Fish Eagle Safaris

African Safari Update # 18
Summer 2002


In this issue:

2002 GAME-VIEWING PREDICTED TO BE 'BEST IN MANY YEARS'

On his return from an extensive visit to northern Botswana in late April 2002, Wilderness Safaris' Colin Bell predicted that 'this year's game viewing will be the best that we have had for many, many years. Already there are elephants and herds of plains game everywhere and visitors are enjoyingsuperb game viewing. In the Linyanti Concession the elephant concentrations now are what they were in July and August last year".

Interior of a tent at Kikoti Safari Camp, Tarangire National Park,
Interior of a tent at Kikoti Safari Camp, Tarangire National Park, Tanzania.

After a wonderful, dry and balmy summer in northern Botswana, there is still ample water in the rivers and waterways within the Okavango Delta. The floodplains are quite dry now and it appears as though the annual floods are going to be lower this year and won't fill all the floodplains. There appears to be a great balance between having enough water for the animals and vegetation to see through the dry winter while the Okavango will still retain its beauty. However, we don't have so much water that it becomes difficult to get around and enjoy the countryside. This is a welcome relief after the last two years of very high floods.

This lower flood means that there will be a lot more open plains exposed for activities compared with the past few years. It will also mean that the camps will have a lot of their open savannah areas more accessible for vehicles as they won't be covered by water. We should see more areas and more animals this year than we have in the past two years. Another issue is that 2002 will be another year of no lion hunting anywhere in the country. The last legally shot lion in Botswana was September 2000, so the lion prides have now had ample time to spread out and set up their territories unhindered by bullets.

We still have some space available on several of the small-group scheduled departures in June at significantly lower 'shoulder season' prices. This year, the 'shoulder season' game-viewing through the end of June will be every bit as good as the 'high season' (July through October) at a price that is nearly 20% lower. Please call Bert or Kathleen at Fish Eagle Safaris at 800/513-5222 for additional details.

Two dominant male lions photographed near Mombo Camp, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana.
Two dominant male lions photographed near Mombo Camp, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana.



NEW BOTSWANA SAFARI INCLUDING MASHATU AND CHOBE

From April 2002 we have been offering a new customized 'Vintage Botswana' fly-in safari. This 10-day safari is priced at approximately $2,500.00 p.p. sharing, including round-trip flights from Johannesburg. This includes 1 night at an airport hotel in Johannesburg, 2 nights at Mashatu, 3 nights at an Okavango Delta land camp, 2 nights at an Okavango Delta 'water' camp and 2 nights at the Ilala Lodge in Victoria Falls. There are no upper age restrictions. In addition to the Okavango Delta, the safari also includes Mashatu Main or Tent Camp, located in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, in north-eastern Botswana. The area is quite unlike anything you will see and experience in far northern Botswana: it is a diverse wilderness of open grassland, mopane veld, riverine forest, semi-arid bush savannah, marshland, and sandstone outcrops. Chobe can also be included, in our 'Best of Botswana' itinerary, at about $3,100.00 p.p. sharing from Johannesburg. Both of these safaris INCLUDE airfares from Johannesburg, which constitutes a saving of nearly $300.00 p.p. compared with any other similar trip.

BEST OF SOUTH AFRICA TRIP OFFERS BEST VALUE

Due to the weakness of the South African Rand versus most foreign currencies, particularly the US Dollar, South Africa offers excellent travel value for money. A good choice for 2002 or 2003 would be an 11-day 'Best of South Africa' fly-in safari. This customized safari has daily departures based on a minimum of two guests travelling. A combination of scheduled air services and charters are used to move between regions quickly and safely. We have incorporated all the country's wildlife highlights into this itinerary - the private reserves in and around the Kruger National Park, the best of the Natal reserves and then down to the Cape. Resident guides host you in their areas. Depending upon the accommodation chosen, the safari costs in the region of US $2,400.00 per person sharing, from Johannesburg and ending in Cape Town. The trip can be extended to Victoria Falls, or combined with Namibia, Botswana etc.

An aerial view of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
An aerial view of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

KENYA SURVIVOR SAFARI

If you are inclined towards a safari which is very active & involving, you might be interested in a 12-night/13 day Kenya 'Survivor Safari' - which has a great mix of activities, such as hiking, learning basic survivor skills, interacting with the local population (cultural immersion), getting an 'insider's view' of many of the problems facing animal conservation in Africa today, and also getting to see a lot of wildlife. The price is US $2,375.00 per person sharing from and back to Nairobi. Daily departures on a customized basis for a minimum of two persons travelling together. Please call or write for a detailed itinerary.




NEW TANZANIA ASSOCIATES - TANZANIA PHOTOGRAPHIC SAFARIS

A close encounter on the Mana Canoe and Walking Trail, Mana Pools, Zimbabwe.
A close encounter on the Mana Canoe and Walking Trail, Mana Pools, Zimbabwe.

Over the last six months, we have been actively seeking to upgrade our offerings for Tanzania, and we are happy to report that our search has been successful. In late April, we met with Pratik Patel and Sonia Sharma of TPS (Tanzania Photographic Safaris) here in Houston and we can now offer their trips at what I think are very reasonable rates, representing excellent value for money to our valued clients.

Compared with the usual 'run of the mill' Tanzania itineraries, I believe their trips - such as the 12-day 'Safari Style' scheduled departure - are more imaginative, and offer more opportunities for walking, a great break from the long game-drives in the Serengeti. The safari also include both Lake Victoria and a 2-night stay at Ndarakwai Camp, in the Western Kilimanjaro area, where guests experience the classic view of Mt. Kilimanjaro one. Also, I believe the safari has an ideal mix of accommodation: one night in a hotel in Arusha, 4 nights in permanent tented camps, 4 nights at lodges and 2 nights in a mobile tented camp. All accommodation is 'en suite' so there is no 'roughing it' or participation camping.

This safari is operated twice monthly throughout the year, except in April and May. There are also monthly departures on the superb 'Adventure Tanzania' safari, which includes the fabulous Kirawira Camp and Rubondo Island Camp on Lake Victoria. For a longer stay in East Africa, we would recommend adding a few days in either Selous and/or Ruaha, or perhaps an area such as Kenya's Lewa Downs, in the 'dry north' where both black and white rhino may be see, as well as some very special endemic mammals such as Grevy's Zebra and Reticulated Giraffe.

MORE FLYING, LESS DRIVING ON JACANA SAFARI, BOTSWANA

JA mokoro outing at Jacana Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana.
A mokoro outing at Jacana Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana. Participants on the Jacana Safari stay at this camp.

Our Southern African associates Wilderness Safaris have announced that on all future departures of their 13-day Jacana Safaris in Botswana, guests will be flown from Chobe to Linyanti Tented Camp (or v.v. if the safari is running in the opposite direction) instead of driving. The drive from Chobe to Linyanti is very long, and flying this route will enhance the trip much more. Guests will also feel more refreshed when they arrive in Chobe or Linyanti (depending on the direction of the trip). This change has resulted in the upper age limit on this safari being increased to 75 years old instead of the previous 70. The minimum age limit is still 15.

Accommodation consists of three small permanent tented camps and one pre-erected tented camp, all with 'en-suite' bathroom facilities. Game-viewing and bird-watching is generally excellent on this safari (with many opportunities for predators and lots of elephant). Activities consist of game drives (afternoon game drive returning to camp after dark in some areas), mokoro trips, boating and walking. Fishing can also be done in some areas.

Many nights are spent in private concessions far from others in superb game country. Light aircraft transfers between camps minimize long drives over rough terrain and allow for maximum time in the best wildlife viewing regions of Chobe, the Linyanti Concession and the Okavango Delta. Guest numbers are limited to eight, and the group is accompanied by a guide and usually a hostess throughout. A big plus for the Jacana Safari, compared with similar trips offered by other operators, is that except for Chobe, all the safari camps on the itinerary are located in private concessions, with few other visitors. This makes it a very private, 'away-from-it-all' trip, which is how I believe Africa is best experienced.

PHOTOGRAPHIC TOUR OF NAMIBA: MARCH 2003

Just getting underway on a balloon trip, Namib Desert, Namibia.
Just getting underway on a balloon trip, Namib Desert, Namibia.


In association with OC Ventures of Windhoek, Namibia, we are offering a 17-day guided photographic safari in Namibia, from March 23 to April 8, 2003. The 'Namibia in Color' safari will be accompanied by a specialist guide, Amy Schoeman FPPSA. Amy Schoeman was born in England and educated in Namibia and South Africa. For the past 20 years she has specialized in taking photographs in the Namib Desert and the remote north-western regions of Namibia, concentrating on the Skeleton Coast, Damaraland, and Kaokoland. Ms. Schoeman has several publications to her name, including the highly regarded 'Skeleton Coast' (1984), of which an updated version was published in 1996. The tour leader - Mike O'Connor Smith - is a veteran Namibia guide and expert birder.

This 17-day tour will cover the Kalahari Desert, Namib Desert and dunes of Sossusvlei, Skeleton Coast, Damaraland, Etosha National Park, and the Waterberg Plateau. The land costs are US $3,660.00 per person sharing, from and back to Windhoek. Single supplement is US$395.00. Included are 'en suite' accommodation, all meals, drinks en route, entrance fees, airport transfers, and accommodation in Windhoek. Bar accounts, laundry, etc is excluded. There are no upper age limits. Please write or call for a detailed itinerary and for information about flights to Namibia.


NEW BROCHURES NOW AVAILABLE

Please call (800-513-5222) or e-mail for a copy of any of these new brochures:

Namibia
Namibia is maturing as a safari destination and is fast becoming one of Africa's 'hottest' new attractions. This is definitely the place to look for an African experience with a difference: desert and dunes, abundant wildlife and a rich and diverse cultural heritage.

Malawi & Zambia
Malawi is a wonderful, warm friendly and welcoming country that offers visitors great scenery, interesting parks and some of the friendliest villagers in all of Africa. If you are keen on experiencing African culture, Malawi is possibly the best country for this. Zambia's finest wildlife area is the Luangwa Valley, in the far east of the country. This reserve is less than an hour's flying from Lilongwe and combines naturally with Malawi to create a memorable safari.

Rocktail Bay & Ndumo Wilderness Camp
These two small camps in far northern Kwazulu-Natal province of South Africa are included in the 'Best of South Africa' itinerary. Rocktail Bay now also offers world-class scuba-diving, in addition to excellent surf fishing and nocturnal strolls to find giant egg-laying turtles. Ndumo has always been one of southern Africa's prime bird-watching areas. The reserve also has good numbers of both black and white rhino, in addition to giraffe, nyala, buffalo, zebra, hippo & crocodile.

For further information on any of the above items please contact:

Fish Eagle Safaris
Bert or Kathleen Duplessis
Tel 800/513-5222
Fax 713/467-3208
Website: www.fisheaglesafaris.com
E-mail: exafrica@aol.com


Fly-In Safaris
Information Request Form / Client Testimonials / Home

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Fish Eagle Safaris
11152 Westheimer #150
Houston, TX 77042
Tel 1-800-513-5222 (USA and Canada)
Tel 713-467-5222 (from outside North America)
Fax 713/467-3208
E-mail: info@fisheaglesafaris.com

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