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USEFUL TIPS ON EAST AFRICA SAFARIS
TRANSPORT & GUIDING
GAME DRIVES / GAME VIEWING
In East Africa, ‘game drives’ and ‘game viewing’ are the standard modes of wildlife viewing in the national parks, Reserves or concession - where both regulations and safety considerations may restrict exploration on foot. Conditions are ideal for vehicular safaris and from the security and comfort of a car you will encounter a large number and variety of animals simply by chance. Game drives in most of the parks are always invigorating: you may go from one species to the next – observing zebra here, giraffe there, a pride of lions, a knot of impala on the right, a herd of elephant drinking at the river as crocodiles lie docile sunning themselves on the rocks while hippos grunt and frolic in the pool – and for the very luck, perhaps a chance to observe a predator hunt or kill. However, there is no guarantee on what you will see; the animals are free to move around as they please and may even pass beyond park boundaries.
SAFARIS BY FLIGHTS
The East Africa cities airports are linked to nearly all the national Parks and Reserves by a network of airstrips located strategically near to some of the Lodges and Camps located inside and outside the parks and reservers. Schedule flights, in winged light aircrafts are offered between the cities and the parks as well as from Park to Park. Depending on demand on particular routes, there are daily and in some cases twice-daily schedules by a number of reputable local airlines with very good safety records. The airlines mostly use twin-engine aircrafts with seating capacity of 10 to 50 persons (Cessna 404, Twin Otter, Dash 6, Dash 7 & Dash 8 amongst others). In some cases, particularly to airstrips that are not frequently used, they may also use single engine aircraft (such as Cessna 208 Caravan, Cessna 206, Cessna 182), depending on the load factor. The airlines use aircrafts that are designed to operate in short unprepared strips. For clients who do not want to be fixed to a set time or many flight connections, there is the option of private charter of these aircrafts, with timings and routings that best suit the individual or group traveler. Due to the fairly vast distances between various Parks and Reserves, flying cuts down on the journey – usually to under one hour by flight instead of a half day by road. In some areas, particularly Nairobi and Mount Kenya region, helicopter hire can also be arranged for point-to-point flights or for air excursions to remote locations. Aero surveys of important landmarks (eg Mount Kenya, Mount Kilimanjaro and the Rift Valley) as well as aero-filming can also be arranged with advance notice. Baggage allowance on most flights is 15 kilograms per person – preferably in soft duffel bags.
SAFARIS BY ROAD
All our itineraries are programmed to feature driving only during daylight hours (usually from 6am to 6 pm), except for Airport transfers which are provided as/when required. A typical day includes three to four hours driving from one Park or Town to another (usually in the morning), with brief stops en route at curio/sourvenir shops for impromptu purchases and in the late afternoon, a couple of hours of game drive drive in the Park. A day in the national park/reserve usually includes a morning and an afternoon game drives. Mid-morning and early afternoons are usually free to relax in the lodges/camps – perhaps for a swim – or to buy any excursions that may be available at the unit.
SAFARI VEHICLES
Our fleet for safari vehicles is made up of custom-made safari minibuses and 4WD Landcruisiers and Landrovers, with maximum carrying capacities of eight passengers. The minibuses are equally as comfortable as the 4WD Cruisers and Rovers but majority are 2WD and are offered at discounted transport rates. All the safari vehicles feature game viewing roofs, radio-calls or cellphones and comfortable individual seats with seat belts. The 4WD vehicles offer the added advantage of better traction hence more off-road driving particularly in the rainy seasons. The vehicles are serviced regularly and are driven by very experienced and knowledgeable driver guides.
DRIVER GUIDES
Each safari group will be accompanied by the best driver-guides with expert knowledge in wildlife and other areas of tourist interest. The driver-guides are continually under training on subjects as varied as the maintenance of safari vehicles, client’s safety, the mating habits of various species, preservation and conservation and general knowledge. When advised in advance, we can provide drivers with communication abilities in foreign languages eg English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese.
SAFARI COURIERS
A safari courier may be provided (at an extra cost) upon prior arrangements. A safari courier is a seasoned professional and is highly experienced as a field naturalist. In addition to giving introductory briefings and daily lectures on the area visited, Couriers provide voluble information on African history and folklore, while at the same time act as the liaison person between the client and all service providers whilst on safari.