Destinations

Climbers Experiences on Mount Kilimanjaro

We all get told Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is amazing, that it is one of the seven great peaks to climb on your bucket list; here is some great stories of guests who climbed it recently. First, before I relate these stories to you, let me give you an overview of the largest mountain in Africa. For it has a few facts that most people get confused with. Mt. Kilimanjaro is located in the Republic of Tanzania, in East Africa, most people think it in Kenya as well just like they think the Serengeti is in Kenya too; but they are not, Tanzania is the place for these great features.

Our latest brochure is about Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing and it explains to you what we offer and what is needed for this bucket list adventure of climbing this mountain. There are a few routes, but we mainly take our guests up the Marangu Route or the Machame Routes. The number of days needed to climb and get back down vary per route and per group! So when booking, make sure you know these important details, because these details will make your Kilimanjaro trek far more satisfactory and enjoyable. Below is a story from one of our guests recently.

For the Mt Meru Trek, our group of 3 were led by Amir and his team of support staff (1 cook, 1 waiter/head porter and 5 other porters). We were grouped together with 3 other companies totaling 9 clients. This was because visitors to Arusha National Park are required to be accompanied by one of their armed rangers which there are a limited number of. Shadows of Africa was noticeably more professional than the other companies I saw. During the trip briefing, Amir made sure that we all had the necessary clothing and equipment by actually checking what we brought over. Our heart rates and oxygen levels were monitored and recorded at the end of every day during the trek (something I’ve never had to do elsewhere — nice touch!). We were talking to our other fellows trekkers with other companies, and almost none of them were as well briefed as us. Some were quite unprepared clothing wise and their guides lacked professionalism (more on that below). The porter to client ratio is apparently set to 2:1 and they each have a weight limit restriction as the government is trying to dissuade operators from overloading their porters. So it’s not surprising if the number of support staff is quite large relative to the group size. My recommendation would be to do the 3D/2N option instead and ask your operator beforehand if they can arrange a car to pick you up from Miriakamba Hut and drive directly back down to the park gates.

Our guide, Amir was an excellent guide given his experience in leading treks up to the much higher, Mount Kilimanjaro. My friend felt weak from stomach problems before the trek even started, and he provided attentive care throughout the entire trek. On the morning of the third day when we were summiting, one of the other trekkers started feeling unwell with blurred vision likely due to the effects of high altitude. As we were at the front of the group, we didn’t find out about her condition until well into the summiting trek. It’s to my understanding that her own guide (who was also the park ranger overlooking all of us) had her keep going up and barely addressed her concerns. Amir had to step in and lead her hand-in-hand safely back down. I’m quite disappointed on how the guides from the other companies handled the situation as they barely provided any help. Even though the girl wasn’t their own client, they somehow didn’t find it in them to even provide words of comfort. They just stood off to the side. I’ve been on many treks before where the guide doesn’t really play an important role but after this incident, I now realize how important it is to have an experienced guide. Amir saved the day! I highly recommend requesting for him for trekking tours with Shadows of Africa.

Traveling to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Recently, some of our team had the pleasure of exploring Zimbabwe and its great sights and National parks. Present was Jake and Stacy from the USA office and Bryan from the Zimbabwean office. Exploring a country like this is truly a delight that must be on one's bucket list. Arriving at the new Victoria Falls International Airport was a welcoming moment, as you walk out men dressed in traditional animal cloth, sung welcoming songs for us in Shona and Indebele. It takes roughly 20 mins from the airport to the town, Victoria Falls, itself. The town is quaint, much smaller than you would imagine. Victoria Falls is the tourism hub of Zimbabwe, the majority of the people visiting here will pass through this little town.

Now on this particular visit, we crossed the border and stayed at two hotels on the Zambian side, the Avani Hotel and the Royal Livingstone. Crossing the border these days as a tourist has become one of the easiest things possible, mainly due to the existence of the Kaza Visa – a visa that allows for unhindered travel between Zimbabwe and Zambia. A detailed blog post will follow explaining all the details regarding this visa. Over the next few days, they travelled frequently across the border without any hassle.

The Avani Hotel and the Royal Livingstone though owned by the same company are very different and cater for very different people. From medium to super luxury you certainly will get catered for with comfort! These two great hotels are located along the Zambezi River, you can have sundowners right on the edge whilst watching the sunset in the mist of Victoria Falls! It takes just a few minutes walk before you are at the edge of the falls, we highly recommend the walk early in the morning as you will get to see the sunrise over the falls! You will definitely tick off some of your greatest memories ever made! Further up the River, there is Thorntree Lodge, a medium to luxury lodge, that will blow away your mind. It is also located right along the river so you can sit in your room or private pool and admire the river life right before you.

Bryan had previously been to Victoria Falls in 2016, and his excursions there will tell you that this is the adrenaline capital of Africa! The activities here are rated in the top 5 in the world, you will not leave disappointed. From bungee jumping and gorge swinging above the Zambezi, white-water rafting on the Zambezi to the flight of angels above the falls; you cannot go wrong coming here. Other activities like the lion encounter, games drives in Zambezi National Park, boma dinners, the devil’s pool, sunset cruises and dinners, the elephant encounter, will keep you occupied from dawn till dusk every day that you are here.

Great hotels and lodges on the Zimbabwean side like the Explorers Village, The Victoria Falls Hotel, Vic Falls River Lodge, Vic Falls Safari Lodge, and many others will keep you satisfied during your stay in this great little town.

Watch our website for information about all these activities and accommodations in this region, email us if you have any questions.

A Weekend Visit to Oldeani Mountain Lodge

This past weekend, a few members of the Shadows of Africa team visited Oldeani Mountain Lodge just outside Karutu! This is located near Ngorongoro Crater. Rated as one of the most luxurious lodges in the region, it is truly a splendid lodge to stay at whilst exploring this breathtaking area. If you want a place where you can relax and freshen up in comfort, this is definitely the place to come to.

The team arrived just before lunch after a 2-hour drive from Arusha. Once inside the gates, you can truly feel that you step out of the bush into luxury comfort! The greetings by the staff and the Maasai women were warm and welcoming! The design is modern African with a western touch. When one walks inside, you cannot help but let your eyes wander at the pictures and the ornaments displayed – most are of local African design or of wildlife from the area. The air is filled with sounds of birds, the most common being the Fisher Love Bird, they add to the atmosphere of the place. As you walk out onto the veranda the infinity pool extends out and you can see the Mountain Lodge of Oldeani right in front of you!

The rooms are beautiful and whether you are in a suite or a twin, you can certainly be treated to all the delights of the luxury hotel. Those that want to get in touch with nature can shower outside – privacy though is guaranteed. The beds are soft and comfortable, air conditioning is available for those that want it, The hot water is hot and there is lots of it! In the mornings you can open the sliding doors and allow the sunshine and fresh morning air to flood the room. After being in a safari truck all day, this is exactly what you need! Relax, this place also has an upcoming spa where you can take it one level further in achieving a relaxed state.

Inside the main area, there is the lounge and bar! The lounge is supplied with great board games to amuse children and adults alike. A billiards room is located on the on the corner to entertain the more active person. Don’t worry the bar has you covered, and drink they can conjure up for you by a there plentiful array of alcoholic beverages. The food served here is tantalizing, the team was certainly happy with all the choices on the menu. The chef is definitely really good, you will be filled up in a healthy way. Those that want to maintain a healthy lifestyle you may go to the gym are relieve your body of those extra calories gained whilst on Safari in Africa. A children’s club is located on the ground floor where they can amuse themselves for hours, with a movie theatre right next to it as well. People travelling on a more serious note can have board meetings etc in the boardroom located within the main building. I can say this place is a great location for a company retreat, and team building retreat!

With outstanding day trips close by, this lodge is in a prime location for the luxury traveller. If you have any more questions email us at info@shadowsofafrica.com

A Day Excursion in Nairobi

What is there to do in Nairobi if you have just a one day layover? When visiting Kenya, proceeding on safari to the famous Masai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru or even Ol Pejeta is quite common; as we know Kenya is one of the most accessible countries in East Africa. Yet, if you have just a one night transfer in Nairobi for business and don’t have lots of time for the long safari carry on reading.

We have a solution for you! The capital of Kenya, Nairobi, can boast an opportunity to see wild nature without even having to go out of the city. Recently, our youngest team members loved their visit to Nairobi National Park, the Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Center.

The Elephant Orphanage only allows visitors strictly between 11 and 12pm. Julia and Lesia from Shadows had adopted two young elephants in the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust about six months ago. It gave them an advantage to visit at 5pm when these cute creatures were getting ready for sleep. That is why they planned their day accordingly.

At 8am, after a refreshing breakfast, they headed to Nairobi National Park for a short game drive and to be in time for the giraffe and elephant visits. It is quite a short drive to the park, but when it concerns the Day Excursions in Nairobi, you may need to be ready to deal with heavy traffic. Realistically, it takes around 40 minutes to get there.

The most special thing about the Nairobi National park is the opportunity to observe wildlife right in front of the skycrapers. Just a short distance from the entrance, you can see zebras, giraffes, antelopes and African buffaloes. If you are lucky enough, you will get to see at least a couple of lions and even the endangered black rhinos. The ladies were more than surprised to observe around 7 rhinos at the same time! Elijah, from our Nairobi office, explained that in Nairobi National Park it is possibly the best place in Kenya to view these rare and endangered species. In stunning Nakuru National Park, you may only get a slim chance at seeing such a big group.

The team also paid a visit to the Ivory Burning Site Monument, where more than 100 tons of ivory was burnt to hinder poaching.
It was the largest ivory burn in history.

After the game drive, the ladies visited the Giraffe Center, which is open from 9am up to 5pm. The center allows visitors to touch the giraffes and even feed them; but you need to be careful, these proud animals can hit you with their heads.

Finally, the most exciting part of the trip for Julia and Lesia was the visit to their adopted elephants Jotto and Malkia. They were saved by the David Shelrick Wildlife Trust and will be re-introduced back into the wild at the mere age of three. Any visitor of the orphanage can choose an elephant to sponsor. The minimum donation per year is just $50! This helps the foundation to supply babies with milk, food and to save more animals all around the Kenyan National Parks.

The Trust is not just hosting elephants, but as well as warthogs, rhino and a giraffe. This is a great chance for you to be a part of rescuing and saving african species from extinction. Some of the guests adopted more than 5 babies and come regularly to visit them. There is even an opportunity to adopt elephants online; this means that you can make an appointment to visit your baby at 5pm, when there are not that many tourists around. Thereafter, they spent a fanstic evening enjoying the restaurants of Nairobi.

Nairobi is definitely a city of contrasts. Here you will find everything - skyscrapers and slums, wildlife and traffic, a mix of nationalities and cultures. It is one of the most modern African cities with its own atmosphere.

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Python, Black Rhinos and Huge Prides of Lions

There is no doubt; people who come to Africa for their dream safari, hoping to see all of the Big Five, the famous Wildebeest Migration, and the many stunning landscapes.

While many of our clients fulfill this dream, some are even luckier and see something truly unique. For example, Claudia and her husband saw a huge python, crossing the road during their game drive. These gigantic predators are a rare sight indeed! Our guide, Bashiru took some pictures to share this experience with you during one of our Amazing Safaris In June

Our next group, guided by Edwin, was lucky enough to see four rhinos at the same time. As you probably know, these endangered animals are very difficult to spot. Although Ngorongoro Crater gives the opportunity to see them and complete the Big Five, it is exceedingly rare to see such a group of black rhinos. Even Edwin was stunned!

Our intrepid travelers also spotted a huge pride of Lions in Serengeti National Park.

A family of adventurers from Ukraine enjoyed one of our Amazing Safaris In June, visiting just two parks- Tarangire and Ngorongoro. Though they had limited time, they still managed to spot some Lions, Buffaloes, Elephants, and Antelopes.

Victoriya and Inna made their dream come true and they saw one of the most beautiful places in Serengeti National Park – the Simba Rocks. You will recognize this picturesque landscape if you ever watched Disney’s The Lion King. This place inspired authors and artists to create the world of small Simba and his father Mufasa.Victoriya and Inna made their dream come true and they saw one of the most beautiful places in Serengeti National Park – the Simba Rocks. You will recognize this picturesque landscape if you ever watched Disney’s The Lion King. This place, seen during one of our Amazing Safaris In June, inspired authors and artists to create the world of small Simba and his father Mufasa.

Our guests from India, Supriyo, Sampoornaa, and Shubhalaxmi had a seven-day safari to Lake Manyara, Serengeti National Park, and Ngorongoro Crater. They did a game drive to the Serengeti’s Western Corridor to see a bit of the Wildebeest Migration and explored all the most interesting areas of the parks to see the entirety of the Big Five.

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Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Manyara Safaris

Our customers from Norway, Olga and Edvard had an amazing safari with Shadows of Africa's guide Alex.

After a relaxing overnight in Moivaro Lodge, they headed to Ngorongoro Crater to start their search for the Big 5. They were lucky enough to see a black rhino there and spot some prides of Lions as well, exploring the Northern Tanzania Safari Route.

It is not easy to spot the shy black rhinoceros as they are usually spotted too far away from the roads. You definitely need to use binoculars to watch them. This time it was much closer and Alex was even able to take a picture from his phone.

Of course, some Elephants showed up during their game drive in Ngorongoro.

While our travellers were heading to have a picnic lunch, this couple of Lions had a rest near the lake. Probably, they were lucky and had their lunch much earlier.

Olga and Edvard had a chance to compare warthogs with Pumba from the "Lion King". Though some people include these wild pigs as part of'The Ugly Five", we still think they are very cute.

After enjoying beautiful views from the NgorongoroSopa Lodge, the travellers continued the trip with a game drive in Serengeti National Park. They explored both the Central Serengeti and the Western Corridor, -  the area where wildebeests are moving to the Grumeti River during the migration, following the Northern Tanzania Safari Route.

It's not every day that you can see even one cheetah, but a couple of them at the same time is very lucky. Olga and Edward were able to observe them upclose and personal.

Of course, some Lions were crossing the road on the way to the migration.

But finally, travellers could see for themselves the famous Great Wildebeest Migration. Wildebeests and Zebras were heading though the Western Corridor to the North of the Serengeti.

Edward and Olga were especially lucky in their drive, as they also got to see a regal leopard in the wild!In the end of the itinerary, Olga and Edward travelled to Lake Manyara National Park. This place is famous for its tree-climbing Lions and beautiful flamingos, making it a perfect stop along the Northern Tanzania Safari Route.

Anil and Basak from Turkey also had a successful safari this May. Both the Big Five and the Wildebeest Migration were on their list and they saw both!

What makes a safari so memorable is that you never know what else you can see!

Just as Edward and Olga did, Anil and Basak had three parks in their itinerary: Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Lake Manyara. They travelled with our guide, Bashiru who shared some pictures from their safari.

The travellers and Bashiru enjoyed witnessing a small part of the Wildebeest Migration on the plains of the Serengeti.

They were surprised with the number of lions in the Serengeti. This pride of young predators would be happy to catch some wildebeests for their lunch.

Cheetahs were hunting for food too.

And zebras had plenty of food in Ngorongoro Crater.

Some Elephants in Lake Manyara and buffaloes on the way made The Big Five complete.

Anil and Basak were happy to go for a safari with one of our best guides along the Northern Tanzania Safari Route. You should join us next time!