We are often asked for recommendations for camera equipment to take on safari. We each have different equipment, different styles and different 'eyes'. We thought it best to ask one of our clients who is a professional photographer. Thanks to Mark Zable, we can recommend the following. In addition to what you see here, you can check out his Africa Gallery on his website to see more beautiful shots.
According to Mark, the number one thing to remember when going on a photographic safari is that 'bigger is better' when it comes to lenses! Mark came up with three different recommendations that take budget into consideration.
Recommendation 1 - If you are on a tight budget but have always wished that you could get National Geographic quality pictures on your safari, you should consider renting some camera equipment. Probably the best and most widely respected rental shops among professional photographers is Borrowlenses.com.
Here are two different suggestions on what camera equipment to rent. These packages will allow you to borrow anywhere from $5,000 to tens of thousands of dollars worth of photographic equipment for a very reasonable price. Don't forget to put them on your homeowner's insurance policy for the duration of your use or to take the optional insurance offered by Borrowlenses. Prices are current as of November, 2010. All prices listed are for a week rental.
Great Rental Package
Nikon D300s Camera $189.00
Nikon EN-EL3 Extra Battery (2) $20.00
Nikon 17-55 f2.8 zoom lens $65.00
Nikon 70-200m f2.8 VRII $99.00 Sandisk 32GB CF memory cards (2 – if planning on shooting HD video get 3) $90.00 each
GRAND TOTAL $463.00
Ultimate Rental Package
Nikon D3s Camera $359.00
Nikon 14-24m f2.8 $76.00
Nikon 24-70 f2.8 $73.00
Nikon 300mm f2.8 VRII $242.00
Nikon EnEl4a Batteries (2) 36.00
Sandisk 32GB CF memory cards (3 – if planning on shooting HD video get 4) $90.00 each
Grand Total $976.00 NOTE: If you rent the Ultimate Package, you need to verify your luggage and weight restrictions. It may be necessary to purchase an extra seat on interior Tanzania flights to accommodate your camera equipment.
Recommendation 2 – This is a very good setup for a novice-intermediate photographer.
Nikon D3100 Camera Package including 18-55mm zoom lens. $699.00
Lens #2 - AF-S DXNIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR $399.00
Grand Total $1098.00
Recommendation 3 – This is a fantastic camera setup and is for someone who is passionate about photography. You will be amazed at the clear beautiful pictures you create with this camera.
Nikon D300S - Extraordinary still and HD video imaging performance converge in the fast and agile 12.3-megapixel, DX-format. $1699.00
Lens #1 - AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
$1899.95
Lens#2 - AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II
$2399.00
Total Retail Price $5997.00
Many thanks to Mark Zable for lending his expertise and these beautiful images. To see more of his photos, see his online galleries. Happy shopping!
Our third foray into the Swahili language will concentrate on interactions with other people and making friends. After this lesson, you will be able to introduce yourself and learn a bit more about others.
Jina langu ni... My name is...
Nimefurahi kukutana nawe! Pleased to meet you!
Hujambo? (or Habari gani?) How are you?
Sijambo, wewe? Fine, thanks. And you?
Mnastarehe? Are you enjoying your stay?
Ndiyo, ninapapenda sana. Yes, I like it very much.
Unatoka wapi? Where do you come from?
Mimi ni... I'm...
Mmarekani American
Raiya wa Uingereza British
Mkanada Canadian
Leo kuzuri! What a lovely day!
Asante, nimefurahi sana jioni hii. Thank you, it's been a wonderful evening.
As you can see, Londolozi in South Africa is famous for leopard sightings, but it turns out they have a very talented kitchen staff as well! If you are still putting together details on your Thanksgiving meal or you want something different to do with that leftover turkey, why not put an African twist on it with this recipe? You'll still get your turkey, but this recipe will spice things up a bit. Many thanks to our friends at Londolozi Private Game Reserve for this recipe.
If you want to visit one of the beautiful camps at Londolozi to see the amazing leopards, give us a call to start planning your customized safari!
Soak the sultanas in warm water to cover for 15 minutes and drain. Toast the pine nuts until lightly golden in a dry frying pan. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine sultanas, pine nuts, turmeric, paprika, ground coriander, cinnamon, mint, parsley, olive oil, lime juice and chillies.
Place turkey steaks in a ceramic dish, pour over mixture and marinate at room temperature for 2 hours, turning once. Remove turkey from the marinade, brushing off any nuts or fruits.
Pour oil from marinade into a large frying pan and heat until quite hot. Sear turkey steaks for 1 minute on each side until lightly golden. Add the marinade and cook for a further 2-4 minutes, or until turkey is done. Place steaks on a serving dish and spoon remaining sauce on top. Finish with orange segments and scatter with chopped coriander leaves.
Be one of the few to discover the secrets of Malawi — “The Warm Heart of Africa.” We offer a week-long adventure in Malawi where you can enjoy both game viewing and beach activities. This is a unique escape to a place where few tourists venture. On this trip, you'll visit Liwande National Park and Likoma Island on Lake Malawi.
Mvuu Wilderness Lodge is situated unobtrusively on the banks of a lagoon just off the Shire River. The river is a broad, languid waterway fringed by riverine forest, Borassus palms and inundated floodplains. As Lake Malawi's only outlet and the country's largest river it sets the stage for an awesome wilderness spectacle - the Liwonde National Park. Activities at Mvuu Wilderness Lodge revolve around boating trips on the Shire River and game drives. Nature walks and bike rides are also very popular. Enthusiasts will be able to participate in virtually non-stop birding around the lodge.
We want to share an excerpt from the most recent wildlife report from Mvuu, so you can get a sense of what a stay in this beautiful camp is like. A warm thank you to our partners at Mvuu for this great game update!
The drier it gets in Liwonde National Park, the more black rhino we seem to spot during our ever-popular game drives in the Rhino Sanctuary. Over the course of a week, we had the pleasure of seeing the horned herbivore on four different occasions. Most of the encounters took place close to one of the three active waterholes in the reserve. One young male which we found had just cut short his favourite pastime of wallowing in the mud and strutted his stuff in full view of the guests as he crossed the road only metres away from the vehicle. Many of the other guides at the camp and the lodge have had similar sightings recently.
We have also seen two male rhino fighting, and the long-lost male that escaped the sanctuary some months ago put in a personal appearance much to the delight of our guests and the accompanying guides. Samuel, one of our guides, was mock-charged by a big male one afternoon and he just managed to sneak in a snappy photograph before the boisterous boy beetled off into the bushes.
To our complete surprise and excitement, we had a very special sighting of lion between Namisundu and Kadunguzi (on the road to Mvuu Camp and Lodge). Other game sightings include immense numbers of elephant. In just one morning we spotted a total of 76 elephant drinking water by the western bank of the Shire River and on the same day we spotted a Pel's Fishing Owl perched up in the branches while on a boat safari. The second half of our Malawi Surf and Turf safari lets you enjoy the charming Likoma Island, its beautiful beaches and pristine waters. The most important thing to understand about Likoma is that it is probably the friendliest place in Africa. Malawi is the 'warm heart of Africa', but Likoma is the center of the heart. You can wander off wherever you want, whenever you want; no maps or guides necessary. Just ask a Likoman the way home and they will probably escort you themselves.
Kaya Mawa Lodge is situated on the south-western tip of the Island at the head of a crescent-shaped bay, surrounded by mango trees and ancient baobabs. Here, time stops. You can forget your watch, or what day it is and just watch the waves and dig your toes into the sand. Enjoy sumptuous meals and spectacular sunsets while staying in this island paradise.
There are many things to do for active travellers. Snorkeling reveals the underwater beauty just outside your door. SCUBA facilities are available for a deeper exploration of the 9th largest freshwater lake in the world. This lake has some of the highest underwater biodiversity on the planet. Windsurfing, kayaking wakeboarding and fishing are all on tap as well.
For exploration and activities on the hoof, KayaMawa has recently taken delivery of three four-stroke quad bikes and a mini 4x4. The new vehicles were designed to keep emissions low by using smaller, cleaner engines than the usual Land Rover or Land Cruiser. They offer guests an easier and more efficient way of exploring the island, though you can still explore by bike. Having tackled the hills on the bikes myself, I can attest that the quad bikes hold great appeal!
KayaMawa also features in a new book called ‘Authentic Ecolodges’, which tips the lodge as one of the top eco lodges in the world. If you want to visit the warm heart of Africa, call us to book your adventure.
Mvuu photos courtesy Samuel Chihana and Frank Weitzer Likoma Island photos courtesy Gretchen Healey
Continuing on with useful words and phrases for your trip to East Africa, today we will focus on some more basic expressions. We will focus on questions and some practical phrases for conversing with your new language skills.
Wapi? - where?
Vipi? - how?
Lini? - when?
Nini? - what?
Kwa nini? - why?
Nani? - who?
Iko wapi...? - where is?
Umbali gani? - how far?
Muda gani? - how long?
Bei gani? - how much?
Sema pole pole, tafadhali? - Could you speak more slowly?
Sema tena tafadhali? - Could you repeat that?
Vipi unatamka? - How do you pronounce this?
Nifasirie hii, tafadhali? - Can you translate this for me?
Sifahamu - I don't understand
Nafahamu - I understand
Note that most Swahili words are pronounced phonetically. One word above that might give you pause is 'hii'; which is pronounced hee-ee. Give these words and phrases some practice before our next lesson. If you haven't planned your trip yet, give us a call and we'll work with you to customize a safari to Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania, so you can get some real world practice!
Here is part 2 of the latest game report from our partners at Governor's Camp in the Masai Mara. Enjoy the latest news of the big cats!
The Marsh Pride of lions have been spending their time at the Marsh in front of the Governors' Camps as they have for the past few months now, they are seen as far as Bila Shaka river, which is still close by. The pride hunt at night and are found coming back to the marsh after following the wildebeest which are on the move further afield. The lioness with the three younger cubs tends to stay behind. The pride males are mostly with the pride; the older male Claude happy not to move very far as he still has a bad limp and has become dependent on the lionesses. The sub-adults from the previous litter are spending all their time away from their maternal pride. The five males have been moving along with the wildebeest towards Paradise Plains, they had killed a young hippo which is quite a feat for the young fellows.
Two large but young nomadic males slipped into the Bila Shaka area where the sub-adult females have been and mated with two of them. Being too young to have cubs, these females took exception to the intrusion and fought them off. The nomads have not been seen again.
The Ridge Pride has not been seen much with only two reported sightings of two of the lionesses and four cubs. They may be confused with other lions as they follow the migration into other territories.
The Paradise Pride has also been fairly elusive. The three females and their six cubs being seen on most days near the main crossing area. The other females and cubs must be further into the croton bushes or have moved across the river. The five males which are nearly the same size as Notch now with deeper darker manes have been moonlighting elsewhere. Only two have been seen a few times with Notch. Notch has been mating with a single lioness, she has not been sighted after their ordeal either.
Finally we have found Shakira, the cheetah last seen nearly a year ago with three large cubs. She was first spotted beyond Talek river toward the Ol keju Rongai river and not alone, she has six 4 - 5 month old cubs. She is definitely one of the most successful cheetah mothers in the Mara. We presume her three cubs are still well and somewhere in the Mara Triangle west of the Mara River. Shakira has been killing most days, we had a wonderful sighting of her taking down a fully grown Grants Gazelle and all the cubs called over to feast.
The female and her one cub with the bad eye have been seen regularly, she has jumped up on a few cars as well much to peoples delight.
The three male cheetahs were around the Governors area the first few weeks of the month, then venturing further over the Talek river towards 'Look out hill'.
We had a short time with the mother and two male cubs at the beginning of the month, she then moved on into the Ol-Kinyei area and has as yet not returned.
Olive the leopard has been seen regularly and together with her two sons on occasion, who seem reluctant to leave home. Olive disappeared for a couple of weeks during the month, some people believing she may have been pregnant and could have a new litter, we will be sure to keep you posted.
There have been sightings of the female with one cub higher up on the Ntiakitiak river as well as another female not too far away up on the Talek river with her two older cubs.
The Il Moran leopard has been around, preferring the denser growth of the forest and keeping away from the company of lions and baboons during the day. She has been seen up at the marsh hiding behind fallen trees and keeping a low profile. Late in the evening once the baboons band back together to head back to the trees she relaxes and will become a bit more visable.
Otherwise there have been a couple of fleeting sightings of male leopards along the forest line near the camps.
Here's the latest weather and game report from our partners at Governor's Camp in Kenya. October is one of the most exciting months in the Mara as the migration enjoys one of its peak times.
Weather & the plains
The Masai Mara had plenty of rain in the first two weeks of the month, with rain showers becoming isolated and lighter towards mid month and drying out in the last week. Towards the end of the month the midday temperatures were higher, reaching around 30 Celsius and the days longer. The sun is rising noticeably earlier with first light at 6am. The grass on the plains has been short and lush, it would be a couple of feet higher after the unseasonal amount of rain we have had over the last months, but for the constant grazing by the zebra and wildebeest. Fireball and Pyjama lilies dot the plains bringing unexpected splashes of colour to the grasslands.
The Wildebeest Migration
October has been a great month for the wildebeest migration, the vast herds moving around a little more, following the smell of rain and searching for the new nutritious growth. From one day to the next they moved around, travelling from the marsh area, over Rhino Ridge and to the Talek River and back again. The last two weeks of the month saw the majority moving south towards the Serengeti, but some large groups remained in the area and we managed to see some really good river crossings. The crocodiles were still hunting the wildebeest as they crossed. There have been huge herds of zebra moving into the long grass which still stands at this late stage, followed by the wildebeest and topi. These immense herds have been providing spectacular game viewing from the hot air balloon.
The resident Loita migration has settled back into the Northern part of the Mara. The Loita plains to the east which can be seen on the flight to Nairobi before the rift valley drops away has not received the rains that the Mara has.
Resident Wildlife
Our very large resident buffalo herd with all its maturing young has spent most of its time in search of any remaining long grass that the zebra and wildebeest may have graciously left behind. They return every few days to the marsh for water or drink from the pools left by the seasonal streams leading to the Mara river. The buffalo herd practiced a great survival tactic, giving birth to their young whilst the migration were in the area, this meant their main predators, lion and hyena were busy preying on easier game.
Most plains game had their calves in October in anticipation of the November rain. The gazelles and warthog gave birth toward the start of the month and the impala, topi and hartebeest at the end. Right now there are some very anxious and protective mothers, bounding away from the slightest threat with their calf following in hot pursuit on their precarious legs.
The elephant have some very young calves too, still so small they fit easily under their mother's chest and with a thick protective coat of bristled hair.
We have had a few migratory birds through the Mara: European and White-fronted bee-eaters, Montague and Pallid harriers, Common Kestrels, Steppes Eagles, African Cuckoos, Spoon-billed storks. There have been a couple of rare sightings of Egyptian Vultures.
The trees and lianas in the Mara River forest have been flowering and fruiting, one in particular the Turrea floribunda has flowers and has a beautiful scent almost like Jasmine. The Pristemera polyantha seeds have dropped off and fly away cleverly as mini helicopters. The bright red fruit of the Lepisanthes senagalensis is a big favourite with the baboons as well.
We have had few sightings of the rhino our side of the river, but on one occasion a male just stayed undisturbed whilst our guests managed to get some great shots and spend some time with him. The ballooners have been lucky enough to see the mother and calf and a male rhino on many of their flights and game drives.
The Mara River hippos are very content as they have plenty of grazing, although moving further out on to the plains than usual. There has been the odd mating, but no serious fights and territorial displays, so all fairly peaceful in the river.
Photos courtesy of Justin Grammaticas and Sue Lawless
When you travel to a foreign country, it is considered courteous to learn a few words (or more) of the local language. It is sometimes hard to do when travelling to Africa, as many of the countries have more than one, if not dozens of official indegenous languages. East Africa is cooperative in that Swahili is widely spoken in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda; with nearly 50 million people speaking it across Africa and some pockets outside of the continent. While you could easily communicate by only speaking English, a little effort can go a long way with local residents.
We'll look at a few words and phrases in Swahili today that you can practice in advance of a trip. There will be future blogs with additional vocabulary; just search for them with the 'Swahili' keyword.
Jambo - hello
Mambo - hello (collq.)
Kwaheri - good-bye
Ndiyo - yes
Hapana - no
Asante - thank you
Asante sana - thank you very much
Si kitu - you're welcome
Samahani - excuse me
Hujambo - how are you ?
Sijambo, asante - very well, thanks.
Na wewe je - and you?
Nzuri - fine
Practice these words and phrases and check back for more lessons soon!
The falls are a perfect add-on to any safari in Southern Africa and the perfect way to kick off (or wind down) a safari. Just a short plane ride from Johannesburg, Livingstone, Zambia is the perfect base for exploring the Falls.
At over 5,600 feet wide and dropping over 300 feet, it is the largest curtain of water in the world. When you visit, you will have the chance to explore Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park and Victoria Falls itself.
Toka Leya is located right beside the Zambezi River, about 6km upstream from the Victoria Falls. There are in 12 spacious safari-style tents on raised wooden decks. Each tent has a large deck out front which leads into an air-conditioned open-plan lounge area and bedroom. These beautiful tents will give you just the right amount of luxury and lots of exciting activities to choose from.
Here is the latest activities report directly from our partners at Wilderness Safaris and Toka Leya Camp.
With the dry season reaching its peak, the water levels of the Zambezi are spectacularly low, particularly at the Victoria Falls. More than half of the rocky face of the Falls became dry at the start of October and even the bottom of the first gorge can now be seen. This water that flows over the Falls' edge during this month is roughly a tenth of the April volumes.
Located in the middle of the Zambezi River on the edge of the Victoria Falls, Livingstone Island is the place from which David Livingstone first saw the Falls in 1855. As an add-on activity, we offer our guests the opportunity to visit the Island in October and they are able to share the same incredible views that Livingstone experienced.
A famous feature of the island is the Devil's Pool. This Pool is probably the world's most exciting natural pool to bathe in - but only between September and December, mind you! Situated not more than half a metre from the very edge of the Falls, the water you bathe in flows directly over the edge into the gorge far below you. This is the place to immerse yourself and really enjoy the sheer size of the Victoria Falls. The low water levels make the pool safe enough to swim in and it's often a highlight of any visit to Livingstone Island. It is a great way of making the most of a Victoria Falls visit during low water periods.
If you wish to visit the Falls, or to add a Livingstone Island excursion to a trip you already have planned, call us so we can plan it for you! Happy swimming!!
Devil's Pool & Toka Leya room photos courtesy Wilderness Safaris
Kent is just back from an adventure in Kenya. One of the camps he had the pleasure of visiting was Saruni Samburu Camp. It is a designer lodge located 7km north of Samburu National Reserve in Kenya's wild north. Surrounded by 95,000 hectares of private wildlife conservancy and perched on top of a spectacular viewpoint, its four houses and large swimming pool overlook several waterholes where the famous Samburu elephant, leopard, reticulated giraffe, Oryx and Grevy's zebra gather to drink.
The kitchen staff keep everyone well fed so they can concentrate on safari. They were kind enough to share one of their recipes with Kent and it's our pleasure to share it with you!
Chicken Peanut Salad
Ingredients:
1 onion finely chopped 2 tbsp Brown sugar 2 tbsp Olive oil 1 pinch of salt 1 pinch of ground black pepper ½ a packet of coconut milk 1 pinch curry powder Halved Carrots (fried) Potatoes, quartered (fried) Broccoli (boiled) sliced chicken breast (lightly marinated with oyster sauce and fried) 3 tbsp Peanut butter
Lightly fry the onions until soft and brown then add the salt, pepper, curry powder, coconut milk, brown sugar and peanut butter. Stir until the sauce is thick.
Fry the carrots and potatoes in some olive oil, then add the fried marinated chicken strips and broccoli. As with most recipes, it helps if the carrots and potatoes have been parboiled before they have been fried.
Toss the ingredients until they are well mixed. Season with some dried mixed herbs and add the peanut sauce. Serve warm.
Last month, AfricAid held their inaugural 'Art & Soul' event in Denver. Africa Adventure Consultants were proud to be a major sponsor of the event. Our sponsorship provided funding to break the cycle of poverty for one girl and her family through the Kisa Project; providing the education and financial support necessary for her to become a powerful leader and voice for change in her community and the generation of girls to follow her.
The event was attended by nearly 200 people, including some of our own staff members. The evening was filled with food and drink, great live entertainment and beautiful artwork, and the gala raised nearly $40,000 for AfricAid's ongoing educational work in Tanzania.
AAC has an ongoing partnership with AfricAid. Kent Redding serves on the Board of Directors, we have sponsored events, and we are also offering a unique Tanzanian safari in 2011 to help with scholarships for girls in Tanzania.
AfricAid's Tanzania safari visits many of the 'must see' sights in Tanzania, where you will have amazing animal sightings, as well as lodgings in spectacular settings. This safari will also offer an in-depth cultural experience like no other - with visits to local schools, a remote village and to one of the scholars and her family.
Don't miss this chance for a life-altering experience; both for the traveller and the AfricAid student whose education will be funded through your visit! Call us for details or to reserve your spot on this amazing trip.
As promised, here is the recipe for Butternut Soup courtesy of Mara Plains Camp in Kenya. Mara Plains Camp is a small, high quality, seven-roomed camp under canvas and on raised decks with sweeping views across Kenya’s notable savannahs. It is among the smallest and most personal camps in the Mara region. As one of just three camps currently operating within the Conservancy, which boasts the region’s lowest vehicle density, no mini-buses and only one guest room per 700 acres. The food is quite memorable as well!
