Western Serengeti (Grumeti River Camp) (6/9/2004)
Plan a Great Migration Safari with vacationtechnician.com
Our trip from Grumeti River Camp to the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge was slowed somewhat by the mass of the migration right on the road around Seronera in the Serengeti. The majority of them were feeding and only a few lines were heading steadily west. We proceeded to Ngorongoro Crater Lodge and on the way saw many herds of zebra, Grants & Thomsons gazelles, hyenas and a herd of about 40 elephant....
More here: The Great Migration Serengetti National Park Updates
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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Safari Field Reports
About The VacationTechncian Company
Relaxing Ras Kutani and Spectacular Southern Tanzania from just USD 2563.00 per person sharing for this 8-day/7-night vacationtechnician.com safari.
Relax on the white coral-sand beaches of Ras Kutani, situated on the spectacular Southern Tanzanian coast just south of Dar es Salaam, before embarking on an incredible safari in the wilderness highspots of Southern Tanzania. Experience the heart of the magnificent Selous Game Reserve on game-drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles and game viewing from riverboats along the Rufiji River. From your safari camp Jongomero, located on the banks of the seasonal Jongomero River, explore the fascinating and game-rich Ruaha National Park � pure untouched Africa.
Price: From USD 2563.00 per person sharing for this 8-day/7-night safari
Highlights: WILDLIFE SAFARIS AT SELOUS SAFARI CAMP, TANZANIA
Exceptional African wilderness: The 54 000-square kilometre (20 849-square mile) Selous Game Reserve � a World Heritage Site � is one of the largest protected wilderness reserves in the world, boasting an enormous array of diverse African wildlife.
Largest protected wilderness reserve in Africa
Exceptionally diverse landscape
Largest elephant population in the world
World Heritage Site
Excellent birdwatching
Tanzania Safaris with vacationtechnician.com
INCLUDES
* Twin or single accommodation
* All meals at Ras Kutani, Selous Safari Camp and Jongomero
* Teas and coffees at Ras Kutani, Selous Safari Camp and Jongomero
* Laundry at Ras Kutani, Selous Safari Camp and Jongomero
* Scheduled transfers: Dar es Salaam International Airport to Dar es Salaam Domestic Airport and Dar es Salaam Domestic Airport to Dar es Salaam International Airport
* Scheduled domestic flights: Dar es Salaam Domestic Airport / Ras Kutani Airstrip / Siwandu Airstrip / Jongomero Airstrip / Dar es Salaam Domestic Airport
* Scheduled game activities as specified
* Tanzania National Park fees
* Domestic departure tax from Dar es Salaam Airport � currently USD 6.00 per person
* Emergency medical evacuation insurance
EXCLUDES
* Telephone calls
* Crafts shop purchases
* Gratuities and all items of a personal nature
* Meals and drinks not specified above
* Sightseeing and excursions other than those specified
* International flights to and from Dar es Salaam
* International Airport
* Visa fees (if required)
PLEASE NOTE
* vacationtechnician.com Terms and Conditions apply
* Rates are subject to two guests travelling together
* This package can only be booked 30 days in advance
* Itinerary conducted from Dar es Salaam International/Domestic Airport to Dar es Salaam International/Domestic Airport
ITINERARY
Day 1 � 2: Tanzanian Coast, South of Dar es Salaam
Upon your arrival at Dar es Salaam International Airport you will be met by a vacationtechnician representative who will transfer you by road to Dar es Salaam Domestic Airport where you connect with your charter flight to Ras Kutani airstrip. Spend two nights at Ras Kutani. Activities include snorkelling, body surfing, kayaking and guided nature walks, as well optional extras such as deep-sea fishing and horse riding.
Ras Kutani (Dar es Salaam, Southern Tanzania)
Charming beach cottages
Tranquil Indian Ocean
Pristine white beaches
Indigenous tropical forest
Exciting water activities
Day 3 � 4: Selous Game Reserve
Spend the day at leisure before transferring to Ras Kutani airstrip for your scheduled flight to Siwandu airstrip in the Selous. From here it is a short game-drive to Selous Safari Camp where you will spend two nights. Activities include guided walks, game-drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles and boating on the Rufiji River. Set on the banks of the Rufiji River in the northeastern sector of the Selous Game Reserve, Selous Safari Camp offers an exceptional Southern Tanzanian safari in one of the largest protected and untouched wilderness reserves in the world.
Teeming with African wildlife, the Selous is home to enormous herds of elephant, large journeys of giraffe, lion and leopard. In addition to game-drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles led by professional vacationtechnician Africa rangers, guests may enjoy guided bush walks which allow observation of the 2 000 species of plants, as well as game viewing from intimate riverboats.
Day 5 � 7: Ruaha National Park
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Siwandu airstrip for your scheduled flight to Jongomero airstrip. From here it is a short game-drive to Jongomero Camp where you will spend three nights. Activities include exciting game-drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles.
Jongomero (Ruaha National Park, Southern Tanzania)
Exclusive tented safari camp
Remote Ruaha National Park
Exceptional diverse game viewing
Interpretive twice-daily game-drives
Excellent birdwatching
Day 8: Dar es Salaam
Enjoy an early morning game-drive and breakfast before your transfer to the airstrip for your scheduled flight to Dar es Salaam Domestic Airport. On arrival at 14h00 you will be transferred to Dar es Salaam International Airport.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
TOP TEN SAFARI RECOMMENDATIONS
#1: Best all-round safari: Jacana Safari, Botswana. Excellent choice for first safari, also ideal for single travelers as there is no single supplement if you are �willing to share�. The group of no more than 8 has 100% exclusivity in all camps.
# 2: Best �Ultimate Safari� experience: Best of Southern Africa flying safari. Traveling by private dedicated aircraft between premier camps in best areas of 4 countries (Namibia, Botswana, Zambia & Zimbabwe). Excellent review by Travel Editor of New York Times who took this trip in May 2003.
#3: Best value for money: Zimbabwe fly-in safari. The Wilderness Safaris camps in Zimbabwe are being filled by savvy Africa travelers who know that it is during these times that one enjoys the finest wildlife encounters, at attractive prices.
# 4: Best �active� safari: Rhino Safari, Zimbabwe: game drives, foot safaris with best-qualified guides in Africa (Zimbabwe full pro guides); tracking rhino on foot, boating on Lake Kariba, canoeing on Lower Zambezi River, and more.
# 5: Best �new� trip for 2004: Gorilla treks in Rwanda are back!
#6: Best combination of two countries: Botswana and Namibia. Botswana has lots of opportunities for game-viewing, the incomparable Okavango Delta and it combines perfectly with Namibia�s desert and dune experience.
#7: Most unusual destination: Madagascar. Adorable lemurs, amazing people, strange spiny forests, always the unexpected. Just don�t expect everything to work 100%�
#8: Trip most likely to be a �life-changing� event: Mana Canoe Trail, Zimbabwe.
#9: Best honeymoon destination: North Island, Seychelles. No question.
#10: �Best kept secret� safari area: Mashatu Game Reserve, Tuli Block. Too many of our clients return from Mashatu with multiple leopard sightings or other fabulous game-viewing experiences for this area to remain �undiscovered� for long.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Africa's three big cats - lion, leopard and cheetah - all capture and kill their prey in much the same manner as a domestic cat kills a mouse. The body proportions, dentition and claws of all cats - from lions to lynxes - is basically the same. Body size, social habits and habitat preferences are what separates most members of the family Felidae.
Although the way in which large cats stalk or approach their prey differs, the actual method of killing is similar. The first objective is to bring the quarry to the ground, and for medium-sized prey this is achieved by grasping the hindquarters. With its feet firmly on the ground, a lion or leopard pulls an antelope to the ground by hooking its talons into its rump and tugging downward. If in pursuit of fleeing prey, cats reach out with their forepaw to trip their quarry. For very large prey such as buffalo, lions may jump onto the animal's back, using their own body weight to topple the victim. Once an animal is off its feet, the cat goes for the throat or muzzle, clamping its jaws tight to suffocate the prey. With small prey, a bite is delivered to the neck to sever the spinal chord.
Whenever a cat hunts and dispatches prey, it must minimise the chance of injuring itself - a sprained leg or broken canine tooth, could easily lead to starvation.
In many parts of Africa, lion, leopard and cheetah occur side-by-side. They are able to coexist because they have different habitat and prey preferences, which reduces competition. Different hunting strategies are employed not only by the different big cats, but also for the various prey species which they hunt.
Leopard
The leopard is the most adaptable of Africa's big cats, with the widest range of prey. Large males can tackle quarry up to the size of adult Topi although they rarely take such risks. Medium-sized and small antelope, as well as warthog, are favoured prey in most areas. The leopard relies on its stealth and patience to approach its prey. Successful hunts usually demand that the leopard surprises its victim, pouncing before it can react and pulling it to the ground. Smaller prey, such as hyraxes, hares and monkeys may be chased and cornered before being clawed and bitten on the back of the neck or throat. In some parts of their range, leopard are almost entirely nocturnal hunters, but in other areas (notably the South African lowveld) they are active throughout the day. Individual leopards may acquire a preference for certain prey animals and develop particular hunting strategies. Warthog may be captured as they leave or enter their underground burrows, entailing a lengthy wait for a patient leopard. Catfish will be plucked from shrinking pools at the end of the rainy season by a leopard which ignores other quarry.
Lion
Lion are the only truly social cats and adult females typically hunt in pairs or groups. When hunting favoured prey such as wildebeest or zebra, lions usually stalk to within 30 metres before rushing at them. In most cases the lions will wait until the quarry has turned away or has its head down. Once it detects danger, the victim bolts but it may be too late. On rare occasions, (and invariably in daylight) lion may ambush prey, with one member of the pride lying in wait as its partner forces the quarry to run in its direction. The sheer abundance of prey can also determine hunting strategies. When great herds of migratory wildebeest are milling about, lions can simply rush into them and pull down one or more of the confused animals. When the same herds gather to cross the Grumeti or Mara rivers, lions simply wait at favoured crossing points and pick off the startled wildebeest. Although male lions have the reputation (quite deserved) of pirating free meals from hardworking lionesses, they are called upon when extra large prey is tackled. Several females may corner and threaten a buffalo, but it will usually take a big male to topple such a beast. In northern Botswana, some large lion prides have taken to preying on young and even sub-adult elephant, and this entails tight teamwork to separate their targets from defensive adults. In South Africa's Kruger National Park, lions appear to have become adept at killing giraffe by attacking them on tarmac roads where the tall mammals lose their foothold on the slippery surface. Lions generally have a higher success rate when hunting after dark.
Cheetah
Built for speed, cheetah hunt by day. They are less reliant on stalking than leopard or lion, but most successful hunts involve walking slowly towards their prey, and �freezing' their posture each time the quarry looks in their direction. Once a cheetah gets to within a range of 50 metres or less, it will sprint towards the prey, instantaneously singling out one individual. With its quarry in full flight, the cheetah's strategy is to catch up with it and strike out, clipping its back legs. The faster a gazelle or antelope is running, the more readily it tumbles. Such a fall may cause a broken leg, but within seconds the cheetah takes hold of its victim's throat and clasps its jaws tightly. Cheetah only have about 300 metres in which to catch their prey, because they cannot continue at full speed beyond that. Gazelles often evade cheetah by turning sharply, while animals which stand their ground are rarely attacked. Cheetah are less adaptable than lions or leopards, but some individuals may become adept at hunting in thick bushland where sprinting is impossible. At Kwandwe, in the Eastern Cape Province, some Cheetah have broken all the 'rules' and have taken to hunting on moonlit nights.
Watching any of the big cats on the hunt is one of the most thrilling elements of a safari. With astute and sensitive guides and an intimate knowledge of predator territories vacationtechnician guided safaris provide some of the best opportunities to witness this behaviour.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
"When my mother took me to Botswana and Zimbabwe in 2001, I fully expected it to be the "trip of a lifetime," never imagining that I would become so passionate about Africa, needing to return every year. So, yes, Africa is the best vacation place I've ever been. Why?
First and foremost -seeing the wild animals in their natural habitat. I have had a lifelong love for animals and have refused to set foot in zoos for over 30 years.
I can't begin to describe the thrill when first seeing a herd of elephants on the shore of the Gache Gache River in Zimbabwe. Or, getting within five feet of the mountain gorillas in Uganda. For me, NOTHING can compare to those experiences.
I think, for me, Africa provides an experience that is so profoundly different from my day-to-day existence. I live in San Francisco and have lived here, in the heart of the city, for my entire adult life. While I've visited Paris, London, Rome, Florence, Venice, Brussels, New York, which all have their individual charm and beauty and excitement, they are, for me, just variations of all major cities.
It was not until I visited Africa that I realized that I am no longer intrigued or even interested in spending my vacations that way--running around a city, going to museums, hanging out in cafes, finding restaurants, shopping, etc. etc. I can do all that home.
Africa allows me to just be....I am forced to relax and just look and listen and smell...No other place on earth provides that type of serenity".
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"The answer to the question for me is absolutely, completely, whole-heartedly, YES.
I have been completely around the world over a period of 2 years, years ago.
Went from east to west (starting in the states and then Hawaii, Japan etc.). Other times I have visited and lived in several countries.
Out of all of these, Africa is my favorite. Africa is special.
Outside of Africa, the country that makes the deepest impression is India, however I will never consider it a holiday - it is an experience. Some favorite cities - Kyoto, London. Crete was a wonderful holiday location.
But for me, an animal lover, everything pales compared to Africa.
-Waking up in the bush and wondering what wonderful animals I'll see today...?
-Heading out to a new camp and wondering what interesting people I'll meet.
Typically when we travel in other places we don't meet a lot of new people, at least not long enough to have a two-hour dinner conversation.
Wonderful, adventurous people that are also traveling and kind gentle people who live in Africa. I just feel that traveling in Africa was like nothing else I had done before and yes, it meant so much to me that I wish everyone I know could experience it.
I never felt so alive as I did there".
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
V A G A B O N D I N G >: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Excellent description of finding the Mountain Gorillas in the Bwindi National Park, Uganda. Additional information on gorilla tracking or trekking can be reviewed here:
Uganda
Bwindi Inpenetrable Forest
Gorilla Trekking Photo Primer -the lighting is very difficult under the dense forest canopy!
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
The atoll that time forgot: Aldabra Islands
Campaigners fear for future of giant tortoises and crabs.
For millennia the atoll known as Aldabra has bloomed in the absence of man. A speck in the Indian Ocean hundreds of miles from inhabited islands, it spawned tortoises big enough to knock over trees and crabs powerful enough to rip open coconuts.
White-throated rails, the last surviving flightless bird of the Indian Ocean, wandered the scrub, and in the lagoon darted sharks, ray, groupers and other exotic fish. Sailors occasionally landed but did not linger, for want of fresh water and timber.
But in the mid-1960s Britain appeared to deliver the unique ecosystem's death sentence by deciding to site a military base at Aldabra, effectively turning it into a giant aircraft carrier.
Campaigners rolled back that decision in what was feted as a landmark victory for the modern environmental movement, leaving the atoll's four main islands, Grande Terre, Malabar, Polymnie and Picard, largely untouched to this day.
Now that may change because a luxury safari camp is being planned for Aldabra. The age of ecotourism has caught up with the land that time forgot. The government of the Seychelles, the archipelago east of Africa which administers the atoll, has tendered for a resort to cater for the super-rich in anticipation of charging each visitor thousands of dollars a day.
The prospect has horrified conservationists. Tam Dalyell, the Labour MP who led opposition to the military base, vowed yesterday to launch a new campaign on behalf of Aldabra, which remains part of the British Indian Ocean Territory. "I am absolutely dismayed," he said. "It would alter the nature of the atoll. The idea was to keep it as pristine as possible."
Mr Dalyell, now the father of the House of Commons, said he would raise the issue in parliament when it resumes after the Easter break and lobby the Foreign Office.
But the South African company which has tendered to build the resort, Wilderness Safaris, said its environmental record was impeccable and it would manage the world heritage site better than scientists who, it said, treated the atoll as a private playground while stationed there for research.
"Why should it be scientists that have exclusive access? They can be the worst when it comes to looking after the environment," said a company director, Russel Friedman.
Aldabra is situated in the extreme south-west of the Seychelles archipelago, 375 miles east of Africa, 250 miles north-west of Madagascar and 685 miles south-west of the main Seychelles population centre, Mah�.
It is the world's largest raised coral atoll; its last submergence was about 125,000 years ago. It hosts endemic insects, plants and mammals, including 152,000 giant tortoises, the world's largest population of this reptile. Believed to live beyond 100 years, the tortoises weigh up to 250kg (39 stones) and are known to push over shrubs and small trees when foraging for food.
Robber crabs measuring up to a metre long - the world's largest terrestrial arthropods - rove the beaches and climb palm trees in search of coconuts, which they open with huge pincers. The world's second largest population of frigate birds use the atoll for their sanctuary.
Described by Sir David Attenborough as "one of the wonders of the world", the atoll was declared a world heritage site by the UN in 1982.
The government of the Seychelles, whose beaches attract celebrities such as the England rugby star Jonny Wilkinson, wants to attract rich tourists and for Aldabra to pay its own way.
"It costs us $500,000 a year to run Aldabra," Lindsey Chong Seng, executive director of the Seychelles Island Foundation (SIF) which manages Aldabra, told Reuters. "In order to maintain the atoll, we have to put Aldabra on a sustainable footing by introducing an upmarket eco-lodge."
He said plans included building six blocks, accommodating a total of 12 people, on the western island of Picard. Visitors will be expected to pay up to $2,000 (�1,090) a night.
Wilderness Safaris, a vacationtechnician.com partner, is the only company to have tendered, according to Mr Friedman. The Johannesburg-based company runs 48 lodges across southern Africa, many of them in environmentally sensitive areas.
Non-governmental organisations promised funding but it never materialised, Mr Friedman said, prompting the authorities to seek alternative means.
He envisaged a maximum of 20 visitors spending a week at a time on the atoll, adding that it would be better off hosting monitored tourists than PhD students duplicating predecessors' research.
"It's an awesome place, really amazing. If you go there and don't enjoy yourself there must be something wrong with you," Mr Friedman said.
But he said the company had asked the authorities to suspend the tender process for 12 months while the tourism market improved.
A marine researcher who spent several months on the island but declined to be named said a luxury safari camp would compound rising sea temperatures and erosion which are already threatening the ecosystem.
Mr Dalyell echoed those concerns, claiming that no matter how well intentioned, a resort would damage the atoll.
Paradise being lost
The Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos archipelago, 600 miles off Ecuador, was discovered by Charles Darwin and is home to giant tortoises, lava lizards and penguins. The ecosystem is threatened by fishermen demanding laxer laws and by the 2001 oil spill which killed 60% of the unique marine iguanas. The tourist trade is also a concern.
Great Barrier Reef
Off Queensland, the 1,250-mile long series of reefs is home to sharks, turtles and more than 1,500 types of fish. Concern that overfishing is depleting marine life has led to a law that will leave tourism the only permitted industry in one-third of the world heritage site. The million visitors a year bring problems of pollution.
Maldives
A chain of islands off the Indian sub-continent, the Maldives are a sought-after destination for scuba divers. But the coral reefs are being damaged by effluent by the tourist cabins. Global warming makes their disappearance a real possibility.
Antartica
Mining and mineral exploitation has been banned from the last great wilderness, which occupies a 10th of the plane. It is home to penguins, albatrosses, elephant seals and whales. But there is a also a burgeoning cruise industry. Environmentalists point out that if you leave a footprint in moss on Antartica it will take at least 10 years to recover.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.