Safari Tours and Tips, African Wildlife, National Parks & Travel Deals
There are many new and exciting things to see in Africa. There is no way anyone could possibly see everything there is to see in one trip. This is why travelers need to decide exactly what they want to see before taking their trip so they can book the appropriate safari. There are many animals to choose from, chimpanzees, gorillas, the Big 5 (lions, rhino, buffalo, leopard, and elephant), crocodiles, and birds to name a few. There are many things to prepare for before going, and travelers should be prepared if for no other reason than their safety.
There are different types of safaris travelers can choose to take. There are safaris where you can hike, mountain bike, take a balloon trip, canoe, hunt, ride a horse, or even ride a camel. You will also need to decide on just how much luxury you will want on your trip. Traditional tented safaris are luxurious with camp set up for you, hot showers and gourmet food. Then there are guided safaris where you travel on four wheelers or trucks and a guide will stay with you wherever you go. Package safaris are like guided safaris except you will not travel with a group. Then for the more daring travelers there are independent safari where you rent your own vehicle and plan your own trip
Many people think that Africa is an extremely dangerous place to visit, but it is no more dangerous than any other place you might go if you go prepared. The most common crime you will run across is probably petty theft. No matter how much money tourists in Africa have, they probably still have more than the natives. Wearing flashy jewelry, expensive cameras, and expensive watches just draws attention and is probably not a good idea to carry around. Try not to look lost and try not to travel alone if you can help it. Also never carry all of your cash on you at once so that if you are mugged you wont lose everything that you have.
Another safety issue when traveling to Africa is your health. Tuberculosis (TB) is traveling through the African air and affecting hundreds of people. To avoid catching TB try to avoid people who are coughing and sleeping in crowded areas. Another health hazard in Africa is the Putzi fly, which is a native to the country. The flys lay their eggs on human clothes that are hanging out to dry then hatch when contacted with human skin. The simple solution to avoid these flies is to always iron your clothes before wearing them. Travelers should always watch for mosquitoes as well because they can carry yellow fever and malaria.
Even with the disease in Africa it is still at the top of most peoples wish list of places to go. There are many beautiful sights and sounds and if correctly planned and the right precautions are taken can be a spectacular experience.
About The Author
A.M. Howard
Tags: hotels, wild life, africa, animals, lodges, vacation, national parks, travel, rhino, south africa
Ol-Malo or ‘The Place of the Greater Kudu’ the perfect Luxury African Safari Lodge is set in a 5000 acre ranch and game sanctuary along the Uaso Nyiro River, overlooked by the massive snow covered Mount Kenya in the background, and it overlooks the Mukagodo home of the nomadic Ndorobo people.
It consists of four very luxurious guest cottages built out of natural rock with thatched roofs, and a separate living area and dining room, both with fireplaces, necessary in this part of Kenya.
Each cottage has huge windows to enhance the truly wonderful views, as well as overlooking the water hole and salt lick, and the regular wildlife that comes to visit.
All around is the Bush, and there is a beautiful freeform swimming pool which has incredible views of the valley below.
Tags: national parks, travel, leopard, holiday, south african, animals, resorts, holiday, vacation, camping
We are looking forward to visiting the light house at Lake Victoria Safari Village at Mbita point. Spending a few days in it will be a new experience. The landscape from Kisumu to Luanda Kotieno on the shores of Asembo Bay, off the road to Bondo, is full of ancient features: age-old Cambrian rocks fill the Hills along the tarmac road and Kit Mikaye, the gigantic borders sitting atop each other. At Ndori we turn left onto the dusty murrum road to Luanda Kotieno to catch the 11oclock ferry to Mbita point. It runs like clock work so if you miss it you have to wait for the next three hours for the next trip.
The Lake is calm, with water birds here and there and in a distance a strange dust devil appears. Its a whole cloud of the harmless minute flies that breed in the water and sometimes in the swamp places.
Forty-five minutes later, we clock at Mbita point and soon we are at the gate of Lake Victoria Safari Village. The sign on the entrance promises relation at the beach, bird watching and excursions on the Lake.
Tags: kruger park, travel, safari, camping, hotels, lodges, african, south african, national parks, rhino
Escape to the land of contrasts where the fresh smell of daisies, colourful spring flowers and sweet melodies greet you. Namaqua National Park boasts with a kaleidescope of indigenous flora species every spring time and it is for this reason alone that people are drawn to the area.
- Breathe in the fragrant aromas of spring flowers
- Find your own secluded oasis of tranquility
- Enjoy camping out under the African sky
- Situated 495km from Cape Town South Africa
Namaqua is famous for its display of wild flowers in spring and a rich diversity of succulent plants, with an estimated 3500 species. Escape to the land of contrasts, where the rigorous climate has created a myriad of life forms superbly adapted to their specific habitat.
Tags: resorts, elephant, animal, holiday, rhino, national parks, vacation, vacation, big five, safaris
The Rhino or Rhinoceros is another of the “big five” and is in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of the species in this family are native to Africa and three to southern Asia. The three species that are most endangered are the Javan Rhino, Sumatran Rhino and The Black Rhinoceros. The Indian Rhino is also endangered with less than 2700 remaining in the wild. The White Rhino is registered as vulnerable with around 14,500 remaining in the wild.
The Rhinoceros family is branded by the large size and all of the species are capable of achieving a weight of around a ton or more. They have a herbivorous diet and a thick protective skin that is around 1.5 – 5 cm thick and the skin is formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure and is highly impenetrable when compared with other animals. They have relatively small brains for mammals of their size – around 400 – 600 grams) and of course the large horn.
They generally eat leafy substances although their ability to ferment food in their gut means they can eat more fibrous plant matter if need be. Read the rest »
Tags: holiday, camping, animals, leopard, hotels, lodges, african, vacation, kruger park, safaris
Named after the great Limpopo River that flows along its northern border, this province is rich in wildlife, spectacular scenery and a wealth of historical and cultural treasures.
Known as the Great North, Limpopo province is home to ancient lands and pre-historic secrets. This is home to Modjadji, the fabled Rain Queen; The Stone Age and Iron age relics of Makapansgat Valley and the treasures of Mapungubwe that date back to time immemorial.
Straddling the northern Kruger Park, Limpopo province boasts wildlife safaris, nature trails untamed Africa at its finest. This is the land of wide-open bushveld, big-sky country, the ever-present thorn tree and the mystical baobab tree.
Tags: lodges, lion, rhino, animals, travel, kruger park, adverture, african, south african, africa
One of the most famous of the “big five”, the Lion or Panthera Leo is a member of the family Felidae and is one of the four big cats in the Panthera genus. Large males can exceed 250kg in weight and it is the second largest living cat after the Tiger.
Lions in their natural habitat currently live in sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia and have a critically endangered population in northwest India. They used to live in North Africa, the Middle East and Western Asia but have all been wiped out since.
About 10,000 years ago the lion was the most widespread large land mammal besides humans and they were found in most of Africa, much of Eurasia from Western Europe to India and in the Americas from the Yukon to Peru.
Being a lion cub is actually quite hard however, lionesses in secure habitat such as Kruger National Park may frequently reach an age of 12-14 years old whereas lions seldom live longer than 8 years. Read the rest »
Tags: rhino, safaris, lion, vacation, safari, holiday, africa, national parks, kruger park, lodges