Poli Village School

Poli is a traditional Tanzanian village within the Usa River (pronounced “Oosa”) district and is close in proximity to the local offices of Africa Dream Safaris. Support and sponsorship by Africa Dream Safaris helps Poli Village provide an invaluable education for the over 300 young children that call Poli their home.

The power of a good education offers real hope to elevate these children and their families above circumstances of poverty. The children here are eager to learn, but the dedicated teachers at the Poli village primary school must work long, tiring hours in over-crowded classrooms and with limited supplies. Through community work and donations of cash and supplies, we at Africa Dream Safaris hope to provide the fundamental resources to ensure that each student has the tools and resources to develop to their full potential.

Many of our guests are extremely moved by their experience in Africa, not only by the beautiful natural resources but also the graciousness of the culture. Generally speaking Tanzanian people are bright, eager to learn and inherently happy, even in circumstances of extreme poverty. A consistently reoccurring question from returning clients is how to “give back” and make a tangible difference in the lives of real Tanzanian people. Herein lies just such an opportunity, and we invite you to participate if you feel called to do so as Poli Village is still in dire need for adequate supplies to support their school. Some items you may wish to consider bringing with you to Africa include pens, crayons, exercise books, composition/spiral books, small back packs, coloring books, colored markers, chalk, chalk board, age appropriate novels, and rulers.

If you bring school supplies with you, we recommend distributing them among your regular clothes and luggage to reduce the change of being asked by Customs to pay duty. Alternatively you may wish to donate towards the purchase of curriculum specific materials or classroom items such an overhead projector. You can rest assured that Africa Dream Safaris takes great care in making sure your gift is put directly to work right here in the village. Regardless, please see below for a description of our Poli Village excursion, which can be conducted with an Arusha layover or on the last day of your safari if departing on the late night KLM flight. ADS will donate $30 per person directly to the Poli Village primary school for every guest conducting the Poli village tour described below.

Available only to Africa Dream Safaris clients, our Poli Village excursion takes you to a traditional village in Arusha. For guests who wish to visit a non-touristy village and learn more about the culture and life of most Tanzanians, this 2-hour excursion to the nearby village of Poli will be a highlight of your trip.

Located at an altitude of 3,900 feet above sea-level, Poli boasts beautiful views that would be the envy of many resort properties. Curious giggling children will welcome you as will the Chairman or Mayor of the village. You might meet at the site of the village council “office” – a shady area underneath a large century old tree – that has been the traditional village office for countless years. The Mayor will share how a village of this size is managed along with the day-to-day issues and challenges such as water, electric and medical supplies. Site visits will include the primary school, clinic, courthouse and the village offices. This tour is usually a highlight for clients seeking cultural interactions and insight into the life of most Tanzanians.

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Peace House Orphanage

By 2010, an estimated 20 million children under the age of 15 will have lost one or both parents to AIDS. Without parents to support them, many children are often forced to abandon school. Without an education, orphans face a bleak future with little hope. A survey of over 400 households with orphans in Tanzania reported that almost 40% could not cover even basic expenses. The most common difficulty was covering school fees, including those for materials and uniforms. Africa Dream Safaris is proud to be a major sponsor of the Peace House, a charitable organization that was founded to help AIDS orphans in Arusha, Tanzania. 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. Peace House is a U.S. based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In the spirit of giving hope, Peace House is creating a brighter future for Africa’s orphans, vulnerable children and their communities through nurturing care, dynamic education, technology research and business development. The Peace House Boarding School for Aids orphans was opened in 2007 and is located on land donated by the government of Tanzania. Courses and activities at the Peace House School will include a focus on creative problem solving and entrepreneurial business development skills. A key goal is for Peace House School graduates is to become job creators – young people who can build a sustainable future for Tanzania. Many of our guests are extremely moved by their experience in Africa, not only by the beautiful natural resources but also the graciousness of the culture. Generally speaking Tanzanian people are bright, eager to learn and inherently happy, even in circumstances of extreme poverty. A consistently reoccurring question from returning clients is how to “give back” and make a tangible difference in the lives of real Tanzanian people. Herein lies just such an opportunity, and we invite you to participate if you feel called to do so as the Peace House is still in dire need for adequate supplies to support their school. Please see the Peace House’s wish list below. If you bring supplies with you, we recommend distributing them among your regular clothes and luggage to reduce the change of being asked by Customs to pay duty. Alternatively you may wish to donate towards the purchase of curriculum specific materials or classroom items such an overhead projector. You can rest assured that Africa Dream Safaris takes great care in making sure your gift is put directly to work. Guests travelling with Africa Dream Safaris are welcome to tour the facilities at Peace House. This excursion can be conducted with an Arusha layover or on the last day of your safari if departing on the late night KLM flight.

Peace House Wish List:

  • Academics
  • Notebooks
  • Pens
  • Overhead projector
  • Ruler
  • Novels (Age appropriate (pre-teen) / topic appropriate)
  • Back packs
  • Colored pencils
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Serengeti Cheetah Project

Africa Dream Safaris is a proud sponsor of the Serengeti Cheetah Project. Our quarterly donations help fund the Serengeti Cheetah Project’s ongoing conservation efforts, which include preserving the approximately 210 remaining cheetahs that inhabit the Serengeti Ecosystem. The Serengeti Cheetah Project was initiated in 1974 by George and Lory Frame, when virtually nothing was known about cheetahs in the wild, and information on their conservation status was limited. Since then, it has been responsible for collecting demography data to monitor the Serengeti’s critically endangered cheetah population.

The initial research conducted by the Serengeti Cheetah Project focused on establishing the basic natural history of cheetahs. Today, the project continues to collect demographic data but focuses almost entirely on issues of conservation significance. Its overall goal is to preserve the long-term survival of cheetahs in the wild. Africa Dream Safaris now helps fund their ongoing conservation efforts. In turn, periodic reports are prepared exclusively for Africa Dream Safaris by the on-site researchers for the Serengeti Cheetah Project. So you won’t find this info anywhere else!

We’ve asked Laura Simpson, the current field researcher for the Serengeti Cheetah Project, to focus on individual cheetahs and tell us about their daily lives and their relationships with each other. It is a fascinating soap-opera out there! We think you will really enjoy the real-life drama and adventures of these awesome animals as they live, hunt, and raise their families in the harsh African wilderness.

You’ll get to read current updates, stories and photos of the world’s fastest land-mammal, all in one of the most exciting settings in the world, the Serengeti National Park! You’ll also share in the on-site adventures of the dedicated researchers who are determined to save this beautiful cat from extinction in the wild. Sometimes touching, sometimes humorous, their stories are always entertaining and I’m sure you will enjoy them as much as we do!

Laura does a great job explaining her work and the overall mission of the Cheetah Project in these reports!

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Serengeti Lion Conservation

Africa Dream Safaris is a proud sponsor of the Serengeti Lion Project. Our funding helps to protect lions against diseases such as canine distemper through programs aimed at vaccinating domestic dogs on the periphery of the Serengeti. We are delighted to announce that Africa Dream Safaris was honored with the Tanzania Conservation Award specifically because of our work with the Serengeti Lion Project. This prestigious award is presented by the Minister of Tourism in conjunction with the Tanzania Tourist Board.

Twenty-six resident lion prides residing in and around the Central Serengeti have been continuously studied since 1966 when George Schaller began his groundbreaking field study. The Serengeti Lion Project was hence created, which is the longest continuous field study ever conducted on a large mammal. One female member from each of the 26 prides is radio collared so that they can be tracked and studied on a weekly basis. George Schaller’s initial study turned out to be a true landmark, not only because he worked out so many aspects of their social lives, but because his findings made it clear that lions did not limit the population size of their prey species. It was not necessary to persecute lions and other carnivores in order to ensure large populations of herbivores. The Serengeti could persist forever as an unspoiled spectacle of predators and their prey. Although we might take this notion for granted now, park wardens used to shoot predators and even eradicate some species from game reserves.

George Schaller began and conducted the study from 1966 to 1969, followed by Brian Bertram from 1969 to 1974, Jeannette Hanby and David Bygott from 1974 to 1978 and lastly Craig Packer starting in 1978. After 1978, the Serengeti Lion Project was taken over by the University of Minnesota under the directorship of Craig Packer. Two field biologists are stationed in Seronera 365 days a year to monitor and continue this long-term study. For a $500 per group donation, we can arrange a field talk by the current field biologists at the Lion House in Seronera (Central Serengeti) where you can learn first-hand about the lions of the Serengeti.

Africa Dream Safaris helps fund the Serengeti Lion Project’s ongoing conservation efforts. In turn, periodic reports are prepared exclusively for Africa Dream Safaris by the on-site researchers for the Serengeti Lion Project. So you won’t find this info anywhere else!

Since there are MANY lion prides in the Serengeti, we picked 6 specific study prides to focus on. Talk about having the inside scoop! These Serengeti Lion Project researchers live, sleep, and work out in the bush every single day, so they are able to offer invaluable information about the location and adventures of our favorite lions. Reading like a soap opera at times, we think you will also enjoy the real-life drama and adventures of these awesome animals as they live, hunt, and raise their families together in the harsh African wilderness.

So what new adventures have our favorite lions been up to lately? View these reports to find out!

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Foundation for African Medicine & Education

Tanzania is among the 50 poorest countries in the world. Poverty at this level means little or no access to reliable diagnostic and medical care, particularly in rural areas. High child and maternal mortality rates plague the country. An estimated 1 out of 9 Tanzanian children 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.

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Four Magical Big Cat Moments

Georgette and I wanted to take the time to write you a few of our thoughts on our recent safari.

As we headed to the airport, we talked about our extremely high expectations for the trip. We felt that we were starting on our greatest vacation ever. When we arrived home, a little over two weeks later, we realized that the trip had far exceeded those expectations. The African Dream Safari team had provided us with a dream vacation that we will never forget. We wholeheartedly would recommend ADS to anyone who is considering a safari vacation.

We had the perfect guide for our trip, an incredible wealth of knowledge of all the cultural, natural and scientific information of the Northern Tanzania area as well as having an extremely friendly and easy going personality. One of his first questions to Georgette, me and my two sisters was what was our priority to see on the safari. We are all cat lovers and of course our response was to see the big cats. Through a little bit of luck and and our his knowledge of where the big cats were often spotted, we saw over one hundred lions, cheetahs and leopards during our trip.

FOUR special cat moments on the safari included having a male cheetah jump up onto the hood of our land cruiser and peek over the opened roof at us. I took an incredible close up of its face (from about three feet away). I was standing up in the vehicle directly behind the guide when this happened. My sister took a great shot of the cheetah through the windshield of the vehicle.

The second cat moment came in the Lobo area of the Serengeti when we came upon a male and female lion pair lying on the grass next to the road. As we were taking pictures, the male suddenly stood up and mounted the female. Somehow, I managed to take a few pictures of their intimate moment as Georgette and my sisters were laughing so hard they didn’t get any pictures of the moment.

A third cat moment occurred on our last morning in the Serengeti. We came upon a kopje with over a dozen young male, female and lion cubs sleeping on the rocks. As we were sitting there watching them, our guide spotted two mature male lions about 1000 feet away sleeping in the grass. Later, one of the male lions stood up and started to roar. All of the lions on the kopje responded to the male’s call with their own cry including all of the young cubs. This continued on for probably 30 seconds. We were mesmerized by their morning roll call. Our only wish was that we would have thought to record the audio of it.

The last cat moment that I will mentioned occurred in the Ngorongoro Crater. We witnessed four young lions trying to take down a mature cape buffalo. During the course of the chase, the buffalo ran within 30 feet of the land cruiser. The lions were young and inexperienced and soon gave up. Then as the cape buffalo ran to escape from any further attacks, the buffalo ran right into an elephant who had just emerged from some vegetation. The elephant and cape buffalo appeared to wrestle for a moment when the elephant suddenly rolled the enormous buffalo over onto its back. Our guide said he had never seen a buffalo and elephant in an encounter like this.

We knew we would see a lot of a lot of animals on the trip but the sheer numbers was more than we had imagined.  The Northern Tanzania countryside was absolutely beautiful. Even during the rare moments when we were in an area with only a few animals, we were lost in the beauty of the landscapes. I would have enjoyed the drive though the natural wonderland even if we didn’t see many animals. Finally, we enjoyed meeting the beautiful people of Tanzania who always seemed to have a smile and were dressed in vibrant colors. All of these things combined to make the perfect trip.

In conclusion, we all agreed that this trip was incredibly special and with the pictures we shared with my sisters and the journals we wrote about the events of each day, we will be able to reminisce about this trip for the rest of our lives. Again we would like to thank the African Dream Safari team for all of your efforts and would recommend to everyone that they book their safari with ADS.

Ronald and Georgette Reckers
Sacramento, California
June 2011

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Quote of the Week: Scott and Michelle MacIntosh and Family

What a fabulous trip!!!!!! ADS is the best. Your people on the ground in Tanzania were simply superb, especially our guide. He made everything seem effortless and he made us feel extremely welcome. Not to mention that we are convinced that he has bionic eyesight as he saw everything from “miles” away long before we even had the slightest idea where to look. In addition, our guide was very knowledgeable regarding the animals, migration patterns and where to find anything your heart desires to see.

Michelle and I are already talking about going back in the rainy season so we can see the wildebeest giving birth in the Ndutu region. Thanks for planning an absolutely fantastic safari for us. Attached are a few pictures for your enjoyment.
Thanks!

Scott and Michelle MacIntosh and Family
June 2011

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Finding A Cheetah With Cubs Was Unbelievable

I have just completed my company’s 2012 calendar and in selecting the photos for the project, I was reminded of how much we enjoyed our Africa Dream Safari.

We had wanted a really special photographic experience and your suggestion of a private safari made sure that is what we received. Everything was great. Your staff was waiting for us at Kilimanjaro Airport and going through Customs was a breeze. Our flight to the Serengeti was interesting in that our dirt landing strip was in the middle of the Great Migration and wildebeests were everywhere.

Our driver was excellent. He knew animal behavior and had an uncanny knack at finding all sorts of interesting wildlife situations. ADS had several vans in each area and the different drivers would share information making everyone’s experience ever better. I like cats and we saw too many to count. Finding a cheetah with cubs only a few yards from the van was unbelievable. The accommodations were very comfortable and sitting on your own deck watching the sunset on the Serengeti at Mbalageti Lodge was a real treat. Dinners were satisfying at every location. We chose box lunches for breakfast and lunch to spend more time on safari.

Our trip was truly an experience of a lifetime and I have many excellent photos of Tanzania to keep those memories alive. Thank you for all of your help in planning our safari.

David and Carrie Spencer
Wichita Falls, Texas
June 2011

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Quote of the Week: Erika Hartle-Schutte and family

This was truly the trip of a lifetime for us- finding the words to capture the experience is impossible. A dear friend of mine recommended ADS and after seeing her photographs and hearing her stories, I had some pretty high expectations; those expectations were exceeded in every way! The guidance we received through the planning process was fantastic and resulted in the perfect adventure for our family. Our driver-guide was phenomenal! His expertise, knowledge, patience, and gentle, quiet demeanor were so astounding and so appreciated. It was truly a pleasure to get to spend our days with him. We were amazed by the sheer number of animals we saw each day and as we went to bed each night, we wondered how the next day could possibly compare to the previous day.

We have 6,000 photographs between the four of us so picking a few favorites to share is nearly impossible.

· We sat and watched this noble lion for nearly an hour; he napped and groomed himself and then stood up and marked the front of our vehicle as he walked away. He knew he was King.


· The elephants were breathtaking; it was a gift to watch (and listen to) them eat, drink and bathe themselves in the mud.
· We were so blessed to see not just one, but four leopards! We were on an early morning drive on our last day in the Serengeti when we saw this striking male; not a single other vehicle was around so his beauty was ours alone.


· Watching two cheetah brothers groom each other was an amazing experience; we were so fortunate to share that quiet, magical moment with them.


· While it was usually the babies and the monkeys who provided the silly moments of the day, this itchy zebra had us laughing. We sat and watched as she rubbed her belly, neck and legs all over this rock- and two other zebras were waiting in line to do the same thing!

Asante sana.

Erika Hartle-Schutte and family
June 2011

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Like Meryl Streep in the movie “Out of Africa”

As soon as my friend Barbara agreed to go to Africa with me we began researching our options for travel.  After talking with several travel agents and doing our own research we decided to go with Africa Dream Safaris.  There were two main reasons for this:  1) They are with you every step of the way.  This was very important to me as this would be my first trip overseas.  2)  They provided for a private safari.  We would not be at the mercy of a group of people who may not have wanted to keep the same schedule as us.

Upon arrival at the Kilimanjaro airport we were greeted by friendly staff and escorted to a VIP Visa line.  I’m sure we were comfortably enjoying a light dinner and wine at the hotel while others on our flight from Amsterdam were still waiting to get their Visas.

The next morning we were on a plane heading for the Serengeti.  I imagined that the flight might be like Meryl Streep in the movie “Out of Africa”, but it was a cloudy day so no animal sightings.  But… as we came down for landing, we crossed over a pond and we saw our first animals – hippos!!  We were so excited, but that was only the beginning of what was to be the most incredible 8 days.  Imagine actually driving through herds of elephants, zebras and wildebeests.  Seeing leopards lazily sleeping in trees, and a pride of lions just beside your jeep.

One of the highlights of our trip was watching as a mother cheetah taught her cubs how to hunt.   When in the midst of thousands of wildebeast and zebras we felt like we were in the middle of a National Geographic photo spread.

Our accommodations were great.  We loved the tented camps.  I think our favorite was the Tarangire River Lodge.  There were only two other people staying there that night (just another reason to go in the off season).  In the morning, we viewed a herd of elephants from our deck.  As with all other places that we stayed, we had great food and heard lions and hyenas and other animal sounds all around us, all night.  At the Mbuzi Mawe camp we were greeted by a giraffe not 20 feet away from us as we were escorted to breakfast.

Let me also say a few words about the people of Tanzania.  They are so friendly, helpful, gracious people.  We felt right at home wherever we went.  And high praise for our guide, Simon.  He has X-ray eyes.  He could spot animals before we could get them sighted in our binoculars.  We had so much fun with him, and he took extra steps to ensure that we had a great experience.

Sadly, our trip came to an end.  We will never forget this experience.  Thank you Africa Dream Safari, and Asante Tanzania.

Denise Burchill and Barbara Johns
Allison Park, Pennsylvania
May 2011

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Quote of the Week: Bill and Gayle Moore

We returned two weeks ago from the most amazing travel experience of our lives. Ten days on a photo safari arranged by our Representative at ADS and supported in country by our expert Guide and a top-notch office staff.

While everyone in the customer quote emails applauds your efforts, client service and attention to detail, these same statements coming from my wife and I may be viewed from a different perspective. We are both television network journalists who have covered many of the major national and international news stories of the past thirty years. We have travelled extensively around the world and worked with many companies in order to expedite our travel and in-country accommodations and needs. When looking for a company to handle this dream adventure, we were first impressed with the endorsement from National Geographic and then the quality of your marketing materials – including the video. Being journalists we are naturally suspicious of the spin marketing and public relations people like to create. In the case of ADS, however, we now believe that you are actually humble with respect to your marketing materials when compared to the quality of service and experience you deliver. Off hand, I can’t think of any company that has ever delivered more than they promised EXCEPT you. This started from the moment we first contacted ADS until we were dropped off at the Mt. Kilimanjaro Airport upon the conclusion of our safari. You and your staff just did everything possible to make this a smooth and memorable experience. I know we are not alone in this praise, since everyone we ran into in Tanzania that was using your company had nothing but glowing praise for ADS and its’ people. Some of these people were back for a second and third safari because of you, the guides, the beautiful animals and friendly people of Tanzania. In our case, we had considered this a one time “bucket list” experience. Now, we are planning to return within the next few years to visit those areas we didn’t get to on this trip. We also want to see the mountain gorillas on another trip.

One thing that ADS clearly recognizes is the important role their expert guides play in the success of the company and customer satisfaction. In our case, you knew that we were professional broadcasters and avid photographers. I am sure it was no accident that we ended up with our Guide. Not only was he extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife, and their locations on the Serengeti, but he was also quite attune to our photographic needs – including lighting and viewing angles. We were all so impressed with our Guide that words alone cannot express our appreciation of his efforts and friendship during this safari. Our Guide was able to locate every animal we hoped to photograph and many we didn’t count on seeing, including the elusive Black Rhino. People viewing our photos are amazed at what we captured and how close we seemed to get to the action. We all miss being in his company and look forward to going on safari with him again. This, of course, is also a tribute to ADS and enlightened management that understands the importance of the staff that works directly with the client.

We have been receiving your customer quote emails since signing up for our safari, so I am not going to repeat what everyone else has said about the outstanding animal experiences, excellent tented lodges, comfortable vehicles, and friendly service staff at each location. All potential customers – or those waiting to experience their safari – need to know is that nothing is exaggerated when it comes to ADS marketing or the experience that awaits each individual on safari in Tanzania. Well done and our sincere thanks.

Bill and Gayle Moore
May 2011

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A Most Memorable Dream Safari

We want to give a heartfelt “Thanks” to everyone at Africa Dream Safaris that touched our lives before, during and after our 10-Day Safari in Tanzania. As travel agents we had our choice of many safari companies and there is no doubt in our mind that we could NOT have picked a finer company to arrange our safari. From the initial arrangements to our swift entry into Tanzania with the efficient staff located at the airport and in Arusha, to our choices in accommodations, add to that our wonderful guide and his knowledge; our entire experience was “awesome” and even that word is selling it short! As our guide said, “Every Day Is A New Day” and that sums up every day of our safari adventure!

We were no sooner settled into our lodge on the first day when two adults and one baby vervet monkey showed up on the roof of the main lodge. They ate and played while we watched and after a while disappeared. The monkeys were then hooting and scampering over our chalet roof that night–like they knew where we were sleeping. What a great way to start off our trip–we certainly weren’t in the U.S.A. anymore.

We left early the next morning and within the first few hours of our safari our guide had spotted 4 of the “Big 5.” Our first sighting was of 2 lioness and 2 cubs well hidden in the bushes. We would never have seen them, but our guide certainly did. Then shortly after, he spotted 6-7 lions climbing up into a low tree. We were informed this is rather unusual behavior for lions – they were probably searching for shade. We continued our drive and saw water buffalo, elephant, hippos, crocodile, zebra, hyenas, jackals, antelope, gazelles, monkeys, baboons, wart hogs, crocodiles, mongoose, ostrich, eagles, storks, African Cranes and dozens and dozens of other different animals and birds. (We had to keep a journal otherwise we would not remember all of what we saw.) Wow! and that was only our first day. Could it get any better?

It did – in fact, it got a lot better! By day three we were in the middle of the Wildebeest Migration. You can watch TV and experience the migration but nothing beats actually being in the middle of it with thousands and thousands of wildebeest mooing and running everywhere. Sheer pandemonium! It was more fascinating that we ever imagined. Within a day we also saw the zebra migration. These too are beautiful and curious creatures and their migration stretched from horizon to horizon, sometimes in a one-by-one formation.

As we continued on our daily drives we saw lots of giraffe, both young and old, and were fascinated by their elegance, beauty and serenity as they went about their daily foraging in the Acacia trees. We spent a lot of time watching and photographing them.

Our special sightings were when we came very, very close to a male lion with a two kills, a lioness feeding her cubs, a leopard gnawing on an antelope kill in a tree, a male cheetah standing atop the rocks surveying the area searching for a female, and having a face-off with water buffalo and an elephant. There were many more such events and the excitement never stopped.

We want to add something about our cultural tour to Arusha. It was a colorful, bustling town with lots to see and a lifestyle that was totally new and intriguing to us. The other special experience was visiting a Maasai Village. What a fascinating culture! We spent quite a bit of time in one of their villages and really enjoyed being greeted by the typical “jumping dance” and being hosted by the chief’s son who had 6 wives. Their school was equally interesting and their students were entertaining. We were impressed with how well they spoke English and what happy, carefree people the Maasai are with their choice of lifestyle.

The tented lodges were a pleasant surprise–very clean and comfortable with “wake-up calls” by one of the lodge staff bringing strong Tanzanian coffee and cookies at 5:00AM – a unique way to start your day. The staff at all of these facilities were very attentive and always trying to please. Marge even had a massage one afternoon in our tent by an absolutely great therapist. It was fun to watch all the animals around the grounds at these locations – even Cliff Springer’s, a unknown animal to us. Monkeys and baboons were always present and at night we could hear them moving about. One night we were awakened by hoof sounds. When we got up and looked out our screened window we saw four long legs – a giraffe! We were so excited we had trouble getting back to sleep.

Finally, maybe the biggest surprise of all…as we were on our way to the airport…the sun came out, the clouds cleared and there before us was majestic Mt. Kilimanjaro, all 19,300 ft. of her!

Thank-you ADS for providing a most memorable Dream Safari!

Marge & Lance Jensen
World Ventures, Tours & Travel
Knoxville, Tennessee
May 2011

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It Truly Was The Trip Of A Lifetime

Hi there. Well, I can’t stop talking about our trip and can’t wait until I am able to do it again! Here are a couple of pictures that I thought showed some really incredible things. Trying to choose from over 2,000 wasn’t easy and there are so many more that show other really amazing things.

A few highlights were seeing a cheetah eating its fresh kill (thankfully we missed that chase), we must have come upon it just after. It was difficult for me to watch and hear every noise of her meal however it was also fascinating at the same time. One picture shows the meal with her periodically getting up from eating to check for other animals trying to steal it, the other shows her licking her lips from eating, red stained fur and all.

At one hippo pool tons of hippos were swarming around and these two were playing or fighting, either way it made for a great picture.

Another great sighting was a leopard lounging in a tree with its dinner draped over another branch. The meal is on the left and the leopard is on the right in the tree.

We had a male and female lion walk right up to our truck and lay down beside it in the Ngorongoro Crater to get some shade. That was pretty amazing. The picture doesn’t do it justice but to have two huge animals that could rip us to shreds just peacefully lying down next to us was something I will never forget.

And of course, my all-time favorite animals are the male lions, we saw quite a few and trying to pick my favorite picture was impossible however this one with the mouth open was irresistible. They seem to be very lazy animals but like I said before I could watch them sleep all day and when they move it’s like winning the million dollar lotto!!!

I could go on and on so I’ll wrap it up to say that it truly was the trip of a lifetime. For a girl who loves to travel and experience new things I don’t think I’ll ever be able to top this one. You were dead on with all your planning and suggestions and we loved every bit of it. We did the Maasai Village as well and that was a lot of fun. I can’t say enough about the trip, the accommodations, the people of Tanzania, our guide, and of course the animals. African Dream Safari’s was the perfect choice and all of you made the trip the best.

I included a picture of our group so you can finally put the names together with faces. From the left (Ileana, Nate, Nancy and me).

Thank you, thank you, thank you, so much.

Lisa Baligian
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
May 2011

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Mother and Daughter Safari

It certainly was a trip of a lifetime!

We arrived home yesterday afternoon and want to tell you that we had an amazing safari experience. ADS left no stone unturned and treated us royally from start to finish. Our guide was terrific. He really made sure that we covered as much ground as possible and saw every animal we wanted to see. At the end, he even chased down 2 huge black rhinos at the crater, which ended up crossing the road right in front of us.

My daughter and I have so many wonderful memories of the safari and captured most of them in photos and in a journal she kept of every detail each day. I want to thank you for planning such a wonderful trip and will be sure to recommend your services to other friends who may be interested in going on a safari to East Africa in the future.

Best regards,

Andrea and Jamie Kringstein
New York, New York
May 2011

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Quote of the Week: Randall and Terryann Sanders

First of all I want to thank you for all your help in putting this trip together for us. As it turned out we had a most wonderful experience in Tanzania. All my worries were for not, the weather was perfect, the game viewing was fantastic and the lodges and people there were absolutely wonderful. From start to finish we had a terrific time.

Our guide was great, easy to get along with, delivered what we were looking for as far as pace of viewing, took his time and let us soak in not only the animals but the beautiful countryside. Many times we would stop to view a nice setting along the river or in the woodlands and as we took in the sights something wonderful would happen. At one time as we watched a hyena for a bit, she eventually went over to her den and let out her four pups, we watched as she nursed them only fifteen feet from our Land Rover.

The migration was awesome, all three days we stayed at Mbuzi Mawe we ran across the migration as we went on our game drive in the Seronera River Valley area, each day the herd increased in size. And were talking a hundred thousand or more of wildebeest and zebras. We watched as the animals would drink from the river and a crocodile would lurch up and try to catch one, over and over new wildebeest would come to drink and the croc would attack.

I can’t put this journey in a nut shell, we saw so much, elephants, giraffes, a leopard, and so many lions. The beautiful Topi, gazelle, impala, bush buck, too many animals to list. We have a thousand photos, and so many are worth framing, I have attached three. Thank you again for this wonderful journey, we will treasure it for a lifetime

Randall and Terryann Sanders
May 2011

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