DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Camping and guided safari excellent
Ladies and Gentlemen,
below you find my Report about Nkasa Rupara Park.I confirm that it never has been published before. You are free to use. If you have questiones, don't hesitate to ask me on [email protected]. Also, if you are interested on photos (free of charge).
My Report about Nkasa Rupara Park of July 2008
In July 2008 we travelled three weeks through Namibia, Botswana and Zambia with 5 couples (at the age of between 24 and 58) in 4 cars. We took the Trans Caprivi Highway until a point where we met Keith Rooken- Smith, a very respectable and impressive park ranger. From now on we followed his Jeep for several miles over smaller ways and sand strips through the bush until we reached a water course which we had to cross on a simple wooden bridge. The problem was that the whole bridge with its longitudinal and transverse loose comprised wooden beams was under the water surface, only a few posts on both sides were standing out of the water and showed the driver the direction. It was a wild and risky ride for each car over the rolling slippery beams and after each crossing the transverse lying beams had to be ordered and positioned new by hand.
After about two hours all 5 cars had reached the other side and we could continue our way through the bush and reached one or two hours later the place where we had our camp for the next three days. We slept in tents which were placed on the top of our cars, easily to built in the evening in 5 minutes and to fold together in the morning in 15 minutes. Those tents have 2 main advantages: the low weight and flat package does not disturb upon the car during travelling and the position on the top of the car gives you the feeling of safety before wild animals during the night. It is said that a lion never will enter your closed tent on the ground, but once, when a pack of hyenas were chasing through our camp, we were happy to watch them from our safe lookout.
The camp included the luxuries of a toilet, not water flushing but with a comfortable seat over a digged mine and a bucket with unslaked lime, all hidden behind a blue white striped tarpaulin, and we had a big bucket hanging down from a branch filled with warm water with a shower and a water tap under its bottom. It is a great feeling standing after an exhaustive day alone and naked in the forest under the down running warm water. Some black people looked after warm water all the time and for enough wood for the camp fire in the evening.
Soon after our arrival Keith gave us information about the Caprivi and Nkasa Rupara park and its peculiarity, the frequent annual flood waters which attract thousands of wild animal, elephants, buffalos, lions and many more. And he gave us some basic instruction, how to meet a wild animal (or how better not) to avoid returning home inside plastic sack (citation).
The next three days we went on safari: each day with a little truck to another interesting area and then following Keith through the bush on foot, he was always not armed. He led us close to hippos which gathered when he called them with specific shouting. He brought us close to an Elephant which just crossed a water entered the riverside not more than 100 meters in front of us. To make this possible Keith required from us to obey his orders and advices strictly - and we did.
We had to run over the dry flat or to step through slippery mud and even had to cross streaming watercourses by food which were quite cold at this time and reached up to our chest. It was not easy to keep standing and save our cameras dry. The clever ones of us wore swimwear and put off their trousers and kept them dry, the others had to run through the Kalahari in briefs or had to be cold in their wet clothes. One time we crossed a deeper water course by rowing boat and had a lot of fun. Whether all these exertions really were necessary ore was some sort of safari program for tourists is, an is an unresolved question for me. But all in all it was a great adventure. We watched lots of all kinds of animals and birds living there – only lions were missing.
Because of the high water in that year 2008 there was only one way to enter and leave Nkasa Rupara Park – across our well known bridge under water surface. On the way to it we had to pass a ford and one of our Range Rovers got stuck in the deep mud and we needed 3 hours of hard work and the help of the other cars to get him free again.
When we reached our bridge we found it blocked. One hour before some people from South Africa broke the bridge when they tried to cross it with a caravan trailer. They needed three full days to retrieve the caravan with our help and to repair the bridge with a team of black natives. It was a real torture for the black people to work and dive in the cold water.
As I saw in the net the old bridge has been replaced by a new steel construction and the times of this kind of adventure are gone.
For three other days we opened a new camp in the bush – this time without toilet and shower. We went washing in a nice water course, always being aware of hippos and crocodiles. At last we run out of food, but Keith supported us with bread and beer and helped us to come through the time with some additionel safari trips.
After three days we left Nkasa Rupara Park over the renewed bridge and could continue our trip with our next target, the Caprivi River Lodge, a very comfortable house at the shore of the Sambesi River, at that time owned by Keith and Mary Rooken-Smith.
Summary
Nkasa Rupara Park at 2008 was a beautiful area for people who want to experience wild nature and watch animals and birds. The approach is very difficulty without a guide. Self driving is risky and was not allowed. The guided tours by food were excellent and exciting but strenuous (for the elder ones). During the trips each opportunity to take photos was respected by the ranger. We met no other tourists (except at the broken bridge).
Jürgen Muscholl 20.08.2012
Thank you Tomodachi
Last year, I decided to go to Tanzania because I had already heard that it is among the best to watch untamed wildlife. My safari, which was on late June, 2013, was well organized. Also, the accommodation was very comfortable. Besides all of that, I had an excellent driver and a new 4x4 vehicle (Toyota land Cruiser). This combination led me to a very successful safari.
Finally, I want to say “Thank you Mr. Joseph for every thing you did to make my trip very convenient.”
Solayman
FR
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A wonderful trip, superbly organised and fascinatingly varied
I’ve just done the ten day Wild Dog Namibian Explorer trip. It was a journey to recapture lost times for me.Forty three years ago I lived in Okaukoejo for three months then in an engineering campsite on the side of the road towards Outjo for another three. I wanted to see it all again and I wasn’t disappointed.
For a start the Wild Dog organisation was really faultless. I’d like to take our guides, Gabriel and Manfred, home with me to run my life as brilliantly as they ran the trip. I doubt they’d be interested in relocation, though. They are safari guides through and through, both of them so knowledgeable about birds, animals, plants, geology. Did you know that termite mounds all face North to keep them warm and protected? I didn’t. Gabriel did. Both he and Manfred are unflappable, very hard working, it’s quite a knackering amount of driving Gabriel had to do. They are imaginative cooks, too, and the speed with which they prepared each meal for all eleven of us was a bit shaming for those of us more used to cooking in well equipped kitchens than on camp fires. I’ll stop about the guides before their heads burst.
What about the sites and terrain we covered? Stand out camp site for me was Hoada dwarfed by vast granite boulders. We skinny dipped in the pool and sat on top of one huge rock to watch the sunset while Manfred cooked dinner.
In Etosha we saw lots of animals including a pride of 13 lions, the adolescents tumbling, cuffing each other, watched by grouchy dads. Next day, a group of them were feasting on a newly killed zebra.
But it wasn’t even the animals that made the trip but the journey through ever changing terrain under huge, over-arching skies and magnificent cloud formations. The soil colour changes every few kilometres and even the ubiquitous thorn trees vary throughout the journey, some green flat tops, others with tiny white flowers.
Go and see it for yourselves. It’s a wonderful experience.
Ruaha's Wildlife: The real deal.
I've visited Ruaha National Park as part of a field trip for Biology Students.
We got a very unique camp site at the side of the Ruaha River. The view was absolutely stunning. During our siesta's at noon, we could even see groups of elephants passing by and 2 huge fish eagles had their nest on the top of a tree on the other side of the river.
The weather was perfect. Warm, but not too hot, and cool (but not cold) at night.
The park is huge an you can drive for hours trough the beautiful nature without bumping in to another jeep. Some places of the park are really green, while others are more savanna-like and very dry.
Most of the time we had our own guide, but one day we had a guided walk by a park ranger. He knew a lot about the animals and their tracks and dangers. Very interesting! We even walked along the river revealing many kinds of bird species.
So, in short. Ruaha National Park is really worth a visit!!
NL
20-35 years of age
Amazing experience
I've lived in Iringa town, just a 2 hour drive from Ruaha National Park and I've been to Ruaha multiple times. You can stay in a luxerious campsite or go for the Government Bandas, just 20 US dollars a night. It's basic and you need to bring your own food, but there is a decent toilet, shower, nets and some bandas where you can chill and drink a nice Tanzanian beer with a view over Ruaha River, and if you are lucky, some elephants. There is no fence, so during the night you can expect animal visitors, but there is an armed guard. Close to the bandas there is a campsite too, where you can camp with your tent at your own risk, since there is no fence too.
The scenery is beautiful, with hills and so much variety. The park has over 10,000 elephants, so it's easy to spot them, esp. in the dry season. Hippos, impalas and girafes are easy to spot too. If you are lucky you can spot lions and cheetas. In the wet some of the roads are not accesable, but the scenery is beautiful; so much green and it's a great season for watching exotic birds. If you are going with your own transport you can 'hire' a guide in the park or you can arrange a driver/guide in Iringa town. There is a couple organisations who arrange safaris.
I would recommend this park to everyone, although I hope it will maintain quiet with tourists now, so you really have the feeling you are alone in the park like you have now.
Amazing Experience At Sabi Sabi (Earth Lodge & Selati)
I went to visit South Africa for 3 weeks this past spring. It was one of the best experiences I've ever had. Specifically the safaris were magical. I stayed in Pilanesberg for 3 nights and then moved on to stay at Sabi Sabi in both Earth Lodge and Selati Camp 2 nights each. The service at Sabi Sabi was far superior to the other lodge we stayed at in Pilanesberg. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and we say all the big 5 within the first day! The accommodations were beautiful and clean. The manager of the property, at each location, made our trip. They were SO accommodating and helpful. They seemed to truly care about our experience. In an unfamiliar environment like that, you want to feel like someone is looking out for you and we definitely did. I became very ill one night and the manager got up at 3am to come check on me and deduced that it was my malaria pills I was taking and suggested since it was not malaria season that I stop taking them immediately and she sat with me and gave me a rehydrate packet she had. Every day after that every staff member asked how I was feeling. It felt like a small family when we left. I can't sing enough praise for Sabi Sabi!
IL
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
very proffessional, client oriented in any way. hospatible,inteligent,english , caring ,honest
we took twice safari trips to TANZANIA with earthlife expedition's guides together with our granchildren . All the guides were very knowledgeble , extended great service and where there for us whenever required. we felt with themsafe , like home away from home ,despite some roguh obstacles created by the terain and nature.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kruger Park is amazing, however the contractor that supplied the open vehicles needs to be changed.
Our Safari in Kruger had a rough start, on the first official game drive ( late afternoon, with the open safari vehicle ) the vehicle broke down. When our driver/guide stopped to view animals, the vehicle refused to start. After soliciting the assistance of a passerby who had mechanic tools and knowledge, we returned to the camp safely and finished the game drive in a mini van.
The following day on our early morning game drive ( different open safari vehicle) we again broke down. This time a much greater distance from the camp and outside of cell phone range. We had to wait approx. 2 hours in the hot morning sun until another Safari company stopped and assisted in contacting the camp to arrange for alternate transportation. In the end we agreed to continue with the game drive, in another vehicle . However as a whole we were concerned for our overall safety with these vehicles and we had lost faith and trust in this tour company to deliver a product as agreed upon!
When you operate a Safari company in a huge Wildlife Park such as Kruger, you need to have safe guards in place. Having access to reliable vehicles for the game drives, should be their number one priority. Other communication equipment, such as satellite phones, that will provide contact to the camps in event of break downs or emergency medical issues, is a must. We were informed that the use of the open safari vehicles was fairly new to this company.
In closing, I found our driver / guide, to be very knowledge with the wildlife in Kruger and friendly. On the other hand , the other company employee whom we had direct contact with during this Safari was unacceptable. I felt he forgot who he was working for at times. His communication with our tour was very poor, at no time did he apologize for the inconvenience's of the break downs or inquire as to our safety during the break downs. We also witnessed his unacceptable rants towards our driver in front of us, blaming him for the mechanical breakdowns. He was very unprofessional and not a good representative of Wildlife Safaris !
NZ
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An amazing adventure, enhanced with the camping aspect and closeness to the people and animals
This trip was my second with Masihambe- first one with my husband, second without, knowing how well organised the company was- everytrip has hiccups, but any were coped with efficiently and without fuss to everyones satisfaction. As a 60+ I had no problems adapting to the outdoors, everything was there, comfortable, food from the fire fantastic. Itinerary and variety were amazing- each day brought new thrills and surprises from accommodation, safari successes and friendships with locals and fellow travellers.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
a once in a lifetime experience
Have wanted to go on an African safari for a long time, am really pleased we chose to go with Masihambe. Our Guide was excellent, very knowledgable, helpful & friendly, as were all the different Guides & people involved in each place we stayed in, we stayed in a variety of accommodation from tents to luxury Lodges, great value for money, good food, & good company, & great animal viewing. Exceeded all our expectations. Keep up the good work Jude & Anna at Masihambe!