Aaaaah, It Was Wonderful To Go Back To The Bush! June 12, 2008
Posted by Julia in : Animals, Safari, ecotourism , 1 comment so far
Upon entering Klaserie Game Reserve we were delighted with the welcoming committee of a solitary Brown Snake Eagle perched high on a dead Leadwood as we zooted off to our unfenced camp. It was an amazing setting on the banks of the Klaserie under a canopy of Jackalberry trees. With an armed ranger and tracker, we explored the treasures of their concession. On our final evening of the 3 nights we spent there, we came across a mating pair of lion on the game drive. After our supper their calls continued echoing across our camp and to our surprise we were later surrounded by calls from 2 other lionesses. There’s nothing like those decibels to get your adrenalin going!
Is it only about “the Big 5″? February 17, 2008
Posted by Ralph Pina in : Conservation, Tourism, ecotourism , 1 comment so far
Every once in a while I trawl through the research output of academia, specifically in the fields of ecotourism, sustainable tourism and ecotourism certification. The other day I came across the following article in the Journal of Ecotourism (vol 6, no. 1, 2007) entitled “Wildlife viewing preferences of visitors to protected areas in South Africa: Implications for the role of ecotourism in conservation“.
The article’s conclusions are particularly interesting, given the prevailing wisdom in the tourism industry that tourists to Africa are only interested in seeing the “Big 5″ - leopard, lion, elephant, rhino and buffalo. Just recently we have been debating this issue in ecoAfrica, so the research is timeous and topical for us. I for one have always been loathe to accept that only the Big 5 holds any attraction to travellers to our continent. (more…)
The thing about African wilderness trails November 10, 2007
Posted by Ralph Pina in : Safari, ecotourism , 5comments
Walking on a wilderness trail is the only way to feel the pulse of the African “bush”. That is what I believe anyway. I have experienced my fair share of the African safari concept: vehicle-based photographic safaris, 
game drives and stays in high-end and exotic game lodges, and even canoe safaris down the wild Lower Zambezi. But none of this compares to following a game trail on foot: listening for a warning call, watching the reactions of the tracker, sniffing the breeze, or simply existing in your immediate sphere. Nothing compares - except perhaps for the canoe safari. (more…)
In the Company of Man Eaters July 16, 2007
Posted by Clarissa Hughes in : News, Safari , 1 comment so far
Conjure up a marriage between “Out of Africa” style camping and hunter-gatherer game tracking and you get the Great Walk. Taking place in Kenya’s largest national park, Tsavo, the walk covers a comfortable 153 kms in 12 days.
Situated in south eastern Kenya Tsavo is approximately 12,000 km2 and was designated in 1948 by the colonial government. Divided into East and West the boundary between the two sections of the park is formed by the Mombasa-Nairobi highway and the railway line that connects hinterland to the coast.
Camping under the stars in the Okavango June 6, 2007
Posted by Shurene in : Safari , add a comment
Camp under the stars, get soaked by the spray of the spectacular Victoria Falls, Sunset on the Zambezi River, Hippos yawning & Elephants swimming in Chobe, A mokoro trip on the Okavango Delta and wild camping – with the cry of the Fish Eagle giving you goose bumps.
Just a few of the sights & sounds that greeted me on my recent 10 day Okavango Experience. Camping is the true way to find your soul in Africa. We had the wonderful opportunity to meet & spend time with the locals from Zambia & Botswana.
In Livingstone ( Zambia) we participated in a local community initiative – a guided cycle ride through the local village. This was an initiative from one of the locals, who used the income earned from the USD25 participants paid, to establish a local school. Our guide – Oliver – was one of the local teachers, who showed us the traditional ways – from building to beer drinking.
