Bewitching Botswana

ea
rum
D B t
Spring 2014 Newsletter
Congo Gorillas
Masai in America
Stunning South Africa
Horseback Heaven
In Botswana & Kenya
Zimbabwe Blooms
Bewitching Botswana
We are 15 years old this year! The journey from fledgling business
in my spare room to multi-office, multi-country enterprise organizing
African safari holidays for clients from around the world has been
exhilarating. We’ve had the odd anxious moment along the way but
the overwhelming feeling is of satisfaction and delight at what we’ve
achieved. Our friendly, knowledgeable and personal approach is still
the same as it was at the start and we’re proud to have built up one of
the best teams of safari experts in the business. Thank you to all our clients who have helped make Aardvark Safaris
a success. Word of mouth recommendations still account for more bookings than anything else: quite simply, we
couldn’t do it without you.
In this edition of Drumbeat, Tracy reviews the four weeks she spent in Botswana and South Africa, Richard takes a
look at some of the things you didn’t know you could do on safari, and we delve into the Congo from where we’ve
been getting rave feedback. Lucinda reports on her Zimbabwe visit – another country receiving wonderful reports from
our clients – and we highlight some of the fabulous celebratory safaris we’ve put together in the last six months or so.
We’ve enjoyed arranging some amazingly adventurous trips recently. Each safari required us to flex our
Africa muscles using our little black book and some big ideas. A welcome challenge as we’re Africa nerds
to the core. In March our Africa team expands East with the opening of an office in Hong Kong.
We will keep you updated and there will be more details in the next newsletter.
If you’ve not tried us before but are thinking about a safari, do get in touch – we’ll look after
you every step of the way from planning your itinerary to advice on what to pack.
John Spence
Front cover image: Dana Allen
Welcome to...
Aardvark Safaris’ Spring
2014 Newsletter
When this groom
called to plan
his honeymoon
with a couple of
weeks’ notice I
leapt into action
to pull out all the
stops. A slick and
seamless vacation
to Uganda to
track mountain
gorillas followed
by an idyllic beach
retreat in the Indian
Ocean was just the
ticket. The bride
had no idea of its
last minute nature.
Really Big
Birthday:
When I suggested
taking the grown-up
children and a herd of
grandchildren to Africa
to a grandparent about
to celebrate his 80th
birthday he thought I
was mad. I’m not – and
the trick was making
sure the whole family,
from eight to 80, were
enthralled at all times.
They had an amazing
safari and he had an
incredible birthday.
School’s Out:
This father and daughter
wanted to mark the end
of school exams with an
unforgettable holiday so I
planned a Zambian safari
chock full of action. The
highlight was a thrilling walking
safari and viewing lion from a
stone’s throw away.
Cool Honeymoon
Victoria’s Top Trips
Victoria’s African travels have
taken her to nearly all the
countries we sell and over the
years she’s enjoyed designing
countless trips for Aardvark
clients the world over.
To mark her nearly 10 years with Aardvark we
asked for some of her most memorable:
A Dream Come True:
Planning this South African safari for a
terminally ill youngster really tugged at
the heart strings, but I was so honoured
to help realize his dream. He was
desperate to see a leopard and got his
wish – his thank you email made the
detailed planning so worthwhile.
Totally Diverse Tanzania Solo:
Travelling solo, as I have extensively, needn’t be a worry when you
have the right guidance. This intrepid traveller spent her days in
Tanzania tracking chimpanzees, exploring the bush on foot, bird
watching from boats and seeing wildlife in some of the finest national
parks the continent has to offer.
Two Generations:
There aren’t many 74 year old
grandmothers brave enough to take their 15 year old granddaughter on an
epic safari combining three countries in three weeks. It was great fun to plan
and they returned with many unforgettable stories of amazing game drives,
delicious food, bumping into celebrities and a gazillion photos.
A Photographer’s Dream
Seventeen nights in the Masai Mara might not be for everyone but
my challenge was to make sure this keen photographer had his
preferred safari guide, a private vehicle, and all the right kit to
support extensive camera equipment. I knew I’d got it right
when I saw some of his truly stunning images.
No Tents Please:
When this high-flying couple enquired about Africa for the first time they stressed their love of chic
hideaways. Tents and bugs were a complete non-starter. So I planned a wildlife extravaganza from Botswana’s top safari lodges. Several years
on, they’ve booked their fourth trip and now trust me when I say a safari tent can be super-luxurious.
Singita Sabora Tented Camp, Serengeti
3
Report by Tracy
Botswana
BEWITCHING
4
San Bushman, Makgadikgadi Pans
Three Aardvark offices were
represented on this trip
to Botswana: Lucinda
from Hampshire,
Sara from Scotland,
and Tracy, whose
report is opposite,
from San Diego.
Chobe National Park
THE FACTS
The 45th largest country
in the world, Botswana
has fewer than two million
people making it the 10th
most sparsely populated
on the planet.
Leopard, Vumbura Plains
Botswana is one of the
richest and most stable
countries in Africa with a
long history of democracy.
With strictly limited
tourist numbers, you are
guaranteed to see far more
wildlife than people here.
Rains come between
December and March with
April to November being the
best months to visit and the
Delta reaching its peak April
to June.
Sara, Lucinda and Tracy, Jack’s Camp
Even in the crackling heat of the dry season the Okavango Delta does not disappoint.
We’re flying over the aptly named Snake River and the landscape below is dazzling:
sparkling blue waters wend their way through tall grasses, elephants surge in great herds
on dry land and there’s not a building or human being in sight. It’s the cover of every
Botswana travel brochure and we’re about to land in the thick of it.
Sara, Lucinda and I have come from the
Makgadikgadi Pans, vast salty deserts
surrounded by the Kalahari. From the luxury of
Jack’s Camp, an oasis of old-time safari chic in
the middle of quite literally nowhere, we’ve seen
rare brown hyena pups, the odd wildebeest
and zebra frontrunners of the huge migratory
herds that will come with the rains, walked with
Bushmen, climbed millennia-old baobab trees
and lost our hearts to meerkat sentries perched
on our heads. I’ve been to many of the world’s
great deserts and this rivals the best of them
for its sheer size and majestic silence. You can
see the curve of the earth from here while palm
islands shimmer on the horizon.
In the Delta, the extraordinary becomes
commonplace: we watch wild dog hunting in
formation and then pile on each other in floppy
puppy packs just like our pets at home, red
lechwe males fighting to the death for the right
to mate, and lilac breasted rollers, malachite
kingfishers and eagles of every stripe put on
stunning aerial displays. You can’t swing a cat
here without running into a lion. From inch-long
painted reed frogs to towering bull elephants
with tusks taller than a man, nature shows us
her best at every turn as we hop from one
stunning camp to another.
Highlights come at Vumbura Plains where we
see a young leopard hunting a baby impala.
She toys with her prey, a cruel game of catch
and release, until she makes her final deathly
move right next to our vehicle. It’s nature at its
most visceral and real. Then, at Abu Camp,
we ride rescued elephants that mingle with the
nearby wild herd and walk with a youngster
named Warona whose idea of fun is a sneak
attack from behind, body butting you when you
expect it least. She’s the size of a Volkswagen.
Nobody gets hurt and everyone has a good
laugh. It’s not every day that you get to rub up
against an elephant.
We take another spectacular low level flight
to the Selinda Reserve, where, overfed and
thoroughly satisfied, we spend a few more days
basking in Botswana’s glow. Here, you find the
stuff of National Geographic – several hundred
head of Cape buffalo protect their weak and
young against the onslaught of the lions who
have so successfully adapted to hunt them. In a
more peaceful display in Chobe, we watch and
listen as enormous elephant matriarchs lead
their breeding herds through the shallows of the
Chobe River, churning the waters white with their
magnificent feet.
WINNING
COMBINATIONS
Luxe Life:
Combine Jack’s Camp,
Vumbura Plains, Mombo
and Zarafa for the ultimate
Botswana holiday with
bragging rights.
Game Galore:
For a mid-priced but top end
safari, try Kwetsani, Tubu
Tree and Duba Plains where
you’ll be speechless at the
sheer variety of wildlife.
Family Fun:
Make friends with meerkats
at Camp Kalahari, get up
close and personal with
elephants at Abu Camp, and
go frog hunting, fishing and
locust catching at Selinda
Camp with its endless game.
Budget Friendly:
Try a private mobile with
Drumbeat Safaris or a
scheduled small group safari
with Letaka. Both are among
the best value in Africa, have
superb guides and hit all of
Botswana’s wildlife hotspots.
It’s bewitching here. Blood red sunsets,
animal calls throughout the night, and every
new day brings an encyclopedia’s worth of
beasties, big and small. There’s a reason
why Botswana continues to attract the
world’s best photographers, savviest
travellers, and the odd Aardvark.
5
Wild dogs, Mana Pools
Report by Lucinda
Zimbabwe
blooms again
We’ve been excited about Zimbabwe’s re-emergence as
a safari destination since Francis’ visit a couple of years
ago. The guiding is so good, there are wonderful ownerrun camps and it’s the sort of place that offers experiences
you don’t get elsewhere. Lucinda is the latest from
Aardvark to visit and she recounts her trip here:
With Francis’ praises ringing in my ears
after his visit in 2010 and Zimbabwe’s
reputation as one of Africa’s finest safari
destinations, it had a lot to live up to. It
certainly didn’t disappoint and I would
agree that Zimbabwe is firmly back on
the safari map.
Throughout this all-encompassing trip,
I was amazed by the huge unspoilt
wilderness areas. A day spent in the Gonarezhou National
Park ensured plentiful and varied wildlife including breeding
herds of elephant, buffalo and kudu. Best of all, in eight hours
we did not see one other person. This stunning park is also
famous for the Chilojo Cliffs, which are utterly spectacular
at sunrise and sunset. With the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve
next door – offering great opportunities to view black and
white rhino, boating, walking and traditional game drives
all from the supremely comfortable Singita Pamushana
Lodge – it would be very easy to lose yourself for a week
or more in this small part of the country.
The more famous parks of Hwange, Mana Pools and
Matusadona were also a delight. I spent a magical
afternoon in Hwange with a herd of elephant drinking
out of the rather small plunge pool next to me. A must for
all elephant lovers. Guides here are often talked about as some
6
Black rhino, Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve
But don’t just take our
word for it, here’s what
some of Francis’ returning
clients have said:
‘‘
Somalisa was superb, great
guiding, hosting, and wildlife.
Had some excellent walking
here too. Goliath was the best
safari experience we’ve ever had;
simply amazing guiding, and
superb wildlife too, and also great
fun. The camp atmosphere is
outstanding. We spent a lot of time
with wild dogs, got very close on
foot and belly, took many photos
from less than a few yards away.
Elephant visits too, fabulous. So
pleased we’ve been to Zimbabwe
at last – we’ll be back for more.
Nick & Lucy Wright
Kanga Camp, Mana Pools
of the best in Africa, and the ‘old hands’ are truly superb. Walking with Stretch
Ferreira at Goliath Safaris as we tracked lion cubs was an experience unlike
any other: educational, informative, serious and fun all at the same time.
Zimbabwe has a great deal to offer in addition to game viewing. Renowned
archaeologist and guide Paul Hubbard brought the Matobo Hills to life for me
from bushman rock art, still in astonishing condition, to Cecil Rhodes’ time in
the area and up to the present day. The history of this country is almost as vast
as its geography and no less impressive.
In my view, Zimbabwe wins on all fronts: a great choice of accommodation,
extensive activities, fantastic game and guiding, beautiful scenery, history and
culture. I’d thoroughly recommend a trip here for the first time visitor to Africa
and seasoned safari-goer alike.
Possibly the best safari we’ve
ever done. Stretch is an amazing
guide and a wonderful character
who makes a stay here fun, great
fun. Saw wild dogs six days out of
seven, walked up to lions, walked
up to elephant, got so close we
could almost touch one of them.
Loved sitting in the river cooling
off with a chilly bin full of drinks
in the afternoons. Excellent food,
wonderful staff, feels like a big
happy family. Juliet took 3,000
pictures, and David took 5,000 or
more…We drank the camp out of
gin, and were in tears when
we left.
John & Juliet Hayward
7
stunning
South Africa
Report by Tracy
When we sent Tracy from our US office to South
Africa, we were worried it might seem a little tame
compared to her travels to the more remote corners
of Africa. A few weeks later, she returned buzzing
about the country’s sheer variety, mind-boggling
wildlife and can’t miss culture. Honeymooners,
families, adventure seekers, foodies and hardcore wildlife enthusiasts
will all find what they’re looking for. Just ask Tracy or any of our other
South Africa experts.
88
Helshoogte Pass, Stellenbosch
At almost a million square kilometers, the Kalahari is a magical place. Tswalu is a vast
private game reserve owned by the Oppenheimer family that offers an exclusive and
totally different safari experience in this red sand paradise. As Nicky Oppenheimer
says, “If you see another vehicle, complain!” Track rhino on foot, see enormous blackmaned Kalahari lions, bond with meerkats, see cheetah, oryx, eland and hartebeest from
horseback, sleep under one of the best night skies you’ll find on the planet, and spot
rare aardvark and pangolin with your private guide and tracker. Thanks to shared charter
flights, remote Tswalu is surprisingly easy to reach and nearly impossible to forget.
Not What
You Think:
Johannesburg
Tracy and her guide Robin Binckes in Soweto
The Mighty Kalahari: Tswalu
My vote for South Africa’s
hidden gem. No, you
shouldn’t be roaming the
back alleys at night but
scratch the surface and
Jo’burg is fascinating. My
private cultural tour with a
renowned guide took me
to the Apartheid Museum,
Constitutional Court,
Soweto and the Alexandra
Townships. One of the
most deeply moving and
memorable days of my life.
You’ll probably need a night
here on your travels; why
not make it two and see
history being written.
An Embarrassment
of Riches: The Kruger
As Good As It Gets: Cape Town
There’s no other way to say it: it’s like Noah’s Ark in
the Kruger. Get out your checklist because the sheer
bounty of birds and beasts is staggering. Driving from
the airport, I saw the biggest male leopard imaginable
just lounging by the side of the road – the Big 5 and all
their friends are here along with some of the best and
most charismatic guides you could hope for. Private
reserves like Sabi Sand and the Timbavati get you far
from the crowds and offer up an astonishing array of
accommodation from comfortable
tented camps with campfires
to jaw dropping luxury with
tasting menus.
A stunning setting at the foot of Table Mountain, friendly
people, ridiculously good food and gracious
accommodation for every taste and budget are a given
in Cape Town. Unexpected pleasures come in the form
of charming Cape Malay and Cape Dutch architecture,
a fiercely beautiful coastline, nearby rolling vineyards
reminiscent of Provence, a thriving art and music scene,
waddling penguins, Mandela’s Robben Island, ostrich
sprinting through the fynbos at Cape Point, world class
chocolatiers, and dolphins romping in the surf. With
exchange rates heavily in our favour, a few days here
feels like winning the lottery.
9
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Peerless Kenya
Clare works with Richard, ensuring the smooth running of all of his
bookings. In October last year she took her first Aardvark Safaris’
educational trip. We asked for her top five highlights:
l I knew the game would be good; a 22-strong pride of lion, the tail end of the wildebeest
migration, hyena with cubs, cheetah on the hunt and some great leopard sightings
exceeded all my expectations.
l The incredible, elephant packed landscapes of Amboseli – quite stunning with Kilimanjaro
as the ever present backdrop – get my vote just ahead of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.
l The enchantingly different Giraffe Manor. I’ve never stayed anywhere like it: an old style
English country manor where the giraffes eat breakfast with you. Not to be missed if you need
a night in Nairobi.
l Horseback
riding along sandy tracks in Laikipia with the birds chattering at full volume, not
quite knowing who or what might be around the next corner was truly exhilarating.
l Walking
with the Samburu in the Mathews Mountains where you can hear the
elephants ‘talking’ to each other near and far, appreciating the smaller things you
miss from a vehicle.
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10
Report by John
I recently had the great pleasure of hosting Masai guide Salaash Morompi
in New York. He’s one of a handful of Kenyan guides we’ve entertained at
Aardvark over the years, and it was, yet again, wonderful to spend some
time in the company of one of these gentle tribesmen. He entertained
pupils, parents and teachers at St. Luke’s School in Connecticut with
stories of his life and some striking photos from his work as a safari guide.
On being asked by one student what he thought of our country, he laughingly replied,
‘cold’, but then with a smile and his arms spread wide added, ‘and welcoming’. I’m
afraid I teased him about being a pygmy Masai (he’s a good deal shorter than many of
his colleagues) which he took with great good humour. He
also took my dragging him up the Empire State building,
more-or-less straight from the plane, in
his stride – pretty amazing given that
he’s barely encountered a skyscraper
let alone something of this stature.
I’m looking forward to catching up
with him again on my next visit to
Nomadic Encounters where he’s
based in the Masai Mara but
here is a photo from our time
together.
THE FACTS
l A
former French colony
of around 4 million people,
Republic of Congo is
peaceful and democratic,
and not to be confused
with the Democratic
Republic of Congo to the
east. This region of the
vast Congo Basin contains
the world’s secondlargest tropical rainforest,
surpassed only by the
Amazon.
l Odzala is a truly pristine
wilderness, only 50 tourists
visited in 2011, and as
well as lowland gorillas
and forest elephant, has
a significant chimpanzee
population.
Gorillas in the jungle
With great feedback arriving in the office thick and fast,
and Alice’s visit this summer, we asked journalist Lisa
Grainger who visited the Republic of Congo last year to
write a few thoughts on her trip:
It’s only in the past couple of years that Congo-Brazzaville (as the country is informally
known) has been accessible to tourists – since the opening of the first two luxury camps
in the whole of central Africa in the north-west Odzala-Kokoua National Park. One of the
continent’s oldest national parks, proclaimed by the French in 1935, Odzala-Kokoua’s 3.36
million acres of forest are home to not only 430 bird and 100 mammal species, but Africa’s
highest density of endangered forest elephants and western lowland gorillas.
I stayed in two Wilderness Safaris camps – each with six simple, reed-thatched, beehiveshaped rooms with hot showers, beds with nets and down duvets, and solar-powered
lighting – where I encountered two very different sets of activities. At Lango I spent days
going out on foot, vehicle and kayak to explore
the fauna and flora: the forests and rivers
swarming with butterflies and birds. At Ngaga
Camp, on a densely forested hillside just outside
the park, the stars are four gorilla families, to
which guests hike and then spend an hour
watching them.
Both were unique and incredible to experience
because they are like nowhere else in
the world. This part of the
Congo is wet, it’s
Ngaga Camp
in the middle of
nowhere and
it’s one of the wildest places on earth. If you’re someone
who doesn’t mind creepy crawlies, enjoys a comfortable
bed and good food, seeing stars in unpolluted black night
skies, and wants to see creatures truly in the wild, this
is one of the best places you can possibly go. But be
warned: you have to be prepared for the bugs!
l Activities include gorilla
tracking, guided forest
walks, boat trips, day and
night game drives.
l Wilderness Safaris runs
six night (three nights in
each camp) set departure
trips throughout the year.
l December, January and
February, together with the
dry season months May
to September are the best
months to visit.
l For the ultimate gorilla
fest combine lowland
gorilla tracking with the
mountain gorillas in
Rwanda/Uganda.
Aardvark Safaris’ director
Alice Gully is hosting a
safari to this little explored
corner of Africa departing
the UK on 28th May. If
you would like to join her
on this unique six-night
safari to see the lowland
gorillas and experience this
pristine forest environment
please contact alice@
aardvarksafaris.com for
further details.
11
Report by Richard
THERE’S MORE TO SAFARI THAN...
THE BIG 5
‘What were the names of the Samburu guides we fished with at Sabuk?’ I asked my
kids about six weeks ago. ‘Lucas and Gus’ was the immediate synchronised response,
followed by ‘Lucas had the blue sarong’ from my daughter. As I was asking them about
guides we’d met in Kenya four years ago
I was surprised by the strong impression
the young warriors had made. These
moments remind me that safari memories
are made of so much more than the Big 5.
Abu Camp, Okavango Delta
That said, when I plan my own family safaris there’s no
question we want to see wildlife with some of the best
guides in Africa, many of whom are now friends through
their relationship with Aardvark Safaris. We definitely want
those fabulous moments watching lion cubs capering
around the pride, leopards heading out to hunt in the halflight, elephants pushing over trees, or hippo arguing over
space in the river.
But it’s not just these sightings that have made our safaris
memorable, or our friends jealous on our return. There’s so much more on offer, like the
time we walked with camels led by Laikipia Masai warriors in northern Kenya, and then
sat out alongside the river in the evening for a delicious, starlit dinner. Or the time my
12
Mumbo Camp, Lake Malawi
‘‘
Aardvark Safaris’
sales team spill the
beans on their best
non-safari moments:
Alice: Scuba diving – an African
underwater safari is just as exciting as
the land-based version.
Richard: Star gazing. As your eyes
adjust thousands becomes tens of
thousands and so on until you realise
you’re probably looking at millions
of stars.
Charlie: Chilling out with a good book,
cold drink and watching the world go by.
wife and daughter rode to meet us for a bush breakfast served by a chef in full
whites. The look on my wife’s face was priceless when she realised we were the
VIPs the table had been set for!
My children are disappointed they weren’t with me when I took a dhow along
Lake Tanganyika and tracked chimps from the remote Greystoke Camp. Or
when, on the same trip, I flew low past Ol Donyo Lengai volcano to see the
smoke erupting from it. They did, though, join me in Cape Town where we
visited some of the world’s best wine cellars, rode the cable-car up Table
Mountain and enjoyed the continent’s best art.
We specialise in Africa and have ideas to let you really get under the skin of
the country you are visiting. We’ll suggest something quirky alongside the
traditional – take a chance, try something new, and we’re sure you’ll love it and
the memories will be those that stay with you for years to come.
Francis: The music of African people
going about their day with constant
banter and laughter, the dawn chorus,
guinea fowl and francolin making a racket
at dusk, elephant talking to each other,
and being part of it all.
Lucinda: Sleeping under a simple
mosquito net surrounded by the
sounds and smells of Africa with no-one
else around.
Victoria: The light aircraft transfers from
camp to camp are part of the trip and not
to be thought of as just getting from place
to place – they are a real highlight.
Tracy: Watching a Bushman elder
fall over laughing while I attempted to
communicate in the click language of the
San people.
John: Travelling with people who haven’t
been to Africa before and seeing in their
faces what I first saw 20 years ago.
Jo: Cross country jumping over fallen
trees and branches while riding in
Kenya’s Masai Mara.
Loisaba House, Kenya
13
Horseback Heaven
I N
B O T S W A N A
A N D
K E N Y A
Sara Dudgeon, a talented rider who joined Alice in the Scottish office
last summer, reports on riding in Botswana with Okavango Horse
Safaris and African Horseback Safaris.
Galloping through the Okavango Delta last November was one of the most exciting and exhilarating
things I have ever done, and I can now thank my mother for putting me on a horse at the age of two!
Game viewing highlights included tracking a huge male leopard on a morning ride – we followed
him for around 10 minutes, creeping closer and closer until we all emerged into a clearing where the leopard spotted
us and quickly left the scene. A young giraffe and its mother provided another gorgeous moment. The spindly legged
baby was wonderfully inquisitive and very
unafraid of the horses.
Our staff aren’t the only ones wowed by riding in
Botswana. This is what Charlie’s client Shubho
Sengupta said on his return from safari last year:
l The
horses, so amazing and passionate about what they
do. After four hours of riding they are still raring to go
l Seeing
a leopard in a tree with a kill on the first morning
ride and then getting charged by it
l Riding
with a giraffe across a watery grassland
l Following
a buffalo herd through trees, constantly
swerving and dodging to avoid branches
l Gin
and tonic in a boat with six
hippos in the background
l Those
gorgeous
African sunsets
l The
incredible staff – Katie,
Mod, Bongwe, Sekongo...
l Spending
six days in a tent surrounded by six bull
elephants bringing down a palm tree. They put up a
great show. The tea ladies and myself had to sneak in
and out a couple of times.
l Spending
half an hour on deck with my camera 20 ft
away from a large bull elephant munching on palm leaves
l The
food, I wanted an autograph from the chef for
dishing up such amazing food in the middle of nowhere
l The
surprise locations for lunch, dinner and sundowners
l The canters through water and racing with Bongwe
all the time. Put a big grin on my face each time I got him
wet through
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Perhaps my favourite came when, after following
a family of elephants for a while, we side-tracked
to a patch of water and spent a happy 15 minutes
galloping and playing in the water. The pictures
are wonderful.
Watching the horses at Okavango Horse
Safaris on their evening ‘run in’ was also quite
something. The 60 plus horses are fed outside
and when finished they are let loose to make
a mad dash for their own stable. Each knows
where it’s going but it’s quite a sight – I can
imagine utter chaos if we tried this approach
at home.
The people and the guides
were a huge part of what
made the trip so
special. In addition
to being superbly
knowledgeable,
Bongwe, the head guide
at African Horseback Safaris, is great
fun and we laughed for hours
playing giant jenga and twister. The
fantastic atmosphere in camp just
enhanced what was already an
enchanting experience.
Riding in the Okavango Delta, Botswana
Safaris Unlimited, Kenya
Jo Gordon is another from the Aardvark Safaris’ team to have tested
a riding safari this year, this time in Kenya with one of the guides
highlighted in our last newsletter.
She reports: Having been lucky enough to have sampled most African riding safaris, I was
delighted to be able to finally tick riding with the wildebeest migration off my list. Safaris
Unlimited pioneered riding safaris back in 1971 and they operate an incredibly professional
outfit leading riders through the Masai Mara National Reserve, as well as in other lesser
known areas of Kenya. Your guides and hosts are Gordie Church and Felicia Collie and they have a huge
team of very reliable and friendly locals who make sure the whole operation runs perfectly to plan. The horses
are fantastic, the riding pace is perfect (with lots of jumps for those who
want), the camp is comfortable without being over the top and the
food is phenomenal. We moved camp every other day which allowed us
to enjoy a day in each area (either on horseback, foot or by vehicle) as
well as grasping the sheer enormity of the Masai Mara. And riding
with the migration was every bit as thrilling as I’d hoped it would be.
Gordie’s trips run mostly as private departures so are
ideal for groups of friends or a family who want to
travel together. You get to choose your own pace
and non-riders can be easily accommodated.
There are a number of set departures
running through the year – please let us know
if you would like more details.
Alice, Sara, Charlie, Jo and Lucinda are Aardvark
Safaris’ riding experts – do get in touch with any
of them if you’d like to chat about riding through
the African bush – which is, they’ll all say, one of
the most exciting safari experiences there is.
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Dream
Makers
Our travel
motto?
The answer is “yes”.
Now, what’s YOUR
question?
Celebrating in
Style
Celebrating
in Style
The brief: A high
style safari for a 30th
wedding anniversary.
John pulled out all the
stops with Botswana’s
best camps, a riding
safari, meerkats in
the Kalahari, a private
luxury mobile safari,
and the Victoria Falls.
The finishing touches
were charter flights to
maximize safari time,
commandeering the
best guides in each
country, and flying in
the clients’ favourite
brand of gin for
sundowners.
Granny’s Bush
Birthday
On Top
of Africa
There aren’t many companies
with the expertise to seamlessly
combine a birthday climb up
Kilimanjaro, gorilla tracking in
Rwanda and a Kenyan riding
safari to two wildlife hotspots, but
that’s exactly what Tracy did for a
solo client who asked for an epic
adventure. Pooling our team’s
climbing, riding safari and primate
knowledge, we lined up a once
in a lifetime holiday, including
that all important birthday atop
Kilimanjaro, that ranks among
one of our most ambitious
adventure safaris to date.
Do you have an upcoming milestone
you’d like to commemorate? Ever
thought about a safari? We’ve
arranged some cracking trips
recently to mark big birthdays and
significant anniversaries. Here are
a few recent examples. Let us know
your ideas and we can make them
a reality.
Could we arrange a totally
unique 70th birthday
celebration for an extended
family of 11? No problem. Our
pick of two magical Kenyan
camps, each taken exclusively
by the family, offered a private
safari par-excellence. Fabulous
game viewing, alfresco dining
under the African sky, fly
camping, fishing, river-rafting –
all in the company of some of
our favourite guides – meant
everyone, from age six
to 70, enjoyed their best
holiday ever.
Aardvark Safaris, Inc. 312 South Cedros Ave. Suite 315 Solana Beach CA 92075 USA
Toll free (from USA): 888 776 0888 Outside USA: 858 523 9000 E: [email protected] www.aardvarksafaris.com
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