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Ultimate Africa travel and wildlife news archive

March 2004

Kenya Tourism Arrivals Remain Depressed, March 7 2004

According to the Kenya Tourism Board Kenya recorded a low of 400,000 tourism arrivals in 2003, continuing a multi-year trend of declining arrivals. Kenya's dream of hitting the one million tourists per year, a target set in 1996 has remained elusive nearly a decade later.

Savute Elephant Camp Update, March 7 2004

Savute Elephant Camp is located in Botswana's famed Savute / Linyanti / Chobe area. Here is the camp's latest update:

Over the past two weeks Savute has had some truly fantastic predator sightings. At a time of year when prey species are in abundance, it has become commonplace to witness an increase in predator numbers and activities.

One of these sightings was of a pack of twelve wilddogs, which were spotted by a group while out on drive. Having spotted the predators, the guide decided to stay with them for a while and was fortunate enough to then watch them as the broke into a hunt after some impala. During the hunt the dogs split up into two groups and ultimately brought down and killed two impala.

A second sighting that is worth mentioning was that of a female leopard that came down to drink at the camp waterhole as the guests in the camp were finishing dinner. At about 10 PM we noticed some movement down at the waterhole and on inspection discovered the spotted cat drinking calmly. This is now the second time this year that this female leopard has been seen drinking at the camp.

Finally, to top the sightings, three lionesses were spotted having just killed a wildebeest. Having watched the lionesses catch their breath for a while, the clients were about to move off, when one lionesses beat them to it. She wandered off through some thick scrub and returned a few minutes later with seven cubs in tow (the cubs were each about a month old).

This season the rains that have fallen in and around the Okavango have been brilliant and the area have been totally transformed into a water wonderland.

In Savute specifically, these rains have been way above average and this is having a profound effect on the vegetation and therefore also the wildlife. Savute is renowned for it high elephant density and has been heavily impacted With this widely spread rainfall the elephant are moving further away from the usual areas, as they can now get their necessary water elsewhere

This year, as mentioned, the rains have been good and one thing is certain - that the Delta will be as few have ever seen before - a water landscape that will spread for as far as the eye can see and beyond!

Recently at Savute the subject of wild dogs came up during dinner. After being told that wild dogs were endangered, a guest could not believe his luck when his guide managed to show him two separate wild dog sightings in two days. Mr. Zilly commented that it was hard to believe that they were endangered as his guide (Killer) managed to track two separate packs down in two consecutive days. The Savute area of Chobe in particular is ideal habitat for wild dogs. Wild dogs tend to hunt by flushing prey from thickets and then running them down on the more open areas. Savute has a good balance of thickets and open areas, thus facilitating hunting. In recent years the wild dogs in the Savute area have been extremely successful and have managed to grow in numbers.

Wilderness Safaris Increases Rates, March 14 2004

For the first time in 21 years Wilderness Safaris of southern Africa have announced that they will be increasing their rates mid year. With immediate affect all new inquiries for safaris in Botswana and some Namibian safaris will be quoted on new rates which are 10% higher.

The increases are needed to contend with the continued slide of the US dollar and the largest Okavango Flood in 27 years. While the very high flood will create increased operational costs, this ecological phenomenon will be virtually a once in a lifetime experience for safari goers. Guests may even see waters pushing up the Savuti Channel again!

Wilderness Safaris Southern Africa Update, March 14 2004

Wilderness Safaris is one of southern Africa's leading tour operators with lodges and camps in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Here is there latest update:

The drought has been broken! South Africa's Kruger Park is completely wet, wet, wet and the aquifers countrywide are being replenished after years of drought. We have had some great rain in the Makuleke area of Kruger which has all but wiped away any signs of the drought. Grass is growing everywhere and the area is looking superb.

The Okavango Story........In Botswana here are our thoughts on the great floods. The whole Delta will be flooded to the brim this year as a result of all the rains in Angola. Its going to be the MOST amazing spectacle, much like it was in 1977. That year, 1978 and 1984 were some of the best years ever in Botswana. You should all make the effort to get to Botswana this year and see the Delta at its very, very best. We have been waiting nearly 30 years for such a great flood! We are hoping that the flood waters head all the way through Maun and fill up Lake Ngami and the Makgadikgadi too - and even flow down the Selinda Spillway and top up the Linyanti!

The high water will create complications for behind the scenes operations in the camps. However, we are confident that we are going to be able to keep operating successfully and keep guests very, very happy. In the past few weeks we have moved over 125 tons of goods and 250,000 liters of fuel into our camps, so the camps are all stocked up for the next 4 months. We will then be flying the rest of the goods into the camps to top up these supplies to see us through the high season. We are investigating hiring a larger freight plane to help fly all our goods into the camps. This will make all our supply movements that much more efficient and cost effective.

More specifically on the wildlife and camp front here is the latest:

Jao Concession and camps (Jao, Kwetsani, Tubu Tree Camp): The flood is already well past Jao. Normally at this time of year its north of Jao and trickling through. All the Jao camps have water in and around them. Jacana is surrounded as it normally is - but the depth of water is greater than ever before. Jao has water under some of the rooms and the water level is about a foot from coming over the top of the bridge. Kwetsani will have water lapping onto the edge of the island - and Tubu will be likewise. All Jao concession camps have easy boat access to Hunda Island which is a large dry island with the areas best game. With the very high water levels we can easily access Hunda by boat and then start our game drives. Very high floods are easier to operate in as one can just hop onto a mokoro or boat and quickly get to where the dry land is. When water levels are not so high, it is often too low for a boat and too high for a vehicle.....that's when we really struggle on our activities!

What is going to happen with the wildlife viewing this year anywhere in the Delta is that there are going to be incredible concentrations of animals on every dry island - the concentrations and game viewing will be truly superb this year in all areas!!!

Xigera and Pom Pom: We are expecting that conditions around these two camps will be much the same as the Jao areas.

Mombo: The camp is just starting to recover from NBC's Matt Lauer Show. The floods are about 300 meters away from the front of the camp - and there should be enough dry land in the interior to keep us out of mischief during the height of the flood. However, we are building a bridge to link Mombo to the dry land as there is a patch of a few hundred meters that could get tricky later on when the floods arrive at Mombo and surround the camp.

Jack's Camp: The zebra migration is still at Jack's Camp and continues to fill the grasslands of this normally harsh desert landscape. The flamingos have all but headed on to their breading grounds, but the large variety of water birds remain feeding on all the new life in the pans. The meerkats have survived the wet season again and are flourishing on the abundance of food brought on by the good rains! With rain in mind, spectacular does not adequately describe the evening skies that are accompanying these storms. San Camp opens later this year.

Duba Plains, Vumbura, Little Vumbura, and Kaparota: Duba has water lapping at its doors as it does every year but in March we normally expect things to be dry out front of the camp. Thank goodness we moved the airfield into the interior of the island some years back otherwise we would have been in deep trouble. We have some of our vehicles to the dry land to the north east and depending on how the floods proceed, we expect to hop into a boat and then meet up with our vehicles in the north east of the concession.

To the north east of Vumbura and Little Vumbura camps we have a massive area of dry woodland that never floods. We are currently organizing a network of tracks in these dry woodlands so that we can do our game drives there if we run out of dry land at Vumbura.

Chitabe and Chitabe Trails: This camp has lots of dry land - prepare for great viewing!

The Linyanti Concession (Kings Pool, Savute, Duma Tau and Linyanti Camp): The big question is whether the Savuti channel will start to flow again this year. The Zibadiabja Lagoon will certainly fill up again after slowly receding all these past years. Will the Savuti flow this year? We certainly hope so and maybe we can get back to what the Savuti used to be in the 70s

At Kings Pool the elephants made a premature return and were all around the camp for about two weeks. Folks sitting at the underground hide one morning watched about 300 eles move through the pan on their way to the river. The majority have returned to the endless mopane again, but they are not far away. There are still some herds around the Livingstone hide area.

Savuti Camp now has a brilliant new face with the recent renovations to the main area, dining room and two new tents. The two additional stunning rooms (4 & 5) are now fully completed. Baboons have already christened the room on numerous occasions!! The camp will operate as a 7 roomed camp from the beginning of April.

Duma Tau is now a 10 roomed camp. The new 'honeymoon' suite sports an outside sala area where couples can relax and view the beautiful Osprey lagoon. I actually watched an osprey from the sala last month! We have made small renovations to the lounge/bar area, as well as added a shaded ' pergola' to the pool deck. The rooms are looking great after replacing the green shade netting with black.

And more news - For those who have not had enough to read here is some more detailed camp news:

Kwetsani - After flying over the flood before it reached Jedibe we decided that we had 3 - 4 weeks before the water reached the camp but 10 days later the water was at Kwetsani. The flood arrival was extremely beautiful to watch with vast herds of lechwe following the flow of the water, huge flocks of water birds feeding on drowning insects and competing with barbels in a feeding frenzy. We counted 3 flocks of wattled crane all with more than 70 birds on one small stretch of floodplain. The water was moving at a pace of about 1 meter every 45 seconds and the front trickle was very quickly followed by a stream of deep water. A crossing just north of Kwetsani that is usually passable for a few weeks after the flood arrives was too deep to cross only a few hours after the water arrived in the channel effectively cutting off the northern Kwetsani plains. The flood arrived at Kwetsani on February 22. The floodplain lion pride had moved north of Kwetsani, their home base, closer to the lechwe herds and we were extremely concerned that they would be caught unaware by the swiftly moving water. Frank was telling us about how the water can stress the lionesses into abandoning their cubs, and for days after the water arrived we had no idea what had become of our lions. We were extremely relieved when Maipaa arrived back from a walk on Pupup Island near the Jao airstrip to tell us how he had almost walked into the pride and had caught a glimpse of some lions disappearing into the thick bush. Most importantly he had seen the tracks of the 3 month old cubs! In February we assisted Birdlife Botswana with their wattled crane survey, and can proudly say that we have more wattled crane than the entire population of South Africa in one flock north of Kwetsani! They were hoping to sample 200 birds to count juveniles and ascertain the breeding success rate, so you can imagine their delight when they came across one flock of 200 birds! The largest population of wattled crane in Botswana is to be found in the Jao Concession, with most of the birds being just north of Kwetsani.

Jacana - Jacana had the benefit of lions in and around camp most of the time this past month. These were new lions that took advantage of moving up from NG26 while the floodplain pride had moved north. Every once in a while one of the floodplain males would move south to chase off the intruding male, but as soon as he retreated to join his pride the intruder would move back in. On the February 22 we could see the flood water approaching Jacana and a small trickle started to flow across the Jacana bridge in the channel. In the early hours of the morning of the February 23 the managers woke up to the sound of bubbling water as the trapped air bubbles in the soil were released thus heralding the arrival of the flood water at Jacana. They arose to a water wonderland and had the good sense to immediately drive their vehicles off the island and onto Pupup Island. The crossings were already deep and they got Spike to service their outboard and prepare their boat for use. 12 hours later they boated into camp, the water was flowing so quickly through the channels that they got to experience some white water for the first time ever! One can appreciate how remarkable this is when you consider that we normally carry on driving through the crossings for 2-3 weeks after the flood arrives while we wait for the channels to get deep enough to boat! Jacana is once again an island with the prettiest "lake" of shallow water surrounding the island and lush green forested small islands dotting the lake. The water has about 50mm to go before it floods the concrete verandah, but luckily there is a high step on to the lounge. The rest of the island is quite high. While they were conducting the wattled crane survey from microlights we asked for a rough guide to our sitatunga population and the results were quite plentiful so that is great news.

Jao - Life at Jao has been very exciting these last few weeks. Once the flood arrived at Jacana Camp Frank moved the mekoro from the mekoro station back to Jao. That night at dinner his jovial bunch of Italian guests said that they wanted to mekoro the next morning, and Frank promised them a mekoro experience right from the front of camp. His guests thought he was crazy as the river was completely dry apart from one muddy patch in front of the lodge. Frank did not have an easy night as he worried about his rash promise, but the next morning (February 25) the guests thought Frank was truly amazing as they arose to this huge river spanning over 400 meters across and spilling over across the road on the opposite side of the bank. During those few hours the water had filled the channel and risen over 700mm to be level with the lowest section of the Jao bridge and 30mm lower than the highest peak ever recorded in our 6 years of intense Jao knowledge (previous peak was July 2001). The guests had an awesome mekoro experience and were totally absorbed with the miracle of the flood arrival. Within 2 days of the water arriving the flood moved past the previous peak and the resistance of the water flow against the bridge caused the river to push past the sides of the bridge threatening the access road from Jao. This area had to be sandbagged and the road topped up with sand to repair the damage. The water is now 190mm higher than we have ever experienced and still rising. There is 50mm to go before the water flows over the low part of the bridge. From the air it is immediately apparent how little dry land is left on Jao, there is a dry patch from the main area to the kitchen, the tree line along the front of camp is dry, a little in the staff village and a little in the workshop - most of the island is flooded. Our resident band of banded mongoose have relocated from the bridge area to just behind room 4 with all their little ones and are now a great source of interest from the walkway. The Kwetsani lions are now the Jao lions and are relaxing into their new home on Pupup Island which is the largest dry land we have on the floodplain side of the concession and a very sensible choice. Although we have not yet seen the cubs, we have seen their tracks a couple of times, and we have mating lions this week. We have completed the floodplain sleep out platform / hide although the lions stopped work for one day when they became a little too curious. We can now offer hide sleep outs from Jao, Jacana and Kwetsani (weather permitting). We managed to extend the Jao airstrip by 100m on the higher eastern side before the flood arrived, and we have built a bund on the western side which is holding the water off the strip nicely. Should part of the strip flood we should still have at least 900m of usable runway. We have to agree with Clinton and Rebecca that Jao truly is at it's best when it is surrounded by water, and this year it looks simply stunning with the camp perched right alongside this flood which is filling the Okavango to levels that we have not seen for 20 years although they were once the norm!

Tubu - After all the action on the eastern side the west has been much quieter as far as the flood goes. Tubu has been enjoying good rain transforming the dry area into lush grasslands which have attracted lots of plains game. The water hole in front of camp in the dry river bed was a tremendous boost to the camp as it attracted animals all day long. A lioness with three young cubs has been sighted frequently and we have two new male lions that have moved into the area, so this coupled with frequent leopard sightings has made a wonderful improvement to the predator sightings. The boat channels were all mowed before the flood arrived and the water moved across to the eastern side of Hunda Island on February 27 filling up the floodplains and boat channels - now Hunda boat trips are back on offer from the eastern camps. We are lucky to have access to this dry area and we are sure that Hunda is going to have a tremendous population of wildlife over the next few months. Today the water flowed past the front of camp and the barren floodplain has been transformed into a lush wetland.

Orient Express Safaris Botswana Update, March 14 2004

Orient Express in one of Botswana's leading luxury tour operators with 3 properties in the country. Here is their latest update:

Temperatures have been moderate over the past month with maximum temperatures in the low thirties, however, with the high volume of rain that has fallen over the entire region; humidity levels have been fairly high.

Savute continues to receive large amounts of rain and has now got large standing pools of water in the open areas / marshes. Elsewhere in the delta rains have not been quite as heavy as in Savute, however the total average of the region indicates that we have already exceeded the past few years' average rain falls - and the rains keep coming.

Sightings have, as already mentioned, been more challenging now that the vegetation is so thick and high. None-the-less, the guides have managed to find the game and have provided the guests with some fantastic sightings.

Savute Elephant Camp has had several good sightings of wild dogs over the past month. The dogs have been coming to the camp waterhole on a regular basis and have provided "easy-sightings" for the guests while they relax in the afternoons around the swimming pool. On drives the dogs have also been spotted several times, with probably the most impressive sighting being two kills on one drive. Leopard have also been common during February, again with one coming in the evening and drinking from the waterhole in front of camp.

Khwai River Lodge has had a variety of good sightings over the month. As with Savute, Khwai River Lodge has also had a few wild dog sightings in close proximity to the camp. As per usual Khwai River Lodge has had a myriad of predator sightings, including hyena, lion, cheetah and leopard. One of the more interesting sightings was of a hyena chasing a kudu along the river in-front of the camp. The kudu managed to escape the hyena only by jumping into the Khwai River.

Eagle Island Camp, not to be out done by the other properties, has provided an amazing range of sightings. This ranged from a young hippo that had died in the water in front of the camp and the resultant feeding frenzy of several hungry crocodiles, through to a sighting of a warthog that decided to reverse the roles of predator and prey and gave chase to a leopard that had been harassing it (the leopard, after a brief sprint disappeared into a clump of trees). Another great sighting was of giraffe, kudu, elephant, impala, plovers, doves and geese all at the same waterhole at the same time - true Eagle Island Camp style. Conditions for birding have been fantastic over the past month. Again, with all the standing water, birds like amphibians and reptiles have been thriving. In particular abundance in the Khwai area, were the white-faced and fulvous ducks. Also at Khwai, a pair of saddle billed storks has been seen nesting in close proximity to the camp. Owls have also been spotted regularly at the camps. Eagle Island has had a pair of Pel's nesting over the past few seasons and is again back this year. They have been seen on almost a daily basis along the paths to the tents. Savute has also had its fair share of wonderful bird sightings, with many water-birds having found their way in to this normally dry and arid part of the country. Some of the species seen in February include the red knobbed coot, sand plovers, three banded plovers and spotted crakes. Away from the water there has been a high number of Stanley's bustard.

With the abundance of standing water, the frog life has been exceptional and many different species can be heard calling in the evening. The abundance of amphibians is an indicator of a healthy eco-system, as frogs are very sensitive to environmental disturbances and would normally be some of the first creatures to be adversely affected by negative changes in the environment.

In northern Botswana during the months of January and February, the one thing that you will notice is that the local community gets hyped up. This is due to a phenomenon that starts around the end of January in Botswana and continues through to the last quarter of the year. This phenomenon is the life blood of the Okavango Delta. This phenomenon is the annual flood that comes through from the highlands in Angola.

February this year is no different. The locals are already in full debate as to what to expect for this season, and so far things are looking good. In fact, if the early signs are anything to go by, this season is going to be fantastic!

The flood waters are measured up in the pan handle of the delta, where it effectively enters the whole system. The levels recorded coming through the pan handles so far are on par with the floods that came through in 1984 (which in the past thirty years was the highest flood that we have experienced).

The past couple of months the entire Delta have experienced good rains, which ultimately mean that the ground has a high water level and that there is a good vegetative layer. With the ground having a high water content, it will mean less water soaking away when the flood comes through and more water spreading out - eventually covering a larger area. The vegetative cover will also assist the flood, in that it slows down the rate of evaporation - again meaning less water lost and more to spread out.

Muchenje Lodge Update, March 14 2004

Muchenje Lodge is located on the western border of Botswana's famed Chobe National Park. Here is the lodge's latest update:

The elusive female leopard has been seen a several times recently - not that I'd get too excited as she does this from time to time and then we don't see her for months. I guess it's hard work keeping the young safe, hunting, and staying dry. There are still lots of elephant though… one morning guests only saw two elephant however on the afternoon drive were rewarded with about 500!

With regards to lions one pregnant female from the Muchenje pride disappeared. We haven't seen her now for a few weeks so lets hope she is nursing some healthy babies somewhere close by.

The grass is too long for walks except along the riverfront where the birds are abundant. It's still pleasant walking along there even if you are not a birder - the apprehension is still there as you just never know what is hiding behind that long grass or bush - so close by!

On a recent night drive Neo saw baby scorpion crossing the road and the has been good lion more often than not for the last few days.

This year has been the best for rain… Kindest regards, Sandi

Mombo Camp Update, March 14 2004

February has been a very busy month at Mombo with the arrival of the first flood waters, high rainfall and the whirlwind that was the NBC breakfast show. NBC arrived at the beginning of the month and took over the entire camp, turning Mombo into something resembling the NASA control center. The generators ran 24 hours a day, wires and cables were laid all over the camp, and telephone linkups were established via satellite. It was an eerie sensation hearing the ringing of telephones. A bonus, however, was being allowed to call family and friends from the camp. The whole aim of the nine day preparation was a 3 hour live broadcast to the USA as part of NBC's "Where in the world is Matt Lauer" morning show. The rain kept away for the full nine days of the preparation, but as Mombo, or Murphy, would have it the heavens opened during the live broadcast. This did not cause any major problems however and the show went off smoothly. Numerous guests were present, including Mr Louis Nchingo of Debswana Mining and an entourage of policeman who were there to make sure the almost US$1 million worth of diamonds were safe. The show ended at 5 PM where upon the crew had to pack everything up in time for the arrival of the first guests at 12 PM the following day. We were all amazed at the speed at which the packing happened. The new guests would not have known anything had taken place were it not for the fact that they were informed that Matt Lauer had been and gone. It was very obvious from most USA visitors' reactions that the NBC morning show is huge in America.

The camp then settled into itself again. News of the biggest flood in two decades was at first greeted with complacency, but soon turned to excited concern when it became obvious that a big flood was on its way. The first fingers of water caressed the floodplain in front of Main Camp on the last day of the month. This flood is two months ahead of schedule when compared to the previous two years. Operations are now under way to prevent any mishaps. Bridges are being put in and roads raised in preparation.

The second half of the month has seen very good rains (129.5 mm) at Mombo resulting in the landscape turning to all shades of deep greens. There is a lush, fat scent permeating the air. Zebras and wildebeest are cavorting in the plenty and the elephants have returned in small numbers. The rain has been great for Mombo as we have missed out of a lot of the rains these past few years.

Game sightings have been great as usual with the highlight been the return of the wilddogs. They have been seen regularly this past month with one of the guides reporting a mating. It is hoped they will find the area to their liking. There are eight in the pack. Leopard have provided a great deal of entertainment with two reports of mating over a three day period. The mother and cub are doing very well and provide guests with exciting viewing. Lion were sighted daily. Rhino, cheetah and elephant sightings were less regular. The general game overall is mind-boggling.

Feedback from the guests:

"Mombo is a paradise, the game, the environment, food and staff all add up to heaven on earth."

"There are very few places on earth that get everything right. Mombo is one of them."

"The food is comparable to any top restaurant anywhere in the world."

"Speechless"

We all look forward to March and the phenomenon that is the flood.

SAA Applies to Join Star Alliance, March 14 2004

South African Airways (SAA) has applied to join the Star Alliance - a network of 15 airlines who share facilities such as lounges, frequent flyer miles and connections. Lufthansa has agreed to sponsor its application to the alliance network dubbed 'The Airline Network for Earth.'

Should SAA be admitted to the network, it will be the 16th member airline, joining Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, bmi, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Mexicana, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Spanair, Thai Airways International, United and VARIG.

The network offers access to 700 airports in 128 countries; access to over 550 lounges; the possibility of earning and redeeming frequent flyers miles or points on any member airline; world-wide recognition of status; priority reservation, standby and boarding for Star Alliance Gold members; priority baggage handling for Star Alliance Gold members, First and Business Class travelers and the most flexible round-the-world fares.

Commenting on the application, SAA's ceo, André Viljoen said: "This alliance will strengthen SAA's position as a global player of note and this strategic move comes at a time when SAA wants to pull out all stops for its customer care drive." Viljoen asserts that the financial returns of this alliance are also of a significant nature. "We estimate that when in full operation the alliance will yield substantial additional US $ revenue for SAA," Viljoen concluded.

In addition SAA has taken delivery of its first Airbus A340-300E, which is the first enhanced version of this Airbus type. SAA will receive six aircraft by 2005. The 295-seat A340-300E features several enhancements, including a higher thrust-generating version of the CFM56 engine, which burns less fuel and is ideally suited for the hot-and-high conditions at airports such as Johannesburg.

Singita Holds Rates for 3rd Year, March 14 2004

South Africa's famed Singita Lodge has announced that it will not increase its rates for the third consecutive year - until December 31, 2005.

This freeze on rates is in response to the continued strength of the South African Rand and the effect this is having on the viability of long-haul travel to South Africa. Singita last increased its rates in 2002 and has held prices at the same level for 2003 and 2004. The continuing freeze on rates for 2005 will apply to all Singita properties - Singita Lebombo (Lebombo Lodge and Sweni Lodge) in the Kruger National Park, and Singita Private Game Reserve (Ebony Lodge, Boulders Lodge and Castleton Camp) in the Sabi Sand Reserve.

South Africa Outperforms other Destinations, March 14 2004

South Africa is still outperforming other tourism markets in the world, despite the effects of a strong Sputh African currency and the shortage of in-bound flights to Cape Town.

Moeketsi Mosola, South African Tourism's chief operating officer, said that South Africa is still a leader in the field of global tourism. Recent media reports suggested that South Africa was losing its edge as a cost-effective tourist destination because of the strengthening of the Rand. Mosola said "Our data shows that our tourism market continued to grow. If you compare prices we are extremely competitive."

The World Travel and Tourism Council's figures showed that only Kenya and China were more competitively priced than South Africa. However, South Africa was the most accessible destination in terms of requirements such as visas.

Cape Town still had a price advantage over most rival destinations, said Rob O'Hanlon, partner in the Travel, Tourism and Leisure Practice of Deloitte, which audits the hospitality industry. "If you compare Cape Town with a rival city like Sydney in Australia, Cape Town is still 29% cheaper - while it offers a similar experience to tourists."

Helder Pereira, Southern Sun's MD, said the South African hotel sector's occupancy of 68% in 2003 outperformed all the key global regions, including the United States and Europe.

He said negative comments came from critics who were comparing 2002 and 2003. "In 2002 South Africa's tourism industry had an extraordinary year, with the Earth Summit, the after-effects of September 11, as well as tourists taking advantage of the weak Rand."

Mosola said South African Tourism could not rest on its laurels and will work to solve the problem of insufficient flights to Cape Town.

Addo Elephant Park Receives US $5.5 Million Loan, March 14 2004

The World Bank has approved a US $5.5 million loan from the Global Environment Facility to assist with the expansion of South Africa's Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape.

The loan will assist South African National Parks (SANParks) to conserve five of the country's seven terrestrial biomes; to create a new adjoining Marine Protected Area (MPA) and to enhance socio-economic opportunities in the impoverished province. The park is expected to grow to 236,000 hectares which will support the park's growing elephant population. The additional 120,000 hectares of MPA will include species such as the southern right whale and great white shark, making the park a Big 7 destination - a first for South Africa.

The grant brings the total investment in the park to US $40million including private sector and government financial support.

Conservation Corporation Adds Properties in Tanzania, March 21 2004

Conservation Corporation (CCa), a luxury tour operator with properties in east and southern Africa has added three Tanzanian properties to their portfolio - Selous Safari Camp, Jongomero and Ras Kutani.

Eagle Island Camp Update, March 21 2004

Eagle Island Camp is one of Orient Express' properties in Botswana's famed Okavango Delta. Here is their latest news:

Following the increase of water levels in the Eagle Island Camp vicinity, all water activities are now possible! The main floodwaters arrived at Eagle Island on March 11 and since then, the water levels have risen by over a foot. Assisting the flood waters have been heavy thundershowers. On March 17 the camp received over 90mm of rain in less than 24 hours.

Water levels have been rising on a daily basis, with water now reaching all the tented rooms at the camp. The floodplains immediately in front of the camp have now been completely submerged and offer fantastic opportunities for mokoro trips.

The arrival of the flood and the extensive rain at Eagle Island Camp has brought about many wonderful sightings. One morning we woke up and set off on a mokoro trip to one of the islands not far from camp. On arrival we set off on a walk. Minutes into the walk we had our first sighting - a female wildebeest on her own. The guide explained this was unusual as they are normally herd animals. We watched for several minutes before heading off. Our next sighting was of the rare Pel's fishing owl - a large tawny colored owl that preys on fish. Unbelievably, the owl seemed as interested in us as we were of it and we watched for at least fifteen minutes. There was more to discover, so we continued on the walk. For a while we enjoyed the smaller fauna and flora that we came across; baboon spiders that have there homes in the ground, Tsama melons that taste extremely bitter, a pair of African green pigeons, grasshoppers, and so much more. Then the guide heard a noise - he motioned for us to keep still and quite. Buffalo. In the distance we could hear the sound of stampeding hooves running through the wet flood plains. We moved to a high vantage point - a termite mound. From here we could see a few buffalo running in the distance. The guide suggested that we move further around the tree line where we would be able to get a better view. Approximately fifty meters further on, the floodplain opened up before us and we had perfect views of around 300 buffalo, feeding and slowly on the move towards far tree line. While watching this spectacle, the guide told us that the barking sound that we could hear in the thicket in the distance was the alarm call of vervet monkeys. Probably some kind of predator in the area. We headed on. Just before arriving back at the mokoros, we came across the tail of a wildebeest.... just the tail. The guide examined it and explained that it was still fresh - something had recently killed the wildebeest and had dragged the carcass away. After checking that the coast was clear, the guide motioned that we should follow him. Not far along the trail, we found the wildebeest. It was a leopard kill and the leopard had moved off, after having just begun to eat. After all this excitement, the guide proposed that we return to the mokoros for some tea and coffee. While sipping away, we had our last view on the island. Coffee finished, we began the tranquil mokoro ride back to the lodge for brunch - a morning for all to remember.

On another front Eagle Island Camp has yet again been fortunate enough to be chosen as the nesting area for a pair of Pels Fishing Owls. The pair is regularly seen in the thicket surrounding the camp and has become habituated to the activities of the people moving around the area.

As these birds are extremely rare, many "twitchers" travel the world to see just one of them. At EIC, it seems that they are so common that the staff no longer even look up when the birds are around.

Leopards were the predator of note last week, as they were seen on several occasions. The most dramatic of these sightings was when guides spotted a leopard lying up in a tree. On closer inspection, the group noticed an impala carcass hanging on a branch just below the leopard. While watching the leopard, the guide was alerted by the sound of twigs snapping of another animal approaching. After a few seconds two hyenas appeared and promptly began to hassle the leopard in the tree. The group eventually left the sighting, with plans to return the next day.

Safari Snapshot Package, March 21 2004

There is still space on Orient Express' June 2004 and September 2004 Safari Snapshot packages in Botswana with hosts Ingrid and Philip van den Berg. Please phone our Seattle office for details 1 800 461 0682 anytime between 10 AM and 6 PM weekdays.

South African Arrivals Up, March 21 2004

International arrivals to South Africa increased to 2,2 million in 2002, a 18.7% increase from the previous year's 1.8 million, according to South African Tourism's coo, Moeketsi Mosola. This figure continued to grow by 4.5% for the period January to November 2003. Mosola said South African Tourism is aggressively tackling the issue of increasing airlift from its key markets. "South African Tourism is spearheading ongoing consultations with all leading international airlines that service South Africa, including BA, Kenya Airways, Lufthansa and Virgin, to name a few," he said.

New Flights Between Kruger and Victoria Falls, March 21 2004

THE Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) last week announced its third international destination for scheduled passenger flights. KMIA business development manager, Irvin Phenyane said the airport outside Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, South Africa had clinched a bilateral government agreement to license a regular scheduled service to Zambia's tourism capital, Livingstone, from May 2004. "The service has been approved by both governments' transport ministries, and has been sent to the Air Services Licensing Council for final selection of our short listed airlines to operate the route," said Phenyane.

US Extends and Expands Travel Alert for East Africa, March 21 2004

The United States renewed and expanded its advisory against travel to Kenya and 11 other nations in eastern Africa region. In extending the warning for another six months, the US State Department said "there remains the threat of future terrorist attacks in East Africa". Travelers to the region are urged to "carefully review their plans accordingly".

US warnings regarding East Africa were initially issued in September 2003. A separate advisory covering Kenya, specifically, has been in effect for nearly 10 months. The new advisory is to remain in effect until September 13, 2004.

In addition to Kenya, other countries covered by the advisory include Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, and Tanzania.

Supporters of Al Qaeda remain active in East Africa, according to the announcement, which warns of possible attacks against civil aviation throughout East Africa. Seaports may also be targeted, the State Department says. Increased security at official US facilities has led terrorists to seek softer targets such as residential areas, clubs, restaurants, American commercial interests, Western-oriented shopping centers, places of worship, hotels, schools, outdoor recreation events, resorts, beaches, and planes, the announcement says.

Last minute special - Book 6 or more nights on safari and receive 1 free night per person!, March 21 2004

Ultimate Africa is offering an incredible deal on Botswana safaris taken during March 2004. For guests booking 6 or more nights at Wilderness Safaris properties in Southern Africa each guest will receive one night free. If you book 6 nights you will only pay for 5…if you book 9 nights you will only pay for 8 nights. This is a savings of up to US $435 per person per couple!

As an example on an all inclusive platinum level Botswana / Victoria Falls safari visiting Jao Camp for 3 nights, Kings Pool Tented Camp for 3 nights and the River Club at Victoria Falls for 1 night you would save US $435 per person off the land cost of US $2,995 making the total cost US $2,560 per person. This is a 14% savings off the land cost! On our premier level "Wild Heart of Africa" trip in Botswana which costs US $2,895 per person you would save US $325 per person or 11% off the land cost making a total land cost of US $2,570 per person.

This offer is limited to 2 couples only for travel during February and March 2004. All 6 + nights may not be spend at Mombo or Little Mombo Camp in Botswana. Prices above do not include international air tickets.

Star of Africa Update, March 28 2004

Star of Africa is one of Zambia's leading tour operators with high quality lodges and camps in the Lower Zambezi, South Luangwa, Lochinvar and at the Victoria Falls. Here is their latest news:

The Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in which Sussi and Chuma is situated is very lush and green after all the rains. The individual tree houses have a wonderful "hidden away and private" feel. Work continues on the new Chuma House project located downstream from Sussi Lodge. Chuma House is a wonderful self contained villa overlooking the Zambezi River. This house has 2 bedrooms en suite, one double and one twin, a private lounge, kitchenette, dining area and a lovely outdoor verandah / barbeque area. Over the next couple of months we will be installing phone lines, satellite TV and putting in a swimming pool. Chuma House will officially be launched in May 2004 ready for the high season and plans are underway to build another 2 houses later on in the year. Chuma House will have its own private guide and vehicle, chef and butler and will offer clients staying there a very exclusive and private experience.

Some guest comments from the last two months:

"This place is heaven. Fantastic lodge, people, food - a real gem - can't wait to come back." The O'Connor's - UK

"Worth crossing the world for - fabulous." David and Win Sutherland - UK

At Lochinvar National Park Mike reports that the water level in the lagoon is very low at the moment, offering guests a superb experience watching the various different water birds and Kafue Lechwe, particularly in a game drive vehicle across the dry river bed. This is the breeding time of year for a lot of the birds and the wattled cranes and weavers amongst many others are busy building their nests. The whole park area is very green at the moment from all the rains. We have had excellent game viewing with guests seeing a herd of 700 zebra, over 400 Lechwe and groups of over 100 impala out on the open plains.

Last weekend a group from WWF stayed at Lechwe Plains Tented Camp to discuss plans with Star of Africa for the year ahead as we move towards the official reopening of the Lochinvar National Park in October 2004.

Star of Africa are delighted to announce the appointment of a fantastic new management couple for Kulefu Tented Camp - Catherine and Andy. Catherine comes from a hospitality background having done her training with Zimbabwe Sun and Andy is a fully qualified guide who has worked all over Africa including having already spent time in Zambia. Catherine and Andy will be spending the next 6 weeks getting the camp ready for opening on May 1 including the building of a swimming pool and the soft refurbishment of the room tents. Here is some feedback from our Operations Team on one of their recent trips into Kulefu to take food supplies and wages to the staff based at the camp:

"On the drive through the Park to Kulefu, we saw amazing game. First we came across a herd of over 100 elephants followed by a herd of close on 400 buffalos. We then saw a lioness with three cubs and closer to the camp came across a pack of 10 wild dog on the side of the road. So much for game viewing not being good during the rains! The water level of the river was starting to go down and our staff at the camp reported that bream fishing is excellent at the moment! During our stay at Kulefu we were frequently woken up by nearby lion roaring at night!

At Chichele Presidential Lodge Star of Africa are very excited about the arrival of a super new management couple at Chichele Presidential Lodge, Nic and Tracey Polenakis. Many of you will be familiar with Nic who is one of the best known guides in Southern Africa having done a lot of guiding work in both Zimbabwe and Botswana. Nic and Tracey bring huge experience, passion and innovation to not just Chichele, but our whole South Luangwa operation which will see some exciting developments and enhancements in the year ahead. Nic and Tracy have had a busy start to the year with two Presidential visits already under their belt. Over Christmas the President of Zambia, His Excellency Levy Mwanawasa and his family stayed at Chichele and in February Dr Kenneth Kaunda and a group of international businessmen stayed at the lodge. This was Dr Kaunda's first visit back to Chichele since Star of Africa took over the lease and from his comments will certainly not be his last! Chichele Presidential Lodge was built in 1972 as the then President Kaunda's private retreat. It was here that he hosted many dignitaries such as the Queen of England and various Commonwealth Heads of State. On this return visit, Dr Kaunda was very impressed with the very high standards at the lodge and the huge amount of work that has been done since Star of Africa took over the lease in 2001. He wrote the following in our Guest Comment book:

"Nic, Tracey and the entire team. We thank you all for all the wonderful up-keep. You kept smiling as you so very well looked after us all the way. I know HE will keep and guide you all the way. Continue to serve HIM and all fellow humans all the way".

Some other super comments from the last two months:

"Definitely a "star" attraction on the Zambian Safari circuit. A prime example of top standards in accommodation, service and cuisine. Selling a product like this will definitely make work selling Zambia easier. I shall return as am sure many others will" Donald Pelekamoyo - London Representative for Zambia National Tourist Board

"It was great to be here, learning the history and traditions of Chichele Lodge. Nic and Tracey looked after us well. Rodgers was such a great help in the bush. We could see and enjoy the sight of big five and other animals. We do look forward to coming back here. Many thanks to the staff of CPL" Mr Gupta - Indian High Commissioner

"Truly the magic of Chichele brought to its full exciting life. What an inspiring place - a smile for every mile and step, warm and friendly staff and management - just what it was ever meant to be. Like the name - "Chichele" - food without salt is tasteless and unexciting: South Luangwa would be in many ways not the same without Chichele! We wish you every bit of success" Lil and Tim

"This place is incredible in every aspect. Thanks everyone for a fantastic stay - Nic and Tracey are such great hosts and the guides knowledge made it very very special. I'll be back. Thanks Nic for helping with the leopard sighting" Chris Harrison

"Thanks Nic and Tracey for an amazing trip! It is a beautiful lodge and we were made to feel very welcome by you and all the staff. It was fantastic to see wild dogs, leopard, wonderful prides of lion, dead hippo (!) and everything else. We were just disappointed to not see tiger, cheetah and jaguar!! Thanks too to Rodgers for his knowledge and expertise - we will definitely be back! The very best - you will do well" Roy Penny and Nikky Challoner

Rodgers has now joined us full time as our manager based at Puku Ridge Tented Camp. Rodgers is a professional guide with over 12 years experience in all the different national parks in Zambia. For those of you who met Rodgers during his time at Kulefu Tented Camp last season, you will know what a huge asset he is to the Star of Africa. Working closely with Nic and Tracey, Rodgers has seen a busy January and February, particularly with the arrival of a large Church Group of 32 missionaries from the USA who stayed at both Puku and Chichele for 10 nights. This group from the Sagemount Baptist Church in the USA spent their 10 days going into different villages, schools and churches working with the local people in the valley and bringing to them the word of God. During their stay in the valley an eye clinic was set up at a local Baptist church with many of the local people having the opportunity to have their eyes tested and being able to purchase eye glasses for a nominal price of Kwacha 5000. Star of Africa will continue working with some of these villages and schools on various different projects under our Community Projects banner. We will keep you informed on these various projects.

Developments at Puku Ridge include the addition of mosquito nets in all rooms and also wonderful bath canopies around the sumptuous sunken bath, offering guests total privacy as well as a wonderful game viewing experience out over the flood plains below!

Game viewing at both properties has been superb and the rains have certainly not kept the big game away! If anything it has brought the game closer to the properties. Chichele has seen several lion kills out on the lawn in front of the rooms and Puku has had lion out of the floodplain area. Wild dog have been seen on the road driving out of Chichele and leopard sightings on game drives have been frequent.

Lions Released in Sanbona Reserve, March 28 2004

A second pride of lions was released at the Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, in the Klein Karoo in the Western Cape, South Africa last week. The pride consists of a family of males and females and were relocated at the beginning of February 2004 from Shamwari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape. The pride was contained in a rehabilitation boma for six weeks to let them acclimatize to their new home. Other predators already in the 54,000 hectare reserve include cheetah, leopard, brown hyena, caracal and African wildcat. Since April 2001 various game has been reintroduced into the reserve, restoring the ecological balance and allowing Sanbona to support free-roaming predators.

New KwaZulu Natal Reserve to Open, March 28 2004

The Thanda Private Game Reserve in northern KwaZulu Natal, South Africa is opening in two months after spending over US $1 million on stocking the reserve with game. Buffalo, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, hyena, leopard, nyala, white rhino, steenbuck and zebra, among others, have been bought so far. Four lions will also be introduced in the future. All alien plants have been removed from the 5,300 hectare property, which was originally a cattle farm. The reserve will eventually offer the Big 7, including whales and sharks along the KZN coastline. Thanda will have a main lodge, nine bush villas with private pools and four luxury tents and a wellness center.

Castle on the Cliff - Set to Amaze, March 28 2004

Castle on the Cliff is set to open their doors in mid April 2004. Having just been there, I can honestly tell you that this is going to be an awesome venue for guests to use as their base in Plettenberg Bay.

Two things that stand out apart from its location on the edge of the cliffs, are the rooms upstairs with their sweeping views over the ocean and the feeling of absolute privacy whilst at the Castle. One thing that has changed is the child policy. As the Castle is situated right on the edge of the cliffs they cannot accept children under the age of 8 years old.

News from Ndumo and Rocktail Bay, March 28 2004

The Ndumo Reserve is looking good after the recent rains and is a hive of activity with nyala and warthog youngsters making their home under the lodge walkways. The Jacanas have had their chicks and now it is up to the dads to look after these little balls of fluff on skimpy long legs.

Rocktail Bay has also been blessed with an abundance of sightings, amongst them African rock python, bush pigs, side striped jackal, African marsh harriers and red & grey duikers.

The first leatherback turtle hatchlings were sighted on January 19th. Since then the lodge has seen hundreds of loggerhead and leatherback hatchlings running the gauntlet down the beach and into the ocean.

The raggies (raggedtooth sharks) have arrived in abundance at Island Rock and have been enjoyed by both divers and snorkellers with as many as 22 together thus far! Divers have also been blessed with experiences like swimming with whale sharks, lots of green turtles and our beautiful bottlenose and humpback dolphins.

Lala Neck has proved exciting for snorkellers with sightings of blue spotted ribbontail rays, marbled electric rays, devil firefish, honeycomb moray eels, paintspotted eels, whitespotted box fish, huge schools of kingfish, flathead mullet and many many more.

Chapman's Peak Drive Re-Opens, March 28 2004

Cape Town's famed Chapman's Peak has reopened and the views are absolutely amazing!

Cape Town's Ezard House Offers Special, March 28 2004

Ezard House have released a winter rate which includes dinner, bed and breakfast as well as one treatment per person in their Kanebo Spa during the months of May - September 2004. A minimum 3 night special rate is also available from 15 April - September 2004.

Twelve Apostles Offers Honeymoon Package, March 28 2004

The Twelve Apostles has released an amazing honeymoon package. Guests booking a minimum 2 night stay in superior sea facing room stay will receive limousine transfers to/from Cape Town airport, luggage and unpacking service, in room romantic gifts including fresh flowers, book of poems, disposable camera, "Best places to Kiss in Cape Town" guide, basket of sensual oils, breakfast served in bed, selection of romantic videos to watch served with popcorn and pizza, midnight lover's feast, bottle of Bouchard Finlayson Chardonnay with personalized label to commemorate the event, advertisement in the local paper wishing guests a happy honeymoon, and a day at the new Sanctuary Spa including a Rasul chamber treatment, dual body massage, Clarins facial, luxury manicure and intensive pedicure.

Too bad their staff is farmed from a hotel employment service and customer care standards as of Ultimate Africa's last visit in late 2003 were far below expectations! I would personally not trust my once in a lifetime honeymoon to the Twelve Apostles until staffing and service issues are sorted out....

Le Quartier Francais Chef Awarded, March 28 2004

Congratulations to chef Margot Janse of Le Quartier Francais for being Top Chef of the Year in South Africa with not only the Wine Magazine's Top 100 Restaurants rating for 2004 but also the Eat Out Magazine 2003.

Le Quartier Francais is located in South Africa's Cape winelands and is highly recommended by Ultimate Africa consultants.

Tanzania Update, March 28 2004

Greetings from the very green Serengeti plains!

As I write, the sounds of thundering hooves on sodden grasslands surrounds me in what can only be described as a magnificent portrait of life as the migration of wildebeest moves away from the Ndutu woodlands and out towards Oldupai Gorge.

Part of the Great Migration remained for us on the short grass plains south of The Ngaroi however the rains which poured onto the shorter meadows between Ndutu and Oldupai proved irresistible to over a million hoofed animals in search of grassed perfection!

Drawn along en-masse were the usual variety of predators including cheetah and lion which even when one isn't particularly interested in ticking off numbers has to be impressed with 19 cheetah and around 40 or so lion!

Behavior is what a true safari is all about out on the Serengeti plains and this safari didn't disappoint. Patience plays a huge part with experiencing the quintessential safari.

Sitting for hours sometimes waiting for a few seconds of action may seem mundane however when the explosion finally comes it really is worth the wait.

Two male cheetahs were spotted across the valley that hides the migration at times creating a stir in my cruiser as we headed slowly towards the two small heads in the distance.

Cheetah fall into many behavioral categories from the very nervous with little experience of vehicles to the individuals that almost seem more content having us around.

The two that we approached were very relaxed with our presence and it quickly became obvious that a diet of wildebeest was the breakfast of choice for these two individuals.

Lighting was subdued but bright enough for good photos as the excitement unfolded.

Long lines of wildebeest and calves were strewn across the plains attracting the attention of our two brothers who were patient enough to bide their time for what seemed the perfect opportunity to dispatch a calf.

We witnessed three separate attempts to separate a young wildebeest from its mother, with at one point almost top speed pursuit from one of the cheetahs. If this morning was to be unlucky for the cheetah brothers it was extremely lucky for the various calves that escaped their clutch.

In the Ngaroi on March the 4th I realized a dream, to outfit Horse Back Game Viewing in our private concession. The wide open plains, river valleys and acacia woodland of the Ngaroi have given us many years of exciting game viewing on foot accompanied by either Philip Ashby or Dave Armon our resident walking guides. However until now we have had to be content with either foot or open vehicles to explore the Ngaroi which in itself is an exclusive arrangement!

Using one of our large groups (13) as a great excuse to finally get a stable of horses out to the Ngaroi we spent 4 glorious days on horse back exploring the far corners of the Ngaroi at dawn and at dusk.

My good friend (and sister in law!) Janice Beatty brought along her fine stable of thoroughbred horses to outfit the riders with a choice of Western or English tack to choose from. Janice's horsemanship is legendary in this part of the world so not only was it a great privilege to spend so much time riding with Janice, it was also an important experience for us both to see what, if any, were the operational wrinkles for future safaris.

During the four days in the Ngaroi, we rotated the group through the different activities at camp with game walks, day and night game drives and rides which is an exclusive for Northern Tanzania and certainly not to be found through any other outfitter.

Everyone participated with enthusiasm on the rides.I especially would like to salute Susie Nelson who, despite being confined to a wheelchair made two of the rides! Susie lost the use of her legs in an automobile accident some years ago. I have to say that there are many other people out there whose zest for life and willingness to enter into new experiences pales in comparison to Susie's ability to lead an exciting life.

As the sun rose we left camp each morning to walk and canter across the plains and woodlands mingling with the plains game resident on the Ngaroi at this time of year. With the exception of flighty birds our steed's shied at nothing and proved to be extremely capable as game viewing platforms.

Zebra, giraffe, reedbuck, steenbock and hyena were seen along with a multitude of wildebeest and calves, warthogs and impala as well as the usual birdlife.

Orchestrating the activities turned out to be more simple than we had imagined so at around 11:30 AM each morning the walkers, game-drivers and riders all met under the shade of an acacia tree for coffee, cocktails and snacks to share the days stories!

During the course of the 4 days, we rode through different country back tracking very little which was a particular pleasure for one such as I who hates seeing the same piece of scenery repeated on a journey!

As the sun sank on the last acacia tree, we all gathered atop a kopje for champagne, cocktails and a fine final evening retelling the experience of the first horse back adventure at the Ngaroi!

And last but not least a safari story highlighting the splendors of this area:

As a finale to a wonderful safari we finished up in our mobile tented camp on the edge of the Serengeti short grass plains enjoying what had to be the Serengeti's wettest two days in recent months!

Rather than dampen our spirits we all toyed with getting 'predators in rain' shots with rain streaking across the frame dramatizing the behavior of a small pride of 5 Lions with subdued lighting and a healthy dose of humor as the likelihood of anything spectacular happening seemed remote.

After almost two hours sitting patiently with the pride (and here's why life as a guide is a magical thing) the Alpha female unexpectedly started to stalk a small group of zebra at the edge of the woodland.

Many of our guests ask me how my enthusiasm remains intact after 24 years leading and guiding groups in Africa? The answer is that Africa and Safari never present the same experience twice, every single encounter is unique as is every group of guests we outfit for, which when combined proves to be an ever changing and exciting way to live in the bush!

Unlike the cheetahs, this lion pride knew exactly what they were about and over the next few minutes we witnessed raw killing energy as the lead female stalked to within 30 meters finally exploding into the chase along with the Beta female, inevitably bringing down a yearling zebra.

Watching and witnessing an entire hunt and kill sequence in close proximity is always a double edged sword experience - the intensity of the hunt shadowed by the actual brutality in human terms of hearing the distress calls as the prey is dispatched and devoured is not for everyone. Yet in the symphony of life out on the Serengeti this is all about the food chain and who is at the top and the bottom in a world as natural and untouched by man as any environment on earth.

The final moments of daylight dissolved with images of one of the three maned lions exerting his authority over the kill proving once more who really is King of the Jungle!

Dozens Held over Zanzibar Bombs, March 28 2004

At least 39 people have been arrested following a series of bomb attacks targeting a tourist hotel in Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania.

Unknown assailants bombed the residence of a government minister and a government-appointed religious leader. A grenade was also thrown at two diplomats but failed to go off. Diplomatic sources confirmed that a British and an American envoy were present at a restaurant during a failed bomb attack last weekend.

Media reports in Tanzania say the bomb attacks were intended to disrupt German President Johannes Rau's tour in the country. The government of Zanzibar has been locked in a confrontation with Muslim activists protesting at repressive laws. However, the Muslim activists, have distanced themselves from the bomb attacks.

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