Kenya Flying Safaris & 4WD Safaris - 3 Most Popular Kenya Safaris

1. Flying safaris Kenya

These safaris essentially cater for the well-off who want to fly between remote airstrips in the various national parks and stay in luxury tented camps. If money is no object, you can get around by a mixture of charter and scheduled flights and stay in some of the finest camps in Kenya, arrangements can be made with any of the Kenyan lodge and tented camp safari operators.

Flying safaris to Lake Turkana and Sibiloi National park are common, and most Kenya safari companies will be able to sort out a country wide itinerary. Safari seekers can arrange reasonably priced Kenyan flying safaris. Quite a few special-interest safari operator companies use light aircraft to save time.

2. Lake Turkana Safaris

There can be few travelers who come to Kenya who do not relish the expedition through the semi-arid wilds of Samburu National Reserve and up to the legendary Lake Turkana (Jade Sea).

These safaris all use open-sided 4WD trucks that take up to 18 people and two or three staff (cook, driver and courier). You will need to set aside a minimum of seven days to complete the journey.

There are Kenya safari companies that have 10-day Lake Turkana safaris on request. Itineraries are tailor ?made ad tend to keep away from the usual routes. Trips often include guided walks, allowing meetings with Rendille and Samburu tribes? people. The Ndoto Mountains, Mathews range, Shaba National Reserve and Chalbi Desert can all be included.

Other Kenya travel company (ies) offer 10-and eight day safari takes in Mt. Kenya, Samburu National Reserve, Marsabit, Chalbi Desert, Lake Turkana, Mararal and Lake Baringo, and costs US$550 (plus a local payment of US$110 per person in Turkana).

The eight-day option visits lake Baringo, Mararal, Lake Turkana and the Samburu National Reserve, and costs us$440 (plus local payment of $75). Both safaris use a powerboat for a short excursion on the lake and traditional Turkana huts make up accommodation beside the lake 10km south of Loyangalani. Other Kenya off-the-beaten-track companies offer a 10-day combined Lake Turkana and camel safari.

3. Motor cycle Safaris

Operating out of Diani some Kenya vacation companies run motorcycle safaris to the Taita hills and the Kilimanjaro foothills, supported by a Land rover. Large 350cc trail bikes are used and the full six day trips include a wildlife drive in Tsavo West National Park and two nights lodge accommodation.

The cost is Ksh 57,800 per rider, including meals, camping, guides, and fuel and support vehicle. The companies also rent out motor cycles and scooters and can arrange custom guided motor cycle tours for around Kshs 6,700 per day.

Other safaris offered in off-the-beaten-track Kenya include wildlife/game walking safaris, Biking safaris and truck/overland safaris. These are customized to include visits to tribal areas and wildlife walks. Some of the itineraries include sections of 10km walks. These walks go through tribal areas of the Rendille and the Samburu and end at noon. Camps are pitched at 12.30pm and no walking is done in the afternoon. Travelers spend the time relaxing and readying themselves for the next day walk or camel ride.

Request more information from a Kenyan tour or travel/safari company.

Robert is a travel expert in East Africa. He has authored many articles on travel to East Africa and Kenya:

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Rodent Safari: How to get rid of Rats

Have you heard the pitter-patter of tiny feet? Seen the precious gnaw marks on precious items? These are some of the first signs that you've got wildlife prowling around your very own home. Unfortunately, the creatures that have chosen to migrate into your homeland are not very friendly to the environment. Rats may not carry the black plague anymore, but they do carry at least 10 other diseases and contaminate food stores and cause property damage. When you spot those early signs, you have to go on the offensive right away. All you need is a little equipment and some knowledge about how to get rid of rats.

Know Your Prey

In order to catch your trophy rat, you have to know your prey, understand its behavior, and employ practical methods to catch him. Understanding how to get rid of rats starts here.

A rat can survive on as little as one ounce of food and water a day. They are generally nocturnal, which is why you'll probably start hearing them run around at dusk. A rat can and will eat any food that humans do, and, between their urine, droppings, and hair, they can contaminate ten times as much as they consume. When you learn how to get rid of rats, this is something you don't have to worry about any more.

Rats are xenophobic creatures. They are naturally suspicious of any new objects in their environment, which is why many traps don't work right away. They don't like going into wide open spaces, so they're more likely to run all the way around a room, pressed against the wall, than they are to run straight across it.

When you know how to get rid of rats, you can act quickly to stop them from doing some real property damage as well. Rats will gnaw on everything from wood, to plastic, to wires. They can cut through phone, network, and electrical lines, which has been the cause of countless fires.

Track 'em Down

The next step in how to get rid of rats is to find them. Look for their droppings, listen for noises in the wall or attic, or try to find the remnants of old nests. Because of their xenophobic tendencies rats tend to follow the same paths in their search for food. Look for smudge marks on walls, beams, or rafters, and gnaw marks on the wood. If you're still not sure, try dusting the area with flour and watch for footprints to appear.

Take 'em Out

The big question of how to get rid of rats is: what method works the best? There are a few options for you to choose from, some are more effective than others for bagging your trophy rat, and some are better depending on your individual circumstances.

Some people want to know how to get rid of rats humanely; others just want to know how to get rid of rats as fast as possible. Options for a rat trap include: poison, snap traps, single-catch live traps, multi-catch live traps, and glue traps. Poison is generally frowned upon, because household pets or children might get to it, and there's no guarantee where the rat will die. Knowing how to get rid of rats that died in a wall is a different matter altogether.

You also have to use a little tact when baiting a trap. As stated earlier, a rat is naturally suspicious of anything new in its environment. Many professionals recommend baiting the trap but not setting it. Feed the rat a couple times until it is used to it, and then you can set the trap. Chances are, you'll be able to catch more than a few this way.

Disposing of Your Trophy

Knowing how to get rid of rats includes knowing how to dispose of them properly. You don't actually want to keep your trophies from this safari. Always use gloves if you have to touch the rat. Wrap the corpse in plastic and bury it or throw it away. If you have chosen the catch and release method, be sure to check with the local Animal Control to find out where it would be okay to release them so you don't inadvertently damage another environment.

Andy Eliason is a Web Content Specialist at 10x Marketing. For more information on rat bait, rat traps, and how to get rid of rats at Do My Own Pest Control.

Top 10 Maasai Mara Wildlife Safari Lodges, Camps and Rentals

1. Mara Safari Club

The Mara Safari Club is located on an oxbow of the Mara River at the foot of the Aitong Hills and bordering the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. The club is approximately 4 hours drive from Nairobi or 45 minutes by air.

The accommodation is in 50 luxurious ensuite tents all with river frontage allowing guests to watch wildlife. These are 45 standard tents, five premium tents, all with netted four poster beds, electricity and permanent bathrooms. Main building has the dining room, lounge and bar and is cantilevered over the river.

A free-form swimming pool and game drives by land cruisers are also offered including nightly entertainment.

2. Mara Serena Safari Lodge

The wildlife park lodge is set on a high ridge in the Maasai Mara National Reserve; the Mara Serena Safari Lodge has one of the most spectacular views in the whole of Kenya. It?s breath taking. The lodge is an interpretation of a traditional Maasai village of domed huts; these are spaced apart to allow guests an uninterrupted view of the Maasai Mara Landscape.

Accommodation consists of 74 guest rooms, two-twin with double bed and the rest with twin beds.

The main dining room, with its attractive multi-domed ceiling, offers international menus, buffets and barbecue and authentic African dishes. The lodge has a vantage outdoor pool as well as a full service lounge and bar.

3. Fig Tree Camp in Mara

The fig tree camp lies on the banks of the Talek River in the famous Maasai Mara National Reserve with good access to all areas of the reserve for game drives.

Guests here can choose to stay in either a tent or a cabin. There is a total of 75 spacious rooms and tents, all en-suite with private balconies. There are 38 tents with twin beds; 22 cabins with double and single beds; and five twin-bedded cabins.

Latest additions are 10 executive tents suites with luxury four poster beds, butler services and spectacular views of the Mara. Facilities include; two bars, main dining room, an open air dining area, a tree house/coffee deck, a swimming pool and guest lecture facilities, curio shop, video room, and a medical clinic and resident nurse. Local naturalist gives lectures on and slide projections on the Mara eco-system. Evening Maasai entertainment also included.

4. Governor?s Camp in Mara

Set up in 1972, governor?s camp has 36 luxurious tents on the bank of Mara River with views across the sweeping Mara plains. The camp sets standards in luxury accommodation in the Mara and is Africa?s best under canvas.

Guests stay in well appointed tents, each with their own bathroom. Evenings are devoted to cock tails around a bon fire and dinner by candle light. Each morning breakfast is prepared over blazing coals; mountains of bacon and eggs, fresh milk (flown in daily), hot ?baked croissants, exotic fruits and freshly brewed priced Kenyan coffee.

Both breakfast and lunch are served on the shady river bank with views across the Mara. Governor?s camp is for the tourist in need of that intimate interaction with nature under canvas.

5. Governors? Il Moran Camp in Mara

Governors il Moran camp is small but has added touches that make this top-of-the-range tented accommodation in Maasai Mara.

Secluded in the forest, there are just 10 tents that line the winding banks of the Mara River.

Each tent has a very private location and is furnished to a superior standard. Beds are hand made from specially selected wood taken from ancient olive trees. Large en-suite bathrooms have flush toilets, a big shower with piping-hot water and a Victorian bath.

The tents have an extended verandah so that guest can take dinner in private in their tent. Or visitors can just relax and enjoy the sights and sounds. Birds will be heard singing, elephants walk through the camp and at night leopard call nearby. Game drives and walks are included in the rate and complimentary wine is served with dinner.

In the day meals are served under the shady trees to include fresh fruits, cereals, hot-baked breads and a cooked breakfast. Deep in the bush, cordon-bleu dinners by candle light are truly unforgettable experience. The camp is a big favourite for honeymooners due the extremes they have gone to ensure privacy.

6. Governors? Private Camp in Mara

Governor?s private camp is for those that want some-thing exclusive. Private Camp can only be booked by one family or group at a time. As its name suggests, it?s private. It means up to 16 people have a beautiful bend of the Mara river all to themselves.

The camp is located at a spot where animals come to drink, hippo laze in the shallows and elephant bring their calves for wallowing. The surrounding forest is home to many birds too.

The tents are luxurious with hand made furniture. Private bathrooms have flush toilets, hot showers, with crystal clear water. Guests are allowed to even tailor their own menus and drinks are all free besides champagne.

The camp must be booked by a minimum of four guests staying for at least three nights.

7. Mara Explorer

Located on a thickly forested bend of the Talek River and opened in 2000, the Mara Explorer is widely regarded as one of the Maasai Mara most luxurious and well appointed camps.

Mara Explorer consists of 10 luxurious tents each with a butler on call 24 hours a day. Guests can enjoy morning and evening game drives, walking safaris, bush breakfasts and dinners or romantic sundowners in selected river side or hill top locations.

Mara explorer is an eco friendly camp with all non-degradable waste sent to Nairobi and water is heated using coffee husks.

8. Mara Intrepids

Only a 45-minute flight from Nairobi is the Mara Intrepids, located near the Mara River, where over a million wildebeest and zebra make the crossing during their migration in July and august.

There are 30 luxury tent and these are spread over a large riverside site to ensure privacy and peace for each guest. Tents are furnished in classic safari style, with four-poster beds and reproduction furniture and modern en-suite bathrooms.

Each tent sits on a shady raised platform with views over the river banks where a wide variety of animals come to drink.

Activities include three guided game drives each day; escorted walking safaris outside the reserve; bush breakfasts and dinners under the stars; and visits to neighbouring Maasai communities.

Guests can also arrange a dawn balloon safari or a fishing trip to Lake Victoria.

9. Olonana Camp in Mara

Olonana is a luxury camp idyllically located in the heart of the Maasai Mara big game country. The camp features 12 spacious tented pavilions each tastefully appointed with two queen-size beds, ensuite bathrooms and river view verandahs where guests can relax and watch the hippos wallowing.

A wide range of activities includes bush walks, visits to the adjacent Maasai cultural village, sundowners and day and night game viewing drives.

Olonana is at the fore front of in Kenya with solar power, a tree planting project and a wetlands project which allows for used water to be totally recycled before being released to the natural environment. In addition Olonana supports various projects to assist the local Maasai community.

The camp received a bronze rating award from the Ecotourism society of Kenya Eco-rating scheme and has also been selected as one of the top 15 safari camps in the world by ?Conde Nast Traveller? magazine.

10. Sarova Mara

Sarova Mara offers an opportunity to experience a tented safari. There are 75 luxurious tents, with permanent floors and roofs and their own bathroom set amid rush gardens an exotic flowers.

The resort has its own large pool with poolside bar. There is also a good restaurant, a second bar and a permanent barbecue. Guests can also book hot air balloons and see wildlife awakening in the savannah before landing to a sumptuous breakfast with champagne.

A variety of dinning experiences are on offer including bush, boma, garden, pool barbeque and salt lick. Walking safaris can also be arranged.

Robert is a tour consultant and co-owner of Landmark Safaris Ltd in Kenya. He is degreed in Tourism management and conservation. More information: http://www.landmarksafaris.com/tours/wildlife.php Grab your relevant and free safari info: http://www.eastafricasafari.blogspot.com

A South African Family Safari

Having eagerly read much of the information in the office on South Africa, we decided to go and see for ourselves as a family. The family being my husband and myself and our two boys aged seven and nine. With three weeks to fill and a variety of tastes to cater for, we planned to start the trip in Cape Town, then onto the Waterberg Mountains in Limpopo Province, and finally to Madikwe on the Botswana border. All three are malaria free areas.

Cape Town really does live up to all the hype. Set against the backdrop of Table Mountain, with its wild beaches and rugged coastline, it?s like no other city I?ve visited. Accommodation varies from grand five star hotels to the hundreds of bed and breakfasts all over the city. Since grand hotels and small boys don?t generally mix, we decided to go for the B&B option. So from our very comfortable B&B base in Constantia with its own pool we had ten days in which to explore.

There had been press reports before we left about the dangers of travelling in South Africa, and I did wonder whether we should go or not. However, once we arrived, we felt just as safe as we do in the UK. Driving was very straightforward and we managed with a simple tourist map. Highlights for the children were the beach at Fishhoek where they surfed for hours, Boulders Bay where they swam with penguins, and a wonderful boat trip where we barbecued and enjoyed the crayfish on board. Another hit was the Scratch Patch at the Victoria and Albert Waterfront, a small cave-like room which has a floor covered in semi-precious stones. You pay for a bag and then cram as many stones into it as you can (our youngest asked whether it was OK to fill his pockets too). For any budding geologists, it?s a must.

From an adult perspective, the Constantia wine estates with their graceful Cape Dutch architecture are really lovely. The old City dock area of Cape Town has been re-developed into the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront; it?s full of life, and a fun place to eat and shop. Cape Point Nature Reserve was something we all enjoyed; there are one or two good beaches, a few animals (the baboons caused much excitement) and Cape Point itself is spectacular.

The wineland areas of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, about an hour from Cape Town, are stunning, with great restaurants, shops and galleries. Many of the wine estates en route are open to visitors and you can both picnic there and wander through the grounds.

From Cape Town we flew up to Johannesburg and then drove north west about four hours to the Waterberg Mountains. Our destination was Ant?s Nest, a privately run game lodge that is booked on an exclusive basis by a single group. As far as we were all concerned, it was heaven. The boys could run free, I could ride and my husband even managed to get in a bit of stalking (an unsuccessful but much talked about warthog hunt). We spent a truly blissful four days here dividing our time between riding (horses for all abilities), game drives, bush walks, swimming and generally relaxing and mucking about.

The lodge is set in an area that varies from wide open grass plains to steeply wooded hillsides. It was farmland until relatively recently, and the current owners have reintroduced a large number of antelope species as well as giraffe, rhino and zebra. Riding among these animals at sunset on New Year?s Eve is something I shall not forget in a hurry.

The wonderful thing about having the lodge to ourselves was that we could be totally flexible about what we did and when. If the children didn?t want to ride early in the morning or evening, they would be taken on their own game drive instead. They drove (with assistance) the vehicles, game viewed from the back of a motorbike, pretended they were cowboys in the bush, swam with horses and shot on the small private shooting range on land that is adjacent to Ant?s. It will certainly be a while before I find somewhere that beats this as such a complete family destination. After visits by my family and others to Ant?s, there is now a queue of small children, boys in particular, waiting to give up school and go to work there.

For our final four days, we drove four hours west to the Madikwe Game Reserve on the border with Botswana. Again it is malaria free, and we had chosen to stay first at Jaci?s Safari Lodge and then at Jaci?s Tree Lodge. Both properties (run by the owners Jaci & Jan Van Heteren) welcome families with children from any age. The safari lodge is a tented camp approached via a rope bridge over a small river. This entrance made quite a dramatic impact on the children who really had no idea what to expect from a safari. They were amazed and delighted to find that our tent was rather bigger and more luxurious than the one they use in the garden. When we moved to the tree lodge, we had an even larger cottage-style room, and they spent great deal of time in the enormous outside shower watching the vervet monkeys scurrying around the walkways.

Their response to game viewing was more surprising. My eldest son just loved everything about it and couldn?t wait for the next game drive. He wasn?t phased by elephants literally feet away or lions roaring by the bonnet of the vehicle. At the end of four days, he was able to distinguish between most of the antelope species and was even getting into the birds. The youngest was of the impression that once you?d seen one elephant what was the point of seeing more. We plugged him into a Walkman and with a constant supply of fizzy drinks he too sat very happily during the game drives. Our guide was very good-natured and even made Zulu spears for the boys.

In summary, we had a tremendous three weeks and we all want to go back for more. The huge diversity of activities, from swimming with penguins, to wine tasting, to riding in the bush made us feel that we had been away much longer than three weeks. In terms of a family holiday, there really was something for all of us and we shall all remember it for some time to come.

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Charlotte Opperman first visited Africa on honeymoon in Kenya, when a love of Africa (and hopefully her husband) was born. She has since visited Botswana, Namibia and the Seychelles. Charlotte has also tested a number of our trips with her husband and two sons. So far they have visited Mauritius, South Africa (twice) and Kenya, so she is a great person to talk to if wanting to travel to Africa with children. A keen horsewoman Charlotte rides and competes regularly, and has ridden in both Southern and East Africa. Her desire for comfort in unspoilt surroundings makes her a good yardstick when planning a safari for many of our clients. Her close attention to detail ensures our clients never leave home unprepared.

Tanzania Safari: The Seat Of Marvel

The best things in nature are those that were preserved since God created Earth. Tanzania, being one of the places, which for many years have been attempting to preserve its natural beauty, asserts the wonders that may seem to have come directly from the Creator's hands.

Its beauty is unrivalled, its resources vast. Tanzania is simply a place of great marvel. Its wildlife sanctuaries are fresh and unspoilt. Wildlife roam in its area as it was intended after the creation. They are free; they flourish at their own rate at their own fashion.

It is no wonder why Tanzania safari is placed among the world's finest in game viewing.

Aside from the games, Tanzania safari is also well known for its enormous gatherings of wildlife habitats and ecosystems. The Northern Circuit is the most popular entry route towards Tanzania safari which covers the Ngorongoro and Serengeti, places that appeal most to nature and wildlife lovers. Nonetheless, sanctuaries like Tarangire, Arusha and the Lake Manyara are no less dazzling than the two. All these combined makes Tanzania Safari an unimaginable haven for the congregation of animals.

On top of the wonders are the world-known big five, which covers buffalo, elephant, rhino, lion and leopard. Complemented by endless array of plain animals such as the zebra, Thompson gazelle, eland, wildebeest, oryx and others that are included in the same genre. Add to the count the merciless predators that help balance nature like the cheetah, vultures, jackal, wild dog and hyena. Not only does Northern Circuit collects its fame from these animals, it is also recognized for its over 500 bird species which turns it into an ornithologist's paradise.

As we have earlier noted, the Arusha town is the starting point for northern adventure. It sits nearest to Mount Meru and only distant enough so travelers will get to see the mighty and awesome Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain found in all Africa.

Arusha, aside from the wild animals that it nurses, is also a refuge for rich tapestry of ecosystems that thrive on grassland, heath, montane forest, alpine desert and soda and fresh water lakes.

All these aside, Tanzania is made more distinguished by the largest caldera there is in the world- the Ngorongoro Crater. A natural world wonder itself, Ngorongoro Crater gives refuge to some 30,000 wild animals.

Truly, the Tanzanian safaris will let you witness how nature works, how the dance of life interplay with the death and survival of animals that it constitutes and how the balance of nature is maintained.
This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more information on safari & other useful information, please visit http://safari.articlekeep.com

Kenya Rhino Walking Safaris: Through Glades, Caves and Rhino Country

There are hundreds of cones and lava flows on the exploded hills of the 100-kilometre range that is the Chyulu hills. The most recent Shetani and Chaimu, happened in the mid 1900s drawing black volcano solidified lava paths in Tsavo west. I am quite determined to find the only point in the hills which has water. It?s a slow drip that takes five minute to fill a small mug. We begin our ascent to the hills which rise to 7,178 feet in search of the water point.

It?s magical country, all green glades and flowers in bloom. We catch site of a reddish antelope in the distance which we think is the rare Chandler?s bush buck. The car winds its way slowly through the grass-filled roads and volcanic ridges and the higher we get the more impressive the vast open the lands below.

Sitting on the high glades next to the sky feels like being in heaven. We ignore the massive steel booster that stands like an intruder on a high peak. The ant-eating, earth-dwelling aardvark holes are clean and showing they are in residence. It would be easy to trip over them save for the clearing by the holes.

A team of researchers passed by in search of a rare two-honed chameleon believed to be found here and in few other forests groves. In the three days of criss-crossing the park, these are the only people we meet-that?s exclusion.

Adan, the ranger, guides us through the maze of horse-shoe shaped cones to where he thinks the water point is. We have to climb the hill to reach the top. The late afternoon sun is thankfully cool as we walk uphill past the gaze of hartebeest that stares at us and then canters further uphill. The black lava eroded path is damp and my spirit is elevated. We must be getting close to the water point.

Closing in on the brow of the hills, look up to see the most magnificent view of Mount Kilimanjaro. Kibo?s high peak floats above a thin layer of clouds while Mawenzi is cushioned in a fluff of clouds.

Wait here?, says Onyango. ?I was here a year ago and saw the water coming out of there,? he says pointing to a grove of tall trees. He walks down and reappears after a few minutes.? Its not there he announces looking a little lost. With the sun first making its way down, it?s clear we have to live this water hunting for another time.

The Chyulus are very delicate and little explored. Peter Bally,a botanist at the museum, led an expedition up there in 1938. He was married to the legendary Joy Adamson and celebrating their honeymoon and, I might add, a great place to do just that. It was here that Bally discovered his wife extraordinary painting skills. As the story goes Joy painted a plant and, frustrated in the outcome, tore it into pieces and threw it in the bin. Bally found the pieces and taped them together, giving Joy the impetus to paint the plants which still grace the walls of the museum.

?The Chyulus are volcanic rubble so are very porous. And because they are very young in terms of geological time scale, they don?t really have a great diversity of plant species, ?Quetin Luke, a botanist at the National Museums of Kenya, explained to me on my first visit there a few years ago.

With no water and volcanic ash for a ground base, the plant life that has evolved is very specialized.

Robert is a tour consultant in Kenya and has planned business and vacation safaris for over 10,000 tourists in the East African region.

For more information please visit:
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Wonderful South African Safaris

Oh the beautiful South Africa. Endowed with rich tapestry of culture, vast lands, unequalled safaris?South Africa is truly a place for one who wants to reconnect with nature.

South African safaris are home to wide spectrum of animal species including the celebrated group of five: the buffalo, rhino, lion, elephant and leopard.

They were not named so because they have gained great popularity but because they mainly offer the experience of witnessing the dance of life happening in sight of travelers. They are the hunters that give fright to their preys. Thus, excitement for their viewers.

Game viewing, as this activity is called, is typically done with walking safari. However, due to the increase in popularity of canoeing, horseback riding and camel safaris walking becomes only one of a tourist' option. It is designed specifically for the hardy souls though and for the physically fit.

A standard walking safari is composed of 8 to 12 persons aged 12 to 60. This lasts for 3 days and 2 nights. With other modes of game viewing however, one should be in company of a guide.

The flagship of all South African safaris is the Kruger National Park creation of Paul Kruger, the president of Transvaal Republic in 1898. His advanced vision sparked the idea of creating wildlife sanctuaries and preservation areas to let nature continue growing at her own rate.

With the Kruger National Park, South Africa is truly unrivalled in its immense resources. The big five aside, South African harbors some of animal world's most interesting games such as the wild dogs, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, warthog, an array of antelope species and jackals, hippos, and zebras. Kruger Park is also home for some 500 species of birds and 140 species of mammals.

With its 20, 000 sq. km land area of unspoilt land, Kruger offers visitors not only its animal resources but also its wide spectrum of plant species.

South Africa safaris are not only made famous by the Kruger National Park, they also placed their names in top African destination through the fame of The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park- one of the biggest wildlife conservation areas in the world.

It is not for the fainthearted though. This is the sight for the distinguished black-maned Kalahari lions along with other animal species like bat-eared foxes, blue wildebeest, gemsbok, and the likes.

While on South African safaris, never forget to take some images of wildlife with you. Capture them in photos if you can. Animals such as those that thrive in nature pass only once. It would be wise if you can have a token of remembrance from them.

This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more information on safari & other useful information, please visit http://safari.articlekeep.com

Walking Safari Across The Ngorongoro Conservation Area

There are a number of walking safaris across the Ngorongoro Conservation Area of Northern Tanzania they vary in length from eight to twelve days. Generally your safari will begin with a day or two of game drives. The Tarangire is a nice place to have your pre-walking safari game drives. These first few days can also include morning walking safari along the border of the park it is essential you take a guide and an armed ranger with you. Bellow is an eight day itinerary

On day three the walking safari proper begins. Starting in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and walking to the Olmoti crater takes about four hours and is a pretty walk as you advance up through the rainforest slopes to the crater rim and viewpoint.

As you walk across the Ngorongoro Conservation area the altitudes will vary considerably. So be prepared and have many layers of clothing available as the temperature may vary as dramatically as the altitude. A water proof jacket is essential.

Altitude related Illness can kill you and every year tourists die from altitude related illnesses. Higher altitudes are colder even in Africa; there is less oxygen and to walk slowly is essential especially if you climb above 1,500 to 3,000 meters above sea level. You should be breathing easily with no panting and no extreme physical excursion. Drink water regularly and eat a light diet with lots of carbohydrates. It is essential to keep warm.

The fourth day will continue across to the distant Empakai Crater. This walk covers open grassland through a dramatic natural amphitheatre created by encircling volcanoes. As you pass the local villages the Maasai will rush out of their traditional homes to greet you. A few moths ago as we passed a village the elders of the village asked for help with a woman who had just been bitten by a snake; we still had the vehicles with us were able to take this woman to a hospital. Ordinarily this woman may have died as there are no clinics or hospitals in the area.

Day four: The walk up to Empakai is steep and slow going but affords awe-inspiring views, especially from the top where the sheer sided sunken crater can be seen. This is a special day as you will camp on the Crater Rim, with Empakai on one side and Ol Donyo Lengai, the holy Masai volcano, on the other. Be warned this day has about eleven hours of walking and is a very tiring trek.

Hiking in hot or sunny weather often causes heat exhaustion the signs/symptoms are weakness/fatigue, headache, vertigo, thirst nausea/vomiting faintness high body temperature. The treatment is to lay flat in shade, remove clothing to cool the patient, soak the body with cold water, re-hydrate patient and monitor body temperature.

Heat stroke is more serious with the signs/symptoms being delirium, coma, rapid pulse, rapid breathing; skin hot and dry, body temperature above 40c [104 f]. Treat as for heat exhaustion but this condition can be fatal so seek medical assistance quickly ? evacuate if possible.

Day five will have you scramble down the sheer-sided slopes of Empakai onto the crater floor for a foot safari. Empakai Crater is a sunken volcano with a soda lake covering most of the crater floor. Flamingos nest here during the day to escape the blazing heat of the Rift Valley. A large forest on the western shore is home to antelope, buffalo, leopard and lion, with large seasonal zebra and wildebeest populations when they pass through on their migratory circuits. Today makes the hard slog of the previous day well worth the effort. This is Africa as few tourists will ever experience.

Day six and the Maasai Mountain of God, Oldonyo Lengai looms out of the sunrise as we head out early to avoid the African heat. We arrive at the escarpment, the sheer wall that looms out of the Rift Valley floor, to admire one of the finest views in Africa. Bellow lays the sweeping vistas of the great Rift Valley; a drop of 1500ft. The scattered active volcanoes, primitive rock formations, glimmering soda lakes and clustered Maasai bomas make for a dramatic and moving experience. The final six kilometers are across the tough uncompromising terrain of the valley floor is in extreme heat; it is a long six kilometers. The reward to your walk is a shaded camp that is perched above a refreshing stream, only a half-hours walk from a heavenly waterfall.

Day seven has a very early morning an optional climb of Ol Donyo Lengai (2878m), an active carbonated volcano with spiritual significance to the Maasai. It is best not to book this climb in advance as many people are just too tired to climb this mountain. The climb starts at midnight so as to see the dawn from the top ? it is also because the climb is very steep and on loose scree and there is no shade from the sun. The cost will be about US$50 per group of six people.

The end to this walking safari is a visit to Lake Natron one of the soda alkaline lakes that jewel the East African Rift, here is a display of water birds including a multitude of resident pink flamingos. There is also the opportunity, body willing after the past few days hiking, to walk up a gorge carved into the Rift Escarpment to a waterfall to wash off five days of dust.

Day eight is a return to Arusha town where most safaris in Northern Tanzania begin and end.

For a more comprehensive guide to Walking Safaris and Ngorongoro Conservation Area contact Ian through http://www.betheladventure.co.uk or Philemon http://www.aardvark-expeditions.com Using responsible tourism to change lives.