Safari Holiday Blog

Night Vision Devices on Safari

Author: Safari Guide

So much of what happens in the bush occurs during the night and as such we only really see a small snippet of what goes on when you go out on safari during the day. This is especially true for many predators like lions, leopard, hyaenas and the smaller cats like serval, caracal and tha African Wild Cat.

We would time our afternoon safari drive at the safari lodges that I have worked at, so that we would stop at sunset at a nice scenic spot somewhere to enjoy drink (sundowner) and then drive the last half hour or so back to the lodge in time for dinner keeping an eye out with a spotlight for anything interesting on the way back. There are also many lodges that will take you out on night safaris (we would only do so if we knew that there was something interesting in the area)

Viewing animals at night with a spotlight does have its problems and in many cases can even be unethical.  Responsible guiding teaches us that should we spot any animal, especially nocturnal ones, not to shine the spotlight directly on them as this can temporarily blind them, which could lead to an injury. This is especially true for birds like owls, where if they were to fly off blind they could easily break a wing. A spotlight will also obviously change the behaviour of that animal which is not ideal, prey animals can be distracted giving the predators an unfair advantage or you could even point out the predator to it’s prey ruining it’s chances.

So is there an alternative?

Night Vision Devices: Binoculars, Monoculars, Goggles and Camcorders

The answer is a Night Vision Device, many camcorders come with some sort of night vision capability these days. Notice how the video of elephants at night (above) which were filmed with a camcorder using night vision, carry on with their normal behaviour. A spotlight on them would have disturbed them.

There are also now also many night vision binoculars, monoculars and goggles available on the market, and whilst you would probably not find decent quality cheap night vision, the prices are getting more and more reasonable.

Night vision has been around since the Vietnam War and since then the technology has improved, each new step is known as a Generation. We are now up to 4th Generation Night Vision, but the cost of these devices usually means that they are reserved for the military and other law enforcement forces. 1st Gen (Gen 1) devices are still the most popular on commercially available products and these days you can get some excellent results from them.

For more information:

Check out Night Vision Glasses, Binoculars, Goggles and Monoculars on the Best Binoculars Reviews website, including how they work, what to look out for when buying a device and where to get the best deals from.

I also have a page on Night Vision Binoculars on the main website.

Tags: Binoculars, Night Safari, Night Vision, Nocturnal, Safari Advice, Safari Equipment
June 9th, 2009  |  Posted in Safari Equipment, Wildlife Photography Tips  |  No Comments »

Wildlife Photography Tips: Don’t Be Afraid of the Shade

Author: Safari Guide

When I was taking out guests on safari on an overcast day, I would sometimes hear the wildlife photographers in the group complain that they would now not get great wildlife portraits.

Don’t be too concerned as overcast conditions can create a soft light that is not as harsh as direct sunlight, it also makes for even illumination and rich tones in areas that would just be highlighted as almost pure white in direct sunlight.

On an overcast day, your photography time is actually increased because you don’t have to worry about the very harsh midday sun, it also means that the animals may stay out a little longer rather than sheltering from the heat giving you more opportunities to capture them.

To get the best Safari photographs on a cloudy day, try and zoom into the animal as much as possible (get a tight portrait), this is unless the clouds are are making the scene dramatic they will not enhance the photo, the softer light will enable you to capture fine details like the eyelashes of an elephant as I did on the bull elephant (pictured above) not far from our safari lodge in South Africa on an overcast day.

Overcast conditions are also a great time to photograph insects and even flowers around the safari lodge, get you micro lens out or set your camera to it’s micro setting and go and capture some of Africa’s ‘Small Five’, namely the  Lion Ant, Rhino Beetle, Buffalo Weaver Bird, Elephant Shrew and the Leopard Tortoise.

If you have ever watched or been directed by a wedding photographer, you may notice how they often look for a large shady tree to place the bride (dressed in white) and groom (dressed in black) under, as this gives him the best chance to capture the contrasting tones under what is known as ‘open shade’.

More >>

• Safari Holiday Tips for Photographers
• African Safari & Wildlife Photography Tips
• Elephant Photos

Tags: Animal Photography, Safari Photographs, Safari Photography, Safari Photography Tips, Wildlife Photography, Wildlife Photography Tips
May 30th, 2009  |  Posted in Safari Photographs, Wildlife Photography Tips  |  No Comments »

Mziki Trails: Bush Walks in St Lucia South Africa

Author: Safari Guide

The Mziki Wilderness Trails

Mziki is a Zulu name for the Common Reedbuck and is also the name given to three hiking trails, or bush walks in St Lucia, South Africa. The Mziki Trails, could have been named the Ingwenya Trails or the Nyathi Trails as the Common Reedbuck is just one of the many animals, including hippo, buffalo, elephant, crocodile, kudu, waterbuck, red and grey duiker, vervet and samango monkeys, baboons, banded mongoose, bushbuck, bush pig and leopard that occur in this particular area of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park or as it is now called, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

The three looped day walks all begin and end at the Mount Tabor hut not far from Mission Rocks on South Africa’s northern KwaZulu-Natal cost in the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park and are ideal for those looking to combine a bush walk (walking safari) with coastal hiking, where you will get to see some incredible views of the Indian Ocean as well as the fantastic dune forests, rock pools, open grasslands of the eastern shore and the possibility of seeing the wealth of wildlife in this unique part of South Africa.

Once you arrive in St Lucia you must report to the trail office at Mission Rocks, about 15 km north of the town of St Lucia. From here you will leave your car at the car park at Mission Rocks and take a 2km walk up to your base for the next few days at the Mount Tabor hut. This hut was actually built by the Royal Air Force as an observation post during the second world war and provided radar support for the Catalina flying boats who supplied air cover for allied shipping in the area. The hut can be described as basic but comfortable, with beds and mattresses are supplied for up to 8 people. Crockery and cutlery is also supplied and there is a two plate gas cooker, but fridge or freezer. Ablutions take the form of a bucket shower and a long drop toilet with a view! Firewood is provided. There is a ladder that you can climb up onto the roof of the hut and makes an excellent vantage point and it must be said that generally the views from Mount Tabor are fantastic and is the perfect place to take wonderful sunrise and sunset photos.

Trail One
At about 10km long, the first trail takes you in a southerly direction, known as the South Coast loop. The outbound section meanders through open hill sides, freshwater pans, hippo paths and indigenous dune forest and pine plantation, where we saw red duikers and a female bushbuck and a huge variety of birds. Trees of interest includes the ornamental coral tree in the open veld, the long-lived milkwood tree of the dune forests and the rare forest fig. Most of the return leg is along rocky coastline where tidal pools abound with interesting marine life.

Trail Two
This is another trail that is about 10km long, it is known as the Lake Trail or Mfazana Pan loop and it takes you in a westerly direction through indigenous forest, past the Mfazana freshwater pan. During the rainy season this pan is the home of many species of waterfowl, hippos and crocodiles. We saw waterbuck near the waters edge, crocs, a pod of hippos in the distance and plenty of waterbirds, including the impressive saddle-bill stork, yellowbilled storks and spoon-bills. It is important to be wary of hippos in this area as they often leave the water to graze in the forests even during the day. From the pan the trail crosses the St Lucia/Cape Vidal road, goes over open grassland until it reaches the shore of Lake St Lucia. At this point the trail swings north along the lake shore for about 1,5km, then leads inland and back to Mount Tabor.

Trail Three
The North Coast loop is almost 20km long and is even more remote than the other two bush walks. From Mount Tabor ridge, the trail heads northwards along the then drops down into Bokkie Valley where you can often see the Mziki (reed buck) that these trails are named after. Apparently there are about 4 thousand reed buck on the eastern shores of St Lucia. We saw bushbuck, red duiker, kudu, waterbuck, warthog, monkeys but not a single reedbuck. From here the trail leads through forested dunes and then returns to Mount Tabor along approximately 8km of uninhabited coastline. As beach-walking during high tide is often difficult, you are advised to plan this hike so that it coincides with the low tide.

Things to remember:
You are in a wildlife area, and as such it is important to be cautious, especiall when near the pans or lake as crocodiles and hippos are plentiful. The hippos will often lie up in the indigenous forest during the day. You can go on Mziki hikes with a guide, which I would highly suggest if you are new to the bush as not only will they be able to ensure your safety, but will pass on a wealth of information about the bush, it’s animals as well as some local culture and traditions.

Further Reading:

• Mziki Hiking Trails - Including Contact Information
• Greater St Lucia Wetland Park
  
• Take a look at more Zulu and other African names for Animals

Tags: Hiking, KwaZulu, Mziki, Natal, National Park, National Parks, South Africa, St Lucia, Trail, Walking Safari, Wilderness Trails
May 24th, 2009  |  Posted in National Parks, South Africa, Walking Safari  |  No Comments »

Family Safari at St Lucia on a Budget

Author: Safari Guide

Lets face it, most holidays are not cheap, especially if you are looking to go on a safari holiday in South Africa as a family. But there are some things you can do to reduce the cost and for some of the best deals around, South Africa’s fantastic National parks are hard to beat, with accommodation costs are way cheaper than private game reserves and lodges.

Surely one of the best is the newly renamed iSimangaliso Greater Wetland Park, (was the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park) that lies between St Lucia and Kosi Bay in the northern part of  KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. Here you will not only find some of Africa’s finest wildlife, but endless beaches, awesome scuba diving, great fishing and reasonably priced accommodation much of which is designed with families in mind.

The Simangaliso Wetland Park is formed from 16 areas of land, and individual reserves that now make up 8 interlinking ecosystems, supporting a bewildering array of wildlife. The National Park is fairly new, but at it’s core is Lake St. Lucia, which was declared a game reserve more than 100 years ago, making it  one of Africa’s oldest protected areas.

The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park now consists of 220 km of coastline and beaches as well as three lake systems (Lake St. Lucia, Lake Sibaya and Kosi Bay), huge swamp forests and linked game reserves that hold the highest density of Black Rhino anywhere in the world, plenty of White Rhino, with Mkhuze Game reserve within the park one of the best places to find them. The park as a whole also holds more than half of all South Africa’s bird species, 110 butterfly species, about two thousand flowering plants and 5 turtle species, it is no wonder that it is listed as a World Heritage Site.

Top Spots within the Park

• Lake st Lucia: Lake cruises where you can view hippos, crocodiles and a stunning variety of bird life.
• Kosi Bay: Ideal for snorkelling
• Lake Sibaya, South Africa’s largest freshwater lake, with crystal clear waters.
• Sodwana Bay: One of the world’s top ten scuba diving destinations.
• Mkhuze Game Reserve: Leopard, rhino and a true birders paradise.
• False Bay: Great for sea fishing and boating.

Self Drive
Because this is a National Park, you are free to drive around under your own steam, you can either hire a car from the airport on Johannesburg and drive down to Natal, taking the N2 southwards and then the R618 turn off to Mtubatuba and follow this road for 27km until you reach St Lucia town. Or catch an internal flight to Durban and hire a car there, taking the N2 northwards and the R618 to Mtubatuba. Either way it gives you the freedom to explore and will be cheaper than staying at most private game reserves. Take a look at Self Drive Holidays and Safaris in South Africa fro more info.

Not to Miss

• A Sunrise walk on the beach, remember this part of South Africa lies on the East coast of Africa and you will be treated to fantastic sunrises with the sun peering over the ocean.
• Between November and January, watch turtles lay their eggs on the beach.
• A picnic at Mission Rocks or Charters Creek.

Things to Keep in Mind
This is a malaria area, and whilst that should not put you off from visiting, you do need to take precautions: Red more about Malaria here
Remember there are plenty of potentially dangerous animals in the park, again this should not stop you from visiting, just be responsible, foe example don’t go swimming in any of the lakes, there are crocodiles.

For More information take a look at the Safari Holiday Guide to the iSimangaliso Greater Wetland Park.

Tags: iSimangaliso, Kosi Bay, Mkhuze Game Reserve, Natal, National Park, Self Drive Safari, Sodwana Bay, South Africa, St Lucia
May 22nd, 2009  |  Posted in National Parks, South Africa  |  No Comments »

Kids Safari- Family Safari Holidays in Kenya

Author: Safari Guide

I have worked at safari lodges that do not encourage children, this was mainly due to the fact that they did not have the facilities to cater for children, this however does not mean that if you have kids, you should not go on safari, you just have to make sure that the safari you are going on is right for you and your family.

All Inclusive Safari Adventures
Probably the easiest way to do this is to go on an all inclusive safari holiday, designed specifically with children and families in mind.

The Adventure Company (see banner link below) offers just this with child friendly safari holidays, not only in Kenya, but Tanzania, Botswana, South Africa and Namibia. And whilst initially their safaris don’t look that cheap, they do include pretty much everything including flights and all transfers. I guess what you are paying for is  not having the hassle of having to organise flights, transport, accommodation and the safaris as well as piece of mind as you know that the holiday is designed with families in mind.

Example Family Safari in Kenya:

Land of The Masai Family Holiday

Highlights include:

• Meet Masai Warriors in Kenya
• Explore the Masai Mara Game Reserve
• Elephant Orphanage & flamingos

Nairobi

You catch a daytime flight to Nairobi. On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel where you will sleep for 2 nights.

Whilst in Nairobi, the capitol of Kenya, you will be taken to meet the animals supported through local conservation projects, namely giraffes and elephants at the Sheldricks Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Manor where you and your family will get to view the animals in close proximity and learn about them and their plight in the modern world. Your safari begins at the Naro Moru River where Mt. Kenya towers in the distance.

Kenya’s Rift Valley Lakes

The Sweetwaters Game Reserve offers excellent game viewing, and has been instrumental, through its breeding programme, in helping to conserve the endangered black rhinos. Onwards to the Rift Valley lakes - Nakuru to see flamingos and rhinos; Naivasha to view hippos from a cruise boat (optional).

Masai Mara Game Reserve

On day 7 of your tour, you’ll descend into the Great Rift Valley and rolling grasslands of the world-famous Masai Mara Game Reserve. The Mara is effectively a northern extension of the Serengeti, the most famous of neighbouring Tanzania’s national parks, which lies just across the border. Sightings of the ‘Big Nine’ (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino, cheetah, giraffe, zebra and hippo) are common, as are herds of wildebeest which roam across the plains. You should arrive at your lodge in time for lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive. You’ll explore the extensive grassy plains where elephant, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, and various gazelles - with attendant predators of lion, cheetah, jackal and hyena can be seen.

Masai Culture

You will also get to meet and know some of the semi-nomadic Masai tribesman to learn about their fascinating culture - including a lesson in how to throw a Masai hunting spear, this is fantastic especially for the children who will learn about a culture completely different to their own.

More Information
For more information on this and other family safaris in Africa take a look at The Adventure Company link below:

Further reading:

• Family Holidays Kenya
• Family & Kids Safari Holidays in Africa

Tags: Family, Kenya, Kids, Safari
May 19th, 2009  |  Posted in Kenya  |  No Comments »

Cheaper Airport Parking and Airport Hotel Parking

Author: Safari Guide

Cheaper Airport Parking and Airport Hotel Parking

The current recession has made large and small companies all look to reduce their costs and expenses and travel is an obvious area, which has come under the microscope. While face-to-face meetings, will still continue companies are looking at technology to reduce travel with telephone conference meetings.

Over the past 9 years the travel industry has faced numerous events that have placed ever greater pressure on margins:

• 9/11 Twin Towers.
• SARS outbreak in Asia
• Indonesian Bombings
• Al-QaedaA attacks in London and Spain
• Credit Crunch
• Swine fever and a potential pandemic

Having been involved in the Airport Parking business since 1989, the last 18 months must rank as the worst. The result has been cheaper parking prices, particularly at Gatwick airport and customers looking for cheaper deals need to monitor prices in much the same way as booking a flight. Super choice of car parks for Gatwick airport parking.

May 18th, 2009  |  Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

Self Drive Safari Tips

Author: Safari Guide

Whilst I was researching for a new section on Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park in South Africa, I came across this great video (see below) posted by a couple who take the day out to visit Hluhluwe and it tells of their day as well as some advice on how to get the best out of self drive safaris.

As with pretty much every National Park in South Africa, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi has an excellent road network, making them ideal for self drive safaris and whilst I do believe that if you are a novice in the bush, you will get more out of it if you have a qualified guide with you, I can also understand that it is sometimes more enjoyable to do your own thing. So below are the self drive safari tips provided by the couple as well as a few that I have added myself.

Advice for Self Drive Safaris

In the video the tips they pass on are listed below:

1) Drive Slowly
I could not agree more, you really need to drive slowly, not only will your vehicle thank you if you are on dirt roads, but your chances of seeing game will dramatically improve.

2) Avoid the Mid Day Heat
Again this is excellent advice. If you ever stay at a safari lodge and go on game drive with a safari guide, the drives will almost certainly be either in the early morning or late afternoon as most Southern African animals are much more active at these times. So get to the wildlife reserve early go on a game drive till mid morning and then during the mid day, relax, have some lunch or laze around a swimming pool to keep cool and then go out again later in the afternoon to maximise your chances of viewing the wildlife.

A few More tips:

Stop on Bridges
I noticed in their video that they stopped on a bridge and looked up and Down the River, this is a great tip - most animals need to drink at some time or another and because of this sources of water always make great places to find many species of animals and birds. You never know what you might see. Even if the river is dry, many animals especially larger ones like Elephant will use dry riverbeds as highways, partly because they are easier to walk down than through the middle of the bush and because there is often an abundance of food sources growing on river banks - so it is kind of like an animals version of a street market.

Use a 4×4
This is not so much due to the roads, as mentioned earlier most National Parks in South Africa have an excellent road network, perfectly fine for a saloon car. It is more for the height advantage, the higher up you gan get the better, this is especially important during and after the rainy season when there will be plenty of tall grass about.

Use Hides
Many Reserves will have game viewing and bird watching hides located in the park. The are usually positioned in areas where wildlife is often seen (water holes are a favourite). So find out where they are on the reserve, try and get to one either early in the morning or later in the afternoon and hopefully you will get plenty of sightings.

Tags: HluHluwe, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Natal, National Park, Safari, Safari Advice, Self Drive Safari, South Africa
May 5th, 2009  |  Posted in Safari Advice, South Africa  |  No Comments »

City Lodge Airport Hotel in Johannesburg South Africa

Author: Safari Guide

On a recent trip to South Africa, we had a night to kill in Johannesburg because of an awkward connecting flight time. This could be a common problem when the World Cup hits South Africa in 2010.

We decided to stay that the City Lodge Airport Hotel in Johannesburg, here is my review:

Price: About £40 per night
The City Lodge Airport Hotel in Johannesburg, is as the name suggests conveniently located near the Johannesburg International Airport. There is a transfer shuttle bus from the Airport to the hotel every half-hour, which takes about 5 minutes.

We arrived at around 6am and found the shuttle bus waiting at the “public transport” area located outside the hotel, the driver was courteous and helpful and we were soon at the check in desk. This service is very convenient, but the hotel does charge an nominal 44 rand fee (about £3) per person.

The hotel is also not far from the giant Eastgate shopping center in Johannesburg. We organised a taxi to take us there from the reception and it cost us 90 rand (£6) and there are taxis available from the center to take you back to the hotel.

Our room was clean and tidy and came with the usual including air-conditioning and a nice flat screen TV. The bathroom had a fantastic shower, which was very welcome after the 10 hour flight from London Heathrow Airport.

Outside there is a nice pool area and peaceful garden, at the end of which is a small gym that guests can use free of charge. That afternoon, we sat and enjoyed a sun-downer in the garden and watched the local bird life that included a Hadada Ibis that came down onto the lawn just in front of us.

Meals were interesting as you can either order for the small hotel menu, or as we did go to the reception and order a “delivery service” from a number of local restaurants that will deliver the food to the hotel, who then will set up a table for you in the dinning area for you to eat your meal. I think this is a fantastic way of helping local businesses as well as allowing you the guest a greater choice of food.

If I had one bad thing to say about the City Lodge Airport Hotel, it would be that the area surrounding the hotel is not that scenic, but being near to the airport, I guess you should kind of expect it.

Safari-Guide Opinion
Overall the hotel is excellent for the price and is very conveniently located to the airport and is perfect should you need a one night stay-over. Highly recommended.

City Lodge Airport Hotel
Sandvale Road
Edenvale, 1610

Reservations: clairport.resv@citylodge.co.za

Directions:
At the Barbara Rd exit off the R24
4km from O.R.Tambo International Airport
3km from Edenvale or 8km from Eastgate for shopping & dining out

Tags: Accommodation, Airport, City Lodge, Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa
April 8th, 2009  |  Posted in South Africa  |  No Comments »

Why a Guided Game Drive Safari is Advisable

Author: Safari Guide

HluHluwe Elephant: 1 German Car containing Swiss Tourists: 0

A Swiss couple had a holiday experience that they will never forget, when came a little too close to an elephant on their African safari in HluHluwe Game Reserve in South Africa.

For me it really illustrates the importance of going on a Safari Game Drive with a qualified safari guide (field guide). Sure there will always be accidents, even with a qualified safari guide because the African bush and it’s animals can be unpredictable at times.

A trained field guide will not only will they have been trained in animal behaviour and what to do in an emergency, but they will also be able to point out many interesting aspects of what you are looking at. Their local knowledge will also mean that you are bound to see more of the wildlife as well.

Self Drive Safaris
Most of the National Parks in South Africa, including the Kruger National Park, Addo Elephant National Park and the HluHluwe uMfolozi National Park allow you to go on a self drive safari, but usually only on certain roads. Most also offer Guided Game Drives as well as options to hire a guide who will travel with you in your own vehicle.

So please when you go on Safari to one of the many National Parks in South Africa make sure you organise a guided game drive as I am sure the Swiss couple of Rico Beltrame and his sister Angela would vouch for.

For those who are interested, Rico Beltrame and his sister Angela were both fine after the incident although the damage to the rented cost about R7000 to repair!

Tags: Car, Elephant, Game Drive, HluHluwe, National Park, Safari, Safari Advice, South Africa
March 26th, 2009  |  Posted in Safari Advice, South Africa  |  No Comments »