Kenya Animal Safari; Most Sublime Animal Safari & Tour Park

The landscape in Tsavo is flatter and drier than in Tsavo West, despite the fact that one of Kenya?s largest rivers flows through the middle of the park. The main track through the park follows the Galana River from Tsavo Gate to the Sala gate. The park headquarters, where you can charge and buy smartcards, is at Voi Gate.

Animal Spotting in Tsavo East National Park

Much of the wildlife spotting is concentrated on the Galana River, which cuts a green gush across the dusty orange plains of the park and supports plentiful crocs and hippos. There are several places along the flat topped escarpments lining the river where you can get out of your vehicle, with due caution of course. Most scenic are Lugards Falls, a wonderful landscape of water-sculptured channels, and crocodiles Point, where you may see hippos and crocs.

There are usually armed guards around, but you shouldn?t get too close to the water. Kudus, waterbucks and dik-dik are common along the river banks. Also of interest is the Mudanda Rock, towering over a natural dam near the Manyani gate, which attracts elephants in the dry season.

Large herds of RED elephants

The bush is thinner than in Tsavo West, so wildlife is easier top spot, although it?s not as plentiful. The rolling hills in the south of the park are home to large herds of elephants, usually covered in red dust. The action is concentrated the waterhole at Voi safari lodge, and the Kanderi Swamp, which is home to a profusion of wildlife and the public campsite.

You can expect elephants to stroll through the campsite in the evenings. Further into the park, 30km east of Voi gate is the Aruba Dam built across the Voi River, which also sees loads of wildlife. A lodge has been under construction here for some time.

Your security issues at Tsavo East Park

The area north of the Galana River is dominated by the Yatta Escarpment, a vast prehistoric lava flow. This area has recently been opened up for tourist after a long time closure due to insecurity. Check at the gates the prevailing situation before proceeding here.

Endangered Hirola in Tsavo East animal Park

Until their partial translocation to Tsavo East, the sole surviving population of Hirola antelope was found near Kenya Somalia border in the south Tana River and Garissa districts. Intense poaching (for meat) and habitat destruction have reduced their numbers from an estimated 14,000 in 1976 to a pitiful 450 today, 100 of them being in Tsavo East. There are also around 48 black rhinos, moved here from Nairobi National Park, although how long they last in this hard-to- police sanctuary remains to be seen.

Translocations of elephants to the park

On the positive side, the recent translocation of 400 elephants from the Shimba Hills National Reserve has replenished the populations depleted by poaching, and should herald the start of efforts to rehabilitate the wild northern sector of the park and open it up for tourist activity.

Robert is a travel expert with Landmarksafaris.com. Degreed in tourism management, he has authored more than 1000 articles on Kenya East African travel. Get hooked to the Tsavo National Park here: http://www.landmarksafaris.com/tours/wildlife.php

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.

http://www.aardvarksafaris.com/articles-southafrica-familysafari.htm

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.

The Essentials Of Safari Club International

With practically every industry, there is some form of groups that will help the working people coagulate for specific ideals necessary to keep the passion for the industry enkindled.

African safaris do not escape from such realities.

While many groups have risen since the trend in safari started (probably dating as far back as the early 1800's), one of the most enduring and considered to be more recent organization formed are the various safaris clubs.

Safari clubs uphold their own commitments, bylaws and principles that keep the organizations standing. One of the most revered of which is the Safari Club International, which now stands as the most famed international organization dealing with safari stuffs, issues, activities and the likes.

Because of the diversity of safari clubs, most are found obviously at African safaris, it would be hard to choose what organization to involve yourself into if you do not have any particular idea of what a club is.

Say for the Safari Club International, they uphold their commitment towards the collection of safari hunters that both bring home the heads of their kills or the skins. This organization is U.S. based that allows membership for trophy hunters only.

While many African safaris restrict hunting of the wilds, the Safari Club International assures to it that game areas are only those that were by law, appointed as proper hunting and game-viewing spots.

Since issues on hunting prevail among the hunters and the guardians of the wild, the Safari Club International maintains several philosophies so as to restrict conflicts from rising to the surface.

It is stated in the bylaws of the Safari Club International that while hunting is a primary motive members still need to have the: 1) accountability for preserving the wild, 2) the propagation of knowledge pertaining to preservation of the safaris 3) to render humanitarian services and 4) to use hunting as an efficient tool in the preservation of wildlife.

The above statements aside, the following are the purposes of the Safari Club International:

? For protection of hunter's rights.
? For the promotion of safe, ethical and legal aspects of sport hunting and other activities covering such.
? To advocate the promotion of these ideals in any form, including holding legislative positions (both local and international).
? For the facilitation of biological studies pertaining to wildlife.
? For the distribution of information among the non-members in promoting animal protection .
? For the education of the public with regards to sport hunting.
? To conduct charitable functions.

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

African Resorts Offer Safari, Exotic and Beach Destinations

Whether you want an exotic vacation, a beach getaway or a trip to the safari you can find it all at the hundreds of African Resorts located throughout Africa. With so many locations, activities and attractions there is an African Resort awaiting for everyone.

When many people think of vacationing in Africa they think about taking a safari. This is definitely a possibility as many of the resorts are located either on or near a game reserve. You will have the option of a luxurious hotel or lodge or staying in your own hut depending on what you like. Staying on or near a game reserve gives you the opportunity to see the wild and exotic animals of Africa up close from elephants to giraffes to zebras.

While safari vacations are popular in Africa, with miles and miles of coast line, many people vacationing in Africa opt to stay at beach African resorts. In addition to the coast line, you will find luxury resorts on islands off the coast of Africa such as the Ras Nungw Beach Hotel on Zanzabar or the L'Archipel Hotel on the island of Praslin. You will be pampered and enjoy the breathtaking views of the ocean and the African Coast.

How do you choose which African resort for your vacation destination? One of the first things that you have to do is to research the different areas of Africa. Sometimes people mistake Africa as being one large country instead of a continent filled with different countries. Each area has its own customs, traditions, landscapes and cuisine, so you really need to decide which area to stay in.

After you pick an area, begin searching for African resorts in that area. We even came across a website where you can compare two African resorts at one time which is an excellent resource to use to help you narrow down your choices.

So, whether you want the beach, the safari or an exotic destination, you will find all of this and more in Africa. Taking a holiday at an African Resort will truly be a memorable experience that will leave you wanting more when your vacation is over.

For more information on Airfairs, Rvrentals, or CheapFlight visit our website.

Botswana Safari- The Haven Of Wildlife Sanctuaries

Vast lands?wildlife?well, anyone may have those two in Africa but not definitely like the experience that may be had from Botswana Safaris.

This vast piece of land is only one of the few where wildlife need not compete for land and resources with man. The land area is as large as France yet the population counts only to mere 1.6 million people. As an outcome, wildlife has increased in great number that the place becomes a sanctuary for the finest games in all Africa.

Being the world's largest exporter of diamonds, Botswana no longer has to compete with the tourist market. Yet as grand as its land offers for safari fanatics, it can't help but attract as many tourists as its resources may allow. However, the government decrees the limited number of people allowed to penetrate Botswana safaris, thus the significant increase in prices, which ultimately made it as an exclusive safari destination.

Kalahari dessert dominates 84% of all Botswana. Though it is a dessert by name, Kalahari is not much like a dessert, as we may perceive Sahara. Except for occasional sand dunes, Kalahari is mostly covered with vegetation characterized by bushes, grasslands, trees and scrubs. However, water is meager thus the dessert label.

Visitors of Botswana safaris are almost always amazed at how creative and genius the creation and maintenance of its wildlife sanctuaries.

The finest games in the whole region are found in the Chobe National Park which is located somewhere in the north east side of the country. It harbors the most varied games in the country and is refuted to nurse the largest group of elephants in a single place. Elephants here are estimated to have reached up to 80,000 individuals.

Savuti Marshes, on the other hand (which is located in the Chobe National Park) is refuted to have the largest density of predators found in all Africa. Hundreds of wildlife species are found here, both preys and predators.

Its resources for water encourages buffalo, antelopes, zebras and the likes that are followed by predators such as the leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, lions, and jackals. Some predators here have the tendency to become lazy and living in Savuti Marshes sounds more like a gift than anything else.

Botswana safari is simply a unique place for wildlife conservation. But this act is took time to accomplish. Botswana is a country that is bordered by neighboring countries. While great efforts and done to protect all its wildlife, it still needs other countries' collaboration to make everything working. After all, animals do not comprehend international borders.

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.

Africa lion safari- Kenya; ultimate tour country

#TITLE#Africa lion safari- Kenya; ultimate
tour country#/TITLE#

The African lion is fabled as the King of the African Jungle. On a recent vacation
to the Maasai Mara game reserve in Kenya, I was awed at the sheer respect that the
African lion commands. It was one of the most rewarding trips in all my wildlife
safari vacations.

It was the morning a day after our arrival at Olarro Camp located in the Maasai
Mara, one of the best animal safari destinations in Africa. We departed camp at
around 6.00am in the morning for our much awaited morning game drive. Our Maasai
guide, Sammy, and the camp manager Sean packed us in their open Land rover truck
and off we went on a popular game track. We were pleasantly surprised at Sammy's
spotting prowess that, less than a kilometer from camp, had already spotted a lone
male cheetah. Probably on its early morning hunting stakeout, the cheetah wasn't
very amused at our unwelcome intrusion and trudged along grudgingly.

The mating Lions Off we went to look out for the elusive lions in the short savannah
brush. We were negotiating a blind corner when .....Wham... a pride of 3 young males
in the company of a lone female. The minute I spotted the lions, I knew this is
not the situation you want to seem too intrusive. One seemingly larger male Lion
with a slightly darkening mane was separated from other 2 young and was busy courting
a Lioness. The two other lions seemed to have lost the contest for the single lioness
and were circling around the pair with a lot of bitterness. Our arrival had simply
compounded their anger. On the other hand, we had walked onto a mating pair and
the dominant male was so infuriated by our interruption of his engrossing activities
with the lioness. We simply had too many lions against our arrival. For a full 5
minutes, there was absolute silence as each party looked deep and hard into the
eyes of the other. Trying to read the intent of either, we starred long and hard.
I could feel my thunderous pulse as through my heart had moved into my arms and
ears. Our fear was worsened by the fact that we were riding in an open vehicle and
the lions would have had no trouble taking us out .... one by one.

Deceitful distraction The African lion has this uncanny behaviour when faced
by such an intense gridlock. It simply looks aside as if something else more urgent
got its attention, while keeping you within its visual sphere. This serves two purposes,
one is to disarm you by trying to distract your stare and secondly to cleverly provide
a leeway to the impasse and hostility created by locking eyes in an imminent confrontation.
When faced by a formidable enemy who it cannot translate to food, the African lion
will never attack if you have your eyes locked. One cannot be too cautious; "you
never know what surprise these humans can spring... a club, machete or worse even....a
bloody gun".

The day is saved A relief to this situation came from the other two young, small
maned lions who noticed their chances of contesting for the lioness, had just gone
from worse to impossible.....there were just too many of us for their liking. They
casually strolled of with their heads high and into underbrush. It took the older
male Lion about five minutes to be reassured that we posed no threat to his mating
advances to the lioness. Usually, the most dangerous situations to be caught in
are between a mating pair or a lioness with its cubs. The King lion proceeded to
mate with the female unperturbed by our presence; like we never existed.... and
if we did then he was seeing things or could as well have been blind. "A lion's
got to do what a lion got to do....you want to stay and watch... well that's your
problem"

We finally decided that we needed to give them their space and started to drive
off. The dominant king lion must have thanked us for making his competition from
the other two go away. But just as we started off we heard excited human voices
and knew they were headed for certain disaster. We revved off our car towards the
noises and found four Maasai women chatting animatedly as they made a beeline to
a river, 100m between them and the mating lions.

Maasai co-exist with the wildlife

We were about to leave when I noticed their surprised look. Like we didn't understand
that lions are part of their life. Like we needed not to have bothered them with
the obvious. That's when I realized how much the Maasai have learnt the art of co-existence
with the wildlife. I wouldn't have been amazed if they had walked right passed us,
as we watched the lions like there was no danger. I imagine them walking in between
us and the pride, chatting and laughing at this group of tourists huddled silently,
scarred stiff and almost immobilized by the sheer might of the African lion at a
mating contest.

The million dollar gaze of the lion

This was an experience that I always relive when I look at the photos taken on
that safari. It's what an African lion safari does to you. You get to be in the
presence of his highness the majesty king of the Jungle...in his tuff. Nothing beats
that glaring look and the thrill that goes with it when your eyes lock into his
menacing, unblinking and threatening stare...That's the African lion stare....humbling
it is.

African Lion coming of age

The African lion matures at the age of 4-5 years. A fully grown male lion has
a very dark mane while the youth grow a mane gradually, which then darkens as they
progress in age. The males are pushed off their families when they become sexually
mature by the king of the pride. African Lions usually sleep and rest for 16hours
a day only getting up to hunt in the early mornings, late evenings and at night.
Usually the King-lion of the pride commands between 5-10 lionesses including the
cubs. This male will aggressively protect its territory against intruding males
who contest for the females.

Overthrowing the Lion King

There are a lot of coup d`e'tat in the lion kingdom and the male constantly gets
into territorial wars with invading lions. Once in a while a female becomes disenchanted
and leaves the pride to seek out younger and more aggressive males. Once a lion
has successfully overthrown a dominant male, they set upon establishing their kingdom
immediately by making the females submissive. How they do this is what will surprise
you.

Conqueror males kill all Cubs One of the most bizarre behaviour of lions is that
a conqueror male often kills all young cubs fathered by the defeated former king
lion of the pride. The lioness will fight, sometimes to death, when the male lion
goes for her cubs. There are two reasons for this behaviour, one is to establish
a lineage of his own and secondly to as quickly as possible make the females come
to oestrus and ready to mate. It's always a rush before other male lions come to
undermine his authority over the pride.

Traveling to the Maasai Mara -Kenya

On arrival in Nairobi, one is picked up by his tour operator for an overnight
stay at the city's many five star Hotels. It's always advisable to have a night
rest before embarking on to the Mara; if you are to enjoy your game drives. The
next morning you drive about 400km to the Mara in either a 4x4 or a minivan and
you are booked into many of the world class lodges in the Game Reserve. You will
be entitled to at least 2 game drives a day and you will be surprised at the animals
you will see immediately outside the gate to your lodge...That's Mara for you.

The wonder that is the Mara Elephants graze 1 metre off your game drive tracks,
cheetahs will stare at you seated majestically under tree trunks and occasionally
jump on the hood of your car for that vantage view point for prey, a herd of a thousand
buffalos will gaze at you all at once with over 2,000 eye balls, lions will sprawl
for an hour underneath your van for the shade and wildebeest will gallop past your
car in their millions as they head for the breath taking river crossings packed
with crocodiles and strong currents. (See previous articles and shots on the great
wildebeest migration at: www.eastafricasafari.blogspot.com, www.safarishots.blogspot.com)

An experience worth its weight in platinum. Please email this article to friends
who enjoy wildlife in the Wild.

Robert Muhoho is a travel consultant in Kenya, East Africa www.landmarksafaris.com
www.safarishots.blogspot.com

African Safari Trips ? A taste of wild and romantic African adventure

Safari is an East African tradition and means to travel or journey. An African safari is a popular trip that has been undertaken for centuries by both Africans and other nations visiting Africa. The most enduring image of safari is the British explorer in his white hat and shorts, hunting for big game in the wilds of Africa. Africa is a very popular destination due to beautiful terrain and varied wildlife.

African safari began centuries ago with Arabs and Swahilis making long voyages into mainland Africa to do trade with other markets. The word became synonymous with the caravans, hunting, and the sense of adventure. The traders brought ivory, supplies and slaves. Thankfully British control put an end to the slavery.

The British soon brought people from all over the world looking for Safari adventure. What really attracted them was Africa?s wildlife, which still does today. Some people wanted to observe and study the amazing African animals, while others wanted to hunt them. Needless to say, soon it became necessary to establish an ethical and legal code protecting the animal population from over hunting. Today hunting is very strictly regulated to protect the animals.

Many western explorers gained massive fame and their tales of Africa started the trend that still goes on today. They told romantic stories of the freedom and beauty of Africa, as well as serious tales of the dangers that face explorers. Drought, wild animals, disease and hostile tribes are dangers that still exist today and so the modern safari will be equipped very well and with caution. A safari trip that is unprepared for disaster could run into very serious, possibly fatal, trouble.

Safari trips to Africa are easy to find and book. They usually start by taking you to a lodge where there are observation decks, entertainment, bars and beds. These lodges act as a starting point for the convoys of vehicles that will take you across the land and into game territory. Just like in the past, many safaris have a native African guide who adds his knowledge of the terrain and survival skills.

John Gibb is the owner of African Safari Tips. For more information on African Safaris check out http://www.african-safari-tips-and-advice.info

Traveling Smart Safari Tips

Safari Travel Tips

Before stepping on that plane for a marvelous safari adventure, plan like there's no tomorrow. You will thank your self for being precautious when faced with untoward incidents.

Here are the important things you should consider when going on a safari travel:

1. Remember that it is one challenging endeavor.

Planning a safari can be one of the most exciting feats one can ever manage to make happen. It is not one of the generic travels, usual jetsetters indulge in. Though you are provided with a tour brochure and a tourist guide, it still is better to research on your own regarding the various itineraries.

2. Best spots for safari should be spotted.

The most suggested parts of Africa to enjoy safari include East and Central Africa, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Islands.

3. Prepare for the climate.

It is a must to know the seasonal trends and how they will affect your travel. But also remember that the weather is fickle-minded so you can never really accurately predict the outcome of your travel if you will base it one the weather alone.

If you are going to visit East and Central Africa, long rains start early in April to early June. Short rains abound during late November to December.

Southern Africa has its rainy season from late November through mid-April for the safari areas. However, during that time, it will be summer in Southern Cape.

When one prefers Indian and Ocean Islands he or she can expect the seasonal trend to be more like of that of Southern Africa. In these islands, summer rains last from November through April. Cyclones can also be experienced during those seasons. From May to October, the dry season occurs.

4. Choose your activities.

Among others, safari traveling offers these fun-filled activities:

a. gorilla trekking b. sailing c. birdwatching d. participatory camping e. self driving

5. Know what you can afford.

When choosing a trip, budget constraints should never be overlooked. Decide on a price range that you can work on. To make your budgeting more effective consider the level of luxury of your safari travel, length of your trip, activities, accommodations preferences, meals and season.

6. Determine your travel style.

Do you prefer your safari to be more luxurious, moderate or rustic? Will you let kids tag along? Are you traveling with a group or will you be one bold, independent traveler? Will you travel by air or road? What about your guide and your vehicle?

Answering those questions will more or less improve your overview of your dream safari travel.

Have fun!

Jay is the web owner of http://www.airline-tickets.biz Discount Airline Tickets, a website that provides information and resources on vacations, airfare, hotels, and travel. You can visit his website at: http://www.hotels-in.net Cheap Hotels

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.