I'm not quite half-way through reading Bill Gates' book (The Road Ahead, Viking 1995), and although I've already had to wade through one or two heavy-going passages, and have come across quite a bit of repetitive stuff, it's generally well-written and interesting. In fact, it's probably 'must read' material if one wants to grasp the potential impact of the communication revolution which we are in the midst of. Why mention a book I haven't finished reading and what does this have to do with traveling to Africa? It's simple. Like a politician who peeks at the index of another politician's autobiography just to see how prominently he - or she - features, I checked the index of Bill's book before adding to his growing fortune. Looking for references to 'travel', natch. What I saw on page 179 makes me think that Bill must be smarter than people give him credit for (VBG):
"Smart, experienced, and creative travel agents will prosper, but they will specialize and do more than book reservations. Say you want to visit Africa. You will be able to find [online] the cheapest tickets to Kenya, so the travel agency will have to be able to provide something else. Perhaps the agency books nothing but trips to East Africa - hence, they'll be able to tell you what other customers especially liked, or that the Tsavo National Park is too crowded, or that if you're really interested in seeing herds of zebra, you are better off visiting Tanzania."
Too true. Matter of fact, Bill, much of this information can be gleaned straight from the Travel Forum message boards on America Online. And with more and more Africa-based tour operators and lodges joining the headlong rush onto the Worldwide Web, some folks are even opting for making their bookings direct. Naturally, this is risky, as you might be dealing with an unknown quantity in terms of reliability and performance. So, before you sign up for anything, get some references, find out how many times a specific tour has been run before and make sure that your operator works legally in the country where the safari will take place. Will they be using their own equipment and do they employ full-time guides? Ask how much liability insurance cover the company or lodge has and make sure that the guide is experienced and knowledgeable. A good guide is the most important ingredient of a memorable safari.
Bert du Plessis
1996 BEST YEAR EVER TO VISIT BOTSWANA & ZIMBABWE?
Southern Africa's long drought which has gripped some areas since the late 70's has finally been broken with superb rains being experienced right around the sub-continent. My associates in Botswana report that conditions there are wonderful: "The Kalahari is like a green carpet at the moment and the Okavango Delta is lush and green while many of the rivers and lagoons are full. The floods up in the panhandle of the Okavango are very strong and pilots report that there is a massive amount of water in the Angolan highlands' drainage area, waiting to pour into Botswana. Some of the companies which have been running camping safaris in January and February were unable to reach Savuti as the roads between Savuti and Moremi were impassable. In 1995 the rains and floods were the 'driest' since the 1950's. This year, the opposite is true! The Delta has been crying out for a good flood for years and this year should be it. Roll on the floods."
Some areas in Zimbabwe have had the heaviest rains this century and Lake Kariba is rising dramatically. "As a whole", reports Peter Ginn from Marondera, east of Harare, "Zimbabwe has had an exceptional rainy season, with wide-spread, prolonged - yet gentle - rain. As a result there has been an unprecedented amount of absorption of water into the underground water supplies. This in turn means that practically all springs are flowing strongly, which in turn has made the rivers flow and this has filled dams (reservoirs). It also means that rivers will continue to flow for the next 6 to 8 months which is something that has not happened for many years."
All this translates into the fact that 1996 will be one of the best years ever to visit Botswana and Zimbabwe. There will be plenty of food for the game and they will be in prime condition, with good numbers present in the entire region. Game-viewing in Botswana has already improved. Wilderness Safaris' managing director Colin Bell, who just returned from the area, commented that conditions at Mombo Camp, on Chief's Island in the Moremi Wildlife Reserve, could hardly be better: "...the game is excellent and the veld is looking superb with all the rains we had in February. In addition we can now run our game drives up until half an hour after sunset - so guests are getting the nocturnal game experience as well. Guests I met (in early March) had seen heaps of lions including a couple of different mating pairs in different parts of the Mombo area; great leopard sightings; wild dog galore, elephant and all the rest."
Bird-watching will also be exceptionally good from now to June or July, and good to excellent from then on. The breeding season (August to November) is expected to be the best for many years as vegetation growth has been incredible and insects are abundant for the first time in 10 years.
In South Africa, the Vaal Dam reservoir which supplies greater Johannesburg with water, is full for the first time in decades, having gone from 14 percent of capacity to overflowing since early December. All the major rivers flowing through the Kruger National Park such as the Olifants, Letaba and Sabie (which almost came to a standstill for the first time ever a few months ago) are flowing strongly. In parts of Kwazulu-Natal the rain has in fact been so heavy that lives were lost in floods. However, the rivers have started to subside again.
The heavy rain in South Africa is indirectly responsible for an outbreak of malaria in Northern Province. (Please see separate note).
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK: WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL?
The huge Kruger National Park, about the size of Massachusetts, has fascinated and delighted game and bird enthusiasts for many years. This reserve is an institution in South Africa, where people mean 'Kruger Park' when they say 'the game reserve'. Lately, more and more visitors from overseas have been experiencing the very special appeal of Kruger, but there are still many misconceptions, especially about accommodation and game-viewing activities.
My first recollection of a visit to the Kruger National Park dates back to the late 50's when I was but a bright-eyed little boy in the back of my dad's VW, scanning the veld in keen anticipation of finding lions. Sometimes, I had to settle for elephant, but I soon got bored looking at impala, of which there were thousands. Not much has changed. Nowadays, I drive the VW - and it's a microbus, not a beetle - but impala is still ubiquitous. In fact, visitors soon realize that spending too much time video-taping impala is considered faintly amusing by the locals. I'm still looking for lion - who isn't - but I've overcome the boredom factor by developing an interest in birds, of which there are just as many in Kruger Park as there are impala, the difference being that the birds come in about 400 species.
It used to be said about advertising that it's about as much fun as you could have with your clothes on. I'd put a visit to Kruger Park in the same category. It's all very well to be pampered at a 5-star private lodge, and to be shown this cheetah and that lion, but discovering one's 'own' animals on a Kruger game drive is eminently satisfying. This is the main difference between Kruger Park and its counterparts in East Africa: down south, the vast majority of visitors are on self-drive safaris, where the daily routine may include several of the following elements:
A very early wake-up call in order to have the 'obligatory' coffee and rusks. Rusks are a South African speciality: these biscuits (there are many versions including aniseed, buttermilk, even whole-wheat) are oven-baked and then dried to a near rock-like consistency, which make them impervious to mould or other forms of decay. In other words, they have a shelf-life approaching that of enriched uranium (some people say they taste about the same, too!) which makes them perfect for the holidays. Unless you are very young or routinely crunch hard candies for fun, the way to eat a rusk is to dunk it in coffee. It is somewhat of an acquired taste, and almost always leaves a messy residue in the bottom of the cup, but it is as much a part of visiting Kruger Park as is seeing the animals.
Then it is on to the camp gate, where there may be several cars lined up, raring to go. Kruger Park's rest camps (not the reserve itself, however) are fenced and the gates open & close at various times throughout the year, depending upon the season (longer hours in summer, shorter in winter). Be forewarned: the gates close at the indicated times, so don't dawdle unnecessarily at night-fall. The authorities do not take kindly to late-comers, and visitors are not allowed to spend the night 'out'. As children, we had our own version of spending the night 'out' which was to huddle in the car (in camp) under a blanket, flashlights ready to illuminate whatever animal approached a carefully placed tin can baited with left-over lamb-chop bones. Many of us saw our first spotted hyena this way. So much for the fences surrounding the camps..
Many Kruger Park visitors limit their early morning drives to the roads in the immediate areas surrounding the camp where they're staying. After a couple of hours, they return to camp for breakfast which may be taken in the camp restaurant (in all the larger camps) or self-catered. Kruger Park has a well-maintained, extensive network of roads which include a main north-south tar (asphalt) road, as well as a maze of game-viewing tracks criss-crossing the best areas in all habitats. Due to the relative proximity of the southern part of the park to the highly populated Guateng Province, conditions in the lower third of Kruger can sometimes become more crowded than one would like, especially when there are predators such as lion in or near a road. This is especially true of the month of July, on any long weekend and over Easter, as well as during the school holidays in December through mid-January. The central and northern part of the park is hardly ever crowded.
Another item on the daily routine in Kruger Park for many visitors is a brunch at one of the many permanent picnic spots, such as Afsaal in the south, Nwanetsi or Mooiplaas north of Letaba. At these (and several other) spots, visitors may get out of their cars and walk or sit around in a relatively large area, sometimes with views over water-points. The main attraction of the picnic spots, other than to stretch the legs and give the kids a break, is that they have permanent fires (good hard-wood coals); hot water, (hopefully) cold drinks and snacks as well as lots of shade. What people do is to lug their brunch items with them, which may include boerewors (sausage), bacon, eggs, pancake/waffle batter, and maybe the ingredients for a mimosa (orange juice laced with a liberal splash of South African sparkling wine). The picnic sites are excellent for bird-watching, as many species are totally habituated and will literally feed from visitors' hands. This includes such 'photogenic' species as the hornbills, glossy starlings and various francolins.
Another facet of the Kruger Park experience is meeting other visitors, and if you're the least bit gregarious, you'll soon find yourself exchanging sightings and experiences with people from all over the world. My wife and I still fondly recall an evening in Punda Maria when we met some onion farmers from the Orange Free State around the camp fire. Generally speaking the smaller camps are better for getting to know your neighbors, but most people are keen to share their sightings, so don't hesitate to ask.
No visit to Kruger Park would be complete without 'padkos', literally 'road food', i.e. those goodies which not only sustains one during the long drives but also helps to break the monotony which sometimes sets in. Top of the list is biltong and dried 'wors', both wind-dried red meat products, somewhat similar to jerky. Biltong comes in many forms and varieties: huge chunks, slices, shredded, beef, kudu, impala, gemsbok, buffalo, etc. etc. Afficionados generally agree that beef is best, and not nearly as dry (lean) as the venison version. Kudu is considered excellent too. Personally, I don't care much for impala biltong, perhaps because I had too much of it as a child... Try it and judge for yourself. There are even more versions of dried wors than there are of biltong. Literally everything from barbecue to garlic flavor, very lean to exceedingly fatty, and on and on. Be careful: dried wors' ingredients have something in common with a Forest Gump box of you-know-what: you never know what you're gonna get.
Other good, traditional Kruger Park road food includes the local version of trail mix which is essentially just raisins and salted peanuts; plain old potato crisps in weird flavors such as beef and biltong, and a variety of dried fruits. The most widely available and also the best dried fruit is apricot. If you can, check the consistency before you buy. Like pasta, the chewiness of dried apricots is very important. Taste differs, but I like mine almost completely dry but not hard. You will also see a lot of dried, sugared fruits and fruit rolls. No wonder the kids like to go on safari like this!
Night drives are a relatively recent addition to Kruger Park's rather limited range of activities, and they are proving to be immensely popular. Please note that you can't pre-book night drives so make a reservation when you check in at your camp. The drives are often full, but if you stay at a particular camp for more than just one night, your chances should be good to obtain a spot for the second night. Night drives are limited by the availability of qualified driver/guides and equipped vehicles.
Don't expect to see a leopard on every - or any - drive. These animals, although relatively common in the area, are extremely secretive and are not often seen. In fact, don't expect too much from night drives, period. You may have to settle for two or three nocturnal species in total and views are often partial or fleeting. Take something warm, such as a sweater. It can be quite chilly at night, very cold in winter with the 'wind-chill' effect of the open, moving vehicle.
The ultimate Kruger Park experience, though, is to go along on one of the 4-day wilderness trails, operated twice-weekly in 7 different areas. The thrill of a 'Big 5' encounter on foot will stay with you for the rest of your life. Being close enough to an elephant to hear its stomach rumble and see the dust fly when it flaps its ears, is exciting when you're in a vehicle. On foot, in an environment where man is at a distinct disadvantage, it can be a life-changing experience. Reservations for the guided wilderness trails are near impossible to come by and despite regular applications since the early 80's, I have only been on three walks, viz. Nyalaland, Sweni and Bushmans. In future issues of this newsletter, I will take a look at some of my favorite Kruger Park camps, including Lower Sabie, Olifants, Letaba and Punda Maria.
IF IT'S ACROSS THE ZAMBEZI IT MUST BE ZAMBIA
In a part of Africa where the map is littered with z's, it is easy to see why a visitor may confuse Zambia with Zanzibar, an island group off the coast of Tanzania. Zambia doesn't exactly jump off the page next to Zimbabwe or even Zululand, for that matter. However, it's not too difficult to predict that this country, once known as Northern Rhodesia, is destined to become one of Africa's 'hot' safari destinations. This is especially true of Zambia's South Luangwa National Park, easily one of the great game parks of Africa, and one of the best places in the world to see the elusive leopard. The Luangwa Valley supports good populations of these spotted cats and they are regularly seen resting up in trees during the day, or stalking prey after dark.
Although Zambia largely remains one of the least accessible of Africa's countries from a wildlife tourism point of view, Malawi-based Central African Wilderness Safaris (CAWS) have initiated trips to its wildlife reserves and wilderness regions. Eastern Zambia is adjacent to Malawi and within easy reach of Lilongwe, where CAWS operate a busy travel office, running many week-long stays combining Lake Malawi and Mvuu, a luxury lodge. CAWS' Pam Badger says that they started an air charter in February, using a Cessna 210 which can transfer groups of up to five passengers. "This will mean that travel within Malawi and to the Luangwa Valley will be much easier and time saved will be well worth the extra cost", she added.
In early March, Pam reported that they were having surprising late rains, "which is great for the country. In fact, we've had lots of rain this season - the rivers are high and Malawi is beautifully green again! 1996 prospects are looking very promising - especially for the overland safaris." In the eastern part of Zambia, there have been good rains as well, with several bridges washed away in early March. Most of Zambia has already had more than its average annual rain, so conditions should be ideal for game-viewing and birding this season.
Renowned Zambian conservationist Norman Carr, who first came to the area 46 years ago, says that South Luangwa is probably the finest wildlife habitat remaining in Africa. It has exceptionally rich and varied wildlife. Hippopotamus, buffalo, warthog, the endemic Thornicroft's giraffe, bushbuck, kudu, eland, reedbuck, waterbuck, puku, roan and Lichtenstein's hartebeest are just a few of the game species that may be seen. Many small breeding herds of elephant can also be seen, as well as predators such as lion and hyena, in addition to the region's 'famous' leopards.
Game-viewing is usually best during the dry months from August to October, but it is also good from April to July. Bird-watching, which is excellent in both Malawi and Zambia, with 600 and 700 species found in the two countries, respectively, is best from October to February.
TRAVEL BYTES
MALARIA OUTBREAK IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
There has been a sharp increase in the number of malaria cases reported in South Africa over the last two months. This increase is attributed to the high rainfall in the malaria areas during the previous three months, according to a spokesperson for South Africa's Department of Health. Since the risk of contracting malaria is at present very high, visitors should protect themselves against mosquito bites and take anti-malaria drugs in the high risk areas.
The risk of getting malaria varies from region to region in Africa and in most Southern African countries the risk is highly seasonal, increasing significantly during and after the rainy season. According to statistics compiled by South Africa's National Malaria Research Programme, the incidence of malaria is low in Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and in the malaria endemic areas of South Africa from July through September.
MORE FLIGHTS TO SOUTH AFRICA
As reported in a previous issue of this newsletter, World Airways will be flying to South Africa from June this year. Making use of Continental's feeder system and operating out of its Newark hub, World, whose three or four flights per week will refuel in Dakar, will go head to head against South African Airways on the lucrative direct route to South Africa. SAA is expected to add three additional flights per week to its schedule: a Tuesday flight out of New York's JFK and two additional flights out of Miami International.
NEW 2% ZIMBABWE TRAVEL TAX
The Zimbabwe Government has imposed a new 2% Government levy on all hotel and lodge costs. This has been brought about to fund their new tourism board. The levy will apply to the cost of all tourism-related services, such as transfers, hotels, canoeing safaris, etc.
TABLE MOUNTAIN CABLEWAY TO BE CLOSED FOR RENOVATION
The Table Mountain Cableway will be closed from 09 April to 30 November, 1996. During this period all cableway systems will be upgraded, parking expanded and a new restaurant will be built.
SAA REGAINS 'BEST AIRLINE TO AFRICA' TITLE
After a one-year hiatus, when the honor rested with British Airways, South African Airways has regained the prestigious 'Best Airline to Africa' Executive Travel Award. This is the sixth time that SAA has captured the award.
NEW 'GREEN' NEWMAN ON SALE IN USA
A new Green Edition of Newman's Birds of Southern Africa, a leading field guide to the birds of Southern Africa, will be available from the University Press of Florida by March 15. The book, which contains more than 2,000 color illustrations and full descriptions of all birds of the area, is a must for first-time visitors to the area. The new edition includes 90 new and 500 extensively revised illustrations, as well as a photographic guide to major bird habitats.
Bert du Plessis, Houston.
Questions, comments and suggestions welcome; please e-mail to exafrica@aol.com
