Africa Safari Blog

The international community must urgently help curb a serious and escalating poaching threat in Zimbabwe, urges independent conservation lobby group, The Zambezi Society.

“Zimbabwe’s wildlife and wilderness areas are of global significance,” says Dick Pitman, Vice-Chairman of The Zambezi Society, which has a 25-year history of wildlife and wilderness conservation in northern Zimbabwe.  “When a species like the black rhino is being poached to extinction, we are not talking about a local loss.  This is a case of collective international responsibility. It’s no longer a matter of “politics”.  The world must take action now, or accept the consequences”.
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We were sitting around the boma at Koro camp one afternoon, the day before Charlie and the Trackers were leaving, when Kate (the camp ‘maid’, I guess) ran in, saying there was a snake outside. We ran out to see a Mozambique Spitting Cobra lying in the grass, with most of a frog sticking out of its mouth.

We watched for a few moments – while I made sure everyone knew about its ability to spit venom, but knowing that with the frog blocking its mouth we were safe… for the moment.

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As a way of introducing myself, I have traveled to 90 countries, most of them multiple times. My wife has visited about fifty countries. We consider ourselves seasoned travelers and we’ve experienced the total spectrum of quality in transportation, accommodations, activities and cuisine.  As a result, we feel we can make an informed assessment of performance when it comes to travel.

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By Louise Redvers, BBC News, Luanda

In the past, most people who went to Angola were searching for oil, diamonds or landmines. Now, the country is also proving a big draw for fossil hunters – known in the scientific community as palaeontologists – who have described Angola as a “museum in the ground”. Angola was closed off for many years because of its three-decade long civil war, which only ended in 2002, so few scientists have had the chance to visit. Those getting the chance now are not leaving disappointed. Louis Jacobs, of the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, says:  “Angola is the final frontier for palaeontology. Due to the war, there has been little research carried out… but now we are getting in finally and there is so much to find.  “In some areas there are literally fossils sticking out of the rocks, it is like a museum in the ground.”
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Anne from the USA recently embarked on her Madagascar dream holiday with us, Jenman Safaris, by visiting the eastern parts of Madagascar including many well-known and popular national parks. Anne didn’t have much to tell us except that she had a blast! Below is what she had to say about her holiday, especially how her favourite part of touring Madagascar was “the warmth of the local people and their caring, giving and welcoming nature.”

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2009-10-13 10:57
Birgit Ottermann, click here for orginal article

Cape Town - The Cederberg in the North West Cape with its rugged mountains, flowering fynbos and ancient, indigenous landscape is a spectacular sight but, ironically, the endemic Clanwilliam Cedar tree – (Widdringtonia Cedarbergensis) after which the area is named – is virtually nowhere to be seen. Historic manipulation of the natural veld through frequent burning to stimulate grass growth for livestock grazing, indiscriminate felling for buildings, furniture and telephone poles and more frequent fires (owing to environmental changes and climate change), has nearly wiped out these beautiful trees, and the species is classified as endangered on the global Red Data List and faces a high risk of extinction.

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John Maytham is one of Cape Towns‘ local celebrities; hosting talk shows on a local radio station named “567 Cape Talk“. John has his own program which features new and exciting topics daily, as well as discussions on current and political affairs. We were thrilled for the opportunity to arrange John’s holiday and let him experience Jenman Safaris’ passion and knowledge for Madagascar. John recently (July 2009) returned from an exciting Madagascar Holiday; he went on a tailor-made package that consisted of our North Adventure and our ever popular, Madagascar dhow!! Below is what John had to say about his Madagascar Adventure:
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Source: Travel Africa Magazine, Edition 48 Autumn 2009-11-03
Written by: Frank Glettenberg

While being a firm favourite for thousands of travellers until the 1990’s, Zimbabwe has all but dropped off the tourism map in recent years. With the formation of the coalition government and the American Dollarisation of the economy, I thought now was the right time to rate the country’s current tourism potential. How had the tourism infrastructure survived its dormancy? Were there still animals in the national parks? Would people be happy to see tourists? And most importantly, would I feel safe?

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