1. 1999, South Africa, 10 days
2. 2000, South Africa, 10 days
3. 2001, South Africa, 12 days
4. 2003, Botswana mostly, 1 month
5. 2007, South Africa/Botswana, 1 month

with trips to other places in the non-Africa years

nancy

September/ October 2005, Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. (28 days)

Junly 2007, South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe. (37 days)

November/December 2007 16 days (Zimbabwe)

Hope to move there in the next 2-7 years (Zimbabwe) depending on my retirement date/options.

I have been fortunate to travel to Africa every year since 2001. Funny to think back on my first trip to South Africa and the fears I had to overcome, even though staying at nice game lodges. After my first trip, I was absolutely hooked and had to up the ante by adding Horseback Safari in Botswana to my life list. Wanting more Africa, this year's trip was Horseback Safari in Tanzania. Next up, a gorilla trek in Rwanda. There is so much to see on this wondrous continent.

1998 - Kenya
2000 - Botswana, Zimbabwe
2001 - South Africa
2002 - Egypt
2003 - Zambia
2004 - Tanzania
2005 - Tanzania (and Nairobi)
2006 - Botswana, Vic Falls (Zim) and South Africa
2007 - Tanzania (and Nairobi)

I've also been to Italy and Costa Rica within these years, but Africa always calls me back! Now, I'm trying to decide where I'll go next. I'm looking at leading a "Focus on Planet Earth" safari for David Anderson next year. It's for photographers who would use their photos to raise awareness of the impact that we are having on our planet. The mission statement for this project is at:

www.focusonplanetearth.org

November 2006 to Tanzania.
The beginning of many to come. I am hooked.

Eleven times.

beginning with Kenya in 1986 since then Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia & Sth Africa between 1993 - 2005.

Geoff.

3 times
1. October 2005 to Zambia 11 nights
2. March 2006 to Zambia 11 nights
3. September 2006 to Caprivi Strip in Namibia, Hwange in Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls 11 nights
4. (54 days to go) to Kruger and Mala Mala in South Africa 12 nights + stopover in Dubai and Hong Kong

August 1994 -- Morocco
August 1997 -- Egypt
August 1998 -- Egypt
August 1999 -- Kenya and Tanzania
May 2000 -- South Africa
November 2000 -- Cote d'Ivoire, Benin, Togo and Ghana
May 2001 -- Egypt (one day stopover on way back from Saudi Arabia)
August 2001 -- Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi
August 2002 -- Swaziland, Mozambique and Namibia
August 2003 -- Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya
May 2005 -- Madagascar
December 2005 -- Tunisia
July 2006 -- South Africa and Lesotho

Twice, but it will be three in January...

Mauritius in Sept. 2004 for honeymoon
South Africa in January 2005
Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda in January 2007

Three times and still counting-

2003 - South Africa and Namibia
2006 - Kenya and Tanzania incl Zanzibar
2007 - Kenya and Tanzania

once...so far

1993 - Somalia/Kenya (military deployment with 4-day R&R to Mombasa)

First safari coming up in Jan 08 - Kenya/Tanzania

Two future trips in early planning stages.

2004 - S Africa, 17 days
2005 - Namibia, 15 days
2005/6 - Egypt, 9 days
2006 - Botswana, 16 days
2007 - Morocco, 4 days
2007 - Zambia, 14 days
2007 (Sep/Oct) - S Africa, Botswana, 11 days

Well and truly addicted

First trip in 2000, then 2 more and then decided to live there. Stayed for 3 years near Durban. Big mistake. Traveling as a beloved tourist quite different than as a hated resident. Made a lot of good friends and plan to return in Feb 2008 for a dive trip!

Kim

If I was born in Africa and live here does it count?

My first camp was Mala Mala in 1974. Since then 64 camps in total, in
Botswana
Kenya
Namibia
Mozambique
South Africa
Tanzania
Zambia
Zimbabwe
I shall be back in Botswana in October to Zibalianja, Jack's, Mombo and Nxamaseri.
I usually go for 2-3 weeks, and sometimes twice a year.

Yes, I'm another addict.
Jan

'96 - Kenya (16/days)
'98 - Kenya/Tanzania/Seychelles (21/days)
'00 - Egypt w/Jordan (14/days)
'01 - South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana (17/days)
'03 - Kenya/Tanzania (6/days)
'04 - Kenya/Tanzania (6/days)
'05 - Tanzania/Kenya (16/days)
'06 - Tanzania/Kenya (14/days)
'07 - Tanzania/Kenya (19/days)

Try to get in two trips a year, but schedule doesn't allow... boo-hoo-hoo!

- other destinations inbetween, including Australia (16), Provence (14), Thailand/Cambodia/Myanmar (18)... and I'm sure others that mind can't recall right now.

From the replies so far, it appears that Africa has the ability to get under everyones skin! And to think people initially think going will be a once in a lifetime trip

We are novices , having been on our first safari to South Afria and Botswana October last year, which included a night in Zambia at the falls and a few night in Mauritius at the end. On day two of the safari we were already thinking, why didn't we do this before and when can we do it again.

The second trip was booked for February this year,Southern tanzania. This had to be cancelled, and we resheduled for June/ July, for Northern Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Before we had even been on the trip , we had already booked our next one, Kenya in late September / early October.

Jan., 1998 - Kenya & Tanzania
August, 1999 - Tanzania
Oct, 2001 - Tanzania
Feb., 2002 - Algeria
Nov, 2002 - Tanzania
March, 2003 - Kenya
May 2003 - Egypt
Nov., 2003 – Tanzania
March 2004 – Kenya
July 2004 - Tanzania
Feb, 2005 – Seychelles
Nov., 2005 – Tanzania
March 2006 - Morocco

With all those trips, I have been on only one 3-day safari. I really did not enjoy the experience, and will probably not do another one. There is more to Africa than safari.

Different strokes for different folks...

March 2005 - Kenya
February 2006 - Uganda
October - November 2006 - Ethiopia & Egypt
May 2007 - Benin & Togo
Hopefully summer of 2008 will be fifth trip!

OK I shall play!

#1 - May 2000 - Kenya & Sth Africa 2wks
#2 - Feb 2001 - Tanzania 1wk on way
home from NY & Bahamas
#3 - July 2002 - Sth Africa 19 days
#4 - May 2003 - Sth Africa 22 days
#5 - Nov 2003 - Sth Africa 19 days
#6 - June 2004 - Sth Africa 25 days
#7 - Dec 2004 - Sth Africa 23 days
#8 - July 2005 -Sth Africa 26 days
#9 - Dec 2005 - Sth Africa 22 days
#10- July 2006 - Botswana/Zimbabwe/
Sth Africa 28 days
#11- Dec 2006 - Sth Africa 22 days
#12- Mar 2007 - Sth Africa 26 days
#13- Dec 2007 - Sth Africa 25 days

Really no longer have the interest to go anywhere else, and of course, no sooner am I home, I want to be back in South Africa!

Kind regards

Kaye

Zero, so far...

First safari coming up in October (14 days!): South Africa, Botswana, VF (Zam)

Haven't even left yet but thinking about the next itinierary!

3 times & 4th coming up

Oct'04: Egypt (14)
Oct'05: Zambia/Zimbabwe/Nairobi (14)
Dec'06: South Africa (12)
Sep'07: Kenya/Seychelles (14)

3 times with a 4th trip coming up next summer:

1) April 2001- Zambia (with a brief visit to Bots and Zim)- 12 days
2) May/June 2002- South Africa- 6 weeks
3) Feb-May 2003 - Kenya/Tanzania - 4 months

Still trying to figure out where to go for the honeymoon next summer

Wow...some of you have such long trips and so often. I'm jealous....

Anyway, here is my list (for now)...

1. Kenya 1990 (Masai Mara & Lake Nakuru)
2. Egypt 1991
3. South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia & Botswana 1995 (Sabi Sands, Vic Falls & Chobe)
4. Kenya 2001 (Masai Mara & Amboseli)
5. Tanzania 2003 (Serengeti, Crater & Lake Manyara)

Too long since I've been back. Africa is calling. Next trip I plan on going to Namibia & spending more time in Botswana.

Deb

4 times.

2003 Kenya (Mara and Nairobi) 2 weeks
2004 Kenya (Tsavo East, Mombasa, Diani, Nairobi) 2 ½ weeks
2005 Kenya (Samburu, Lake Nakuru, Kiserian/Magadi, Nairobi) 3 weeks
2007 Kenya (Mara, Nairobi) 3 weeks

NO other trips in between.

Raised in West Africa/Egypt, schooled in England and research/work in Namibia and Zimbabwe.

I can't count individual trips, but generally,

1968-1974 Nigeria
1977-1980 Nigeria
1980-1984 Alexandria, Egypt
1986-1987 Volunteer in Namibia, backpacked around South Africa, Zimbabwe
1988 SA, Namibia
1994 South Africa, Zimbabwe
1996-7 Research in Zimbabwe, visited SA, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia
2000 Honeymoon - Mali, Senegal, Ghana, SA, Zim, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania
2007 Morocco

On the question of how many trips, you could have made alot of short trips to a destination and seen alot less than others who made fewer trips but spent longer periods of time. Most interesting to me would be how much time you have spent in the places you visited and what you saw, including the Africa outside of the safari camps

Can’t resist adding mine:

1975 Cape to Cairo, packaged tour, 3 weeks
1986 Kenya, Tanzania, planned by friend (travel agent), 2 weeks
1992 Kenya, Tanzania, Zoo Atlanta trip, 2 weeks
1999 Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, planned for the two of us, 18 days
2007 Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, planned by same agent as 1999 for the two of us, 26 days, arriving Nairobi September 5!!!

Blessed with various other trips in between (Chile & Argentina; Argentina & Antarctica; Polar Bears in Churchill; Greece and Istanbul; Italy several times; England several times; Ireland; US National Parks; Bermuda several times.) Africa is always on my mind – and my favorite.

Samcat

Here's my list:

1980 -- went to Johannesburg to work for Control Data Corporation; once for one month, then later in the year for two months. Spent a weekend at Kruger Park, and went to Lesotho for a weekend, and to Durbs to enjoy the ocean, but mostly worked and spent time with new friends in Jo'burg

1987 -- spent a month in SA, took the Blue Train from Pretoria to Cape Town, spent time in Cape Town and the winelands, and did a 14-day camping safari in Botswana

1990 -- went to Pretoria to give an academic paper, and visited U. of Zululand; then Swaziland, Umfolozi, Durban, Sun City, and also Jo'burg to see old friends and colleagues.

1992 -- worked for USAID at University of Pretoria and Medical University of South Africa; then traveled to Kruger, St. Lucia, Umhlanga Rocks, and Jo'burg

1994 -- Midrand (it's between Pretoria and Jo'burg) to attend a conference on computer-based education, University of Pietermaritzburg where my husband gave a lecture; Sun City, Cape Town, and winelands

1995 -- Jo'burg, Durban (to look into the possibility of starting a travel business -- gave up the idea); Umfolozi, St. Lucia

1999 -- Jo'burg to see old friends, Zululand Tree Lodge to see rhinos, St. Lucia, Cape Vidal to see sea turtles, Cape Town & winelands; Oudtshoorn and Calitzdorp (lovely tiny town where potstill brandy is made)

2003 -- Namibia: Windhoek, Sossuvlei, Etosha; South Africa: the Klein Karoo and the Garden Route, Knysna, Addo Elephant Park

2004 -- Jo'burg to see friends, then Haenertsburg, a tiny town in the northern part of the country, then a long trip through Kruger starting in the north at Shingwedzi and ending at Lower Sabie; Swaziland, St. Lucia, Umfolozi

2006 -- Kruger Park: Berg en Dal, Letaba, Mopani; then Graskop, George; then Tsitsikamma National Park - a wonderful park on the Indian Ocean; then Ladismith in the Little Karoo, then Franschhoek

Next trip will be in 2008, probably October but maybe April, and the focus will be Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

In the meantime we've traveled a bit in the Caribbean, and in England, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and had a wonderful time in all these places.

But obviously, our hearts are in Africa.

1994 - SA, 13 days
1999 - SA, 12 days
2002 - SA, 3 days
2003 - Botswana / SA, 8 days
2004 - SA 5 days
2004 - SA / Bots, 11 days
2005 - SA 8 days
2005 - SA / Bots 9 days
2006 - SA 8 days
2006 - Bots 13 days
2007 - SA 8 days
2007 - SA / Bots 9 days (End of September)
2008 - SA 12 days (April)

Wow, some of you guys are old.

My answer, only two times. Not. Enough.

Both trips to Tanzania. In July 2004 with Nairobi and Zanzibar as well; June 2006 just TZ; next up, if all goes well, Rwanda and Kenya in late 2008. And yes, I take holidays, usually to Italy or France or Mexico, in between.

lived on and off in Uganda, Kampala, '67 - 71 (parents stationed there, I was in school there 1 year then in boarding school, coming back for vacations), traveled all around then. Planning trip to Botswana summer '08.
Traveled and lived in Middle East and Europe for a number of years.

1993 - 6 months OverLand Expedition, Cape Town to London. Visiting most of the major Game Reserves in RSA,Botswana,Zimbabwe, Malawi,Zaire, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya etc.
Loved it so much, was off to Sth America on another O'land Trip for 6 months from late '93
1998 - Botswana.
2004 - RSA (SSGR) For our Wedding/Honeymoon
2007 - in 5 weeks time (Sept 7) for 17 nights in SLNP, Zambia

Cheers
Marc

Some time in my teens (in the 1980s), Kenya and Tanzania for about 2 weeks or maybe 3.

2001 Botswana and Namibia - 3 and a bit weeks
2004 Kenya - 1 week
2004 South Africa 5 weeks
Botswana 3 and a bit weeks
Namibia just under a week

I forgot Morocco - one trip back in 1990 or 1991 and another last Christmas.

Nov 2005 - Botswana / Zambia
Oct 2006 - Namibia
Jul 2007 - Tanzania

Booked:

Sep 2007 - Kenya / Rwanda

Yes, I'm hooked.

Dear Leely,
If you live that long you may be old!
Seriously,the older you get,the more you want to cram in, as you feel that each trip may be your last!
When I was a child I watched such films as The Snows of Kilimanjaro and other films featuring Africa and never dreamed that I would ever get there.
So, roll on 26 October and Botswana. It's my 10th trip to two of the camps, but as I've been to 64 camps so far Ive had plenty of experience in East and Southern Africa, and made return visits to many.

Regards,
Jan

1982 Kenya
1990 Morocco
1996 Morocco
1997 Mauritania (so hot you could barely sleep) and Senegal
2000 Egypt
2002 Egypt
2004 SA, Zambia, and Botswana

2002-2003 I made four trips to SA which were work related with limited time to sight see.

Jan aka botsfan,

I was just being silly (again). I actually count imaginary trips to Africa like so: "I made my first trip at 34. If I can take a trip at least every two years for as long as I am able to handle the flights, my fortunes don't take a turn for the worse, etc., maybe I can squeeze 17-18 trips in."

So, yes, I hope to grow very, very old!

2003 three months
2004 three months
2006 seven months

It took me a while to compile all of this. Obviously, I am hooked, and a disproportionate amount of my income is spent on African travel, but it's my passion.

July - 1972 - South Africa, Rhodesia - 3 weeks
June - 1985 - South Africa, Zimbabwe - 3 weeks
Dec. - 1986 - South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe - 3 weeks
July - 1989 - Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe - 4 weeks
Aug. - 1991 - Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana - 5 weeks
July - 1993 - South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia - 5 weeks
July - 1995 - Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Malawi - 5 weeks
July - 1996 - Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa - 4 weeks
July - 1997 - Namibia, South Africa - 5 weeks
Dec. - 1997 - South Africa, Namibia - 2 weeks
July - 1998 - Zambia, Namibia, South Africa - 4 weeks
Dec. - 1998 - South Africa - 2 weeks
July - 1999 - Namibia, South Africa, Botswana - 4 weeks
July - 2000 - Botswana, Zambia, South Africa - 4 weeks
Apr. - 2001 - South Africa, Namibia - 2 weeks
July - 2001 - South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia - 4 weeks
Apr. - 2002 - South Africa - 2 weeks
July - 2002 - South Africa, Namibia - 3 weeks
Mar. - 2003 - South Africa - 2 weeks
Aug. - 2003 - South Africa, Namibia - 5 weeks
Feb. - 2004 - South Africa - 4 weeks
Aug. - 2004 - Namibia, South Africa - 6 weeks
Jan. - 2005 - South Africa - 5 weeks
Aug. - 2005 - South Africa, Namibia - 6 weeks
Jan. - 2006 - Tanzania, South Africa - 6 weeks
Aug. - 2006 - South Africa, Namibia - 6 weeks
Feb. - 2007 - South Africa - 6 weeks

Favor --
How did you like Mauritania? My next Africa trip that doesn't involve wildlife will probably be Mali or Mauritania. I've heard lots of great things about Mali but haven't heard much about Mauritania. I'm oddly fascinated by it though.

Goodness, I would love to be able to do a trip every year... 2 a year would be just wonderful. What wonderful, wonderful memories some of you must have built up. I have many just from my few trips but some of you must have so very many!

Leely,
I was two years older than you when I started my trips to Africa, which were purely holidays and not living or working there. I have been 30 plus times at the rate of once a year and twice 4 0r 5 years. So carry on, girl,you can do it!
I don't ever get tired of safaris, and since finding this Forum I'm even keener. I'm just 14 weeks away from this year's fix.
Jan

Jan/Feb 2005 Kenya (9 nights + 4 night CDG stopover)
Nov/Dec 2005 Kenya/Tanzania (19 nights)
Nov/Dec 2006 Kenya/Tanzania (17 nights)

Booked:

Sep 2007 SA/Namibia (17 nights)
Feb 2008 Kenya (13 nights + 4 night AMS stopover) - just put the award flights on hold this morning, so still subject to much tweaking, no accommodations confirmed yet, but at least we have some flights on hold, woohoo!

maxwell - Mauritania was fascinating. I met a friend in Atar and we went out into the desert. The desert there just goes on and on. It was so hot it was difficult to fall asleep. Out of Nouakchott the beach on the coast also goes on and on.

I had a great time because of the knowledge and connections of my friend. I'm not sure there is so much there that other places wouldn't be worth while to visit first. Since Mali has the Niger flowing through it, I would suspect it might be more interesting than Mauritania.

Thanks Favor. Yeah, it's the desert that appeals to me most about Mauritania. I don't know if you saw it, but there was a very interesting article in the new york times at the beginning of July about Mauritania's problem with parents forcing girls to overeat to conform to the Mauritanian preferred body type. Caught my attention since I rarely see articles on that country. I also decided I could safely skip the gym that day

I would say Mauritania's biggest problem is slavery, which is still practised.

To clarify: I certainly was not suggesting that was their biggest problem. I am always extremely interested in cultural differences, big or small, regardless of whether or not it is a country's biggest problem.

Maxwell, I was watching a show on a tribe in Uganda where girls were actually threatened with a beating to force them to overeat.

Not quite as enjoyable as I'd imagined. I'd fantasized about eating eclairs and other goodies, not downing gallon after gallon of dairy product

Femi - Wow - see i had no idea that went on in Uganda too. Yes, the article on Mauritania was very disturbing. Although certainly not their biggest problem facing the country, it was not a pleasant experience for the young ladies, to say the least!!

maxwell - I wasn't assuming you thought the effort to fatten girls up was Mauritania's biggest issue. I mentioned the slavery problem as a lot of people don't know it still exists in places like Mauritania.

Favor - Thanks for clarifying that misunderstanding.
Cheers.

Yes slavery is still practised in Mauritania, which probably means they are next in line to chair the UN Ctee on Human rights.