Botswana Migration Routes Safari May 2009

Fish Eagle Safaris’ Lyndon and Jason Duplessis recently left home for an adventure trip in Botswana, the Migration Routes Safari. They did get an adventure trip, but it wasn’t quite what they expected!

The trip had everything: big game, riding elephants, mokoros, boat cruises, amazing food, sunrises
and sundowners. We’ve always been suckers for predators, and we saw plenty at Linyanti. Lions
Wild Dogs, Leopards, and Hyena. Every day there was something new and exciting to see there.
We’re not sure how different the trip would have been without the upgrades. Obviously we
wouldn’t have had the opportunity to ride elephants, but the game viewing would not have
changed. All in all it was one of our best trips to date. It would have been nice not to deal with the
bugs at Xigera, but what can you expect from an island in the middle of the Okavango Delta? And
while mokoro rides and nature walks are nice, we think one fewer day at Xigera would have
worked out better.

Here is a short diary of a few of our early days on safari, but our trip can be summarized quite easily
by the photographs taken.

April 28
After a long and completely relaxing flight from Houston through Washington to Joburg we finally get to our hotel, The Mondior Concorde. Fighting the urge to collapse and sleep for about two days straight we unpack and settle in. After just relaxing for a couple hours we have a small debate whether to get up and grab a bite to eat at the nearby Casino, or just crash for the night. Jason wins the argument and we make our way out of the hotel. It is a short walk, and before we know it we’re inside scouring the different restaurants. Quickly we spot an Ocean Basket and dart over, having been to a few on our previous trips. After dinner we head back and collapse knowing that our adventure would begin early the next morning.

April 29
After an early breakfast we head to OR Tambo to catch our flight to Livingstone. This flight seems like ten minutes after our recent trans-Atlantic flight. We land and meet our Wilderness rep who helps us pack and takes us immediately to see Victoria Falls. It is our first time to view it from the Zambian side. Unfortunately it is difficult to see much of the falls because the excessive rains from this year have flooded the Zambezi.

Which then pours such an enormous amount of water down the falls that all you see is a fine
white mist. After getting nice and wet while crossing a small bridge (sorry, no photos, couldn’t risk
the camera) we are on our way to the first camp, Toka Leya. It is located outside of Livingstone,
on the Zambezi about 12 km from Vic Falls.

April 30
The next morning we set off for Botswana. After a short drive we found ourselves on the water again taking a scenic boat transfer to get to our waiting Land Rovers.

May 1
The next morning we awake for our first game drive. Our guide, Richard, had heard some lions calling
early in the morning and he found their tracks on the road shortly after leaving camp. After
about fifteen minutes we found two females with a younger male.

May 2
The next morning the plan was to have a full day drive in order to reach the Savuti Channel. On the way we came across a pair of enormous male lions, nicknamed “The Border Brothers”. At one point they both started roaring, which was probably the highlight of the trip for me.

May 3
On our final day at Linyanti Tented Camp, we were able to do a short game drive on the way to the airstrip. Our next stop, Abu Camp, was very special. Not only were the accommodations first rate but the elephant back safaris were something we will both remember forever.

May 4
The elephants live on an island with the mahouts, or handlers. Here we are leaving the island, heading
towards the bush.

May 5 – 8
Our amazing adventure at Abu Camp was coming to an end. Luckily, we were all allowed to have a
group picture taken with the Matriarch of the elephants, Cathy.
Our next stop was Xigera Mokoro Trails Camp. After a short flight and a lengthy boat transfer, we
were on our own little island in the middle of the delta.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

Virtual Itinerary

Southern Tanzania & Zanzibar Trip Report for February 2009

PART 1: STONE TOWN, ZANZIBAR ISLAND

It is a very long way from Houston to Dar Es Salaam in southern Tanzania. Getting there entailed two long back to back flights from IAH/Houston Intercontinental to AMS/Amsterdam, then AMS to JRO/Kilimanjaro, followed by a final hop of about 45 minutes to Dar, as Dar Es Salaam is commonly referred to. The first leg was pleasant enough with a good cabin crew making up for the extremely limited legroom in the Boeing 747 Combi. Candy and cookies in the galley between meals helped to relieve the unbelievable tedium of spending so much time in so little space. Our dogs have more room in their crates.

The second leg was on a relatively much roomier Boeing 777 but by then we were starting to get very fatigued. When we finally arrived in Dar, it was already 1145P. And a day later. And we still had to get visas.Should have done this before we left the USA! So we completed a visa application form, and handed over a C-note each for the privilege of entering Tanzania.The official scrutinized the bills and handed them back to me. Only ‘new’ US money is acceptable – my ‘vintage’ $100 bills
(printed in 1996) were no good.They could buy you a nice dinner for two in the USA, but not even a loaf of bread, never mind a visa, in Tanzania… Thinking but not verbalizing a few choice expletives, I handed over some crisp new 20’s instead.Much scrutiny of the ‘born by’ dates later, the currency was given the thumbs up. Swell. Then followed a 20 minute wait while four other officials seemed to be taking turns handing off our passports to each other for additional scrutiny. Eventually we were off to the Kempinski Kilimanjaro Hotel in lovely downtown Dar. Even at night we could tell the place was a dump. The hotel was first class though. We were in a zombie-like state by then, but we did enjoy the huge big bath with scalding hot water. Otherwise the room was so-so. The highlight of our short overnight stay was watching the end of the last one-day cricket match between South Africa and Australia. The South African Proteas humiliated Australia by a 4 to 1 margin in the 1-day series having already clinched the test series.

Breakfast at the Kempinski was amazing. The array of fresh fruit was stunning, including excellent papaya, honeydew, bananas, apples, mango, watermelon, pineapple and granadilla (aka passion fruit). There were several types of bread, a dozen varieties of jams and preserves, sweet cakes, pastries, croissants, apple fritters etc. I was very happy with the choice of cereals with soy milk. For
those people wanting a ‘real’ breakfast, you could have eggs to order, three types of sausage (beef, chicken and pork), fish cakes, roasted vegetables, bacon, beans, and Belgian waffles.Not enough for you? Well then try the yoghurt, wild honey, dried fruit, three kinds of smoothies, cured ham, beef stew, or the large variety of cold meats and cheeses.

It is a short 25 minute flight on a Caravan from Dar to Zanzibar Island. At the tiny and rather dismal airport our guide Fauz picked us up and drove us to the Zanzibar Serena Inn where we would spend the next two nights. It was an excellent choice: a well-run property right on the beach with great views over the placid, clear water of the Indian Ocean. We ended up in one of the best rooms in the place, a corner ‘prime room’, with stunning views. I unpacked, laced on my running
shoes and went for a 5-mile jaunt along the beach, staying just on the edge of Stone Town. For lunch I enjoyed a spicy Zanzibar pilaf, and Kathleen had some locally caught cobia, also known as Ling.

Our first activity was a tour of Stone Town with our private guide Fauz, walking through the maze of narrow alleys, gawking at a bewildering array of old, decaying buildings of several different styles, mostly Indian and Arabic but also Portuguese. The place was somewhat reminiscent of Lisbon’s Alfama district with its narrow streets. Stone Town is a fascinating place where an unrivaled cultural experience awaits visitors who cannot fail to be bowled over by the impact of this place. Stone Town hits you on many levels. Of course there’s the dazzling visual impact of the place. Beyond what is visible, the sense of history and of bygone times is palpable. I would not have been surprised in the least, if a real Sultan appeared around the next corner. There is just so much to
see: the ornate doors, the plethora of balconies, both exterior and interior, the beautifully designed and often quite ornate lobbies of several building which are now hotels such as the Al Johari, the Dhow Palace, the Tembo Hotel and many others. There are houses of worship galore; some 48 mosques, a magnificent yet sadly dilapidated Catholic Church and many others.

The Wednesday and Sunday market adds an olfactory level to the Stone Town experience. Squeamish visitors beware: the fish market flat out stinks, at least on a hot Sunday in early February. But what a place! It would last about a week in any major US cities by which time the health authorities would shut it down.Refrigeration? Don’t need no stinking refrigeration…And then there’s the people of Stone Town. One is often hard pressed to even guess at their ethnic background. African, Turkish, Indian, Arabic, the diversity is astonishing. One thing that most of them do have in common is the Islamic faith, and the Swahili language.

PART 2: MANGROVES, MONKEYS, AND A SPICE TOUR

On February 2, still jet lagged, we were up at 0445A just in time to watch the second half of the Superbowl, broadcast live in Zanzibar on ESPN – without the commercials. What a game! Breakfast at the Serena dining room overlooking the ocean, consisted almost totally of local items, such as pigeon peas, fried banana, sweet potato, rice cake, Swahili donuts (mandazi), and sesame bread. Just after 0700A we departed with Fauz via a couple of small towns, en route to Jozani Forest. Driving in Zanzibar is an otherworldly experience, especially early on a weekday morning, when everyone seems to be on the road at the same time. At any stage, the narrow road would be replete with dozens if not hundreds of bikes, many with passengers and other loaded to the hilt, swarms of overloaded matatus (minibuses), and hundreds of pedestrians all seemingly hell-bent on crossing the road as soon as possible and in the most unpredictable manner. The effect is a ballet of traffic mayhem, performed in double quick time, with bandits flying at you from every angle. The impact is somewhere between frightening and hilarious, comical and suicidal, insane and inane.

At Jozani Forest our plus minus 3 hour outing included a stroll to the Mangrove Forest, some excellent Red Colobus monkey sightings, and a walk through an astonishing mahogany gallery forest. Our guide was an accomplished herbalist, and provided us with detailed information about a dizzying array of plants and their medicinal uses. The Mangrove Forest was particularly interesting with many species of tiny crabs, fish, and plants adapted to the saline water environment. The journey to Jozani is definitely worth the effort just to experience the lovely walk along an elevated boardwalk through the thick mangrove forest.

Another view of the mangrove forest showing the peculiarly adapted tree roots, typical of mangrove forests throughout the world. These trees are keenly sought for all types of construction, boats, furniture and a myriad other uses, making them (and the forests themselves) a very threatened habitat type

At the Jozani Forest Reserve, the ‘must see’ mammal is the endemic Red Colobus monkey. There were many of them moving low down in the brushy vegetation between the mahogany forest and the mangroves.

From there, we took a short detour to a small local ocean village resort, with rustic bandas overlooking a simply gorgeous and semi-deserted beach. If this were Miami, there would be hundreds of beach goers spread out on the sand. Here, there was barely a handful of people strolling along the soft white sand.

The highlight of this day was a Spice Tour. I didn’t know quite what to make of the Spice Tour idea in advance of going. It sounded rather touristy, and I anticipated a visit to a factory or spice outlet, looking at different types of packaged spices. The tour instead turned into a fun and highly educational experience, with two young, enthusiastic local guides showing us where spices really come from. For example, we saw a pepper tree with green, red and black berries all on the same tree. We were treated to handling and smelling fresh turmeric root, lemongrass, cinnamon tree bark, some roots with a menthol (Vicks) flavor and several others. And of course the tour would not have been complete without Zanzibar’s signature spice – cloves. We saw it right on the tree in three stages: immature, green with a small bulb (best for picking), and reddish mature. Along the way there were many kinds of fruits which we got to sample, including lychees, mango (green), banana, the weird Jack fruit, and fresh young coconut, from which we enjoyed both the juice and soft pulp. Finally, there were some vanilla beans on the vine and then a nutmeg demonstration. This was really amazing. You are shown a nondescript fruit, somewhat like an apricot in appearance. When split in half, it reveals a hard nutmeg kernel (the way you and I would buy it in a bottle), but here still surrounded by a red plastic-like sheath.

For dinner that evening, Kathleen and I wandered down a narrow alley in Stone Town (it is quite safe) to the Al Johari Restaurant, where she enjoyed some grilled prawns while I had a herb perfumed vegetable medley with a side order of spicy couscous. It was altogether quite pleasant, in an attractive room which was air-conditioned, an important consideration in Zanzibar at this time of the year.

Malaria is definitely an issue in Zanzibar: our driver-guide Fauz and the Jozani forest guide both mentioned multiple bouts with malaria; even their children have had to deal with this scourge.

The next morning (February 3) we had an early breakfast, and were then driven to Zanzibar Airport (like so many things in Zanzibar it really needs some work!) for the short 25 minute flight to Dar Es Salaam. From there, a friendly Canadian lady pilot flew us by Caravn (30 minutes) to Selous Game Reserve, where she dropped off a couple of passengers and picked up two more for the 1 hr 15 minute flight to Jongomero in the Ruaha National Park. Our Tanzania safari adventure was about to begin.

PART 3: INTO THE WILD, RUAHA NATIONAL PARK

The Cessna Caravan flight from the Selous Game Reserve to Ruaha National Park on Feb. 3 was one of the most interesting safari flights we have undertaken in several years. Just as we were gaining altitude coming out of the airstrip at Selous, the pilot pointed out the location of Sand Rivers Camp to us. We would return to this property a couple of days later. It has an ideal location right on the bank of the Rufiji River, overlooking a wide expanse of water.

Further along the way to Ruaha, we flew over some massive sugar cane plantations. Next was an impressive mountainous area which demarcates the escarpment. From the air I could clearly identify some prominent gorges, cliffs and waterfalls. Our pilot put the more than willing Caravan into a gentle climb as the ground was now 3,000 feet closer to us than when we were flying over the Selous. Finally, we descended into the Jongomero Airstrip for a rather tricky uphill landing. The Canadian pilot handled it with skill and confidence. I’d fly with her again anytime.

Jongomero had arranged a very nice welcoming ceremony for us with what appeared to be the entire camp staff complement bidding us a warm welcome, complete with damp towels and a refreshing drink. Our hosts Greg and Isabel introduced us to the camp, gave us the usual briefing (don’t go walkabout at night, watch out for Kingo the ‘camp’ elephant, by all means drink the water but there’s bottled mineral water at extra cost if you prefer) etc. and then left us alone to unpack and settle in.

Soon after, we were treated to a splendid lunch on the riverbank of the dry Jongomero River, a tributary of the Ruaha which in turn spills into the Rufiji. Yeah it took me a while to get it too. How vegan can you be in a place like this where people have to drive for 9 hours one way for a fresh tomato? Very. Jenny’s Noodle House here in Houston would have been thrilled to serve such a nice spread including cellophane noodles, a fresh green salad, and an excellent aubergine side dish. The omnivores had some chicken satay.

At 1530 that afternoon, over tea, we met with our guide Kim for a safari briefing and then set out on our first game drive in Ruaha National Park, which is just about as remote an area as you can get to, nowadays. Remote, beautiful and very atmospheric. This is the Africa of old, when the word ‘safari’ did not immediately conjure up images of massive designer rooms, fresh cut flowers in the room and spa treatments. Ruaha is the real deal where you don’t see many other vehicles. How about NO other vehicles! It might not be the best destination for people going on safari for the very first time. For them, Northern Tanzania’s Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara would be a better bet, with their wide-open spaces where the animals are essentially just waiting for you to clap your eyes on them. At Ruaha, you have to work a little harder to gain your game-viewing spurs. And certainly at this time of the year (February, after the first rains had fallen & many of the animals had dispersed) the game-viewing can be challenging, as the bush is exceedingly thick and you have to be persistent – and get lucky – to see some of the more elusive mammals. For example, we had a tough time finding buffalo, even though there are several thousand of them resident in the park.

However, if you are a real safari aficionado who had been to a few other places already, and if you appreciate Africa’s truly wild and unspoiled places and everything they offer, then Ruaha is for you. By all means stay for a few days. Certainly no less than three nights, four would be even better. This place is made for slow travel. Put aside the Blackberry, banish thoughts of spreadsheets from your mind, and embrace the relaxed pace of the bush. Look at the stars, wake up with the light and enjoy the cleanest air you might breathe all year. Ruaha’s climate is about as good as it gets on safari. This was mid-summer and we had to wear wind-breakers on the early morning and later afternoon game drives. There were some pesky tsetse flies here and there on game drives, but we found Mossi Guard (it is available for sale at the camp) to be practically 100% effective against these persistent pests.

On this late afternoon, we did pretty well by finding a couple of male lions, many dik-dik (superb tiny little antelope, bring your binocs!), some zebra (they just would not stand still for a pic!), a couple of elephants on the move, a few waterbuck and giraffe everywhere. I also picked up several new life birds, always a thrill. Ruaha is simply a dazzling birding destination, so if you also happen to be a birder, you’d be in heaven. Our guide Kim was an expert on the local birds so it was great to have him around.

The next morning, I was up very early and tried to do some ab and core exercises, but my heart wasn’t in it. Even with the best of intentions, it is difficult to remain in an ‘exercise’ mode when you are on safari. However I think even camps without mains electricity would do well to make a stationary bike and a rowing machine (a Concept2 of course) available to their guests. But I digress. Breakfast was ‘a la carte’ with eggs to order, and sides of bacon, sausage, beans and mushrooms. I settled for a very creamy porridge of oatmeal cooked with soy milk, some toast and more of the lovely fresh fruit which turned out be a staple item at every meal we had in Tanzania. While enjoying breakfast, a dark shrike-type bird hopped out of the bush on my right hand side, and starting calling quite prominently, duetting with another bird not far away. Setting aside the marmalade, I picked up the binoculars, had a good look, checked out Birds of Africa and voila, a life bird (almost) before breakfast! Slaty-coloured Boubou.

The morning game drive (it starts at 0800A at Ruaha) was somewhat on the quiet side, although we got some excellent looks at giraffe, which seemed to be abundant in the area. Other sightings included Defassa waterbuck, some very elegant kudu (my favorite antelope I think), the ever entertaining warthogs, ubiquitous impala, zebra (skittish!), several troops of yellow baboons, vervet monkeys, and dik-dik around every corner. We were back in camp around 1200 noon.

The afternoon game drive initially started out slow but picked up later when we saw a nice herd of elephants with two young babies, in a very relaxed mood in the middle of the road. We stopped and observed them from far away, so as not to spoil their almost contemplative mood or cause them any stress. The elephants remained in the road for quite a while, peacefully milling about, browsing here and there and just totally in control of the space. Finally, they slowly drifted into the bush and disappeared from view.

At the conclusion of our sundowner stop on the banks of the Ruaha River, where we had been observing some waterbuck and a few marabou storks staring at the water in their usual desultory fashion, Kim started to pack away the fold-up table and other paraphernalia when Kathleen spotted something on the other side of the river. More lions, six of them in fact, standing and moving around in what appeared to be an agitated state. They were just a bit too far for a useful photograph but we had some good looks through the binoculars. Anticipating some action, Kim skillfully maneuvered the truck closer. Maybe the lions had some designs on the waterbuck? It was not to be and we returned to camp.

In the middle of the night Kathleen and I woke up to the sound of running water, of the ‘babbling brook’ variety. I immediately realized what had happened. Sometime the previous day, heavy rain had fallen in the catchment area of the Jongomero well upstream from the camp and this was essentially a flash flood. This was confirmed the next morning at first light. The Jongomero had turned into a real river overnight, having been a river of sand until then. Apparently this usually happens a little earlier every year, but we were happy to be there to observe the phenomenon. The water flowed quite shallow but more than 30 meters wide, the advancing rush of water carrying large chunks of foam with it. Some of the animals in the area must have been just as excited as were were to witness this welcome event. At around 0500A I had heard heavy splashing noises, no doubt caused by some hippo getting their feet wet.

Our last morning game drive at Ruaha was one of the best yet with some great close-up views of an elephant, a most relaxed bull who stood just meters from the vehicle, contentedly selecting mouthfuls of fresh green shoots. We also spotted several black-backed jackals, grey duiker, and naturally more giraffe.

All too soon we had to say farewell to the friendly people of Jongomero Camp. We hope to return here someday perhaps in the dry season and we will be sure to go out on a walk with Molly if he is still there. Next stop: Sand Rivers Camp on the mighty Rufiji River.

PART 4: SAND RIVERS SELOUS

By the time we made it to Nomad’s Sand Rivers Selous lodge in the Selous Game Reserve in Southern Tanzania, we had twice flown over the property so we had a notion that this might be a special place. And so it turned out to be. The location is absolutely perfect. Perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking the broad and slow-flowing Rufiji River, the camp is everything any first-class African safari lodge aspires to be. Romantic, authentic, visually striking and very private.

The huge wood, brick and stone rooms with high canvas ceilings are totally open in front, with dramatic views over the river. Nights (at least in summer) are sultry but quite comfortable inside a huge mosquito net, a powerful yet quiet fan providing a cool breeze. Sleep comes easily among the rhythmic drone of frogs, the occasional grunts and snorts of hippo, and the pleasantly lulling effect of millions of liters of waters rushing off to the Indian Ocean, just meters away from your room. This is truly a place that dreams are made of.

On our first game drive, it quickly became apparent that wildlife is quite abundant in this part of the Selous Game Reserve. In short order I had taken my best photographs yet (at least on this trip) of elephant, one of which twice mock-charged us. Somehow I missed those pics but working with a brand new camera I guess that was to be expected. We also had some superb views of large numbers of Carmine Bee-eaters. Unfortunately our afternoon drive was cut short by 45 minutes or so due to a flat battery. Help came quickly enough for us to get back to camp in time to enjoy a hot shower before dinner at 2000. Compared with the stellar fare at Jongomero, my vegan dinner (beans and couscous with a mixed salad) was nothing special, but nonetheless quite satisfying. The regular main course was grilled snapper with veggies and couscous, dessert being a chocolate pudding. We joined an interesting group table hosted by camp managers Steve and Lynn, an Australian couple. Other than the two of us, all the other guests were British.

On February 6 we were up quite early at 0600 for an 0630 departure by boat up the Rufiji River into Stiegler’s Gorge. The trip on a flat-bottomed aluminum skiff started out from just below the lodge, where the Rufiji stretches out for nearly a half mile wide, with massive sand banks and dense riverine forest on the edges. We saw literally dozens of hippo during the 2-hour trip into the Gorge, where we enjoyed a light breakfast consisting of sandwiches, fruit and tea/coffee. Despite several attempts, I just could not get a decent photo of a hippo, due to poor light and excessive movement on the boat.

Stiegler’s Gorge was definitely worth the trip. Its raw African setting has been spoiled somewhat by a rather prominently placed new lodge, whose air-conditioned units seem out of place. Once past this lodge, the majestic beauty of the gorge with its very heavily wooded slopes is striking. Along the way we spotted several crocodiles on the sandbanks; apparently the bigger ones had been h0ther than the occasional baby-like wail of a Trumpeter hornbill, the screechy territorial calls of many rock rabbits, and the liquid gurgle when an upwelling of water boiled to the surface of this mighty river, one of the largest in Africa together with the Zambezi, the Nile, the Niger and the Congo. The three of us were mostly quiet too. There is little one can – and should – say when the force of nature is on display all around you.

Soon, we were back at the lodge for lunch: your choice of Coronation chicken (I did say many of the guests were British…) or a delicious vegetable curry with couscous, brown rice, a fresh green salad and an excellent fruit salad for dessert. Just as lunch got underway, a massive thunderstorm rolled through camp, sending everybody scampering for cover and the staff dashing around lowering protective canvas around the edge of the dining area. It was a formidable storm with drenching rain, high wind and a few massive thunderclaps.

The storm soon blew over and by 1600 we were ready for tea, followed by a quick inspection trip to nearby Kiba Point, Nomad’s adjacent private camp, with just four rooms. Kiba Point appeared to be an ideal option for an extended family group or friends wanting total privacy and exclusivity. In the busy season, another advantage of staying there is that it has priority in terms of activities; the camp shares vehicles and guides with Sand Rivers. The rooms are similar to those at Sand Rivers, with larger bathrooms, a private plunge pool and two showers, one outside in the garden.

After checking out Kiba Point Kathleen and I and our guide Philip tried our hand at fishing off a large
sandbank across from camp. It was a fun and relaxing outing, even though we only caught one
small catfish. With the river in flood stage, fishing conditions were just not ideal. At other times of
the year I believe some very good catches are possible. Philip was a star – so personable, knowledgeable
and confident, everything you’d want your safari guide to be. Dinner was quite a convivial
affair with our hosts Steve and Lynn. It was tempting to stay up a bit later, but we were scheduled
to depart at 0530 the next morning on a long overland trip to Selous Safari Camp on the northeastern
edge of the Reserve.

Very early on February 7 we were having tea and coffee in our room when a bush baby – there
are several in and around the lodge that have become semi-habituated – lightly jumped onto the
railing in front of our room and then bounced up to the tea box. As I was trying to focus on the
animal in the semi-darkness (they are crepuscular, i.e. mostly active in the dawn and dusk hours) it
stuck its head into the milk pitcher and when we reacted, it jumped back, spilling milk all over the
place. I got off one or two more pics before we ushered our little mammalian visitor out of the
room and cleaned up its mess. This adds to the bottom line for staying at Sand Rivers: the rooms
are open so if you won’t mind a visit from a small furry animal and won’t get freaked out by an occasional
bat or two, then it is for you. We very pleasantly surprised at just how few insects there
were in the room, and this was the season when one would expect more.

Of course we were absolutely delighted at the unexpected company. Would have liked to have
gotten a better photograph though! Next: the long drive to Selous Safari Camp.

PART 5: OVERLAND TO SELOUS SAFARI CAMP

We were up at 0530 on Feb 7 2009 for yet another early breakfast (toast, jam & fruit – alas no soy milk at Sand Rivers Lodge for cereal). With Philip behind the wheel, we set off for what turned out to be a 5.5 hour overland expedition to Selous Safari Camp. Initially, it was very slow-going due to wet and muddy roads. Kathleen and I were both a bit tense but Philip capably guided the heavy Landrover vehicle through or around some nasty spots where it would have been easy to get stuck. As time went by, conditions improved and we started to relax and enjoy the trip. Early on, there were literally hundreds of birds around hawking flying termites from the sky. It was particularly impressive to see many carmine bee-eaters swooping around.

As a game drive, the overland trip was very successful with good views of hyena, side-striped jackal, several small herds of wildebeest, some zebra (still skittish), kudu, warthog and loads of giraffe.

The most amazing experience of the day was a stop at a small lake which produced as interesting a spectacle as I have ever experienced in Africa. There were literally hundreds of crocodiles in the receding lake, lined up side by side and nose to tail, just their heads and backs visible, lurking in the water while waiting for fish to get close enough. When this happy event (for the crocodile, not the fish) occurred, it resulted in jaws snapping shut, with a simultaneous splashing effect. As we were watching, all we could hear and see was one splash followed by another and then another, sometimes several in rapid succession. It’s a tough life out there for a fish in an African lake, when there’s literally nowhere to go. Philip told us that there was an estimated 1,000 crocodiles in this small lake. There were at least 300 of them visible from where we were parked, with many others either submerged or out of sight. There was also a massive raft of hippo in the center of the lake – with several egrets using them as convenient perching spots. Just to top it all, we spotted at least 20 different bird species in and around the lake. Too bad we couldn’t spend more time here, but we had a long way to drive. Sand Rivers Selous Lodge uses this area for a stop-over point for their all-day game drives. I would recommending spending at least 3 nights at Sand Rivers and including the full day game drive in order to reach this area.

From here onwards the change in terrain is noticeable. It changes from riverine bush to open woodland approaching the Beho Beho Camp area, and then morphs into dense woodland in the eastern section of the reserve towards Selous Safari Camp. Just before we reached the designated meeting spot (where a Selous Safari Camp driver would meet us for the last stretch of the drive) we made a stop at Selous’ gravesite. Selous Game Reserve was named after Frederick Courtney Selous, an Englishman whose knowledge of the African bush has entered the stuff of legends. From 1871, and for 40 years hence, Selous developed his intimate knowledge of the wilderness and served as hunting guide for personages as illustrious as (then) former US President Theodore Roosevelt. He died during World War I when he was shot by a German sniper not far from the Ruffiji River near Beho Beho on January 4, 1917. Selous was buried near the site where he died.

Our accommodations at Selous Safari Camp was one of the best designed tents we had experienced to date, octagonal in lay-out with a large veranda both in front and behind the tent; there is a large separate bathroom area and an outdoor (enclosed) shower.

Later that afternoon, we were taken on a pleasant boating outing on Lake Nzerakera, observing many species of birds, some gorgeous natural scenery as well as plenty of hippo and crocodiles. Dinner that night was one of the best on the trip, with delicious stuffed butternut squash as the main course.

On February 8 (another early morning) we enjoyed our first guided walk of the trip, with guides Mpoto and Mashaka. In single file, we walked for what must have been 4 miles or so total, through a variety of habitats including riverine forest and open woodland, making frequent stops when Mpoto would point out animal spoor, droppings, interesting plant species, etc. For example, Mpoto illustrated the symbiotic relationship between ants and a local type of acacia tree. As soon as the tree is disturbed (such as when a browser tries to feed on it), the ants appear in their hundreds and thousands, ready to defend their home against all comers. We also saw quite a bit of game which is unusual on a foot safari: hyena, warthog, giraffe, impala and elephant. At the end of the walk we were treated to a surprise breakfast in the bush, with fresh juice, tea/coffee, toast, egg frittata and oats porridge with soy milk for the vegan. There was also a fresh fruit starter.

Our last game drive at Selous Safari Camp was rather quiet; significant amounts of rain had fallen in
the area lately and this disperses the wildlife. Even so, we had our best sighting yet of a hyena with
a newborn cub. Other visitors who had stayed at this camp just days earlier reported excellent
game-viewing. Given the abundance of resident wildlife in the area, one can confidently visit Selous
Safari Camp with expectations for good to excellent game-viewing. The dry season from June
through September is the best time of the year to visit for game-viewing. As for Jongomero and
Sand Rivers Selous I would highly recommend spending a minimum of three nights at this camp. We
loved Selous Safari Camp and would definitely want to return there. Camp manager Jenny could not
have been nicer and the camp chef went out of his way to accommodate any special diets.

PART 6: SEA, SAND AND TURTLES AT RAS KUTANI
RESORT

Ras Kutani is a relaxed, friendly Indian Ocean Lodge, about a 90 minute to 2 hr drive or a very short flight south of Dar Es Salaam. A few days here make for a perfect end to a safari. No 0530A wakeups, no long bumpy game drives, no getting into and out of safari gear, identifying various new species or jockeying for the best position to take a photograph. None of that. It is easy to have fun at Ras Kutani. It involves a minimum of clothing, lots of sand and sea, great food, exotic cocktails for those so inclined, and great glorious sleep, with a real live ocean and actual wave sounds to take you away. Did I mention a beautiful, big white beach? Ras Kutani is the place to indulge in today’s greatest luxury which is to do nothing. Just sit on your comfortable veranda gazing out over the Indian Ocean, take a nap, read a book, have another meal with some of the freshest ingredient you can imagine, or if you have to, catch up on your safari notes and photographs. The rooms are huge and have fantastic views over the lagoon and ocean, and great big comfortable beds where you’d be tempted to spend a lot of time.

Over the course of a 3-day stay there, we enjoyed some excellent meals including fresh seafood (caught by local fishermen and hand-delivered to the lodge), lots of exotic sub-tropical fruit such as granadilla, papaya, pineapple and mango, some wonderfully creative salads and some vegan staples such as herb-flavored couscous and tabouleh.

One morning Kathleen and I strolled over to the remnants of a ship which stranded near Ras Kutani many years ago and snorkelled in and around what remains of the wreck, observing many colorful species of reef fish. I was also able to resume my training for the Boston Marathon. On both full days there, I ran for about an hour along a sandy track to the main road. It was hot and humid, the sandy footing was not ideal and I was running with new shoe inserts. Even so, it was great to be back on my feet again. There are other things to do at Ras Kutani such as horse-back riding, kayak trips on the lagoon, a forest walk and village visits, but that is not why people come here.

On Tuesday Feb 10 we were told to gather at the beach at 1700 (high tide) to witness some young sea turtles being released into the ocean. The local representive of ‘Sea Sense’ removed the sand from some nesting sites (to which the turtle eggs had been relocated some 55 days previously) and voila, some 40 or so tiny hatchlings started a single-minded scramble to the ocean. The release was timed to occur right at high tide so as to give these vulnerable creatures the best possible chance to make it into deeper water. They need every break they can get: their chance of survival into adulthood is only 1 or 2 in a thousand.

Too soon, our trip came to an end and we had to get back in a car for the bumpy drive back to Dar Es Salaam. Ras Kutani will remain in our memories as a warm and special days to spend a few wonderful, relaxing days. The staff and management were incredibly caring and responsive to our every request – I never needed to ask for soy milk or rooibos tea! Special thanks to Jules for the Dar suggestions – they were all spot on!

We had the better part of a day to kill in Dar Es Salaam and ended up paying a cab driver about
US$45 for three hours, to drive us to various places around town, including The Oyster Bay Hotel,
Sea Cliff Hotel – where we enjoyed lunch with a glorious view – and ending up at the Slipway,
where we made a contribution to the local economy. Kathleen tells me that curios are about 50%
less expensive there than at the safari camps. We had a day room at the Kempinski Hotel which we
would highly recommend to other visitors in the same situation. We made use of the excellent
pool, I spent an hour on a treadmill in the well-equipped gym and we enjoyed a superb dinner at
the Oriental restaurant, reputed to be the best of its kind in Dar Es Salaam.

And then it was time to drive back to the rather dismal DAR Airport, submit to the usual indignities
and inconveniences of multiple security checks and eventually take to the air for the lengthy journey
back to Houston. We had packed a lot into what was not even quite a two week trip and I
would certainly recommend a much more leisurely visit for anyone else. So if you ever find yourself
planning a trip to this marvelous and largely unknown part of Tanzania, take it easy and spend
more time in fewer places. It is the secret to a great safari.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

Botswana and Zambia Trip Report for December 2008

AFRICA TRIP REPORT PART 1: A GLIMPSE AT THE
KALAHARI DESERT

What is there to be said upon one’s return from a trip to Botswana? That it was fun? Definitely. That it was educational? For sure, especially when visiting 6 different camps in as many days. That it was exciting? But of course. A safari is all about excitement, anticipation, even a glimpse of danger when you find yourself just about within spitting distance of some of the largest and most powerful mammals in the world. It is exhilarating, yet peaceful at the same time. Between game drives or other activities, there is ample time to relax and do (almost) nothing, perhaps gazing out over a watering hole or lounging by the pool with a book.

It is also quiet, almost startlingly so. The absence of practically any ambient noise is immediately noticeable on arrival at one’s first camp. At night, it is easy to imagine hearing the swish of a shooting star, while the roaring of lions is only too real, sometimes  uncomfortably close to camp. In the mornings, the absence of city noise becomes less noticeable, because this is when the bush explodes with the calls of a myriad of birds: francolins, robins, hornbills, kingfishers, louries, parrots,
doves – all intent on getting an early start in yet another wonderful day in the paradise that is Northern Botswana.

Visitors often travel to Botswana to find wildlife and come back talking about all the wonderful people they met. I can’t imagine that anyone could not be touched by the warmth, spontaneity, genuine friendliness and dignity of the Botswana people. Spend a little more time in fewer places and you are likely to make some lifelong friends!

Over the course of half a dozen or so parts of this trip report, I will touch upon these and other facets of what it is like to be on safari in Africa.

After a brief stop in Johannesburg, our first destination was a remarkable camp on the edge of the enigmatic Kalahari Desert.

3 December 2008: EN ROUTE
Due to poor connections between Houston and Washington Dulles Airport, I had to fly into Washington Reagan Airport/DCA on Continental and then transfer to Dulles/IAD. I was dreading the transfer between the airports but it turned out ok, an uneventful $30 Super Shuttle ride which didn’t take much more than 40 minutes or so. As always, the SAA flight from the US to Johannesburg was long and tiring, but there were a couple of bright spots. For one, there is no refueling stop in Dakar on the flight out of Dulles to JNB (except in the summer months of June, July & August). This makes a significant difference of more than 2 hours on the total elapsed time. So I would advise anyone intending to fly between the two countries to use the non-stop Dulles flight if at all possible. Also, the vegetarian (no dairy) meals were tasty and more than adequate. And they were served before the regular meal service.

4 December: JOHANNESBURG
We arrived in Johannesburg as scheduled at 1540 on December 4. That evening I enjoyed a family reunion which took the form of dinner at a restaurant in the Emperor’s Palace casino complex. It was nice to see my mother and brothers and their spouses again – everyone looked good and we chatted until after 1000P. Somewhat surprisingly I was not feeling too tired – yet.

5 December: Leroo La Tau Camp, Kalahari Desert
I was impressed with the breakfast buffet at the Mondior Concorde Hotel – better than most deluxe 5-star hotels I’ve ever stayed at. In addition to the usual buffet items, 3 kinds of bread, scones, pastries, cereals, a cold meat platter, and eggs to order, they offered Maltabella porridge (a childhood favorite), an excellent variety of fresh fruit (orange, pineapple, mango and more), and soy milk without having to request it.

At just after 1000A , we boarded ‘Jessica’, a commuter jet, for the 1hr 40 minutes flight to the northern Botswana town of Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. In short order we were underway by road to Leroo La Tau, our first stop. It took about 2 hrs on a good asphalt road to reach this recently rebuilt property, which is located on the Boteti River in the southern portion of the Makgadikgadi National Park.

In the dry winter months from about May through November, the area attracts large numbers of zebra and wildebeest, amongst others. We were there during the ‘Green Season’ when game-viewing isn’t quite as productive, but we enjoyed some good sightings of kudu, lion and elephant, amongst others.

While at Leroo La Tau, we had some great views of this black-maned Kalahari lion in his prime. There are some signs that the lions in the area, who were previously in conflict with a nearby farming community but now effectively separated by a fence, are resuming their natural priding behaviour. It is important to know that the game-viewing area is not fenced in – it stretches for hundreds of kilometers towards the Makgadikgadi area.

After dinner at Leroo La Tau, members of the staff entertained guests with a singing and dancing performance. This does not happen every night, so we were quite pleased to be treated to several traditional songs, done in a sweetly harmonious fashion. I think we were all struck by the wonderful attitude of the staff at this camp, everybody smiling all the time! I would have loved to have been able to spend a bit more time at LLT. Prospective visitors would do well to schedule three nights here, and to take a full day trip (with picnic lunch) into the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.

PART 2: INTO THE OKAVANGO DELTA

In summer, safari days start early. Very early. Like 0530A. Yes you read that right – five thirty in the am. It gets hot from around 1100A so the idea is to get out early and enjoy a morning activity – whether it is a mokoro outing, game-drive, walking or whatever, while it is still relatively cool and nice, and the animals and birds are active. Later in the day pretty much everything takes a siesta, with animals resting in the shade, birds hunkering down, and wise safari-goers resorting to a hammock or taking a nap. Maybe back to the pool…

On this 6th of Dec. it was raining lightly, so we slept in until 0700A. I woke up very refreshed after a solid 8 hours of sleep – there is nothing like a good restful night of sleep to overcome jetlag. After breakfast, we drove back to Maun and boarded our Cessna Caravan flight to Kanana, a camp in the south-western part of the Okavango Delta. Flying in light aircraft is part of the fun of a safari, although it can be a little alarming the first couple of times. Actually seeing the pilot flying the aircraft is a novel experience for many people, as is hearing the stall warning indicator bleep just before touchdown, or observing the tops of trees sweep by under the fuselage on short finals. As they say in the classics, trust me, these young men and women know what they are doing. They are meticulous with pre-flight inspections and safety procedures and aircraft maintenance is handled strictly by the book. So relax and enjoy the flight!

The Cessna Caravan in which we flew from Maun to Kanana. Although it is a single-prop aircraft, it is quite powerful and relatively roomy inside, compared with the much smaller Cessna 206. Even so, the Caravan’s luggage compartment is quite shallow, hence the requirement for guests to take softsided bags of approx. 10 by 12 by 24 inches.

Kanana is a quiet, peaceful camp in the beautiful southwestern part of the Okavango Delta, on the Xudum River. It is typical of much of the Delta, consisting of islands dotted with palms, figs, ebony and knob thorn trees, home to a myriad of birds, plants and animals. My room was a traditional Meru style safari tent with en suite bathroom (toilet and shower with hot & cold water). The tents are raised off the ground on a teak deck, and each of the 8 tents have great views over the waterways of the Delta. The tents are large and comfortable, and none of them are more than a short stroll from the central dining and lounge area. Of course, there’s no wireless internet, in fact there is not even cell phone coverage. So, if you absolutely positively HAVE to send a text to your buddy, bring a satellite phone. But maybe you shouldn’t. Places like Kanana where you can truly appreciate nature in peace and quiet are becoming fewer and fewer. Kanana has a lovely setting and very relaxing atmosphere; I was immediately struck by the abundance of bird calls. Here, it is easy to slow down, break away from the relentless pace of modern society and settle into a routine which quickly restores mind and body. So if you ever find yourself at Kanana, put away the Blackberry, pick up the binoculars, just listen and lose yourself in a place that has not changed much since Livingstone first laid eyes on the Victoria Falls.

Our group enjoyed a superb late lunch consisting of various salads, some pasta with a tomatobased
sauce, and fresh locally baked bread. I can honestly said that we did not have a bad meal
even once while on safari. It was simply astonishing what the various camps came up with, considering
that they get fresh veggies and fruits & other perishables only once a week, and other provisions
usually once a month. Kanana stood out; the food was really superb.

Some of us also tried a bit of fishing, and after several attempts, I caught a fair-sized Nembwe (a
kind of a bream) using a spinner. Definitely a highlight. Yes I know a vegan isn’t supposed to be
catching fish, but my ‘victim’ was promptly released to live for another day. The two other fish
caught by our guide were not quite as lucky, being sacrificed as bait for an African Fish Eagle. The
guide strung some reeds through the fish’s gill openings to make it buoyant, and then tossed the fish into the water, attracting the Fish Eagle’s attention. Soon enough the massive eagle swooped
in low over the water and grabbed the fish with its talons, flying off to a nearby perch to devour it.
Like its close relative the Bald Eagle, the African Fish Eagle is not shy to pick up a free meal every
now and then, in fact it will quite happily exist as a scavenger if that is what conditions dictate. No
wonder Benjamin Franklin was not thrilled with the Bald Eagle having been chosen as America’s national
bird. Somehow I think we would have been worse off if his choice – the Wild Turkey – carried
the day.

PART 3: HIPPOS, CROCODILES AND SUNDOWNERS

On 07 December, our game drive from Kanana turned into an owl extravaganza, with superb views of two of the largest owls in Southern Africa, namely the rare and elusive Pel’s Fishing Owl, and the massive Giant Eagle Owl, with its rather odd and very pronounced pink eyelids. We had some very good views of the Pel’s Fishing Owl for just a few moments before it flew into thicker cover. However the Giant Eagle Owls put on quite a show, and we were literally standing right below a juvenile at one stage, observing the interaction between it and its parents, and listening to them calling back and forth. It was a fascinating excursion.

I can’t stop talking about the food at Kanana and it is too bad that I didn’t take some photographs. For lunch this day there was, in addition to several other items, some superb salads containing corn, beans, tomato and brown rice. All my favorites!

In the afternoon we flew to Camp Okavango in the heart of the permanent part of the Delta. This camp made a good impression right from the start, with the well-maintained and manicured airstrip. At Camp Okavango, there are no vehicles, it is just a short walk from the airstrip right into camp.

The camp grounds at Camp Okavango are heavily vegetated with some massive trees right in front of the large, almost sprawling dining, lounge and patio complex. The huge garden harbors tons of birds, but unfortunately I did not have enough time to do it justice with some ‘serious’ birding. We did see a Paradise Flycatcher flitting about; it had a nest just off the boma (fireplace) area.

Greg and I took off with our guide B-Man on a short fishing excursion by skiff. Even if we never reached the area which we did (for fishing) the journey itself would have been worth it. What an amazing experience it was to glide through this narrow waterway, with high ‘walls’ of papyrus and reeds on either side, avoiding shallow sandy spots, and observing many birds, as well as a few small crocodiles, and water monitors en route. The suddenly, there was a hippo, completely out of the water, right in our way. Our boatsman was fortunately properly trained for such an event. Instead of slowing down or stopping, which could have led to a nasty confrontation, he barreled on. The hippo submerged and dove out of our way, and we pretty much went right over the spot which it had occupied just seconds earlier. Looking back we noted that the hippo had resurfaced and was giving us the hippo version of the upturned middle finger in the form of a belligerent posture and stare. That was almost too exciting. And it happened much too quickly for photographs! As for the fishing, I’m afraid despite our best efforts we were unsuccessful. B-Man did catch a really good size 3-spotted bream though.

In the afternoon we observed a basket-weaving demonstration by some of the local staff who do their weaving after hours and in their spare time, with the items being sold at the camp curio shop.

At around 4:00p, our group went out on a canoe outing to an area not far from the airstrip, for our
afternoon activity. It was a fun and relaxing outing with sundowners being served on a small island,
complete with an ‘island bar’ setup. During the outing we saw many differents types of birds, including
the rare and highly endangered Wattled Crane, as well as some water-adapted mammals and
many of the spectacular plants found in the Okavango Delta, such as the beautiful water lilies.

PART 4: THE MOREMI GAME RESERVE

On the morning of 8 December, we were up early for a walking excursion from Camp Okavango. Before we got underway by boat, there was time for a healthy breakfast consisting of muesli with rice milk, a fresh fruit salad and some toast, with rooibos tea on the side. All the camps also serve eggs to order, usually with beef or pork sausage, bacon and other side dishes.

Refreshed and energized, we enjoyed yet another exhilarating boat ride (same route as on the previous day’s fishing excursion) to an island about 30 minutes away. This time around, we had our
cameras ready but there was no hippo barring the way… We did make a small detour into a backwater
area where we observed a pod of hippos, though. And inquisitive they were too, coming
closer and closer to the boat until our skipper decided it was time to move on.

The island where we walked – I believe it is called Lopis Island – has some very diverse habitat
consisting of open floodplain, with patches of woodland, and a nice strip of fairly dense riverine forest
with sausage trees and large mangosteen trees amongst others. We saw a few elephant at a
distance and walked towards a group of giraffe who no doubt saw us coming a long distance
away. To make the walk even more interesting, the guides drew our attention to several interesting
plant species and talked about their medicinal and other uses.

Back in camp, it was time for — lunch! As always, the vegan & vegetarian members of the group
were more than adequately catered for with salads, an excellent and flavorful lentil dish with rice, a fruit salad and a vegetarian tart.

That afternoon, we took a short flight of about 10 minutes to Xakanaxa airstrip, for a brief road
transfer to our next camp, Okuti. The design of this camp takes a bit of getting used to, with a type
of plastic sheeting used instead of the more commonly seen canvas. I was pleasantly surprised by
the interior of the rooms though – they were exceedingly spacious and very comfortable, complete
with inside and outside showers. Although the rooms were quite close to each other (the
available camp area at Xakanaxa is very limited) there is plenty of privacy and I was not bothered
by any noise or conversation from adjacent rooms. The deck area and pool were very nice, and
this camp would be a particularly good option for family parties with young children.

Our afternoon game drive from Okuti was on the quiet side but we did manage to locate a leopard
right by the side of the road – this area is well-known for consistently good leopard sightings.
Unfortunately there were as many as 6 vehicles at the leopard sighting at one stage.

Our morning game drive in the Moremi Game Reserve on 9 December was one of the most productive
of the entire trip, as we encountered a large herd of buffalo, a couple of leopards in the
same area (which is unusual as they are mostly solitary hunters), several giraffe, zebra, wildebeest,
impala and warthog.

PART 5: ON TO SAVUTI AND CHOBE

By midday on December 9, our small group was back in a Cessna Caravan for a flight of about 25 minutes to Savute Safari Lodge, a superb camp on the edge of the Savute Channel which stopped flowing a couple of decades ago due to tectonic shifts. There are indications that the channel may once again be starting to flow for at least some distance from its origin in the Linyanti floodplain.

We were immediately impressed with the abundance of wildlife at Savute. The ‘game drive’ from the airstrip to the lodge was fantastic! There were lots of elephants to be seen pretty much everywhere, even though the camp staff repeatedly told us that all the elephants had already left (dispersed) after the onset of the rainy season. You could have fooled us!

Birdwatchers would have been astonished at the abundance of storks of which there were hundreds and hundreds to be seen of 5 different species, namely marabou (everywhere!), European, woolynecked, openbill, yellowbill and Abdim’s. There was also a veritable barrage of birds of prey ranging from eagles to buzzards to kites and kestrels. Finally, there were literally thousands of swallows, martins and swifts hawking insects in flight. I have been birding for more than 20 years and I have never seen such a concentration of birdlife in one area.

Savute is known as a predator stronghold and camp manager Kobus Lubbe gave us a useful and interesting introductory talk about the most visible predators in the area, namely the lions, leopards, wild dogs and cheetahs. Of these, lions are seen most frequently: over the previous 300 days there had been 248 lion sightings. Lions in the Savute area habitually hunt elephants and they employ a special technique to bring down and kill these lumbering giants. The lion dynamics of the area are in a transitional phase, with a couple of younger males recently having moved into the area. It remains to be seen how the various competing alliances and prides will re-align over the next few months. Leopard sightings from Savute Safari Lodge have been on the increase; Kobus estimated that there were some 15 to 20 leopards resident in the area. Wild dogs, which are a highly threatened species, only number from about 2,000 to perhaps 4,000 total in Africa. There are 12 wild dogs presently recorded in the Savute area. As for cheetah, there are estimated to be three males resident in the area, with females passing through from time to time.

Very early on the morning of December 10, I was enjoying a cup of tea just outside the dining room at Savute Safari Lodge. It was a typical African summer morning: cool, clear and totally peaceful. Thoughts of schedules, deadlines and budgets were far from my mind and for a few minutes there, I felt truly connected to the surroundings. My senses felt as if they were in overdrive. With one ear I was trying to sort out bird calls, with another listening for the low moan of a lion which had been calling around camp the previous night. At the same time I was staring at a massive dung beetle negotiating a sandy patch right in front of me. Becoming one with nature is a rare experience for most city dwellers, and I treasure the few ‘out of Africa’ moments which invariably crop up on a trip like this. On a visit that is less hectic, with a few 3-night stays included, it is easy to fall into the rhythm and pace of the bush, and to truly appreciate the oasis of peace and quiet beyond the game drives and other activities.

Alas, later that morning after a last game drive (lots of elephant, hundreds of birds, especially at the former Savute Marsh) it was time to move on again, this time an uneventful 30-minute flight to Kasane. From there, it was a quick and pleasant road transfer to the well-known Chobe Game Lodge, inside Chobe National Park. I had spent some time at CGL some years ago in the dry season, when the game-viewing was excellent. This time around, the game-viewing was a bit more quiet, but the lodge was looking great.

For visitors who would like to experience a safari, but who are not quite ready for a tented camp or for the expense of flying into the Delta or elsewhere, Chobe Game Lodge is a great option. Yes it is much larger than other lodges, but it offers a lot of activities and services that are not available in the bush. It offers game drives as well as very interesting boat excursions on the Chobe River for some great looks at hippo, amongst others. Resident professional guides also offer star gazing and guided walks, there is a beautiful swimming pool, a riverside boma area where traditional dancers perform, internet connections and a workout room complete with a treadmill. There is even a pizza oven built from the internet!

The pizza oven at Chobe Game Lodge which was constructed from plans found on the internet. Unfortunately we did not have time to ascertain whether the plans were good, but I am told the pizza is!

Chobe Game Lodge has a very well stocked shop with curios, clothing, handbags, handwoven baskets, jewelry, books, DVD’s and more. Bring dollars.

The food at Chobe Game Lodge was excellent and abundant. Amongst others I enjoyed the terrific salad buffet which is more than a meal unto itself. On the day that we were there, the restaurant offered a Mongolian barbecue night, with an amazing array of meats and other stirfry options. The next morning, for breakfast, there was likewise a huge variety of meats, sausages, eggs to order, vegetables, salads, yoghurt, cereals, three kinds of fresh bread and more.

Our morning pontoon boat outing from Chobe Game Lodge was similar to the one I had undertaken
on my previous trip. Like then, we got some good close-up looks at hippo and elephant, some
crocodiles, various species of birds and the locally abundant Puku antelope.

PART 6: VICTORIA FALLS, ZAMBIA

On December 11 we said our goodbyes at Chobe Game Lodge and proceeded to the border post at Kazungula, prior to entering Zambia. This so-called road/boat transfer (the alternative is a light air transfer from Kasane to Livingstone) takes about 2 hours. It involves a rather interesting boat trip across the Zambezi River, followed by a real third-world experience of standing in line at the immigration office on the Zambia side of the border, paying your US$50 (no change made!) visa fee and hoping that the person who is handling your luggage has got everything under control.

Somehow or other our driver managed to maneuver his way out from amongst the many trucks lining up to cross the border, and we drove via the town of Livingstone to our last overnight stop. This was Stanley’s Safari Lodge, an impressive and striking stone and thatch edifice overlooking the Victoria Falls, with a vapor plume from the falls visible in the distance.

At Stanley’s Safari Lodge we enjoyed a very welcome light lunch consisting of a fresh mixed green salad, bread rolls and an excellent vegetable torte. The meat-eaters were treated to what appeared to be fried breaded chicken wings.

My room at Stanley’s was fabulous but somewhat wasted on a single traveler: a massive ‘honeymoon suite’ which was completely open to the front, with a gorgeous view over the Zambezi Valley and the Victoria Falls in the distance. The huge king size bed is just a few metres from a good-sized private plunge pool, and there is a fireplace, a lounge, an outdoor shower, and a large bathroom with a natural rock bath. Really an amazing room for an adventurous traveler looking for
something out of the ordinary. I was anticipating a problem with insects that night, but there were
hardly any to be seen and I felt very cozy inside the large mosquito net.

That afternoon, we drove back through Livingstone town to the location of the new Toka Leya
Lodge, a Wilderness Safaris property just upstream of the Victoria Falls. I was impressed with the
stylish rooms, wonderful common areas & expansive deck overlooking the Zambezi River.

Our last group dinner was a fun and entertaining event, as were most of our meals. Everybody
genuinely seemed to like each other and each other’s company and there never was a shortage
of stories, anecdotes, jokes & light-hearted banter. I would travel with this group again any time!

On December 12 I woke up in a massive bed elevated over the Zambezi valley, with the exotic
sounds and calls of turacos, redchested cuckoos, trumpeter hornbills, an African cuckoo and some
robins providing a splendid background soundtrack. Our last day in Africa would be very special. By
0700A we were ready to board a boat for a short trip into the middle of the Zambezi River, for a
breakfast outing to Livingstone’s Island. This turned out to be a superb adventure, which I would
recommend for somewhat intrepid visitors, especially if they are able to jump into and swim in the
pond right by the edge of the Falls. It was a most amazing experience to be suspended in the cool
water of the Zambezi, just a few feet from the very edge where the river plunges over an almighty
cliff.

Visitors to Livingstone Island can walk to this spot for a photograph; it is afterward that the
prospective ‘swimmers’ get to take their clothes off and swim (yes there’s a current!) to another
rocky point, from where they can jump into the natural rock pool.

Early that afternoon, we were off to Livingstone Airport for the less than 2 hr flight back to Jo’burg.
After a not-too-onerous immigration procedure (no problems with my brand new US passport!), and
some last minute shopping, it was all aboard on the l-o-n-g flight back to the USA. My best advice
to anyone who does have the time, is to break up this return journey by spending another (last)
night in Jo’burg. It just gets to be too much to have an early morning activity, then fly to Johannesburg
in the early afternoon, only to have to face a huge long overnight flight back to the USA. Of
course sometimes there is no way around this, as was the case in our particular instance. The flight
itself was fine, but I was not. Something I had eaten at Vic Falls (come to think of it, the fruit looked
a bit suspect…) caused my digestive system to rebel which was not fun. Fortunately it was a short
lived event, by the following day (Saturday night) I was ready for a vegan barbecue sandwich at
Field of Greens…

All in all the trip was a great success though; I learnt a lot, saw several new places and camps, met
some really fantastic people and I am full of enthusiasm for the new year.

In early February Kathleen and I will be heading to Tanzania for a somewhat longer (2 week) trip, to
go and take a look at some of the southern Tanzania reserves such as Selous and Ruaha, and to
visit Ras Kutani south of Dar-es-Salaam as well as Zanzibar.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

Madagascar August 2000

STRANGE, WONDERFUL, MADDENING MADAGASCAR PART 1

August 2000
After my first short visit to Madagascar in July 2000 I’d have to say I found it to be a truly strange and wonderful yet mildly maddening country, that is definitely not for everybody. Strange? Absolutely. Madagascar is often associated with Africa, having split off the African mainland some 165 million years ago, yet it is very unlike Africa in almost every way. Not even once did I feel like I was in Africa, while in Madagascar. To the contrary, I might as well have been in an Asian country, judging by the facial features of the people and the many rice paddies which are tucked away into the valleys and hillsides like an Impressionist version of a patchwork quilt. Or perhaps it could have been some hidden corner of France, where time had stood still, the roads had not been worked on for 20 years, but everybody drives their Peugeots and Renaults in typical Gallic fashion, using their horns to squeeze through impossibly tight spots and generally paying scant attention to ‘no entry’ or ‘do not overtake’ signs, happily at a fairly sedate pace.

Wonderful? Undoubtedly. I am not a great monkey fan, and I generally consider the few African monkey species which I have seen, especially the cheeky Vervet monkeys, to be a bit obnoxious. By contrast, Madagascar’s lemurs are stunning. It took me all of 15 seconds to fall in love with the first species of lemur I had a good look at, namely the Ring-tailed Lemur, at Berenty. But more about that later. The same was true of the birds. On my last two visits to Botswana I had to work really hard to come up with a new ‘life’ bird or two. So what an absolute pleasure it was to be in a country where I was seeing not just new birds all the time, but several entirely new families of birds, most of which are found only in Madagascar! It is not fair to have them at the bottom of my ‘wonderful’ list, but the Malagasy people – especially the children – were equally fascinating. We just simply did not have enough time to enjoy the many cultural offerings which Madagascar no doubt has in abundance.

Mildly maddening? Most assuredly. On the day of our departure from Ivato Airport in Tana, by way of example, we had checked our luggage and received our boarding passes for the flight back to Johannesburg. Which, by the way, was no mean feat. Having stood in a poor excuse for a line for an extraordinarily long time, we had to produce our passports to various persons at least four or five times, and we were even asked if we had anything to declare upon leaving the country! We’re used to getting this question asked on arrival somewhere, but on departure? Go figure. In any event, some 20 minutes after the flight to Johannesburg was supposed to have departed, a blunt announcement was made that the flight would be delayed, because…the airport is now closed. Down came the shutters on the coffee kiosk, a split second before the blinds dropped in front of the duty free shop. In the time it took to utter a four-letter word, every single Air Mad employee had decamped. So there we were, stuck in a dingy departure lounge with about 234 smokers and nowhere to go. For the next 90 minutes, our emotions ranged from slightly bemused to exceedingly annoyed when it became clear that the reason for the abrupt airport closure was the not-soimminent arrival of the president of Madagascar, M. Ratsiraka, on the Air Mad flight from Paris. Our flight could have been long gone by the time ‘his’ ‘plane actually landed, but alas it was not to be. So we were treated to more pomp and circumstance than we had collectively seen in a lifetime, with much playing of shiny instruments, rolling out of long red carpets, serial saluting and handing over of elaborate bouquets of flowers as Madagascar’s first couple arrived safely back in lovely Tana.

Those of you who have spent some time in Madagascar will know that ‘lovely Tana’ is an oxymoron, and used very much tongue-in-cheek here. Perhaps Mr. and Mrs. Ratsiraka really needed lots of flowers and many ‘so nice to see you’s’ from the gathered dignitaries at the airport, to prepare them for their return to ‘lovely’ Tana. Which is part of the reason why I contend that Madagascar is not for everybody. Maybe we just did not spend enough time in Tana to find its redeeming features, although I am inclined to think that I might have liked it even less had I stayed longer. A bit more about Tana later.

Before I lose every one of my readers with tales of gloom, let me hasten to add that the other two areas of Madagascar which we visited, namely Berenty Private Reserve in the south and the Perinet rainforest in the east, were superb. Admittedly our room at Berenty was not the best one we had ever stayed in, and it could have done with some refurbishment. The walls were bare, the towels were threadbare, there was nowhere to unpack or hang anything, the toilet had a tricky seat and the shower head was suspect. To be fair, we were offered a much nicer bungalow with all of those things and more, but its solar water heating system was not functioning too well. It gets cold at night in July, even in the south, so we opted for the room with a hot shower and no pictures on the wall.

One had only to step outside, however, to come face to face with the many reasons to visit Madagascar, and to shrug off its many imperfections. Early on our first morning at Berenty, we made our way to the open-sided breakfast ‘bar’ area, a little ways down the sandy track which runs between the older research bungalows and the newer tourist bungalows. The mediocre coffee, stale French bread without butter, a bit of jam, good local honey and so-so pound cake stretched the definition even of ‘Continental’ breakfast. But no matter. The morning lemur show more than compensated for the food. I had hardly taken my seat, when I spotted a small group of Ring-tailed Lemurs ambling over and gracefully leaping onto some empty chairs, so close that I couldn’t get their distinctive tails into a photograph. For a minute or so several lemurs looked straight at me, their intent little faces and piercing red eyes practically imploring me to share my rations. In earlier years, lemurs at Berenty had been fed, and I guess some of them still fondly recall their free-loading days. They were never pushy though. Unlike monkeys or baboons, which can act like real rogues when they become habituated, the lemurs politely kept their distance.

I had many other opportunities to observe various species of lemurs over the next few days. Following a group of Ring-tailed Lemurs at Berenty early one evening, I sometimes almost felt as if I were part of the troop, as they completely ignored my presence and carried on feeding, picking and chewing away at choice bits of flowers on the edge of the forest, sometimes just a couple of feet from me, slowly making their way on the ground from one spot to the next, the little ones giving me a wary look every now and then. Nice as the Ringtails were, my favorites at Berenty were definitely the Verreaux’s Sifaka, arguably the most handsome of all the lemurs. I will never forget their apparently effortless, yet prodigiously acrobatic leaps from branch to branch. As powerful and athletic as they appeared when making these leaps, they were graceful and almost dainty when crossing an open space in weird sideways ballet-like dance steps.

Berenty is Madagascar’s best known reserve, because its large populations of sub-desert lemurs (Ring-tailed, Verreaux’ sifaka and brown lemur) have been the focus of many television documentaries and books. The brown lemurs are very common at Berenty, and their unmistakable pig-like grunting contact calls can be heard just about everywhere. I was very impressed with the gallery forest and the beautiful trees of Berenty, as well as with the great views over the Mandrare River. The wide roads and well-maintained trails made getting around easy and effortless. Late one morning Olivier took us to the noisy colony of ‘flying foxes’, some 400 to 500 large fruit bats roosting in a tall Tamarind tree. Seemingly constantly embroiled in territorial disputes, they are never quiet during the day, one or two taking to the air every few minutes, showing their huge 4-foot wingspan.

The birding at Berenty was slow, but almost everything was new to me. Amongst the species seen on our first day there were Common Jery, Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher, Madagascar Coucal, Crested Drongo, Souimanga Sunbird, Crested Coua, Giant Coua, Hookbilled Vanga, Madagascar Kestrel, Frances’ Sparrowhawk, Madagascar Bulbul, Greyheaded Lovebird, Madagascar Bee-eater, Magpie Robin and Madagascar Turtle Dove. In Madagascar, the local guides are going to point out various species of birds to you, so go prepared to take an interest in the island’s fascinating birdlife, even if you’re not much of a birding type. Although the island does not have anything like the rich birdlife of most African countries, the diversity is stunning. As pointed out elsewhere, had Charles Darwin gone to Madagascar instead of the Galapagos, the peculiar bill shapes of the 14 species of vangas might have underpinned his theory of evolution, rather than those famous finches. Be sure to take a copy of Sinclair and Langrand’s excellent Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands (Struik 1998), which contains descriptions and superb illustrations of more than 300 regularly encountered birds of the area, which includes Madagascar, the Seychelles, the Comoros, Mauritius, Reunion and Rodrigues.

Berenty is also a good place to observe the southern region’s peculiar flora, notably the Euphorbia- Didieraceae bush. This includes baobabs and various bloated Pachypodium species and the baobab-like Moringas. Walking in the so-called spiny forest, we marveled at the almost surrealistic shapes of the various cactus-like plants. We might as well have been in the Sonoran desert region of Arizona, except there were no Cactus Wrens to be seen anywhere… There were Grey Mouse Lemurs though, and we enjoyed several sightings of the diminutive White-fronted Sportive Lemur. There were not many birds in the spiny forest, but we did spot a couple of African hoopoes, and a white-headed Vanga.

The main dining room and lounge complex at Berenty was very pleasant and the meals which we enjoyed there (lunch & dinner) were more than adequate. A typical dinner consisted of very tasty sauteed shrimp for a starter, a hearty beef stew with potatoes, carrots and green peppers served over rice, and fresh papaya for dessert. The coffee was excellent. On another occasion we had sliced roast pork with gravy, accompanied by peas and cabbage. Dessert was a delicious fruit salad of papaya, banana, pineapple and granadilla (‘passion fruit’) juice. Here, as everywhere else we went in Madagascar, the nice crusty French bread was excellent and plentiful.

Earlier, on our way to Berenty, we had flown into Fort Dauphin, where we arrived without being met at the building which passes for an airport. Apparently someone at the Dauphin Hotel (we couldn’t quite figure out who was the ‘responsible’) did not put our name on the ‘tableau’. I figured this was not a big deal, easy to fix with a phone call. Ne Pas d’telephone’, I was told upon inquiry. Not broken, just not there… It is on an occasion like this when traveling in Madagascar becomes really interesting. Having repeatedly and unceremoniously rebuffed the offers of several taxi drivers up to that point, I had to eat crow and quickly summon the last remaining one. Despite my earlier rejection, he was very friendly, told us that we needed to go to the Hotel Dauphin and promptly drove us there, where our guide Olivier caught up with us. How the taxi driver managed to fit all our luggage (two huge duffel bags) plus the two of us plus two other persons and himself into the very small taxi I will never know.

Like many other things in Madagascar, the Hotel Dauphin has seen better days. Something as basic as a coat of paint would make a huge difference in the lobby, where the stains on the wall look almost as old as the hotel itself. We couldn’t believe the condition of the road from Fort Dauphin to Berenty. Considering that a substantial percentage of all visitors to Madagascar visit this famous reserve, one would assume that the central government (or the local authorities) would keep this road in as good a condition as possible. One would be wrong to make such an assumption. Over the years, some of the potholes have evolved into craters that have engulfed the entire width of the asphalt road, so that vehicles are forced onto the shoulder. A couple of the bridges along the route are not exactly in ship-shape condition either. Even so, it is not an uninteresting drive, with most guides stopping at various point of interest, such as Madagascar’s famous pitcher plants and
at a stand of the unique three-cornered palms. At another ‘obligatory’ stop at an Antanosy tomb,
we encountered a large group of small children. Having taken a photograph of them with a digital
camera, I gathered them around, switched the camera to its playback mode and motioned them to
come closer. Thirty little faces pushed to within 12 inches of the camera, and the collective squeal
of delight as they recognized their images was worth driving all the way there.

STRANGE, WONDERFUL, MADDENING MADAGASCAR
PART 2

There are many destinations where it is not too difficult to hide the fact that one is from out of town. Unless you wear a particularly garish Hawaiian shirt, for example, or point the latest digital Sony videocamera at everything in sight, it might be possible for most of us to blend into the populace of many European cities, or even some African cities such as Johannesburg or Cape Town. No such luck in Madagascar. Even in the airport at Tana, where Kathleen and I were having a cup of very good coffee one afternoon, I had the distinct feeling of having ‘tourist’ written all over my forehead. A magazine seller was hawking French magazines to several other people at tables near ours. “Paris Match, monsieur? Le Monde?’ As he turned towards us, without missing a beat, I noticed that he had replaced the fairly dated French magazines with much older American ones… “Time Magazine, Newsweek?… Be prepared to firmly, yet politely decline the repeated entreaties of any number of hawkers and assorted chancers to browbeat you into parting with a small amount of your money. It takes a while to get used to the currency – 25,000.00 Malagasy Francs initially seems like an awful lot, until you realize that it is less than US$4.00. Changing only a couple hundred US dollars or so, saddles you with a pile of FMG25,000.00 bills that look positively extravagant, especially in a country where the heavily used bills are obviously the smallest denominations, some of which are incredibly grubby. Some of the FMG1000.00 and FMG500.00 bills which we were given in change looked and felt as if they had been around since the time when paper money was first invented.

In Fort Dauphin, we had a ‘Lonely Planet’ experience. Excellent as the Lonely Planet guidebooks are – and the one on Madagascar certainly is extremely detailed and should be on the ‘must read’ list of any would-be visitor – they date quickly. Having read a glowing report about the Panorama Restaurant (‘our favorite restaurant in town, probably the best south of Antsirabe’) and having sever al hours to kill in Fort Dauphin, we decided to walk the half mile or so from the Hotel Dauphin to the Panorama Restaurant. What could have been a nice stroll was marred by the unwelcome attention of a local vagrant, who did not understand the meaning of ‘non’. By the time we stepped into the Panorama Restaurant, we were very relieved to be able to leave him behind. Until we started looking around us. It immediately became painfully obvious that we were the only two patrons in the place. It might have been superb three years ago, but by late July 2000 it was a real dive, with a ‘gone to seed’, dilapidated feel. Faced with running the gauntlet of vagrants and beggars, we stayed put. The waitress clearly knew what had brought us to the place, as she was quick to point out that the Lonely Planet-recommended ‘tasty tuna steak’ was not available. ‘Pas d’atun’. We ordered langoustine and freshwater bream instead. I could have sworn the Panorama sent out for the food, it took that long to prepare… When it finally came, my ‘poisson de l’eau douce’ was passably okay, Kathleen’s langoustines overcooked but palatable. Best food south of Antsirabe? No way. I wonder if some of the other Fort-Dauphin villagers jokingly refer to Panorama patrons as ‘lonely planets’, meaning ‘tourists who foolishly believe everything they read in a book’.

From Fort Dauphin, an uneventful flight took us back to Tana, where we were met by our new guide Lalaina, a most capable and extremely pleasant young man. We had to run by his office to pick up some sleeping bags, so we were treated to our second drive from Ivato Airport into ‘lovely Tana’. What an experience. Few things can prepare one adequately for the dusty, spare look of poverty which typifies much of Tana. Parts of the road from the airport reminded me of Oljoro Road in Arusha, the only other place I had been to that exhibited the same kind of mind-boggling amalgam of pedestrians, young and old, dodging all forms of transportation ranging from pushcarts to bicycles to Range Rovers to the ubiquitous taxis and mini-buses, with dogs, zebu cattle and donkeys thrown into the mix just to make it exciting. If anything, the array of streetside shops and stands in Tana was even more amazing than in Arusha. There were primitive butcheries, with chunks of raw meat spread out on a counter or strung up on hooks, dozens of colorful fruit and vegetable stalls, almost as many rice, grain and dried bean merchants, auto parts, bikes and pieces of bikes, and junk stands defying any description. On every block, someone was cooking kabobs on a charcoal-fired brazier, or deep-frying some local version of donuts, which I was tempted to try once or twice. Maybe next time.

From Tana we headed east to Perinet, on a good but rather narrow, winding road, designed and built by the Chinese. I have never been fond of night driving, and this trip reminded me why. I was not thrilled to hear that it was the main route for many heavy trucks coming into Tana from Tamatave, the main east coast port city. In fact, we encountered a long row of these trucks, many of which were petroleum tankers, on the outskirts of Tana, waiting to enter the city from midnight onwards. Except for inexplicably using the left-hand lane around corners (in Madagascar people drive on the right), our driver Theodore was very proficient and got us to Perinet in good time.

Our accommodation for the night was a bungalow at Hotel Feon ‘nyala (‘call of the forest’), a pleasant enough place consisting of about 24 bungalows, all with great views over the natural forest – and hot showers. We had not had anything to eat since lunch at the ‘famous’ Panorama, so we were famished. It turns out that we had selected a good place to be hungry, enjoying one of the best meals of the trip. I had the excellent chicken curry and Kathleen chose chicken with fresh ginger, both served with mounds of rice as is customary in Madagascar. Fresh crepes with local preserves and some very good coffee with sweetened condensed milk completed a memorable dinner. The sleeping bags which had necessitated the detour into Tana earlier than evening, were put to good use as the A-frame room was quite chilly on this late July night at some 900 meters above sea level.

At 7a.m. the next morning we departed for Perinet Reserve with Lalaina and our local forest guide, who turned out to be excellent. He was very knowledgeable about the lemurs, the plantlife and the birds. He led the way along the trails, turning this way and that, deeper and deeper into the rather damp rainforest. We had read enough about leeches to nervously check our extremities every now and then, but other than that all we had to do was play ‘follow the leader’. Initially, the forest was rather quiet, but as time passed we started finding the occasional bird party, and after perhaps 20 minutes or so, our first lemurs. These were brown lemurs, high up in a tree, not what we were looking for. Shortly afterwards, we found our quarry: a family of very relaxed black and white Indris, foraging and moving around in the lower reaches of the trees. Peering at them through our binoculars, we could see why they are described as looking like cuddly teddy bears. The experience was unfortunately marred by a group of extremely noisy and talkative spectators. Muttering a few choice expletives, we moved into a different area of the forest, continuing our ‘lemur safari’. Our next find was a grey bamboo lemur, which looked more like a weasel or a squirrel, clambering about quite high up in the trees. Later on, we heard the haunting contact call of the Indris and we had another excellent sighting of a female Indri with its 2-month old baby. Isolating them in the telescope, we watched the baby, which was all black with large green eyes, move around on its mother’s belly.

The birding at Perinet was fantastic. We were treated to great views of Hookbilled Vanga in the ‘scope, found the superb Blue Vanga, more Souimanga sunbird, Madagascar Cuckooshrike, Green Sunbird, Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher, Madagascar Malachite Kingfisher, Ward’s Flycatcher, Madagascar Little Grebe and several other waterbirds. The bird of the day and of the forest was definitely the unique Nuthatch Vanga, climbing up a tree-trunk in nuthatch-like fashion. Unlike true nuthatches, these birds do not climb downwards.

For lunch, we drove to the nearby Vakona Lodge, which impressed us a well run establishment in a great location, with well-equipped chalets, a very inviting pool, and a nice restaurant. I tried zebu steak here for the first time and found it to be quite tasty. Vakona Lodge offers a wide selection of chalets including twins, doubles, and family rooms. Activities include horseback riding and hiking, in addition to excursions to Perinet and Mantadia forests. The Vakona Lodge looks like the kind of place where our clients would be very happy to stay and we will definitely try it ourselves on our next visit to Madagascar.

Our last night in Madagascar was spent in Tana at the Hotel Pallisandre, which we rate quite highly – very friendly staff and nice rooms. My only problem was the French computer keyboard (I checked some e-mail from there). Mon dieu! How the French could possibly make the period (full-stop) an ‘upper case shift’ character, or put a ‘q’ where we have an ‘a’ is beyond me! Meals at the Pallisandre were first class. On one occasion we had a type of fish which I had never encountered before – Capitaine. A week or so later, in Kenya, I found out that Nile Perch was being harvested in great quantities from Lake Victoria and sold as ‘Capitaine’ in Europe, making its way to Madagascar from there, I would think. In any event, it tasted great. We highly recommend the restaurant’s Creme Brulee.

Will I be going back to Madagascar? Without a doubt. I simply have to explore more of this utterly fascinating island and its wonderful people and wildlife. The next time, I will spend a few days more so that I can start to relax and enjoy a country that just cannot be rushed, and I will be sure to include one of the beach areas such as Ifaty or Morondava. What would I say to people thinking about visiting Madagascar? Do it soon, before the charcoalers burn down the entire place and before the prices reach the level of African safari destinations. But before you pack your bags, call the Alliance Francaise and sign up for some French classes, or order a Berlitz course. Having a bit of French – beyond just oui and merci – will make your time in Madagascar immeasurably more enjoyable. Had I not been able to understand the language, I might have missed some real jewels, such as the comment by the Malagasy taxi driver who drove us from the airport to Tana on our arrival. Summing up the Madagascar experience very succinctly, he said, ‘My country is rich, but the people are poor’.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris