As you sit in the shade from the heat of summer, why not think about your winter plans by looking at the following upcoming Safari opportunities with Jackson’s African Safaris. We also have some great travel tips and information to share on what’s going on in Africa today.

In this newsletter:

1. Vancouver International Travel Show 2018 Grand Prize – An Adventure to South Africa for Two
2. Concept DREAMSCAPES Feature Article Safari: Community supported Tourism in Kenya
3. Students in New Denver, BC, learn about the challenges of protecting wildlife in Kenya
4. Our Latest Safari Travel Tips
5. Weather and Climate in Africa
6. Supporting Africa Sustainability

Vancouver International Travel Show 2018 Grand Prize – An Adventure to South Africa for Two

Prize includes:

• 2 nights Northern Drakensberg at Montusi
• 1 night Isibindi’s Zulu Lodge
• 2 nights Isibindi’s Rhino Ridge Lodge
• 2 nights at Isabindi’s Kosi Forest Lodge
• 1 night at a Bed & Breakfast in Johannesburg
• 3 nights at Return Africa’s Pafuri Trails Camp
• Northern Kruger National Park: Walks guided and hosted by Rhodes Bezuidenhout

Each newsletter will be providing you with new and helpful tips for going on Safari to Africa. In this newsletter we have a suggested BBC series to watch, then some thoughts and discussion about guides on your safari and lastly, the recent changes in permit prices for trekking Gorillas in Rwanda.

1. A recently made series by the BBC presented by Ben Fogle, titled ‘The Great African Migration’ is a MUST see for anyone wanting to understand all the elements past and present that allow this migration to exist and also what time of year you may enjoy visiting most; watch the series to learn about the importance of a nearby volcano, to the dung beetles crucial role in this eco-system, and the vultures, if they were not there, NO ONE WOULD WANT TO BE ON SAFARI… My family friend Grant Hopcraft is the Migration consultant for this series and much appreciate the knowledge and fun he and Ben share during the series. Here is the link where you can view the series on-line: http://www.infocobuild.com/books-and-films/nature/the-great-migration-ben-fogle.html
2. Your guide(s) during a safari. Here are some questions and thoughts to ask yourself about the trip you are planning that could ‘make or break’ your safari experience, there are many things to consider, bottom line we want you to simply be aware of what choices you make by thinking about the following;
   a) What expectations should I have of my guide? Are they a driver guide in East Africa whom get paid US$20.00 – 50.00 a day whom I will be spending a large number of days with on a journey? What are the possible effects on our experience with that scenario? Are they a guide carefully supported by a camp that employs them to do activities with their guests, where you have a new guide at each new camp, or are you with one of the top guides in Africa where you pay US$600 – 1200.00 a day to be guided by them? Is my guide local with years of experience in Africa or perhaps someone from overseas with a passion for Africa? We are simply suggesting, that you ask questions, so you understand how your experience maybe effected and how best you can plan to make the experience most positive for you. You may have 4 weeks available, and we simply suggest, it is FAR BETTER to have 2 amazing weeks in Africa on safari with great guides, rather than 4 weeks where you have taken the budget option on everything. Much better have 3 great days you will never forget, than 6 days problems and issues. We can help you understand the above as we plan and make decisions with you.
3. Gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda recently changed from US$750 per person per trek to US$1500.00 per person per trek. We want everyone to keep an open mind behind these changes rather than reacting; so far in the process of selling adventures to Uganda and Rwanda over these past weeks, we have found the following; Going over to Uganda to do the trek instead saves little money in the big picture, doing this also requires travel time and travel costs, AND you need to ask the question of how the money you pay for the trek is spent? We suggest this is a valuable input to the local community and is very much needed – something we all need to learn more about. There are discounts available in Rwanda if you stay for a number of days and visit other attractions, we just applied this to a booking for two weeks in Rwanda and the permit price was US1,050.00 per person per trek. The other consideration is HOW RULES differ for your trek in Uganda and Congo verses Rwanda? In what ways does your visit BEST benefit the Gorillas and the National Park, AND the local community? We encourage you to learn and seek knowledge.

Remember: Start planning as early as possible to ensure you’re getting the best experience and opportunities available to you. We can help you decide when it’s best to go to achieve your dream African Safari.

In our last newsletter we talked about how Cape Town gets WINTER RAIN, while the rest of Southern Africa gets SUMMER RAIN, while East Africa gets two rains; the short rains and the long rains, and these fall at different times of the year depending on where you are. So it’s very important to understand how these impact YOUR safari trip, and WHY perhaps your trip was such a great deal!? There are two reasons why there are generally high, mid and low priced seasons. First, some seasons are 100% rated as high simply due to matching the busy European and North American holiday times, and NOT a reflection of your potential experience in Africa. Secondly, using the Serengeti and Maasai Mara migration as an example, where the migration NORMALLY is located each month, all the camps in that area will be on high season rates. Those far away, will be on low season. So driving for 2-4 hours where the migration is currently located, is likely a result due to the fact you purchased a special or rather a LOW season accommodation location, so think carefully where your staying!

The other consideration to remember, is that MOST African cities throughout Southern and Eastern Africa are quite high in Elevation. Early settlers chose these locations as they are ‘generally’ year round fairly comfortable in temperature and also Malaria free among other considerations. However, knowing that Johannesburg in South Africa is at 7,500 feet will help you understand how in June and July, don’t be surprised if you get some frosts, or even a sprinkling of snow some years! Nairobi, Lusaka, Harare are all around 5,000 feet… So for example if you are visiting the Lower Zambezi Valley while in Zimbabwe or Zambia, during your trip, you could travel from the capitals at 5,000 ft to the low elevations of the Zambezi Valley that never experience a temperature of below 12C. UNDERSTAND elevation in Africa varies a lot, people live year round in comfortable climates where we ski in the winter at the same elevations! Make sure you pack properly to consider all these elevations!

Jackson’s African Safaris is proud to be in the process of developing a means to support the following organizations who are working hard to preserve important ecosystems and endangered species in Africa.

It’s very important to understand that what makes a safari more expensive is the REAL ESTATE you are spending time on. If you’re on a large area of land that takes care of endangered species such as Rhino, Elephants, Cheetah and more, it is how many people are sharing this real estate with you, that is largely determining the price you pay. On top of this, MOST conservancy’s require huge international donations in the millions of dollars to do the work they are, it’s not enough from Tourism.

Education, Education, Education…