“The Spirit of Ubuntu”

The spirit of Ubuntu, is something we’ve been questioning as it relates to everyone in the world right now.

Above is a short video where Reverend Mpho Tutu, episcopal priest and the executive director of the Desmond & Leah Legacy Foundation, explains the concept of “ubuntu”.

Reverend Mpho Tutu, episcopal priest and the executive director of the Desmond & Leah Legacy Foundation, explains the concept of “ubuntu”.

“Implications of the Coronavirus Pandemic to the Concept of Ubuntu in Africa”

Ubuntu is the universal African custom of commitment to family and village. “I am because you are” means we all support each other. At a time like this, with the coronavirus pandemic, everyone throughout the world is falling back on ubuntu, including the United States, which prides itself on self-reliance and every man for himself, the exact opposite of Ubuntu.

Jim Holden enjoying the tented camp in Tanzania

Support of the safari lodges and the devastation caused with some of them having to close due to lack of guests and funding. Located in the remoter areas of Africa, where Africa’s remaining natural wildlife lives, safari lodges provide essential anti-poaching activities, without which Africa’s unique wildlife would be decimated.

Maternity ward in Zimbabwe

In addition schooling, medical services and disease prevention is provided by the safari lodges to the indigenous people in these remote areas. Again, without funding, people are destined to die, not necessarily from coronavirus but from other curable diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.

Our trip to Kenya with “Women travel with a purpose,” visiting a Masai village

Whatever the cause and source of this pandemic, innocent people and animals will suffer the most in Africa. The developed world has had a long stretch of uninterrupted development, the result of which is being felt through this pandemic, with people and wildlife at the margins of society bearing the brunt.

Guests watching wild dogs in Zimbabwe

Nature has a way of bringing us all back to the basics of life. In this case we are all being reminded of the spirit of ubuntu and the need to take care of everyone in society and not just the haves leaving the have-nots behind.

Guests watching elephants interact from jeep in Madikwe, South Africa

I wanted to stress how once again we go back to Africa, the place we all came from, to find our bearings again. Just like when you go on safari, you are forced back into a simpler and more meaningful way of life.

Please take care and we’d love to hear from you. E-mail SoniaM@HoldenSafaris.com with your comments and suggestions for our future Newsletters.

Don’t miss our next Newsletter on April 8th. You’ll get a chance to see selfies from our staff in the U.S. and Africa.

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Jim Holden and Sonia Marsh were on a two-week trip to Madagascar, over the Christmas holidays, checking out the best experiences for our guests. We had no idea how many species of mammals, reptiles and plants are endemic to Madagascar, including 6 of the world’s 9 species of Baobab trees.

Why is Madagascar so different?

It all boils down to the prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana. Madagascar separated from the African and Indian land masses approximately 80 to 135 million years ago, allowing plants and animals on the island to evolve in relative isolation.

Gondwanaland

Adansonia grandidieri, sometimes known as Grandidier’s baobab is endemic to Madagascar

The baobab tree also known as the “upside-down” tree, due to its branches looking like roots sticking up in the air, grows only in Africa, Madagascar and Australia.

Adansonia grandidieri, sometimes known as Grandidier’s baobab, is the biggest and most famous of Madagascar‘s six species of baobabs. It can grow to enormous sizes, and may live to be 3,000 years old, although one in South Africa was dated at around 6,000 years old.

During our visit, we had an excellent guide, Theo, who explained how to tell the age of the Baobab trees endemic to Madagascar.

• The size of the baobabs:

They reach 16 to 98 feet in height and have trunk diameters of 23 to 36 feet. The largest circumference on record is 47 metres or 154 feet.

• It is not unusual for old baobabs to become hollow inside with increasing age.

Animals and humans have used the the caves formed inside these huge baobabs as protection, shelter and even housing for thousands of years. The baobabs have also been used as jails, post offices, bush pubs and hiding places.

See the photos below. (Photo credit: Justfunfacts.com Sunland-Baobab.)

Hiding places in the Baobab

• More facts about baobabs

Baobabs are deciduous, and their bat-pollinated flowers bloom at night. When the leaves fall off in the dry season, the tree remains leafless for 9 months. The leaves are an excellent source of protein, minerals and vitamins A and C, and are also used as condiments and medicines. Cream of tartar (a cooking ingredient) was initially produced from the acidic baobab seed pulp The fruit has a velvety shell and is about the size of a coconut, weighing about 1.5 kilograms (3.3 lb). It has a somewhat acidic flavour, described as ‘somewhere between a grapefruit, pear and vanilla.

Baobab fruit photo credit: http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-baobab-trees/

Baobab tree flower:http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-baobab-trees/

Elephants like to eat the bark of the baobab during the dry season to obtain moisture from the trunk’s reserves. The Baobab does not suffer from ring barking and can regrow bark if damaged by elephants.

Elephant eating the trunk of a Baobab tree

Finally, the Baobab tree makes for a wonderful backdrop for a Sundowner, that’s the name for a wonderful African tradition of “happy hour” as the sun sets behind the magnificent baobab trees.

Sundowner next to the Baobab tree

Sundowner cocktail hour next to the Baobabs in Mandrare

Interested in Madagascar?

More posts coming on the lemurs, lodges, and chameleons.

Want to visit Madagascar? Please contact Jim Holden at (949) 500-0094 or e-mail JimH@HoldenSafaris.com

Want to join a small group of no more than 10 guests to Madagascar in 2021? Please contact Sonia Marsh at (949) 402-7828 or e-mail SoniaM@HoldenSafaris.com

And don’t forget our small group Safari to Zambia in November 2020. CLICK HERE

We would appreciate you sharing our Safaris with your family and friends. Referrals are the way we grow our business. We appreciate very much any referrals you make on our behalf.

Asante Sana

Jim Holden and Sonia Marsh

Jim Holden and Sonia Marsh pointing at a lemur in Madagascar’s Andasibe rainforest

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If a Safari is on your bucket list, and you see some fantastic deals online, this Newsletter will answer some questions you may be asking yourself such as:

• Why Not Plan My Safari Myself?

  

  Why not Plan my Safari Myself?

• How Can I make sure I’m getting the best price?

We plan your Safari based on your priorities: wildlife, authentic tented camps, lodges with all the amenities, cuisine, cultural interaction, professional guiding, your desired activity level, and we customize it with our expertise. Our partners in Africa keep up-to-date with all the specials offered by the camps and lodges, for example: “stay 3 nights and pay 2, or by combining properties that offer free nights and transfers. These deals change frequently and have specific conditions and exclusions. We keep track of all the best deals and can quickly pull together an itinerary that makes the best use of them. We also know where to see the migration, and which months offer lower prices with great game-viewing. We always make sure your safety is a top priority no matter where you stay.

• What happens if there’s an emergency?

Emirates from LAX to Dubai and major cities in East and Southern Africa

Sometimes flights get canceled, or you may have a more serious emergency. Since we are in the U.S. and our partners are in Africa, there is always someone to help you. All of this means less worry for you.
If you want the cheapest online Safari, and have lots of time to do your research, then you should book your own trip. But if you are unfamiliar with Africa, and want a seamless trip, then call us. All Safaris planned by Holden Safaris include “hand-holding from start to finish because we know you’ll come back changed.

 

For more information on designing your Safari please contact
JimH@HoldenSafaris.com (949) 500-0094

To join one of our small group Safaris with a Purpose, contact SoniaM@HoldenSafaris.com (949) 402-7828

CHECK OUT OUR SAMPLE SAFARIS HERE
CHECK OUT OUR SMALL GROUP SAFARIS 

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https://youtu.be/K5D3BwZOlCo

The elephants are at Mfuwe lodge NOW. You can see them again with us in November 2020.
Journey to Zambia with Holden Safaris; “Appointment with Wonky Tusk’s Family.”

This Safari operates from November 14th-22nd, 2020. You’ll spend 3 nights at Mfuwe Lodge where the elephants stroll through reception when the fruits of the Wild Mango Trees ripen.

Check out the whole digital itinerary with photos of lodges and daily activities listed HERE.

OTHER ACTIVITIES 

• Morning and afternoon game drives and walks in the South Luangwa National Park; one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world around the Luangwa River

Leopard in Luangwa

Lion cubs in south Luangwa National Park

• Visit to Tribal Textiles where fabric is made for cushion covers, handbags, table cloths and much more.
• Visit the local Community at Chiwawatala. Meet the local people and experience a glimpse of their daily lives.

Community and school in Chiwawatala.

Visit the Project Luwanga workshop and craft store handmade items by local women including handbags, fabrics, lithograph print cards, beads and more.

You’ll also stay at the Royal Zambezi Lodge for 4 nights: Here you’ll have a completely different environment and experience.

Room at Royal Zambezi Lodge

CULINARY EXPERIENCE

• Have you tried cooking a pizza in a termite. mound? Meet our professional TV celebrity who will cook what we want in unique bush locations as we sip our wine and gin and tonics.
• Special recipes will be cooked based on our request.

SUNDOWNERS

• Sunset cruises with cocktails along the Zambezi river.

Sunset cruise on the Zambezi

WILDLIFE

• Prime time photographic wildlife viewings. There is a strong, diverse population of big game in the Lower Zambezi.
• Elephant and buffalo sightings are common as they like to swim between the mosaic of islands on the river.

Lions, hyenas, leopards and wild dogs are the main predators in the areas. Leopards especially feel at home because of the many large trees, in which this slightly elusive cat likes to hide.

COMMUNITY VISIT

• Meet Nurse Rosemary who delivers the babies.
• Baby Claire was the first baby delivered on December 12, 2016. Since then 200 babies have been delivered in the village.
• Visit to the Doctor’s new house.
• Meet two U.S. students who volunteer at the center.

• Relax and have a massage overlooking the Zambezi River.

Spa Treatment overlooking the Zambezi

For more information on this unique Safari please contact
JimH@HoldenSAfaris .com (949) 500-0094
or SoniaM@HoldenSafaris.com (949) 402-7828

The post Another Reason to Join Our Zambia Safari appeared first on Holden Safaris.

One of the women on our 2018 “Women With a Purpose” trip shares an emotional description of the beauty of Kenya and its people. Watch her testimonial.

3 spaces left for “Women Travel with a Purpose” to visit Father Henry and his schools, September 23-30, 2019.

• Meet Father Henry, and the children he has rescued off the streets of Nairobi, Kenya.
• See the Big Five, Africa’s Wildest Wildlife, in its natural setting of the African Savannah.
• Call Sonia on 949 402 7828 or Jim on 949500 0094 to book your place.

Check out the  itinerary here. 

The children love to perform. See their video below.

Here are some photos from last year’s trip.

Join us by contacting Jim Holden: (949) 500-0095, or Sonia Marsh (949) 402-7828.

See you in Kenya!

The post An Emotional Description of the Beauty of Kenya and its People appeared first on Holden Safaris.

Samburu tribe , Kenya Photo credit Tropic Air.

Most folks going to Africa for a safari are mainly thinking about wildlife and Africa’s so called Big Five, Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Cape Buffalo, and Leopard.

But what about the people?

It’s significant that the comment we see most often on our post safari surveys is, “we went to see the wildlife but came home in love with the people!”

So who are the people of Africa?

Well, much like people anywhere, but with striking similarities to the mosaic of people here in the USA.

How come you may ask?

In the USA there are the indigenous people, Native American Indians, divided into many different groups such as Cheyenne, Sioux etc.

Same in Africa, where the indigenous people are comprised of many different tribes; such as the Samburu and Masai in East Africa, and the Zulus in South Africa.

Holden Safaris “Women Travel with a Purpose” group visiting a Masai Village in Kenya, 2018

With reference to google, there are apparently 562 Native American tribes in the USA, with the largest being Navajo, Cherokee and Sioux.

How many native tribes do you think there are in Africa?

You might be surprised, when going onto google again and finding references from Wikipedia to over 2000 tribal groups in Africa!

Zulu tribe dancer, Photo credit Wikipedia

As many as 3,000 different ethnic groups, speaking more than 2,100 different languages!

But then the African continent is about three and half times the size of the USA.

So how many of the 2000 tribes do you think there are in East and Southern Africa, where most safaris take place?

Probably around half. In Zambia alone, where I’m from, there are as many as 72 ethnic groups, all with different dialects.

Fortunately, getting around Zambia, doesn’t require being able to speak all 72 different dialects!

By language, there are nine major groups, the Nyanja-Chewa, Bemba, Tumbuka, Lunda, Luvale, Kaonde, Nkoya, and Lozi.

Thanks to the gold mines in South Africa, a labor intensive industry, a lingua franca was developed at the height of their development, so all these different tribes could understand each other.

Today, with fewer people employed on the gold mines, that lingua franca has died out with lack of use.

It’s still relatively easy to navigate one’s way through East and Southern Africa, with just three native languages, Swahili, Chinyanja and Zulu.

And if that’s too difficult, English will suffice throughout the countries that make up safari Africa.

And that’s because the other ethnic group you’ll find in Safari Africa, will pretty much mirror what there is in the USA. And that is most of the cultures of Europe!

Just as Europeans came to settle in America, so they did to Africa. You’ll find people of Dutch, French, English, German, and Portuguese origin throughout Safari Africa.

And as English has  become the language of America so it has of Safari Africa. Be thankful therefore, that you can talk to all these different language groups in English!

But next time you’re on safari, remember to ask your guide, or wait staff, or room attendant, what tribe they belong to, and what language they speak, other than English.

You’ll be amazed at the differences and realize that the peoples of Africa are even more fascinating than the Big Five!

Jim Holden

Safari Jim (Musings on Africa)

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Take a look at Jim Holden’s “Why Use Holden Safaris?” video.

Jim explains why he is Africa in the U.S.

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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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Madikwe game reserve.

We’re off on another “educational trip,” this time to South Africa, and I encourage you to follow us on our FaceBook page as we explore Cape Town, the Coastal Coves along the Garden Route, and exciting game viewing, as well as new lodges in Madikwe, which borders Botswana.

You might be wondering if this is work, as we’re checking out beautiful lodges, going on game drives, and sipping wine during the evening sundowners in the bush. How can we recommend lodges, activities, game viewing and places to visit if we haven’t experienced them first-hand?

Jim Holden and I are also attending a conference in Cape Town called “We Are Africa.” We’ll get the latest information on new and existing lodges, family-oriented lodges, game viewing, activities offered, wildlife conservation and focus-themed Safaris that we can pass on to you.

We are attending:

“WE ARE AFRICA” the continent’s hottest gathering of high-end travel brands, world-class buyers and top international press. From 14 – 17 May 2018 | Cape Town Stadium, South Africa.”

“Together we stand united to demonstrate that Africa is NOT ONE STORY.”

We are following the “Garden Route” of South Africa, and have designed a special itinerary for you along the “Coastal Coves and Garden Route of South Africa.” (Map above shows the itinerary.) We’ll share photos on our FaceBook Page  as we visit the beautiful scenery, wildlife and lodges along this route. (Dates will be determined for 2019.)

You’ll visit “Table Mountain,” Cape Town

This safari will be offered in 2019 to sailors and non-sailors with a flair for adventure, who are looking for a unique experience in Africa!

Along the Coastal Coves Route of South Africa

Here are some of the highlights on this special Safari, and I’ll share photos as we follow the “Garden Route,” during our trip.

• Royal Cape Yacht Club
• City and cultural tour
• Robben Island
• Table Mountain
• Winelands tour
• Whale watching cruise
• Hermanus Yacht Club
• Knysna “Garden of Eden” Quaint waterfront village
• Exceptional food and wine
• Kysna Yacht Club
• Maritime museum, shell museum, botanical gardens
• 800-year-old Woodville tree
• Experience excellent wildlife sightings and game drives at Kichaka game lodge
• Nanaga famous farm and pies on Eastern Cape
• See elephants, lions, rhinos, buffalo, cheetahs, hippos, giraffes, hyenas, warthogs and zebras.

I look forward to sharing all this with you, and hope you come back with questions and comments.

Off to South Africa!!!

Sonia Marsh – Author/Blogger

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