Kent's Family Counts Down to Safari!

As we get closer to our departure dates for our family safari to Tanzania (Kelly, the boys and Grandma Bev are leaving 10 days after I am), we are scrambling to finalize last minute details such as what to bring and how many bags we can take. (What is the baggage weigh allowance again?) I now realize why so many clients call days before their departure with last-minute “urgent” questions about suitcases, packing, visas and more. Of course now, there’s the added question of the Swine Flu. I figure it’s best to get out of town before it gets too serious.

On the baggage question, we are testing three new bags on this trip. In addition to two old ones (a true duffel for me on Kilimanjaro and an old 2nd-hand Eddie Bauer duffel that we’ve had for years), we’ve picked the new bags from the high, medium and low price ranges. All of these bags qualify as carry-ons and are about the right size for keeping within the strict weight limits of most small plane flights in Africa (33 or 44 pounds per person). They are:

• Eagle Creek 22-inch Hovercraft model, purchased from Magellen’s via the link on our website’s Safari Shop. It cost $224 plus shipping and weighs 7 lb 6 oz with 2900 cubic inches of storage. We also bought the slightly less expensive 22-inch Load Warrior but returned it because we liked the Hovercraft’s pockets better.
• The Swissgear Zurich 22 inch wheeled duffle. It has a 10-year warranty and was purchased from Target for $89. This is a true rolling duffel in that is can be packed down. We don’t know the total capacity and can’t find it anywhere on the internet, but it looks about the same as the others.
• A Samsonite 22-inch wheeled duffel. This bag looks cheap and only cost $49 from a variety of sources. We don’t have high hopes for this one, but we’re be happy to be pleasantly surprised. It has a 3-year warranty and weighs just 3.5 lbs with 3100 cubic inches of storage.

The other things we’ve been thinking about for our upcoming family safari to Tanzania include seat belts, vegetarian meals and flight upgrades.

Seat belts: We have been wondering whether we need to bring the boys’ booster seats (bulky when you are bringing small bags) for the driving part of our tour. We have confirmed that while some vehicles have shoulder straps in addition to lap belts, some just have lap belts, so we are going to forgo the booster seats. If need be, we can use other things to boost them up there.

Vegetarian meals: You’d think after having been with Kelly for more than 10 years I would remember to order her vegetarian meals. Not so. But I’m rewriting everyone to confirm these, which are very doable even in the most remote camps.

Flight upgrades: We used miles to get business class seats for Kelly, the kids and Grandma. I have a lot more flying to do. For that reason, and to try to coordinate somewhat with their flights home, I booked some very reasonably priced tickets on United, Swiss Air and Kenya Airways. Now that the time is fast approaching for me to get on the plane, I realize I want business class too, so I contacted United about a travel agent upgrade. What was I thinking? Did I really expect that United (the airline for which I am a very frequent flyer, and the airline whom we book many flights with each year) would really give me an upgrade from economy to business class? When pigs fly…I’m in the middle of the bus.

Well, that’s it for today.

What safari is right for me?

When you finally decide to take that African safari, the first question that usually comes to mind is: how do I decide what is the right safari for me? With so many different types of safaris and thousands of camps, lodges and game areas to chose from, how do you determine what safari best fits your needs and goals? The process is actually easier than many travelers think, and we've developed a few simple questions to help match our safari-goers decide what trip is right for them.

Before you begin planning your safari, sit down with your family or fellow travelers down and answer the following questions:

1) What do we want to experience on this trip - wildlife, culture, adventure, luxury? Some of those things? All of them?

2) What type of accommodations do we want to stay in - mobile or fly-camping, lodges, tented camps or luxury villas?

3) Do we want to be more active or do most of our wildlife viewing from a vehicle, versus on foot or in a canoe or boat?

4) Do we want to travel with a small group of like-minded travelers, or do we want to be on our own with a guide?

5) What time of year can we travel?

6) What is our budget?

Some travelers are looking for a truly wild experience and they are willing to push the limits of creature comforts to experience something few others get to. For true adventurers, climbing Kilimanjaro or fly-camping in remote regions can be a dream come true. Tracking mountain gorillas or wild chimpanzees can be one of the most unique and rewarding experiences in Africa.

Other travelers are looking for luxury and a truly intimate experience. There are many camps throughout East and Southern Africa that offer the highest levels of service to a handful of guests each night. While on a luxury safari in Africa, you can enjoy private game drives, spa treatments, private meals in the bush, chartered aircraft and even your own personal tent attendant!

Families have different priorities from other travelers. If you have young children, you might be looking for a family safari that features lodges with a kid's program and swimming pool. With teens, you might want to head out on a walking safari or kayak pristine waters. Guides are always a key player in a successful family safari--an excellent guide will keep children interested and engage adults.

Finally, Africa is arguably one of the most romantic destinations in the world. From wine tasting and spa treatments, to sleeping under the stars and relaxing on the beach, Africa has something for every honeymoon couple or romantic getaway. Personalize your honeymoon in Africa to fit your interests and budget.

The Great Migration of East Africa

Throughout the year, the herbivores of East Africa migrate between Kenya's Masai Mara Game Reserve and Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. The migration includes about 1.5 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra and 500,000 Thomson's gazelle. It is truly one of the most impressive wildlife spectacles on our planet.

What makes the animals migrate in this way? Food. The availability of green grass determines where the herbivores head and when. While the clockwise motion of the migration follows the rains and the green grass, the entire cycle can be somewhat unpredictable as the timing and direction are totally dependent on local weather patterns and conditions.

From approximately January to March, the animal herds are located in the south-eastern region of the Serengeti where the short grass plains are lush and green. This is also the time when huge numbers of the wildebeest give birth. It's an exciting time to be in the area and one of the best ways to take advantage of wildlife viewing is to be based from a seasonal mobile camp that moves with the migration.

During our summer months and peak travel season for North America (June to August), the migration is in the north-western and northern reaches of the Serengeti, moving into the Masai Mara. Depending on the month, camps in the Grumeti region--such as Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp--and the far northern Serengeti--such as Sayari Camp--are ideally located to observe the wildlife.

From August through early October the Migration is in Kenya and camps such as Rekero Camp, Saruni Masai Mara and Porini Lion Camp are great spots to watch the drama unfold. The Mara Intrepids Camp is located right near some of the common wildebeest crossing sites on the Mara and Talek Rivers. And, as usual, along with the migrating herds come excellent predator

sightings.

In October and November, the animals begin returning to Tanzania from Kenya and the eastern and central Serengeti are filled with the herds. Camps like Klein's Camp and Olakira can be perfectly placed for viewing herds of thousands wildebeest. By December the herds have returned to the Southern Serengeti and the whole cycle begins all over again.

*images courtesy of Asilia Lodges

Kent's Family Goes on Safari

“What’s the right age to take kids on safari?” people ask me.

“Any age,” is always my answer. You can take children of just about any age—from infants to teens—on safari, and if you design it right, they’ll have fun and you’ll have fun. When I lived in Tanzania, I organized or guided families with kids from age 3 months up to 21. (Frankly, I thought the couple who brought the 3-month-old were insane, but that’s before we had kids of our own).

Not too many years after that, Kelly and I took our older son, Grady, for a month to Tanzania, Botswana, South Africa and Kenya. He was 7 months old at the time and could not walk or even crawl—in some ways he was like an extra piece of luggage. People thought we were insane too, but it went very well. We enjoyed lots of together time. When we would take off in one of our small plane flights, we’d give him a bottle and he’d doze off—he never cried. We even camped in the Serengeti with him—we’d just put his jammies on and roll him up to the campfire in his stroller, give him a bottle, wheel him around a bit, and cover him with a mosquito net. Sure, we had to lug around a bunch of baby formula and baby food, had to get his bottles boiled every night, had to take turns staying back from the game drives, and make a few other sacrifices, but in the end we all agreed it was worth it.

For our next big safari in 2006, we left the boys—Grady then age 3 and Tate age 1—back at home with relatives. Our families were very kind to watch them and it went as well as possible for them. But it was stressful for Kelly and I. We felt very guilty and agreed not to do that again until they were much older. But the call of Africa is so strong personally, and for work, we need to return regularly. For the past couple years, Kelly and I have been traveling separately to Africa, which has its own pros and cons. We have been hesitant to take the boys due to the long plane flights and their high energy level and need for a LOT of activity. Like most parents, we also have safety concerns. More about that later…

Fast forward to early 2009. We’re trying to plan our annual family vacation and we’re thinking: Argentina. We hit a few snags and then we say, what the heck, let’s just bite the bullet and go to Tanzania. Since I need to do some work in Rwanda and on Kilimanjaro first, I need to leave 10 days earlier. Even the most heartless person would not ask Kelly to fly all that way on her own with our two boys—especially the younger one! Enter Grandma Bev. Since she’s been to Tanzania with us before and loves Africa too, she’s the perfect addition to our multi-generational safari. Now we are 5.

Having planned many family safaris, I thought this would be a slam dunk. In reality, it’s been a bit more challenging than I expected: It’s hard to balance my own desires with what’s best for the family. One example: Kelly and I love to do private bush camping, but it’s really not the best solution for those with small kids like ours. It’s too limiting because the boys won’t be able to run around or burn off steam at a pool. Another example: I want to check out a really swanky safari lodge in the Serengeti, but they don’t take kids! Then, of course there’s the money. Multiply every cost by 4x or 5x and it really starts adding up! So, we have made compromises.

Even with these compromises, we’ve got a fantastic trip planned. After trekking gorillas in Rwanda and going up Kilimanjaro, I will fly to Nairobi to meet the family. We start in Nairobi with an overnight at the Nairobi Serena Hotel. Then, we’ll drive down to Arusha and spend two days visiting friends and doing a bit of business. (Normally, we’d fly down to Arusha, but we can save about $700 by driving). We’ll spend two days at Tarangire Safari Lodge in Tarangire National Park, and also visit a village and school we support through Mwangaza Inc. to deliver some picture and donations from Africa Adventure Consultants and our boy’s classes at Lincoln Elementary School. Following that, we’ll spend 2 nights at swanky Ngorongoro Crater Lodge and then fly to my favorite park in the world, Serengeti National Park. Here, we’ll spend two nights at Klein’s Camp and then two more at Nduara Loliondo, both just outside the park’s border, so we can enjoy both park-based game drives and walks and night drives outside the park on “private” land. From there, we’ll fly to exotic Zanzibar and enjoy one night at the Zanzibar Serena Inn and other two nights at the beach. Then, we’ll fly back to Nairobi for the LONG flight home.

The flight is long, and in our case, especially long because we will need to make an extra stop on the way back because we are using frequent flyer miles for the seats. While inconvenient in some ways, doing this will save us tens of thousands of dollars as we were able to get business class.

This leads me to some tips and suggestions for family travel to Africa:

Flights: If you plan to use frequent flyer miles for your ticket, talk with a travel professional first to get routing options, book early, and call often if need be. Seats open up all the time so don’t be shy about calling back and being a “pain.” If you are purchasing tickets, work with an agent and check against online options. Think long term: Is it worth it to have a 12-hour layover in a crummy airport to save $50. NO! Should you consider over-nighting in Europe on the way over to reduce jet-lag and see a new city: YES! Pack light and take everything carry-on if you can.
Safety: If you watch the news and they have something on Africa, it’s usually bad. But in reality, much of Africa is safe, friendly, beautiful and hospitable for visitors and families. Especially when traveling with kids, read up on your destination first. Talk to people who know the destination and people who have traveled there to get a more accurate picture of the situation. Before you go, get all the recommended inoculations (www.cdc.gov) and take a small first aid kit with antibiotics, anti-diarrhea meds, pain meds, anti-malaria and more. Be aware of political elections and other events in your destination country. Buy travel insurance!

Accommodations: This is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your safari. While I love to camp in small tents and we do that in the mountains of Colorado with our kids, we won’t be doing that on this safari—there are just too many animals around and not enough space for the boys to safely play. So, we’re going to stay in some “brick-and-mortar” lodges and chalets and will limited our tented experiences to permanent and semi-permanent camps with larger tents with en suite bathrooms, and a little more room for the kids to burn off some energy. Note: There are a number of family friendly units/rooms at many camps and lodges these days. Pools are great on safari, so we’ve also planned our trip to stay at a place with a pool every other stop.

Itineraries: For family safaris, be especially aware of the pace of the trip. Don’t try to cover too much ground in too short of a time. Many safaris are heavy on game drives. For families, make sure you incorporate a variety of activities such as cultural visits and hikes or walks where possible. It’s also nice to have some unstructured free-time for reading, writing in your travel journal and just relaxing.

We’re now finalizing our itinerary and working out a few last-minute details. Next, we’ll start packing…Stay tuned for the next installment of Kent's Family Goes on Safari!