Jim Holden explains ? “What is a Safari?” What are the different activities you can do while on Safari? Jim Holden explains this in a short video.

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Fortunately, safaris are on most people’s bucket list for travel. Almost everyone feels the pull of Africa. Either from watching documentaries, such as National Geographic and David Attenborough, or just a fascination with a far off place filled with exotic animals, colorful people and spectacular landscapes.

So when it comes to choosing and planning to take a safari, how do you go about it? Today, most of us start with the internet. Type in the word “safari” and you’ll get pages and pages of results. Trying to make sense of all the information is almost enough to make you put off the idea until you can devote enough time to trying to understand it all.

When you do find the time to research who to go to for a safari, you’ll find that that those of us offering safaris can be divided into three categories. First there are the online tour operators or online travel agencies, such as expedia. The appeal of safaris offered online is price! Offers such as $999 for a week in Cape Town. But delve a little deeper into what’s on offer and one finds that basically the offer is no more than a similar offer to spend a week in London. You get the flight and hotel on a bed and breakfast basis and then you’re on your own. While in London you might navigate your way around the different attractions quite effectively on your own, getting around Africa, especially going into remote areas on safari, is more of a challenge. By definition, safaris are away from cities in wildlife parks, where there is no public transport and no amenities, other than the ones offered by the few wildlife lodges in the parks.

The next category to chose from to plan your safari is the safari operator based in Africa. You’ll find him or her online as well, advertising his or her safari services. You’ll soon find the problem here is the time difference between the USA and the parts of Africa that offer wildlife safaris. During our summers in the USA, South Africa is nine hours ahead of California, so that when we are waking up South Africans are thinking of having dinner and going to bed. Kenya is ten hours ahead. And when daylight saving kicks in, South Africa goes to ten hours and Kenya to eleven! Inevitably, most communication with Africa based operators has to be by email, which often leads to misunderstandings. It was Winston Churchill who described the difference between American English and British English as “two nations divided by a common language!” When you remember that the countries offering safaris in Africa are ex British colonies, you begin to understand the potential for misunderstandings.

The last category to use for your safari plans is a USA based travel agent or tour operator. Unless the travel agent is very familiar with Africa, he or she will usually reach out to a tour operator offering safaris. And here we can subdivide US based tour operators into two categories. There are large tour operators, offering vacations to all parts of the world, including Africa. And then there are the smaller, specialist tour operators focusing on just Africa.

What is the difference between the large and smaller specialist tour operators? The larger operators tend to deal in bigger numbers of people, offering multiple departures of the same safari itinerary, with groups of anywhere from twenty to forty people. The smaller specialist operators offer custom safaris, tailored to each request, be it a couple or family or special interest group, such as a club or society.

Example of a large lodge.

The choice now becomes one of traveling in a large group or on your own or with friends or family. Large groups mean following the herd as there has to be a rigid schedule to keep the group moving and together. It also means spending time at places that don’t necessarily interest you as they are on the schedule.

Traveling on your own or with friends or family doesn’t mean giving up the idea of safety in numbers. Instead one gets to do only what one wants and has chosen to do. Custom means exactly that, doing what you want on your safari, after lengthy conversations with your chosen tour operator to consider all the options.

And how do you select that custom specialist tour operator? The same way you select any professional, be it your doctor or attorney, by asking your friends and relatives and by referral.

So when you’re ready to plan your safari, start by asking your friends and relatives if they know of a specialist safari operator. And if there is one who is local to you, so that you can meet and plan your safari across the table from each other, that will give you the best result. If you’re used to traveling in a group with strangers, contact your travel agent or tour operator, offering multiple departures with different itineraries to choose from.

And when it comes down to price, remember the old adage, “You get what you pay for”. A custom safari doesn’t have to be more expensive than a group safari. Weigh up the features and benefits. What do you get for your money? Do you get to go where you want to go, when you want to go, or do you have to compromise to fit in with the group? And remember that with safaris, as with vacations in general, the benefits come from the experience and memories of the safari that can last a lifetime. So think about the overall experience the safari you’re choosing will give you, rather than the false economy of choosing a cheaper hotel that might ruin the experience.

 – Musings on Africa

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David Bowie and Iman

Africa is an ideal destination for anyone who thinks that they’ve seen it all.

I recall an around the world private jet group, when I was based in Africa, managing a safari operation.

The group had chartered Concord, the world’s first supersonic airliner (this was back in the 90s) for an around the world trip.

Concord-Photo credit Airplanepictures.net

They set off from the USA going west, with the first stop Hong Kong, followed by Australia and then Madras, India.

By the time the group got to Madras, things weren’t going too well. The group had “seen it all” and were somewhat jaded travelers.

However much the tour operator tried to impress the group, putting them in the best hotels in Hong Kong, Australia and Madras, it wasn’t enough.

The mood of the group had become so bad they were threatening to mutiny and charter their own planes home, abandoning the rest of the trip.

A frantic message came through to us in Africa, the Groups’ next stop, asking us to “pull out all stops” to impress and get the trip back on keel.

We were unconcerned; you might call us arrogant but we knew how Africa takes most people’s breath away. And with a little bit of theatre, no-one can resist Africa’s charm and allure.

So when Concord arrived, breaking the sound barrier with supersonic flight across the Indian Ocean, landing in its own impressive way, similar to an eagle or raptor plunging down to catch its prey, talons stretched out and body at an angle to assist with braking speed, we were all on hand to welcome the group of now very disgruntled clients.

Quick as we could, we cleared them all through Immigration and customs, and then walked them out onto the airport tarmac, to a squadron of small aircraft we call bush planes. These are the planes that fly clients into the remote camps and lodges in the wildlife areas.

Photo credit Okavangoexplorers

Separating the group between the different planes, some taking no more than six passengers, some eight or ten, we soon had our squadron loaded with all seventy clients, with engines revving for take-off.

It was a glorious sight, watching as many as ten small bush planes, taxing and taking off to their different wildlife lodge destinations. Reminiscent of the Battle of Britain days, when the Royal Air Force would “scramble” to intercept incoming German fighter planes.

We were similarly on hand to welcome the squadron back. As the clients disembarked, not one of them mentioned going home! For nowhere else on earth is the experience of safari what it is in Africa. Each day is different, with maybe a lion kill, a giraffe giving birth, where the hapless baby falls as much as six foot for a rude entry into the world, or a herd of elephant, slowly and deliberately making their way across the savanna, with the horizon stretching away to infinity and other herds of wildlife all about them.

Saying no two days are the same on safari, may sound like a cliché. Clients wonder how safari guides can take them out on safari, day after day, and not get bored. It is because, being on safari, is like going to the theatre and seeing a different play enacted each day.

To end our jaded Concord groups’ visit to Africa, we put on an African fashion show, with statuesque African models and music, and fashions from different parts of Africa. The local company that put on the Fashion show is the same company that “found” Iman, the late David Bowie’s wife and super model from Africa.

So be prepared, when you go to Africa on safari, chances are you’ll want to go back again and again, because it is so different to the rest of the world, even for the most jaded traveler.

  Musings on Africa.

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Africa is the place to go in 2018. It’s booming! and the lodges are filling up fast. We are already booking lodges for 2019!

So why is African tourism booming?

• Africa is growing in popularity according to Travel Pulse. Part of this is due to several social media influencers who are striving to shine a light on Africa as a home to many worthy tourism destinations.
• Africa is being discovered due to access, more airline connections, increasing interaction between hotels, airlines and car rental companies, and there is always an ideal location to visit year-round in East and Southern Africa.
• Africa has so much to offer with its diverse cultures, history, wildlife and topography. Plus tourism is helping tremendously with wildlife conservation, as well as putting millions of people to work, according to Voice of America News (VOA):

How do you plan your safari?

Imagine wanting a custom kitchen remodel, but you have no background in construction, or kitchen design. What would you do?

You would probably call an expert in kitchen remodels or if you’re like me, ask one of your friends if they can recommend someone they trust.

What does this have to do with Holden Safaris? It has everything to do with designing your very own custom safari. From the minute you call us, or meet our small team and “Poppy” our resident Beagle, you will get that personal service, you don’t get from a call center.

In fact, we know the answers to almost all your questions, and we don’t need to Google them, or read the blurb from a brochure, as we don’t offer pre-planned trips that lock you in on certain dates. No, we put together a Safari based on the dates you want, and the places and activities you want to see and do. Interested in elephants and animal conservation? We’ll show you on a real map, the best places to visit. Want to see leopards? We know where to send you to maximize that experience. If seeing the massive migration is on your bucket list, we know when and where to go, although we cannot book the animals to cross the river at a specific time that fits your schedule. We could try though. If gorilla trekking is on your list, we can explain the pros and cons of Uganda versus Rwanda.

How do we know so much about Africa? Because we’ve experienced safaris ourselves, and Jim Holden, President of our super-friendly team at Holden Safaris, is more than happy to share his expertise based on over thirty years of working in the travel industry in Africa. He even speaks some local African dialects which he’ll be happy to share with you if you want to learn a few words.

Jim’s expertise and contacts all over Africa, is what differentiates Holden Safaris from the large tour operators offering pre-planned safari departures through their call center staff. We are always in touch with our partners from Cape Town to Cairo, and with our safari lodges and guides. When you travel with Holden Safaris, we keep in touch with our local ground handlers on a daily basis, making sure that you are happy and that your safari is going smoothly. We do take care of you both before, and during your safari
You won’t find many people with Jim’s great depth of local Safari knowledge, and his ability to stitch together a custom Safari that turns into a masterpiece.

For more information on how to plan your Safari, please call Jim Holden at (949) 500-0094 or e-mail Jimh@HoldenSafaris.com

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Makhosi Ncube-Guide in Zimbabwe

On my recent site inspection trip to Zambia and Zimbabwe with Jim Holden, President of Holden Safaris, I had the pleasure of experiencing, first-hand, how an expert guide, makes all the difference in your safari experience.

Jim Holden and I were on our way to inspect Somalisa Camp, a small luxury camp in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. We flew in from Mana Pools on a nine-passenger, Cessna Caravan, and landed on the hardened-dirt, Manga 3 runway.

A young man dressed in classic safari, stone-colored shirt and shorts, greeted us at the bottom of the small ladder as we exited the plane.

“You must be Jim and Sonia,” he said with his charming smile. “I’m Mak, your guide, from Somalisa Camp.”

Mak hoisted our bags onto his shoulders, and as we reached his jeep, he handed us a much-appreciated, bottle of ice cold water. Leaning over the edge of his vehicle, he asked if he would you like to go straight to Somalisa Camp to rest after our three-hour flight, or if we would prefer to go on an afternoon game drive on our way back to the camp.

“We want to go on a game drive,” Jim said.

I gulped down the water and asked Mak, “What’s that horrible loud noise?”

“It’s the Heartbeat of Hwange” he said.

Sensing my confusion, Mak continued. “We have only one diesel water pump left in the park, and it’s right there.” He pointed towards the waterhole. “All the rest of our 50 boreholes are now solar powered. The elephants are used to the sound of the diesel pump and know that it means water; that’s why they come here in the hundreds, to drink and bathe. Shall we wait to see them?”

“Of course,” Jim said. I worried that we might sit in the jeep for several hours before they appeared, but Mak was right. It only took 5-minutes, and sure enough, hundreds of elephants approached the water-hole for their sundowner.

Elephants drinking in the “noisy” water hole

We watched in awe, as the elephants, and the babies drank, and then strolled over to cover themselves with mud, in the second, nearby waterhole. It was a daily ritual, and Mak explained that we were only 40 kilometers from Botswana, and that the elephants traipse back and forth between Zimbabwe and Botswana, in search of water.

After this unique experience, Mak drove us along the sandy road, and pointed out every bird, even the ones my eyes had a hard time finding. He was interesting, sharp and entertaining, and knew the answers to each and every question Jim and I had.

“What’s that tree?” I asked.

“That’s the lead tree,” Mak said. “It sinks and looks dead. When you burn it, you get a white ash which can be made into a paste to relieve tooth ache. The white ash can also be turned into white paint which the villagers use to paint their houses.

Now I was impressed, and felt a rapport with our guide. He was professional and informative, and I soon realized how special it was to have our own private guide who had gone through the rigorous training required to become an expert on nature and wildlife.  I started quizzing Mak on everything.

“What’s that bird?” I asked.

“It’s the red-crested Korhaan, or the “suicide” bird as it’s commonly called.” Mak proceeds to pull out his book and points to the page with photos of this bird.

Mak told us that during the mating season. the male will fly up high, and at full throttle, dive straight towards the ground in suicide mode. The female picks her potential mate based on how impressive she perceives his close call to death.

Here is an eleven-second video demonstrating a suicide fall.

Equally crazy is the way the red-crested Korhaan dances and clicks during the mating season to catch the interest of a female.

Mak then drove us to Somalisa Camp, where we arrived just in time to see eleven wild-dogs drinking from the waterhole next to the lodge.  It was a long and exciting day, and I looked forward to freshening up before our evening sundowner and dinner.

Wild dogs in front of Somalisa Camp

At the entrance to Somalisa Camp, we were greeted by three super-friendly staff members, including Yvonne, whom I shall never forget. She was a burst of energy and her enthusiasm was contagious.

The staff greeting us at Somalisa Camp in Hwange, Zimbabwe

This was just the start of our safari in Hwange National Park, and having Mak as our guide, exemplified Jim Holden’s definition of the: “luxury of experience.” Most of our travelers at Holden Safaris are looking for the superior safari experience, and one of the key components to an outstanding safari, is a well-qualified, professional guide. I’m so happy I had that experience with Mak. Don’t miss next week’s blog post where I interview Mak about his daily life as a guide.

Next weeks’s blog post: An Interview with Mak. “A Day in the Life of a Safari Guide.”

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My wife, two friends and I just returned from a magical African safari that exceeded our expectations, and then some!  On this wildlife adventure, we visited Zimbabwe and Namibia in southern Africa.  The trip was arranged for us by Holden Safaris of Newport Beach, and was customized to our specific timing, our desires, and our budget.  First of all, we are not novices at African safaris, as this was our 11^th trip to the “dark continent!”  But this would be our first venture into Namibia.

Our trip started as we flew from LA to London, spent a night to catch our breath, then headed down to Johannesburg, South Africa.  We then flew to Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe to start our adventure, where we were met by a representative from Wilderness Safaris, in whose camps we would be staying.   We were transferred by air to our first stop at Mana Pools National Park, located in the northern part of the country, nearby Zambia.

Friendly staff at Ruckomechi preparing our meal in the bush

We stayed two nights at the “Ruckomechi Camp,” located on the banks of the Zambezi River.  While there, we were out for early morning and late afternoon game drives to explore the area and to photograph the amazing African wildlife.

See how close we got to the elephants at Ruckomechi, Zimbabwe

We saw elephants, giraffe, hippos, baboons, lion, impala, zebra, kudu, jackals, and a wide array of birds.   Each morning we awakened to loud grunts and noise from the hippos in the nearby Zambesi River!   The tent accommodations at the camp were terrific and the staff was gracious and helpful in all ways.  Our ranger/driver for the game drives was superb and added an extra dimension with his knowledge of the land and animals.

Next, we were flown to the western part of Zimbabwe, to Hwange (Wan-gay) National Park, to stay three nights at “Linkwasha Camp.” 

Lion pair at Linkwasha, Zimbabwe

This was another luxury tent camp experience, along with great wildlife viewing, including a close-up time watching four cheetahs!  What a sight!  After this stay at Linkwasha, we were off to see Namibia, flying to the capital of Windhoek (Vind-hook).  Flying on Wilderness Air, we headed to our first camp – “Hoanib (Wah-nib) Skeleton Coast Camp” – located in the desert area of northwest Namibia.

Angry Elephant Bull at Skeleton Coast, Namibia

This was a totally different wildlife experience from Zimbabwe, although many of the animals were the same.  One difference is that this wildlife is “desert-adapted,” used to living in the often-harsh conditions, with limited water.

Giraffes at Skeleton Coast have adapted to the desert landscape

While there for three nights, we had a chance to spend a day on the Skeleton Coast, so named for the numerous skeletons of wrecked ships that have occurred over the years.  We also viewed many huge colonies of Cape Fur Seals, lounging on the beach and swimming in the surf.  Nearby, we hiked on the massive sand dunes, and some of us braved sliding down the steep sand slopes, which was a fantastic experience!

Dried Clay at Skeleton Coast

The next area that we flew to was the “Damaraland Camp.” This huge area is untamed and ruggedly beautiful, with exceptional scenic landscapes of open plains and spectacular rock formations.  We drove and hiked around this beautiful desert environment, and enjoyed the brilliant nighttime sky, which we felt like we could almost touch the Milky Way, the Southern Cross and the blaze of planets and stars.

Rhinos at Ongava Game Reserve, Namibia

Next, we flew to the “Ongava Game Reserve,” which is adjacent to the huge Etosha National Park.  Here we encountered some rare white rhino, and were able to get close to them on foot, with our armed tracker.  Another amazing African experience!

We next flew to “Okanjima Private Game Reserve” for one night (not enough).

Leopard cub at Okonjima, Namibia

This is the home of the “AfriCat Foundation.”   There we had an up close and personal encounter with a mother leopard that was hunting, and by chance we also saw one of her beautiful young cubs.  What a thrill!  The next day our guide tracked two cheetah, and we followed them on foot through the bush, which was an exciting and fantastic experience! This was Africa on a wholly different level than on past trips!

Red sand dunes at Sossusvlei, Namibia

Our last camp in Namibia was the “Sossusvlei (So-sus-flay) Desert Lodge.”  This is where we found the iconic red sand dunes of the Namib Desert.  The clear blue skies contrast with the giant red sand dunes to make this one of the natural wonders of Africa and a photographer’s heaven!  We were up early to be at the dunes before sunrise to catch the spectacular colors as the morning sun lit up the dunes. WOW!  We hiked through the dunes and had a marvelous time – one of life’s great experiences!

Then it was time to fly home – back to reality!  We flew from Windhoek back to Johannesburg, then north to London.  We played tourist in London for two days, then made our way back to LA, ending a memorable and fantastic African safari experience.  We thank Jim Holden of Holden Safaris, and his staff, for arranging such a fantastic adventure, for thoroughly briefing us and ensuring that all aspects of our safari were considered and arranged.  From start to finish it was an amazing travel experience!  If you haven’t been to Africa, you need to go!

Paul Alwine- Traveler with Holden Safaris, July 2017

Please leave your questions and comments below, and we’ll make sure to answer them.

“Step back into Africa” with Holden Safaris. Call us for information on our custom safaris.

Check out our testimonial videos and comments page.

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We are so happy to welcome you to our new and exciting Holden Safaris blog, where we guarantee you’ll step off the beaten path.

If you’ve never been on a safari, we understand that you have specific questions and perhaps some concerns about traveling to Africa. That’s why our blog is different; we encourage you to ask all your burning questions related to experiencing Africa with all it’s majestic beauty and wildlife. We plan to share our passion and get you excited to travel on one of our authentic and exceptional safaris.

What makes Holden Safaris different:

You get the “personal touch” from our team based in Newport Beach, California, as well as our experts based in Southern and Eastern Africa.

If you visit our office in Newport Beach, you will meet our President, Jim Holden, known as the “Crocodile Dundee” of Africa.  Ask him about any country in Eastern or Southern Africa, and Africa comes alive in front of your eyes. His enthusiasm is contagious, and his years of living in Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Kenya, combined with his in-depth knowledge of safaris guarantees an exquisite safari experience based on your needs.

Warning: Jim Holden likes to (talk) share his passion and love for Africa with you through story-telling, so we encourage you to schedule enough time when you visit us to plan your safari. You’re in for a treat with our amazing state-of-the-art, visual, sample itineraries, which give you a sense of how Holden Safaris customizes its safaris to fit your needs.

Maybe it’s time for you to fall in love with Africa and experience adventure and romance just like in the movie, Out of Africa, with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, which was filmed in Kenya. We can take you there!

We want to hear from you, so please don’t skim through our blog posts. We want you to engage with our team and ask us questions. We share stories, YouTube videos, and lots of pictures, and plan to inspire you to interact with our team of experts and ask all your burning questions related to going on one of our authentic and exceptional safaris. Let’s start the conversation by asking you the following questions:

Do you have any of the following concerns about going on an African safari?

• Do you worry about your safety? If so, what are your concerns?

Recent clients returned from a Holden Safari in South Africa, Botswana and Victoria Falls, listen to their testimonia regarding their safety.

• Do you know where you want to go on Safari?
• Do you want to know the best time to see the wildlife migration?
• Did you feel well taken care of by the guides and staff?

• Do you need help deciding where to go with small children or teenagers?
• Do you prefer authentic African lodges, or “Four Seasons” style lodges?
• Do you want to see photos of the lodges before you decide where you want to stay?
• What is the food like?

• What other activities are available?
• What animals are you going to see on your game drive?
• What is the difference between an early morning game drive and a night-time game drive?
• Where should you go if you’re interested in animal conservation and interacting with the local communities and schools?
• In one word, how would you describe your Safari experience?

Why book with Holden Safaris?

Because we want you to have the best experience, and our team cares about giving you that exquisite, custom safari just the way you want it. How can we do that? Because Jim has a close network of family, friends and strong bonds with lodge owners and local travel experts throughout the safari regions of Africa. This network enables him to plan and deliver authentic and exceptional safaris.

So please ask as many questions as you like in the comments section below. I’m Sonia Marsh, in charge of blogging, and helping you get the answers to your questions. I’m off to the Indaba conference in Durban, South Africa, starting on May 16th-18th. After that Jim Holden, Vivienne Holden and myself, will check out lodges, go on game drives and learn about wildlife conservation in the Kwazulu Natal Province of South Africa.

We shall post photos on the blog, and our Holden Safaris FaceBook Page, on Twitter @HoldenSafaris so please make sure you follow us.

Thanks from our Holden Safaris Team.

Sonia Marsh, Author and Blogger.

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