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Queen Elizabeth Park, Uganda

When deciding what to write about today, I was going through my photographs. Often, I take writing inspiration from photos and I’ve had more time to reflect on photographs lately, as I’m sure you have also. While we wait to plan further travel, it’s fun to look back at the places we’ve been, and to keep hope going for tomorrow. Here are just a few that bring back great memories and lots of smiles. 

All of these photographs are from lovely Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.

Male Ugandan Kob, a type of antelope found mainly in Uganda! Only the males have antlers. They make a funny sound when courting females.

Lioness yawning lazily in the late afternoon.

Male lion; there were at least 9 lions in his pack! One of the bigger packs I’ve seen.

Same male lion yawning, though it looks more like a snarl!

Another lioness resting peacefully late in the day.

Our safari travelers, getting the best possible view!

White-browed Coucal Bird, a type of cuckoo.

Papyrus Gonolek - a very colorful bird!

[worldwidexplorer]

Safari in South Africa

South Africa is a very popular safari destination for many reasons. Kruger National Park is one of the most famous wildlife safari destinations in the world. Many airlines offer good connections and even some direct flights to South Africa. The national language of South Africa is English. Aside from safari tours, there are numerous other options to immerse yourself into the culture and beauty of all that South Africa offers.

Mother elephant with youngster

National Park Safaris

The South African National Parks System (SANParks) maintains all of the parks throughout South Africa. There are numerous kinds of accommodations available to suit everyone’s travel style, from low budget camping to classy accommodations in private settings. Many of the parks provide additional facilities like small libraries or museums, restaurants, and shops on premise so that even if you have down time between game drives, you will not be at a loss for options to occupy your time.

 If you’re concerned about having internet access, the lodging areas of all SANParks have internet access. You will likely be off the grid during game drives, but you do not have to be off the grid otherwise (unless you wish)! 

Private Game Reserve Safaris

Private Game Reserves are another great choice for wildlife safaris, especially if you are looking for something luxurious and off the beaten path. These private reserves have far fewer people, so you will have the benefit of a quieter setting. Oftentimes, animals in these private settings are more accustomed to vehicles and will approach a little closer than they would in the SANParks regions. You will have more one on one service from the staff at these accommodations as well. Some of the private reserves back up to or very near some of the SANParks, so it is possible to book part of the stay in a SANPark and another part of the stay in a private reserve to get a feeling for both kinds of experiences.

Table Mountain

Other Activities throughout South Africa

As mentioned, South Africa offers the visitor far more than just safari parks. There are all kinds of opportunities to learn about the many different cultures of the region through their rich history, art, and traditions. Some of the more recent history can be experienced by touring through township areas, visiting the Apartheid Museum, and learning more about the life of Nelson Mandela not just while imprisoned on Robbin Island near Cape Town, but also visit some of the places he lived in Johannesburg.

You can visit the Cradle of Mankind cave system where some of the oldest hominids have been found. You can also learn about the cultures that currently reside in the area. South Africa is well known for its wine region with the cities of Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Franschhoek. 

Table Mountain is the backdrop landmark feature that makes Cape Town such an instantly recognizable city. The mountain system runs a very long distance within South Africa. From Cape Town, one can either hike or take a cable car to the top of the mountain for nice views of the city from above. There are plenty of trails for hiking as well.

Great White Shark

Diving with Great White Sharks isn’t an experience that everyone wants, but it definitely worthwhile for those who want to learn more about the most feared predators of the sea.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is a place to see many unusual flowers and plants that are native to South Africa. Situated on the slopes of Table Mountain, it covers flora from all of South Africa’s six biomes.

There is a species of penguin that can be seen at Boulders Beach. This is a nice day trip option for Cape Town, and is a good stop on the way to the scenic Cape of Good Hope.

The Panorama Route of South Africa is a famous drive that encompasses the Blyde River Canyon and offers lovely scenic views and stopping points. 

Clearly, South Africa offers plenty of options for travelers with many diverse interests! It's one of my favorite places to visit because of all of the variety. What do you think? Have you traveled to South Africa? How was your experience? I'd love to hear about it!

Stay tuned for next week’s post where I will look more closely at Botswana, Zambia, and Namibia - South Africa’s neighboring regions to the North.

Until next week,

Marisa

[worldwidexplorer]

Wild Chimpanzees in Uganda

When you go on safari in Uganda, you have the opportunity to hike and see chimpanzees in the wild in several different locations. This video is from our experience in Kibale National Forest. The terrain was relatively flat, but we had to be careful because there was a lot of leafy undergrowth which made tripping rather easily. After hiking with our guide for about an hour, they located a group of chimpanzees, and we were able to spend several hours following along with this group that had more than 10 members! Some of the chimpanzees were rather calm, but then they’d occasionally break into a frenzy, with one chasing another - especially for food! Watching them was an experience I’ll never forget! This is what happens when one chimp calls to others. I hope this makes you smile as much as it did for us!

Until next week,

Marisa

[worldwidexplorer]

Tanzania and Kenya - The Great Migration and more

When most people think of Kenya and Tanzania, they think about the famous Great Migration, which happens throughout the year. However, be aware that there are certain seasons when you are more likely to see wildebeests cross the river in great numbers - generally June through September. The migration occurs year-round and if there is something specific you want to see, such as the river crossing, be sure to mention it to us as we plan your trip as both Maasai Mara Park (Kenya) and the Serengeti National Park (Tanzania) are vast areas.

Hippos in Katavi National Park, Tanzania

You can easily visit the Serengeti and Maasai Mara parks without getting anywhere near the river, for example. In parks like the Serengeti, it’s possible to feel overwhelmed by other tourists because in the more popular parts of the park, it’s common to see other safari vehicles. You might even find multiple vehicles lined up near each other to observe a particular animal, for example, giving it a bit of an artificial feel at times. These are just points to consider when planning your journey.

The altitude of Kenya and Tanzania is comparable to Uganda and Rwanda, though you will not see gorillas and chimpanzees in most of this region. However, what Kenya and Tanzania may lack in large primates, they make up for with other wildlife. There are abundant opportunities to see the popular “big five” of Africa in this region, as well as many colorful birds.

Lioness in the shade during a game drive in Tanzania

In Tanzania, for example, you have the famous Ngorongoro Crater, which has its own unique population of animals. Katavi National Park is a remote park that is more difficult to reach, but absolutely worthwhile because it truly feels wild, reminiscent to Botswana. The roads here are not paved and the travelers are fewer. 

Kenya and Tanzania also offer excellent opportunities to learn about local cultures. The Maasai people still live traditionally in both countries. They are nomadic herders and still live very traditionally as they have for hundreds of years. It is possible to visit their villages and learn more about how they continue to survive and thrive.

One of our travelers meeting Maasai children in Tanzania

If you're into mountain climbing, both Kenya and Tanzania offer excellent opportunities. Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro are both very popular climbing destinations and there are plenty of highly qualified guides to help you make this dream into a reality! 

Have you traveled to Kenya and/or Tanzania? How was your experience?

Until next week,

Marisa

[worldwidexplorer]

Botswana and Zambia safari information

In Botswana, Chobe National Park and Moremi Game Reserve are two of the best known places to see wildlife, and this includes the famous Okavango Delta.

Opt to spend time on a house boat for several days enjoying the peace and quiet of the river, stay overnight at one of the remote islands within the delta, and enjoy unique mokoro canoe experiences and wildlife game drives and riverboat rides unique to this area.

Elephant in Chobe National Park, Botswana

You will see different wildlife and many types of landscape as it changes before your eyes. You can really and truly get off the grid in Botswana, and not miss a single minute of it! This is one of the places where you want to go if you really wish to feel like you are living in a documentary. The variety and number of wildlife you see will surprise you, and each game drive will have different sightings.

One of the fascinating historical places to visit is Tsodilo Hills, where there are ancient cave paintings made by the San Bushmen thousands of years ago. You can see some figures that are clearly giraffes, as well as others depicting sea creatures that live nowhere near this isolated, inland location! You can also meet modern San people and learn about their lifestyle which in many ways is still quite similar to how their ancestors lived.

Ancient cave drawings at Tsodilo Hills, Botswana

No journey to the Botswana area is complete without a visit over the border to Zambia in order to see Victoria Falls! In fact, depending on the time of year, we can schedule your visit to coincide with the nighttime lunar rainbow!

 Victoria Falls, as seen from Zambia

There are so many other interesting area activities such as boat rides along the Zambezi River, opportunities to walk with lions, take a flight over Victoria Falls, go bungee jumping, enjoy game drives in the area, and much more. You could spend a week in the Victoria Falls area and not run out of things to do! My favorite thing about Botswana is the ability to truly get off the grid and feel like you're in the backyard of the wildlife. It's truly incredible. I love Victoria Falls for all of the activities and scenic beauty. Have you traveled to any of these destinations? How was your experience? Interested in going on safari yourself?

Until next week,

Marisa

[worldwidexplorer]

South Africa - a Safari & Vacation Paradise

South Africa is a very popular safari destination for many reasons. Kruger National Park is one of the most famous wildlife safari destinations in the world. Many airlines offer good connections and even some direct flights to South Africa. The national language of South Africa is English. Aside from safari tours, there are numerous other options to immerse yourself into the culture and beauty of all that South Africa offers.

Elephant crossing the road in Kruger National Park, South Africa

National Park Safaris

The South African National Parks System (SANParks) maintains all of the parks throughout South Africa. There are numerous kinds of accommodations available to suit everyone’s travel style, from low budget camping to classy accommodations in private settings. Many of the parks provide additional facilities like small libraries or museums, restaurants, and shops on premise so that even if you have down time between game drives, you will not be at a loss for options to occupy your time.

If you’re concerned about having internet access, the lodging areas of all SANParks have internet access. You will likely be off the grid during game drives, but you do not have to be off the grid otherwise (unless you wish)!

Private Game Reserve Safaris

Private Game Reserves are another great choice for wildlife safaris, especially if you are looking for something luxurious and off the beaten path. These private reserves have far fewer people, so you will have the benefit of a quieter setting. Oftentimes, animals in these private settings are more accustomed to vehicles and will approach a little closer than they would in the SANParks regions. You will have more one on one service from the staff at these accommodations as well. Some of the private reserves back up to or very near some of the SANParks, so it is possible to book part of the stay in a SANPark and another part of the stay in a private reserve to get a feeling for both kinds of experiences.

Beautiful Hout Bay, near Cape Town

Other Activities throughout South Africa

As mentioned, South Africa offers the visitor far more than just safari parks. There are all kinds of opportunities to learn about the many different cultures of the region through their rich history, art, and traditions. Some of the more recent history can be experienced by touring through township areas, visiting the Apartheid Museum, and learning more about the life of Nelson Mandela not just while imprisoned on Robbin Island near Cape Town, but also visit some of the places he lived in Johannesburg. 

You can visit the Cradle of Mankind cave system where some of the oldest hominids have been found. You can also learn about the cultures that currently reside in the area. South Africa is well known for its wine region with the cities of Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Franschhoek. 

Table Mountain is the backdrop landmark feature that makes Cape Town such an instantly recognizable city. The mountain system runs a very long distance within South Africa. From Cape Town, one can either hike or take a cable car to the top of the mountain for nice views of the city from above. There are plenty of trails for hiking as well.

Diving with Great White Sharks isn’t an experience that everyone wants, but it definitely worthwhile for those who want to learn more about the most feared predators of the sea.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is a place to see many unusual flowers and plants that are native to South Africa. Situated on the slopes of Table Mountain, it covers flora from all of South Africa’s six biomes.

There is a species of penguin that can be seen at Boulders Beach. This is a nice day trip option for Cape Town, and is a good stop on the way to the scenic Cape of Good Hope.

The Panorama Route of South Africa is a famous drive that encompasses the Blyde River Canyon and offers lovely scenic views and stopping points. 

Clearly, South Africa offers plenty of options for travelers with many diverse interests! It's one of my favorite places to visit because of all of the variety.

Looking for safari planning information? Be sure to download our FREE Sarat Planning guide!

[worldwidexplorer]

It seems that the idea of traveling in 2020, at least as of this writing (May, 2020), is not a popular one. Until we have a better idea of when the world health situation will change, travel - along with many other sectors - remains paused. However, just because we are not traveling right now, it does not mean that we should stop planning or dreaming. This is actually a very good time to do some research on those destinations that have been on your “some day” or “bucket list” for too long now.

Researching your next travel destination takes time. You want to figure out where you want to go, what time of the year, and what it is that you want to see and do at the destination. How long do you wish to spend exploring the area? Will you need to fly there from where you live, or can you drive? Will it be an all-inclusive experience, or will you have time on your own to explore in your own way? What is it that you’re dreaming of doing once we are again able to explore the world?

If a safari is in your near future, you know that they can be notoriously difficult to plan. How do you decide where to go? What to see? What time of year to travel? Fortunately, we have a FREE Safari Planning Guide that can help you make sense of it all! Don’t miss out, grab it today!

Until next week, Marisa