Selous, Ruaha, Katavi, Serengeti Mara - Sept 23rd to Oct 9th 2015

[miguelkatavi]

Julian many many thanks for taking the time to post all these wonderful pictures!!

Edited January 17, 2016 by miguelkatavi

[Julian]

Many thanks for all your wonderful comments posted in the last 24 hours. I intend to continue with this trip report in the same style for the second half of the trip. Katavi next , but I do have to reduce the number of photos of Katavi first ( 1200) then upload to photobucket the ones I want to post on here- so it will probably be at least a week before this report continues.....

[Marks]

Fantastic hyena and elephants on the last page. You've given us a great look at the elephants going to town on the tree bark. Fascinating!

[miguelkatavi]

Great!! At least my beloved Katavi!!

[Julian]

Just testing to see if a video posting will work:

 

[miguelkatavi]

Thanks for the video, the interaction of wildlife in katavi is very unique

 

Waiting for more of katavi and camp!

[Julian]

Day 9: Thursday 1st Oct – Morning flight to Katavi, to spend the next four days at Chada camp

 

A really early start today – we were given a packed breakfast as we had to leave camp at 6.00am. By 7.00am we were already in the air and heading westwards. The landscape changed as we moved further west becoming noticeably greener as we neared Katavi.

 

By 8.20am we had landed, and were met by the camp manager – Julien – a very enthusiastic and friendly person, plus one of the guides. We were sitting in the camp lounge by 9.00am and Julien apologised profusely for our tents not being ready yet, which seemed unnecessary as we had arrived so early, and also knew that this was different to other camps in that all the guests can only arrive and leave either on a Thursday or Monday( the only days the planes operate at Katavi), so the guests vacating our tents had not actually left camp yet.

 

Julien gave us quick a camp briefing and then we had a bit of time to relax before being escorted to our rooms. We knew exactly what the camp was like before we arrived, from photos we had seen, and being a basic but very classic style safari camp the set-up is very simple, but it does capture the feel of how camps may have been a century or so back. The camp centre consists of two main tents - the dining area and the lounge area, and there are just six guest tents, consisting of a bedroom, a passageway connecting to the bathroom, and then an external area for the bucket shower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bathroom sink tap only had a cold water supply from a small tank and an eco toilet was fitted. The bucket showers were fine – but rarely arrived at the times requested, and on two occasions they never arrived at all – and then finding a member of staff in the afternoon was difficult.

 

The numerous zip-up panels on the tents have been replaced with the zips remaining just on the main entrance into the tent and exit from the bathroom into the shower area. A sort of door panel with velcro ‘catches’ are now the openings between the bedroom and passageway, and the passageway and bathroom. However over time the ‘hinges’ have dropped and so the door panels no longer close properly –sometimes leaving a considerable gap ( about four inches) near the top on our panel leading into the passageway.

 

 

 

 

 

These were all minor problems and were not going to affect our enjoyment of being in Katavi. We all met in the lounge area prior to heading out on our afternoon game drive and Julien told us that there would be six of us (three couples) in the same vehicle. Given that it was not a long-wheelbase vehicle, but a standard size Landrover, this meant three guests in the back row of seats, two in the front row, and one guest sitting next the guide/driver. It was overcrowded and the person who sat in the middle seat at the back (we rotated) could not realistically use their camera equipment as required.

 

It turned out that this camp only had three vehicles and three driver/guides, and is normally fully booked throughout the main season meaning 12 guests continuously. Two of the guests (a father and son) had booked (ie paid the extra for) a vehicle to themselves, so this inevitably meant 6 guests in one of the other two vehicles. We were expecting to share a vehicle but not to have six guests crammed into a vehicle where four should be the maximum. Considering Chada camp daily rates are over 30% more than Mwagusi and Selous Impala we felt disappointed. This was our first stay at a Nomad camp and will also be our last.

 

 

 

 

Luckily all six of us got on really well in the vehicle together, and mealtimes were also very sociable with the same 12 guests and manager seated together for each lunch and dinner. Breakfast was always in camp, and the food was generally very good. The other 4 guests in the vehicle with us were a couple from Switzerland (Jeff who was American and Monica who was German), and a couple from New Zealand (Peter and Jenny) who had already been there for three days when we arrived, and our very experienced guide was called Emmanuel.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Julian

[Julian]

It is normally dry in Katavi at the beginning of October but we were told it had rained the day before we arrived. Everywhere was very green in comparison to the arid and dry Ruaha. It had turned very humid as we drove off on our first game drive here in Katavi, and the first wildlife to show itself was giraffes and elephants. It was noticeable how the colouration of all the wildlife here was much darker than in Ruaha or Selous – due to the black cotton soil. Elephants appeared dark grey and almost black in colour sometimes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next on the agenda was a possible leopard sighting. It was highly likely to return to the location where it had been seen previously as when we stopped the impala carcass hanging in the tree was an obvious giveaway, but there was no sign of the leopard..... or so we thought. Emmanual had been chatting to us very quietly for a few minutes when just few yards in front of us there was some movement – the leopard had been there all the time but it blended perfectly in with the vegetation.

 

 

 

The leopard moved off into the dense woodland, so even though we could go off track it would have been incredibly difficult to navigate on the sort of landscape. Still a little time left before sunset and we came across some lions.

 

 

 

 

Lion coughing up a hairball:

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then had our sundowner drinks and headed back to camp watching the sun go down.

 

 

It had turned very overcast and still with the humidity increasing further. A very nice first dinner and plenty of conversation with the other six guests as well, a father and son from USA, and the other group of four were from Germany – very enthusiastic even though they were in their late 70’s and 80’s. Julien’s over-the-top enthusiasm and commitment to both running the camp and to Katavi and its wildlife was very welcome and often amusing. He always wanted everything to be perfect for the guests and even the staff thought he was a bit ‘crazy’. Meal times became increasingly sociable and jovial as we all got to know each other better.

 

We were escorted back to the tent in the evenings and mornings as wildlife regularly wanders through the camp. As well as the larger wildlife large black scorpions on the ground need to be avoided – and we did actually see a couple during our stay. It had been a long day, we were very tired and looking forward to a good long sleep, but that did not happen, as there was a lengthy storm that night with torrential rainfall accompanying the thunder and lightning for several hours.

 

 

Day 10: Friday 2nd Oct – Second day at Chada camp

[TonyQ]

@@Julian

Just up to Post#79 in Ruaha. (catching up - have been away!)

Lovely photos of elephants, lions and the almost hunt.

Great landscapes as well and a good overview of the camp. Very enjoyable and I look forward to catching up with the rest

[ZaminOz]

@@Julian did you raise the subject of vehicle overcrowding with Julien? How was the response?

[TonyQ]

I have just reached the end of the Ruaha section - you make it very appealing. I love the lion cub pictures, and the hyena at the den (I like hyena!)

Katavi looks nice, but the overcrowded vehicle would be offputting - especially as they made extra money by charging people for a private guide/vehicle

[Julian]

@@Julian did you raise the subject of vehicle overcrowding with Julien? How was the response?

We all immediately raised the subject as Julien was there with us when he told us we would all be in that vehicle when we were about to go on our first game drive.

We were told they had no other suitable vehicle and no other qualified guide.

 

By the second day the couple who were staying for a week and had already been there for 3 days prior to us arriving (but with only 4 in their vehicle for their first 3 days) , had obviously obviously complained further, as on the last day they accepted going in the tatty old staff landrover with another member of staff as their guide (he was not a fully qualified guide and spoke hardly any English).

 

The other couple in the vehicle felt there was nothing we could do about it as we had no legal claim ( ie nothing in writing to indicate the maximum number of guests in a vehicle).

 

We mentioned it to Julien again on the last day and he said there was nothing else he could do at the time and that we should raise the issue on the feedback form which goes to Nomad, because he knew it was wrong to put six of us in the vehicle, so we did.

We also raised the issue on our Trip Advisor report for the camp, and we also spoke to our tour operator - ATR - who were of a very firm opinion that 4 guests

was a maximum in that type of vehicle.

 

Nomad have not responded to us regarding either the feedback form or our Trip Advisor report.

[Julian]

I have just reached the end of the Ruaha section - you make it very appealing. I love the lion cub pictures, and the hyena at the den (I like hyena!)

Katavi looks nice, but the overcrowded vehicle would be offputting - especially as they made extra money by charging people for a private guide/vehicle

 

If we ever went to Katavi again we would stay at the Fox's camp - it looked good, never saw any of their vehicles overcrowded , and its a lot cheaper than Chada.

[madaboutcheetah]

Just catching up with your report @@Julian - Nomad's Chada WAS on my list ........ now, off ......... I'll have to go else where and check other new locations first.

Looks like sloppy service all round. Most camps in Africa, at such a price point ought not to be stingy and stuff more than 4 people to a vehicle. Greedy!

[Julian]

Not surprisingly the power was off this morning (solar power providing the electric) but it was soon back on with the back-up generator. Julien had come round to each tent to apologise for the lack of power – but it seemed unnecessary considering we were in such a remote area it was something we expected to happen.

 

It was very overcast this morning with rain which persisted until mid- afternoon. It was also surprisingly cold and we all had blankets wrapped round us on the morning game drive (which soon became wet blankets). The weather also seemed unappealing to the wildlife and initially there was little to observe.

 

We stopped off at one of locations where the hippos collect in large numbers (close to the park wardens headquarters buildings). Although there was still a reasonable amount of water in the river the hippos seemed to prefer the pools where often it is the only water available by this time of years. The hippos were packed really tight together but there seemed to be little tension between the males, and with all the noise they were making it seemed as though they all enjoyed being crammed in together in a relatively small space. Marabou storks were also present.

 

Lots of small catfish and the occasional crocodile were also mixed in with the hippos in the rather smelly murky and muddy water. We also spotted a crocodile inside one of the tunnels they dig into the riverbank.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we continued on our drive we came across some giraffes and a few birds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little later we came across three of the lions from the group we were watching yesterday evening. They were still in the same location but there was nothing out on the dried marsh to hold their interest (whereas yesterday there were two bull buffalos in the distance which the lions were showing an interest in, but we had to leave as it was sunset).

One of the lions we saw here yesterday had a very severe limp and could hardly walk, but the leg didn’t look injured. IT was not one of the three here today so we wondered what had happened to it. We were told the following day that the park staff had brought a vet in and darted the lion to see what was wrong. The guides thought it was most likely just a large thorn or spine stuck in the paw that was causing the painful problem.

 

 

 

 

A new species for us appeared next – a type of large monitor lizard in a tree (can’t remember the species), and then just time before lunch to see a male and female lion together – a mating pair who were resting . Emmanuel said he would bring us back to this spot later as they were likely to remain there.

 

 

 

 

By the time we went out on our afternoon game drive the skies had cleared a little and it was getting warm again. The pair of lions were in the same location and this time they were mating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We watched them for a while and then moved on. Next on the agenda was a good sighting of some elephants crossing the road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We finished the game drive off with sundowners at a different hippo pool. This pool was more scenic than the previous one and nowhere near as smelly. As well as the hippos there was also quite a variety of storks and a lot of egrets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a fine way to end the day and as you can see from the sundowner video we were all feeling in good spirits.

 

 

[Julian]

Although our afternoon game drive was over it was not the end of our game viewing today, as Rachel and I were going on a night game drive – our first and only night drive on this safari. For night drives there has to be a park official in the vehicle as well as the guests and guide, so it is limited to four guests on any night drive. The other four were going on the following night.

 

Rachel and I were having dinner as soon as we arrived back in camp. Then about 8.00pm we would be heading off on our night drive for about two hours (additional cost but worth it). A large spotlight was attached to the vehicle which the park warden controlled.

In the first few minutes we spotted several bushbabies. Next it was impala and zebra that appeared in the spotlight. There were also a few birds and after a while quite a few hippos. Time for some more interesting species as white-tailed mongoose came into view and then two separate sightings of genets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I noticed that Emmanual and the park warden were concentrating on looking either side of the vehicle as the spotlight sweeps were made. As the vegetation was fairly dense – long grasses, bushes and trees with only a narrow track I focussed on looking for anything straight ahead that might cross the track as it heard us coming - and then I saw something cross the track – about thirty yards in front. It wasn’t something I recognised so I shouted to Emmanual and indicated where it had crossed. As we quickly approached the location Emmanual exclaimed - its an aardvark! We saw it scuttle off into the bushes and the park official quickly gestured for Emmanual to drive off-track into the dense vegetation to follow it.

 

After about 15 minutes it became obvious we were not going to find it. No chance of a photo but the two staff were very pleased as they are rare sightings in Katavi. Emmanual said he had only seen one other in ten years guiding there. I was obviously very pleased, not least because I was the one who spotted it.

We continued to drive off road for a long time, and then Emmanual finally admitted he was completely lost as he couldn’t find any of the main tracks.

 

He radioed back to camp and another guide drove out of camp in our general direction until we could see his headlights through the bushes. By the time we arrived back at camp it was 11.00pm. Julien greeted us and when we told him what we had seen he said – thats a silver medal – gold medal goes to the pangolin.

 

Everyone else had gone to bed so we had a few minutes sitting down with a drink and then were escorted back to our tent. (The other four guests who went out the following night did not see an aardvark but they did see two leopards and a honey badger.)

[michael-ibk]

Congratulations on spotting an Aardvark - well done indeed! Really cool photos of the Hippo pool, love the one where the one Hippo in the background is seen straight through the open jaws of the two in front.

[Africalover]

Great tripreport and sightings, but it is not allowed to offroad in Katavi. But the camps do it all the time

[Julian]

Congratulations on spotting an Aardvark - well done indeed! Really cool photos of the Hippo pool, love the one where the one Hippo in the background is seen straight through the open jaws of the two in front.

i

 

Thanks Michael

The advantage of a night drive at Katavi was that it actually takes place at night, rather than the first hour or so after sunset- which is when night drives have taken place on my previous safaris.

If you could actually go out on night drives - say between 8.00 pm and midnight in most national parks then I imagine sightings of species such as aardvarks, pangolins, honey badgers and plenty of other species would be far more frquently reported.

 

If you had a lot of time at Katavi it would be worth spending a couple of half-days just at the hippo pools- so many oportunities for great hippo and stork footage and photos - which I think are fairly unique ( not sure if there is anywhere else that has such a density of hipos with a wide variety of stork species and other birds, and crocodiles - all in one small area and very close up).

[Julian]

Great tripreport and sightings, but it is not allowed to offroad in Katavi. But the camps do it all the time

Thanks Africalover.

On the night drive the Katavi park warden gave our guide permission to drive off road to pursue the aardvark - because of the importance of the sighting, so on that occasion it was allowed.

 

During the rest of the stay we rarely went off road, and only a few yards on the few occasions when it happened. Given the incredibly low level of tourism in Katavi - with most areas of it having zero impact from tourism, I feel it is insignificant if camp vehicles occasionally go off road. This would of course change if tourism significantly increased there.

[Julian]

Day 11: Saturday 3rd Oct – Third day at Chada camp

 

We woke up feeling really tired and exhausted after the long day yesterday. Since the beginning of the trip when we had only one hours sleep on the overnight flight we had been feeling tired. Some nights our sleep was interrupted by wildlife and the storm the night before last kept us awake nearly all night.

 

Rachel had also been suffering with a reaction to the tsetse fly bites, they bit me but other than a few tiny marks I was fine , whereas Rachel had a lot of itchy small lumps, and her ankles and feet had swollen up (we discovered later that quite a lot of people have this reaction to the tsetse fly bites). So this was also disturbing her sleep.

 

Therefore we decided not to go out this morning. Rachel caught up on some much needed sleep and I dozed a bit but spent most of the morning relaxing and later taking a few photos and a video clip in the camp. I don’t like missing out on any part of a safari trip but we decided that we would benefit for the rest of the safari if we had some much needed rest now.

 

 

 

 

 

It was a walking safari this morning that we missed but it started from the camp. The other four said it was OK but they didn’t see anything really interesting, mainly just about the plants and animal tracks – so we did not miss anything really as we have been on several safari walks in the past.

 

After a nice leisurely lunch we were feeling refreshed and looking forward to the afternoon game drive. It started out with a few of the usual species including warthogs and baboons. A little later we stopped at a small almost dried out lakebed to watch some cranes (grey crowned cranes - I think).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rather unique and amusing looking, but often seen, sausage tree:

 

 

 

Later we came across more elephants crossing the road, a different group from yesterdays elephant sightings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was already time for our sundowners so we stopped at a pleasant spot with a few hippos (a different place to yesterday’s hippo pools) and watched the sun go down.

 

 

 

 

 

Back at camp it was another lively evening with good food, plenty of drinks and lots of conversation around the dinner table.

[Julian]

Day 12: Sunday 4th October – Fourth day at Chada camp

 

Peter and Jenny who were now on their 7^th day here, were going out in the old staff landrover with the unqualified guide today, so that left only four of us in our vehicle which was nice for our last morning game drive. We were heading off some 50 km to the area known as Paradise, which we hoped would be good as the landscape is different and we had already seen most of the locations within the area the camp normally had its game drives.

 

We made a slightly earlier start and drove quickly until the landscape began to change. It became more open with increasing numbers of palm trees and some different vegetation. We stopped off on the way at a spot where a male lion was resting in the shade of a bush.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After that we pressed on and the landscape opened out more but the number of very tall palm trees increased, carpeting some areas either side of the road, giving a very different feel to the landscape. Buffalo and zebra were seen at intervals along the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The palm trees appeared to be getting taller as we progressed further into Paradise.

 

 

 

 

Soon after as we reached the heart of Paradise we came across a very large plains area with a variety of species spread out across the plains which included topi and their offspring, zebra, buffalos, bushbuck and a few hippos. It was also very noticeable how the closer animals all turned to look at us and continued to stare. They seemed very unsure - I assume because human presence is very low in this remote location.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to head back for our final lunch at Chada camp.

[Julian]

The afternoon became hot and humid and it was very quiet on our afternoon game drive. We did see some bushbuck and impala among the regular species, as well as watching an elephant calf struggling to climb up a steep edge of bank.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A while later Emmanual noticed something through the dense vegetation – which turned out to be a very large male hyena resting in the shade by a tree– our first hyena in Katavi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a beautiful sunny early evening and our final stop was at one of the hippo pools. As well as the noisy hippos and a few crocodiles there were many storks of a variety of species including Marabou, Yellow-billed, Open-billed, Saddle-billed and White, Flocks of egrets settled briefly in the trees and only to fly off quickly and return a minute or two later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were also storks perched on the backs of hippos fishing for the many small catfish in the murky gaps of water. Crocodiles also moved around under the surface occasionally revealing themselves at the surface.The method the stalks were using to attempt to catch the catfish, balancing on the hippos, seemed very precarious as one wrong move and they would become a crocodile snack. The scene presented us with plenty of photo opportunities and time to take a couple of video clips as well, as we remained here while we drank our last sundowner drinks in Katavi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back at camp the dinner was again a very sociable affair. With all 12 guests leaving tomorrow everyone was making the most of our final occasion together. While we were all being very talkative and jovial at dinner a group of elephants had wandered through the camp and when we returned to our tent we discovered the passageway between the main room and bathroom had been knocked down. All part of the experience of being in Katavi - perhaps the elephants were just saying farewell to the guests. (We discovered in the morning that one of the other guest tents had been rather more trashed than ours).

 

So what did we think of Katavi and Chada camp. Katavi is certainly a great place to visit on safari, definitely remote, very low numbers of visitors, a different landscape to other parks ( but then they are all very different to each other), plenty of varied wildlife, and the probably unique type of hippo pools are truly wonderful to see. However we felt that it is over-hyped in the sense of often being referred to as the ‘holy grail’ of places to go on safari, and also comments such as the ‘largest biodiversity in Africa’ plus ‘herds of several thousand buffalo’ create an image that the experience of Katavi will be something far greater than the actual reality.

 

I am really pleased we came here but I probably would not come back – at least not for a number of years – as the available area for wildlife viewing is relatively very small – more of the park needs to be opened up. Also it is very expensive to get to Katavi, and only worth the cost if you are going to Selous and/or Ruaha as well or if you were going to Mahale.

 

With regard to Chada camp – again I was pleased we stayed here, the true classic feel of staying in a camp from the distant past, due to careful design and layout. However, for the relatively high cost of staying here, it does not match up to other camps in other locations. The tents are looking very worn – and need to be replaced, the food whilst varied and good was not of the quality we had in the other camps we stayed on this safari (the food at Mwagusi being a long way above Chada. Finally the problem of putting six guests in a Landrover – it should not happen at this level of safari/camp.

 

Having been very critical, overall we did still have a wonderful time here. The highs being the amazing hippo pools and the night drive, not forgetting Julien, the superb manager.

 

Katavi Chada Manager - Julien:

 

Edited February 12, 2016 by Julian

[Julian]

Day 13: Monday 5th October – 11.00am flight to Serengeti Kogatende, via Mahale and Tabora,

to spend the next four days at Serian Serengeti camp

 

We were told yesterday evening that although the five parties of guests were all going to different locations with flights scheduled at various times, we would all actually be leaving Katavi on just two planes. Due to the unique nature of Katavi being so remote and having flights in and out on only Mondays and Thursdays it makes sense to put as many guests as possible on each plane.

 

We were scheduled to leave at 12.00 and arrive at Kogatende around 5.30pm after a refuelling stop at Tabora. However we were told we would now be leaving before 11.00am and would be flying first to Mahale – where Jeff and Monica were going next before returning to Switzerland, where the plane would also pick up some guests going on further on its route. The plane would then to a detour to Tabora and stop for an hour for refuelling.

 

After that it would head off to Serengeti Kogatende and would arrive by 4.15pm. The father and son party (John and James) were also on our plane as they were returning to USA as it was the end of their safari – they had been to Mahale before going to Katavi. So it was a long flight for them as after Kogatende the plane would be stopping elsewhere before their destination in Arusha.

 

Peter and Jenny (the New Zealand couple) and the four German guests were heading off to Selous, so they were on the other plane which left before ours. After staying at Selous Peter and Jenny were then going to fly to England to stay with friends for a couple of weeks to watch the rugby world cup.

 

After a relaxing leisurely breakfast farewells took place at the camp between all the guests and staff and then Emmanual took our group of six to the airstrip. The staff were all very cheerful as no guests were booked in for the next week and the staff would all be having a break.

 

 

It was a beautiful morning, blue skies with a little cloud, but feeling far less humid and fresher than recently. There seemed to be an abundance of wildlife out as we steadily made our way in the direction of the airstrip. We stopped several times on the way to take a last look at the Katavi wildlife and then had a short break while a few elephants very slowly crossed the track in front of our vehicle. It was 10.15am and as we were in no hurry Emmanual asked us if we would like a drink. Why not we all thought, and so most of us sat there drinking beer - Kilimanjaro, Serengeti and my favourite – Safari - the three Tanzanian beers on offer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the plane arrived the camps supplies were unloaded first, obviously all their supplies come in on these twice weekly flights as well, then we said goodbye to Emmanual and Julien, and boarded the plane. We were given a packed lunch from the camp and settled in for the long flight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was pleased we were going via Mahale as we were able to get some fantastic views of Mahale mountain and Lake Tanganyika. Short video below of taking off from Mahale with views of the vast Lake Tanganyika and Mahale mountain in the background.

 

 

 

 

When we stopped for refuelling at Tabora I asked the pilot if I could sit in the co-pilots seat for the journey to Kogatende and he was completely relaxed about it. Here is a video from the co-pilots seat of us taking off from Tabora.

 

 

 

 

That part of the flight was over two hours so the pilot was able to talk with me for quite a while when the plane was on auto. He was also a safari enthusiast who had been to many locations and camps – often free when he had to stop overnight as part of his schedule. He was currently living in Arusha with his family and they often spent weekends on short safaris – especially Tarangire which was ‘local’ for him. He had also been to Botswana and other places.

 

He spent most of his time on the Tanzania northern circuit flights, but some of the time on these inducement charter planes, which flew almost anywhere in Tanzania. I looked at his schedule for this flight which was a Tanganyikan Flying Company flight.

 

His schedule for today started at Arusha at 6.00am, then Dar Es Salaam, Ruaha, Tabora (refuelling) , Katavi, Mahale, TAbora (refuelling again), Serengeti Kogatende, Lake Manyara, Kilimanjaro, Arusha (6.00pm). So basically a circle around Tanzania.

 

 

A couple of photos from the journey.

 

 

 

 

 

He pointed out a couple of things to me on the journey including Lake Victoria. Then as we approached the NOrthen sector of the Mara he flew lower and followed the line of the Mara river for the last few minutes before we landed at Kogatende.

Video below of the last few minutes over the Mara river and the landing at Kogatende.

 

 

 

Finally back in the Serengeti, after 14 years!

[Marks]

I really like all your images of camp; they help to solidify the illusion that I am there with you as I read the TR!

The hippo shots are splendid, as is the one of the fish eagles at night (what a neat thing to see).