Customer Comments: Christine in Zambia's Green Season - March 2009

Dear Sarah,
"We got back from South Luangwa on 24th March and this is the first opportunity I have had to email you, so apologies for lateness. As you know, this was our third visit to Norman Carr Safaris in Zambia, but our first in the 'emerald season', and what a great visit it turned out to be.

We had expected rain, and by golly we got it. However the thunderstorms were absolutely fantastic, with huge forks of lightning piercing the dark grey clouds and adding another
dimension to being out in such a wild and wonderful place. It was great to catch up with staff that we had met previously, and everyone of them seemed genuinely pleased to see us and welcome us back.
It was quite an experience to turn off the engine of the boat and slowly and silently float into the ebony groves and across areas where we had previously walked or driven. On one occasion we moored the boat on top of a bridge and were able to walk along the actual road for a short space before the water was lapping at our feet again. We did manage one walk in the bush and were very excited at being able to track and find a large group of buffalo.

We saw many animals, far more than we expected in fact, including a pack of eight wild dog that were still on their kill. Also hyena, elephant, giraffe, plenty of hippo and crocodiles and from the boat a pride of eight lion (including two cubs), who had very conveniently plonked themselves close to the river bank.

The birds were fantastic and there was much excitement at seeing a palm nut vulture, which are apparently quite rare within that area. We saw so much wildlife that it would bore you rigid if I listed it all, and I think that this was one of the surprises of the whole trip. We had not thought to see so much. The experience of seeing 'green Zambia' was one we will always remember, along with that wonderful feeling of being the only people there, in the middle of such a wild place - a priceless emotion that only Africa seems to satisfy somehow.

Thanks to you, the arrangements, flights, pick ups etc went without a hitch and made the less enjoyable part of a holiday that much easier to cope with. Pioneer Camp was an interesting place and managed to have the largest spiders I have ever seen in a bath!!!

So as a summary, I would suggest to everyone who has not visited South Luangwa at this time of year to make a special effort to get there. It is truly breathtaking and makes a wonderful contrast to seeing the area when all is 'brown' and 'baking' during the summer months. A truly memorable holiday in a truly memorable place.

Thanks to you and all at Wildlife Worldwide for a really great time."

Christine, March 2009

Visit Zambia's Luangwa Valley in Green Season for Less

African Safari Holidays

Staff Report: Mexico - A whale of a time! By Clementine Gent

Deciding where to go on holiday is never easy and with four people, each with differing demands, this trip was going to be no different. Getting away in the depths of winter the destination definitely had to be warm, adventurous if possible, good food (very important if travelling with the French!) and (my demand) some good wildlife encounters! Mexico managed to tick all the boxes!!

British Airways fly direct several times a week to Mexico City but to get to Baja California it is actually easier, quicker and cheaper to go via the States. Immigration was actually relatively painless when entering the US (much to my surprise) and after a few days of exploring northern California I was eager to reach Baja.

We flew two hours from LA and landed in Cabo – surrounded by brown desert, cacti and the heat. I was slightly nervous as I had made all the arrangements and knew two of the group were wildlife virgins – fingers crossed they were going to enjoy it!

We travelled north to the city of La Paz – actually the capital of Baja California Sur – which has a pleasant seaside-town feel with a large waterfront promenade and plenty of good shops and restaurants. Mardi Gras celebrations had just finished but many of the fair rides and entertainments were still there and the local people were out in force, enjoying the evening.

We had an early start the next morning – the group met in the hotel lobby (10 Americans, 2 French, 1 Finn and myself) and we were transferred three and a half hours by road to Magdalena Bay on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula. Our camp was perched on the side of the bay on a white sand beach – nothing luxurious but perfect for easy access to the Whales.

The days consisted of breakfast, morning whale watch, back to the camp for lunch, afternoon whale watch or other activity, sundowners at the camp and then dinner.

Grey Whales calve in three bays on the Baja California Peninsula of which Magdalena (Mag for short) Bay is probably the quietest as it is furthest away from the US. The whales enter the bay in December and stay there until early April when they start their long migration to the feeding grounds of northern Canada and Alaska.

In Mag Bay the mothers and calves generally remain in the shallow water whilst mating adults congregate at the mouth of the bay. Our guides JJ and Carlos (both fantastic!) also showed us dolphins, Frigate birds, Sea Lions, pelicans and cormorants to name a few.

We must have seen 30 or so different individuals over the three days we were there. The mothers and calves tended to keep a little distance from the boats although a number of the calves we saw breached seemingly to get a closer look at us. We were able to have closer contact with the mating adults – perhaps because they were rather distracted?! It was not uncommon for us to see between three and five whales in a mating group and every so often one would break off to inspect our boat – perhaps to assess his chances.

Other activities were available when we weren’t whale watching; one afternoon we took the boat to the opposite side of the bay and walked across the sand dunes to the Pacific coast. Large shells by the thousands had been deposited high up by the winter storms, along the never-ending beach we found giant Mussels, Sand dollars, desiccated Trigger and Puffer fish and the skulls of dolphins and pelicans. On another afternoon we went kayaking in the mangrove swamp close to the camp. No prior experience is necessary as the waters in the mangroves are shallow. Paddling through the waterways we got up-close and personal with herons, ospreys, grebes, Whimbrels and had the privilege to see a school of dolphins herding a shoal of fish onto the sandbanks.

Sadly our three magical days in “Mag Bay” came to and end but all was not over as the next half of the trip was based on an island in the Sea of Cortez. We travelled back to La Paz and from there by boat to Isla Espiritu Santo.

Our camp in the island was on the beach in a beautiful bay surrounded by towering red cliffs and green cacti. The camp was more basic than the one at Mag Bay – thermorests rather than cots and torches rather than a generator but the setting was so stunning that no one minded at all.

Our activities here were very flexible – the emphasis was on kayaking but it was optional and there were plenty of other things to do. We started the stay with a dunk test in order to kayak out on the open sea. There were rock stacks going out into the bay which were covered by birds and ringed in coral and we could snorkel to them easily from the camp.

We could hike in the canyon behind the camp where Turkey vultures flew overhead, Rock lizards sunned themselves and Ant lions waited for the unsuspecting to walk into their traps. We kayaked around to an adjacent bay where we saw the archaeological evidence of human habitation some 12,000 years ago. On one morning we went by boat to Los Islotes – a group of islands just off the northern point of the island. Here there is a large Sea lion colony where you can snorkel with them. There are also large colonies of Brown and Blue-footed Boobies. Snorkelling with the playful Sea lions, despite a large swell, was a fantastic experience. The Sea lions were very inquisitive and were eager to inspect (i.e. chew on) anything within their grasp.

The days passed too quickly and soon it was time to return to La Paz and civilization. A final hour adjustment to the homeward plans however meant that our wildlife extravaganza was not over yet…Whale sharks had been spotted in La Paz bay – incredibly early as they usually arrive in May! JJ and Carlos were very helpful in organising an additional tour so, on our final morning, instead of last minute present shopping; we were to be found cruising the shallow waters in desperate search of the biggest fish in the sea.

Three hours into our four hour trip and not a dickey bird or indeed a very large spotted fish. We turned around to head for home and suddenly came across a baby (15 foot!) and shortly after another and then another. The boat dropped us to the side and slightly in front so we were able to have some incredible snorkelling with these gentle giants. I am actually still lost for words at how amazing this experience was and as we rushed from the boat straight to the airport we ended the holiday with gigantic grins on our faces!

Clementine Gent, Wildlife Consultant, March 2009

Click here for our wildlife holidays with Whale Watching in Mexico

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