Infinite Safari Blog

Is it Safe to Travel to Tanzania?

December 26, 2011
by Alan Feldstein

 

Children Living in TanzaniaA few weeks ago a suicide truck bomb exploded in Somalia.  It killed an estimated 70 people, including students hoping for foreign scholarships.  The group taking responsibility for the bombing is called Shabab.  They are affiliated with Al Queida.  It is a terrible tragedy without meaning or justification.

It also means that I will get asked the number one question that I always get – is going to Tanzania safe?  Last February I wrote an item about whether it was safe to travel to Tanzania. The answer is still yes. Tanzania is not Somalia.  It is perfectly safe.  It does not have the tribal strife of other countries.  It does not have extremist groups. 

Tourism is one of the major contributors to the Tanzanian economy.  The Tanzanian people are warm, friendly and helpful. My partner Steve and his wife Teena live there and have always felt safe.  They have a 4-year-old son, Aidan, (our VP of Entertainment) who took my wife Diane around town by himself on his own “safari.”  Steve always knew where they were.  Everyone looks out for everyone there.  Over there the phrase “it takes a village” is real. 

Yes, it is safe.

 

: Tanzania

Does the Circle of Life Hold a Fascination for People? Ask The Lion King

December 20, 2011
by Alan Feldstein

 

hyenas

 

Several years ago when my wife was still working at the Los Angeles Times we obtained tickets to see a Broadway performance of The Lion King. How good was it? Let’s just say that if they stopped the show after the opening number with all the dancers in animal masks coming onto the stage I would have still thought it was worth it. It was a beautiful show and captured the splendor and spirit of Africa. So did the movie that preceded the Broadway show.

Although I had read that Disney animators had studied real life animals in order to be accurate as to their movements and their character, I saw it firsthand when I first traveled to Africa. These hyenas that I photographed moved – and even seemed to laugh – just like the ones I had seen onstage and in the film.

When my daughter was 10 years old, I took her to NY for a very special father-daughter trip. I took her to the Broadway show. She was mesmerized. Who knows, it may be why she has done volunteer work for Heshima (heshimakenya.org), an organization that helps young women in Nairobi.

My son also saw the movie and loved it, and it may have been part of the reason he too has developed an interest in adventure, wildlife and the outdoors.

Are we the only ones? No – to date the movie both the old and a new 3D version have together grossed almost a half a billion dollars! That is billion with a B! And while great it pales in comparison to the real thing.

 

: Alan's Corner

Another Species Disappears

December 13, 2011
by Alan Feldstein

 

Wild RhinosA couple of years ago I had the privilege of traveling to West Africa (Benin, Togo & Burkina Faso) to observe voodoo practices. I was able to witness some incredible things. But one of the things I noticed was that there was no wildlife around. All of it appeared to have been killed for various voodoo practices or for use as “juju.” I was also made aware that some animals were killed for export to countries that use parts of animals for “medicinal purposes.”

It greatly saddened me to read to read a recent report that no wild black rhinos remain in West Africa. There is an organization called the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), who has created a “Red List,” and according to them they have declared the West African black rhino extinct.

One of the reasons for this is poaching by criminal gangs who want to trade the animals’ valuable horns.

What is equally sad is that the Red List now records more threatened species than ever before.

We must ever vigilant to try and save those beautiful creatures who still remain with us.

 

: Alan's Corner

It’s KILI week

December 6, 2011
by Alan Feldstein

 

 

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Mt. Kilimanjaro

The highest mountain in Africa is probably, next to wildlife viewing, is one of Tanzania’s greatest attraction. It is actually a dormant volcano and stands nearly 6000 meters (over 19,000 feet to you non-metric folks) above sea level and is the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. Every year, about 20,000 people try to reach the Summit, but only 40% actually do.

Have you climbed Kili? We’d love to hear your experience and any suggestions you have for folks thinking of climbing it.

We’ll be posting all responses on our Facebook page for Kili Week. You can climb Kili with us- contact us for more info.

 

: Tanzania

What You Didn’t Know About Zanzibar

November 29, 2011
by Alan Feldstein

Last week we mentioned that biking around Zanzibar was on our Tanzania bucket list.  This is an Island we will almost insist you visit when you plan your trip to Tanzania, it is an unforgettable experience so different from mainland Africa. It is here that the spice trade between the Arab and Indians began – and the whispy feeling of ancient Arab lands lingers in the doorways of Stonetown.

Not to mention, the beaches are simply spectacular, with clear blue water and white sand beaches.

Here are five things you may not have known about Zanzibar:

  • People have lived here for 50,000 years
  • Even today, the island continues to produce cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper.
  • You can find the red colobus monkey here –one of the rarest monkeys in Africa
  • People say the purest form of Swahili is spoken on Zanzibar (you might here one of them say “Swahili was born in Zanzibar, died in Dar and buried in Kenya.”)
  •  Freddie Mercury from the band Queen was born on Zanzibar. An eponymous restaurant serves delicious seafood near the ferry terminal

 

: Tanzania
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