What a great list of adventures and several I've never heard of. I'll keep them in mind... as you always find the best in every situation.

Now I'm sure both you and your husband are above average and isn't peanut butter wonderful. It's all about choices.

I would love to hear your wish list for African safari. Since I live in the US, traveling to Africa is about as hard as it gets so that is my preferred destination while I am still able. I plan on exploring my own backyard when I'm fed up with air travel and have fewer dollars but more time.

So besides S. Tanzania where else do you love or plan to return to in Africa? I'm making my 3rd trip to N. Tanzania in February and I'm thinking about Kenya and Rwanda in 2011. I have been to Botswana and loved it but prefer Tanzania to Bots when dollars are factored in. There are so many choices! Help!

Wildlifepainter,

There are indeed so many choices. We'll never get to them
all, especially with the tendancy of some of us to return to places. Back to Tanzania for you I see! I think Borneo may be even tougher to get to than many places in Africa. Round Island certainly was. But I understand your plan of where to go at what stage of life and am doing that myself.

Just bought a new jar of peanut butter today at the store. All peanuts no vegetable oil.

For some savings, consider <b>Zimbabwe.</b> I have not gone recently but if an opportunity presented itself I would feel comfortable going again. Hwange has waterholes that attract elephants, giraffes, and other animals at sunset for beautiful views. The most sable I've ever seen were in Hwange. Mana Pools is tremendously picturesque on foot, by canoe, or by vehicle. Elephants, lion, kudu, honey badgers, an occasional leopard, and recently people have been seeing cheetahs there. In the south is Matopos where you can track white and black rhino on foot from dusk to dawn. Very exciting. There are also fascinating caves with ancient art.

Next door is <b>Zambia,</b> which you've visited for the falls. There are so many great opportunities all over Zambia. One I hope to take advantage of in Nov or Dec of 2012 is the fruit bat migration in Kasanka. Kasanka has the elusive sitatunga antelope and black lechwe. Nearby (though Nov/Dec is not the ideal time) is the Bangweulu Swamp with good chances at shoebill stork. I'd like to try that in about May or June, a better time for Bangweulu and shoebills.

A more accesible place to see the shoebill stork, though, is in <b>Murchison Falls in Uganda,</b> along shallow pools formed by the Nile. The wildlife life (esp hippos and crocs) along the Nile and the unique giraffe and antelope species on land make this a vast paradise without many people. Murch Falls would fit will if you went to see chimps in the Padabi Forest (mentioned below), as this forest is actually part of Murch Falls.

Back to <b>Zambia</b> again--one of the coolest things I've done in Africa is an all day canoe trip on the Chifungulu Channel of the Zambezi River between Sausage Tree and Old Mondoro in Lower Zambezi. The narrow channels were spectacular with flora and fauna. Overall, I thought Mana Pools on the other side of the Zambezi was more picturesque than the Lower Zambezi side of Zambia, but not by much. The Chifungulu Channel was tops on either side, though.

My favorite camp is <b>Kutandala in North Lugangwa, Zambia</b>, which is all walking. In my Penguins to Puku report I go into great detail of why it is my favorite camp with an asterisk next to each reason. In short it's the, people, location of the camp, remoteness of N. Luangwa, walking focus, food.

<b>South Luangwa</b> has a lot more wildlife than North Luangwa and some outstanding walking opportunities. It's worth combining some time in S. Luangwa if also going to N. Luangwa. Some people spend their whole vacation in South Luangwa walking from camp to camp and I can see why. It's the only place I've seen a leopard on foot and leopards on most night drives. There are many excellent camps that you can mix and match.


If you are into unique antelope, try <b>Busanga Plains, Zambia</b> in late Aug to early Oct. I was there in July and still saw oribi, roan, and sable, plus puku galore. You can have a lot of quality time day and night with the resident lion pride that starts climbing trees as the dry season progresses.


When you mention Tanzania, I don't think you've been to <b>Southern Tanzania.</b> Neither have I but that will probably be my next Africa destination. Mahale and Katavi for sure. Ruaha and Selous maybe some other time. Katavi is very wild with huge herds and I'd like to see that. Tracking chimps in Mahale is good to do while you are young and fit (which seems to be your philosophy). Mine too.

If you go to Kenya and Rwanda in 2011, you can track chimps in <b>Nyungwe, Rwanda</b>. Even more exciting than the chimps in that location were the other primates such as the colobus monkeys, mountain monkeys, gray cheeked mangabyes, etc.

Other great chimp locations are <b>Kibale and Padabi Forest in Uganda.</b> See if you can do the "habituation walk" in which you find the chimps in the morning, watch them wake up, then stay with them throughout the day and watch them make their nests at night. The nest making is incredible and takes just minutes, maybe seconds. Bradt Guide labeled this one of the best primate activities on the continent and I'd have to agree.

You can get even more involved with the chimps at <b>Ngamba,</b> a Jane Goodall project, on an island off of Entebbe, Uganda. A highlight is doing a chimp walk where you escort young chimps into the island forest,let them roam around for an hour or two, then escort them back to less expansive quarters. I volunteered there for several days and was lucky to go on 3 walks. If you are a paying guest, you are virtually guaranteed a walk. Those walks with two and three chimps hanging on me and a dozen other chimps running along side, grabbing at my ankles, tumbling over each other, and swinging from vines have to be a highlight of all of Africa! To qualify for the chimp walks you must submit extensive medical documentation that can require expensive tests.

If you are going to Kenya, I really liked the bandas in Aberdare and Meru. The all day drive in the <b>Aberdare's Salient</b> is wonderful in its abundance and leisure and not typical of most itineraries.

If budget allows, the smaller more remote tented camps are preferable to the larger lodges, but I chose lodges for savings on this last trip and was satisfied. Lots of nice wildlife around the premises. <b>Lewa Downs</b> is a special place in the Laikipia area of Kenya and one of the best places to see black and white rhino. The camel ride there was truly a half-day camel safari, led by Samburu warriors. Better than other camel rides I've done. Excellent opportunities for cultural interactions that benefit those you are visiting or staying with.

For scenery, elephants, birds, and interesting species, I like <b>Samburu</b> and think you can enjoy yourself for a good 3 days there. If you like to sit and watch elephants without intrusion, Samburu is the place. No crowds of vehicles at the ele herds even at the peak time of Sept.

The <b>Maasai Mara</b> offers wonderful opportunities for such a variety of wildlife. There was no way to avoid crowds for wildebeest crossings though. Maybe you could get lucky, but in general, lots of witnesses. For everything else you can avoid crowds either by going to a private concession or steering clear of groups of vehicles and looking for animals on your own.

If you have enough time in Kenya and you're interested, you might be able to stay with a Maasai family for a few days for a truly fascinating perspective. I found it worked best to arrange things after arriving, kind of on a spur of the moment. Too much planning in advance can upset people in charge due to liability and such.

Some other places in Botswana include my favorite Botswana concession--<b>Duba Plains,</b> where the lions hunt buffalo during the day and there are often lion and buffalo interactions and confrontations. This is also a great canine location for bat eared fox and the elusive aardwolf. The <b>Makgadikgadi Pans</b> of the Kalahari are also magnficent. San, where I stayed may not be operating now, but Jack's at the high end and Planet Baobab at the other end, and some more in between are still there. Meerkat colonies are a fascinating highlight there.

I really enjoyed <b>Chobe in Botswana,</b> especially for the activity along the river and the wildlife viewing by boat, which is unique in its abundance and variety of mammals. I'd like to return and spend 2 nights in Botswana in Chobe (either a tented camp or at Chobe Game Lodge which is where the boats take off) and then two nights along the Chobe River in Namibia at Savanna Lodge.

In <b>South Africa Sabi Sands</b> offers tremendous, sometimes unbelievable viewing, especially that elusive leopard. You could pack the easle and brush and come back with art from this place. But I found the more managed, sparser wildlife reserve of <b>Phinda in KwaZulu-Natal</b> even more compelling than Sabi Sands. Maybe it's because it was a cheetah sanctuary or because I was able to do numerous rhino treks. Maybe it was the people, such as my guide Thulani and the interactions I had with his family. Or maybe it was the frequent nyala sightings, my favorite antelope. I really want to go back--maybe because Phinda means "The Return," returning the wildlife to its original habitat.

Let us know what you decide <b>Wildlife Painter!</b>

Another epic report, Lynn. Thanks so much, thoroughly enjoyable and informational too.

Have you been to Yellowstone? I haven't and am thinking of visiting in the fall.

Curiously I was creeped out by the egg-laying in Tortuguero. But I was much younger then.

Leely,
One person's creep out is another person's epiphany. Such is the wonder of travel. One person's epic is another person's "will this ever end?"

I've gone to Yellowstone in early and late summer and had a super time, but I think fall or spring would be great times to visit, along with the cold of winter. Imelda from Ireland went in winter.

I did escorted trips that involved some volunteering--things like tracking collared porcupines and mapping grazing patterns of pronghorn. I think the company that did those trips got absorbed by the Teton Science School.
http://www.tetonscience.org/

Even though I am hesitant to do a lot of my own driving, I would feel comfortable renting a car and doing my own thing in Yellowstone. To make it more worthwhile, I think you'd want a decent spotting scope. We used one constantly especially for wolves, which I saw a lot of on each trip. Maybe you can rent one if you don't have your own.

I know you'd want to get off the roads and hike and explore and having some hiking partners is a good idea I think. In fact I heard a stat something like 90% of the Yellowstone visitors never get more than 100 feet from the road. Or maybe it's only 10 feet from the road.

Let us know what you find out about your Yellowstone plans. Maybe we could even team up in Yellowstone.

atravelynn, thanks so much for your thoughts! I have spent hours researching some of your ideas and having a ball. I also printed it out to keep.

I should clarify, Kenya & Rwanda would be Jan/Feb 2012 not 2011 since we are doing Tanzania Mar 2011 and a group trip to S. Africa in Oct 2011. I also got side-tracked on your Capetown report and things to do there. You have me interested in Zim/Zam but I understand that would be a better trip in the second half of the year and the same for S. Tanzania. I really refer to travel in the beginning of the year when it is cold in California.

I really don't want to hijack your Kenya report. Can you post links to your previous reports that are more than a year old? Thanks again!

Wilidlife Painter, I am tremdendously flattered. Thank you.

Something you should consider if you like Botswana but not the cost is a mobile safari. I don't have a trip report, but many others do. I went with Wilderness on an itinerary no longer offered, but there are lots of options. Masson's has me intrigued.

Here are my Africa reports from Fodors. If you are interested in Zambia I have a report that was never posted on Fodors. I could even email it to you. My screen name is my hotmail email.

The Botswana reports cover some places you've been.

KENYA, AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST
Atravelynn’s 1st Safari
http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...ari-report.cfm


BOTSWANA, AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST
A trip for the dogs… and kats Atravelynn to San and Chitabe
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...4&tid=34690768

BOTSWANA, AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST
Atravelynn to Duba, Vumbura, Zib
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...4&tid=34859832

SOUTH AFRICA, AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST
Mala Mala Minute by Minute—Trip Report
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...4&tid=35033366

SOUTH AFRICA, AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST
Phinda, where the h is silent but the rhino flatulence is not—Trip Report
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...4&tid=35037046

SOUTH AFRICA AND ZAMBIA, AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST
Penguins to Puku: Report on Cape Town and S & N Luangwa
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...4&tid=35151238

GREAT WHITE SHARKS (PART OF PENGUINS TO PUKU TRIP)
http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...o-charters.cfm


RWANDA, UGANDA, AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST
Have Orthotics Will Track…12 Assorted Primate Treks in a 3-week Safari

http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...eek-safari.cfm

KENYA, AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST
A 3 hour Sunday drive on Aug 2 in Nairobi National Park
http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...ional-park.cfm

Some short takes from me and other Fodorites on Africa
http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...-add-yours.cfm

I also have been researching some of the places you've visited Lynn. All I can say is WOW! When I told my husband all the places you've been, he said "Too bad you don't like peanut butter Raelond."

My husband's specialty is peanut butter and lettuce on wheat. Give it a try. He adds salt. I don't.

Double WOW! Reading your list of adventures takes my breath away!

I've been warned that I will soon run out of places to go, which I can't imagine because the more travel, the more destinations I add to my wishlist.

I'm hot on your heels. Loved cruising on the Chobe river, only found out about Baboon Matters (one of my all time favorite activities) through you. Swimming with the dolphins (in New Zealand) was only so-so. Watching the great white sharks from Gansbaai was mind-blowing. Loved Hwange!

I'm looking forward to Phinda next year. Katmai, the Pantanal, Mongolia and Madagascar are high on my list. India (Banhavgarh & Pench) is somewhere in the middle.

Your fantastic trip reports are fully to blame! Now I'm off to research the magical, travel-enhancing properties of peanut butter!

Raelond, we've been to several of the same places and our list of similar destinations is growing.

Femi, if you go to Madagascar, I'll be hot on your heels.

Here are some different peanut butter sandwich variations.
http://www.peanutbutterlovers.com/

Spread and save.

Wow! Amazing.

Tinydancer, I am glad you so enjoyed the peanut butter sandwich recipes.

I searched for information about going to Meru for a safari. Not that many people go to Meru it seems but you did. The toilet lizard and song was funny but you did not even see the grave of Elsa? Too bad you did not see any lions in the place where Elsa is from. I would think this is a good place to see lions and I want to go to Africa and see lions. If I read the other parts of your trip maybe there are lions there but I am surprised you only saw tracks of them in Meru. That would be so disappointing.

True, I didn't see Elsa's grave. But if it is important to you, then definitely go and spend time there.

It would have been nice to <u>see</u> lions, but we did <u>hear</u> the thudding paws of one that was chasing an antelope around our banda lodging. Maybe it was a distant relative of Elsa's. Safaris are multi-sensory, sometimes you hear things, sometimes you see them, sometimes you smell them. When a lion roars nearby, you feel it.

Lions showed themselves in other Kenyan National Parks--Samburu and the Maasai Mara. Those would be good places to look for them. It is easy to combine Meru with each of these parks either driving or flying.

Not seeing lions was not at all disappointing because my expectations were not that I'd see lions in Meru. Prior to your safari, which appears to be in the planning stages, establishing expectations is important. I would think seeing Elsa's grave is one of your expectations and one that can be met with certainty. While seeing any specific animal in the wild cannot be guaranteed, if you spend several days in the Mara, you should be able to see lions. So plan for some days there.

As for disappointment, the only disappointment I would have experienced is if I had not been able to save the "toilet lizard." Fortunately mission accomplished.

As your planning takes shape, I suggest you ask your questions and post your updates on the thread you started about wanting to go to Africa and Elsa and Born Free.

Good luck.

I did ask some questions about trips in my other section about needing help. Do you think the trip you took would be a good one for me if I want to see lions and other animals and go to Meru to see Elsa's grave? Are there extra parts in this trip that I might not need? Why do you think this company does a trip with Meru when a lot do not? When I went to the website of Eastern and Southern Safaris I saw something about climbing Mt. Meru but the page is under construction, but no trips Meru like yours. Would they have stopped offering the trip to Meru like you did? I have no interest in climbing any mountain

Where is the best place to hear lions roaring at night so you can feel it like you wrote in the last answer?

I'll look at your writings some more and maybe they answer my questions already.

<b>Do you think the trip you took would be a good one for me...?</b>

If you have 3 weeks and lions (and other animals) are the goal, plus Elsa's grave in her home of Meru, I'd do

KENYA
3 nts Meru (fly or drive from Nairobi)
3 nts Samburu (fly or drive from Meru)
5 nts Mara (fly from Samburu, cannot drive)

1 day in transit between Kenya and Tanzania--fly between or take ground transport

TANZANIA
2 nts Ngorongoro Crater
4 nts Serengeti--where in the Serengeti depends on what time of year you are going.

Add 4 days of international flights and that's 3 weeks.

Whether you started in Kenya or Tanzania first depends, again, on what time of year you are going.

<b>Re: Eastern & Southern</b>
This was an itinerary I requested from E&S. Most safari companies can design an itinerary per your request that deviates from standard trips you'll likely see on the website. With your goal of lions and Meru, a custom trip would likely work best.

<b>Best place to hear lions roaring at night </b>
Safe and secure in your vehicle or lodging. Can happen anywhere there are lions. They call more at night than day.

If you sent the above outline of days to several African specialists, that would be a great start.

Check out this index for a variety of companies to contact:

http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...port-index.cfm

Thank you for the answers. I looked at some of your pictures and really liked all the animals, especially the tiny baby lion cubs. I looked at the information in the index and the pictures and it seems like everybody really does see a lot. The advertising you always see for safaris in Africa is not just fake pictures.

Why didn't you go to Ngorogoro and Serengeti? Is it easy to go between Tanzania and Kenya?

I didn't go to the Crater or Serengeti on this trip because it was a Kenya-only trip. I have gone to both and will be back in the Serengeti on my next trip, which will be Tanzania-only.

As to the ease of going between the countries, check out this link, which shows you there are numerous options. The agent you are working with will assist you with these flights.

What is the link? But now I am thinking of doing a trip in just Kenya with our zoo. Maybe I could go to Crater or Serengeti after the zoo trip. I have to go to Meru too before or after the zoo trip probably.

Here is the link that I omitted.

http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...m#last-comment