TZ Trip Report, Part 2: Katavi & Mahale
Jan 16th, 2010, 05:17 PM
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TZ Trip Report, Part 2: Katavi & Mahale
Part 1, Mikumi & Ruaha was posted earlier. This is Part 2...
Katavi National Park
Photos link here: http://tinyurl.com/y8l985q
The flight from Ruaha to Katavi was about 1:45hrs. Katuma Bush Lodge is situated on the edge of the Katasunga Plain and consists of about a half dozen chalets that are tents set up on a stilted platform and with a corrugated roof overhead. The main lounge/bar/dining area is an attractive space under thatch with a view out over the plains.
Highlights of the first drive on the afternoon of arrival were a number of large crocs and a large hippo wallow. There must have been a couple hundred hippos, a very powerful odor, and occasional commotion as one animal disturbed or challenged another. Didn’t look very appealing to me, but the hippos seemed to be enjoying it.
I heard leopard coughing in the predawn and, as we hadn’t seen one yet, we went looking in an area where one is often seen. Our guide West was a wonderful guy, very accommodating, a Zimbabwean. We had no luck with leopard but did see lots of the usual suspects (including topi!), some really large crocs, and what I think was a brown snake eagle. Late in the afternoon, we stopped by a palm bush that was just loaded with very young and baby vervet monkeys. They were a riot! We also met up with a small herd of elephants returning from a drink and a mud bath at a stream, and approaching to cross the road. We stopped to give them clearance and to watch them pass. One feisty guy didn’t care for our presence and put on a tough-guy show of ear-flappin’, foot-stompin’ mock charges and trumpet blasts. Some in our party got this on video and I hope they might post it. This elephant had a curious round hole in his left ear, which is clearly visible in a posted picture.
The following morning, we were off for an all-day drive and a destination called “Paradise,” where animal concentrations were said to always be good. Our first sighting of the day was a couple of side-striped jackal. One of a pair of sighted warthogs sported a HUGELY disproportionate right tusk. We also found four lion cubs, which West identified as members of the Chada pride. These were four of a total of six. The two adult males and four lionesses of this pride were not seen on this occasion (we did eventually see the lionesses and just one of the adult males).
Continuing on and following the road skirting the Chada Plain, a thick solid line of black could be seen far out on the plain. Though driving off road is not strictly within the rules, our guide bent them a bit and drove about a mile out onto the plain to face a huge herd of hundreds of buffalo. There’s a short video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plmBLl9-nuo
Returning across the plain to the road, we encountered a hippo with an erupted tusk and some recent battle damage (open wounds) that were being picked at by some ox peckers. Also a small bachelor herd of topi. “Paradise” was an attractive floodplain bordered by palms, but a bit disappointing as the expected concentrations of animals simply weren’t there. West actually apologized, saying he had not seen it so quiet before. Nonetheless, there were a number of hippos, a variety of bird life, and a smattering of general game. Tse tse flies had been bothersome on some segments of the drive to Paradise, but were not a problem here.
Retracing our steps back towards camp, we eventually again ran into the four young lions seen earlier, this time along with two adult females. Also a handsome waterbuck, who was being driven to distraction by an ox pecker that was evidently irritating a wound or sensitive spot far back above the rump. The poor waterbuck would try to shake that damn bird off, run in circles, etc., but the bird just jumped off and landed again and again... He was always just out of reach. There’s a short video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9awEB0voUm0&NR=1
To return to Katuma, you pass by both Fox’s Camp and Flycatcher’s Camp, which basically face one another across a small stream and floodplain (Katuma is then maybe ¾ or 1 mile further on). Beyond Flycatcher’s we could see a large number of large birds (vultures) in an isolated tree, so we drove to investigate. Here we found the six cubs and two of the lionesses of the local Katuma Pride. The cubs represent two each from three litters at roughly three, six, and nine months of age. They were huddled in the shade, and one very cute tiny cub was playing “inside” the several stems of the tree they were all under. Nearby were the vultures and the remains of a buffalo carcass. The late afternoon light was good, so we stayed here a while to observe and take photos.
Just as we were sitting down to begin dinner, one of the staff came into the dining area to say there was a python out behind the kitchen. This naturally emptied the dining areas as everyone, guests, hosts, and staff alike, headed out back to see. The snake was moving from one tree to another, across the ground, and then up and disappearing into the branches above.
The following morning saw a light rain, the first of the season, between 4am and 7am, after which we were out again in the fruitless hope of finding a leopard. Eventually, however, we again encountered members of the Chada Pride. First, three youngsters who had been left with a buffalo kill to eat and keep an eye on while mom and dad were off doing something else. Then the adults, who were engaged in mating, were found. A subadult male was exhibiting considerable curiosity in this activity but was roundly chased off each time he approached to investigate more closely. Meanwhile, a journey of giraffe kept a discreet distance but kept their gaze steadily on the lions to make sure they didn’t suddenly lose interest in their activity and turn their attentions to the giraffe themselves. Here’s a short video with the male acting either reluctant or confused (he did do better on other attempts): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EclxB6ThI5A
After lunch, we went out and revisited both the Katuma Pride cubs & females (seen the previous day under the tree with the buffalo kill), and the Chada Pride cubs and mating pair.
Our final morning at Katavi saw an elephant visiting the back-camp (evidently a frequent visitor), and a final visit with the Katuma Pride females who were camped right out in front of camp... Then, off by light aircraft to Mahale.
Mahale Mountains National Park
The flight to Mahale was brief, perhaps 45 minutes, and the landing approach quite steep. Overrunning the airstrip here would put you into Lake Tanganyika. Here we had a brief wait for the camp manager and his boatman to arrive in their motor dhow for the 1.5-hour boat ride to Kungwe Camp. Several women came by, having collected water from the lake at the foot of the airstrip and carrying 5-gallon buckets on their heads. How do these women do that? Five gallons of water weighs about 40 pounds!
Once aboard the dhow, we had some difficulty getting underway, as the anchor had evidently gotten hung up in the rocky bottom. After several attempts to dislodge it from above, the boatman peeled off his shirt to dive in. I thought the ladies on board would swoon at the sight – he looked like the cover hero on a romance novel! I was very happy that I didn’t have to take MY shirt off... Anyway, a few dives to the bottom and he had us free to depart.
Motoring down the shore of Lake Tanganyika was quite scenic. At first, we passed by a couple of villages with quantities of fish laid out drying on the beach, and then passed into the park. The mountains rise steeply from the lake, and you could discern the park boundary ascending the slope by a noticeable change in color – harvesting trees and removing wood (for firewood) occurs right up to the border, but is not permitted in the park itself.
As seen from the lake, Kungwe Camp is a vision. A beautiful thatched dining and lounge building, along with thatch-roofed chalets (tents set up on stilts on raised wooden platforms) situated on a lovely beach, with the “jungle” and steeply-rising Nkungwe Mountain rising immediately behind. What a setting. After the usual greetings and briefing from the managers and staff, we were off to our chalets to unpack. Within minutes, however, the manager was back to each chalet saying we should assemble in the lounge area as a group of chimps had just entered camp. Fabulous! Not even unpacked yet, and there are chimps in camp!
The senior guide here is Sixtus and, from all accounts, he is highly respected by the local rangers and even the guides from competing camps. He gave us the run-down on the rules. You must wear a surgical mask whenever you are within 50 meters of the chimps (evidently, a few chimps in past years had died of what appeared to be influenza, so the masks are a precaution against transmitting disease to them), and you may not approach closer than 10 meters (although it was not uncommon to have chimps approach much closer, usually in the act of walking past you from point A to point B). We donned our masks and he led us to the chimps. There were about 10 chimps in this group, including the alpha male, Pim. These chimps are part of M Group, which I believe is the only group habituated to humans that tourists can see. They’ve been studied constantly by a group of Japanese researchers for 40 or more years. Whenever we encountered chimps over the next few days, there was always either a Japanese researcher or a local technician present, observing and making field notes.
We spent about an hour with these chimps in camp, and then returned to the dining area for a late lunch, after which we immediately left on a forest walk. We soon met up with a Ranger on the path, and he led us to the chimps that had previously been in camp. We followed and watched them for an hour before returning to camp.
In addition to Kungwe Camp, there are two others situated on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, with Flycatcher’s located to the north of Kungwe and Greystoke located to the south. A TANAPA Ranger is required to be with guests when viewing chimps (though not when the chimps have wandered into camp!), group size is limited (8 or 10 people, max, I believe), and time is limited to one hour per session. Kungwe sends their own tracker out very early in the mornings to find where the chimps are and report back to camp via radio. Generally, they seem to employ a strategy of hanging back in camp and allowing guests from the other camps to “go first.” The idea is that, if there is no one waiting behind you, the Ranger may be a bit flexible on the one hour time limit. Also, the chimps are said to be more active later in the morning rather than first thing in the morning.
On the morning of our first full day, we set out on a walk around 9:15, and encountered 6 or 7 chimps about an hour later. We stayed with them for 45 minutes, then set out to find a larger group that Kungwe’s scout had reported as being in the next valley. This is where the walk turned into a trek... It started to rain as we climbed steeply upward and then down the other side, crossed streams and slippery rocks... We met up with a Ranger who was headed the other way with a group of German tourists and their guide. We hijacked him to turn around and accompany us to the chimps. It took some doing, but the chimps were found around 12:00. They were somewhat on-the-move, stop for a while, then go, and we kept with them for well over an hour before heading back.
That afternoon, we went for a scenic boat trip down the coast, past Greystoke. Lake Tanganyika is the world’s second or third largest fresh water lake (by volume) and is second only to Lake Baikal for depth. The steep mountain slopes bordering the lake continue their steep decline beneath the water’s surface and, drifting just 50 meters or so off shore, we were in 120 meters of water. Several folks tried their luck fishing with hand lines, with Sixtus having the best results. Among other things, he caught a little sardine, left it on the hook, and soon brought up a nice looking yellow belly. Being on the lake, and with a difficult supply chain for fresh meat, fish caught by the staff was a feature of most evening meals at Kungwe. There were many palm nut vultures seen along the lakeshore. These have got to be the most attractive looking vultures anywhere. We enjoyed sundowners on the lake, watching the sun set over the Congo...
The following morning, a 2-hour hike was required to locate the chimps. They were quite active and moving through the forest in the trees and on the ground, stopping periodically and, at one point, joined by a second group of chimps. We spent nearly 2 hours with these chimps and observed lots of interaction, particularly grooming themselves and one another. Pim, the alpha, gave close grooming attention to a subordinate chimp. Evidently, he maintains his position not only by intimidation but also by granting favors to subordinates. When it was time to return to camp, we had to pass two chimps who had parked themselves in the middle of the foot path, walking by them within touching distance and making eye contact...
After lunch, the chimps were again in camp, sparing us the need to go hiking to find them. Pim was again among the group and, at some point, something set him off, as he charged another chimp, screaming and with teeth bared. This set off quite a ruckus, with all the chimps screaming and moving about. It was actually a bit frightening and made me think of the opening sequence of “2001, A Space Odyssey,” where one group of chimps chases another group away from the waterhole... Once things calmed down, Pim strode passed one of the women of our group and gave her a deliberate shove as he passed. He was letting her know who’s boss, I guess, and she said that the shove was powerful enough to get the message across without pushing her over. Yikes!
We left Kungwe the following day, flying from Mahale to Katavi to Ruaha to Dar. Here we parted ways, with two of the group continuing on to the Mara and the rest of us heading home.
I really enjoyed the chimp experience and now want even more to see the gorillas before it’s too late...
Katavi National Park
Photos link here: http://tinyurl.com/y8l985q
The flight from Ruaha to Katavi was about 1:45hrs. Katuma Bush Lodge is situated on the edge of the Katasunga Plain and consists of about a half dozen chalets that are tents set up on a stilted platform and with a corrugated roof overhead. The main lounge/bar/dining area is an attractive space under thatch with a view out over the plains.
Highlights of the first drive on the afternoon of arrival were a number of large crocs and a large hippo wallow. There must have been a couple hundred hippos, a very powerful odor, and occasional commotion as one animal disturbed or challenged another. Didn’t look very appealing to me, but the hippos seemed to be enjoying it.
I heard leopard coughing in the predawn and, as we hadn’t seen one yet, we went looking in an area where one is often seen. Our guide West was a wonderful guy, very accommodating, a Zimbabwean. We had no luck with leopard but did see lots of the usual suspects (including topi!), some really large crocs, and what I think was a brown snake eagle. Late in the afternoon, we stopped by a palm bush that was just loaded with very young and baby vervet monkeys. They were a riot! We also met up with a small herd of elephants returning from a drink and a mud bath at a stream, and approaching to cross the road. We stopped to give them clearance and to watch them pass. One feisty guy didn’t care for our presence and put on a tough-guy show of ear-flappin’, foot-stompin’ mock charges and trumpet blasts. Some in our party got this on video and I hope they might post it. This elephant had a curious round hole in his left ear, which is clearly visible in a posted picture.
The following morning, we were off for an all-day drive and a destination called “Paradise,” where animal concentrations were said to always be good. Our first sighting of the day was a couple of side-striped jackal. One of a pair of sighted warthogs sported a HUGELY disproportionate right tusk. We also found four lion cubs, which West identified as members of the Chada pride. These were four of a total of six. The two adult males and four lionesses of this pride were not seen on this occasion (we did eventually see the lionesses and just one of the adult males).
Continuing on and following the road skirting the Chada Plain, a thick solid line of black could be seen far out on the plain. Though driving off road is not strictly within the rules, our guide bent them a bit and drove about a mile out onto the plain to face a huge herd of hundreds of buffalo. There’s a short video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plmBLl9-nuo
Returning across the plain to the road, we encountered a hippo with an erupted tusk and some recent battle damage (open wounds) that were being picked at by some ox peckers. Also a small bachelor herd of topi. “Paradise” was an attractive floodplain bordered by palms, but a bit disappointing as the expected concentrations of animals simply weren’t there. West actually apologized, saying he had not seen it so quiet before. Nonetheless, there were a number of hippos, a variety of bird life, and a smattering of general game. Tse tse flies had been bothersome on some segments of the drive to Paradise, but were not a problem here.
Retracing our steps back towards camp, we eventually again ran into the four young lions seen earlier, this time along with two adult females. Also a handsome waterbuck, who was being driven to distraction by an ox pecker that was evidently irritating a wound or sensitive spot far back above the rump. The poor waterbuck would try to shake that damn bird off, run in circles, etc., but the bird just jumped off and landed again and again... He was always just out of reach. There’s a short video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9awEB0voUm0&NR=1
To return to Katuma, you pass by both Fox’s Camp and Flycatcher’s Camp, which basically face one another across a small stream and floodplain (Katuma is then maybe ¾ or 1 mile further on). Beyond Flycatcher’s we could see a large number of large birds (vultures) in an isolated tree, so we drove to investigate. Here we found the six cubs and two of the lionesses of the local Katuma Pride. The cubs represent two each from three litters at roughly three, six, and nine months of age. They were huddled in the shade, and one very cute tiny cub was playing “inside” the several stems of the tree they were all under. Nearby were the vultures and the remains of a buffalo carcass. The late afternoon light was good, so we stayed here a while to observe and take photos.
Just as we were sitting down to begin dinner, one of the staff came into the dining area to say there was a python out behind the kitchen. This naturally emptied the dining areas as everyone, guests, hosts, and staff alike, headed out back to see. The snake was moving from one tree to another, across the ground, and then up and disappearing into the branches above.
The following morning saw a light rain, the first of the season, between 4am and 7am, after which we were out again in the fruitless hope of finding a leopard. Eventually, however, we again encountered members of the Chada Pride. First, three youngsters who had been left with a buffalo kill to eat and keep an eye on while mom and dad were off doing something else. Then the adults, who were engaged in mating, were found. A subadult male was exhibiting considerable curiosity in this activity but was roundly chased off each time he approached to investigate more closely. Meanwhile, a journey of giraffe kept a discreet distance but kept their gaze steadily on the lions to make sure they didn’t suddenly lose interest in their activity and turn their attentions to the giraffe themselves. Here’s a short video with the male acting either reluctant or confused (he did do better on other attempts): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EclxB6ThI5A
After lunch, we went out and revisited both the Katuma Pride cubs & females (seen the previous day under the tree with the buffalo kill), and the Chada Pride cubs and mating pair.
Our final morning at Katavi saw an elephant visiting the back-camp (evidently a frequent visitor), and a final visit with the Katuma Pride females who were camped right out in front of camp... Then, off by light aircraft to Mahale.
Mahale Mountains National Park
The flight to Mahale was brief, perhaps 45 minutes, and the landing approach quite steep. Overrunning the airstrip here would put you into Lake Tanganyika. Here we had a brief wait for the camp manager and his boatman to arrive in their motor dhow for the 1.5-hour boat ride to Kungwe Camp. Several women came by, having collected water from the lake at the foot of the airstrip and carrying 5-gallon buckets on their heads. How do these women do that? Five gallons of water weighs about 40 pounds!
Once aboard the dhow, we had some difficulty getting underway, as the anchor had evidently gotten hung up in the rocky bottom. After several attempts to dislodge it from above, the boatman peeled off his shirt to dive in. I thought the ladies on board would swoon at the sight – he looked like the cover hero on a romance novel! I was very happy that I didn’t have to take MY shirt off... Anyway, a few dives to the bottom and he had us free to depart.
Motoring down the shore of Lake Tanganyika was quite scenic. At first, we passed by a couple of villages with quantities of fish laid out drying on the beach, and then passed into the park. The mountains rise steeply from the lake, and you could discern the park boundary ascending the slope by a noticeable change in color – harvesting trees and removing wood (for firewood) occurs right up to the border, but is not permitted in the park itself.
As seen from the lake, Kungwe Camp is a vision. A beautiful thatched dining and lounge building, along with thatch-roofed chalets (tents set up on stilts on raised wooden platforms) situated on a lovely beach, with the “jungle” and steeply-rising Nkungwe Mountain rising immediately behind. What a setting. After the usual greetings and briefing from the managers and staff, we were off to our chalets to unpack. Within minutes, however, the manager was back to each chalet saying we should assemble in the lounge area as a group of chimps had just entered camp. Fabulous! Not even unpacked yet, and there are chimps in camp!
The senior guide here is Sixtus and, from all accounts, he is highly respected by the local rangers and even the guides from competing camps. He gave us the run-down on the rules. You must wear a surgical mask whenever you are within 50 meters of the chimps (evidently, a few chimps in past years had died of what appeared to be influenza, so the masks are a precaution against transmitting disease to them), and you may not approach closer than 10 meters (although it was not uncommon to have chimps approach much closer, usually in the act of walking past you from point A to point B). We donned our masks and he led us to the chimps. There were about 10 chimps in this group, including the alpha male, Pim. These chimps are part of M Group, which I believe is the only group habituated to humans that tourists can see. They’ve been studied constantly by a group of Japanese researchers for 40 or more years. Whenever we encountered chimps over the next few days, there was always either a Japanese researcher or a local technician present, observing and making field notes.
We spent about an hour with these chimps in camp, and then returned to the dining area for a late lunch, after which we immediately left on a forest walk. We soon met up with a Ranger on the path, and he led us to the chimps that had previously been in camp. We followed and watched them for an hour before returning to camp.
In addition to Kungwe Camp, there are two others situated on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, with Flycatcher’s located to the north of Kungwe and Greystoke located to the south. A TANAPA Ranger is required to be with guests when viewing chimps (though not when the chimps have wandered into camp!), group size is limited (8 or 10 people, max, I believe), and time is limited to one hour per session. Kungwe sends their own tracker out very early in the mornings to find where the chimps are and report back to camp via radio. Generally, they seem to employ a strategy of hanging back in camp and allowing guests from the other camps to “go first.” The idea is that, if there is no one waiting behind you, the Ranger may be a bit flexible on the one hour time limit. Also, the chimps are said to be more active later in the morning rather than first thing in the morning.
On the morning of our first full day, we set out on a walk around 9:15, and encountered 6 or 7 chimps about an hour later. We stayed with them for 45 minutes, then set out to find a larger group that Kungwe’s scout had reported as being in the next valley. This is where the walk turned into a trek... It started to rain as we climbed steeply upward and then down the other side, crossed streams and slippery rocks... We met up with a Ranger who was headed the other way with a group of German tourists and their guide. We hijacked him to turn around and accompany us to the chimps. It took some doing, but the chimps were found around 12:00. They were somewhat on-the-move, stop for a while, then go, and we kept with them for well over an hour before heading back.
That afternoon, we went for a scenic boat trip down the coast, past Greystoke. Lake Tanganyika is the world’s second or third largest fresh water lake (by volume) and is second only to Lake Baikal for depth. The steep mountain slopes bordering the lake continue their steep decline beneath the water’s surface and, drifting just 50 meters or so off shore, we were in 120 meters of water. Several folks tried their luck fishing with hand lines, with Sixtus having the best results. Among other things, he caught a little sardine, left it on the hook, and soon brought up a nice looking yellow belly. Being on the lake, and with a difficult supply chain for fresh meat, fish caught by the staff was a feature of most evening meals at Kungwe. There were many palm nut vultures seen along the lakeshore. These have got to be the most attractive looking vultures anywhere. We enjoyed sundowners on the lake, watching the sun set over the Congo...
The following morning, a 2-hour hike was required to locate the chimps. They were quite active and moving through the forest in the trees and on the ground, stopping periodically and, at one point, joined by a second group of chimps. We spent nearly 2 hours with these chimps and observed lots of interaction, particularly grooming themselves and one another. Pim, the alpha, gave close grooming attention to a subordinate chimp. Evidently, he maintains his position not only by intimidation but also by granting favors to subordinates. When it was time to return to camp, we had to pass two chimps who had parked themselves in the middle of the foot path, walking by them within touching distance and making eye contact...
After lunch, the chimps were again in camp, sparing us the need to go hiking to find them. Pim was again among the group and, at some point, something set him off, as he charged another chimp, screaming and with teeth bared. This set off quite a ruckus, with all the chimps screaming and moving about. It was actually a bit frightening and made me think of the opening sequence of “2001, A Space Odyssey,” where one group of chimps chases another group away from the waterhole... Once things calmed down, Pim strode passed one of the women of our group and gave her a deliberate shove as he passed. He was letting her know who’s boss, I guess, and she said that the shove was powerful enough to get the message across without pushing her over. Yikes!
We left Kungwe the following day, flying from Mahale to Katavi to Ruaha to Dar. Here we parted ways, with two of the group continuing on to the Mara and the rest of us heading home.
I really enjoyed the chimp experience and now want even more to see the gorillas before it’s too late...
Jan 16th, 2010, 05:45 PM
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Oh great rick. Chimps were not as high on my list as other Africa things, but now you've made me want to see them too. You think I'm made out of money? 
Seriously, sounds like a great trip and many thanks for posting.
Seriously, sounds like a great trip and many thanks for posting.
Jan 16th, 2010, 08:18 PM
#3
Great job, Rick! I was there and reading your report makes me want to go again 
. I definitely need to go through my pictures again because your report reminds me of so many things we saw. That pond full of hippos was quite amazing. I have never seen anything like it. After all of the hippos we saw I still don't have the yawning hippo picture I want.
That chimp "scuffle" scared me, too. It was so LOUD. I had no idea what was going to happen. Caesar was my favorite chimp. He was a cutie.
I see you left the tsetse flies out of your report. They were horrible and I hope to never see them again. Of course my body's reaction was a little severe.
Your photos are great as are your videos. So many great lion pictures! And chimps! I forgot about the chimp flipping you off - haha.
. I definitely need to go through my pictures again because your report reminds me of so many things we saw. That pond full of hippos was quite amazing. I have never seen anything like it. After all of the hippos we saw I still don't have the yawning hippo picture I want.That chimp "scuffle" scared me, too. It was so LOUD. I had no idea what was going to happen. Caesar was my favorite chimp. He was a cutie.
I see you left the tsetse flies out of your report.
They were horrible and I hope to never see them again. Of course my body's reaction was a little severe.Your photos are great as are your videos. So many great lion pictures! And chimps! I forgot about the chimp flipping you off - haha.
Jan 17th, 2010, 05:08 AM
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Those chimp pictures are amazing!
Is that pretty typical for a visit there or were you unusually lucky?
The chimp giving you "the finger" is hilarious! Did he do that on purpose??? Is it the same in "chimpese" as it is for us?
One more place to add to my list of "must sees"......I guess I need to start buying lottery tickets!
Is that pretty typical for a visit there or were you unusually lucky?
The chimp giving you "the finger" is hilarious! Did he do that on purpose??? Is it the same in "chimpese" as it is for us?
One more place to add to my list of "must sees"......I guess I need to start buying lottery tickets!
Jan 17th, 2010, 07:50 AM
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There was a fruiting tree behind one of the tents at Kungwe camp that the chimps liked. At this time of year (September), the chimps usually visit camp every two to three days, according to the camp staff. Guests at the other camps came over by boat to see them. We just walked a few steps. The camp manager said that August and September were good months to see the chimps, as they are lower down on the mountain slopes for the fruit.
After the chimps left the camp that first afternoon, we followed them into the forest. There, we saw one fishing for termites in a tree trunk. It was really fascinating to see the behaviour I had read about.
After the chimps left the camp that first afternoon, we followed them into the forest. There, we saw one fishing for termites in a tree trunk. It was really fascinating to see the behaviour I had read about.
Jan 17th, 2010, 10:22 AM
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Wonderful report and pictures. I am planning a trip to Ruaha, Katavi and Mahale next year. Did you stay 4 nights Katavi and 3 Mahale? Would you suggest the reverse? Any negatives about Katuma and Kungwe camps?
Jan 17th, 2010, 12:27 PM
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raelond, yes, we did 4n Katavi & 3n Mahale, and I would suggest you do the same. 3n was enough for the chimps, and we saw them every day, twice a day in fact (except for the afternoon we went for the boat drive). What time of year are you going? For some interesting and useful info on Katavi, you might want to read post #12 and post #14 by Paulo at this link: http://tinyurl.com/ya2cobz
Jan 17th, 2010, 06:28 PM
#8
<i>...we had some difficulty getting underway, as the anchor had evidently gotten hung up in the rocky bottom. After several attempts to dislodge it from above, the boatman peeled off his shirt to dive in. I thought the ladies on board would swoon at the sight – he looked like the cover hero on a romance novel! </i>
Ahhh, Africa.
Great report and gorgeous photos. Mahale looks not just incredibly beautiful but terribly interesting. I also appreciated the youtube videos. Hearings the bugs buzzing is a helpful reality check/reminder.
Where to next?
Ahhh, Africa.
Great report and gorgeous photos. Mahale looks not just incredibly beautiful but terribly interesting. I also appreciated the youtube videos. Hearings the bugs buzzing is a helpful reality check/reminder.
Where to next?
Jan 17th, 2010, 06:37 PM
#9
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A couple of us went snorkeling right in front of the camp. Surprisingly, there were a lot of fish all around the dock and shore. The camp had kayaks available and one of our party took advantage of them to get in some paddling. The lake is one of the most pristine in the world, according to the camp manager... no heavy industry on its shores.
Jan 18th, 2010, 09:36 AM
#11
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Thanks for the tse tse assessment. I wondered about that.
How thoughtful of the Katuma staff to alert you to the python visitor behind the kitchen. I got a kick out of your comment: “This naturally emptied the dining areas as everyone, guests, hosts, and staff alike, headed out back to see.” I know people who would still be on the floor of the dining area, passed out. But then they would never have boarded the first leg of the flight to where you were.
Lion cubs of several ages is a real treat. How nice you had a couple of encounters with them.
Maybe the “anchor problem” is part of the standard routine when female guests are present. I wonder if you can request the anchor show along with other activities like a boat ride or fishing. Speaking of activities, I think I have heard of snorkeling in the lake. Was that mentioned, or do you think it would be too dangerous?
That’s a disturbing way to determine the park border—deforestation up to the edge.
Surgical mask, good idea. Maybe that should be used for gorillas too. The whole Katuma chimp strategy is fascinating and dispels some myths I had about chimp trekking. Thanks for sharing these insights.
The Palm Nut Vultures are the Miss Universes of the vultures, I agree.
It would be scary to be pushed by a chimp because of the potential of what else could be done beyond a mere shove.
You are a chimp magnet!
Great report. I'll check visuals later.
<b>Scout Raelond</b>, please share your trip on another thread or email me.
How thoughtful of the Katuma staff to alert you to the python visitor behind the kitchen. I got a kick out of your comment: “This naturally emptied the dining areas as everyone, guests, hosts, and staff alike, headed out back to see.” I know people who would still be on the floor of the dining area, passed out. But then they would never have boarded the first leg of the flight to where you were.
Lion cubs of several ages is a real treat. How nice you had a couple of encounters with them.
Maybe the “anchor problem” is part of the standard routine when female guests are present. I wonder if you can request the anchor show along with other activities like a boat ride or fishing. Speaking of activities, I think I have heard of snorkeling in the lake. Was that mentioned, or do you think it would be too dangerous?
That’s a disturbing way to determine the park border—deforestation up to the edge.
Surgical mask, good idea. Maybe that should be used for gorillas too. The whole Katuma chimp strategy is fascinating and dispels some myths I had about chimp trekking. Thanks for sharing these insights.
The Palm Nut Vultures are the Miss Universes of the vultures, I agree.
It would be scary to be pushed by a chimp because of the potential of what else could be done beyond a mere shove.
You are a chimp magnet!
Great report. I'll check visuals later.
<b>Scout Raelond</b>, please share your trip on another thread or email me.
Jan 18th, 2010, 10:44 AM
#12
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Atravelynn, there were two of us that went snorkeling in front of the camp. The water was clear and there were lots of fish. They used to take snorkelers further down the lake shore, but crocs took up residence there, so that location is a "no go" now. I was amazed to see how rocky the lake bottom was just a short way offshore. That's why the anchor was stuck. No comment about the "anchor show"... ;-)
Our fellow traveler was certainly surprised by her "close encounter" with Pim. Earlier, her husband had been crouched down in the tent platform, watching the chimps. One came up behind him and slapped the ground really hard. He said he just froze, waiting to see what would happen next. Fortunately, the chimp just passed him by.
Our fellow traveler was certainly surprised by her "close encounter" with Pim. Earlier, her husband had been crouched down in the tent platform, watching the chimps. One came up behind him and slapped the ground really hard. He said he just froze, waiting to see what would happen next. Fortunately, the chimp just passed him by.
Jan 18th, 2010, 10:49 AM
#13
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Chimp magnet, good Lynn!
The chimp shove reminded me how dangerous they can be. A friend of mine who worked for LIFE magazine years ago traveled to Africa to do a story about Jane Goodall. While at Goodall's camp, she was attacked by a chimp who ripped into her arm. In those days, it took days of canoeing and other transport to get her to a village with a doctor. He was drunk, but the nurse there managed to get her bangdaged up and medicated enough for her to make it to a flight to London. She still bears the bad scars.
And of course, we have all read about the recent chimp attacks, tearing off the faces of people who've kept them as pets.
The chimp shove reminded me how dangerous they can be. A friend of mine who worked for LIFE magazine years ago traveled to Africa to do a story about Jane Goodall. While at Goodall's camp, she was attacked by a chimp who ripped into her arm. In those days, it took days of canoeing and other transport to get her to a village with a doctor. He was drunk, but the nurse there managed to get her bangdaged up and medicated enough for her to make it to a flight to London. She still bears the bad scars.
And of course, we have all read about the recent chimp attacks, tearing off the faces of people who've kept them as pets.
Jan 18th, 2010, 07:17 PM
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RE snorkeling... Lake Tanganyika is famous for its wide variety of cichlids. Any of you who keep a tropical fish aquarium are likely familiar with these variety of fishes.. ShayTay, do you know if it was cichlids you were seeing snorkeling?
Jan 19th, 2010, 07:25 AM
#18
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Yes, we saw lots of cichlids, but also a really big "yellow belly" right under the anchored boat. I tried so hard to catch one on our boat safari, without any luck. Then, I come face-to-face with one underwater... much more enjoyable, I think.
Raelond, just click on "Atravelynn" to see her profile and e-mail address.
Raelond, just click on "Atravelynn" to see her profile and e-mail address.
Jan 19th, 2010, 04:24 PM
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A regular magnetic force field you all were!
So you should pack a bathing suit, then. How cold is the water? The camp provides mask and snorkel I assume. Do you use fins?
Was this close chimp encounter unusual? I don't think I ever heard of a chimp going after a visitor at Mahale. The poor LIFE photographer.
Thanks for the details.
So you should pack a bathing suit, then. How cold is the water? The camp provides mask and snorkel I assume. Do you use fins?
Was this close chimp encounter unusual? I don't think I ever heard of a chimp going after a visitor at Mahale. The poor LIFE photographer.
Thanks for the details.
