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| The King of the Jungle nestles in the warm afternoon sun at Karongwe River Lodge (Lasater) |
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| Karongwe Lodge (Taylor) |
Air from Washington
Dulles, as well as all internal South African segments, is approximately
$1,350. All accommodations are rated 4 or 5 stars and many meals are included.
For most photographic
safaris, the quest is to view the "Big Five" consisting of the
African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, rhinoceros and the African
leopard. The term was coined by big-game hunters back in the days when shooting
animals with guns as trophies was preferable to shooting pictures.
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| Out for a stroll, an African elephant is one of the Big Five (Lasater) |
The Big Five refers
to what was said to be the five most difficult animals to hunt on foot along
with the degree of danger involved to hunt them.
South African
banknotes from 1990 and feature a different Big Five animal on each denomination.
Though no guarantee to see them all can be made, the ultimate goal for
travelers to South Africa and other countries in Africa is to view the Big Five
animals.
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| A big "hippo" yawn (Lasater) |
John Lasater, founder
of Safaris by John Lasater, has spent most of his adult life traveling through Africa
and working there. Thanks to numerous contacts he has made in more than 60
visits to the "Dark Continent", Lasater is able to negotiate with the
same outfitters as larger tour operators but, with no middle man, he is able to
make African dream safaris affordable.
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| The Cape Town skyline is alluring with marinas and Table Mountain (Taylor) |
The tour begins at
the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront area in Capetown with over 450 shops,
restaurants and bars near the Victoria and Alfred Hotel.
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| Mountains spill into the sea along the coastal road outside Cape Town (Taylor) |
Driving along the
Atlantic coastal road, which has earned the title "Nature's Greatest
Show", it is almost a safari in miniature with baboons, rhebok, Cape
Mountain zebra, bontebok and eland visible within the scenic beauty of the
Table Mountain range and views of the Twelve Apostles.
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| Shanty towns still exist (Taylor) |
It wasn't so very
long ago that South Africa, despite its incredible beauty, was boycotted by
many travelers due to apartheid. Those scars still exist and the shanty towns
are prevalent, but South Africa is a work in progress. The historical
opportunities to explore the sites where Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu have
made such important contributions are a major part of the cultural fabric of
the country.
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| Mandela became a symbol of hope and progress (Taylor) |
South Africa is noted
for its wines, so the intermediate stop en route to finding the Big Five is a
brief visit to some of the better wine making operations in the region.
The hotel on this leg
of the journey is the Oude Werf Hotel nestled in the heart of the Cape
Winelands. Don't worry if you cannot pronounce the name, after a couple of
glasses of wine and you'll speak like a native.
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| South African wines are first rate (Taylor) |
The ultimate prize,
of course, are the safaris themselves which operate out of Karongwe River Lodge
near Kruger National Park. For the next four nights, Karongwe is home and all
meals are included. Be sure to enjoy a Kudu steak at least one night during
your visit.
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| Zebras enjoy a late afternoon cocktail party (Lasater) |
Safaris begin early
in the morning and late in the day when the animals are more likely to venture
forth in search of food and water.
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| Specially designed jeeps provide maximum viewing (Taylor) |
Specially designed
tiered vehicles allow maximum viewing as two-man teams drive and scout in
search of the animals. With his perch at the front of the jeep, the scout scans
the road for fresh tracks and other signs of recent activity.
Karongwe prides
itself on having first-rate guides with years of experience. The guides know
exactly how to approach various locations without "spooking" the
animals. Since several safaris are in progress at any given time, the
naturalists stay in touch with each other to provide information about
sightings as well as making certain they do not infringe upon the viewing of
others with too many vehicles.
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| Viewing animals is up close and personal (Taylor) |
Be it morning or
afternoon, each safari stops for a brief break for coffee, tea or soft drinks and
a snack before continuing onward. Every effort is made to see as many animals
as possible, but there is a special effort to make sure the Big Five can be
captured on film.
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| Warthogs mowing the grass (Taylor) |
The middle of the day
is reserved for relaxation and enjoying the reserve. The warthogs are
particularly photogenic being that they so ugly they are cute.
There are also pre or
post tour options to Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls), Chobe National Park or
Botswanna. Prices are available at the Premium Safaris website.
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| African leopard on the lookout for its next meal (Lasater) |
If the thought of a
photographic safari in Africa has ever stirred your imagination, seek out the
Big Five in South Africa. The price will never be better.
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