Fish Eagle Safaris

AFRICAN SAFARI UPDATE #24
Fall 2004


In this issue:

Fish Eagle Safaris celebrate 15 years in business


Fish Eagle Safaris is celebrating 15 years in business this year, so call or e-mail us today to put our experience to work, with a trip to Africa this Fall or in 2005.

Botswana's Okavango Delta conditions best in 20 years

Conditions in Botswana are as good as they have been in 20 years, and we expect game-viewing to be excellent for the remainder of the year. With the Okavango Delta and Linyanti floodplains fully ‘recharged’, we are looking forward to a superb 2005 season as well. Many of the more popular camps such as Mombo, Jao and Kings Pool, are already heavily booked for the summer of 2005, but of course you can always travel in the spring, which in our opinion is just as good! Call or e-mail for the new ‘Botswana only’ brochure, which has some of the best Botswana pics ever.

Feedback about trips to Tanzania & Zambia

Clients of ours returning from safaris in other African countries such as Zambia and Tanzania, have nothing but praise for the experiences. One Houston couple saw 55 lions, as well as cheetahs and leopards, on an 11-day small-group trip in Tanzania. Here is what a client from Washington D.C. had to say about Zambia: “Fantastic! Wonderful! Fabulous! What an experience! The Zambia tour with Star of Africa was great. We came upon a female leopard with her cub in addition to lions and lionesses, elephants, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, zebras, etc. Wonderful times overall”.

Special price for Kenya fly-in safaris

For the Fall of 2004 and for the spring of 2005, we have some excellent prices for Kenya fly-in safaris, so please call or write for the wonderfully illustrated new East Africa brochure. For example, an 11-day fly-in safari in Kenya in the low season from April through June 2005, at a cost of $3,165.00 p.p., includes 3 nights each at 3 different camps, in each of East Africa's major eco-zones. View 40-plus mammal species, as many as 350 bird species, and interact with the proud Samburu and Maasai tribes learning about their folklore and way of life. Is this a good time to be in Kenya? Absolutely! On one February visit to the Masai Mara, I saw more animals than I had during a longer stay on a previous July visit. In February I saw many elephants, including a herd of several dozen with babies, a number of cheetahs (one teaching her young to hunt gazelle), hippos, many female lions with their young, monkeys, baboons, giraffe, warthogs, buffalo, and much else besides. Best birding time, too.

Green Season specials in Zambia & Botswana

There are some terrific Green Season Specials for Zambia and Botswana, from December 2004 through the end of March 2005 (with some holiday dates not included). December in particular, is a very fine time to visit the South Luangwa Valley of Zambia, as the proper rains have not yet started and the grasses are all still low and the game is astronomical. It always amazes me why more people have not cottoned on to the great value and game viewing! For December through March 2004, the rate (at Mfuwe Lodge) is US$180.00 per person per night (no single supplement) plus US$20.00 one-off park fee which you would have to pay at the gate when you enter. This includes full board accommodation with all meals, teas & coffees & twice daily shared guided activities. All drinks (lodge bar tab) are extra. The round-trip flight from Lusaka to Mfuwe is about US$350.00 p.p. Please call or e-mail for additional details. In Botswana, the Green Season specials start at US$870.00 p.p. (2 persons minimum) for a 3-night stay at one camp from and back to Maun. Additional nights may be added for just over $200.00 p.p. per night, on a full board basis including activities. Adding additional camps will involve extra cost for flights. A wide range of camps in the Kalahari, Okavango Delta, Kwando/Linyanti floodplain, Caprivi Strip and in the Victoria Falls, may be selected. Please call or e-mail for details and a cost estimate.

News from South Africa

Our ‘forte’ is of course South Africa itself, where I lived for nearly 40 years. Our partners Wilderness Safaris are opening up new camps in Kruger Park as well as the East Coast. One of my most memorable safaris ever was spent walking in the Pafuri area where Wilderness’ new Pafuri camp will be opening in Jan 2005. The area is very diverse in terms of habitat, scenery and wildlife and a few days there would combine exceedingly well with a short stay in the southern (Sabi Sand) area adjacent to Kruger Park. Call for a suggested itinerary & cost estimate. The area is ideal for a short self-drive segment traversing Kruger Park itself. Fun and inexpensive!

Fly to Johannesburg r/t for $999.00 p.p. in Oct/Nov

South Africa fly-in safari. In one country, you can combine excellent game-viewing from open vehicles in Kruger Park with superb cultural and scenic attractions in the South-western Cape (endemic wildlife, San rock art, extensive wine cultivation, etc). There is also KwaZulu-Natal (best rhino viewing in the world, Zulu culture, Indian Ocean, etc.); the Drakensberg Mountains (hiking, horseback riding, etc.); luxury train trips, historical battlefields, and much more. Call for itinerary suggestions. South Africa is at its very best in the fall months of September, October & November.

New itinerary for the Jacana Safari in 2005

Jacana Safari, Botswana. Excellent choice for a first safari, also ideal for singles as there is no single supplement if you are ‘willing to share’. The group of no more than 8 persons has 100% exclusivity in all camps. Most transfers by air, lots of wildlife, superb guiding – this might very well be the best small-group trip available in Botswana. Space available from September onwards. This itinerary is changing drastically for 2005, so if you want to enjoy the 'old' Jacana while conditions in Botswana are at their best, book now for the Fall or December departures.


Bert or Kathleen Duplessis
Fish Eagle Safaris
11152 Westheimer #150
Houston, TX 77042
Tel 800 513-5222
Tel 713 467-5222
Fax 713 467-3208
Website: www.fisheaglesafaris.com
E-mail: exafrica@aol.com
E-mail: jduplessis@houston.rr.com


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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