For the last several years, since the Freeman/Nicholson movie “The Bucket List” many of us have developed our own Bucket List. An African Safari to see the big five finally floated to the top of our collective list last year. Hours of Web research led us to Africa Dream Safaris and Dawn Anderson. Her personal knowledge gained from several Tanzanian safaris gave us a great head start on planning what turned out to be the perfect safari!

From the moment we reached Kilimanjaro we were in the capable hands of an ADS staff member. We breezed through the Tanzanian Visa process well ahead of 95% of the rest of our plane load of visitors. We even beat some of the locals to our land transportation, thanks to the pre-planning by ADS. Less than 90 minutes from wheels down we were being briefed at the Mt. Meru Hotel.

Early the next morning our ADS representative guided us through the Arusha Airport for our internal flight to Kogatende Airport in the north-west corner of Tanzania. By 11 AM we had met our driver/guide, Wilfred Fue. His welcome smile was soon exceeded only by his wealth of knowledge about the animals, plants and geology of Tanzania and their interactions. He had an amazing ability to spot the animals while keeping us on the two track dirt roads, no easy feat. Even with six pairs of eyes, he out spotted us.

Not 5 minutes and 100 yards from the airport, we saw our first hippo. The ohs and ahs from the six of us came naturally. Like submarines they surfaced and submerged silently but gracefully. Moving on we came across our first herd of wildebeest massing to cross the Mara River. A small number, several hundred, did cross before a crocodile interfered with the crossing. Not until we saw a 20 foot crocodile in the flesh did we fully understand what carnivorous creatures they were.

We saw a young elephant who’s trunk was foreshortened. Apparently, poachers/hunters set out snares for small game, but occasionally an elephant trunk is snared. The animal had the strength to break free of the snare, but the line was set and eventually cut off circulation to the trunk below the snare point. With time the lower trunk rotted and eventually was lost. But, of the two elephants we saw with this problem, each had adapted and were feeding without a problem.

All too soon twilight approached and we reached Lamala River Tented Camp. Although this movable camp was our most primitive (our tents had wooden floors, two queen sized beds and an in- suite bathroom), it was also our favorite. Richard, the camp manager, briefed us on safety measures, camp life and schedule, however, his most important message covered the “talking shower.” Camp staff heated water, carried it to our tents, poured it into a container, hoisted it up on a pulley system and then made sure we were ready for our shower. “Was the water warm enough?” “Did we have enough water?” And finally, “Were we done with our shower?” All six of us had camped in the past, but never had we experienced a more interesting shower.
In the morning, Kay said goodbye to her talking shower! We were amazed at the quality and variety of meals we were served, especially after touring the kitchen, which was extremely primitive. Even five lions visiting the lean-to kitchen did not prevent the chefs from preparing a wonderful breakfast for us! No weight loss on this trip!

Day three let us experience two massive crossings! We did not attempt to count the wildebeest, but there must have been well over a hundred thousand jostling for a spot in the crossing. We spent well over an hour watching this amazing sight. In between crossing spurts we watched zebras grazing, giraffes feeding peacefully, got a fleeting look at a leopard, saw an African Fish Eagle, a Hamerkop, an Agama Lizard and the splendid Suberb Starling.

Day four, we game drove to Buffalo Springs Camp, after watching one more massive crossing. As we talked to other trekkers, they were amazed we had witnessed three crossings; they felt happy seeing one. Way to go Wilfred! One of the things we really appreciated at each camp was our arrival welcome. A hot wash cloth to refresh our faces and a cold fruit drink to re-hydrate always made our arrival special.

We learned that vultures feed on carcasses by the easiest means of entry. We witnessed the chief bird with his head well inside the wildebeest, digging for entrails. His partner is working on an eye socket. Eye sockets also provide an easy entry point.

Intermingled in all the wildebeest herds are nearly as many zebras. They travel well together and feed on the same grass. We now understand why these herds are called “nature’s lawn mowers.” They cut an enormous swath through the grass lands as they make their annual migration.

Two lions peacefully stayed near their kill and let us take pictures for several minutes while other vehicles came and went. At about 50 feet our first reaction was apprehension at being so close to these wild creatures, but as they remained peaceful we soon relaxed. It was not very hot, but both animals had a very high respiratory rate, about three times a human rate.

Day five; by now we are beginning to get jaded, the sight of another wildebeest herd does not create the frenzy of picture taking it did a couple days ago. A tribe of velvet monkeys let us pass. They are not spooked by our Land Cruiser, but Wilfred always kills the engine when we stop.

A sight we will never forget is a male lion eating his wildebeest kill. We were close enough to hear the bones crunch and the tearing sound of the flesh. How Wilfred spotted him is still amazing, we would never have seen him.

Back in camp we headed out on our foot game drive. We watched our guide start a fire using elephant dung to our amazement. We also used the Sandpaper leaf to smooth our fingernails as the Maasai do.

Day six was spent game driving south to Mbuzi Mawe Tented Lodge. As we skirted the side of a hill we came across a huge herd of zebras, in the thousands. This was the largest herd of just zebras that we saw on the entire trip. We checked them all to be sure each had a distinct pattern – just like no two snowflakes are the same. One was so soundly asleep in the road Wilfred almost had to use the horn to rouse him. From this high vantage point the landscape for miles was dotted with animals grazing. Amazing!

The Retina Hippo Pool was crowded with these large, docile looking animals. However, as Wilfred informed us, they are vicious if you invade their space. Although they are vegetarians, they will kill any other animal traversing their space. In fact, we understand they kill more people than any other beast of the jungle. Our cameras captured the sight, the sound but not the smell; as one of us said, “Don’t light a match!” with all the methane gas these vegetarians produce.

Tonight we were treated to a Maasai group singing and dancing to our delight. At breakfast the next morning, we had a large baboon look into the dining tent to see what was to eat. Fortunately, he was on the outside of the screen window looking in and soon moved on with the help of the staff.

Day seven; we were in search of cheetahs and leopards. A pair of cheetahs cooperated and posed for pictures within 15 feet of our vehicle. No long range pictures for them. We learned from Wilfred that leopards can carry twice their weight up a tree. The leopard we saw had a gazelle in the tree above his perch. While not twice his weight, it was definitely above him in the tree. He too cooperated in posing face on, or was he checking us out for his next meal? During our bush lunch break at Moru Kopjes we managed to get one more group photo near Gong Rock.

Days eight and nine were spent at Ngorongoro Crater. On our 6 AM game drive, Wilfred had to wake up the park attendant to let us in, but we were the first vehicle into the crater. We did see a couple of black rhinos, albeit from a very long way away. More lions, flamingos, wildebeest, cape buffalos, storks, gazelles, impalas, warthogs and a very pretty Grey-crowned Crane greeted us. We also had time to relax and read a book in the afternoon on our patio overlooking the crater. And let us not forget the dining room ambiance. In the evening we delighted at the Maasai entertainment.

On day ten heading to Tarangire NP we made a brief visit to the Fame Medical Center; soon to open as a hospital in Karatu. The Gustafson’s gave up their medical practice in California to work tirelessly over the past 6 years to open this medical facility, providing desperately needed health care to Tanzanians. They are gems!

For the first time since reaching Kogatende Airport, we were on a paved road heading to Tarangire NP and Swala Tented Camp – our most impressive tented camp. Our goal was to find the elusive tree climbing lions. Once more Wilfred came through for us. At one time we could see five lions in the tree; we watched a young one scamper up the tree without any difficulty. Apparently, as Wilfred informed us, this is a learned behavior only seen in this NP and we got to see it!

Day eleven, our last full game drive day included a stop by a large termite mound. Day twelve; homeward bound. What an amazing experience we had! ADS, as the kids would say, “You rock!” Thanks for a wonderful experience.

David and June Watson, Butch and Kay Raby, Robert and Mary Bicknell
Trip Dates: August 31st to September 12th 2012

Exciting news from Tanzania! We will soon be announcing a new section of our popular ADS Blog which will allow our twenty plus driver-guides to post short reports including wildlife sightings, news and photos on a real time basis. This new forum will also allow guests to ask questions and interact with their favorite guide through the comments section at the bottom of each posting.

We kicked off this new project last week in Arusha with blog training classes. Currently, we have about a dozen digital cameras in operation that the guides can bring along to record any extraordinary wildlife sightings. If all go’s well during our initial test period over the next couple of months, we plan to add additional cameras and perhaps some video devices too!

Please let us know your comments and suggestions for improvement as we move forward with this very exciting project here at ADS. If you haven’t already done so, please join our facebook account as the guide posts will be syndicated onto our facebook page.

Stay tuned!

 

One of the most common questions I get is “When is the Great Migration?” The answer is surprisingly straightforward, but there are a lot of misconceptions out there. Let me address that here!

“When is the Great Migration?”

The Great Migration is perpetual, and thus it is always going on without any beginning or end! But as the name accurately implies, the animals are still *moving*. Like a big lawnmower, the giant herds quickly exhaust their food resources and must keep moving to find more grass and water. The Serengeti National Park is wide and vast enough that it captures the bulk of the Great Migration within its boundaries all year long. So even though the migratory animals move around from one area of the Serengeti to another throughout the year, they do follow a fairly predictable pattern. The trick to finding the animals lies in understanding their patterns of movement. And we do! Therefore we strategically design your itinerary to put your where the most animals are, including the Great Migration, and thus setting you up for success no matter what time of year you ultimately go on safari.

Some noteworthy events include the great wildebeest calving that occurs during February, and the crossing of the great Mara River that can occur almost anytime during the dry season, usually crossing the river multiple times between late July and early November.

*****

Another common variation of the question, worth addressing here, goes something like this:  “My safari is during the dry season (July – Nov).  Don’t I need to visit Kenya to see The Great Migration?”

The short answer is “No”.  You can see The Great Migration by visiting Tanzania alone, but if you just go to Kenya without visiting Tanzania you may miss it!

The long answer:  If you look at a map, you can see that Tanzania borders Kenya, and that the Serengeti National Park butts up against the Northern border of Tanzania aka Southern border of Kenya. The Masai Mara is quite simply a small extension of the Northern Serengeti ecosystem, the part that lops over the Kenya border, and even though it is a large area, it is quite small in size compared to the vast Serengeti on the Tanzania side. It’s true that a (relatively) small portion of the Migration may spill over into Kenya’s Masai Mara during the dry season, August through September, but even during this time it is estimated at least 80% of the Migration is always on the Tanzania side. There is not a convenient way to cross the border from Tanzania to Kenya at the Mara, or vice versa. There is a gate “Sand River/Bologonja Gate” that links the Masai Mara to the Serengeti, but this is NOT an official border crossing between the two countries. It’s no secret that the Masai Mara has become overbuilt with many tourist lodges, and Tanzanian officials have been adamant about keeping the Sand River Gate closed “for environmental reasons”, which basically means keeping all those crowds of Kenya tourists at bay. Not a particularly convenient policy for people wanting to visit both countries, but it has been an invaluable strategy in keeping the Northern Serengeti in its pristine condition. There is another border crossing at the “Isebania/Sirari Gate” several miles away, but the trip consists of hours and hours of unpleasant transfer driving that has not always been the safest route.

So as stated previously, you can see The Great Migration by visiting Tanzania alone, but if you just go to Kenya without visiting Tanzania you may miss it. But don’t take our word for it. Per the latest research report in 2008, which was published in Serengeti III , Human Impacts on Ecosystem Dynamics:

-The use of the Maasai Mara Reserve and the Mara area by the Serengeti migratory wildebeest population had dropped by some 65%.

-The percentage of migratory wildebeest moving into Kenya was at its highest in 1984 when an estimated .866 million wildebeest or 68% of the total wildebeest population entered into Kenya. Since 1984, there has been a precipitous drop in the numbers of migratory wildebeest entering the Mara area and Kenya, which has never recovered.

-It is estimated that currently only .307 million or 27% of the wildebeest migration enter into Kenya during the dry season (July to October). The remaining 73% or .830 million of the migratory wildebeest remain in Tanzania and within Serengeti National Park during the dry season.

-In the absence of any evidence of major changes in rainfall, various explanations have been hypothesized as to reasons for this phenomenon including:

–Explosive growth in large scale (mechanized) agriculture on the borders of the Maasai Mara Game Reserve

–Small-scale cultivation and land subdivision in the Mara area

–Concentration of both pastoral settlements and tourist facilities within and around the Mara reserve

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Regards,

Bruce and Amy Power
Berkeley, CA, USA
September 2012

 

A topic that often gets discussed with prospective clients is the food that will be served during their trip, so thought I would address it here!

• What is the food like on safari?

Guests on safari are often surprised at the variety and sheer deliciousness of the meals served at the lodges while they are on safari, as well as their familiarity with commonly served items such as fresh fruit and vegetables,  chicken, beef, lamb and fish.  If one is conjuring up images of seeing zebra or wildebeest on the menu, that would be inaccurate to say the least!

A typical dinner at many lodges/camps will consist of approximately 3-4 courses. You’ll be able to order a la carte off of a menu most of the time, and have a choice of an appetizer, soup or salad, main course (consisting of baked or grilled chicken, beef, lamb, or fish) often served with delicate sauces, vegetables and a starch (baked potatoes or cooked rice, etc.), followed by dessert such as a fruit torte or tiramisu and tea or coffee.

The buffets are also very good. For example, the international dinner buffet at Serena hotels usually consists of many (many) items. Salad bar with salads and vegetables such as fresh avacados; fresh fruits such as mango, watermelon, pineapple and passion fruit; fresh breads and cheeses; sliced meats or baked or grilled entrees (such as those listed in the first paragraph above), and a dessert bar with an assortment of fresh fruits, pastries, cakes, tortes, pies, etc.

Hot lunches may be lighter than dinners, but you’ll still have a variety of many of the various items listed above to choose from. Hot breakfasts usually consist of eggs cooked to order along with a breakfast meat such as sausage or bacon, along with a cold buffet of cereals, yogurts, breads, fruits and sliced meats.

You will always have the option of eating a hot breakfast and lunch at the lodge, but we do recommend going out early in the morning on most days and maybe even staying out all day on some days… in these cases we do recommend bringing a picnic breakfast and/or lunch with you. Usually the boxed meals feature items like roasted chicken (served cold), sandwiches, hardboiled eggs, bread, fruits, cheeses, coffee, tea, etc. If you want to enjoy an early hot breakfast at the lodge, they can usually be arranged around 7am or even earlier at some if requested ahead of time. Or you can go out for an early morning game drive at say 6am, and then come back to the lodge for a hot breakfast mid morning maybe around 9am. The options are endless!

• I have a special diet (ie. Vegetarian, gluten-free, food allergy, etc.) Will that be a problem?

Special diets are not usually any problem, as long as we know about them ahead of time. On our “Reservations Booking Form”, which you’ll fill out and return to us when you book the safari, there is a question that asks you to note whether or not you have a special diet. Please make a note there so we’ll be sure to alert the lodges ahead of time, so they are well prepared before you arrive with the right ingredients to make delicious meals for you that still fall within your dietary requirements.

 

One question I am frequently asked by clients prior to their safari is “will my cell phone work in Tanzania?”  Often times people just want the option to periodically touch base with family, friends or even work colleagues back home.

Guests need to check directly with their cell phone service provider to see if their personal cell phones will work in Tanzania. The ability to use a personal cell phone is a direct function of what coverage each guest’s personal cell phone company can provide, and may also be influenced by the specific phone device. It’s important to check before trying to use one’s personal US cell phone in Tanzania because even though it may “work”, one wouldn’t want to be surprised later with some nasty roaming fees or other expensive international charges.

Guests can also use a Tanzanian cell phone, which seems to work out as the best option for most people. As part of our standard procedure, Africa Dream Safaris will lend each family or group a “local” Tanzanian company cell phone during their time in Tanzania so they have a way to contact our staff in the event of an emergency. The phone comes pre-loaded with approx $10 worth of “time”, which is plenty of credit to make several calls within Tanzania. They can use this phone to make outgoing calls to the US, but be aware the international fees to make these calls are pretty expensive and causes the pre-loaded credit to run out pretty quickly.  An alternative would be to have the clients’ family or friends call them directly on the Tanzania cell phone, as it will be free for them to receive calls and probably a lot less expensive for someone in the States to call Tanzania than vice versa. They can buy more time as they go in the form of calling cards, which are typically available for sale in Arusha and at many of the lodge gift shops.

The clients will be given this cell phone immediately upon arrival in Tanzania. Then… they can send an email from the hotel or make a quick call to a family member or friend to give out the number. These seems to be the easiest way to get the cell phone number out there to family and friends.