Have you ever wondered where the phrase, “Big 5” comes from? Most clients will ask, when requesting a safari, “are we going to see the Big 5?”

Big 5

The term is attributed to the hunters of old, who used the term to describe what they determined were the most dangerous animals to hunt in Africa.

They are lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and Cape buffaloes. All formidable foes indeed when being hunted by man.

Fortunately nowadays, most countries in Africa have banned hunting in favor of photographic safaris.

Now what about the giraffe? If dangerous refers to size, the giraffe is the tallest land animal, as the elephant is the biggest land animal.

Giraffes in the Masai Mara, Kenya during our “Women Travel with a Purpose” Safari.

So if the requirement was size, the giraffe would make the cut and we would have the Big 6!

The most dangerous aspect of a giraffe is its kick. Lions, when hunting giraffe, have to keep out of the way of the giraffe’s kick, not to sustain an ugly wound, or even death.

When not being hunted by man or beast, giraffes mind their own business, and add beauty to the landscape with their long necks and eyelashes.

Scientists can’t agree on how many different types of giraffes there are in Africa. Some say only one main species, with four sub species, while others say seven species in total.

Thornicroft giraffe, Zambia

Whatever the number, those of us who grew up in Zambia, claim our very own species of giraffe, the Thornicroft’s giraffe. Take a look at our sample itinerary to Zambia where you are likely to spot the Thornicroft giraffe. It’s found in the Luangwa.

To the uneducated eye, different species of giraffe will all look the same. It’s only their coloring and markings that distinguish them from each other.

And that long neck is actually used as a weapon! Giraffes spar with each other with their necks. Which is quite extraordinary when you realize their necks have the same number of vertebra as us humans, seven!

And if you were a baby giraffe, you would have come into the world with an almighty thump, as giraffes give birth standing up.

And those long legs? Unlike other animals, giraffes move both legs on one side and then both legs on the other side.

While they look ungainly, the giraffe can get up a good head of speed, around 35 mph. As a human, you won’t quite be able to catch up with a giraffe; not even Usain Bolt!

Next time you’re on safari, you might want to add the giraffe to the so called Big 5, if for no other reason than their unique characteristics.

Jim Holden explains what is Safari.

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Welcome to Our New Club “Women Travel With a Purpose”     WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK Which of the following 5 Safaris interest you the most? Village Visits, Schools, Community Interaction Wildlife Conservation, How to Alleviate Poverty Culinary Safaris, learning how to cook African dishes and visit to Spice markets Flower Safaris with botanists and guides explaining the conservation of the Cape flora Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda Please e-mail SoniaM@HoldenSafaris.com with your answers. Any other ideas.   We still have room for one single or two people sharing on our “Women Travel with a Purpose” to Kenya trip from September 30th to October 7th, 2018. The price is $6,952/person sharing, or $8,547 single. All is included except for the international flight. Here is the digital itinerary for you to see all the places we’re visiting. Click on the link to view details.TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE – EXCLUSIVE ITINERARY SPECIALLY PREPARED FOR WOMEN’S GROUP     Mark your calendar for our next “Women Travel with a Focus” meeting on Tuesday, August 28th from 5-7 p.m., in the same room. Address: ClubHouse 2, Los Olivos Room, 24112 Moulton Pkwy, Laguna Woods, CA 92637. Call Sonia @ 949-402-7828 or e-mail SoniaM@HoldenSafaris.com to reserve your seat. LOOK OUT FOR FURTHER UPDATES   MAP LINK We can also design Safaris for families, couples, or singles. Call me at 949-402-7828

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Is it possible that the world’s largest land animal, with skin as tough as wrinkly leather, can actually be afraid of honey bees?

Despite the two-inch thick skin of a pachyderm, elephants are vulnerable in the sensitive, soft fleshy areas of their eyes, mouth, and trunk. Just the sight and sound of a swarming beehive, drives them crazy.

“Of course, a bee’s stinger can’t penetrate the thick hide of an elephant. But when bees swarm – and African bees swarm aggressively – hundreds of bees might sting an elephant in its most sensitive areas, the trunk, mouth and eyes. And they hurt.”  Independent UK news.

The Elephants and Bees Project run by Save the Elephants, a nonprofit conservationist group, has proven extremely successful at protecting African elephants while helping the local human community for more than a decade. So why are elephants a threat to the local communities? The main reason is they love to raid the corn fields during the night, and farmers confronting elephants in the dark are often left with no choice but to throw stones and fire crackers or shoot bullets into the air to try to scare them away. This confrontation leads to heightened aggression and some elephants will charge and attack. These negative incidents often lead to terrible injuries or deaths of both people and elephants.

Dr. Lucy King heads a team of conservationists working on The Elephants and Bees Project; a project to alleviate the human-elephant conflict in Kenya. Conservationists from Save the Elephants, the Disney Conservation Fund, and local Samburu tribesmen in northern Kenya noticed a patch of trees destroyed by elephants; all except for one. That single tree had a bee hive in it. So in order to be certain that elephants are scared of bees, the conservationists placed sound recordings of bees close to the elephants, and microphones to record the rumbling sounds of the elephants. They wanted to check if elephants actually communicate with one another when they hear bees. Almost immediately, the elephants started shaking their heads and making a unique rumbling sound to ward off other elephants.

“Thanks to this discovery, Save the Elephants, now builds wire and beehive fences at a cost of about $975 for a one-acre farm – roughly one-fifth the cost of an electrified fence,” King says. Over a course of three years, beehive fences have stopped 80% of elephants from entering farms. Not only does the farm get protection against elephants, but they also get a modest new source of income from a twice-a-year honey harvest. This honey is sold in Kenya, and you can help support Save the Elephants, by going on a Safari in Kenya.

Special honey made from the “Elephant and Bees Project” in Kenya.

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On a recent trip to Kenya with Holden Safaris, I was fortunate to visit a Maasai manyatta (village) with our driver guide, James, a Maasai chief, who took us to his own village. Here we experienced an authentic Maasai village without the commercial aspects.

James our Holden Safaris Masai guide, with Sonia, Annabella and Jim Holden

As we stepped out of our jeep, James, our Maasai guide, greeted the men from his village adorned in their red-checked blankets, and chunky, bright, beaded necklaces, bracelets and earrings. At first, the young male warriors started their “jumping dance” ritual. Do you know why they do this? If so, I’d love to read your answer in the comments section below.

The women stood in line, facing forward, and I was asked to join them and clap my hands as they sang and we all swayed to the rhythm of their music.

At the end of our performance, I had the honor of receiving a wedding necklace, like the one below, offered by the matriarch of the village.

The matriarch led me to one of the mud huts, and I kept wondering how I would make it to her narrow- arched entryway without stepping into the numerous mounds of cow dung.

I could barely see inside the hut, despite it being early afternoon. A small porthole allowed a smidgen of ventilation and light to enter the kitchen area. I imagined the entire hut with clouds of white smoke as they would light a fire to cook their meals. The “mattresses” were made of long, skinny sticks and a thin blanket on top. There was no privacy, and James informed us that families are divided with teenagers in one room and young children in another, all sleeping on a “mattress”. Only the mud walls and open doorways separated the rooms. James pointed to another space, this one even smaller than the three bedrooms, and said, “This is where they keep their three calves at night so they don’t get stolen.”

I was shocked that nothing much had changed since I visited a Masai village in 1996, so I researched some facts and read:

“The majority of Maasai women in Kenya are destined to live a life of poverty and cultural oppression. Just one generation ago, less than 20 percent of Maasai women in Kenya enrolled in school. Today, even with free primary school education in Kenya since January 2003, only 48 percent of Maasai girls enroll in school, and only 10 percent of girls make it to secondary school.” According to a non-profit called The Maasai Girls Education Fund. 

There are economic, cultural and physical barriers that prevent Maasai girls from receiving an education:

They include:

1. Economic incentives for early marriage, such as cattle and cash dowries
2. The belief that the biological family does not benefit from educating a daughter, since the girl becomes a member of her husband’s family when she marries, and they will reap the benefits
3. Family and peer pressure for early marriage, as women are valued by the number of children they have
4. Fear of early pregnancy, which is a disgrace prior to marriage and lowers the bride price, which perpetuates the practice of early marriage,
   and finally
5. The distances that a girl must walk to the nearest school make it unsafe, and even impossible for a nursery-school-age child. (According to the Maasai Girls Education Fund.)

This September 30th- October 7th, I’m leading a trip called, “Women Travel with a Purpose,” which will also include a visit to the same Maasai village with James. I hope you will want to join us on this exciting and educational adventure to Kenya.

We have designed a special Safari that includes learning and making a difference. Part of the proceeds will benefit the African Child Foundation. Please check out all our daily activities by clicking on the following link below.

WOMEN TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE

Not only are we interacting with orphans in a school in Nairobi, but we’re also visiting the Maasai women and children, and learning more about their village life.

Please contact me if you would like more information about this and other Safaris. We are almost full, but plan to run this trip again in 2019.

Sonia Marsh-Safari Consultant and Blogger for Holden Safaris.

E-mail: SoniaM@HoldenSafaris.com

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If you want to have the best African Safari experience, then packing the right clothes and using the appropriate-sized luggage is crucial to your overall experience. In this post, we’ll show you the most important luggage items to take with you, and in next week’s post, we’ll discuss clothing.

Jim Holden, President of Holden Safaris, and I updated our Safari luggage, clothing and accessories last week at Rooten’s luggage store: a specialty luggage and apparel store located in our Newport Beach, California, backyard.  Next week, we’re traveling with all new gear to Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda, and hope that you follow our safari adventures. Take a look at all the items we are packing for our Safari.

Backpacks, duffel bags, packing cubes, hats, inflatable pillow for the plane, folding water bottles, quick drying underwear, compression socks, travel cosmetic bag, pocket cross-body bag.

• Types of luggage recommended on internal flights in Africa

The staff at Rooten’s luggage, were super friendly and knowledgeable. Shere and Mike both recommended the Eagle Creek brand for our backpacks and the load-warrior carry-on. I was worried about my 15.6″ Lenovo laptop not fitting in the backpack, as it looked small, but I was relieved to see how snugly it fit inside the protective case.

I’ve followed Jim Holden’s advice, as well as the luggage experts at Rooten’s luggage store, and this time, I’m traveling with two carry-on size bags: the Eagle Creek Load Warrior Carry-on with wheels, and the Eagle Creek Afar Backpack. Both of them are super light, and although I do not like the idea of having a heavy backpack on my shoulders, I like the fact that I can place the backpack onto the handle of the duffel bag.

Jim Holden with the perfect size “Eagle Creek Load Warrior Carry-on with wheels.”

So Jim Holden reminded me that we are only allowed 15 kg (33lbs) of luggage, (packed in a soft-sided duffel bag) on the small planes flying between various lodges in Africa.

• Accessories to bring with you on Safari

Like most of my female friends, I make the mistake of packing too many clothes, shoes, and bottles of shampoo and lotions. It wasn’t until my last site inspection/safari, trip to Zambia and Zimbabwe, that I realized how few items I actually needed. So this time, I’m going to pack my money, credit cards, passport, camera, insect repellent bracelet and bandana, in my new sand-colored crossbody purse. It’s so lightweight and comfortable and I can use it everywhere; including on our early morning and evening game drives. I also like the fact that all my valuables are with me at all times.

Shere showed me a travel cosmetic bag with see through containers, and a hook on top, so you can unfold all sections and easily find your make-up, lotions and shampoos. It’s light weight and easy to use in combination with the “GoToob” 3 oz travel bottles. Another useful item we discovered at Rooten’s is in the photo on the bottom right. These may look like edible mints, but they turn into small towelettes for wiping your hands and face. All you need is to add a small amount of water, and they expand.

Last but not least, a water bottle that you can refill and clip together when not in use.Ne

Next week, I’ll show you how to pack your clothes in special packing cubes, and how to dress on Safari.

Any questions? Please ask in the comments section below this post.

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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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