Dreaming of Africa?

[luangwablondes]

If you ever decide to bundu bash on your own in Southern and Eastern Africa, I'd be happy to lend some assistance to make it happen. I have been travelling from Ethiopia to South Africa and its unfortunately turned into a passion. I have a 4x4 in Jo'burg and take off from there. It is common to rent 4x4's kitted out in that part of the world. So, it can be an inexpensive vacation and still go to those places that charge tourists an arm and leg to be there to have their hand held.
luangwablondes@yahoo.com

 

[e9999]

Oh, yes, starting to plan a trip for (probably) next summer. Would love some company and inside info...
TIA
Eric

 

[esh]

Heck yeah! I am targetting 2007 or 2008 for a big trip. 2006 is going to be to Alaska. Baja is somewhere soonish too. If only I didn't have to work...

What is a good time of the year to go? I'd be doing a do it yourself kind of trip, maybe steal Luke's HJ61 and ship it over.

Cheers!

 

[luangwablondes]

If you need assistance with that -eshelbyk or e999- you have my email. You should start organizing this year for that 06 trip. A few highly recommended places to visit like Moremi in Bostwana, Kruger NP, and Etosha start booking up early. I just finished helping a couple for August-Sept and quite a few of the campsites booked. Now its waiting for a few cancellations to fill in the spaces or go with alternate plans. Overlanding in rented 4x4s is very popular in Africa. Many South Africans seem to have a 4x4 for a 2nd vehicle. And they put Americans to shame with the way they do it.
Botwana can be visited year round, but I prefer after June to Dec. On the flip side SA is cold evenings in their winter so again, the later in the year the better.
No I am not a travel agent.

 

[e9999]

Lu, if we want to see some game (in Botswana, maybe, it was suggested) as well as get a feel for the country (S.A.), what's the best airport to fly in from Europe or the Americas to minimize cost and wasted time? Thinking at least 2 weeks travelling in S.A./Botsw.

 

[luangwablondes]

Look at a map. The distances are huge in Southern Africa. So,I would suggest having the vehicle picked up in Maun. Tour from there to-Moremi, Savute, Chobe, Vic Falls and then its depends on how much time you have left. But, if you have't allotted a month for your safari/vacation, it seems like a long way to travel for a short time-minimum flying 1.5 days there plus jet lag and then the return. So, assuming the return is jo'burg, you can take another week -10 days working your way there. It is possible to drive there in 2 days though easily.
You need to hammer some specifics down-like as much time as possible, where and what you would like to see and is the 4x4ing + camping an integral part of the experience.
I recommend Botswana experience because it has all that and then add on vic falls for white water rafting, microlight flight over the falls, booze cruise on the Zambezi river and bunji jumping off the bridge. There are a few other things too. Then a couple parks on the way back with bush walking with a scout-and gun. A night in the pans. the silence is magical-you can hear a pin drop. It is just designing what is right for you, not for me. The last thing I like to do myself , is take the Blue Train from joburg to Cape Town(or fly) and do the cape vineyards. The wines are incredible and the hotels/guest houses many are fabulous. Then a trip up table top mountain and a tour of Cape Town - then regrettably home.

Its obvious I love Africa. And I have travelled all the way into Ethiopia.

 

[luangwablondes]

more pics

 

[esh]

What kind of length are you shooting to get, say, that bull? Would 300mm effective do it or am I looking in the 400-500mm range? Good lenses get spendy up there.

Great bokeh on it by the way.

 

[luangwablondes]

300mm will do the trick normally. Most times you just get shots where they are right there in front of you and a 35mm is your best lense.
The game is pretty much habituated to people and vehicles so they aren't too flighty to head off at your arrival. I have driven within a few feet of lions, elephants and buffalo in Moremi. Walked up to wild dog on the highway from Kasane to Vic Falls to shoe them off the road. The 3 dogs just laid in the road till I got out of my landy and walked within 5 ft of one and discussed the disadvantages of laying there. It just looked at me and seem to decide that I was some sort of social boar , got up slowly and walked away. Elephants walk through Savute camp everyday. You have to move for them. Had a buffalo taken by a pride of lions at Xakanaxa campsite. That was inconvienent for us and the people on the other side of the kill as it was brought down within 20 feet of us and they occupied the camp all nite. Noisy buggers when they eat.

 

[Junk]

Ken, I took a 300/2.8 with me and a 2x tele when I was over there (Tanzania). The 80-200/2.8 saw the most action though due to the fact that you just never knew what you were about to encounter. I'll have to dig out some pics.

 

[esh]

Thanks for all the info. I'll probably end up getting a 1.4x tele and deal with the stop loss. My longest is 70-200mm, but like I alluded to, my body has a 1.6x crop factor which bumps the effective up to about 300mm.

Would love something longer to get closer to birds, but good lenses in the 300+ range start around $1500 and jump up very fast.