|

When to Go on Safari in East Africa

June through September has always been prime time for going on safari in Tanzania, especially if you want to catch the wildebeest migration across the Mara River. I’ve caught the migration from the Kenya side of the river one September as the wildebeests were making their way back south to the Serengeti. Yes, it was exciting seeing hundreds of wildebeests trampling across the river, but it wasn’t as nearly as exciting as seeing that one leopard bringing his kill up a tree. You have to realize that June, July, and August are by far the most crowded months to be on safari in Tanzania and Kenya. Crowds and land rovers lessen once September hits. Indeed, September and October are a special time of year to be on safari in the Mara, Serengeti, or Grumeti. Though I have to admit that I enjoyed being in Tanzania these past two weeks of March. The big rains of March and April were nowhere to be seen and we had the often congested roads of Ngorongoro Crater practically to ourselves. Travel to the Kusini Camp in the southern Serengeti in December, January, and February, and not only will you see an incredible amount of game, but North Americans and Europeans can escape the cold of winter and hit Zanzibar and the other coastal islands for a beach vacation. That sounds like the right move for this Boston boy. 

 

Similar Posts

|

Lobster Rolls of New England, the New Book by Lobster Gal, Sally Lerman

As a 13th-generation New Englander, Sally Lerman had her fair share of lobster even before she started her blog, lobstergal.com, in 2012. The blog, however, gave her the impetus to sample every lobster roll in every seaside village in New England. To date, she has tried 225 lobster rolls and counting. She divulges her favorites in a new book released today simply titled Lobster Rolls of New England (The History Press). I had the privilege of viewing an advance copy and I have to tell you that this little gem of a book is like removing the lobster shell to find a hidden piece of meat. Yes, finding the best lobster roll in New England is a subject that publications return to frequently, including at least a dozen stories by yours truly. But I love how Lerman breaks down the lobster roll into different types like hot or cold, butter versus mayonnaise, and delves into the history of the sandwich. Then she gives you her picks, including some of my personal favorites, like Captain Scott’s in New London, Neptune Oyster in Boston, and Five Islands Lobster in Georgetown, Maine. The photography by Jane Shauck, including close ups of the succulent meat, will have you cruising the New England coastline in no time to find one of these beloved shacks. If you were wise, you’d keep a copy of this book in your glove compartment. 
 
|

St. Lucia’s BodyHoliday Offers Three Yoga Retreats

St. Lucia wellness resort BodyHoliday, one of my favorite properties in the Caribbean, has unveiled the year’s lineup of Yoga Retreats. The weeklong programs, all led by the property’s wellness advisor Hollie Bailey, will include a range of yoga and meditation workshops, as well as spa treatments, and a hands-on cooking class. Participants will meet with Bailey at the beginning of their stay, or talk with a BodyHoliday specialist beforehand if they want to maximize their time at the resort, to plan the retreat and tailor it to the them. During the week, guests can attend a yoga workshop or nutrition talk every day, with classes covering areas like hatha yoga, anapana meditation, vinyasa and more. Outside of these central classes, the Yoga Retreats provide sunrise and sunset yoga sessions and a daily spa treatment (yes, one massage a day). After the program ends, the resort will also provide post-retreat support. Dates for the Yoga Retreats are October 5-12, October 12-19, and December 14-21. The all-inclusive cost is $4,830 per person. 

 
|

Undiscovered Labrador

Cruise North Expeditions, the Inuit-owned cruise company that brings travelers to the remote Canadian outposts of Baffin Island, Hudson Bay, and the High Arctic, has just announced their first land-based safari. This summer, the company is offering 4 and 7-night packages to Canada’s newest national park, Torngat Mountains. Located at the northern tip of Labrador, this large chunk of wilderness has no amenities, no roads, and no accommodations, thus the necessity to head here with a reputable outfitter like Cruise North. You’ll hike with Inuit and Park City wardens to spot moose, caribou, and polar bear, sea kayak amidst the whales and icebergs, and spend the night at safari-style tent camps dining on traditional Inuit cuisine. Prices start at $3190 per person, including lodging, food, and all amenities.
 

|

Off to Cape Town and Botswana

Talk to any experienced African safari guide and they’ll no doubt tell you that Botswana is the best country on the continent for going on safari. Along with Namibia, Botswana is one of Africa’s least populated wildernesses. The country’s enviable conservation philosophy endorses low-volume, high-revenue tourism, and significant benefits for local communities who live amongst the wild animals. Unlike Kenya’s Maasai Mara or Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater, which can often be overcrowded, head to Botswana and you’re not likely to see any fellow travelers out on game drives, walks, or boat rides. The Okavango Delta is a gigantic inland waterway, an island of green in an arid landscape. It’s home to large herds of elephants, some of the biggest lions in Africa, and enough variety of bird life to turn even the most dedicated big-mammal enthusiast into a bird lover. Tomorrow, Lisa and I are headed to Botswana on a 9-day safari with Abercrombie and Kent. We’ll be staying at four of their premier properties, Sanctuary Stanley’s Camp, Sanctuary Chief’s Camp, Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero, and Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma. After a 2-year renovation, Sanctuary Chief’s Camp reopened on June 1st and is now considered the Sanctuary Retreats’ flagship property. 
 
Before Botswana, we’re spending a week in Cape Town to pen stories and research the lodging, food, wine, art, and biking in the region. I’ll be back the week of September 19th with many stories from our trip. In the meantime, you can follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, where I’ll be posting photos and quick comments from our travels. Be well and keep active! 
 
|

Now’s the Time to Go Apple Picking

Wow, talk about a gem of a Columbus Day Weekend in the Northeast. It hit 87 degrees Fahrenheit yesterday in Boston, breaking a 69 year-old record. Today, the temps are also supposed to be above normal. I’m hoping to get most of my writing out of the way this morning and go apple picking with the kids this afternoon. There’s no better fall activity than hitting an orchard, trying the variety of apples, buying homemade cider, and tasting the warm, just made doughnuts. We have photographs of the kids picking apples every year, and like the trees, they seem to sprout up far too quickly. I’m a fan of cortlands and macs, which are probably gone by now, but I don’t care. It will be great to get out there and climb those trees, even when I’m not supposed to be climbing those trees!
 

|

Take the Smooth Jazz Cruise

Yesterday, I wrote about the most memorable cruise I ever took, aboard the Aranui to the Marquesas Islands in the South Pacific. The cruise I’m most excited to take in the future is the Smooth Jazz Cruise. George Benson, David Sanborn, Norman Brown, and Peabo Bryson are just a few of the well-known jazz musicians performing on this winter’s two Smooth Jazz Cruises, January 10-17, 2016, and February 21-28, 2016. Leaving from Fort Lauderdale aboard a Holland America’s Eurodam, the cruise stops in the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Key West. But the real action happens at night when jam sessions from these great performers last until the wee hours of the morning. This is the only way to cruise! 

 

Leave a Reply