Katavi, Ruaha, Selous - fast thoughts
Aug 20th, 2009 | 06:53 AM
#1
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Katavi, Ruaha, Selous - fast thoughts
I am writing this in response to several new threads about these parks and much enthusiasm.
I visit Katavi every year and have done so for four years visting during different months. Been to Mahale 3 times.
I have been to Ruaha and Selous only twice but in October my wife and I will be self-driving for several weeks from Arusha to Ruaha and Selous and also visit Saadani, Mkomazi and Umsambara.
In addition I send many clients to each of these parks/areas every year and I get plenty of feedback about each.
I think it is important to keep a sensible perspective about these parks and to keep in mind there are important things to consider when planning visits. Many travel agents and safari professionals post here and the writings naturally focus on "selling" rather than comprehensive descriptions. It takes much more than a single visit to become an expert in these areas and despite the enthusiasm of the authors I hope readers will keep that in mind while reading!
About Katavi.
It is certainly one of my favorite parks and we've done everything there from Fly camping to walking. It is almost exotic looking when the river is in flow and the wildlife is amazingly concentrated when the river is dry.
However, while most will enjoy the park it is not for everyone and expectations must be kept in check when visiting.
When wet, cats are hard to find and the plains animals can be very dispersed. The swamp areas have tall grasses and viewing can be restricted. Game drives can be less productive unless one also has a keen interest in birds. When driving away from the main game routes, tsetse flies are really troublesome and in the open vehicles they can be downright annoying & uncomfortable. There are fewer camps and fewer vehicles but there is a main road crossing the bridge near the main game routes and one can see and hear trucks several times a day.
In the dry season the park is incredible. One of my favorite safari pictures was taken in October at Flycatcher Camp. I can still hear the lions hunting at night and I can vividly remember the daily parades of wildlife to and from the water holes. Game drives were almost unnecessary!
See here: http://www.go-safari.com/Katavi/Flycatcher_katavi11.jpg
However, also study the park map: http://www.go-safari.com/Katavi/katavi3map.jpg
Notice that all the camps (except Palahala) are quite close to each other and the wildlife is concentrated from about Flycatcher Camp to the bridge and beyond. According to Google Earth it is a tiny 3 to 4 mile stretch!
Plains animals come to the pools to drink around 10am before retreating back to the plains in the west in the late afternoon. Buffalo, crocs, hippos, hyena and lion tend stay closer to the water. In fact, crocs are to be found under trees and stacked in every hole in the dry river bank.
This makes for wonderful viewing and noisy nights (lions vs buffalo) but the game drive area is small so one can expect several safari vehicles (at least 12 or so) patroling the same circuits every day. Rember, there are also mobile camps in the area - not just the known camps.
Every cat sighting (BTW Katavi does not compare to the Mara in terms of cats for example) basically attracts several if not all the cars. On my last visit I took my big video camera and shot very few film without other vehicles in the background (across the river on the opposite bank) or idling next to us!
Constant tsetse flies (especially when driving away from the main circuit) and the sound of big trucks crossing the bridge caused more frustration when near the main road.
And the heat can be really bothersome especially for older folks. Tents without shade are almost unbearable during siesta times. With the animals so close nearby the insects (flies, etc) are very annoying. It is important to talk to knowledgeable safari consultants who can advise you on which camps (even tent numbers ) to avoid if you are sensitive to heat.
Katavi remains a special place for me and I cannot wait to return but I am fully aware of what to expect and I am careful not to hype it. When I talk to potential clients I make sure they understand the subtle and not-so-subtle drawbacks and I want them to choose Katavi for the right reasons. For the right client, Katavi is pure magic. For the wrong client, it can be stressful. It is a long & expensive trip out there and it must be planned right.
About Ruaha and Selous.
I sense an increase in interest here about these areas and that is great. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) the roads to these areas have improved and I hear from experienced clients that road traffic is on the increase. Some areas especially closer to the main gates are seeing more and more vehicles (according to clients who were surprised - they expected few vehicles) and for this reason I am spending several weeks in Ruaha and Selous this October to learn more about the traffic patterns and to plan our future game drives & lodging accordingly - away from the crowds.
There are more and more new camps in Selous - see map http://www.go-safari.com/Selous/SelousJan209Web.jpg - and some lodges in Ruaha are getting a bit big for my liking. So I am looking forward to spending a lot of time in each park in my own cruiser to learn about the areas to avoid.
Eben
I visit Katavi every year and have done so for four years visting during different months. Been to Mahale 3 times.
I have been to Ruaha and Selous only twice but in October my wife and I will be self-driving for several weeks from Arusha to Ruaha and Selous and also visit Saadani, Mkomazi and Umsambara.
In addition I send many clients to each of these parks/areas every year and I get plenty of feedback about each.
I think it is important to keep a sensible perspective about these parks and to keep in mind there are important things to consider when planning visits. Many travel agents and safari professionals post here and the writings naturally focus on "selling" rather than comprehensive descriptions. It takes much more than a single visit to become an expert in these areas and despite the enthusiasm of the authors I hope readers will keep that in mind while reading!
About Katavi.
It is certainly one of my favorite parks and we've done everything there from Fly camping to walking. It is almost exotic looking when the river is in flow and the wildlife is amazingly concentrated when the river is dry.
However, while most will enjoy the park it is not for everyone and expectations must be kept in check when visiting.
When wet, cats are hard to find and the plains animals can be very dispersed. The swamp areas have tall grasses and viewing can be restricted. Game drives can be less productive unless one also has a keen interest in birds. When driving away from the main game routes, tsetse flies are really troublesome and in the open vehicles they can be downright annoying & uncomfortable. There are fewer camps and fewer vehicles but there is a main road crossing the bridge near the main game routes and one can see and hear trucks several times a day.
In the dry season the park is incredible. One of my favorite safari pictures was taken in October at Flycatcher Camp. I can still hear the lions hunting at night and I can vividly remember the daily parades of wildlife to and from the water holes. Game drives were almost unnecessary!
See here: http://www.go-safari.com/Katavi/Flycatcher_katavi11.jpg
However, also study the park map: http://www.go-safari.com/Katavi/katavi3map.jpg
Notice that all the camps (except Palahala) are quite close to each other and the wildlife is concentrated from about Flycatcher Camp to the bridge and beyond. According to Google Earth it is a tiny 3 to 4 mile stretch!
Plains animals come to the pools to drink around 10am before retreating back to the plains in the west in the late afternoon. Buffalo, crocs, hippos, hyena and lion tend stay closer to the water. In fact, crocs are to be found under trees and stacked in every hole in the dry river bank.
This makes for wonderful viewing and noisy nights (lions vs buffalo) but the game drive area is small so one can expect several safari vehicles (at least 12 or so) patroling the same circuits every day. Rember, there are also mobile camps in the area - not just the known camps.
Every cat sighting (BTW Katavi does not compare to the Mara in terms of cats for example) basically attracts several if not all the cars. On my last visit I took my big video camera and shot very few film without other vehicles in the background (across the river on the opposite bank) or idling next to us!
Constant tsetse flies (especially when driving away from the main circuit) and the sound of big trucks crossing the bridge caused more frustration when near the main road.
And the heat can be really bothersome especially for older folks. Tents without shade are almost unbearable during siesta times. With the animals so close nearby the insects (flies, etc) are very annoying. It is important to talk to knowledgeable safari consultants who can advise you on which camps (even tent numbers ) to avoid if you are sensitive to heat.
Katavi remains a special place for me and I cannot wait to return but I am fully aware of what to expect and I am careful not to hype it. When I talk to potential clients I make sure they understand the subtle and not-so-subtle drawbacks and I want them to choose Katavi for the right reasons. For the right client, Katavi is pure magic. For the wrong client, it can be stressful. It is a long & expensive trip out there and it must be planned right.
About Ruaha and Selous.
I sense an increase in interest here about these areas and that is great. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) the roads to these areas have improved and I hear from experienced clients that road traffic is on the increase. Some areas especially closer to the main gates are seeing more and more vehicles (according to clients who were surprised - they expected few vehicles) and for this reason I am spending several weeks in Ruaha and Selous this October to learn more about the traffic patterns and to plan our future game drives & lodging accordingly - away from the crowds.
There are more and more new camps in Selous - see map http://www.go-safari.com/Selous/SelousJan209Web.jpg - and some lodges in Ruaha are getting a bit big for my liking. So I am looking forward to spending a lot of time in each park in my own cruiser to learn about the areas to avoid.
Eben
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Aug 20th, 2009 | 03:17 PM
#8
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,147
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Boy, at last a candid view. This is so so hard to come by, so many thanks. I, for one, did not have the impression that there were so many vehicles/camps so close together, so this is a very helpful perspective. Can't wait to read more after you're next trip. I'm thinking early Sept may be less hot, but fewer tse tses?
Feb 4th, 2010 | 06:06 AM
#11
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,859
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Regarding the above post; we have just returned from spending 22 days in Ruaha and Selous. I will post a long report after I've recovered, but would add the following comments to the above post:
<i>I sense an increase in interest here about these areas and that is great. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) the roads to these areas have improved</i> <b>(I don't know how the poster defines "improved", but the roads are awful -- many washed completely away with unpassable crossings due to rain. Our 2 hour transfer from camp to camp in Selous took over 5 hours because of "detours" due to impassable roads. Camp managers everywhere laughed at the mere thought of anyone attempting to self drive these areas.)</b>
<i>and I hear from experienced clients that road traffic is on the increase. Some areas especially closer to the main gates are seeing more and more vehicles (according to clients who were surprised - they expected few vehicles)</i> <b> Again..define "few vehicles", in Ruaha we saw a max of one other vehicle on any given day and in Selous the max was 3 - and they were all from our camp. </b>
<i>and for this reason I am spending several weeks in Ruaha and Selous this October to learn more about the traffic patterns and to plan our future game drives & lodging accordingly - away from the crowds.
There are more and more new camps in Selous - see map http://www.go-safari.com/Selous/SelousJan209Web.jpg - and some lodges in Ruaha are getting a bit big for my liking. So I am looking forward to spending a lot of time in each park in my own cruiser to learn about the areas to avoid.</i> <b> This map is very misleading -- for example, we flew from the Sand River to Beho Beho airstrip. Its a 20 minute FLIGHT. I don't think there's much likelyhood of overcrowding to be avoided.</b>
Will post a lengthy report of our adventures later.
<i>I sense an increase in interest here about these areas and that is great. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) the roads to these areas have improved</i> <b>(I don't know how the poster defines "improved", but the roads are awful -- many washed completely away with unpassable crossings due to rain. Our 2 hour transfer from camp to camp in Selous took over 5 hours because of "detours" due to impassable roads. Camp managers everywhere laughed at the mere thought of anyone attempting to self drive these areas.)</b>
<i>and I hear from experienced clients that road traffic is on the increase. Some areas especially closer to the main gates are seeing more and more vehicles (according to clients who were surprised - they expected few vehicles)</i> <b> Again..define "few vehicles", in Ruaha we saw a max of one other vehicle on any given day and in Selous the max was 3 - and they were all from our camp. </b>
<i>and for this reason I am spending several weeks in Ruaha and Selous this October to learn more about the traffic patterns and to plan our future game drives & lodging accordingly - away from the crowds.
There are more and more new camps in Selous - see map http://www.go-safari.com/Selous/SelousJan209Web.jpg - and some lodges in Ruaha are getting a bit big for my liking. So I am looking forward to spending a lot of time in each park in my own cruiser to learn about the areas to avoid.</i> <b> This map is very misleading -- for example, we flew from the Sand River to Beho Beho airstrip. Its a 20 minute FLIGHT. I don't think there's much likelyhood of overcrowding to be avoided.</b>
Will post a lengthy report of our adventures later.
Feb 4th, 2010 | 06:37 AM
#12
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Joined: Oct 2004
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Hmm, not so fast TC!
I wrote that piece BEFORE our trip to Selous and Ruaha. After our 3-week stay in the two parks at the end of high season and just before the rains came, I stand by my original concerns.
You traveled in January? Please remember the parks are different according to season and weather patterns. I image there would be far fewer people too. We went in October. Different experience completely.
My maps are not misleading. What do you find misleading about these new maps - the most accurate on the internet today? http://www.go-safari.com/Selous/selous.htm
These are satellite images with GPS waypoints. They indicate locations and not drive times. We all know drive times in Africa cannot be calculated by distance due to bad roads, closings, etc. And after the rains there is NO telling how long a trip ill take.
We saw the tourist traffic first hand and I noted where the most vehicles go in dry season, we drove the whole Selous and then on to Ruaha and the roads were very good! In Ruaha there were many (relative to the Ruaha and not the N. Circuit) day trippers with buses and even sedan cars!
Tourist traffic is not at all (yet) a problem in Selous and Ruaha. But the areas near the gates are very busy when compared with other areas (relatively speaking). I saw it, I filmed it and I documented it.
When you count the amount of lodges & camps outside Mtemere gate and you watch where all there vehicles go early in the morning (the lakes), it is easy to figure out what areas to avoid if you want secluded time.
It started to rain during our visit to Ruaha and the very good roads quickly went bad. That is what you experienced unfortunately.
I wrote that piece BEFORE our trip to Selous and Ruaha. After our 3-week stay in the two parks at the end of high season and just before the rains came, I stand by my original concerns.
You traveled in January? Please remember the parks are different according to season and weather patterns. I image there would be far fewer people too. We went in October. Different experience completely.
My maps are not misleading. What do you find misleading about these new maps - the most accurate on the internet today? http://www.go-safari.com/Selous/selous.htm
These are satellite images with GPS waypoints. They indicate locations and not drive times. We all know drive times in Africa cannot be calculated by distance due to bad roads, closings, etc. And after the rains there is NO telling how long a trip ill take.
We saw the tourist traffic first hand and I noted where the most vehicles go in dry season, we drove the whole Selous and then on to Ruaha and the roads were very good! In Ruaha there were many (relative to the Ruaha and not the N. Circuit) day trippers with buses and even sedan cars!
Tourist traffic is not at all (yet) a problem in Selous and Ruaha. But the areas near the gates are very busy when compared with other areas (relatively speaking). I saw it, I filmed it and I documented it.
When you count the amount of lodges & camps outside Mtemere gate and you watch where all there vehicles go early in the morning (the lakes), it is easy to figure out what areas to avoid if you want secluded time.
It started to rain during our visit to Ruaha and the very good roads quickly went bad. That is what you experienced unfortunately.
Feb 4th, 2010 | 08:34 AM
#13
Joined: Jan 2003
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Not so fast yourself, sir. You take the heat because you did not bother to come back to this post and make good your promise of a follow-up after the October trip.
You say the "roads have improved", but make no mention in your original post of what season these good roads appear. I am quite clear as to what I encountered and WHEN. I would also like to ask how you believe these roads would have been repaired after the rainy season? There are two road graders sitting parked near the park entrance in Selous that have not been operational for many years according to the camp managers. In Ruaha, there are minor funds for some MINOR repairs of roads that have been washed away. In Selous, the road repairs are the responsibility of the camps. The camps are in major financial trouble with our global economic downturn and they are not spending money on massive road repairs. I think the roads have gotten worse since your visit, and I don't think there is a chance they will get better any time soon.
While the areas near the gates can have a bit of traffic and here again, how many vehicles is too many? - we never saw more than 3 vehicles in any given day. True there are a few self drives and school children and nuns touring from the local surrounding towns, once we reached our game camps, other tourists were never an issue. You made it sound as if traffic jams were occuring. Game drives from reputable camps do not typically take place at the park entrances. They are undertaken much deeper in the reserves.
I find your map misleading in that, as you say, they <u>are</u> GPS waypoints and not drive times. It makes it seem as though the camps and lodges are stacked within spitting distance of one another. Just not true. The drive times are so vast that this is exactly the reason you won't run into vehicles from other camps along the way. There is more than enough space for everyone.
The biggest complaint we heard from the camp managers in both Selous and Ruaha is that the camps/lodges are so far apart that the managers can't even get to know one another.
As someone who worked in the travel industry prior to retirement, I think it is important to give clients the most precise information possible so that they can make an informed decision. You have your October slice, I have my January slice. Both bits are useful tools.
You say the "roads have improved", but make no mention in your original post of what season these good roads appear. I am quite clear as to what I encountered and WHEN. I would also like to ask how you believe these roads would have been repaired after the rainy season? There are two road graders sitting parked near the park entrance in Selous that have not been operational for many years according to the camp managers. In Ruaha, there are minor funds for some MINOR repairs of roads that have been washed away. In Selous, the road repairs are the responsibility of the camps. The camps are in major financial trouble with our global economic downturn and they are not spending money on massive road repairs. I think the roads have gotten worse since your visit, and I don't think there is a chance they will get better any time soon.
While the areas near the gates can have a bit of traffic and here again, how many vehicles is too many? - we never saw more than 3 vehicles in any given day. True there are a few self drives and school children and nuns touring from the local surrounding towns, once we reached our game camps, other tourists were never an issue. You made it sound as if traffic jams were occuring. Game drives from reputable camps do not typically take place at the park entrances. They are undertaken much deeper in the reserves.
I find your map misleading in that, as you say, they <u>are</u> GPS waypoints and not drive times. It makes it seem as though the camps and lodges are stacked within spitting distance of one another. Just not true. The drive times are so vast that this is exactly the reason you won't run into vehicles from other camps along the way. There is more than enough space for everyone.
The biggest complaint we heard from the camp managers in both Selous and Ruaha is that the camps/lodges are so far apart that the managers can't even get to know one another.
As someone who worked in the travel industry prior to retirement, I think it is important to give clients the most precise information possible so that they can make an informed decision. You have your October slice, I have my January slice. Both bits are useful tools.
Feb 4th, 2010 | 09:17 AM
#14
Joined: Jan 2003
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I don't find the maps misleading. It gives me a good sense of the relative density of camps in certain areas. One of the reasons we chose to stay at Sand Rivers a few years ago was knowing it's isolated location on that side of the Rufiji.
Feb 4th, 2010 | 10:55 AM
#15
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Joined: Oct 2004
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Welcome to East Africa, TC. It is not Kansas.
The drive from Dar to Selous and then to Ruaha via Mikumi (and even via the new somewhat risky shortcut) is completely acceptable and during high season more people are able to visit these parks than ever before as more flights fly into Dar and more operators want to offer something different than the N. Circuit. Several N. Circuit outfitters now have cars stationed in Dar and this is a growing trend! Internal flight options are also on the increase with new charter operations.
Roads during the rain seasons? Well, it is what it is.
I have somewhat of a advantage because I get monthly feedback reports of the parks from people who visit there and work there. Your views are a "snapshot" taken over a few days.
My maps are not designed to make anyone an instant expert of the parks. That's the job of your safari operator and/or travel agent.
There is a certainly a growth in camps/lodges in Selous and Ruaha (to a lesser degree). I think my maps are showing this growth. More lodging means more people especially during high season.
Because my views did not change as a result of my visit I did not feel a need to update the post.
The drive from Dar to Selous and then to Ruaha via Mikumi (and even via the new somewhat risky shortcut) is completely acceptable and during high season more people are able to visit these parks than ever before as more flights fly into Dar and more operators want to offer something different than the N. Circuit. Several N. Circuit outfitters now have cars stationed in Dar and this is a growing trend! Internal flight options are also on the increase with new charter operations.
Roads during the rain seasons? Well, it is what it is.
I have somewhat of a advantage because I get monthly feedback reports of the parks from people who visit there and work there. Your views are a "snapshot" taken over a few days.
My maps are not designed to make anyone an instant expert of the parks. That's the job of your safari operator and/or travel agent.
There is a certainly a growth in camps/lodges in Selous and Ruaha (to a lesser degree). I think my maps are showing this growth. More lodging means more people especially during high season.
Because my views did not change as a result of my visit I did not feel a need to update the post.
Feb 4th, 2010 | 07:27 PM
#18
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Joined: Oct 2004
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TC
I have no idea what you are trying to say about the Southern Parks and what triggered your need to dig up my old post and disagree so vehemently!
But I will wait for your trip report.
In all the parks the roads deteriorate quickly due to traffic in high season and especially after the rains. The authorities resurface on some schedule that is only known to them but it is not uncommon to find a road really horrible today and then freshly resurfaced next month!
When it rains they may not scrape for a while because it won't do much good. It will just wash away again.
Selous and Ruaha roads are no worse than the other parks.
I have no idea what you are trying to say about the Southern Parks and what triggered your need to dig up my old post and disagree so vehemently!
But I will wait for your trip report.
In all the parks the roads deteriorate quickly due to traffic in high season and especially after the rains. The authorities resurface on some schedule that is only known to them but it is not uncommon to find a road really horrible today and then freshly resurfaced next month!
When it rains they may not scrape for a while because it won't do much good. It will just wash away again.
Selous and Ruaha roads are no worse than the other parks.
Feb 5th, 2010 | 12:36 AM
#19
Joined: Jan 2010
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I am coming in here late (as I always seem to do)
Now I am quite familiar with Katavi and also, (but not as much) with Ruaha & Selous.
And I know also that roads which are normally busy, and good, get washed away in rainy season, or routes get re-directed because certian roads are flooded etc. and actually, as far as I am aware it is not the camps in the parks who are responsible for the roads, (perhaps some information was mis-guided or I am wrong here) and as far I have seen, that yes when the rainy season is over, roads that are needed do get repaired again..
I also know for a fact this season the rains have been rather heavy and allot of roads/bridges in allot of parks (even other areas) were damaged because of it.
And as mentioned, we need to keep in mind that this time of the year is low season so less tourists in these areas.
Perhaps you were just at the wrong place, at the wrong time
THink you gave a pretty fair and accurate description, climbhighsleeplow..
Now I am quite familiar with Katavi and also, (but not as much) with Ruaha & Selous.
And I know also that roads which are normally busy, and good, get washed away in rainy season, or routes get re-directed because certian roads are flooded etc. and actually, as far as I am aware it is not the camps in the parks who are responsible for the roads, (perhaps some information was mis-guided or I am wrong here) and as far I have seen, that yes when the rainy season is over, roads that are needed do get repaired again..
I also know for a fact this season the rains have been rather heavy and allot of roads/bridges in allot of parks (even other areas) were damaged because of it.
And as mentioned, we need to keep in mind that this time of the year is low season so less tourists in these areas.
Perhaps you were just at the wrong place, at the wrong time
THink you gave a pretty fair and accurate description, climbhighsleeplow..
Feb 5th, 2010 | 02:58 AM
#20
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,859
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<i>"and what triggered your need to dig up my old post and disagree so vehemently!</i>
What triggered my post? I believe I am a long standing member of this board, with a good reputation for unbiased information and did not realize that your postings were of some sacred value to which I was not allowed to have a differing view. I have been to both Ruaha and Selous very recently, dined each night with managers of four different camps (people who live there year round) discussing the state of tourism and developement in the parks, driven the roads and found a very different view than the one portrayed with your old post. Since no new posting had been made, it seemed appropriate to give a more up-to-date accounting.
I'm not sure why you are so defensive and take my first hand accounts to be any less truthful than those of your own customers. I am also not sure why you decided that insulting my travel saavy with your "Kansas" remark was either kind or professional.
Eben, I don't have a problem with you selling safaris. I have read your web site. I, <u>personally,</u> don't feel the information goes far enough to give <u>travelers</u> a good sense of what to expect or how to prepare for a trip to certain camps within Ruaha or Selous. However, this forum allows others to fill that gap. Please don't feel threatened by my differing viewpoint. I mean no harm to your business. As I said, both are useful tools for planning. The more information the better. This isn't a contest. Enough said.
BTW travel-kbl; I asked the question of each camp manager and was told the same each time ----road repair depends on the designation of the particular area. Is it a National Park or a Game Reserve? Selous is a game reserve, whilst Ruaha is the largest National Park in Tanzania. Different funding and responsibilities for road repair.
What triggered my post? I believe I am a long standing member of this board, with a good reputation for unbiased information and did not realize that your postings were of some sacred value to which I was not allowed to have a differing view. I have been to both Ruaha and Selous very recently, dined each night with managers of four different camps (people who live there year round) discussing the state of tourism and developement in the parks, driven the roads and found a very different view than the one portrayed with your old post. Since no new posting had been made, it seemed appropriate to give a more up-to-date accounting.
I'm not sure why you are so defensive and take my first hand accounts to be any less truthful than those of your own customers. I am also not sure why you decided that insulting my travel saavy with your "Kansas" remark was either kind or professional.
Eben, I don't have a problem with you selling safaris. I have read your web site. I, <u>personally,</u> don't feel the information goes far enough to give <u>travelers</u> a good sense of what to expect or how to prepare for a trip to certain camps within Ruaha or Selous. However, this forum allows others to fill that gap. Please don't feel threatened by my differing viewpoint. I mean no harm to your business. As I said, both are useful tools for planning. The more information the better. This isn't a contest. Enough said.
BTW travel-kbl; I asked the question of each camp manager and was told the same each time ----road repair depends on the designation of the particular area. Is it a National Park or a Game Reserve? Selous is a game reserve, whilst Ruaha is the largest National Park in Tanzania. Different funding and responsibilities for road repair.
