ZANZIBAR
Are Tour operators a dying breed or not?
Sometime back, I met someone on a safari who stated that touroperators and travel agents are a dying breed as he booked all hotels through the internet. I thought to myself that might be fine for a first world country but sometimes dodgy for destinations in parts of Africa, especially where transfers etc are concerned. Anyway, I kept my thoughts to myself.
We recently decided to go and visit Zanzibar and have a break with some friends. I have never been to Zanzibar was totally clueless on what it had to offer. We chatted to a few friends who had been and all hotels recommended were full because it was Easter or closed for the rainy season. So I took the liberty of trying to make a booking through the internet. We booked into a place called Nungwi Beach Village Resort, which looked amazing on its website and I thought the perfect place for the family and friends to have fun while I did site inspections of various hotels around the island. I will spare you the details of our saga but it was the most awful place we have ever stayed at and nothing like it was described on the website. We checked out and went to a very nice hotel called Mnarani Beach Cottages and enjoyed the rest of our holiday. The only comfort I got out of this whole ordeal is tour operators are not a dying breed and those of us who are specialists in our various fields are needed and I certainly will not be in hurry to book a hotel blindly through the net again.
Needless to say, besides our disastrous first few days we did enjoy Zanzibar and we would recommend anyone wanting to go there must go to the East Coast of the Island where it is not so populated and there are lovely beaches, with palm trees and some great hotels.
We met many people who were having a few days rest after their safari in Tanzania before heading back to Europe. Likewise, we would recommend it to anyone who goes on safari in Zambia and wishes to have a few days break by the sea. There are daily flights now on Zambian Airways to Dar Es Salaam for only $288 return. We can then arrange for clients to fly from Dar to Stone Town. Zanzibar has lots of history and is a fascinating country.
Family and friends enjoying themselves at the beach in Zanzibar.
South Luangwa National Park
The floods have long since subsided and camps are back in operation. For those safari operators whooperate bush camps within the park, there is a mad panic on to get the camps ready for the clients arriving on the 1st May.News from Derek Solomon on South Luangwa National Park
Friday 13th - unlucky for some but not for others
Our rainy season is over, the bush is already drying out and the Wild Dogs have been spotted back in the main area of the park. Whilst out looking for them the alert behaviour of a large group of Puku in the Wamilombe floodplain attracted our attention, and suddenly a large male Leopard appeared out of a gulley, stopping briefly for this photo before disappearing into a dense thicket.
The large egret and stork breeding colony in the same area has been a great attraction for all visitors to the park over the past few months. Over 100 Openbill chicks are on nests in a large Acacia together with a few Great White Egrets and a single Grey Heron nest with three chicks. The storks are all starting to test their wings, leaping rather ungracefully up and down on the flimsy nests and will probably be ready to fly within the next few weeks. About 50 metres away several Grey Herons have their nests in a large Sausage Tree, and behind that another Acacia is full of Great White Egret nests with scores of chicks squabbling and making an incredible amount of noise
Without warning an immature Ayre's Hawk Eagle flew past and made a clumsy attempt to snatch one of the Openbill chicks out of the nest, their reaction was deafening! The young eagle then settled near the egrets, causing more consternation but still did not manage to get a meal for itself.
Jackie Peel joins our team
Jackie Peel as joined us to help guide groups.Born in Zimbabwe, pharmacist by trade, Jackie and her husband Julian, farm in Mkushi.Jackie is extremely well travelled, she has great bubbly personality and keen on the bush and we know our clients are going to enjoy going on farm tours and safari with her.
Postnet 726, P. Bag E891, Lusaka