Explore Africa Adventures Newsletter
Table of Contents
Big Five to Big Blue
Forthcoming Attractions
Outdoor Adventure Expo
For Sale Section
Africa is not for Sissies
New Explore Africa Website
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you'll find the new one both informative and
user-friendly. Jump right in and visit us now by
clicking any of the Explore Africa links listed
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2007 Self drive safaris
June 2007
Dear friends, fellow safari & wildlife enthusiasts,
It is good to do another exciting newsletter for 2007. We are using a wellestablished and reputable company to handle the distribution of this monthly
Newsletter and, in so doing, hope to reach more of our clients more often in the
future.
Please feel free to refer any of your friends or relatives whom you think would
benefit from this bulletin by forwarding this newsletter to them. Clicking the "Sign
up for our Email Newsletter" button on the lower left of this page will lead them
through a private, secure sign-up procedure.
Exciting new products: Big Five to Big Blue
We have recently returned from our latest safari adition, a brand new product
where we combine the Big 5 of the African Wilderness with the Blue Depths of
Lake Malawi, Cahorra Bassa and the Bazarutu Archipelago. Please read Jean's
comments on this spectacular adventure...
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More About Us
There and back again by Jean van der Meulen
Africa Bushcraft
& Survival Adventures
This April I hooked up once again with André van
Vuuren of Explore Africa Adventures for my annual
holiday, a self-drive safari that took us to, and
through, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and
Mozambique. As expected it was another
"experience of a lifetime" and has left me with a
head full of wonderful memories and experiences,
enough at least, to see me through to next year.
Visit this Site
Destination Botswana
Kwanokeng
This pleasant campsite on the Botswana side of the Groblersbrug Border post
served as the rendezvous point for the Explore Africa Adventurers. After a pleasant
evening and a refreshing early morning shower we set off across the length of
Botswana for Chobe Safari Lodge. Our journey took us through the beautifully
natural Botswana countryside to a lunch stop at Nata Lodge and then on via the
badly potholed road north to Chobe where we arrived just in time for sunset.
"Kamp Kommandant Mariana", my astonishingly capable friend and wife to André,
quickly organized the first of many fabulous meals. André did the days debriefing
and handed the Tokolosh (a story for another day) over to its first recipient. Having
wined and dined like royalty it was off to bed for a seemingly well-deserved rest.
Chobe Game Reserve
A short drive from camp and, one on which I
instantly and deservedly inherited said Tokolosh
(as I said a story for another day), we were in
Chobe Game Reserve. The game viewing was good
with my particular highlight being a lioness with a
radio collar and her cubs. Last year in Chobe we
were also fortunate to come across a lioness with
a collar and André explained that due to an
outbreak of Anthrax about two years ago, there
were very few lions left in this part of the park. It occurred to me that this lioness
with cubs may well be the same one we had spotted last year. It's midday and we
stop for a sumptuous picnic at a picnic spot in the bush (I just love Botswana's
refreshing approach to such things). Fat and well fed we proceed to Chobe River
Lodge for a G&T break before returning to Camp in time to catch the Chobe River
sunset cruise, arguably the best game viewing and photographic experience on the
planet. Fish Eagles, Crocs, Kudu's, Elephants, Pied Kingfishers, Jacana's and Hippos
all posed for the cameras at close range before the sun finally set on an
extraordinary day. Not yet done we enjoyed the lodge buffet as a group on our
return.
Destination Zambia
Vic Falls
Ably chaperoned by André and Herman I was last into Kazangulu and first out, the
border crossing was a lot less stressful than last year, taking just two rather than
three hours. On arrival at Zambezi Waterfront, Mariana once again rustled up a
delicious lunch before André led an expedition to the Vic Falls. A Sunset Cruise on
the Zambezi and a festive evening in the lovely camp followed. Not a bad day's
work!
Eureka Farm
After a brief stop in Livingstone to change money and buy a few reflective stickers
for the vehicles, we take the road to Lusaka. This was my first introduction to the
notorious Zambian Potholes and, after nearly having my teeth knocked out a few
times, they earned my undying respect! The road improved after a while and after
the now standard 5-star roadside lunch we wended our way to Eureka farm arriving
around sunset. André organized a lovely grassed campsite next to the dorm
accommodation where some of the party stayed the night. We enjoyed our first, of
several, awesome "pre-cooked" meals before retiring to bed to escape the wintery
nip in the air.
Mamma Rula
A brief stop in Lusaka to top up the tanks (you don't want to know the price) and
provisions and we were on the road to Chipata and Mama Rula. This was a lovely
drive through scenic, unspoiled countryside and included a sightseeing stop at the
Luangwa Bridge. There is not much traffic in Zambia and I found the local drivers to
be unbelievably polite and friendly. We arrived at Mama Rula at sunset and after
setting up camp, retired to the friendly campsite pub where management, who
knew we were coming, served a very welcome and
delicious lasangne and salad.
Sunrise showed me what a truly lovely campsite
Mama Rula is. A welcome haven for weary
travelers indeed. Overnighting with us was an
elderly German who has travelled across Asia,
South America and is now travelling across Africa
on his motorbike, he has been on the road for
twenty-two months. Mr German, I salute you!
South Luangwa
The road to South Luangwa has the reputation of being one of the worst in Africa
but we are fortunate in that a substantial part of it has been recently graded
making for a quick sojourn through the magnificent countryside to an even more
magnificent destination in the form of South Luangwa Wildlife Camp. This campsite
is located on the banks of the Luangwa River which is the start of the Great Rift
Valley. With stunning, unobstructed views of the river and a pub and refreshing
pool, the campsite is, quite literally, heaven on earth.
The morning wake-up call takes the form of
Hippo's splashing loudly in the river. A hot shower
later and we're on our way to the main gate,
South Luangwa National Park. The roof is off the
Wrangler, it's time to get hot and dusty, the
advantage being that I have an unobstructed view
of the sapphire blue sky and Omo white clouds.
Game viewing is good and includes two very wellfed male lions. Lunch is served at the Big Baobab
just around the corner from the "Egyptian
Cabbage Hippos". The afternoon is spent charging
camera batteries in preparation for the evening game drive and lazing by the pool
all the while sipping on refreshing liquids.
Two game drive vehicles arrive to pick us up and all scramble aboard. More, great
game viewing and a sundowner stop and we're heading home again only to run into
the same two, very vocal, well fed lions who have, by now, rested sufficiently to,
once again, take up the prowl. Another fine evening in camp takes us through to
the routine Hippo wake-up call another shower and the long drive to Lilongwe.
Destination Malawi
Lilongwe
Back to Mama Rula to fill the water tanks and then it's on to the border for another
exercise in extortion and patience. Eventually we have all been "processed" and
proceed onto Lilongwe. It is my first introduction to the "iron horse" mass of
bicycles that epitomizes Malawi. On both sides of the road the bicycle procession is
unbroken, one needs to be vigilant as often the bicycles are carrying more than
their allotted complement of passengers and weave alarmingly en-route to their
destination.
We roll into Lilongwe Golf Club campsite at dusk. A long table is setup and
decorated and all settle down to enjoy another of Mariana's, by now, famous precooked meals. The atmosphere is festive and the Amarula flows freely.
Mua Mission
Shopping and re-fueling out of the way, the convoy rolls out of Lilongwe en-route
to Monkey Bay on Lake Malawi. The road is good, not too many bicycles, and we
progress swiftly stopping only for some road-side shopping at several "furniture
factories". Turning South at Serula we follow a road bounded on the West by
mountains and on the East by the Lake itself. André informs us via the radio that
Lake Malawi is like a year in that it is 365 miles/days long and 52 miles/weeks
wide. Dodging children and bicycles we make for our proposed lunch spot, Mua
Mission.
Mua Mission is a fascinating and beautiful place in amongst majestic mountains.
Father Serge introduces himself to us and shows us a gazebo in the garden we can
use for our picnic lunch. I am then invited to accompany him on a brisk walk to
view the nearby accommodation of which he is justifiably proud. The next Big Five
to Big Blue itinerary will, more likely than not, be adjusted to include an overnight
stop at this magical, educational spot.
With lunch settling it's time to hit the road again for the last haul to Monkey Bay.
It's getting late so there's no time to stop at "Toys 'R Us", we will catch them on the
way back. The sun slips below the horizon as we scramble to setup camp on the
beachfront at Fat Monkeys, our home for the next two nights. No need to cook for
it is pizza night, care of the Fat Monkeys restaurant.
Lake Malawi
It's early and André chauffeurs me through the
village, in the Wrangler, to Kayak Africa to
establish what activities they have on offer? Back
to Fat Monkeys for a "bos beraad" and then back
to make the booking. 09h30 and we board our
boat for Domwe Island and Domwe Island Camp
for a day in Paradise, snorkeling, kayaking and
general lazing about. The scenery is spectacular
and the day is a highlight in a trip full of
highlights. A cruise back to the mainland later and it's time for sundowners and a
fresh fish braai rounded off with Annie's famous
puddings.
A much-needed cup of coffee in the morning and
it's an early start for the long trip to Ugezi Tiger
Lodge at Cahorra Bassa. The early start is partially
negated by the shopping stop at the Malawi wood
carvers and the fascinating and talented artists at
"Toys 'R Us" who carve three dimensional scale
models of all manner of vehicles that they have
laid eyes on. Next time I pass I am going to put in
my order for a Jeep Wrangler. The convoy laden
with baby Landrovers etc., its' time to move on.
We climb away from the Lake via a spectacular winding pass which leads us to the
border post and on into Mozambique. Northern Mozambique is beautiful
countryside, sparsely populated, with rolling hills, blue-blue sky and suicidal birds.
Tete, our fuel stop is not so pleasant, it's getting late - an opportunity to fire up
those big spots - two hours of driving in the dark are well worth it as we arrive at
the haven called Ugezi Tiger Lodge. André has an arrangement with management
so we dine in style on fresh Bream and sleep in luxury in chalets.
Destination Mozambique
Cahorra Bassa
Another early start, Herman, Martin, Chris and myself are
going Tiger fishing. I am not, by any stretch of the
immagination, a fisherman but I love to be on the water
and am keen to see what the dam looks like. Binga is our
guide and, as we get to know him better, we discover that
he represents Mozambique on their Tiger fishing team.
With catch and release the order of the day several Tiger
fish are caught, photographed and returned to the water.
As we are short on time we are unable to go far enough
into the dam to see the hippos and crocs, not a problem as
I find the geography around the dam wall fascinating. It is
a very mountainous area and the dam has filled what used
to be the valleys resulting in "fingers" of waterways that
spread out in all directions.
With 115 horses at full gallop we head back to the lodge, we're a little late and still
have the drive to Chomoi to do. Kick the tyres, light the fires and it's a fond adieu
to Ugezi Tiger Lodge and on up a winding road to view the impressive dam wall
before tackling the day long drive to Chomoi. The road, through Baobab country,
follows the Cahorra Bassa power lines and it takes a while to figure out that the
downed Baobabs by the roadside are a new cut-line for expansion. We stop at the
bridge that Koos Moorcroft didn't get to blow up, "Thanks Koos we needed it today"!
With a head-wind the Cruisers are thirstier than usual resulting in an impromptu
overnight camp at what was probably, in its day, a rather fabulous Motel just
outside Chomoi. Undaunted by the lack of power and dubious facilities the convoy
pitches camp in the Motel grounds while the ladies set about producing the most
spectacular pre-cooked lamb feast, seemingly out of nowhere.
Vilancoulos
After an "oog-oopskieter" coffee, to get the blood
flowing, and an early start/stop at the garage for
fuel it's time for the shortish hop to Vilanculos.
Initially the road is good, too good, as André gets
nabbed for speeding but then there's an
interesting section of "Slagate Potholes" (Minister
of Transport in SA) which demand respect. That
behind us it's onto Iharosso for lunch and the first
signs of Hurricane damage in the form of shredded
roofs and abandoned buildings.
Calamari, G&Ts by the sea, lunch is good but we're not done for the day yet. On to
Vilanculos to investigate the boat-hiring options before navigating our way to Blue
Water Bay camp site. Set right on the sea it offers one a "to die for view",
unfortunately after the hammering it took in the Hurricane, the owners seem to
have lost interest. Undeterred all pitch camp and enjoy yet another festive
evening.
Another "bos" coffee and it's off to catch the
"Spanish Fly" and all her 230 healthy, happy horses
for a day of sun, sea and sand. There are three
well-know islands off Vilanculos, from North to
South they are Bazaruto, Benguera and
Margaruque. Our Skipper opens the taps and we
cross the gap between the mainland and Bazaruto
in the blink of an eye. On arrival at Bazaruto the
colours are amazing a sapphire sky, golden beach
and aquamarine sea. A walk on the beach or climb to the top of the dune (for the
enthusiastic) and it's back to the Spanish Fly for the short trip to two mile reef. The
water is warm and crystal clear, snorkeling is like swimming in a screensaver with
all manner of colourful fish for company. The adventure continues as we head back
to Bazaruto for a picnic lunch "in an octopuses garden in the shade", actually make
that a fisherman's lean-to. It's hot, the wine is cold and the view unforgettable. The
Spanish Fly is champing at her bit so it's all aboard and, with two rooster tails
flowing out behind, back to Vilanculos for a final evening of merriment before the
last run for home.
Mapai
Dawn breaks to see the convoy reduced to four as
work commitments demand that some take the
faster road home. A cruiser, two Prado's and a
Wrangler are all that remain to tackle the Mapai
road and the Limpopo crossing. After a brief stint
on tar we swing West onto the road to Mapai,
initially gravel it metamorphosis's into a stunning
sand track running through beautiful Mopani
Forests with the gap cut by the track in the
canopy providing glimpses of a vivid blue sky and
pure white clouds. The only thing that detracts is
the complete absence of game - the sad legacy of a pointless war.
Lunch is served on the road and then it's on to our beautiful bushcamp in the
middle of nowhere. Finally Van Vuuren gets to
make a fire of note thanks in some part to
Mariana's locating a dead tree and organizing its
relocation back to camp. Thinking this is our last
night together we wine and dine with great
enthusiasm.
A few sunrise pictures later and we hit the road
early, making for the Limpopo, Pafuri Border Post
and home. Again it's slow going and the morning is gone by the time we cross the
Limpopo. A brief stop on the other side to render assistance to a battered blue
bakkie and its multiple occupants (2WD) who have just crossed the Limpopo and
need to pump their tyres, before it's onto Pafuri. 10km before the border one of
the Prado's runs out of diesel, the heavy sand having taken its toll on fuel
consumption. No problem, Martin tows his friend Chris to the border and then on to
Punda Maria. It's too late to make for home so we all book into rooms, dinner in the
restaurant is thanks to the generosity of Chris (he of diesel calculations fame).
An early start for home after bidding adieu to my fellow travelers/friends - we will
all meet again at the soon to be held reunion in Pretoria where no doubt we will
plan our next Southern African safari with Explore Africa Adventures.
Forthcoming Attractions
1. Big 5 to Big Blue
Due to popular demand and interest we only have space for 2 more vehicles for the
safari scheduled for Sept 29-Oct 14, 2007. We are going to do a 3rd safari from 926 Sept 2007 in order to accommodate more interested parties.
Please refer to Jean's article above and send us your bookings as soon as possible in
order to secure an adventure of a lifetime. Please refer to the website, code EA4.
2. East Africa Adventure
We are hosting a "Getaway East Africa Safari" from 18 Aug-20 Sept 2007. There will
be a journalist from Getaway with us on safari who will write a full article that will
appear in the December issue.
We already have 7 confirmed bookings, leaving space for only 3 more vehicles.
Please see our website for further details: code EA7.
3. Linyanti-Savuti Photographic Safari
It is almost impossible to imaging that this desolate, harsh landscape was once
submerged beneath an enormous inland sea. The Linyanti/Savuti area is one of the
most photographed areas in the whole of Africa and most of the Africa Wildlife
Videos (Derek and Beverly Joubert's "Eternal enemies") and others where filmed
here.
We are doing this safari from 31 July - 11 Aug 2007.
We already have 4 confirmed bookings, leaving space for only 4 more vehicles.
Please contact us for more information as this tour does not yet appear on the
website.
4. Liuwa Plain/Kafue
Liuwa Plain NP is endowed with rich wildlife, birdlife and plant life, all set within
a fascinating landscape. One area of note is the Plain from which the National Park
takes its name. It is completely treeless and stretches 70km's in length and 30kms
in width. There are two main phenomena that Liuwa Plain experiences; the first
being the vast population of wildebeest during their annual migration from Angola,
(towards the end of Oct, beginning Nov 30000-35000 wildebeest gather in this area
to calve their young, this is accompanied by a vast amount of predators and birds
of prey to pick off the young.) and the second being the flooding of the Park
during the rainy season, which occurs from December to May.
Kafue is one of Zambia's oldest and the largest parks. The park was declared in
1950 and stretches over 22 400 km2. It stretches form the Itechi-Techi Dam in the
South to the Busanga Plains in the North. We camp for 3 evenings at the
confluence of the Lufupa and Kafue Rivers.
This Safari is scheduled for 21 Oct-4 Nov 2007.
The Outdoor Adventure Expo.
We recently took part in the Outdoor Adventure Expo at Kayalami, which leads to
a few words of thanks and welcome...
Special thanks to Bobby Langer and his team from Frontrunner, who allowed us to
display our advertizing mediums in his stall. It is an honour to be associated with a
leading brand and we highly recommend all Frontrunner products as we know they
are the best. We have their products on all our vehicles and have tested it to the
extreme in Afica under African conditions.
To all our existing clients: Thank-you for popping in to say hello. It was wonderful
to see you all again and catch up on what happened since we last saw each other.
To all our new clients: Thank you for showing interest in our safaris. It warms my
heart to see that South Africans still want to explore the Continent if Africa.
Further more we welcome you to the Explore Africa family and hope to build a
lasting relationship. Please feel free to give us any input as all opinions and ideas
are valued.
For Sale Section
Metrax Sidestep/Running Boards
with integrated Sand-tracks
R1500
2002 Colt Trailbuster 4x4 Single Cab.
Imaculate Condition
R90 000
2004 Colt Rodeo 4x4 Double Cab,
3l-V6-petrol with Skytop
R165 000
Canopy, Long-range fuel tank.
Full Service History
Eezi Awn Rooftop tent.
1,42m x 1,26m. Good Condition.
Contact Sonja @ 082-9279 552.
Africa is not for Sissies
by Jean van der Meulen
R5 000
Once in a while the Gods smile on one and this happened to me recently when
André van Vuuren of Explore Africa Adventures recommended that I consult with
Peter Norenius regarding the insurance on my Jeep and Conqueror trailer. In a
world full of thugs and thieves Pete Norenius is one of a dying breed of old school
gentlemen.
He met me at my place of work and explained to me in great detail the
comprehensive benefits of insuring through him. Fortunately he persuaded me.
Just before leaving on my April Safari with Explore
Africa Adventures a flying stone cracked my
windscreen and the repair and claim were sorted
out immediately. Subsequent to this I rolled my
trailer on a bad dirt road between Gomoti and
Monkey Bay in Malawi. The trailer was un-towable
after the accident and I was forced to abandon it
in Malawi.
On my return I filed my claim with Pete and just a couple of weeks he provided me
with the details of the settlement including the calculation of how the final
settlement figure was arrived at. I am most grateful to Pete for this as it enabled
me to fully understand the fairness of the settlement.
In my opinion Pete Norenius is fully deserving of his excellent reputation and I have
no hesitation in recommending him to any and all 4x4 owners who take their
vehicles off-road, either locally or cross-border.
Peter's contact details are as follows:
Cell: 082 568 8518
E-mail: easbel@intekom.co.za
Website: www.4x4insure.co.za
Greetings from the Great Outdoors!
The EXPLORE AFRICA ADVENTURES Team
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