Interesting African Facts - DID YOU KNOW? - #00011

All clients of LION DOG AFRICAN SAFARIS who have trekked up Mt Kilimanjaro thus far, have all successfully summated the highest peak of Uhuru; far surpassing a typical failure rate of about 20-30 % across the board.

African Army Ant and Driver Ants - Issue #00012 - November 12, 2010

Africa Army Ant and Driver Ants November 13, 2010 - Issue #00012   When visiting Africa, the main focus of our attention is often the bigger animals however we should also be very mindful of the insects below us; particularly army ants or driver ants, as they are more commonly known in Africa. Army ants can march 20 meters (65 feet) in an hour in columns up to 20 meters (65 feet) wide swarming and devouring almost everything in their path. Army ants can kill and eat up to 100,000 animals in a day, mostly other insects including other ants. However army ants can also kill larger animals such as lizards, snakes, cooped chickens, and other small mammals.  African driver ants have even devoured tethered cows. A few unlucky humans have died the same way, but these cases are rare, usually involving unconscious or inebriated individuals. Observers have witnessed herds of panicked elephants flee from columns of driver ants. Several species of birds actually accompany army ants catching and eating any insects that are flushed out by the ants.   In areas where army ants are prevalent, tuck your long pants inside your socks if you are wearing them. If you see a column of army ants, get out of the way. African tribes have found out that, if you soak the leading columns with kerosene/petrol and set fire to them, it diverts the ants away. View full newsletter Click Here Do you want to receive a weekly full edition of our newsletter: Click Here      LION DOG AFRICAN SAFARIS 1-888-50AFRICA 1-888-502-3742 8AM-8PM EST Lion Dog African Safaris provides quality Private-Custom Tours, either Escorted or Independent, at very competitive pricing. Visit our website for details on planning your dream African Safari www.liondogafricansafaris.com Call us for a free Africa Safari consultation: 1-888-50AFRICA

Interesting African Facts - DID YOU KNOW? - #00020

Did you know that the tongue of a giraffe can be as long as 45 cm (17.7 inches) ? 

African Safari Pre-Conceived Notions & Big Cat Lessons - Issue #00020 - Janurary 8, 2011

Life Lessons From Big Cats January 8, 2011 - Issue #00020   There is a very interesting video at this link http://www.wimp.com/bigcats/ regarding two photographers following big cats in the Okavango Delta as their subjects. African Safari Pre-Conceived Notions    The mission of LION DOG AFRICAN SAFARIS is to have our clients experience the best and safest African tour possible. When we successfully accomplish our mission, we end up with happy clients who repeat with us and/or refer our company to acquaintances. It’s a win-win situation. Unfortunately many consumers contact us with pre-conceived notions and plans about touring Africa which may hinder our ability somewhat to fulfill our mission, as follows A) Consumers have pre-determined the time they have chosen to tour Africa. Pre- determining the tour time significantly limits tour options in many instances. I have written an article titled, When To Go To Africa, which goes into some detail outlining the best times to tour Africa based on numerous factors. My suggestion is that consumers read this free article before choosing the time when they plan on visiting Africa. B) Consumers who are misinformed Many consumers contact me overwhelmed and/or confused with misinformation which often has to be dispelled before moving forwards. There are several common sources where misinformation is dispensed. One source of misinformation originates from country tourism marketing campaigns. Some African countries such as South Africa and Kenya have done a terrific job of marketing themselves as the greatest tourist destinations however there are other lesser known destinations in sub-Saharan Africa that offer as good and often much better and safer destinations to tour. The tour industry in North America is rife with pre-packaged tours to destinations all over the world. Our assessment is that many of the pre-packaged tours to Africa are lacking in both substance and value, and that the pre-packaged tour literature tells consumers what  they want to hear rather than on what they need to hear. Strangely enough, another source of misinformation comes from well intentioned acquaintances who have previously visited Africa. If someone has only been to Kenya for instance, they will likely think that Kenya is great, but compared to what? However, had they had visited both Kenya and Tanzania, they might actually be able to inform you that Tanzania is actually better by comparison. Another good example of misinformation from acquaintances involves the popular trek up Mount Kilimanjaro. Some acquaintances may have chosen to have bottled water, portable toilets, hyperbaric gamow bags, oxygen tanks etc, carried up the mountain, over and above the basic necessities; and these acquaintances might have you believe that it is essential you have the same items yourself for your trek. Although all these items are available for all treks, there is no hard evidence to suggest that additional money spent on this extra equipment and supplies increases the safety, enjoyment or success of summiting the mountain. The biggest source of misinformation and misrepresentation is found on the internet. There are literally thousands of websites devoted to touring Africa however there are very few ways of distinguishing the legitimate from the illegitimate businesses. Even amongst legitimate businesses, there can be huge differences in the tour settings, the service, and all the other variables that make or break a tour. Most companies do not aspire to make customer satisfaction their number one priority as we do. My first bit of advice for clients is to trust only the information obtained from reliable expert/specialist sources who are looking out for your best interests, such as what is found on LION DOG AFRICAN SAFARIS'S website, from our free guidebooks, and from our knowledgeable staff. My second bit of advice is to obtain references from your sources. Requesting and following up on references should require very little effort yet it is probably the most important measure consumers can take to make sure they are in good capable hands. A huge red flag should go up when references are not available or favorable. C) Prospects with unrealistic cost expectations Some prospects are under the false impression that because Africa is largely third world status, that tours for Africa should be dirt cheap. The fact of the matter is that tours are priced similar to what a similar North America tour would cost which is remarkable considering the duration; the setting; the quality of guides, food, transportation, accommodation; and the logistics in putting a quality African tour together. Some tour companies to Africa do overcharge for their services when comparing apples to apples.  Please refer to our website for standard industry costs of the budget, mid-range, and luxury levels to determine if quotes are in line with the norm. With a little effort on both our parts, we trust that we will steer you straight about touring Africa and that we will accomplish our stated mission for you and yours. Your satisfaction and our reputation depends on it.   View full newsletter Click Here Do you want to receive a weekly full edition of our newsletter: Click Here     LION DOG AFRICAN SAFARIS 1-888-50AFRICA 1-888-502-3742 8AM-8PM EST Lion Dog African Safaris provides quality Private-Custom Tours, either Escorted or Independent, at very competitive pricing. Visit our website for details on planning your dream African Safari www.liondogafricansafaris.com Call us for a free Africa Safari consultation: 1-888-50AFRICA

Interesting African Facts - DID YOU KNOW? - #00019

17 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have died of AIDS.

At least 25 million people in Africa are HIV-positive.

There are 12 million children who have lost their parents to AIDS in Africa

The SECRETARY BIRD - Issue #00019 - December 31, 2010

The SECRETARY BIRD   December 31, 2010 - Issue #00019 Whilst on safari, one often encounters interesting animals that they may not have been previously aware of. The Secretary Bird falls into that category.  The Secretary Bird is a large bird of prey, distinct from all other birds of prey, endemic to Africa, usually found in the open grasslands and savannah of the sub-Sahara. The Secretary Bird is instantly recognizable as having an eagle-like body on crane-like legs which increases the bird’s height to around 1.3 m (4 ft) tall. Although the Secretary Bird is able to fly, the Secretary Bird habitually hunts its prey on foot. They can either catch prey by chasing it and striking with the bill, or stamping on prey until it is rendered stunned or unconscious enough to swallow. Prey consists of insects, small mammals, lizards, snakes, young birds, bird eggs, and sometimes dead animals killed in wildfires. There are some reports of Secretary Birds killing young gazelles. Adults hunt in pairs and sometimes as loose familial flocks, stalking through the habitat with long strides. While the birds roost on the local Acacia trees at night, they spend much of the day on the ground, returning to roosting sites just before dark.   View full newsletter Click Here Do you want to receive a weekly full edition of our newsletter: Click Here     LION DOG AFRICAN SAFARIS 1-888-50AFRICA 1-888-502-3742 8AM-8PM EST Lion Dog African Safaris provides quality Private-Custom Tours, either Escorted or Independent, at very competitive pricing. Visit our website for details on planning your dream African Safari www.liondogafricansafaris.com Call us for a free Africa Safari consultation: 1-888-50AFRICA

Interesting African Facts - DID YOU KNOW? - #00018

The world's largest diamond was the Cullinan, found in South Africa in 1905. It weighed 3,106.75 carats uncut. It was cut into the Great Star of Africa, weighing 530.2 carats, the Lesser Star of Africa, which weighs 317.40 carats, and 104 other diamonds of nearly flawless color and clarity. They now form part of the British crown jewels.