Chris_GA_Atl

Well, I have been spoiling to go back to Africa ever since we visited last time in January 2007. We just finalized our itinerary for our June-July '09 trip, and I am really excited about it. I'd be interested in comments or feedback.

The primary purpose behind this trip was to take care of a piece of unfinished business from our 2003 visit to Cape Town: great white shark diving. Our last trip there was in late September, not the best time of year for sharks. So, although we saw several predation events around Seal Island, we did not get any breaching sharks on the decoy and no sharks interested in hanging around the boat, so we weren't able to get in the water with them.

This time, we aren't taking any chances. We start off with a week in Cape Town, 5 days of which we will spend on Rob Lawrence's boat, Blue Pointer, at Seal Island in False Bay. We will also, of course, try to catch up with Selwyn for at least one dinner while we are there! Our primary goals for this part of the trip will be cage diving and trying to get pictures of the sharks breaching on the seal decoy.

After that, we head up to Arusha and do the following:
-- 1 night Coffee Lodge / Arusha
-- 3 nights Tarangire / Oliver's Camp
-- 2 nights Crater / NCL
-- 3 nights Sayari / Northern Serengeti
-- 3 nights CCA Tanzania Under Canvas Camp 1 / Western Corridor
-- 2 nights Hemingway's Camp / Kilimanjaro

We are hoping, based on the time of year we will be in Tanzania (early July), to see the migration heading north and maybe even a river crossing at the Grumeti or Mara Rivers. It will all depend on the rainfall patterns, but we are hoping to get lucky.

Anyway, we are really excited about the trip (even though it is a long way off), and I'd love to hear any comments anyone has about the itinerary.

Chris

thit_cho

I canīt comment on the Tanzania portion (its been nearly 10 years since I was there), but its interesting to see someone else repeat the cage diving experience. On my first try, in May 2000, we saw very little shark action, so I went again in August 2002, and it was much better, even though I only spent one day on the water (lots of sharks around the boat, and I saw several from underwater).

Michael

atravelynn

Great trip and great variety. There are some shark pics posted on my Penguins to Puku report. The album contains my pics and a set of 4 sent to me by a guy with a long lense with the 10 frames per second feature who spent 2 days on the boat. You've reminded me to update the original shark report with pics as well.

We really do travel in the same circles. I'll be using Volcanes Safaris in Aug.

atravelynn

Are you doing croc cage diving? That is about 5 hours away from Cape Town, I beleive.

Chris_GA_Atl

Michael -- I remember you telling me about your second shark trip to Cape Town. We have been itching to go back ever since our first unsucessful try in 2003. I hope we have as much luk as you did on your second trip.

Lynn -- those pictures were great, both yours and the other person's. We are taking a 1D Mark III, 40D, 70-200/2.8 and 300/2.8 for the jumping sharks. Chris Fallows told me he uses a 70-200/2.8 for all of his pictures, so at least I know we have the right gear. Now we just have to see if we have the right skill ...

And no, no crocodile cage diving. The croc reference was to the idea of perhaps seeing crocs in action on the Grumeti and Mara Rivers in the Serengeti.

Where are you going with Volcanoes Safaris? Back to Rwanda? Uganda?

Chris

atravelynn

Yes, both Rwanda and Uganda but only Rwanda for gorillas.

Leely2

Chris, I'm looking forward to another one of your incredible photo galleries. Itinerary looks great!

Chris_GA_Atl

Lynn, how many gorilla treks are you doing in Rwanda? And are you going back to Ngamba Island?

Leely, we are going to do our best on the photos -- thank you for your kind words!

Chris