Video of the Great Migration crossing the Mara River

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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The Lion Lady Safari – September 2011

My last safari was just a few weeks ago,  and I must say “I love my job”!!! This morning (Friday) I am headed back on safari and I get so excited (even after almost 60 safaris), because I know what lies ahead, is yet another adventure to be embraced!! Even though, I have been on safari every month, I have spent the majority of my safaris, during the green season, now I look forward to adding, once again, to the depth of my experience in the dry season.

The last safari assignment included behind the scenes involvement (similar to hotel/restaurants mystery shoppers in USA) helping to identify areas of improvement & solving minor issues before they become major complaints. Also inspecting new properties and older ones, making sure they continue to meet our growing list of clients needs. This is just one way that ADS stays proactive, on top of and ahead of things & always looking for ways to improve our clients overall safari experience. Of course, knowing current weather conditions & its effect of altering traditional animal patterns and their approximate locations, is also imperative as it is constantly changing. This is the typical up to date, in the field experience & information we base our itinerary recommendations on for your continued successful wildlife intensive safari viewing.

Words to describe every experience from the most recent safari, escape me at the moment,  so I will let the pictures speak for themselves. Below are a few highlights from the early September trip.

 

 

 

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We Didn’t Expect To Get So Close

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

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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The Lion Lady Introduction

Years ago I went to Africa to fulfill a once in a lifetime dream. I have not fulfilled that dream. I was captured by the spirit of Africa, the soul of Africa. My soul caught on fire and Africa is now my passion. Many times I have gone to Africa, only to leave before I’m ready. I thought that my thirst to be amongst the animals would be quenched, but I am more thirsty than ever.
When I am in the bush with the animals, I am one with them. I am one of them. Each time an animal looks into my lens, I see into their soul, connect with their spirit, I become a part of them and they become a part of me. They are my energy, my inspiration, my passion, and the fire that ignites my spirit and soul. My song is of Africa, The Serengeti, and the animals that are free to roam “the endless plains”. I realize that I, again, have left another part of me in the Serengeti and now I call the Serengeti “my home”, too.
Every year my desire to return to Africa has increased. It has become a passion, a need, something I must do. If I had to sell everything so I could go, I would. I used to believe, that going to Africa was,” a once in a lifetime dream”.
As seemingly insignificant moments in my life all come together, and I step back and look at the big picture, I see that, I was born to become, and now am, The Lion Lady®. I now recognize that there has been the yearning, the passion, the dream, through out my life. I now realize that it always was much bigger than I ever thought or that I could ever comprehend. I feel energized and fully alive when I think and talk about Africa. Africa is my calling.
In Africa, they call me mama simba, the lion lady. Not just because I am a female and my last name is Lyon, but because, I am an African Wildlife Photographer & I am The Lion Lady®.

Let the fire of your soul become the light of your path!!!

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Quote of the Week: George Filliter Family

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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Passports: Minimum Blank Page Requirement

Current immigration rules in Tanzania require that all travelers have at least 1 blank page, clearly marked “VISA” and free of any other entry/exit stamps reserved in your passport for the exclusive use of Tanzania Immigration stamps. However, we are concerned that in the future Tanzania Immigrations may adopt a minimum 2 blank page rule, which is currently being practiced in both Kenya and South Africa. Accordingly, we are recommending all travellers at this time to have 2 blank pages, clearly marked “VISA” in their passports when Tanzania is their sole destination.

Travelers who do not have the required blank pages may be denied boarding at the point of departure. Traveling to both Tanzania and Kenya may require 4 blank pages. If combining Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa, 6 total blank pages may be required, etc.

Please note that the blank pages must clearly be marked “VISA”. The blank pages may NOT be the “AMENDMENTS and ENDORSEMENTS’ pages. In U.S. Passports, the amendment pages are typically pages 22 – 24 but check your own passport carefully to be sure.

Again, these “Amendments and Endorsements’ pages do NOT count towards the minimum blank page requirements. Furthermore, travelers who do not have the required blank VISA pages may be denied boarding at your point of departure. We have had guests recently who were denied boarding a flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg, South Africa as they only had 1 blank Visa page and not the 2 blank Visa pages required for travel to South Africa. Guests did have several blank amendment pages (pages 22 – 24 in their specific passport) but these could NOT be counted towards the minimum blank page requirements.

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We saw at least five cheetahs, up close and personal

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

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”

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

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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Quote of the Week: Alejandra Mugica & Family

For two years I prepared my dream trip to Africa, I wrote dozens of e-mails,
searched for hundreds of web pages, forums and reviews looking for the
perfect trip. Little did I know that the perfect trip was waiting for me in
Tanzania and all I had to do us unlock the company to help me discover it.
ADS was it. From the first e-mail, the first questions and the first doubts
I had, ADS was professional, and thorough with the information and answers.
Not one mail of dozens was left unanswered or half answered. Going to
Africa, I needed reassurance and support. ADS provided with everything I
needed to know to be safe, comfortable and mostly, excited about my trip.

Our first impression about our guide was immediately of man with experience,
knowledge and kindness. Little did we know all our wonderful guide had in
store for us. From the very first day his willingness to get us what we went
to look for rewarded us with a crossing, and a lion and lioness devouring a
wildebeest! From then on everyday brought us something new, different,
wonderful. We were lucky to have a guide that with the utmost respect for
wildlife was willing to show us Africa through his eyes. Herds of elephants,
cheetahs, lions, wildebeest crossings, baboons, leopards, hippos,
gazelles.and more.

At the end teary eyes for leaving this precious world behind, not just me but my family as well. I have heard that going to Africa changes you, it does. So many experiences, so many wonderful people, the children, the villages, and for me, the animals. The look on the animals eyes, the calmness, confidence and pride you can see when they look at you. It is something that only the gift of freedom can give. They decide what to do, they can leave, they can stay, they can fight. In this perfect world they stay, so we can learn from them and admire their beauty. So we can be in awe and be ready to start dreaming towards the next safari.

Thank you ADS for your professionalism, your thoroughness with details and
picking the very best guide for me and my family. We could not have asked
for a better experience!!

Sincerely yours,

Alejandra Mugica and Family
August 2011

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A Family Adventure – Crocs, Wildebeest and the Big 5


Africa Dream Safaris provided a spectacular safari.  We were a varied group, with travelers from 22 years old to 65 years old. Judy (my cousin) was a list keeper and note taker, and she listed 41 animals and about 110 birds that were identified during our safari. Our guide, made sure that we saw the “big five” and some of the “little five”.  He has eagle eyes!

In the northern Serengeti we witnessed the wildebeest migration and the famous crossing of the Mara River.  The crocs were also in attendance at the crossing!

Not only did we see many, many animals on safari but we saw the majority of them very up close and personal.  We shared the road with a pride of lions.  We stopped along the side of the road to watch and the fearless lionesses and the cubs walked right past us. When a herd of elephants crossed the road we were surrounded by the huge animals.  We were close enough to smell the hyenas. Giraffes looked at us as curiously as we looked at them and then strolled by.

The cultural and educational stops were worthy also.  The visit to the F.A.M.E clinic and hospital was especially interesting to those of us with a medical background.  We’ve investigated the project since we arrived home to find out more about their mission. Emily (our 22 year old anthropology student) enjoyed the Olduvai Gorge Tour. Judy was especially amazed by the Maasai village visit. George and Judy were interested in the Maasai shepherds, coffee plantations and the fields of maize and rice.

We loved the mix of rustic and luxury that the tented camps give.  The Bilila Luxury Lodge was a welcome haven in the middle of the safari, and Swala Tented Lodge was hands down our favorite. Thanks to ADS for giving our family the opportunity to enjoy each other on a spectacular adventure of Tanzania.

Rebecca and John McKay and Family
Greer, South Carolina
July 2011

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A Memorable Honeymoon in Tanzania

I wanted to contact you and tell you thank you so very much for helping us plan the trip of a lifetime. I cannot put into words how amazing our trip was and how beautiful the sites were that we saw!! We loved every second of everyday we were there and hated the moment we had to depart.

We truly believe our guide made the trip extra special – there was not one animal that we wanted to see that we were not able to get up close and personal with by the end of the trip. He was so knowledgeable about the land and all the animals – he was constantly educating us and entertaining us with his stories. He was very personable and we felt as if he was a true friend of ours by the time we departed.

We want to thank everyone at ADS for making our honeymoon so very special. We have been entertaining all of our friends and families with stories and pictures since we returned. We started planning our next trip and saving our funds so that we will be able to extend our stay on our next trip – we cannot wait to return. Thank you so very much for your help all the way through the process. We have attached some of our favorite photos for you to see – of course it was so very hard to narrow down. Thank you again and I look forward to contacting you to let you know we are ready for our next trip!

Kristen Payne and Jason Deweese
Columbus, Georgia
July 2011

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We Drove into a Pride of 35 Lions

Thank you ADS for an amazing, Tanzania Safari. Being a quintessential New Yorker, I must admit that I was initially skeptical when booking with ADS because I hadn’t met anyone in person and my entire transaction was over the phone / internet. However, from the moment we were greeted by the first ADS staff person upon our arrival until the day we were dropped off at the airport, we had nothing but a wonderful experience. Every ADS staff person that we encountered was courteous, knowledgeable and focused on our needs.

Our safari guide made sure that we experienced a trip of a lifetime. He was highly knowledgeable about the wild life (birds included), fauna and local culture. He was a perfect fit for me and my family because of his determination during our game drives. There was not one “uneventful” day during our 12 day safari (Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater. & Tarangire). It was as though he knew exactly where the animals would be each day! We had countless encounters with herds of elephants, pools of active hippos, traveling wildebeest, herds of giraffes, impalas, zebras, etc. We saw leopards and cheetahs but our highlight was the Lions!!

During one of our many exciting game drives in the Serengeti, we came around a turn and drove directly under a rock with two lionesses peering over us! It was the most frightening and exciting experience of my life. That encounter was topped a few days later when we drove into a pride of 35 lions (15 were cubs!). There was very little distance between our vehicle and the lions! I could go on and on describing each of our exciting days.

Although we traveled during the dry season, the Serengeti was remarkably still green and we witnessed a great deal of the wildebeest migration. There were times that we were the only vehicle on the road and it was quite nice because it made for better viewing and we were not covered in so much dust. Our vehicle was very spacious, clean and comfortable and the open roof top allowed for excellent photo opportunities. It was always well-stocked with water and soft drinks. The customizable, private safari experience was a good choice for us as we could plan our days out as we wanted and not have to deal with a planned schedule or travelers that preferred to go back to the camps/lodges for lunch. We ate our lunches and some breakfasts in the bush. I was amazed at the quality and quantity of the picnics or boxed meals. Our dinners were excellent and filling and the wine selections were outstanding. It was also a pleasure to have freshly brewed coffee brought to us each morning as part of our wake up call.

The lodges and camps that we stayed at were all outstanding and quite luxurious. The service was impeccable as the staff went above and beyond to make us feel safe and comfortable. During the night, we could hear animals rustling by our tents. At Migration Tented Lodge on the Grumeti River, hippos would come up at night to graze and we could hear them munching ….one night our tent was surrounded! It was such an exciting experience.

We visited a Tanzanian School/Orphanage, and the FAME medical clinic. These were all eye opening experiences and I’m happy that we had the opportunity to visit these places. It’s truly incredible to see how many people devote their lives to wonderful causes. We also visited a Massai village which was a tremendous cultural experience.

Our first safari adventure was incredible and it definitely won’t be our last. ADS does a great job and upon speaking to fellow travelers using other companies, we were constantly reassured that we made the right decision. No changing of drivers, full attention to detail with well thought out itineraries, no overcrowded vehicles and highly knowledgeable staff.

Thank you again!

Julianne Recine and Family
New York, NY
July 2011

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