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Safari Newsletter Dated February 21, 2012
Dear Vacations To Go Customer,
The annual migration of nearly 2 million wildebeest, zebras and gazelles
through Tanzania and Kenya is a spectacle unlike any other. Several
summers ago, my family and I witnessed
the Great Migration
firsthand. The animals' journey follows a predictable route, but the
exact timing varies a bit each year, depending on the start and severity
of the dry season throughout eastern Africa.
Wildebeests and zebras typically spend
December to April in
Tanzania, nursing new calves born in the spring. The slow-moving calves
draw the attention of lions, cheetahs and hyenas, and this mix of
predator and prey offers prime wildlife-viewing opportunities in nature
preserves like Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation
Area. For a list of safaris that visit the Serengeti and Ngorongoro
between now and April, click
here.
For a list of safaris that visit these areas between December 2012 and
April 2013, click
here.
The seasonal rains usually end in
May. Grass and leaves wither,
forcing grazing species to move west and then north in search of food.
This is the start of the Great Migration, a steady stream of animals in
columns that can stretch for miles, heading toward the western and
northern Serengeti.
Predators -- more territorial than migratory -- await the zebra and
wildebeest as these animals pass through their hunting grounds. The
migrating herds must cross the Grumeti River, where crocodiles will
feast on the weak and the slow. Scavenging birds watch from treetops and
circle overhead.
June and July are the best months for witnessing
the Great Migration in the western and northern Serengeti of Tanzania.
For a list of 2012 safaris that visit the Serengeti in June and July,
click
here.
As the summer progresses, the herds travel farther north. Between July
and August, they cross the Mara River, where some are lost in surging
floodwaters and others are seized by waiting crocs. They move into
Kenya, typically reaching the abundant greenery of the Masai Mara in
August or September, a dazzling number of animals within a single
nature preserve. For a list of 2012 safaris that visit the Masai Mara
National Reserve in August and September, click
here.
Some naturalists claim that the Masai Mara contains the largest
concentration of predators along the migratory route. The animals will
stay here until
October or November. Most safaris visit the area
before fall brings another rainy season to the plains and the herds turn
south toward Tanzania.
Those animals that complete the journey will have traveled more than
1,800 miles, covering Africa's vast grasslands in a clockwise direction.
To see an animated map of the Great Migration, click
here.
This week, I've created a Top 10 list of terrific Africa trips from the
world's best operators. All prices are per person, based on double
occupancy, and subject to availability.
Top 10 Africa vacations
1)
Tanzania Deluxe Safari,
7 days with
SITA Tours. Begins and ends in Arusha with visits to
Lake Manyara National Park, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro
Crater. Land-only starting from $2,245.
Departures from March 8
through December 27, 2012.
2)
Best of East Africa,
22 days with
Intrepid Travel. Begins in Nairobi and ends in
Zanzibar with visits to Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara National Reserve and
Serengeti National Park. Land-only starting from $2,070.
Departures
from April 7, 2012 through June 22, 2013.
3)
In the Footsteps of Mandela,
8 days with
African Travel. Begins in Cape Town and ends in
Johannesburg with visits to Robben Island, Soweto and Kapama Private
Reserve. Land-only starting from $3,145.
Daily departures from March
11 through December 30, 2012.
4)
Tanzania: The Savannah & Beyond,
10 days with
Globus. Begins and ends in Arusha with visits to
Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater.
Save $500 per couple. Land-only starting from $4,079.
Departures from June 20 through October 24, 2012.
Book now!
5)
17 Day Classic South Africa with Victoria Falls & Botswana,
17 days with
Gate 1 Travel. Begins in Johannesburg and ends in
Cape Town with visits to Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park and Kruger
National Park. Land-only starting from $4,099.
Departures from May 19
through October 6, 2012.
6)
An East Africa Safari - The Wildebeest Migration,
9 days with
African Travel. Begins and ends in Arusha with visits
to Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National
Park. Land-only starting from $4,445.
Daily departures from March 16
through December 31, 2012.
7)
Botswana in Depth,
11 days with
SITA Tours. Begins in Livingstone and ends in Maun
with visits to Chobe National Park, the Moremi Wildlife Reserve and
Makgadikgadi National Park. Land-only starting from $5,245.
Daily
departures from March 17 through November 24, 2012.
8)
Kenya Wildlife Discovery,
10 days with
Abercrombie & Kent. Begins and ends in Nairobi
with visits to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Samburu Game Reserve and Masai
Mara Game Reserve. Land-only starting from $5,895.
Departures from
June 21 through December 20, 2012.
9)
Signature Namibia,
10 days with
Abercrombie & Kent. Begins and ends in Windhoek
with visits to Sossusvlei Desert Reserve, Damaraland and the Onguma
Private Nature Reserve. Land-only starting from $6,620.
Departures
from April 8 through November 4, 2012.
10)
Amazing Southern Africa,
21 days with
Intrepid Travel. Begins in Cape Town and ends in
Victoria Falls with visits to Fish River Canyon, Etosha National Park
and the Okavango Delta. Land-only starting from $7,525.
Departures
from March 31, 2012 through June 15, 2013.
Once you've found a safari that interests you, call us toll free at
800-291-3346 (US and Canada) and a safari specialist will attend to your
needs. Customers from the UK, please call toll free 0800 279 8084.
All other international customers, please e-mail or call us at
+1-713-974-2121.
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Please e-mail me your comments, suggestions and questions at
alanfox@africasafari.com and
I will respond the same day.
To send a copy of this newsletter to a friend or friends, click
here.
Sincerely,
Alan Fox
Chairman & CEO
Vacations To Go