Posts From May 2009

Quote of the Week: Julie Eakes and Ray McCorkle

We would like to thank you for all your help in making our trip to Tanzania a trip of a lifetime. From the moment we got off the plane and met Jane at the airport Africa Dream Safaris has shown us the utmost in professionalism. Every aspect of our trip was overseen and taken care of at all times. [Our guide] was knowledgeable, friendly, accommodating and a true gentleman. When the Migration was delayed getting to the western Serengeti [our guide] was kind enough to drive us to the central Serengeti which was a very long day for him. I am sure other tour companies would not have gone that literal “extra mile”. We had very high expectations for our trip and you blew them all out of the water. Every night we went to bed thinking “OK it can’t get any better than this” then the next day it would. [Our guide] was so quick to stop every time I wanted to take a picture. Please feel free to use any of my pictures on your website. His ability to spot animals was amazing. We all had moments of laughter that brought us to tears. Trying to teach him to say ‘y’all’ as we do here in the south was just one of them. Asante sana!

Julie Eakes and Ray McCorkle
May 2009

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May 26, 2009

The unusually dense herds of migratory wildebeest and zebra that had flooded into the heart of the Seronera River Valley as discussed in our last posting have splintered into several groups now. The biggest group is currently located around the Hembe Campsites at the beginning of the Western Corridor of the Serengeti approximately 5 kms to the east of the famous Musabi Plains. This herd is quickly moving west down the Corridor and we anticipate there will be some great migration sightings in the Musabi Plains in the days to come.

In addition to this aforementioned herd entering the Western Corridor, large herds of migratory wildebeest still remain throughout the Central Serengeti making Seronera Valley the current # 1 wildlife viewing destination for all our African Safaris in Tanzania. Our guests out on safari at the moment in Seronera are being delighted with not only great migration sightings but also with regular sightings of Seronera’s big cats. Several safaris out yesterday had nice experiences with all 3 species: lion, leopard and cheetah!

Migration sightings including both zebra and wildebeest have been recorded in the Central Serengeti at the base of Oldoinyo Rongai (near the Prince Charles campsites) and in the woodlands between Kubukubu and Retina Hippo Pool. We also have reports of scattered herds still stubbornly clinging to the edge of the Southern Plains around Kusini Camp and the Simiyu/Soito Kopjes. Furthermore, one of our safaris yesterday spotted another large herd of wildebeest in the Tagora Plains just northwest of Mbuzi Mawe Camp where the new Bilila Lodge is located. Today this same herd was spotted moving further north towards Lobo Valley.

It’s quite unusual to have the migration so dispersed at the end of May with herds scattered all the way from Kusini in the South to almost Lobo in the North while the traditional May ranging areas around Grumeti, Kirawira and Mbalageti in the Western Serengeti remain strangely empty. Despite the absence of the migratory wildebeest and zebra, the Western Serengeti is still delivering great game viewing for resident animals including elephant, giraffe and hippo.

Special thanks to our very own Lynn Newby-Fraser who took this fantastic migration shot in the Seronera Valley on May 16th.

Wildebeest Migration - Seronera Valley - May 13, 2009
Wildebeest Migration - Seronera Valley - May 16, 2009
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Quote of the Week: Peddamatham Family

It goes without saying that our Safari trip to Tanzania was one of a kind. Even if one has watched National Geographic Videos about wildlife it can’t be compared to our up close and personal rendezvous with animals in the wild. It was almost surreal to watch these animals at play, napping, planning their next move, gorging on fresh kill in a setting that defies description. When the lion or lioness stares back at you, one feels that we are the caged ones and the tables are turned on us! […] It was indeed the greatest spectacle on earth and our lives are forever changed. We thank every one involved at ADS for this unforgettable experience and trip of a life time. ADS receives our highest recommendation for a Wildlife safari. I can’t wait to go back there someday.

Peddamatham family
May 2009

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Quote of the Week: Susan and Andy Roth

Since an African safari had been our dream vacation for years, we were concerned that it couldn’t possibly live up to our expectations. To our delight it didn’t – it far exceeded them. From the moment we arrived, everyone on the ADS team did their part to make our trip an incredible, enjoyable adventure. [Our guide] was truly remarkable – he could spot animals that we could barely see even with binoculars, then he would position us perfectly to observe and photograph them. His extensive and detailed knowledge of the animals and the countryside was amazing. He was great at explaining their behaviors and bringing us into their world. His patience, expertise and gentle humor made him the perfect guide! It was clear that he listened to our special animal interests and never failed to find what we were hoping for, then put is in a great spot to watch. At the end of every day we teased him that there was no way he could top what we had seen, but somehow the next day always brought something wonderful – a large herd of giraffes striking beautiful poses against a storm darkened sky, the unbelievable scale, movement and noise of the migration, lion cubs playing within feet of our LandCruiser, hyenas stalking a wildebeest toward an ambush (fortunately for the wildebeest it was a failed attempt), zebra sentries guarding against a lurking cheetah, a charging elephant (at another elephant, not us, thank goodness) […]

I could go on much longer than you would probably like to read, but in short, thanks again to all that you and the ADS team did to make this the vacation of a lifetime (although we definitely want a return engagement!) You all made us feel so special and brought true meaning to the phrase ‘custom vacation’.

Susan and Andy Roth
May 2009

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Quote of the Week: Marvin and Theresa Hall

We had been planning and anticipating our trip to Tanzania for an entire year. We had read guidebooks and web pages (there is none better than that of ADS). Certainly the trip was beyond all expectations and more than we could have imagined. So many people have asked me, since I returned, about my trip to Africa. It seems the epitome of understatment when I respond, ‘Simply Amazing.’ Words are inadequate to explain it.

I admit that even I was somewhat intimidated about traveling to Africa, but from the time that we arrived -and before, until we returned home we were made to feel supremely comfortable. I cannot imagine a better guide. Our guide was exceptionally knowledgeable – not just about the animals and plants, but geography, history, weather, etc. He was friendly, had a great sense of humor, was an expert driver and spotter, always professional, and he did everything imaginable to make our trip special. He worked hard for our benefit but always seemed to be having a good time too. (Please give him our regards.) Our lodging and dining at Arumeru, Kirawira, Private camp in Seronera, and Ngorongoro Sopa were really all spectacular. Ndeke and the crew at the private camp were all warm special people, John’s food was some of the best of the trip. Thank you for suggesting that we spend our “extra” night at the private camp. We were well taken care of. How wonderful and peaceful to end the day by a fire with good food and a glass of wine, listen to the hyenas as you go to sleep, and arise in the morning with a giraffe visible in the distance.

What can I say about the animals? It really is impossible to fully explain to those who have not experienced it. The magnitude of the great migration, lion cubs playfully frolicking on a koppe, and nature at its most raw as a lion pride or hyenas feed on a fresh kill. Even the scenery was more than we could have imagined. The endless vistas of the plains, incredible sunsets, stormclouds in the distance, and rainbows nearly every afternoon.

I know that this was supposed to be a trip of a lifetime, but I sincerely hope it was the first of many. Thank you to you and all of the ADS crew.

Marvin and Theresa Hall
May 2009

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Quote of the Week: Gary and LuAnn Brown

After 30 years of dreaming and nearly a year preparing, we had our dreams realized thanks to Africa Dream Safaris. Our accommodations were quite varied and each was wonderful in its own way. Our private luxury camp had to be moved at the last minute because of damage to trees from some elephants and we would have never known it. Everything was perfect when we arrived and we were very spoiled by the staff.

We went on this safari to see the animals we love and came back loving the people of Tanzania just as much. We found them to be happy, warm and welcoming. A few staff members at Kirawira Tented Lodge heard that it was LuAnn’s birthday; about 10 staff members surprised us both by delivering a cake to her in the dining room, complete with singing. This is one birthday that she will remember fondly.

It was very reassuring knowing that the ADS staff was there to take good care of us. [The meet and greet staff] did a great job briefing and debriefing us. […Our driver guide] was experienced, intuitive, patient and knowledgeable. We were surprised at the variety and amounts of animals that we were able to see, from the hundreds of wildebeest to the shy leopards and rare black rhinos. We went places that other tours never saw and at times would go for hours/days without seeing another safari vehicle. We felt very lucky to have chosen ADS.

We had a marvelous balloon ride over the central Serengeti, enjoyed informative tours of a fishing village on Lake Victoria, and a medical clinic near Karatu, Tanzania and marveled at the artifacts displayed at the Olduvai museum. Thanks to ADS, this will forever be our favorite vacation.

Gary and LuAnn Brown
May 2009

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May 15, 2009

How do over a million wildebeest go missing? This was the million dollar question being asked by many guests on their African Safaris in the Serengeti National Park for the first half of this week. The massive herds of wildebeest and zebra that had besieged the Moru Kopjes area (referred to as the ‘Moru Crush’) in our last post, departed just as quickly as they had arrived. Then, yesterday when all the tour companies were scrambling to locate the migration it was our very own African Dream Safaris guide (Reginald Matemu) who spotted dust plumes on the backside of Makoma Hill. This is the western side of Makoma Hill that faces away from the main tourist routes in Seronera. And sure enough after traversing to the back side of Makoma Hill, he discovered a plain completely choked black with wildebeest that lay completely hidden from the main tourist routes.

Last night this massive herd made its way around the base of Makoma Hill and flooded out onto to the Makoma Plain. This morning large herds of wildebeest streamed to the Seronera River. One of our senior guides commented that he had never seen such a huge herd of wildebeest in Seronera before. Incredible! All day long wildebeest continued to poor across the Makoma plain on their way to drink at the Seronera River. One of our guests out on safari waited for 42 minutes (yes…he timed it with his stopwatch) while a continuous column of wildebeest crossed the road in front of their vehicle enroot to the Seronera River.

Dozens of hunting attempts (only one successful one was reported) were seen all day long along the Seronerea River by the large prides of lions that inhabit the western edge of the Seronera Valley including the Makoma pride. One of our Africa Dream Safaris guides screeched in excitement over the radio: ‘these lions are hunting like crazy’! Even our seasoned safari guides still get overwhelmed with excitement at times and loose their ‘cool’.

On another interesting note, we had a group out on safari spot 6 cheetahs today (in 3 different groupings) at the Gol Kopjes on just a 2-hour game drive enroot from the Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Crater. Tens of thousands of both Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles have moved into the Gol Kopjes area and the East Serengeti in the wake of the wildebeest of and zebra herds moving off (called successional grazing).

The northward migration is accelerating quickly and we anticipate the herds to push into the Western Corridor of the Serengeti shortly. We will likely start seeing significant herds of wildebeest start appearing in the Musabi Plains (the first open plain in the West) in about a week before moving down the corridor. The entire Western Serengeti is green and lush at the moment as there have been good rains in this area all throughout the green season. This will no doubt attract the migration here shortly as Seronera and the Central Serengeti begin drying out. Seronera is still a bit green at the moment and we had some brief thundershowers last night so scattered herds of wildebeest will likely remain in the valley for quite some time after the core of the migration moves west. Safari Njema!

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Quote of the Week: Susan and Andy Roth

Since an African safari had been our dream vacation for years, we were concerned that it couldn’t possibly live up to our expectations. To our delight it didn’t – it far exceeded them. From the moment we arrived, everyone on the ADS team did their part to make our trip an incredible, enjoyable adventure. [Our guide] was truly remarkable – he could spot animals that we could barely see even with binoculars, then he would position us perfectly to observe and photograph them. His extensive and detailed knowledge of the animals and the countryside was amazing. He was great at explaining their behaviors and bringing us into their world. His patience, expertise and gentle humor made him the perfect guide! It was clear that he listened to our special animal interests and never failed to find what we were hoping for, then put is in a great spot to watch. At the end of every day we teased him that there was no way he could top what we had seen, but somehow the next day always brought something wonderful – a large herd of giraffes striking beautiful poses against a storm darkened sky, the unbelievable scale, movement and noise of the migration, lion cubs playing within feet of our LandCruiser, hyenas stalking a wildebeest toward an ambush (fortunately for the wildebeest it was a failed attempt), zebra sentries guarding against a lurking cheetah, a charging elephant (at another elephant, not us, thank goodness) …

It was also so nice to come “home” to such great accommodations after our day out with the animals. While the lodges were beautiful and comfortable, our very favorite was the private camp. The guys did such a terrific job taking care of us we felt guilty calling it camping! Hot showers that smelled faintly of smoke, a nice glass of wine by the campfire, and charming conversation with the incredibly thoughtful and kind Ndeke. We all agreed that John’s food, cooked over a wood fire with your basic “Boy Scout” type cookware, was unbelievably delicious. It was far and away the best food we had on our entire trip, including that at some pretty upscale restaurants in Amsterdam which we used a stopover on our way to Tanzania. He is such a talented cook!

We honestly can’t think of how the trip could have been any better, and have become huge supporters of the Tanzanian people, who could not have been nicer or more welcoming. Our visit to the Masai village was both interesting and fun. We enjoyed having the chance to really see and hear how they live, and appreciated their candor and willingness to answer our many questions.

I could go on much longer than you would probably like to read, but in short, thanks again to all that you and the ADS team did to make this the vacation of a lifetime (although we definitely want a return engagement!) You all made us feel so special and brought true meaning to the phrase ‘custom vacation’.

Susan and Andy Roth
May 2009

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Quote of the Week: Usha, Kumar and Sumanth Peddamatham

It goes without saying that our Safari trip to Tanzania was one of a kind. Even if one has watched National Geographic Videos about wildlife it can’t be compared to our up -close and personal rendezvous with animals in the wild. It was almost surreal to watch these animals at play, napping, planning their next move, gorging on fresh kill in a setting that defies description. When the lion or lioness stares back at you, one feels that we are the caged ones and the tables are turned on us! Our non stop encounters with wildlife were made possible only because of the meticulous attention paid to details by ADS. The greeting staff at Arusha, drivers, the lodges, everything was so perfect it almost feels like one is exaggerating […] It was indeed the greatest spectacle on earth and our lives are forever changed. We thank everyone involved at ADS for this unforgettable experience and trip of a lifetime. ADS receives our highest recommendation for a wildlife safari. I can’t wait to go back there some day.

Usha, Kumar and Sumanth Peddamatham
May 2009

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Quote of the Week: Marvin and Theresa Hall

We had been planning and anticipating our trip to Tanzania for an entire year. We had read guidebooks and web pages (there is none better than that of ADS). Certainly the trip was beyond all expectations and more than we could have imagined. So many people have asked me, since I returned, about my trip to Africa. It seems the epitome of understatement when I respond, ‘Simply Amazing.’ Words are inadequate to explain it. […] It really is impossible to fully explain to those who have not experienced it. The magnitude of the great migration, lion cubs playfully frolicking on a kopje, and nature at its most raw as a lion pride or hyenas feed on a fresh kill. Even the scenery was more than we could have imagined. The endless vistas of the plains, incredible sunsets, storm clouds in the distance, and rainbows nearly every afternoon. I know that this was supposed to be a trip of a lifetime, but I sincerely hope it was the first of many. Thank you to you and all of the ADS crew.

Marvin and Theresa Hall
May 2009

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Quote of the Week: Rhoda and Ken Leffler

Tanzania was everything we hoped it would be – and more. With one of us extremely eager to go and the other more reluctant, the fact that we both enjoyed ourselves so much is a testament to the breadth and knowledge of our experience. From the meticulous attention to detail in the printed information we received before the trip to the prompt personal service each time we had questions, every concern of ours was addressed. This led us to be well-prepared for our safari. But once again, nothing prepared us for the reality of it. On the second morning, as we watched dawn break over the Serengeti, we arrived at a vast plain still green from recent rains. Herds of elephant, zebra, giraffes, impala and even buffalo, munched together peacefully on their morning meal. It was as if we had arrived back in time to the Garden of Eden, a singular privilege we will never forget.

Rhoda and Ken Leffler
May 2009

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May 7, 2009

The northward wildebeest migration is currently in full swing. The wildebeest and zebra herds are departing the plains earlier then we had anticipated in our last post. The eastern plains around gol kopjes, which were lush green and packed with wildebeest (see picture in the April 22nd posting), are now mostly dry and dusty with only a few scattered herds of hearty gazelles remaining.

The migration is currently split into 2 main groups with the biggest herd at Moru Kopjes and a slightly smaller herd at Hidden Valley plus a ‘spattering’ at Simba Kopjes. All this week large columns of wildebeest were seen marching off the plains heading in the general direction of Moru Kopjes. Today the ‘Moru Crush’ was well underway as we saw massive herds of wildebeest entering the beginning of the Mbalageti River Valley at Moru Kopjes and Lake Magadi. The Mbalageti River forms a natural corridor that the wildebeest and zebra follow in May. Both Moru Kopjes and Hidden Valley (the 2 main current locations of the migration) form the headwaters to the Mbalageti River and it is here the migration usually gathers at the end of the green season. Accordingly, we anticipate this general northwest movement to continue as the dry season sets in and the herds follow the Mbalageti River all the way off the plains and into the Western Serengeti. As to when the main wildebeest and zebra herds will arrive into the Western Serengeti around the lodges of Mbalageti, Kirawira and Grumeti is uncertain at the moment and will depend upon the quality (salinity levels) of the water along the plains woodland border. Salinity levels gradually decrease as the Mbalageti River flows northwest and eventually empties into Lake Victoria. And, some scientists hypothesize that its the high salinity levels at the end of the green season that trigger the northward migration to begin in May.

Besides the incredible migration sightings, our recent guests have been delighted and entertained with dozens of lion cubs. There are 5 lion prides with young cubs being seen right now including the areas of Ndutu (11 cubs), Makoma Hill (12 cubs), Sametu Kopjes (2 cubs), Simba Kopjes (6 cubs) and Gol Kopjes (3 cubs).

We are now entering peak season though you wouldn’t know it by game driving the usually busy Ngorongoro Crater. Yesterday, there were only 8 total vehicles game driving the floor of the Crater! Here at African Dream Safaris we have 7 vehicles out in the Serengeti at the moment but by this time next week we will have over 20! Needless to say we are all busy gearing up for peak season and looking forward to all the wonderful wildlife sightings that will surely transpire in the weeks to come. With the migration just departing the african safari plains, it’s going to be an incredible May/June season in the Serengeti. Just for comparison, this exact time last year the migration was already crossing the Grumeti River 30 miles to the northwest of its current location at Moru Kopjes.

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