An amazing image captured by Genevieve Leaper on a recent trip to Zambia with Wildlife Worldwide!

 

 

Whales in Iceland

Here are some fantastic pictures sent to us by Sammie Haines upon her return from a recent trip to Iceland.

Some recent fantastic feedback from some of our customers

 

 

 

... had to say that the holiday worked perfectly thanks to you and we had experiences which were far better than we could ever dream of - unbelievable.  Lodges and staff were wonderful, our driver, Vijay was superb and everyone else was great.  This holiday will stay in our memories forever!

Many many thanks

J & P Williams April 2013



Just a few words to tell you that our trip in March in Kenya, in the adventure camp in Ol Kinyei Conservancy was very nice.

 

Everything was well organised and everybody was nice everywhere. But best of all was our stay in the adventure camp in ol Kinyei Conservancy. We spent 8 wonderful days with our guides and the team of the camp. It could not have been better !

We had a wonderful time over there, we saw more animals than we could have imagined and all the people were very friendly. Our daughters loved it. The most difficult was to come back !

All the best.

S O'Donnell April 2013

 

 

 

 

Fantastic feedback from our recent Discover Wildlife Photography evenings with the inspirational Nick Garbutt!

It was so interesting hearing Nick’s take on the whole new concept of ‘photography’ that is digital. I actually feel a new name should be created for the images that are passed as photographs. It was great to meet Chris Breen having ‘bumped’ into him in the Luangwa Valley many years ago (as you do!!). We talked of a possible trip later this year. shall be in touch about that when the present dust settles. Thank you once again for a very good evening. (please pass on our thanks to Chris and Nick).

Kind regards, Lesley

Enjoyed the evening very much.  Great to talk to everyone.  Certainly got Sarah and I thinking about another trip with you.  Please would you send me details of the Baja California trips in 2014!!

Valerie

It was a great evening. Good seeing Chris again and meeting Brian (with whom I'd spoken on the phone in relation to a project we were running last year). Nick Garbutt was fascinating - an evening very well spent!

All the best,Tom


Just a quick line to say that the meet NickGarbutt night was even better than I had expected, great night.
Many thanks, Duncan

I thought that the meeting was a great success - all my friends enjoyed it a great deal. Many thanks for organising it. Nick's presentation was just outstanding. I was often smiling when I saw pictures which were taken when I was with him in Africa or Brazil!

Best wishes, Charles

I thought the wildlife Photography evening was very enjoyable. Nick Garbutt gave lots of good advice regarding my forthcoming trip and was a very interesting person to listen to. Although I've already made plans to visit Madagascar for a third time this october, I would strongly consider a wildlife trip with Nick in the near future. Am I right in thinking he runs a trip to Borneo ? I'm also interested in Papua New Guinea.
Kind regards, Stephen

Bernie Reichert travelled with Wildlife Worldwide on the Brown Bear Explorer trip to Finland in June 2012. Read an account of his trip and check out his fantastic pictures!

Arrived in Kajaani in the evening. My sort of airport - one room and only a short wait for our bags. We were taken straight to Viiksimo where dinner had been prepared by a cook who really cared about how his "customers" enjoyed the food.

Next morning we had our first nature walk - that taught us to put on mosquito repellent whenever outside! Wellies would have been a good idea, too, although most of us managed to keep our feet dry in our walking boots. That night was spent in the hide. The first wolf arrived at 7:20 pm, and we had a total of three visits by a group of 3 wolves. Since there are only about 150 wolves in all of Finland, we counted ourselves lucky! The (only) bear came about 3:30 am and made a circuitous pass around the area in front of the hide.

Next night in the same hide - this time we had a "watch roster" and since it was fairly quiet animal-wise we mostly got a reasonable night's sleep. The same (apparently) bear came twice, the first time being chased away by another (territorial) bear.

Next day it was off to Martinselkonen and the day after we had a night in the main hide there, this time in a patch of forest. Bears everywhere right from the off. Among bears, "might is right" and the youngsters quickly scuttled up a tree when a larger bear came along. There was a bear with 4 cubs, the two smallest of which spent much of the time up a tree!  Also saw a black kite and white-tailed sea eagle. By midnight we'd had almost 7 hours of virtually nonstop bears, so most of us got a good sleep.

For the second night of bear watching at Martinselkonen, a few of us chose to spend the night in small 1-2 person hides. Not much comfort but a real sense of adventure - after being taken to the hide, we locked ourselves in for a night among the bears! Some bears came as close as a few metres from the hides and allowed very close views/photos. Even saw the mosquitos buzzing around their noses!

On the last full day, I was the only one who chose to do the rowboat trip on a nearby scenic lake, so I had my personal rower! (although I did help steer when she was getting tired on the return leg). A very pleasant few hours helped by the fact that it was the only sunny day of the tour. We even got a (distant) view of a bear in the surrounding forest, looking at the strange thing on the lake! That evening we went to an "evening hide" where we stayed for only a few hours to let us have good nights sleep before travelling home. So about 10 pm we scuttled back to the car park after a couple of big bears had ambled off and got into "proper bed" bed before the trip back to London the next day.

 

Join a small group departure for the Brown Bear Explorer trip in June, July and August, or let us tailor-make to suit your preferences. The 8-day group departure costs from £1,310 per person (land only). Find out more  at http://www.wildlifeworldwide.com/holiday/group_brown_bear_explorer_wfbt.html or call us on 0845 130 6982.

Exciting news in from the lion relocation project in Malawi.

We have some very interesting and exciting news in from the Mkulumadzi lion relocation project in Malawi.

Recently the boys had been selected and collared, and the girls were about to be picked from the crowd as well, this has now all happened and we they have moved on to the next step. They were selected from a completely different pride to ensure maximum genetic diversity, which in the future will hopefully (all fingers and paws crossed) ensure that there will be a viable lion population after relocation.

On the 18th June the boys and girls were all to be captured at exactly the same time and moved to the boma. It was crucial that this all went smoothly and in unison so that all 4 of them would meet together after groggily waking up in the boma. However, as we all know the best laid plans never do go smoothly, and as the teams set out, the first male was located by his radio collar so deep into the bush that there was no way that a car was getting to him! What to do?! Well
helicopters were the only option for him so the aerial team got under way, darted the bush boy and somehow managed to get him to the car before the road team headed off looking for
   the second male.

It turns out that this guy was a bit of a show off and was posing for a multitude of tourists cameras on a fresh kill by the side of the road. Showing his better side to the tourists he happily lapped up the attention. After everyone was happy, the veterinary teams spoke to the tourists to see if they wanted to witness the darting of a wild animal and have first hand experience of conservation, which of course they all did! This time, everything went very smoothly and before they knew it both boys were bumbling along to their boma.

The ladies were of course a lot easier, as would be expected! And all four beasts woke up together in the boma slightly flustered and disorientated to start with but have bonded well and doing fine. Enjoying the room service almost immediately! The new family are having a blast and will be heading for Malawi on the 30th July.

So there we go. We will update you with the next instalment as soon as we get it!

Of course at Wildlife Worldwide (together with Robin Pope Safaris) we would be very happy to help you experience Mkulumadzi and the lion relocation project in action.

We have been working with Robin Pope Safaris for 20 years or more and together with its operations in Malawi at Mkulumadzi in Majete Game Reserve and Pumulani on the shores of Lake Malawi, there are four beautiful camps scattered across the Luangwa Valley – Nkwali, Luangwa River Lodge, Tena Tena and Nsefu. They vary in size from Nkwali and Nsefu which each accommodate 12 guests, to Tena Tena which accommodates eight people and Luangwa Rover Lodge which accommodates ten.

DO ask us for more information and to put an itinerary together for you.

Big 5 safaris - What and where to find them on your wildlife holiday?

The Big 5 is historically a hunting term, which is why we don't particularly like it, but it seems to have stuck, and is still used in some African safari guides. The big 5 are the lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros. Our holidays obviously involve taking camera shoots, not any other kind...

For more information on Big 5 Safaris - Click here

Ocean Giants, Giant Lives - Whale watching tonight on the BBC

Tune in today at 21:00.

Ground-breaking documentary granting a unique and privileged access into the magical world of whales and dolphins, uncovering the secrets of their intimate lives as never before.

This episode explores the intimate details of the largest animals that have ever lived on our planet- the great whales. From the balmy waters of the Indian Ocean to the freezing seas of the Arctic, two daring underwater cameramen - Doug Allan, Planet Earth's polar specialist, and Didier Noirot, Cousteau's front-line cameraman - come face-to-face with fighting humpback whales and two-hundred-ton feeding blue whales.

Teaming up with top whale scientists, Giant Lives discovers why southern right whales possess a pair of one-ton testicles, why the arctic bowhead can live to over two hundred years old, and why size truly matters in the world of whales.

For your chance to see some of these Oceans Giants in real life, see our whale watching holidays.  

Flying Safaris - View Wildlife from the air!

For a bird's eye look at roaming wildlife with spectacular panoramic views opt for our Wings over Namibia or Wings over Botswana flying safaris. Your aerial vantage point makes for some fantastic photographic opportunities as well as allowing you to maximise your time by covering greater distances with shorter journey times.

We can also offer African flying safaris as part of our Tailor made service in many other destinations, so please contact our specialists for ideas. 

Self Drive Safaris

Why not go at your own pace on a self drive safari? Enjoy fantastic scenery and game-viewing from the comfort and privacy of your own vehicle. Both Namibia's Dunes, Pelicans & Rhinos and South Africa's Cape Town & Garden Route self drive tours are on good roads with easy signposting. Contact us now to tailor make your holiday.

600 new species found in Madagascar!

Madagascar's treasure trove of new species...

WWF report on the staggering 615 new species discovered by scientists in Madagascar in the last 10 years.
For the full report, please follow the following link:
http://www.wwf.org.uk/news_feed.cfm?4980/Madagascar-new-species-discovered-but-already-in-danger

Madagascar Holidays - Click here

Bear Watching in Slovakia - Trip Report by Mark Wright

"We've arrived at the ranger's cottage deep in the Tatras for two days.


Accommodation is ok, an old wood cottage straight out of Red Riding Hood. Although facilities are pretty simple it's a real privilege to be allowed up here in the midst of nature in the park - Projekt Medved (project Bear) works with the national park authorities to allow a select few tourists to stay and visit and see wildlife. There are NO other tourists up here and we have the entire park ourselves.

It's our first day and we have struck lucky. Observing the avalanche slopes between stands of fir trees we spot a solitary brown bear high on the upper slopes. Binoculars and telescope at the ready, we are delighted to see that three young cubs are in hot pursuit of their mother. We watch with fascination for a few minutes until the four figures lumber and toddle away into the dwarf pine and are then lost from view.

We walk through incredible mountain landscapes for the rest of the day, but see no more bears. Plenty of evidence on the trail of bear activity, but no more sightings today.

Tomorrow we'll be out at 5am to look for more."

Bear Watching in Slovakia - Trip Report by Mark Wright

Maths homework in the Tatras

Soon to be added to Wildlife Worldwide's European Bear Watching Holidays, Mark Wright is in the Tatras with his son Joe on a recce trip for Families Worldwide:

"As I get deeper into this trip in Slovakia I realise the importance of Project Bear. Throughout Europe, bear-watching tourists are attracted to sit in hides and wait for sightings. Bears are attracted to the hides by food being regularly placed outside the hides. The ethics and wisdom of this is very questionable; bears that become accustomed to being fed can become dependent upon such food sources and seek out places with people and problems start as bears become more aggressive and are then shot by fearful humans.

This project, where tourism works hand in hand with national parks and a research project, allows bears to be seen in their natural habitat without the need for baiting.

The project is terribly underfunded. It needs help as tourism alone may not be able to provide enough support for this worthwhile cause."

Mark Wright
Families Worldwide

Namibia Safaris: Special Offer on Outpost Camps for Children

Namibia: Children under 12 years enjoy a complimentary stay at Outposts camps in 2011 and 2012.
Some of the camps include:

Damaraland Camp

Kulala Desert Lodge in Sossusvlei and Namib-Naukluft

Ongava Lodge close to Sossusvlei

Contact our expert consultants to tailor make the perfect Namibia safari for your family to take advantage of this offer.

Gorilla Safaris in Uganda: Save £100 on Gorilla Permits

The Uganda Wildlife Authority have reduced the gorilla permit fee by £100 for all visits in the low season months of May, October, November and March/ April. So, there has never been a better time to go to Uganda !!!

Whether you can just spare a few days and go with our 'Weekend with the Apes' holiday or you can stretch to our full blown safari holiday - Gorillas, Wildlife & Chimps we have the best choice of group or tailor made wildlife holidays.

Kenya Safari Holidays: Save on selected accommodation

There are great savings to be made on accommodation when you stay at Outposts camps. Contact our expert wildlife consultants who will incorporate these offers when they tailormake your trip.

Some of the Outposts Camps we deal with are:

Governer's Camps in the Masai Mara

Loisaba on the Laikipia Plateau

Saruni Samburu

Please contact us to find out more.

Late Availability for Big Cat Volunteering in Namibia (Snippet)

Fancy spending a fortnight helping big cats back on their feet at the rehabiliation centre near Windhoek, Namibia? We have late availability on the 04 June departure. Contact our wildlife experts now if you can get away at such short notice! Call us on 0845 130 6982 or find out more here: Big Cat Volunteering in Namibia

Private Safaris in your own 'Safari House' in Africa

The private safari house, private villa or camp is the great way to enjoy Africa at your own pace. Perfect for small groups of friends and families looking for something different - it is a fantastic wilderness experience that allows you the freedom of your own secluded luxury retreat. This personal and relaxed alternative to the traditional safari holiday gives you the chance to enjoy private safaris with your own vehicles and guide, and unlimited flexibility over game viewing times - perfect for families and small groups!

Black Rhino - The Conservancy Equation

Happy animals = happy tourists = happy locals

Much has been written on the complex issue of wildlife conservation in Africa. Seen from afar, the issues are hard to understand, and it’s easy to become precious. However conservation is meaningless unless accompanied by development, and due to the relationship between habitat and species, any initiative must be holistic i.e. involve the entire ecosystem rather than individual species – including human.

Despite Africa’s national park systems and the best efforts of authorities to eradicate it, poaching is on the rise in some countries. One notable exception to this is Namibia; mainly as a result of the development of conservancy areas being developed in partnership with local communities.

Local people have always hunted animals for food. But increased human populations conspire with more efficient means of hunting to create massive pressure on wildlife. One result of establishing a national park is that wildlife becomes state property, and those who depend on wildlife as a source of food are driven to poach in order to survive.

In 1998 there were four conservancy areas in Namibia, but in 2011 there are now 64, with another 25 planned. 51,000 km2, some 6% of the country, is given over to conservation. Since this visionary initiative began in 1996 animal populations have increased and the statistics speak for themselves. The number of springboks has grown from 2,000 to an estimated 70,000, and the lion population, which had been almost eradicated, to 120!

Community-based tourism is on the increase, with many projects linked directly to conservation initiatives. Save the Rhino Trust, based in Kunene Conservancy Area in northern Namibia, monitors the rhino population to build up a valuable information database. However, equal importance is given to community outreach and training about the contribution that properly planned tourism can make.

The essential message is: unhappy rhinos = unhappy visitors = unhappy communities. If communities fail to safeguard the natural resource that attracts visitors, whose presence creates employment and injects funds into the local economy, those communities will suffer and miss opportunities for development. This may be simplistic but is, at least, easily understandable.
As part of the balancing act, to minimise the disturbance from humans the Kunene Conservancy has introduced strict limits on the time visitors can watch rhino and the distance to be maintained between vehicles and animals. This plays a part in fostering the rhino’s natural environment and contributes to its ongoing success.

To see the positive effects of well thought through conservation initiatives in action visit Namibia. Contact us for a tailor-made itinerary or join us on a group tour.

Where: Namibian Desert & Wildlife Adventure
When: May – August
How much: From £3,995

Where: Dunes, Pelicans & Rhinos
When: Daily, year round
How much: From £2,065

For more black rhino spotting try:

Kenya Safari Holidays

Tailormade: A Weekend in the Mara
When: Thursdays, year round
How much: £1,575

Small Group tour: Kenya Highlights
When: June, July, October
How much: £1,735

Tanzania Safari Holidays
Tailormade: The Spirit of Tanzania
When: Daily, year round
How much: £2,830
Tailormade: Wings over Tanzania
When: June to March
How much: £5,295

Zambia Safaris: A Walk on the Wild Side

What’s so amazing about the Luangwa Valley, in comparison with everywhere else in Africa, is the sheer volume of wildlife and the fact that you can enjoy it at eye level…. on foot. It is without doubt the jewel in Africa’s crown.

It is a safari destination without equal and a location in which to enjoy driving safaris during the day and night drives with spotlights under the cover of darkness.

For our 2011 summer season we are offering a special opportunity to enjoy an extended zambia walking safari with a top guide. 

From June onwards the Valley of the Luangwa gets hotter and drier and the grass level drops as it is trampled by the big mammals - elephant, hippo and buffalo. 

This is the perfect time for walking. Warm during the day and cool at night, you will be able to fill your wildlife aspirations and then sit around the campfire after eating a beautifully prepared dinner to chat about the highlights of the day. Lions are plentiful in this part of The Valley, as are giraffe, leopard, roan antelope, greater kudu and sometimes wild dog.

A walking safari is not just about the mammals though, this is your opportunity to learn about the tracks, the trails, the insects, grasses, trees and birds… this is a complete immersion into African wildlife led by one of Africa’s top guides.

The 10 night Robin Pope Safari begins with a night at Nkwali set on the Luangwa River just outside the park where you will get your first taste of the wonders of The Valley, before taking a long drive north through the park right up to the northern river border of the Mupamadzi. Here you will spend five nights in an area unvisited by any
of the other safari operators in the Luangwa.

Each night you will stay at a different location, in large walk-in tents with comfortable beds, en-suite facilities and everything you might wish for in an African camp. The camp is mobile, and when you disappear off in the bush on your walking safari in the morning, the crew will dismantle it and ensure that it magically re-appears in time for your next overnight stop at a new location. 

This traditional walking safari, in the company of an armed scout and top naturalist, takes a maximum of six people and offers one of the best walking safari experiences in Africa. The final night of the safari is spent at their beautiful Tena Tena camp, before returning to the airport for your homeward flight or perhaps completing your stay with a beachside stop at Lake Malawi or Mozambique, another safari in the Lower Zambezi, or maybe a visit to Victoria Falls.

To book your ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ contact our specialist wildlife team now for further details on our featured safari or choose a walking safari to suit you from our wide selection including:

Zambian Luxury Escape
Small group tour: June & October
How much: From £3,995
Leopards of Luangwa
Tailor-made: Daily, May to November
How much: From £2,995
Luangwa Walking Adventure
Tailor-made: Daily, June to September
How much: From £2,895

This featured 13 day trip departs on the following dates:
June: 17 and 26
July: 1, 6, 11, 26 and 31
August: 9, 14, 24
September: 3, 8
Price from: £4,995 (£3,995 Land Only)
10 Nights: Nkwali 2 nights, Walking (mobile camps) 5 nights, Tena Tena
or Nsefu 3 nights.
Includes £500 off usual price