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Photo of the week

Taken by client Reggie and Bill Hepp in Ngorongoro Crater.

Taken by client Reggie and Bill Hepp in Ngorongoro Crater.

Beautiful black rhino, with a peaking crested crane, in Ngorongoro Crater.

To save our rhinos from poachers, please remember to never buy rhino horns. Their horns do not aid in fertility, give you strength or aid in fever reduction.  Horns are actually made of keratin, the same material our human fingernails and toe nails are made off.  Do not buy artifacts with rhino horns. Say no to bracelets or daggers made out of rhino horn.

The only place a rhino horn should be is on a rhino!

For more information and help, visit //
http://www.savetherhino.org/
https://biglife.org/

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Maasai and Ngorongoro Crater

Walking is not allowed inside Ngorongoro Crater, unless you are a Maasai tribe member.  They are the only people currently [they were once again allowed in the 90s after restrictions] who are allowed to bring their cows [cattle] into this wildlife-dense eco-system. The number of cows a person owns displays the patriach’s wealth.  Its their currency. They depend on it for meat, milk and blood.  Yes, blood. Maasai tribe members fill their gourds with milk and blood.

Maasai have coexisted with wildlife for generations.  They used to live in the now Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation, and Masai Mara and its wider area in Kenya area until these areas were designated National Parks or conservation.

Today, in Tanzania,  they continue to live in Ngorongoro Conservation Area.  You can stop at one of the boma [homestead] for a quick visit – a tourist stop – or you can go to a private conservation in areas like Longido [east of Serengeti] such as Alamana Reserve.  Here, you can spend time understanding and learning about the unique, fascinating, and changing Maasai tribe.

Maasai tribe members walking their cows to Lake Magadi

Maasai tribe members walking their cows to Lake Magadi

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Specialist Guides on Safari

Our Safari guides are fantastic! We feel incredibly lucky to have some of the best trained guides working with us.

Sometimes, some clients want something different. They want to dig a lot deeper as they crave more knowledge of the animals and the land. They want in-depth answers to the what, why, how, when, why not, what if, what now, what more. Specialist guides will have your in-depth knowledge soar.

What makes them specialist guides?

  • Guides that have been guiding for more than 20-25 + years.
  • They train other guides.
  • They are friends/mentors with other specialist guides.
  • They cater to clients who already know a lot about the land, its people and wildlife.
  • Guides who are in the news as they have done research or have been part of research teams or organizations.
  • They are into photography and have articles published or are mentioned in articles.
  • They care about conservation and are our public voice. They have access to a larger platform.

But above all, they want you to come and enjoy being on Safari. They will have you love our country as much as they do. Twende [let’s go] Safari. There are fantastic memories to be made.

Stunning capture of zebras fighting.

Stunning capture of zebras fighting.

Paul Kirui.
We were first introduced to him in 2005 when we were on Safari in Masai Mara. Our luck we crossed paths with him. Paul, who has a gold standard certification, has been a source of information. He was involved with BBC’s Big Cat production as well as Disney’s African Cats.  He has been on many top Safari guide list. A Safari with him would be equal to winning a lottery.

Paul Oliver.
You have head of him many times on our blog. He has been our mentor when we first started Journey To Africa. At that time he operated Oliver’s Camp in Tarangire. Today he divided time between Tanzania and Australia. His passion for guiding is unwavering. He is an avid birder. He and his trusty land-rover can take you from Northern to Southern Tanzania. Get ready for a witty time.

Paul Oliver birding in Southern Tanzania's Katavi National Park

Birding in Southern Tanzania’s Katavi National Park. Taken by our friend Paul Oliver.

Jo Anderson and Mark Baker. 
Jo and his business partner Marc, started an organization in Tanzania called Carbon Tanzania. They have teamed up with local community and together with lodges and Safari companies, off-seat your carbon footprints.  They are deeply involved in conservation and going on a Safari with them will want you doing more for Mother Earth.

Why so many elephants in Ngorongoro? Poaching in other regions have them taking refuge here.

On his May Safari, Jo counted 350 + elephants in Ngorongoro? Not normal. Poaching in other regions have them taking refuge here.

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Life worth Exploring. ™
Make memories on your Journey To Africa Safari.

Get in Touch //
Email us – Safari@JourneyToAfrica.com
Toll Free – 1.877.558.6288 
Outside of US – 1.713.592.6228
Form – Request Information

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Safari vehicles

When on your Journey To Africa Safari, you are going to enjoy game driving for at least 6-8 hours a day, sometimes more, sometimes less and you get to choose. You may start early around 6:00 a.m. and end as late at 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. when the parks close. You may even go out at night on your night game drives from certain lodges.

During this time, you learn to appreciate your work-horse of a vehicle. Your 4×4 vehicle expertly maneuvered by our experienced knowledgable guide/ friend is your safe house from the elements.

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Katsaros Family on a Journey To Africa Safari in Ngorongoro Crater

Your vehicle will pass through dusty and bumpy roads, narrow bridges and overflowing bridges, slippery muddy and sticky mud [black cotton soil], and more all the while you are enjoying your wildlife and magnificent scenery. Your vehicle will keep you dry from the rains, warm from the winds or shade you from the hot sun. Your vehicle will have its roof open so you can have a panoramic view of the amazing landscape.

Our Vehicle

Taken by Journey To Africa client Zack M

Sometimes your vehicle depending on the area of your Safari will be an open vehicle. This usually happens when you fly into a location and do not have to transfer on the main roads.

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Open vehicle used by Olakira and Sayari Camp in Northern Serengeti

Regardless of what type of vehicle, your vehicle when on a Journey To Africa Safari will have a cooler with water, soft drinks, plug to charge your spare camera batteries, bean bag, binoculars, lots of guide books, snacks – you do get hungry on Safari,  blankets to keep you warm from the wind, and raincoat. If you have any special requests, we can cater to that as well.

All in all, your vehicle with our professional guides will be ready to show you a great time on Safari with Journey To Africa.

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Get in touch via email – Safari@JourneyToAfrica.com
Call us at 1.877.558.6288 or 713.592.6228.

Together, we can plan your Safari for the memory books.
Life worth Exploring. ™

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Our guides, Our pride.

That is so true. When you and I talk about planning your Safari, we talk about all the details from number of days you can spend enjoying the beautiful national parks, what lovely lodges to stay in depending on the time of year you are on Safari, etc. All fun stuff and really enjoyable as this is what you are going to imagine until you actually get on Safari and once you are there, you will be blown away [or at least that is what we hope] with how it actually is much better than you imagined.

But what really makes the Safari when on the ground – our guides!! We also talk about the guides before you go of course. You will have probably talked to our past references or read about our wonderful guides somewhere. Our guides have been guiding for over 10 + years and go through regular training by professional guides like Paul Oliver and Ethan Kinsey.


[Kate with our guide Ayoub in Tarangire National Park enjoying a picnic lunch]

Now that you are on the ground on Safari with our Journey To Africa guides you will get to experience their …
– in-depth knowledge and passion for wildlife – besides the big five [lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant], there are so many creatures big and small that will intrigue you and our guides will be there to give you all the details.
– birding skills – take your binoculars. We have beautiful birds to view.
– flora knowledge – depending on the time of your Safari, you will get to see different wildflowers.
– love for country and people.
– history of the land.
– food – they will have their favorites from their region
– movies and music – Hollywood has a far reach and ask them to introduce you to Swahili music.
…. and much much more.

Trust them and they will become your friends during your Safari.


[Our guide Fadhili with clients Feldman and McLean at Olakira Camp in Southern Serengeti.]

Come spend time with our guides on a Journey To Africa Safari. Karibu!

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Life worth Exploring. ™
Make memories on your Journey To Africa Safari.

Get in Touch //
Email us – Safari@JourneyToAfrica.com
Toll Free – 1.877.558.6288
Outside of US – 1.713.592.6228
Form – Request Information

 

The Smell on Safari

When we have confirmed your Journey To Africa Safari, you are anticipating the beautiful lodges you will be staying and the comforts we have talked about when planning your Safari, the animals you will potentially see when in the National Parks, the landscape, the people you are going to meet, etc. But one thing that we can’t really describe that you will also experience is “smell”.

The smell of Africa. For me, the minute they open the KLM door in Kilimanjaro Airport, I smell ‘home’. I can smell the wood burning in the distance, the dust, the cleaner they use at the airport. When you get out and start your Safari, the smell of the trees, the open air, the vehicles and its emissions .. the good and the bad.

On Safari, you smell the musky dirt when it has rained or the dust during dry season. The animals and let me tell you, when you in the middle of thousands/ millions of wildebeests and zebras [poop, flies and all] or next to the hippo pool and all the gas that is emitted by the dozens of hippos or you have just passed a carcass – WHEW! Memorable to say the least.


Expand your senses. Go on a Journey To Africa Safari.