  Your guide will be responsible for helping you plan your days by giving you suggestions, although ultimately the decisions are up to you. Probably the most important aspect of his job is that he is responsible for finding the animals – after all, that’s why you’ve come! Thus he must understand intimately the animals’ habitats and behaviors. It is important for your guide to have experience so he is not afraid to go off the beaten path for fear of getting lost, otherwise you may never make it far from the main road! It is important that he is well educated and a good communicator because he will be responsible for communicating information about the animals, trees, insects, ecosystem etc to his guests. It is important that he is a professional, and has a pleasant personality because you will be with him for the entire trip! It is important that he is passionate about his job, because we all know enthusiasm is contagious and can greatly enhance one’s enjoyment of the trip. This is the guide profile here at ADS.

***************************************

Another related question:  “Why is it better to have a dedicated ‘private guide’ instead of utilizing different guides that are employed at the various lodges?”

Some companies will shuffle you between different camps without a dedicated driver guide, and that means you will have a new guide at each location and you will need to go out on shared game drives with other guests. That means you lose the ability to control your own schedule and the amount of time focused on your interests. By the time you’re done shuffling between the various driver guides, you may have heard the same lesson on dung beetles 20 times, which is always repeated 1) because the driver guide is new to you and he doesn’t know what you’ve heard, and 2) for the benefit of other new guests in the vehicle with you. And you never do make it far from the driveway to find the leopard or cheetah cubs or other interesting animals that may be a little bit more difficult to find.

No Comments
Read Full Post

You never know what’s around the next corner by Anglebert Mrema

AFRICAN WILDLIFE

Share

Posted on by Anglebert Mrema

We were on a game drive in Seronera Valley watching a pride of six lions stalking a hippo which was passing through the area. As there were some other safari vehicles approaching, we decided to move on with our game viewing with a mission of heading for Sametu Kopjes before it gets too hot. Up around the next corner, we came across another pride of lions (this time there were 16 lions in the pride). They were looking at something we did not know on the other side of the Seronera Valley. After waiting for a while we realized that there was a buffalo which was giving birth with the herd moving a little far from sight. This buffalo with her baby of just a few minutes old got up and were trying to catch up with the herd and did not know what was around the corner, and both were taken down just five yards from the road by the pride of sixteen lions.

From ADS Driver-Guide Anglebert Mrema on January 10, 2013

No Comments
Read Full Post

We Spotted a Rare Aardwolf in the Serengeti

Bucket List

Share

Posted on by Michael

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1 Comment
,
Read Full Post

Where’s The Best African Safari Destination?

PLACES TO EXPLORE

Share

Posted on by Michael

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

No Comments
Read Full Post

African Safari Packing Tip

TRAVEL TIPS + UPDATES

Share

Posted on by Michael

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

No Comments
Read Full Post

Lunch with Lions

Family Vacations

Share

Posted on by Michael

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7 Comments
,
Read Full Post

Going Out On A Limb

Family Vacations

Share

Posted on by Michael

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

Asante sana!

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

3 Comments
, , ,
Read Full Post

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

Bucket List

Share

Posted on by Michael

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2 Comments
,
Read Full Post

The Best of 2012

AFRICAN WILDLIFE

Share

Posted on by Michael

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best Giraffe Shot by The Harkey’s

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

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

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

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

Best Landscape Photograph by the Leighton Family

The Most Endearing Photo – Best of October

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Most Endearing Picture by Dave and Fiona Friar

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

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

Most Artistic Photo Of The Year by Michael and Usha Rafferty

Best Buffalo Photo by the Clinkscales Family

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

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

3 Comments
Read Full Post

A Cheetah Kill

AFRICAN WILDLIFE

Share

Posted on by Russel Temu

A mother Cheetah with four cubs in the southern tip of the Serengeti park around Ndutu area finally killed a Steenbok [an antelope] after several attempts. She stalked this Steenbok and then sprinted in full speed towards the prey and quickly caught it. Her cubs followed close behind. She then released the Steenbok still alive and her cubs started practicing their hunting skills before they killed it for an evening meal.

By ADS Driver Guide Russel Temu on January 10, 2013

No Comments
Read Full Post

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!

Bucket List

Share

Posted on by Michael

Sharon,

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

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

No Comments
,
Read Full Post