Tanzania

Our Most Memorable Safari & Wildlife Experiences Volume 1

26th November 2024

Our Most Memorable Safari & Wildlife Experiences Volume 1

Over the course of just about a lifetime of wilderness and wildlife experiences, it’s near impossible to isolate the ‘best ever’ events or sightings, but a few do come to mind without having to dig too deep. In future issues of our newsletter we’ll find out about their best experiences and places from the other members of the Fish Eagle Safaris team. Here are a few of mine:

My first visit to Botswana

My very first visit to Botswana in February 1990 had a lot of firsts. First off-road game drives in an open-sided vehicle, first time seeing the Okavango Delta, first mokoro outing and several others. Even so, the single most memorable event during the trip was something completely unexpected and not likely to happen ever again.

It seems rather bizarre in retrospect but as strange as it sounds, I accompanied the then manager of the now defunct Tsaro Lodge on a rescue mission to extricate the Swedish Ambassador to Zambia from a dangerous situation. His 4-wheel drive vehicle had sunk down to its axles in the sticky black cotton soil of the Mababe Depression. Imparting a sense of urgency to everything: the diplomat had been bitten by a spider which did not know about diplomatic immunity. To make matters worse, a large pride of lions – of the elephant-killing kind – was closing in on his campsite. The honorable gentleman had been traveling with his teenage son who hiked out of this mess – rifle in hand – following random bush tracks until he stumbled into Tsaro Lodge early that afternoon. Where I happened to be the only guest.

Needless to say I accepted – with alacrity – an invitation to go along on the rescue mission which turned into an adventure like few I had ever experienced before, or since. Standing in the back of a vintage Land Rover – tightly gripping the railing on the left and right, we skidded around tight, muddy corners and splashed through pools of rain water in an utterly remote corner of northern Botswana in the gathering dusk. In what was very much a race against time. And, as it turned out, a successful one with the gentleman in question being ok – and definitely relieved – to see us and his son, appearing from the shadows.

What do I remember best about the escapade? Adding three new life birds to my list on the drive out, including African rail and painted snipe. In hindsight I probably did not quite grasp the seriousness of the situation.

Finding my first Bengal tiger in India

There’s before and there is after. Before you got married – and after. Before you had children – and after. There’s also before you see your first tiger in the wild – and after. The African big cats are amazing – individually and collectively. Yet a tiger sighting trumps them all.

There was a time when it was really difficult to see tigers – anywhere – and visitors often returned from India with accounts of having to settle for just a glimpse. Stripes disappearing into the jungle, a tantalizing tail and that’s it. Fortunately that is no longer the case and one’s chances of coming eye to eye with a tiger are excellent if you spend at least a few days in one of the premier tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh in central India. Which is where my colleague Lyndon and I saw our first tiger, in Bandhavgarh National Park.

Seeing our very first tiger in the wild in January 2023 was a heart-stopping, jaw-dropping moment, never to be forgotten. Never had I seen an animal quite as confident as that adult tiger male, striding around Bandhavgahr as if it was his personal fiefdom. Seemingly totally without fear, not even bothering to glance in our direction, it walked from one side of a road to the other and then back again, emerging from the forest in beautiful morning light, all the better to appreciate and photograph its incredible color pattern. For obvious reasons, a Bengal tiger is often described as being ‘unmistakable’ in field guides. Its vivid reddish-orange coat with prominent black stripes, a white belly and white spots on the ears are one of a kind and impossible to be confused with any other big cat. A life-changing experience? Absolutely. Right away, I realized that this was an animal I wanted to see again, and more than once.

Painted dogs turn the tables

Some years ago – operating out of Kwando’s Lagoon Camp in northern Botswana – we had two vehicles going out one morning in search of a pack of African painted dogs. The dogs had been seen in the area the previous several days but as it was in March, they were not denning. Which happens around June or July or so, during the southern African winter. During the denning season the painted dogs have their pups holed up in an abandoned hyena den or similar spot, deemed to be safe by them. Food is then brought to the pups and regurgitated. Once the pups are old enough to travel with the pack, the dogs become semi-nomadic, traveling many miles between hunts during the southern African summer months. The landscape in much of the Kwando Concession is very lush at that time of year as it is well into the rainy season. At the time, there were dense thickets, huge expanses of stunted but well-leafed mopane trees and green bush in every direction.

For the better part of three to four hours we seemed to be driving in circles, with the guides talking to each other in Setswana all the time, pointing at the clearly visible dog tracks, all while driving in and out of tight spots, being careful to avoid broken, splintered mopane stumps which puncture tires all the time. Every now and then the two vehicles would intersect and the guides would have an animated conversation, with a lot of pointing and gesturing and surely a few choice Setswana expletives in the mix. And off we’d go again, relocating the painted dog tracks and restarting the pursuit. This went on for more than three hours, as I said and it was getting to be rather frustrating for all involved.

At around 1030 am the decision was made to stop for morning tea and coffee at a convenient water hole. I’m sure the guides were just as keen as the guests were to take a break from the relentless pursuit. We stopped under some trees within sight of the water hole, everone piled out of the two vehicles and the guides were just starting to set up a few small tables when the unexpected happened. First one and then three, and then a whole bunch of African painted dogs emerged from the treeline and headed straight down to the water hole on the opposite side. Right in front of our disbelieving eyes. They were ready to slake their thirst and cool off as well, and the presence of a few humans was not enough to deter them. The dogs had found us! While I initially ribbed the guides for not being able to find the dogs, I later realized it was their tracking expertise which had gotten us that close to the pack. It was indeed the skill and experience of the guides which led us to being positioned in just the right spot for something like that to have happened.

The area where this happened – in the massive Kwando Concession in far northern Botswana – is still one of the best places in Africa to find painted dogs. Other contenders include the Sabi Sand Reserve and Madikwe Private Game Reserve in South Africa, Hwange and Mana Pools National Parks in Zimbabwe, Chitabe Camp and the Kwara area in N. Botswana and the Lower Zambezi region of Zambia.

Dueling Sable antelopes

Wilderness’ Davison’s camp is located in the southern part of Hwange, close to Ngamo Pan. Hidden within the treeline, this classic African safari camp, with eight light and airy tents and one family unit, overlooks an open plain and a waterhole which is heavily frequented by elephants and buffalo in the dry season.

The main area consists of a spacious lounge and dining area, leading onto a large deck with an open campfire area, perfect for evening get-togethers. The small pool and its loungers are beautifully positioned for relaxation, while the deck is an ideal location from which to watch wildlife at the waterhole.

Nearby Ngamo Pans is a jewel of a place year round and this camp – or Wilderness’ Little Makalolo or Linkwasha Camp – is a great choice for the area. On a recent visit we enjoyed several game viewing highlights with our professional guide including some fantastic views of a herd of sable antelope seen in good light inside a beautiful rosewood forest.

Sable antelopes are as distinctive and majestic as any animal anywhere in the world. With their massive swept back horns, black coats and glaringly obvious white bellies, the male Sables are unmistakable. The females are more brown than black and their horns are not quite as long and decurved, but they are no slouches in the beauty stakes either. We took dozens of photographs and stayed with the sable herd as long as we could.

The following day – which also happened to be our last day in the Hwange area – we were already packed and in the vehicle en route to the Linkwasha airstrip when we came upon two male Sables fighting, or dueling. During the mating season, male sable antelope are known to engage in fierce battles with other males to compete for females and establish dominance. As we were to see firsthand, these fights can be intense and may result in injuries, or worse. The two bulls seemed to be practically oblivious to our presence and continued to swing their curved, sharp-ended horns at each other, the loud ‘thwacks’ incongruously drowning out bird calls and some nervous impala snorting. Reluctantly, and regrettably, we had to depart from the spellbinding scene before it had reached its end, as we literally had a plane to catch. We may never see something like that again, but it is certainly imprinted in our collective memory.

Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe is by far the best place in Southern Africa to find and observe Sable antelopes, but they’re also found in northern Botswana where we’ve seen them at Wilderness’ Vumbura camps, at Great Plains’ Okavango Explorer and also at Natural Selection’s Duke’s camp in the northern part of the Delta.

Experiencing the zebra and wildebeest migration for the first time

On my very first trip to Tanzania many years ago, a buddy and I drove all the way from Kenya into Tanzania via the Namanga border post, initially to a camp on the northern side of Kilimanjaro. From there, a couple of days later, we pushed on via Arusha and then – on an atrociously bad road – up onto the escarpment, spending a couple of days at a lodge on the edge of Ngorongoro Crater.

All this was great and well, but what we really came for was the zebra and wildebeest migration. And then, on April 1 that year, we got lucky and found ourselves surrounded by thousands of wildebeest and zebras in every direction, as far as we could see, on the short-grass plains of the Serengeti in the Ndutu area. This is how I described it back then, upon my return to Texas:

“Yes, Virginia there is a wildebeest migration and it is showing right now, somewhere in the theater of the vast Serengeti Plains. And what a picture it is. My first thought upon gazing out over thousands of wildebeest was that in the face of a spectacle like that, all technology fails. There is no camera or other device which can do justice to such a scene, all sound and fury in a 360 degree arc, non-stop movement and action as the wildebeest succumb to instinct and follow the rain across the Serengeti’s sea of grass. Parting ahead of us like water around the prow of a boat, the wildebeest in their hundreds practically engulfed our vehicle, splashing across the muddy, wet shortgrass plains in the Ndutu area. Sounding like a bunch of bullfrogs on steroids, grunting and carrying on something fierce, they bulldozed ahead, seemingly mindless of the rogue hyenas and lions lurking all around. In the space of a couple of hours or so, we must have seen between 200,000 and 300,000 wildebeest. Unbelievable, and simply amazing.”

Every safari is an opportunity for uforgettable moments. Call us at 1-800-513-5222 or email Bert at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com to learn more and to start planning your safari.

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Returning to Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and Kenya’s Masai Mara – May 2024

23rd June 2024

Returning to Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and Kenya’s Masai Mara – May 2024

In more than 30 years of regular visits to East Africa, Kathy and I had never seen it as wet as this last May. To say that it was exceptionally wet is an understatement. Every game drive was sloppy, every off-road excursion an adventure. Leading to a few tense moments when the 4-wheel drive vehicles (mostly Toyota Landcruisers but also a Landrover on one transfer drive) were pushed to the limit of their ability to negotiate unbelievably difficult terrain. The guides came through with flying colors and we only got stuck properly once. For maybe 20 minutes or so. No big deal.

Beyond affecting our views of smaller mammals and cats like serval, leopards and cheetahs, the resulting tall grass and dense vegetation everywhere delayed the annual wildebeest migration by a month or so. If you’re a wildebeest, why would you leave one place for another if there’s still plenty of what you need in the way of vegetation and water right where you are.

The high grass made game viewing super challenging. To the point that we didn’t have good views of any cheetahs in the Serengeti (so unusual!) and likewise leopards. On a couple of the game drives in the central Seronera area I hardly took my cameras out of the bag – never a good sign. All this of course will play into future decisions as to the best timing for visiting specific areas.

Our experience at three of the four properties which we visited in the Serengeti was negatively impacted by the presence of just too many tsetse flies. More than just once, we got hammered coming and going into and out of camp and on a few occasions, even right inside the camp grounds. To the point where the usual enjoyment and fun associated with game drives were negatively affected by the tsetse fly threat.

We will be paying close attention to this issue in order to provide prospective travelers with the right advice and guidance. The extraordinary long and heavy rainy season this year resulted in many areas having stagnant water which creates favorable conditions for tsetse fly breeding. Usually, when TANAPA (Tanzania Park Authority) conducts controlled burning of certain areas in the Serengeti, they eradicate a huge number of the tsetse flies in the process. Due to the much longer than usual duration of the long rains this year, there was no burning and the results are evident. Lots of thickets and overgrown grass and bushes – and plenty of tsetse flies.

The tsetses are not as much of an issue in the southern Serengeti; at least they weren’t the last time we were there, in February 2023. So we will continue to recommend to prospective travelers to travel there (short-grass plains in the Ndutu area) for the calving season and to combine their stay with a few days in the Seronera area. Where we will be using properties where we know tsetse flies won’t be an issue. Likewise, there are usually a few pockets of dense forests in the northern Serengeti in the Kogatende area and elsewhere, where a few tsetse flies can be expected. Nothing that can’t be managed with a bit of caution and by wearing long sleeved shirts and protecting your ankles with long, thick socks and tucking in the trousers.

Getting there

Getting to Kilimanjaro Airport for the start of our Tanzania trip was not routine this time around. Anything but. It started on a catastrophic note when an inept airport employee at JFK crashed a jetway into the engine of our Kenya Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Which, needless to say, caused an immediate cancellation of the flight. I won’t bore you with the details but this resulted in an arduous trip on Ethiopian Air via Abidjan, Addis Ababa and Nairobi. Where we arrived at one in the morning instead of 10 am the previous day. On a plus note, when we eventually made it to Tanzania on Monday May 13, we were first in the immigration line and we completed the process in less than 15 minutes, start to finish. A reminder: take your boarding pass with you when leaving your plane at JRO Airport; you will be asked for it upon entering the terminal building.

Hamerkop House, Arusha

We enjoyed a peaceful overnight stay – much needed after the ordeal of getting there – at Lemala’s Hamerkop House, on the outskirts of Arusha. The property is clearly well run, with a great staff, and the food was excellent. The chef got it exactly right for me: ugali and two sides. Those being beans in a coconut-based sauce (Maharagwe) and the local version of spinach with some onions. The road to get to Hamerkop House was not the best. Clearly, the property will be a good option for guests who can fly out of the nearby Dolly airstrip the following morning, directly to the Serengeti.

Serengeti Safari Camp, Grumeti

It took just about 50 minutes in a Cessna Caravan to fly from Arusha to Seronera with brief stops at Kilimanjaro Airport and at Lake Manyara. As before, it was exciting to take off from Lake Manyara with the earth literally dropping away precipitously as the aircraft reached the edge of the Rift Valley wall. Approaching the Seronera airstrip it was clear that the migration was not around – yet. Even so, the long road transfer to Nomad’s Serengeti Safari Camp delivered some surprisingly good game viewing under challenging conditions. Some of the highlights were lions in a tree, several breeding herds of elephants and large herds of zebra and other plains game.

One thing which we noticed almost immediately at Serengeti Safari Camp: the quality and variety of the food and its presentation have improved markedly since the last time. Our Nomad guide Amos Noah was top-notch and did all the right things. Of the four guides we had in the Serengeti, he was also the only one who knew all the birds. So high marks on that.

On our full day in the area, we headed across the Grumeti River towards the Grumeti Reserve. The area was about as spectacular as it gets anywhere in Africa. Rolling hills in so many shades of green. Trees silhouetted against the skyline. Vast open plains, endless vistas. Misty blue hills on the horizon.

Just when you think you’ve seen pretty much everything in Africa, a morning outing in a new or unfamiliar setting will blow your socks off. As it did to us on this Tuesday morning in the Serengeti. Quite early this morning, not far from Legendary’s Mila Tented Camp, we saw a migrating herd of at least 5,000 zebras slowly winding their way from our left to our right. Moving slowly and ever so quietly, lines of these dazzling black and white equines were making their way across the open plains, pausing to eat as they moved. It was mesmerizing to see so many of these sleek mammals following each other in a controlled but irregular manner, with groups lagging behind and others splintering off. Clearly, they were on the move. Zebras are often the harbingers of the great wildebeest migration, which we were to bump into a day or two later, a bit further south and east.

Not surprisingly, given the presence of so many zebras, we spotted first two and then three beautifully maned male lions and then four young females a little bit later that morning. There was more to come. Lots of elephants, including several good-sized herds. Also some large herds of buffalos and big mixed groups of topis, gazelles, impala and eland.

The all-round hospitality at Serengeti Safari Camp could not have been better and we were more than well taken care of. There were a few shortcomings such as no fans in the rooms and a somewhat rickety low pressure shower which had clearly seen better days. We were glad to learn that flush toilets would be installed at the various Serengeti Safari Camps in June this year.

On our way back to Seronera on our last morning at SSC, we found several small herds of elephants and groups of zebras in good light. The photographs demonstrated the importance of being out early enough to take advantage of the ‘golden hour’ in the morning. If you ever find yourself in a safari camp where the morning routine is a little bit too leisurely with – for example – breakfast at 7 am and departure from camp at 7:30, don’t hesitate to push back and request an earlier departure for your game drives. This is of course easier with a private vehicle and guide, but can even be done as long as everyone in your vehicle is on the same wavelength.

Wild Frontiers Serengeti Wilderness Camp

The road transfer from Seronera Airstrip to Wild Frontiers Serengeti Wilderness camp took about 45 minutes. For a good portion of the trip we found ourselves in a closed vehicle, with no air conditioning or proper ventilation, negotiating the tsetse fly belt. Not much fun. The camp itself was a spotlessly clean and very comfortable tented property with 12 rooms, as well as separate lounge and mess tents. There was pretty serviceable WiFi in the main area. The rooms are of a good size, clean and neat. Hot showers were available on demand. Lighting was on the dim side. The tent has a proper flush toilet.

We soon found out that it took almost an hour from the camp to reach the productive game viewing areas. As it turned out, game drives from Wild Frontiers Serengeti Wilderness Camp were disappointing to say the least. Inexplicably, our guide seemed to persist in driving around in areas dominated by stands of excessively high, thick grass. Not surprisingly, we saw hardly anything of note with the exception of a leopard on a branch in a tree, viewed from a long distance away. Clearly this area is not at its best until June. We got stuck in the mud late one morning but fortunately the guide was able to extricate us. Kathy and I enjoyed an impromptu al fresco lunch so it wasn’t all bad.

The food was tasty and ample, and the chef did a great job catering for my plant-based diet.

Entara Olmara Camp, Seronera

It took about two hours on a shockingly bad road from Seronera Airstrip to make it to Entara Olmara camp. Our driver-guide Said Kotoku impressed us from the very first moment we were introduced. He knew the birds, was enthusiastic, talked about and expounded on identifying characteristics, and he was clearly knowledgeable and experienced.

Olmara Camp itself makes a good impression, starting with a well-designed and slightly elevated lounge and dining areas with four spacious tents left and right. All rooms are in the process of being elevated as well. Four had been done and four were in progress at the time of our visit. Our room had a king-size bed with an effective mosquito net in a well insulated room. The bed was comfortable and there were several handy plug points. The shower at Olmara was one of the best I’ve seen on safari anywhere. The room had a flush toilet. The interior lighting was excellent. Packing space just so so.

The food was consistently good and well presented, with lots of choices. The staff members were friendly and helpful and kept me on the straight and narrow with the plant-based food choices. No butter for you…

Game drives out of Olmara

During the wet season – which was much longer than usual this year because of the El Nino weather pattern – game drives take a solid hour to get to the productive areas and quite frankly, there was not much to be seen on the drive there and back. A lot of thick grass.

On our first afternoon we found a couple of large bull elephants on the way back into camp; a fortuitous combination of storm light and a clean, uncluttered background resulted in a memorable photograph. Reminder to my photographer self: don’t give up on less than ideal conditions. Photo opportunities will present themselves as long as you keep looking for them.

On our full day at Olmara, we embarked on what turned out to be a monster all day game drive, all the way out to the Gol Koppies and beyond. Said drove a huge distance, setting out on a semi-circular route which included many of the game hotspots. It worked. By mid-morning we were smack in the middle of the wildebeest migration. It was an amazing sighting. Literally thousands of wildebeest in every direction, all around us in a 360 degree arc. Doing what wildebeest do which seems to be a combination of eating grass, running around erratically and regularly grunt-calling to maintain contact with a friend or family member. And always succeeding in looking a bit goofy because of their peculiar physique (skipped hind leg days at the gym too often) and homeliest of homely faces, making them truly incapable of managing a thoughtful look.

From late morning that day, we encountered one after another pride of lions. One group had several large males and a female with three cubs. Others were lying in thick grass at the base of rocky outcrops, or wedged into tree branches in an elevated spot with a view over the plains. We approached a coalition of three cheetahs in tall grass but for once I had to just ‘appreciate’ them – it was not a photo opportunity. Our mega day drive also produced hundreds, if not thousands of zebras, gazelles, eland, topi and hartebeest. We added several new birds to our trip list. In fact we hit the 100 species mark that very afternoon.

An extraordinary sighting on the day was watching a simply massive black necked spitting cobra hunting for frogs. We were just too far away for photography, but it didn’t matter. Observing the animal slowly winding its way between a bush and a rocky outcrop and then suddenly perking up as it found – and tried to kill – its toad prey – was spellbinding. All of this we both observed through our respective pairs of quality Swarovski binoculars. Without good binos this would have been a nothing event, and likely borderline frustrating using a mediocre pair.

Wilderness Usawa camp, Seronera

Our next and last stop in the Serengeti was Wilderness’ Usawa #2 tented camp, relatively close to Olmara. Due to some Byzantine Tanzania parks authorities rules, we had to drive all the way back to Seronera Airstrip from Olmara for the correct permits to be issued, and then back again (fortunately on a better road) to Usawa. A lot of seemingly wasteful energy expended in the process, not to mention further wear and tear on already dodgy roads.

Usawa is an upscale mobile camp with innovative design features, attractive and extremely comfortable rooms with low pressure showers (on demand), WiFi in the common area and in the rooms.

The camp is located in a good area for walking safaris, which is one of their specialties. The food was definitely a step above what we had experienced up to that point on the trip. Ambitious but well-executed and superbly presented.

Like the other Seronera area camps, the Usawa location is one hour plus from the best game viewing in the area at the time. Faced with the prospect of yet another lengthy drive – in an open vehicle – through areas with significant tsetse fly presence, we turned down the offer of another full day game drive.

Our morning game drive – with our capable guide James – the following day turned out to be better than anticipated with lots of elephants, nice groups of buffaloes, dozens of giraffes, topi, hartebeest, impala, and some great birds.

Saruni Wilderness and Saruni Leopard Hill, Naboisho

After a brief stopover in Nairobi with an overnight at House of Waine (excellent as always) in Karen, we flew with Safarilink from Wilson Airport to the Masai Mara.

From the Ol Seki Airstrip in Naboisho, it was about a 30-minute drive to Saruni Wilderness, which would be our first stop – for lunch. Saruni Wilderness camp is quite intimate with just five rooms. It has a small yet cozy and inviting dining and lounge area. The camp is solar powered. The tented rooms – which we found to be quite attractive – have low-pressure (bucket) showers with hot water on demand. The camp offers game drives starting at 6:15 am and 4:30 pm. As well as foot safaris and night drives from 8:00 to 10:00 pm. Walking starts at 7:00 am from the camp, accompanied by a guide and armed game ranger. Saruni Wilderness has no WiFi connection. It’s a place where guests can purposefully disconnect from the many distractions – not the least of which is one’s smartphone – of an urban environment. The camp also offers bush dinners under the stars and bush breakfasts. The minimum age limit is 10 and for walking 12 and older.

This was our second visit to Saruni Leopard Hill and there were no surprises this time around. The tents were still large and comfortable, with particularly good showers. The property has 8 rooms, 2 of which are suitable for families. There is a large lounge and dining room area – some of it uneven with quite a few steps to negotiate.

Game drives out of Saruni Leopard Hill were consistently good with animals literally all over the place. We observed hundreds of zebras, good sized groups of wildebeest, topi, warthog, giraffe, eland, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles, hyena, bat eared fox, black backed jackal vervet monkey, olive baboon, and lions on every outing.

Compared with our previous visit, cheetahs were scarce in the Naboisho conservancy at the time – likely because of too much competition from lions.

Hemingways Ol Seki Lodge

Our all too brief overnight stay at Hemingways Ol Seki Lodge was more than sufficient to firmly elevate this property onto our regular future rotation for the Mara. Our experience there was flawless from beginning to end. Starting with a warm welcome from camp manager Debbie Paul, we had a great introduction to the room and the property itself, a fantastic dinner (with a surprise birthday cake), and an absorbing game drive with our guide Isaac. We just missed seeing a female cheetah which was spotted walking in the direction of a nearby village earlier that afternoon.

We were accommodated in a deluxe Nina room (#5) which was quite close to the reception area and also to the lounge and dining room. The heart of the property is its huge, elegantly appointed lounge and dining room, both elevated on a hill which overlooks a beautiful, typical Masai Mara landscape – a mix of open grassland and woodland with patches of riverine bush.

There’s an inviting pool and plenty of outside terrace seating on more than one level. Guests can anticipate a high level of personal attention at Ol Seki, starting with the hands-on management style of Debbie Paul. Activities include game drives, walking and village visits.

Ol Seki is closer to the Naboisho airstrip than some of the other properties in the Naboisho Conservancy. Something else that struck me while being driven around the area was the excellent road maintenance. Already, much of the road damage caused by the excessive long rains had been patched up; bridges were being prepared and gravel augmentation was in full swing.

Saruni Mara Lodge

From Naboisho, we took off on the sloppiest of transfer drives to the far northern end of the huge Mara North conservancy. The second – and also the worst – half of the drive was in a Land Rover. Which as we know can go anywhere. Which we did. So much mud!

Over the years we have used several Mara North properties on itineraries including Elephant Pepper and Karen Blixen. With our guide Jonathan and personal assistant James we had a great time at Saruni Mara, spending a couple of nights in their private villa – Nyati House. The Italian dishes which we enjoyed for lunch and dinner would be the envy of many an Italian restaurant anywhere in the world! Simply superb. We checked out the regular rooms at Saruni Mara and liked what we saw: spacious, well-equipped, a good distance from each other and each with a nice verandah to contemplate the passing parade. Which here often includes elephants; some of which we heard rustling about that very afternoon.

A game drive on the first afternoon to the nearby Mara Bush Houses delivered a superb range of plains game, with some unexpectedly good photo opportunities of elephants, zebras and olive baboons, among others. Jonathan mentioned that lions had been seen in the area just a couple of days ago and that a coalition of four cheetahs had walked right by Saruni Mara Camp just the previous day.

The following day we embarked on yet another ‘big day’ outing, starting with a drive into the Lemek Conservancy where we saw many more – hundreds – of zebras as well as elephants, wildebeest, impalas, gazelles and a large breeding herd of buffaloes.

Saruni Wild Camp – Lemek Conservancy

Prior to yet another excellent Italian-style lunch at Saruni Wild Camp, we site-inspected this 5-roomed tented camp which includes a family room. There’s WiFi, the entire camp is run on solar power and it is unfenced. Being only 20 minutes from the Mara North airstrip this property is easy to get to and out of.

The recommended activities at Saruni Wild are headlined by an early morning drive with a packed breakfast. Other activities on the roster include a sundowner drive with drinks and snacks and a’ holiday safari,’ which appropriately starts with a late breakfast in camp, a picnic lunch and sundowners back in camp. Clearly not the optimal choice for photographers but ‘regular’ visitors may enjoy this more leisurely approach. Additionally, Saruni Wild offers night drives which start after an early dinner. Guests then depart on the game drive, returning to camp around 10 pm.

We were starting to build up a bit of resistance to mega game drives but our excellent guide Jonathan Nchoe convinced us that it would be worthwhile to take a swing through the Mara North Conservancy on our way back to camp that afternoon. Always listen to your guide. The drive paid off big time.

A Cheetah in Mara North

Finally! A good look at a female cheetah. In a situation where being inside a national park would have not worked out at all. She briefly paused along the main road and then walked into the open savanna, eventually settling down in a shady spot under a tree. We followed along at a discreet distance and spent a good half hour or so simply observing the gorgeous animal.

She spent most of the time in the shade, constantly surveying her surroundings as cheetahs habitually do. It was personally satisfying for me to predict the cheetah’s next move which was to pause on an elevated anthill, checking for signs of gazelles. We were ideally positioned when she made the walk to the elevated spot. Score!

Predictably the day’s activities were concluded back at camp with yet another good Italian meal at Saruni, this time with a delicious gnocchi starter.

We had a few minor issues at Saruni Mara; nothing major – the interior lighting was poor and the hot water was not hot enough. Unfortunately the location of Saruni Mara is not suitable, in our opinion. It is just too far from the best game viewing areas, with a terrible, rocky road separating the camp and the most productive areas of Mara North. Trying to do a day drive into the Masai Mara would end up being a real mission. Saruni Mara’s sister property – Saruni Wild – will definitely find a spot in our rotation.

Kicheche Mara, Mara North Conservancy

Kicheche Mara – where we spent just a single night – turned out to be property right up our alley. It has an ideal location in a secluded valley, right alongside a perennial stream which attracts wildlife year-round. There are 10 rooms as well as a large and uber comfortable common area with a dining and lounge tent, as well as a photographic tent for uploading and editing. The game drive vehicles (best I’ve seen) were designed specifically for photography with an open roof, huge side ‘cutouts’, supports for cameras and bean bags. Most importantly, all guides at any of the Kicheche camps have (at minimum) a Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association silver level qualification. For visitors, this is gold.

How many other things impressed us about this camp? A live wire manager (Andrew Obaja) with whom we had a fascinating discussion about the advantages and pitfalls of the conservancy concept. An excellent plant-based lunch with salads, rice and lentil stew. Much faster WiFi in the room than any other camp so far. Being in a beautiful area with game viewing starting right out of camp

The morning game drive with our most capable guide Paul Kasaine was – to be honest – not the best one of the trip, but it didn’t matter. There were lots of animals around, including three large male elephants which apparently spend much of the dry season in a marshy area right out of camp. We also spotted a different male cheetah on the way out of camp.

Il Moran and Little Governors Camp

Perhaps appropriately, our last Kenya stop was inside the magnificent Masai Mara National Park at Governors’ Il Moran camp. Accompanied and led by our effervescent guide Bernard Lodeki, we took several game drives into the Mara which was spectacular after all the recent rainfall. Green and lush like we’ve never seen before. Almost right away, we spotted several members of the Marsh (lion) pride on the way in. As well as sizable herds of elephants and lots of hippo.

Kathy and I enjoyed lunch at Il Moran on the expansive deck area overlooking the Mara River which was still flowing strongly. There’s a huge pod of hippos, numbering as many as 50 in total, resident in the big bend in the Mara in front of camp.

We’ve always enjoyed our stays at the Governors’ camps and this time around was no exception. They all have great locations with game drives possible into both the main part of the reserve as well as into the well-managed Mara Triangle.

The large tented rooms at Il Moran overlook the Mara River and they are tucked into a riverine forest where several interesting bird species are to be found such as Ross’ turaco and double toothed barbet. Plus several striking species of butterflies including mocker and greenbanded swallowtails, various whites and blues and brushfooted butterflies.

While the tented rooms were spacious and comfortable they were clearly coming to the end of their useful life. We were later advised that the entire camp was scheduled to be rebuilt at the end of the 2025 season. In the interim, Governors’ Private Camp will be rebuilt.

A brief site inspection visit to Little Governors’ Camp reminded us why we like this property as much as we do, and why we use it quite regularly for clients. It looked sparkling and well-maintained, with the staff being as friendly and welcoming as ever. The location of the camp – with rooms all fronting a large marshy area which attracts a variety of mammals and a dazzling array of birds – is simply the best. A minor negative about Little Governors’ is that the 17 tents are a little too close to each other.

Our grande finale game drive in Kenya was an all-day excursion into the Mara Triangle which lived up to all our expectations. Spotlessly clean restrooms at the Oloololo Gate into the park, roads which were in better condition even than those inside the private conservancies, drop dead gorgeous views and fascinating wildlife viewing. The Mara Triangle is the real deal. Even as we were approaching the gate, our guide Bernard spotted a trio of black rhinos in an open area, relatively close to the road. Within just minutes we were admiring them through the binoculars and eventually the camera lens, being reminded why they should be called hook-lipped rhino instead of black rhino. The remainder of our drive traversed some of the most spectacular landscapes to be found anywhere in Africa. There is no photograph or video which can start to do it justice. Each amazing vista is superseded by another equally impressive one just around the corner. Just when you think a tower of 12 giraffes is something, one of 17 shows up. We had not seen as many giraffes in one game drive as that day in the Mara, ever. And we’re unlikely to get even close again in the future. With large herds of buffaloes, big breeding herds of elephants and good numbers of general plains game, not to mention lions, it was about as complete a safari experience as one could hope for, anywhere. It did not matter that we dipped out on leopard, which would have made it a ‘Big Five in one day’ outing.

For fresh information and observations and up to date recommendations for East Africa, please call our Houston office at 713-467-5222 or email Bert at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com.

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Where in Africa to Go Next In 2024-2025

21st June 2024

Where in Africa to Go Next In 2024-2025

For me the most fun part of our business is designing itineraries. That’s where our 50 plus years of African experience and our team’s regular inspection and educational visits come into play. Rarely do we include a property which we haven’t been to ourselves and never is how often we include a property where guests may be forced into a middle seat on safari.

Over the years we have gotten better at customizing itineraries to match a particular party’s interests and objectives. Without simply opting for the most expensive properties.

So where would we go ourselves if we had to book an Africa trip this very minute, using mostly the properties which our Fish Eagle Safaris team checked out over the last couple of months? I asked the members of our Fish Eagle Safaris team to chime in.

Here is what they had to say:

Lyndon: “I’d opt for a combination of Victoria Falls and Botswana and the trip would ideally include several days at Wilderness’ new Mababe concession camp, Mokete. On just one day there in late May we saw more animals in total, more different species and more rarities (how about aardvark, African wild cat and bat eared fox) than most visitors would see in a week on safari elsewhere.

Consider taking a business class flight into Vic Falls, if only to get to the front of the line for the visa/immigration process which has lately proven to be quite challenging in terms of duration. Victoria Falls is a good starting point to shake off some jet lag and it acts as a buffer in case of any flight delays. It has many attractive accommodation options including Ilala Lodge, Pioneers, Palm River Hotel, The Victoria Falls Hotel and Stanley & Livingstone Hotel. Be sure to include a guided tour of the falls and a jet boat sundowner cruise.

From there I’d head to Hwange for three or ideally four nights at one of the Imvelo or Wilderness properties such as Camelthorn, Bomani, Linkwasha, Little Makalolo, or Davison’s, depending on budget. I have a soft spot for Hwange and to date this year it has been producing some great game viewing. We’ve previously mentioned that the country is facing what could end up being a serious drought. Game viewing should continue to be good but young and weak, older elephants will be facing an uphill battle towards the end of the dry season.

Ideally, end your safari with at least six nights in Botswana split between two camps.

I would put Mokete right at the top of the list for the remainder of this season and likely into the future. It’s a unique Botswana property; on my recent visit there it felt a lot like visiting the Serengeti, somehow relocated to southern Africa. Mokete is really a ‘must visit’ from now until probably November – and will likely be excellent until then.

With Mokete, I would add a few days at perhaps Karangoma and – for a true Okavango Delta experience at an affordable price point – two nights at a water camp like Setari.

Our group had a fabulous time during our all too short 2-night stay at the brand new Karangoma. It is an intimate camp with only 6 tents, each one with just the right amount of luxury. The scenery in the north-eastern Okavango Delta is idyllic and the remoteness is unparalleled with a 10-minute helicopter flight required to reach camp.

Setari is also remote and requires a boat ride of about 45 minutes from the airstrip to reach camp. Located in the main artery of the Okavango Delta it has permanent water year-round and is a different, more laid back experience than many other Botswana camps. The perfect way to end a successful trip.

Jason: “One of our most successful offerings has always been a combination of South Africa, Victoria Falls and either Zimbabwe or Botswana. If I could book a trip for a client right now, that’s where I would try to focus my efforts.

With a night in Johannesburg, or a few in Cape Town at the start of the trip to try and mitigate jet lag, the trip would kick off with four nights in Sabi Sand at one of our favorite properties. Mala Mala, Savanna, Sabi Sabi, Leopard Hills and Cheetah Plains all make for excellent choices with varying degrees of luxury and price points. The Sabi Sand is a game-rich Big 5 location and has always produced for our guests.

Next, a light air flight to Kruger’s MQP international airport would connect with a commercial flight to Victoria Falls. Ideally, spend two nights here at properties like The Victoria Falls Hotel, Ilala Lodge or Batonka Guest Lodge. We typically recommend a tour of the falls, a sunset cruise and some free time to explore Victoria Falls Town. You could also fill time with adventure activities like scenic helicopter flights, gorge swings, swimming in Devil’s Pool right on the edge of the falls (time of year dependent) or cultural activities in nearby villages.

The last three to six nights on this type of itinerary would be in Botswana’s Okavango Delta where things can slow down a little bit. With a huge number of amazing safari camp offerings, it’s difficult to decide just where to go. But you can count on our knowledge of the camps and areas to select a combination that would work best for your needs.

Want to see the highest concentration of wildlife? In that case you’d definitely want to spend some time at Wilderness’ Chitabe/Chitabe Lediba camps. It’s been delivering simply brilliant game viewing with guests treated to mesmerizing experiences involving leopards, cheetahs, lions and African painted dogs, day after day.

Want to relax on the water in a boat or mokoro? Stick with some of the Okavango Delta camps (in flood season) like Wilderness’ Kwetsani, Little Tubu or Jao or Great Plains’ Okavango Explorers Camp.

Want a combination of land and water activities? Machaba’s Gomoti Plains might be the answer. Even during droughts the Gomoti area has water year-round for mokoro rides and typically there is enough for boating as well. Plus it has plenty of open plains to explore on a traditional vehicle safari. On my recent trip, we found ourselves joining a hunt – bounding through the bush in an attempt to keep up with the effortlessly fast pace of a pack of painted dogs. Later that same morning we were on a mokoro attempting to photograph malachite kingfishers, African jacanas and red lechwe antelopes.

Bert: We’ve always advised prospective travelers to Africa to spend more time in fewer areas. Based on my experiences on our most recent trip I think visitors would do well to extend that principle into their day-to-day activities on safari. Ideally by including the services of a private guide and vehicle on at least part of their trip.

This makes it possible to slow down game drives in order to spend less time actually driving, and more time experiencing. More time to observe, to record, and to learn. Focusing on the details of specific sightings and not just bouncing around from animal to animal.

Not trying to check everything off your list often results in unexpected but welcome developments. Mostly in the way of seeing something much more interesting than what you started off with.

Patience and perseverance almost always pays off in the wilderness. We’ve had painted dogs walk into an otherwise blah sighting, we’ve seen ‘stationary cheetah’ turn into ‘running cheetah on the hunt,’ and we’ve experienced baby leopards suddenly and unexpectedly join their mom, right in front of us.

Where would I go right now, looking mostly at the properties which Kathy and I recently visited in East Africa? I would book my Kenya Airways non-stop flight from JFK to Nairobi, spend a couple of days in Nairobi (for a morning game drive in Nairobi National Park and a visit to the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage) and then head to either Lewa or Laikipia for 4 nights. Few other places in East Africa or the rest of the continent for that matter, can match properties like Lewa Wilderness or Kicheche Laikipia in terms of diversity. They have all the usual plains game and the big cats, and on top of that a trio of superb near-endemics in the way of Grevy’s Zebra, reticulated giraffe and beisa oryx. Plus healthy numbers of both black and white rhinos with their horns intact.

And then I’d head straight to the Masai Mara, splitting my time there between a property in one of the conservancies to the north of the Mara, and ending with a few days in the Mara Triangle, in the north of the park. These two areas make a great combination, melding the freedom to go off-road inside the conservancy and the ability to drive at night, with the amazing grandeur and spectacle of the Mara Triangle. Inch for inch it is about as fascinating and rewarding an area as one could visit anywhere in Africa. The Mara Triangle is also one of Kenya’s most reliable areas to experience the great migration, within striking distance of several known crossing points.

Kathy: On our recent visit to Kenya, I was amazed by the abundance of wildlife in three of the private conservancies to the north of the Masai Mara, namely Naboisho, Mara North and Lemek. Almost everywhere we looked, there were zebras in their hundreds. Plus masses of Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles, topis, eland, buffaloes (some huge herds!), giraffes (so many!), tons of wildebeest, hippos wherever there was water, elephants – and several prides of lions.

I would recommend to prospective travelers to Africa to spend up to a week or so in the Masai Mara, split between two of the conservancies or by including an additional few days in a camp which does its game drives in the Mara Triangle, such as Olonana, Little Governors, or AndBeyond Bateleur Camp.

In addition to the Mara, Kenya has several other superb safari destinations; call or email us and a member of the team will be happy to talk to you about Tsavo or Amboseli, Lewa, Meru or Samburu. We know them all really well and can give you just the right advice as to how they can fit in with a trip to the Mara.

For now, I will concentrate on the three properties which we visited in the conservancies. Any one of these would be an ideal ‘anchor’ property for a Kenya safari.

Saruni Leopard Hill – Mara Naboisho Conservancy

The female management team at Leopard Hill is very accommodating and they want to insure your comfort and enjoyment at their lovely little camp. The communal area is attached to the dining area and you will enjoy the view – beautiful fig trees surrounded by 3 waterholes. The dining/communal area is on a platform and there are steps leading to a small area where guests congregate around a small bonfire in the evenings.

This camp has 6 tents. We were in tent #3. I really liked the generous size and layout of the tents. The rooms also have a skylight which you can open up at night to ‘sleep under the stars.’ Not advisable during the rainy season though. The rooms have a king-size bed, great pillows, desk, daybed/couch, double sinks and separate shower and toilet as well as an outdoor shower. Plenty of room for your gear and a great patio overlooking the game reserve. The rooms are spaced far enough apart for privacy. They also have a honeymoon tent with a nice lounge and a family tent – two tents next to each other with doors (instead of zippers) suitable for a family of 4

A bonus at Leopard Hill is a complimentary 30-minute back and neck massage – don’t pass this up! The spa tent is in a nice, quiet area and the masseur is a man named Viki Geel who has 18 years’ experience. He is excellent! Viki also offers yoga and stretching. I am so glad I took advantage of this and if I had more time, I certainly would have spent more time at the Leopard Hill Spa!

We had a ‘surprise’ romantic dinner on our patio the second night – very well done.

Wake up – coffee/tea are brought to your room.

We had great game viewing and a bonus here – and in the other conservancies – is the off-roading which makes a big difference if you want to pull up close to a lioness with her cubs hidden in the bushes. As we did.

Kicheche Camp: Mara North Conservancy, Masai Mara

Andrew Obaga is the manager at Kicheche Mara and he and his very competent staff know how to make you feel comfortable and right at home. One is introduced to the camp after walking over a small bridge and up a short hill. At the top of the hill is an amazing and unexpected sight – a beautiful and well-maintained mowed lawn with communal dining and photography tents. Early the next morning there was a little family of three tiny dik-dik antelope on the edge of the lawn; humans are not the only ones who find it appealing.

The camp: the first communal tent is a photographer’s dream tent offering the photographer access to WIFI, computers and more. The photographer’s tent has just about everything needed for safari photographers – a real bonus in the bush! Right next door is a restroom. Walk a few more feet and you will find the dining tent with a lovely patio – indoor/outdoor dining. Two more communal tents with nice lounges, bars and two more tented restrooms complete the communal area.

Kicheche Mara has a total of 10 guest tents including a family tent. They can make any of the tents into a triple. For example if you want to travel with your mom and sister – they would be happy to put 3 adults in one tent – no problem! The pathway to each tent is clearly labeled using Swahili animal names for the tents. We were in Punda Milia (zebra). Arriving at our tent, the main power switch is a handy pull-string at the front of the tent opening. The tents are very spacious and well-appointed with a daybed, a king-sized bed, desk, open closet for all your items, a bathroom with a separate toilet, two sinks and a nice shower. We had a comfy patio with chairs and a small table so we could watch for any activity at the river.

Kicheche is a fabulous camp and well worth a 3-night visit. Tents on our side were: Kiboko, Punda Milia, Topi, and Kanga. They are all a short walk to the main area. Andrew told us the ‘honeymoon tent’ is located quite a bit further from the main area. Wake up – coffee/tea is brought to your room.

The food was excellent at Kicheche. After each meal the chef checked on us to make sure we were satisfied.

As was the case at the other camps in the conservancies, game viewing at Kicheche Mara commenced right out of camp. Twice, driving into and out of the camp, there were three elephant bulls with huge tusks to be seen hanging out in a marshy area close to camp; apparently they spend much of the dry season in that spot.

Hemingways Ol Seki Mara: Naboisho Conservancy, Masai Mara

Hemingway’s Ol Seki camp in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Masai Mara represents complete luxury on safari. The highly accomplished manager, Debbie Paul, gave us a very warm welcome – she had clearly read the guest information form – and we felt like old friends right away. Debbie took us to our room, #5, which was the closest to the lodge. The rooms are equipped with everything you will need including an indoor and outdoor shower, a gorgeous bathtub – quite a luxury on safari – and a separate/private toilet. The room has a king-size bed, a day bed and desk and a spacious wrap around patio perfect for game viewing from your room. I really liked their early morning wake-up – complete with coffee/tea and a to-go insulated mug to take on your morning game drive. You don’t want to waste any time in the mornings, and this was an added bonus.

The dining area has views of the water hole and game viewing area which can be great entertainment while dining or enjoying the communal area. The lounge and bar are attached to the dining area and they overlook a tempting pool and deck with lounge chairs and umbrellas – it’s really hard to beat this view. Relaxing in the dining area or pool area and game viewing at the same time – don’t forget your binoculars.

If you are traveling with your family, you may want to consider the Simba or Chui Suites. Ideal for parties of around 4 to 6, they are exclusive use with a private vehicle and chef, a pool and in a beautiful setting.

At Ol Seki we enjoyed great food and service and a great spa – reasonable treatment prices too. Facials and massages are offered – a wonderful way to relax during the siesta time before the afternoon game drive.

You won’t want to leave Ol Seki!

Saruni Wild – Lemek Conservancy, Masai Mara

One more Mara property which we checked out but did not overnight at, was Saruni Wild in the Lemek Conservancy. Saruni Wild is a beautiful and welcoming classic African bush camp. This small, tented camp has a great location in the Lemek Conservancy, right on the edge of the Mara North Conservancy, with access to both for game drives. What we both liked was the instant access to several excellent game viewing areas in the Mara. On our drive from Saruni Wild, we found a female cheetah and we were told that lions had been spotted in the area just the previous day.

Saruni Wild has an ideal mix of features which will make it easy to send our guests there in future. Effective, hands-on management, friendly staff and well-designed, well-maintained common areas and tents. All tents have the same basic layout – a king-sized bed, desk, open closet, double sinks, separate toilet and shower area. Tents are placed far enough away for great privacy. There is no age limit for this camp.

Contact us for more information

Our Fish Eagle Safaris Inc. team has visited various Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania properties over the last couple of months. Coming up soon: educational trips to Madagascar and Mozambique. We’d love to help you arrange your first or next trip to Africa to one of these or several other African destinations. We can be reached at 800-513-5222 in Houston, or email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com or lyndon@fisheaglesafaris.com

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Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route – Trip Report

7th April 2024

Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route – Trip Report

Is climbing Kilimanjaro easy? I had posed this question to myself once or twice before in the aftermath of previous Kili climbs, which included the Machame, Rongai and Marangu routes. My answer hasn’t changed. You might be lulled into thinking that it is so by day five on several of the major routes. By which time you’ve successfully negotiated a few steep and sometimes rocky uphill stretches, a couple of glacial valleys and notably, the Barranco Wall. And you’ve mastered some long, grinding hikes at altitude. All in all, you’re thinking, this is not going to be as hard as you had imagined it might be. Provided of course, that you’re not suffering too badly from the effects of altitude sickness, you’re sleeping ok and not overly fatigued.

And then everything changes. Somewhere between leaving base camp around midnight on summit day and getting down to the camp where you will be spending your last night on the mountain it becomes decidedly ‘not easy’. This is when you find out that Kilimanjaro is not a stroll in the park. In fact, most climbers are stretched to the very extreme of their limits over the span of about 14 hours, starting around midnight on summit day, which lasts well into the afternoon of the following day.

My most recent and likely penultimate attempt to hike Kili, with just Umbwe to go to make it a nice round ‘5’ number, was the Lemosho Route in February 2023. It is the longest of the popular tourist routes and the one with the highest success ratio. The reason being self-evident: more time spent on the mountain at altitude prior to summit day leads to better acclimatization which leads to a less fatigued, more energized summit attempt.

Just like the previous three times I had set out on a Kilimanjaro climb, day one on the Lemosho Route started with a drive from your Moshe or Arusha hotel. From where we spent the night, it was a 3-hour drive to the Londorossi Gate of Kilimanjaro National Park. The previous afternoon we had completed some formalities with the help of our lead guide Joseph Majuto, which meant that on our first day on the mountain we mostly had to wait in a tourist shelter with a lunch box, eating cookies and drinking boxed fruit juices. All while eyeing the other small groups of climbers doing the same thing. It takes longer than you might think – to get the permits ready – but you’ve got all day to get to the first campsite so no huge rush. Have another cookie.

Thu 17 Feb: Londorossi Gate to Big Tree – a rainforest stroll

Just as we were setting off, even before we had emerged from the cover of the shelter, some light and then intermittently heavy rain started to fall. An early opportunity for our three team members to put our rain gear to the test. My new Arcteryx Atom AR shell handled the moisture admirably, although it was warmer than I had anticipated, with a good head of steam developing inside the jacket as we walked steadily uphill in moderately warm temperatures. My two team members were uber fit marathon runners and despite having done this a few times previously, I knew that I would have to bring my A-game to hang with the two women.

The 7 km (just over 4 miles) hike from Londorossi Gate to the Mti Mkubwa campsite – better known as Big Tree – traverses a beautiful, dense, rainforest with majestic trees towering over the dense undergrowth, consisting of a profusion of vines, shrubs and other leafy plants. On one of the previous climbs, this is where our party got absolutely drenched in a torrential rainfall storm. Which is why you need to be wearing proper, waterproof boots for any Kilimanjaro climb.

We arrived at the Big Tree campsite only to find that a surprisingly large number of tents had already been erected among the trees in a level area. I estimated that there were close to 50 tents spaced out in the woods. We dropped our stuff inside the tent and enjoyed some tea and popcorn while we waited for dinner. As if we hadn’t had enough of walking, we also took a stroll through the campsite. Then it was time for dinner: fish, potato croquettes, beans, a mixed salad and vegetable ‘sauce’. Pretty good. After doing the usual health questions (are you feeling dizzy, do you have a headache or difficulty breathing and a few others) and passing the pulse oximeter ‘test’ with flying colors, we called it a day. Nightlife? No such thing. Take your Kindle or a couple of books and rechargeable solar light.

Fri 18 Feb: Big Tree to Shira 1 – the hills get steep and the rain intensifies

We were up at 6:00 am for breakfast at 7:00 am, and departed just after 8:00 am. Even just three people can be slow getting ready, clearly. Right out of camp we encountered the first of two hills on the way. The first one was quite steep, followed by a fairly steep descent. The second hill seemed endless and presented us with the first real test on the hike. There wasn’t much in the way of switchbacks either, it was just up, up, up. Conditions were still quite warm and we were all sweating as we exited the rainforest, entering moorland habitat about an hour or so into the hike.

From that point, it took at least another hour of steep uphill hiking over uneven terrain until we reached the crest of the ridge. From there the trail stretched along a relatively even area for the next 40 minutes or so.

By now it had gotten really cold and a steady rain had started to come down. We had our rain gear on so we were ok but it was still pretty miserable and all three of us suffered from extremely cold hands.

We reached Shira 1 campsite at just about 1:40 pm, cold and exhausted, and a cup of hot tea never tasted better. Ten minutes later, our assistant Davis served lunch, which consisted of spaghetti with a chicken sauce, fresh corn, and a pea, onion and tomato sauce. We tucked in and put a serious dent in the spaghetti. From there conditions improved considerably as the rain eventually abated and we enjoyed a couple of hours of partial sunshine.

We spent some time in the mess tent where we warmed our frozen fingers. Taking a walk through the campsite, we observed a Summits tent and met a couple of affable climbers from the UK, as well as a couple from Chapel Hill, NC. We took some photographs. Around 6:00 pm, hot water was delivered to the tent in a small basin for a sponge bath. Dinner was at 7:00 pm: rice, black beans and tomato sauce and fresh fruit. Again, it was early to bed, and I slept a solid 9 hours. That, in summary, is pretty much the nightly routine on a Kili climb, until summit day.

Sat 19 Feb – Shira 1 to Shira 2 – More rain, getting pelted in a sleet storm

To this point, this hike along the Lemosho Route was characterized by just one thing: rain. It rained every day without fail. Usually starting at around 11:00 am and invariably accompanied by heavy thunder. Fortunately, the thunder stayed high with no lighting bolts reaching the ground. At least not in our vicinity.

Rain, hiking and camping in the open are not a good mix. Over the course of several days the dampness gets into almost everything. By day three the base of our tents was damp and some of the Goretex clothing items were starting to fail to repel the moisture.

More than that, the rain and sleet also impacted our activities and the day to day routine. Everything becomes more difficult and tedious when it is wet and muddy. Starting with simple things like getting in and out of the tents. Crouching down to duck into and out of the low opening with mud everywhere is annoying at the best of times, and downright frustrating in the wet.

The hiking is also substantially impacted by long periods of rain and sleet. It slows everything down, from having to stop repeatedly to add rain gear, to slowing down over wet terrain, having to dodge puddles and muddy spots, and having to be even more deliberate than usual traversing over wet rock.

Another downside of chronically overcast weather: fewer opportunities to experience the scenery, which is one of the hallmarks of the Lemosho Route. We did have some good views of the Shira Plateau from Shira 1 camp, and great views of Kibo peak at the end of day 2 from Shira 1 and also from Shira 2. The second time around we could clearly see just how much more snow had accumulated in the previous 24 hours.

The hike from Shira 1 to 2 is about 10 km (6 miles) in distance and took us just about 4 hours, with a few rest stops, including one to don our rain gear.

It didn’t only rain a lot. For the better part of 40 minutes plus we were in a heavy sleet storm, with icicles pelting us on the head. We were apprehensive about encountering a proper hail storm when good protection would have been impossible to find. Things are slightly grim when ‘just icicles’ is the good news.

After an afternoon nap, we did a little walkabout, took a few more pictures and sat down for dinner at 6:30 pm. Homemade french fries, beef kabobs, and a bean stew, oranges and pineapple. And soup. We could not complain about the food. Earlier – for lunch – we had veggie sandwiches, the Kili cook’s tasty take on pizza and a hot soup as a starter. Incidentally, despite all the 45 miles or so of hiking, I don’t think any one of us lost much weight. No surprise there.

By nightfall – 8:oo pm – the sky had cleared and we could admire the starlit night sky, with the Milky Way and Orion being prominent.

Sun 20 Feb: Shira 2 to Barranco – via Lava Tower at 15,000 feet above sea level

This was the longest day of the route so far, all of 7 hours and 20 minutes or so, from Shira 2 camp to Barranco Camp. How long and how tough a day was it? Somewhat like doing one of Colorado’s 14,000 foot peaks, all the way up and all the way down in just one day. We started at just before 8:00 am, after an eventful night. At around 2:00 am a heavy rainstorm moved across our campsite. It wasn’t brief and it was quite intense, adding to our existing concerns about dampness getting into our ground mattresses and potentially into our sleeping bags. To some degree it did, but not as badly as we had feared.

At 6:30 am, the sun was shining and it would continue to do so intermittently until about 1:00 pm when we reached Lava Tower at 15,000 feet above sea level. This was a new altitude record for two of the three of us.

From the Lava Tower – which was the high point on the day’s hike – it was mostly downhill all the way to Barranco. Downhill doesn’t always translate to easy. It was heavy going pretty much all the way with rocks and boulders and steps up and steps down all the way. The area was still soaked from the previous day’s heavy precipitation, which made the footing slippery at times, and unpredictable.

The hike from Shira 2 to Lava Tower was no walk in the park either. Practically just meters out of camp, the rocky path started heading up and for the next two hours we walked steadily uphill, gaining considerable altitude. This portion of the hike culminates in a short ravine where we crested the hill, only to be confronted with more uphill in front.

At the sign pointing to Meyer’s Hut to the west we took a break, as did a few other hikers from Shira 2 who were enjoying a sitdown cup of tea. From there the trail winds steadily upward, across a saddle of sorts, and then links up with the Machame Trail a little further on.

Once the huge Lava Tower rocky outcrops came fully into view, we became more energized, our strength and energy having started to wane quite a bit. Understandably so, as at 15,000 feet the thin air does not deliver nearly as much oxygen as at sea level.

We enjoyed a packed lunch at Lava Tower, regained our strength and then set off for Barranco.

Dinner tonight: cheesy potatoes, elbow pasta and a white bean stew. Served with the Kili version of ‘vetkoek’ (deep fried fritters), and some fresh pineapple. As always, the guides do their best to urge you on to eat more – nutrition is all-important, as is hydration.

Mon 21 Feb: Crossing the Barranco Wall to Karanga Camp

Late the previous day, we had looked across the campsite to the imposing, even somewhat intimidating Barranco Wall. If you take the Lemosho, Machame, or Umbwe route up Kilimanjaro, the only way to the top involves clambering up the Barranco Wall. The 900-foot cliff which towers over Barranco Camp, presents quite a challenge to the average hiker, with two particularly nerve-wracking spots. Fortunately, they are quite early in the ascent and within minutes of each other. The first one involves putting your weight on your left leg and swinging the right leg around to a rocky ledge. The other one is the well-known ‘kissing rock’ where you literally hug a big round rock as you try to stop yourself from toppling over backwards. Fortunately there’s always a guide close by to provide support.

From there on, the climb continues up steeply, with several spots where both hands and feet are needed to negotiate the rocks. Clambering in other words. With some stops for water and to let porters by, it took us a good two hours to make it to the top, where there were some nice views of Mt. Meru in the distance.

From the top of the Barranco Wall it is another 2 hours to the next camp, Karanga, which overlooks a pretty valley.

About an hour or so out of Karanga, when hikers first see the camp, it appears to be no more than a 20 minute hike away. Reality sets in when you advance another 200 meters or so, and the full picture becomes clear. Before reaching camp, you have to hike down a steep, rocky, and in places, wet and muddy path, all the way down to a clear mountain stream, only to start up a steep, equally rocky path on the other side of the ravine. On the down side, there are many potentially dangerous spots where even a slight mistake, misjudgement, or a small lapse in concentration could have dire consequences. A fall could easily result in a serious injury, which would get you a one way ticket down the mountain in what would likely be an arduous and lengthy extraction process.

So my best advice is to prepare properly for the climb with significant attention to single leg strength and balance. Use your walking sticks, maintain a safe (slow) pace and pay close attention to where you plant your feet. Above all, never stray off the main trail for whatever reason. Short cuts or detours to get around slower hikes are to be avoided altogether. That is where accidents happen.

Karanga camp is set on a slope with Kibo prominent to the north. Some hikers bypass Karanga and continue on to Barafu – another 3 hours of hiking – only to make their summit attempt starting later on the same day. I don’t think that is a good idea at all, considering the time and energy expended to make it from Barranco up the Barranco Wall and through the several steep valleys en route to Karanga. Starting off summit day with a sleep deficit, on depleted leg muscles and at considerable altitude, is just not the smart move.

We made it to Karanga Camp around noon, just in time for a hot lunch. In the afternoon we did a Kilimanjaro version of Wordle, took a hike around the campsite, and made use of a couple of intermittent periods of sunlight to put out some solar charging devices.

All the while Kibo loomed in the background, a silent but very powerful reminder of what lay ahead of us the following day.

Tue 22 Feb: Karanga Camp to Barafu – Preparing for the summit attempt

After another good night of sleep – at least for yours truly – we went through the usual morning routine of getting ready for another day of camping on Mt. Kilimanjaro.

It starts with storing your sleeping bag and mattress, getting dressed, setting aside the items for your day pack, and packing everything else into your duffel bag. There’s fluids to be prepared such as using Steri tablets or adding Nuun or Gatorade powder to the supplied boiled water. Apply sunscreen, including a high SPF product for your lips, make sure your camera or smartphone is charged, get your hat and sticks and off you go.

On this day we had a relatively short hike ahead of us, of about 3 hours, from Karanga to Barafu, which would be the base camp for the actual summit attempt. Which would start late on the evening of 22 February hopefully culminating with the three of us reaching Uhuru Peak around 8:00 to 9:00 am on Wed 23 February.

The walk to Barafu was steadily uphill through noticeable rocky terrain. If the gods of antiquity were petulant children who tossed around large and small boulders in helter-skelter fashion, this is what the end result would be. Rocks and boulders in every direction, with precious little in the way of vegetation and almost nothing green. This was true Alpine desert. The only climate zone left? The snow cap at the summit. The last uphill into Barafu is steep and rocky and at an altitude of around 15,000 feet above sea level. It was a formidable test.

We reached Barafu fully ready for some food and a lot of rest. Which is exactly what we proceeded to do. We enjoyed probably one of the best lunches of the trip so far, a hearty and altogether delicious vegetable stew, with some white rice on the side. Just what the doctor ordered. By 2:00 pm we were ready to at least attempt to take a nap to recharge the batteries for the most demanding hike most of us would ever do. Eight or nine hours to go until we would set off on the climactic portion of our 9-day Kilimanjaro adventure. It was with a mix of anticipation, excitement and just a little nervousness that we retired to our tents that afternoon.

By 6:00 pm (none of us actually having slept a wink), we were back in the mess tent for a light dinner. A light icy rain started to fall during dinner, perhaps not the best harbinger of things to come on summit day or rather night. Little did we know then how things would turn out.

Just like on my previous three successful climbs, I did not sleep at all, using the afternoon and early evening hours to rest and prepare. Getting ready for the summit attempt takes a lot of planning and selection of suitable gear. Other than one’s climbing boots, the choice of a waterproof shell is critical. This is the one garment without which a Kilimanjaro climb can quickly turn miserable if not unbearable. It is of paramount importance to stay warm and dry and for that you need a good shell.

I wore an Arcteryx Beta AR shell for the first time and it was the bomb. 100% waterproof, warm, and with tighteners at the sleeves to keep moisture out. Good pockets with zippers, a proper hood and lightweight to boot. The large size means it is roomy enough to fit comfortably over several other layers, including a heavy fleece.

A light breakfast was served just after 10:00 pm, and following that we made the usual final adjustments & preparations. Put on gaiters, checked on our water and Gatorade supply, made sure we had our sunglasses, suntan lotion and extra batteries for the headlamp. It turned out that my extra batteries had been left behind in a bag in Arusha. It would cost me dearly later the following day. Other important final checks? Have your liner and heavy gloves ready from the word go. Cold fingers and hands are no fun and can be distracting. My set of heavy REI skiing mittens worked well. In your backpack also include your camera and extra batteries (keep them warm) and a 30 + SPF lip balm. This is vital – so many people leave Kili with cracked, blistered lips – do not let it happen to you!

Wed 23 Feb: Uhuru Summit attempt – Disaster strikes

Finally, around 11:00 pm, as a snow flurry came down, we started out of Barafu Camp. Having completed the Machame Route in 2016, I remembered that there was a rather nasty stretch of rocks and steep uphill right out of the gate leaving Barafu. Sure enough, we were huffing and puffing almost immediately. The treacherous, even dangerous uphill stretch was much worse than I had remembered. It was rough, with huge rock slabs to be negotiated under less than ideal (wet, icy, snowy) conditions.

If I were ever to climb this route again (which is unlikely), I would absolutely make Kosovo my final base camp, not Barafu. Kosovo is about an additional hour’s hike further up the mountain, past Barafu. Climbing out of Kosovo – which we did when we hiked the Machame Route – is the smart move. Of course, that means having to include the steep, hilly stretch (leading out of Barafu) as part of the hike from Karanga the previous day. Seeing as that hike is less than 3 hours, it makes eminently good sense. It makes your summit day attempt much less strenuous not having to contend with that awful, rocky hill first thing out of the gate.

Once we had negotiated the steep, nasty stretch, we made pretty good progress and I was starting to feel confident about summiting. Conditions were ideal with no wind or snow, and it wasn’t exceptionally cold. I was just thinking that we were well on our way, with the rocky stretch leading to Stella Point being the only really difficult portion ahead, when an event occurred which would change everything almost instantaneously.

One person in our party just said, “I’m feeling a little dizzy,” almost immediately started to wobble a bit and took a few steps to a large rock, where she lost consciousness. As it turned out, she would not be able to recall any of the subsequent events until she reached about 12,000 feet elevation at Millenium Camp on the way back down.

Later on, we realized that our team mate was suffering from HACE – High Altitude Cerebral Edema. I was aware of HACE and its cousin HAPE – High Altitude Pulmonary Edema – having done extensive reading prior to my first Kili attempt. Unless and until one of them unfolds in front of your eyes these conditions remain theoretical constructs in your mind.

It was scary experiencing it first-hand and seeing your friend go from walking normally to being completely out of it in a matter of less than two minutes. If untreated, HACE can be fatal. We all knew what had to be done: the climber had to get emergency oxygen and be rushed to a lower altitude.

That is exactly what happened. An oxygen tube was connected and the emergency descent was started practically immediately, with assistant guide Winford taking the lead and moving ahead of us downhill at a rapid pace, physically supporting the stricken hiker. The remaining two climbers followed – at a substantially slower pace – with head guide Joseph. We paused for a short while at Barafu where the decision was made to evacuate right out of the park, and to not overnight at Mweka which would ordinarily be the case.

We still had not seen our friend but was told that she was feeling a lot better. The descent from Barafu to Mweka is a tough downhill slog of about 3 hours along an abysmally bad, substandard, rock-strewn track. Negotiating this dangerous descent after a successful summit – as I had done before – is tough, but doing it in the dark was crazy. It is pathetic that the Kilimanjaro authorities make that particular track the only option down for hikers completing the Machame, Lemosho or Umbwe summit attempts. Since 2016 – when I first hiked down along the road after a Machame climb – few if any improvements had been made. To make matters worse we were walking in near total darkness from 3:00 am until 6:30 am. Being without spare batteries, my headlamp petered out halfway down the track, which made every step more difficult than it should have been. Fortunately we made the hazardous trek without twisting an ankle or worse.

We were finally reunited with our friend at Mweka Campsite. She was feeling much better but clearly still the worse for wear, groggy and fatigued. We had a long 10 km (6 mile) stretch of road ahead of us to the Mweka Gate. It took us the better part of 3 hours to complete the beautiful yet tiring walk through the rainforest. With dozens of porters passing us every mile or so, we took what felt like thousands of steps down to where the jeep track terminated. Relief was in sight! Minutes later we were bundled into a vintage ambulance and drove the last few miles to Mweka Gate.

From there it was about 40 minutes back to our Moshi Hotel where we collected our valuables and left luggage, took a very mch overdue and welcome hot shower and handed over the gratuity to Joseph and Winford to be distributed among the team. It was time to say goodbye to our stalwart guides and to head back to Arusha for the night. The next day we said our own goodbyes and went on our way to Houston, San Antonio and Johannesburg, respectively. The trip didn’t end quite the way we would have liked it to, but it was a major achievement to have climbed as high as we did under really trying circumstances.

Three common Kilimanjaro climb pitfalls to avoid

What are the three most common mistakes made in the planning and execution of a Kili climb?

#1: Not adding an additional acclimating day and opting for the minimum # of days on a climb

Unless you are a super-conditioned athlete – and even then – attempting the Lemosho route in just seven days instead of 8, the Machame Route in just six days or the Marangu Route in just five, is looking for trouble. Spending an additional day on the mountain at altitude makes a huge difference in the chance for a successful summit. So spend a bit more time in Tanzania and pay the extra money for one more day: it will be worth your while. This is even more important on the shorter routes like Marangu and Umbwe, both of which can theoretically be done in 5 days. Definitely add an extra night on these climbs; even then your body is going to have a tough time to adjust due to the short, rapid ascent.

#2: Flying into Kilimanjaro the night before starting your Kili climb

This is not a good idea, particularly if you live in a city close to sea level and you have to take one or more long flights crossing as many as 9 or 10 time zones to get to Tanzania. Departing from sea level, spending 30-plus hours on the journey, only getting to Tanzania the night before – and then setting out on the climb the very next day – is decidedly risky. Like asking your body to go from zero to 60 mph overnight.

On the other hand, spending 3 nights or so in Tanzania at around 1,500 meters above sea level, such as in the Arusha or Moshe area, can make a decisive difference for the better. You’ve already made a significant investment in time and money to get this far, so don’t risk it by starting up the mountain too soon. Spending a few nights at a lodge such as Ngare Sero, on the lower slopes of Mt. Meru just outside Arusha, will be hugely beneficial. There’s plenty of activities to keep you busy, including hiking on the lower slopes of Mt. Meru. Get over the jet lag, rest up a bit and give your body a chance to acclimate to the mile-high altitude before you pile on more altitude over the next few days. If you’re keen, we can even arrange a 3-day hike of Mt. Meru which would be the ideal fine-tuning of your Kilimanjaro preparation.

#3: Starting off at too fast a pace

You’ve done the training, you’re feeling fit and you want to get to the top. Fast. So off you go, charging up the mountain, right out of the gate. Big mistake. Kili is not a race and there is no special certificate for beating the pack. It takes 6 or 7 days or even more, and the real test only starts around midnight on summit day. That is when a Kili climb goes from relatively easy to sometimes super difficult, depending on the conditions. Not conserving your energy earlier on will cost you dearly then. Always mind your guide’s entreaties to go slowly. Pole pole.

Of course, several other factors come into play including good physical preparation, proper equipment, picking the best time of the year for your climb, and having a competent head guide in charge.

How to improve your chances to summit Kilimanjaro:

#1: Keep your feet happy and healthy

This starts with buying and wearing in a good pair of well-fitting waterproof boots. Do not scrimp on this purchase. The line between success and failure on Kilimanjaro is a thin one and developing debilitating blisters can easily tilt you in the wrong direction. Personal hygiene is a challenge on the mountain with no access to showers, except cold ones on the Marangu Route. Whatever you do or do not do in this arena, don’t neglect your feet. Take immediate and decisive action to treat a blister or hot spot right away, before it becomes problematic. Use an antifungal like Tinactin daily and apply a lubricant like Glide (get it from a running store) on and between your toes, on your heels and other potential problem areas, before every hike. Prevention is way more important than cure, particularly over the space of a few crucial days.

Proper socks are super important. I’ve had great results with a thin liner sock (like the REI store brand), together with a double-layered hiking sock such as the Wrightsock ‘Coolmesh’ type. Take enough socks to start with a clean pair (liner and regular socks) every day, plus 2 spare sets in case of unexpected heavy rain or other mishap.

#2: Follow your head guide’s instructions and requests

Your head guide has summited Kilimanjaro probably dozens and even hundreds of times. He knows what works, he can anticipate issues and pitfalls, help you avoid failure and inspire you to deliver your best. As long as you listen to him and let him lead. If the pace initially seems painfully slow, there is a reason. If the head guide wants you to do an afternoon climb to gain some more altitude after a long and perhaps punishing morning hike, do it. Don’t fret, don’t whine – you are paying good money for the chance to achieve something really special. So, shun all negativity from your mind and let your head guide help you realize your dream.

#3: Sleep when you can

Get some sleep at night or during the day, whenever the opportunity arises. Whether it’s a 15-minute nap or a 6-hour slumber, it all adds up and it is vital, in fact critical for success. Bring good earplugs, a comfy pillow, whatever it takes to get you in a sleep mode. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. A high quality sleeping bag which will keep you warm at temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit is a good investment in more and better sleep. It means you can get into your sleeping bag with just a couple of layers of loose, comfortable sleepwear. To keep warm in a sleeping bag not designed for such low temperatures, you may end up having to wear multiple layers of clothing. This can be annoying, restrictive and not conducive at all to falling asleep easily and quickly. Plus of course being cold inside your sleeping is guaranteed to adversely affect your sleep duration and quality.

#4: Eat and drink regularly

The food on Kilimanjaro is typically bland and predictable: chicken and chips, a variety of stews, lots of vegetables and pasta. And soups. If you are lucky your cook will prepare some local foods like ugali (rustic polenta) and beans. Even the most creative of mountain cooks are stymied by the limited range and quantity of fresh ingredients which the porters can carry all the way up, so don’t expect something new and exciting every day. You must eat though, to replenish the thousands of calories burnt every day. So, while you may not always feel ravenously hungry, decent nourishment is vital. Be sure to bring some energy bars with you; on our last trek I tried the Luna brand Blueberry and Lemon Zest varieties and they both hit the spot! Be creative and experiment, just make sure that you get your calories in. It is ok to indulge in sugary treats for these few days so by all means tuck into candy bars, chocolates, snack food and trail mixes – anything you find palatable.

Your head guide will be checking regularly to make sure that you stay hydrated as that is of paramount importance. Whether you use a bladder system or individual Nalgene bottles – or both – make sure that you carry at least 3 to 4 liters of water on you; it is advisable to add some electrolytes to the bottled water.

#5: Take the Diamox

Don’t shy away from a twice daily dose of Diamox (Acetazolamide), a diuretic which helps to prevent and reduce the symptoms of altitude sickness. Most climbers take about 125 mg daily and up to 250 mg before summit day. Be sure to consult a physician before doing so. Taking Diamox is no guarantee of success, but it does help a lot of people. The most common side-effects include some tingling in the extremities and excessive urination. Not a bad trade-off for achieving your goal. Persons who have an allergy to Diamox or sulfa drugs should clearly not take this drug – again, be sure to consult a medical specialist before taking any prescription medication.

#6: Train, train, train

It is never too soon to start training for Kili but certainly you’d want to be on some kind of training regimen starting no less than 6 months prior to the summit date. Ideally of course, climb some mountains or hills with a backpack, with some weights. Start modestly and work your way up from a couple of days or so per week, increasing the distance and frequency as the climb approaches.

No hills? Find a levee wall or other decent sized hill or slope (steps if there is nothing else) and walk up and down with a weighted backpack for up to an hour or more, several times per week. Make this progressively harder and more challenging as the big day approaches. Be careful with weights on your back as too much can be dangerous, particularly if not carried high up and close to your upper torso. Even regular long hikes with your Kili boots and backpack (load it up progressively) will help with the preparation, hills or no hills.

In addition to, and in combination with hiking, I suggest a series of single leg exercises to increase your ability to handle the thousands of ‘up’ and then thousands of ‘down’ steps required to get to the top. And down again. The exercises which I personally do include these:

* Single leg step-ups
* Single leg deadlifts
* Single leg squats
* Regular weighted squats
* Walking lunges
* Calf lifts

It is a good idea to also include some aerobic distance exercises like running, biking or a rowing machine to build up endurance and good oxygen utilization. Maybe even some high intensity running like fartleks (speedplay) which can be done anywhere. Just warm up properly and don’t make any sudden or large increases in volume or intensity from one day or week to the next. Slowly slowly, just like the eventual ascent you are working towards!

There is no prohibition on including other training modalities and equipment like regular gym core and weight work, swiss ball, medicine ball, resistance bands or whatever you are already doing. And of course, if you already work with a personal trainer, that is your best-case scenario. A personal trainer will be able to customize your training program to get you into tip-top form for Kilimanjaro!

If you are ready to take on the challenge of Kilimanjaro, call our Houston office at 1-800-513-5222 any time during business hours, Monday to Friday, CDT or email me at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com.

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Birds in flight

Birds in flight and wildlife photographers have an uneasy relationship. Things go wrong as often as they go right. Getting focus-lock on a moving subject is probably the most challenging aspect of the endeavor. And then getting a high enough shutter speed to stop the motion and avoid the dreaded blurry images… Lately I’ve been shooting birds in flight at around 1/1,250 shutter speed and f-8 with ISO set to auto with pretty decent results.

African skimmers are my favorite birds to capture in flight, hands down. Or maybe I should say wings down? Kathy and I were fortunate to bump into a bunch of them on the banks of the Rufiji River in what is now Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous) a little more than a month or so ago in Tanzania.

Here are a few of the skimmer photos:

With a 500-mm lens it is possible to almost completely blur the background for a pleasing ‘bokeh’, which also makes the subject ‘pop’. Which is exactly what you want.

Sometimes it is a good idea to show some habitat; in this case the typical – beautiful – Nyerere (Selous) riverine forest along the truly magical Rufiji River where baobab trees often creep into the photos.

I had never gotten a photo of an African skimmer while calling, until this time – when I captured two of them ‘talking’ at the same time! Skill or luck? I’d like to think a little bit of both.

Symmetry is a photographer’s friend and capturing these two skimmers in similar positions, with their graceful wings pointed down, is what makes this an interesting shot. Background is always an important consideration when shooting birds in flight; a green leafy background is almost always better than anything else.

What is better than one skimmer or two skimmers? A bunch of skimmers, obviously. When captured together in a flock – the tighter the better – almost all birds make an interesting photo.

Adding drama to your photos

How does one add drama to a photograph? There’s several tried and trusted ways including motion blur, silhouettes, lighting effects, shadows and backlighting. Sometimes, nature itself supplies the drama, you just have to channel it. Take dust, smoke and fog for example. Each one of these can turn an ordinary wildlife situation into something special. I’ve seen it multiple times with wildebeest, elephants and rhinos. Elephants kicking up dust at Amboseli, rhinos shrouded in fog in the Masai Mara, a smoky background in the Okavango Delta, in the aftermath of a veld fire. Those are conditions that can turn your run of the mill photographs into little masterpieces. What might otherwise be a pretty ho-hum scene can become truly magical – with tons of drama – with just a little dust, smoke or fog. Of course, you have to be in the right spot at the right time. And have a plan.

When we came upon a mixed group of vultures in Ruaha National Park recently, I was initially only mildly interested in the scene. Until we saw a fearless black-backed jackal almost recklessly charge right into the thick of the vulture pack, desperately trying to drive them off what remained of an impala carcass.

Suddenly everything changed. There was dust everywhere as the jackal startled several of the birds into flight. I was ready for the second charge, with a high shutter speed at f/11, which would – I thought at the time – provide me with sufficient depth of field to get the jackal and some of the birds in focus. It worked. Maybe not 100% – I could have used even more depth of field – but keeping the lens focused on the birds and waiting for the jackal to rush into the frame had the desired outcome.

Here are a few of the photographs:

On a morning game drive from Kigelia Ruaha camp in Ruaha National Park last August, we initially drove by this flock of vultures surrounding the carcass of an impala until we saw a black backed jackal rushing across the road, straight into the bunched up vultures.

Seemingly fearless, the relatively small jackal tore into the vultures, biting into their wings indiscriminately and chasing off several of them. The resulting commotion and ensuing dust is what ultimately turned the scene from a not-so-special sighting to a true spectacle.

The jackal found itself facing overwhelming odds but it persevered, making several charges and finding itself right in the thick of the action more than once.

While I would have loved to have gotten a little better focus on the jackal in this photo (should have used maybe f/13 instead of f/11 for more depth of field) it nonetheless captures the essence of the conflict and the proximity of the jackal to the vultures.

In the aftermath, with the dust settling and the vultures getting ready to consume what remains of the impala, there is a sense of a battle having been won, and of nature taking its course.

Becoming a better photographer

Becoming a better photographer is an ongoing process, much like it is with any other skill. Early on, after buying my first semi-professional camera in 2008, I started with in-person and later online instruction. At the time there were lots of excellent instructional photography books available. Some were better than others. I do recall ‘Understanding Exposure’ by Bryan Peterson as being particularly helpful. Nowadays of course the internet is a treasure trove of instructional videos and e-books.

How long does it take to get good at photography? It depends how much time and effort you put into it. If you get serious with your photography, it will take about two to three years to acquire competence to the point where you will be able to shoot confidently in the manual setting. Also, by then you should have a good understanding of the relationship between aperture, shutter speed and ISO, the three sides of the exposure triangle. You will be well on your way to understanding and using depth of field and you will know enough about composition (the rule of thirds and when to break it), to avoid the most common beginner’s mistake which is to center each and every object in the frame. You’ll also be able to read a histogram. It may take as long as ten to twelve years of study and work to really master the skill of photography. Fortunately, there are no age limits or expiration dates. So keep shooting, keep learning and keep enjoying making beautiful images!

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Back to Southern Tanzania

Ruaha National Park

Almost everywhere in Africa baobab trees are somewhat of a rarity, an object of special attention. Sometimes referred to as ‘upside down trees’ because of their rootlike branches reaching into the sky, they are the weird uncles of the world of trees. Fifteen fashion cycles behind everyone else but blissfully unaware of it.

Where they do occur, baobabs are usually counted in ones, twos and threes. Just not in Ruaha National Park in central Tanzania. Here, baobabs are present in tens, hundreds and thousands, with many of them as old as 500 to 1,000 years. In Ruaha, sandy dirt tracks wind past veritable forests of these bizarre behemoths. It doesn’t take a keen observer long to figure out that no two baobab trees are alike. From just thick to grotesquely distended, each elephant-grey trunk and set of spindly branches is unique. Tall, short, squat, triangular, twisted, knobby, full of holes, old, ancient and somewhere in between. The baobabs of Ruaha are faces in a crowd, fingerprints in a police ledger. With stories to tell for those willing to pause and listen and dig a little bit deeper.

In Ruaha the baobabs are as different as stamps in a collection, yet they all tell a similar tale. Of being favored by one other ubiquitous inhabitant of these beautiful wooded slopes and valleys: Loxodonta africana, the African elephant. Their numbers fluctuate but Ruaha is home to around 12,000 of these massive, voracious feeding machines. When they’re not eating grass, or leaves or twigs – mostly when those are in short supply during the long dry season – they turn to bark. Often the thick, fibrous, water-retaining bark and wood of the baobabs. Elephants instinctively know that baobab trees store considerable quantities of water – so all the more reason to utilize them when water is scarce. Of all of the hundreds of baobabs we saw in Ruaha not a single one was unmarked by elephants and some were heavily ring-barked to the point where their survival was at risk.

Kigelia Ruaha Camp

Our three days in Ruaha were spent at Nomad’s Kigelia Ruaha tented camp. It is minimalist by design, but not short on charm. A modestly sized raffia-covered lounge area with a mess tent around the corner make up the central area. At night, with judicious use of some hanging lights and a cozy open fire-place – often referred to as the ‘bush TV,’ the area was transformed into a romantic ‘dinner under the stars’ setting.

Six classic tented rooms are spread out along the edge of a heavily sanded seasonal stream, bone dry at the time of our visit. Even so, elephants habitually dig into the sand for subterranean water. They can often be heard at night feeding on the tamarind trees in and around the camp. There is a family tent as well – essentially two identical tents next to each other with a covered inter-leading passage. The rooms have a small en-suite bathroom with two basins with room temperature water on tap and a flush toilet. There is an enclosed outdoor shower area – reached by way of a zippered door – where hot showers can be enjoyed on demand. The traditional bucket shower arrangement has enough water for even two people to take a shower.

Why select Kigelia and Nomad Tanzania safaris in particular? One good reason. Every party traveling with Nomad automatically gets allocated a private vehicle and guide. As safari aficionados know only too well, having your own private guide and vehicle on safari is a huge advantage. Like flying private versus commercial. No comparison.

Activities at Ruaha beyond game drives include walking safaris (book in advance), night drives and balloon safaris. On our final day, the participants on a balloon safari saw both a male lion and an unfortunate leopard which had been killed by the lion that very morning. Night drives have lots of potential for sightings of rarely seen animals like honey badgers and nocturnal birds like owls. The potential is not always realized but if you don’t play, you can’t win.

Among other camp options in Ruaha are two luxury properties, namely Asilia’s Jabali Ridge and Ikuka. Mwagusi (close to Kigelia) is a classic camp which has been owner-operated by long-time guide and area expert Chris Fox since 1987. Depending on your interests you may consider a seasonal tented camp like Flycatcher (dry season only) or perhaps Kichaka Expeditions which focuses exclusively on walking safaris. We had previously met the owner, Andrew Molinari (better known as Moli) when he was guiding at Jongomero camp in Ruaha. Moli is a near legendary walking guide and being out in the Ruaha wilderness with him on foot is a truly adventurous wilderness experience.

Wildlife in Ruaha

Over the course of three nights at Kigelia we did see a fair number of elephants, a large pride of lions, some buffaloes and plenty of giraffes. Other wildlife of interest included small groups of zebras, greater and lesser kudu, warthogs, a smattering of hippos and crocodiles, bushbuck around the camp, hundreds of impalas, Grant’s gazelles, a few groups of eland, jackals and a solitary oribi. Some of the other guests saw leopards, a 400-plus herd of buffalo, hyenas and bat-eared foxes. Overall the bird life was excellent and we identified around 60 species without really trying very hard.

From the perspective of a serious amateur photographer, there were fewer really outstanding photo opportunities than I had anticipated. To be sure, luck played a role as most of the other guests came back from game drives with much better stories than we did. Maybe Kathy and I had used up our luck in northern Kenya with two cheetah kills in one day.

However, our two previous visits to Ruaha were not dissimilar from a purely game viewing perspective. Which leads me to the conclusion that the area’s wildlife density may be somewhat overstated in most websites and blog posts. Particularly relating to the number of lions. Ruaha is widely credited as having ten percent of all of Africa’s lions, currently estimated to be around 24,000 or so. I don’t think so. A scientific survey conducted by Kimaro et al in 2019 estimated the lion population of Ruaha to be around 200 to 280 for the dry and wet season, respectively. Lion density in Ruaha is about half that of the Serengeti and one fifth of the Masai Mara.

Why Ruaha

What do I suggest? By all means visit Ruaha because it is spectacular and simply dripping with atmosphere of the Africa of old. I’ve already referred to the baobabs and I can’t overstate just how amazing they are. Driving around the Msembe area of Ruaha in the late afternoon just before and particularly after sunset is truly unforgettable. It’s like being in a nature documentary with the gorgeous opening footage on a loop.

If you want to have your cake and eat it, combine Ruaha and Nyerere national parks with some time spent in the Serengeti. Preferably In that order. You’ll enjoy the ‘old Africa’ experience in the south, marveling at the setting and maybe trying a couple of different activities. And then go on to the high octane, wall-to-wall ‘big five’ experience of Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti.

Nyerere National Park

Our single best boat safari – in a very long time – was a hybrid affair: I mostly wanted to get photos of some African skimmers in flight. The previous day, I had seen quite a few of these elegant, tern-like birds congregating on a sandbank in front of Sand Rivers Lodge. Kathy wanted to take another shot at fishing in the Rufiji river. As it turned out we both got what we wanted and then some. But first a few words about Sand Rivers Lodge.

When we first visited Sand Rivers Selous (as it was called then) in 2008, it was love at first sight. We couldn’t get enough of our room with its totally open to the front design and its location within hearing distance of the burbling water of the mysterious Rufiji, a vastly underrated African river.

A second visit in 2014 served as somewhat of a reality check. In the intervening years the elephants in the northern part of the (then) Selous Game Reserve had been heavily poached, and we could tell the difference. Our guide had to work really hard to find elephants. To be sure, we were there just after the rains so overly thick vegetation exacerbated the situation.

Wildlife in Nyerere National Park

Fast forward another nine years or so and it appears that elephant numbers in the northern Nyerere National Park have stabilized, albeit at reduced overall numbers. We saw several small herds and lone elephants on an extended morning game drive and in the afternoons they can be reliably found in a marshy area not far from Sand Rivers Lodge.

Our extended morning game drive in the area delivered several other sightings including, of course, impalas in the dozens and hundreds, a good sized herd of eland, a smattering of both plains zebras and wildebeest, lots of giraffes, and a large pride of lions numbering no less than 17 total.

The lions had taken down an adult buffalo and unfortunately the kill attracted just a little too much attention. Once word got out, a bunch of other vehicles showed up and by midday there were almost 20 cars around the kill. Several of the vehicles were ‘day-trippers’ from Zanzibar (they fly from Zanzibar to a Nyerere airstrip and then drive in the park). We were a bit taken aback to observe this many vehicles at a sighting in Nyerere National Park. Guests staying at Sand Rivers are able to avoid a situation like this by getting to a sighting either earlier or later. Or simply by finding their own lions closer to camp as we did the following day.

Sand Rivers Lodge – an enduring favorite

Which brings me back to some of the changes at Sand Rivers. The layout of the main lodge – which overlooks a particularly photogenic stretch of the Rufiji river – had been changed – for the better. The lounge and dining areas had been switched and the lodge now has a more open, breezy feel to it. To be sure, if I hadn’t been told about the changes, I probably wouldn’t have noticed.

Sand Rivers is still a ‘one of a kind’ property with a setting that is rivaled by just a handful of other safari properties in Africa. The grandeur, the tranquility, the closeness of the Rufiji – it’s hard not to like this place. The omnipresent hippos are constantly communicating with each other, their far-carrying honking calls reminding visitors about their good fortune to be in the African wilderness. More than once I was drawn to the edge of the Rufiji, watching its waters rush by on an endless, mesmerizing loop. At Sand Rivers, overlooking the Rufiji, there is not a bad seat in the house, whether at the bar, in the lounge, the dining room or in the open seating area by the pool. I’m sure I’m not the only one who likes to linger there before and after mealtimes.

Our suite #2 – with a beautiful long view over the Rufiji – is a spot where African safari dreams become reality. Open to the front and partially on the sides, the large multi-level suite has an adjacent covered lounge with a good-sized plunge pool. Inside the room itself there’s an oversized king bed enveloped in a huge rectangular mosquito net. While it has an inside and outside shower, there’s no tub.

Another – more significant- change in the area was the recent (and ongoing) construction of a large hydroelectric dam at Stiegler’s Gorge, a few miles upstream from Sand Rivers. While the full ecological impact of the damming of the Rufiji river will likely take decades to play out, the immediate benefit to power-starved Tanzania is clear. Once completed, the project will more than double Tanzania’s power generation capacity.

I was relieved to see that the project has had no visual or other direct impact on Sand Rivers. The Rufiji is perhaps a bit lower than it might otherwise have been, but life in and along the river seems to be thriving. There’s hippos and crocodiles everywhere and a lot more, as we were to see on our boat safari.

Skimmers and golden catfish

Chugging upriver from the lodge, our excellent guide Deo nudged the aluminum skiff closer to a few African skimmers perched on a sandy spit. The elegant, striking birds with oddly elongated lower beaks, were flying back and forth along a small side-channel. I was concentrating on getting a good focus lock on them when I heard Deo say, ‘There’s lions!’ Sure enough, two female lions could be seen lying down right on the edge of the tree line, looking in the direction of a large tower of giraffes which had congregated a little further upstream along the water’s edge.

We stuck around for a while but the lions demonstrated no intent to step things up a level. Leaving them behind, we moved further upstream past a trio of old buffalo males to a spot which we promptly named Skimmer Point. There must have been 50-plus of the birds clustered together, their shrill calls ringing out above the grunting of the hippos. I finally succeeded in getting some decent exposures of skimmers in flight. Mission accomplished!

Except that the fishing part of the deal was still to be concluded. Moving upstream again, Deo tied up the boat on the southern bank of the river. Fishing from the boat, Kathy didn’t waste much time before she had two sizable golden catfish on the line, in quick succession. The second one was probably close to 20 lbs! Well done Kathy!

Over lunch a little bit later- just prior to being dropped off at the local airstrip for the flight to Dar Es Salaam – we watched as the journey of giraffes took off in a panic, bolting further upstream and kicking up a cloud of dust in the process. It appeared that the lions had decided to go after at least one of them. Quite the finish to a morning and to our fun and entertaining stay at Sand Rivers Nyerere.

Having just recently returned from southern Tanzania, Bert and Kathy have lots of current information and advice about the area and about how it can best be combined with other parts of Tanzania. Call them at 800-513-5222 or mail Bert directly at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

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