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The Explorer
January 2002
A warm greeting and Happy New Year to you all from all of us at Wildlife Explorer here in Tanzania!
News from the Bush!
As always we continue to monitor what is happening in the relevant areas in which we operate for movement of game,
interesting sightings and exciting incidents whilst on safari. Christmas and New Year Safaris provided excellent material
to work with on all three counts!
Of the 3 Safaris that were out all had great game viewing as the Migratory herds rumbled across the plains through
The Ngaroi and into the Serengeti Kopjes at Moru heading south towards Makao. The rains that have been slightly delayed
this year gave us the feeling that the Migration would suffer again from lack of grazing however with good rainfall
over the past few weeks this hopefully will not be the case.
Leopards and Cheetahs seem to be the cats of the moment with great sightings on the rivers east towards The Ngaroi
including Leopard cubs and Cheetah cubs with their respective mothers on kills.
The night-drives have also been coming up trumps with sightings of Porcupines and Bush Babies as well as Elephants
and Lions!
The Guided Game Walks have been the highlight for most of our guests during the festive season with unrivalled viewing
on foot. The responses to Phillip Ashby's tracking and guiding abilities have been excellent with repeated requests
for Phillips company for extended walking safaris later this year and early next year. Lois and friends experienced
an exciting time with a female hippo that at one point charged the group however Phillip used all of his bush craft,
stood his ground and dispelled the situation!!
The game-viewing experience on foot this season has firmly established itself as of the utmost importance to Wildlife
Explorer and is proving ever more popular with our friends within the travel business as well as our private guests
and will undoubtedly feature increasingly in other areas.
True Walking Safaris!
Wildlife Explorer is privileged to introduce Phillip Ashby and Dave Armon and to announce that finally real walking
safaris are now available in Tanzania!
Both Phillip and Dave have been guiding our guests on foot for sometime bringing an excitement to our programmes
and filling a niche that we believe is unique in Tanzania. Game Walking with Phillip or Dave tracking wild animals
is not a hike! It is a true game walk in the company of an experienced armed guide in areas frequented by many species
of game on the peripheries of the Serengeti and Tarangire National Parks.
In addition to guided game walks from our main camps we have also built a new fly-camp allowing the inclusion of
true walking safaris of up to 5 days as part of our programme.
Conservation Award - Sebastian Chuwa - Wildlife Explorer
Sebastian Chuwa, specialist guide for Wildlife Explorer, is one of only five people world-wide to have won an award
called 'Spirit of the Land' which has been given by the Salt Lake Olympic Committee. Sebastian will be taking a brief
break from safaris to collect the award in person.
Wilderness Camps!
We have termed a new expression for the Luxury Mobile Tented Camps that Wildlife Explorer operates in the private
concessions on the perimeters of Serengeti and Tarangire National Parks-Wilderness Camps.
The Wilderness Camp concept evolved as bookings increased for The Ngaroi keeping our crew busy throughout
the season. The volume of guests now requesting The Ngaroi has allowed us to keep the camp in place for the season
and expand the services within the Wilderness Camp with the inclusion of an informal Lounge/Bar Tent stocked with
a comprehensive library, comfortable cushions, wooden furniture and decked with Kalim carpets. Bush breakfasts and
lunches and the same high quality of service that Wildlife Explorer is renowned for are still part of the concept!
Gary Strand (Managing Director/Owner) has also been able to finally build some open game-viewing vehicles that are
permanently stationed at the Wilderness Camps allowing guests to experience true open-air game viewing.
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