East Africa (1 Viewer)

I would just like to tell you about two websites I'm involved with. The first one is www.smithssafaris.co.uk, we have put this site together to tell you all about two superb holidays we had in East Africa. I love reading trip reports, which is why we decided to make this site one big trip report. Plus there is so much to tell when you have been on Safari. Have a look and let me know what you think.

The other is a bit of fun, we came up with while sitting on top of a hill in the Lake District www.duckontour.com.

Is There any feedback out there?

Hi Gus

Yes, it is a very good site and I enjoyed reading through it and looking at the photos.

I've spend just under half my life in southern Africa but know next to nothing about the
rest and must try to get there some day.

In the Intro, you mention the need to choose your safaris carefully. Were you satisfied with the BA one or do you think that you could have done better?
What was the cost?

Pete

Hi Pete

Nice to hear from you. East Africa is superb, although it was a BA holiday, the safari company was Somak. Somak look after you from the minute you leave the baggage hall at the airport, and are very well organized. The Journey to the Serengeti safari was outstanding, and I don't think we could have done better than that. It was so good we did it twice, but instead of going to the coast the second time, we went on another safari in Kenya. The Serena Lodges were superb I highly recommend them.

The safari in central Kenya had good points, but I don't think I would do it again, there was to many people, and to many minibuses crowding around the animals. Tanzania is much more quiet, and when you get your first view of Ngorongoro crater, it dosn't get any better than that.

The Serengeti safaris are little bit more expensive than the Masai Mara safaris, because you cover more distance. I think we paid about £1700 pp, for a week on safari and a week at the coast.

I hope you get the chance to go to East Africa, especially Tanzania it really is superb.

Gary

gary smith said:

Is There any feedback out there?

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Takes me back to my days at Elsamere, Lake Naivasha, and Lake Nakuru. I have always 'done' East Africa on my own and found it the most amazing of places to visit.

The first sighting of Lakes Elmenteita, Naivasha, Nakuru, and the teeming masses of wintering waders around the lake shorelines, accompanied by wintering Palearctic raptors, will live with me for ever....roll on Bharatpur!

JB.

Hi John

I would love to have gone to Lake Nakuru but unfortunatly you can't go every where. Lake Naivasha was excellent, a bird watchers paradise, it's just a shame we only had one day there. The Lake Naivasha page will be on the website soon.

gary smith said:

Hi John

I would love to have gone to Lake Nakuru but unfortunatly you can't go every where. Lake Naivasha was excellent, a bird watchers paradise, it's just a shame we only had one day there. The Lake Naivasha page will be on the website soon.

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Hi Gary,

I've been lucky enough to spend many months at Naivasha and Nakuru. I stayed at Joy Adamson's house..Elasmere..perhaps you have been there. If not the accommodation is wonderful and everyone is very friendly.

I used to 'borrow' the boat from Elsamere and sail down to Crescent Island (avoiding the Hippo's)..there I sorted thru and photographed the thousands of marsh terns, mainly White-winged Black and Whiskered.

You really must go to Nakuru, it is just so special. As you probably know, the shoreline is mud and teems with waders; both endemic and Palearctic visitors, plus storks and thousands of White Pelican..and the you know what..Flamingos (the smell)!!

the grasslands surrounding the lake are winter home to lots of Harriers..Pallid and Montagu's, Deffasa Waterbuck, Rhino, Hippo; Several species of Gazelle and Primates are common throughout.

Take your camera, they come very close!!

Happy days.

JB

Hi John

you're very lucky to have spent that much time in Kenya. The week we spent there was not enough. You don't get a chance to see what life is like in place like Kenya, from a weeks holiday.

Gary

Re: www.smithssafaris.co.uk

Gary,

Enjoyed your site , especially your lappet faced shot. You might like to take a look at our bird shots from some of the safaris that my fiancee , Kerry Glen and I have traveled on recently.

Cheers, James

PS on your list you have a white-billed buffalo weaver. I don't know who that is??

Hi James

Thanks for taking a look at our website. I've had look at your website, and your shots are much better than mine. I love looking at websites about the people and wildlife of East Africa, hopefully we will return in the not to distant future.

I've had a look through our site and I can't find White-billed Buffalo Weaver, but we did see red-billed and White-Headed Buffalo Weavers. White-billed Buffalo Weaver (Bubalornis albirostris) are found in north west Kenya.

Gary