serengeti april or other countries
 

Hi guys, this trip seems to have got jinxed!!! My passport expires 2nd week sept and u cannot travel 6 months before it expires. U have no idea how terrible I am feeling.:(
I just got the news that to get a new one at least in India it will atleast take till march 3rd week so to be on the safer side I have to plan a trip in April.
I have no knowledge of serengeti in April. Or is there another country which can give me good viewing of lions in the whole month of April.
In my list I have chief's, chitabe, khwai river lodge,duba plains, kwando camps etc, but with high flood levels I am not so sure of botswana for april
How would Hwange national park and mana pools(I hate to walk) be in April???
The private reservers around kruger ??
and etosha national park?? Which one would u pick to maximise lion viewing in April.
My plan is to spend around 500$pppn for around 7-8 nights, can somebody please help me out, thanks, Sonali.

Gosh somebody answer, where are u Johan, napamatt, lungwablondes, predator biologist, roccco,hari, travelynn, leely, Eben,thit-cho, Julian,patty, (bat should be back),
WRITE Sonali.

Sonali, the Serengeti plains are beautiful in April but don't tell too many people...

All of my safaris have been in August, except by trip to Kruger and the Sabi Sands, which was in late May, so I have no experience in April, but according to the chart accessed via the following link, April is the cruelest month (apologies to T.S. Eliot):

http://www.africa-adventure.com/dsp_besttime.html

But, since the migration generally moves clockwise around the Serengeti/Mara ecosystem, with significant pauses, of course, part of that large park is likely worth visiting in April.

Sonali,

Lions can't be guaranteed of course.

Has it looks at the moment driving conditions won't be easy that time of year at most of the Delta camps.

Yesterday I received an e-mail from Kenny from Chitabe trails talking about the huge amount of rain they received already. And today I just read the newsletter from Duba Plains on the Wilderness Safaris website.

I would go for Chitabe/Chitabe trails and one of the camps in the Sabi Sands.

In Etosha there are not that many lions around, so you should be lucky.

Greetings,

Johan

Sonali,

April.......honestly this particular year....your best bet is around the private reserves of the Kruger....with all the floods and heavy rain in Bots

Yes, with Serengeti you know the Central Serengeti always has lots of cats!!! with on going drought, maybe that's the bet. What's the latest on your passport........i just sent my passport for additional pages, bearing in mind.......we indians need visas to go everywhere

Sonali,
I have no advice, just wanted to say good luck with this. I know you've been counting on a lion-heavy safari for a while now. Maybe just take a chance with Serengeti in April and then let everyone here know how it goes?

Take care.

Hi folks, just got up, good morning,thanks for all the input

Atleast I am going to kanha on the 26th of feb so that's still kept me in better spirits

Eben, thanks for championing serengeti in april, which camps would u choose for april to maximise predator viewing and the migration...

Micheal thanks for the chart, it's a great help

Johan, yes I think chitabe should be interesting, also which camp would u suggest in the sabi sands. It's sad to know about etosha. I feel all african countries which allow trophy hunting are losing more cats everyday...It's a pity

Hari, I wish I had to add only pages to my passport, that gets done pretty quickly, u lucky... as always
How much time does it take to get a southafrican visa??? I know we Indians needs visas to go everywhere,and which camps would u suggest in the private reserves of south africa...

Thanks leely for your good luck, looks that I seriously need it.

Sonali.

Sonali my dear

What's this lust for those lazy & heavy ?

switch to BIRDS !

. . .

Sonali,

Hi! Any of the private reserves.....they are all good for lions and leopards......bear in mind IMO, there is no other place that has great quantity and quality leopard viewing.

Look around.......options would include Malamala, Londolozi/ngala (Maybe you can work out good rates with CCafrica if you do both?), Sabi Sabi

life will b much easier 'cause birds R:
# more beautiful !!!
# more interesting
# more abundant
# so many good places 2go2
# CANNOT MISS birds !!
# CAN miss so many species !!! (but no matter what - a birder cannot b unhappy about sightings. there's always so many exciting behaviours, ecological insights, surprises, other events. Of course we not counting those who come to 'tick' lists...)

aby

Hi aby, U know at times I wish I was fond of birds, but I just have this passion for lions!!!! Come on they are not lazy and heavy, poor guys at times they donnot have enough food to eat and also thier cubs are killed by other lions many many times. It is a tough life being a lion even though they are on top of the food chain.
I dunno buts it's lions and lions and lions for me and I donnot think it is going to change.
The second best spot would go to polar bears, they are awesome, I saw 10-15 in a cruise around svalbard last year, another great predator,
Sonali

Sonali,

You are lucky to have this lion obsession......thankfully, they are the most common predator to spot in Africa besides the spotted hyenas.....

On the flip side...you want to see looooooooooots of them......now, that's a different topic in itself....

Can't envision me in a cruise ship, Sonali......i can't stay locked in there for days......

Sonali,

I can't give you any suggestions out of my experience which camps to visit in the Sabi Sands because I haven't been there yet.

I'll go for the first time to Mala Mala this year.

Maybe Matt or Rocco (or many others can help you with your choice of camp over there)?

Like you know I am a real Delta rat and that isn't likely gonna change.

Greetings,

Johan

Gosh!!! Johan, Mala Mala is completely different from the Botswana camps you r used to.........

If you are at the main camp,

a.) You get the feel of a huge hotel with the twin bathrooms etc.,etc.,
b.) just lots of people comparitively

However, i guarantee

phenomenal leopard sightings and photographic opportunity.......i can only compare the leopard viewing here with that at Mombo.....

Rgds
Hari

Hey Sonali
of course i was kidding {without :-)'s}

Yours is some passion for the Panthera leo !!

Now - getting serious: i've been many times at Mara GR in april in different years. had good lion sightings (though prides tend to b more dispersed usually)

We came to Mara Shikar/Paradise with combies (minibuses) & the lodge tractor
accompanied us to certain areas of the game drive... imagine.
U can manage with 2WD in many parts of Mara even in the rainy season but in some areas...

PS Lions do not evaporate in april - i'm sure u'll enjoy !!
aby

Hari, I did expedition cruising in svalbard. The ship I was on was an ice breaker and we were only 50-60 people on board as passengers. We had an expedition team to guide us for the landings via zodiac boats and give lectures on the flora, fauna and the geological nature of svalbard. There were 8 members in the expedition team, one was a marine biologist, others were a glaciologist, mammologist,orinthologist, culture specialist etc....
You are definately not stuck on the boat because u do 2 landings everyday and once u land some people opt for a long hike and some for a short hike, Once the ship dropped some adventurous people on one side on the island and picked them up on the other side(10km walk).
The experience of standing at the bow of the ship and experiencing it breaking pack ice is awesome.
I met alot of interesting people on board the ship who had gone to antarctica.

Also there is an open bridge policy on the ship and u can sit with the captain and expedition leader and chart your route with the help of a sextant through the pack ice and narrow ice filled straits!!! It was amazing, the view u get from the bridge is great and navigating via the sextant is fun. Also they have charts showing the depth of the water and a pack ice chart showing how the polar ice cap moves
I have The whole log book and ice chart as well as the route map along with sightings on paper and on cd along with photos....
Sonali.

Johan, thanks for the insight about Sabi sands. When are u going to mala mala game reserve and if u haven't been to east africa, I think u would love tanzania, both the northern and southern portion.... u must do a trip, I am sure u will enjoy it, Sonali.

Aby I am doing the mara this year definately in august/sept.....yes mara at any time of the year would be great,and yes lions donnot evaporate in april but they are well hidden in the tall grass and some of the cats migrate, but I do love the mara, Sonali.

Sonali.......my apologies......reading your note.......that particular expedition sounds awesome!!! with the walks etc etc factored in......

Maybe some day.......but it's Africa now and for the foreseeable future.....BTW, i am off to Mudumallai/bandipur wildlife areas for the weekend.......

Hari, It's Ok, just wanted u to know that svalbard is a great place..
Write a trip report about madumallai and bandipur once u come back, Sonali.

ttt

Sonali and Hari,

I'll be at Mala Mala main camp end of May/beginning of June this year.

Mala mala is well known for its leopard sightings... so it was about time to check that one out.

I've been to Tanzania and Kenya and loved it but if I can choose well... you know.

But I am planning to do the mother of all trips to Tanzania in 2008. (Selous/Mahale/Ruaha/Katavi/Serengeti/Ngorongoro)

Greetings,

Johan

Sonali, I saw lots of polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba last October. I did a trip report, on both the Africa and Canada forums, that have provide the link to my photos. Should be easy to find by putting "polar" in the search box.

Johan, nice to know u have been to east africa.. It's gorgeous. I think u would enjoy the southern portion alot in 2008, keep us posted about your proposed trip!!!! mala mala should be great, never been there but have heard great reviews

Micheal, Wow, thanks somebody shares my passion for polar bears...just going to check your trip report,
Sonali.

Sonali,

I say, let's plan a whole Tanzania trip for 2007??? Serengeti for 5 nights....then the southern parks i.e Selous, Ruaha, Katavi etc. etc.,

Lemme know what u think......

Hari, that's a fabulous idea...
just started thinking of a dream itiernary... will post it sooooon,
Bon voyage for mudumallai(see the tigers)
Sonali

Sonali,

To answer your question about where I was, it was at work! No chance to check the boards. Sorry about the passport.

Johan,

When in 2008 are you planning on Southern Tanzania? I was strongly considering that too for about Aug 2008.

Lynn,

I was thinking to go in July 2008.

I got something of the following in mind:

- Mahale (4 nights);
- Katavi (7 nights);
- Ruaha (5 nights);
- Selous (4 nights);
- Ngorongoro (3 nights);
- Serengeti (10 nights).

Not particularly in that order.

I am planning to book it early 2007.

Greetings,

Johan

No experience with April, sorry (I was in Montana so am just catching up on my reading here ;) ) but good luck with your passport and safari plans! Let us know what you decide.

Hi Patty, been ages since we interacted!!! Hey MOntana. I have been to the canadian rockies, banff, lake louise and jasper and the ice fields in between, simply loved it.....cheauteau lake louise is a lovely hotel(stayed there for 3 nights) set on the edge of the lake.... beautiful.Sonali

ttt

Hi folks, would really appreciate if u could help me with my remaing 4 nights at serengeti in april. The first 4-5 nights I am staying with nomad/sayari or CCA and the other 3-4 nights, I am planning central region serengeti. Any idea which camps/lodges I should stay at
Sonali.

Johan,

This thread is going all over the place from Montana to the Serengeti! If you care to share any of your findings on those Southern Tanzanian locations, I'd love to receive any info--either on Fodor's or my email. If I don't go until 2009, which is also posssible, I can just read the details of your report.

Yes, Johan, i would be interested in knowing more about your research about Southern Tanzania.....

Sonali,

Honestly, you should give South Africa a try...any of the Sabi Sands reserves......i'm sure CCAfrica don't charge a single supplement charge......you can combine Londolozi/ngala/phinda

They are all good for predators, and you can follow the big cats for as long as you wish.......the best thing is, there is never a bad time to visit these areas.....you are always going to get to see good game...