Back from Tanzania

[Safaridude]

Back from a great safari...

 

I encountered more lions on this one than any other safari in my life. Ruaha, in particular, was crawling with them.

 

Elephants have, understandably, become skittish and nocturnal at Selous, but Ruaha and Katavi had good numbers of them.

 

This was my first time to Selous, and it was a pleasant surprise. The birdlife on the Rufiji and the lakes is incredible.

 

Tree-climbing lions, tame leopards and roan at Katavi.

 

And I was privileged to have visited a newly-gazetted Lukwati Game Reserve, a huge, pristine miombo woodland.

[PT123]

"I encountered more lions on this one than any other safari in my life."

 

As we would say in America: awesome! Looking forward to more details and pictures. Lions in a tree are always pretty cool to see because (to me) they just don't look like they belong up there.

[Earthian]

@@Safaridude

we are waiting...

[Tom Kellie]

~ @@Safaridude

 

Welcome back!

It all sounds great. Looking forward to further particulars about the Rufiji birdlife and the Lukwati Game Reserve.

Tom K.

[Africalover]

Cant wait to read more about this trip. :-) As as I know Lukwati is or was a hunting area, you tell me.

Cheers.

[Julian]

Looks like there will be loads for me to see - I'll be in Selous later this week, and then Ruaha and Katavi afterwards.

 

What were the temperatures like very early morning morning ? hoping we dont need any warmer clothes as up to the limit on weight allowance.

Edited September 21, 2015 by Julian

[SafariChick]

Tame leopards? Yipee, can't wait for your report (hint, hint)

[Game Warden]

This topic needs photos...

[Soukous]

give the poor bloke a chance - he's only just got back.

[Safaridude]

@@Africalover

 

Indeed Lukwati was and still is a hunting area. I don't hunt.

[Safaridude]

@@Julian

 

In Selous, you won't need any warm clothing (humidity, low elevation).

 

In Ruaha and Katavi, mornings were cool. Generally, one needed a fleece jacket until about 8-9am. What I experienced a couple of weeks ago though means very little, as temperatures are constantly rising as we approach October. My bet is you won't be uncomfortable without a fleece when you go.

[Kitsafari]

@@Safaridude welcome back! i hope you didn't get dreams of the bearded one like you did in Zim.

[Julian]

@@Julian

 

In Selous, you won't need any warm clothing (humidity, low elevation).

 

In Ruaha and Katavi, mornings were cool. Generally, one needed a fleece jacket until about 8-9am. What I experienced a couple of weeks ago though means very little, as temperatures are constantly rising as we approach October. My bet is you won't be uncomfortable without a fleece when you go.

Fantastic, thank you Safaridude, this is the kind of weather info that you cant find - no matter how hard you look - only the likes of you who have just returned can tell me the real weather as it is/ was just a few days ago. Thats is so helpful.

We are taking a fleece each but everything else is very light hot weather wear - but now we know that should be fine.

 

We were caught out in 2009 when we went Botswana in June and they had an unusually cold spell, although 25 degrees in the day time it was probably down to 5 degrees or lower sometimes around dawn. We slept in our clothes and had to buy more, and on game drives were provided with those smocks that are heavily waterproofed outside and think blanket on the inside - along with hot water bottles - on the morning game drives- trying to avoid that sort of situation!

Edited September 21, 2015 by Julian

[Marks]

@@Safaridude Welcome back. I await your full report with anticipation, especially Lukwati, as any information on this reserve will be entirely new to me.

[Safaridude]

@@Julian

 

It will be nothing like what you experienced in Bots. It should be very nice in the mornings and quite toasty after that.

[Safaridude]

@@Kitsafari

 

I did have other Malarone-induced dreams… vivid and downright weird!

 

I'll tell you, Malarone is underrated as a psychodelic drug.

[pault]

@Safaridude Welcome back. Really look forward to catching up with your report when I get back.

[Anomalure]

@@Safaridude

 

Really looking forward to the report, especially Lukwati. All of the remote game reserves in Tanzania fascinate me, especially the Ugalla, Moyowosi/Luganzo, and Rukwa areas. I'd love to visit Southern and Western Tanzania someday.

[Game Warden]

@@Safaridude Please do consider writing a review of the properties in which you stayed for the new Lodge and Camp review subforum. Thanks, Matt.