Your Safari Your Way

Start with a connection to an experienced safari planner,  then tell them your lifelong dreams

When Jennifer Lohndorf of Boulder, Colorado, connected with our Africa specialist, Valentina Michaels, she knew she wanted to go on a safari. Doing so had been a lifelong dream, but it wasn’t until her in-laws, who had gone on three safaris, left her and her husband a small inheritance that they were able to do it.  “They said, ‘You have to go, you have to go, you have to go,’” says Jennifer. With the money they received, plus Valentina's expertise, the Lohndorfs were able to make their dreams come true.

In addition to a passion to see elephants--which Jennifer shared with her mother-in-law--the couple had several destinations in mind,  an idea of the kind of accommodations they preferred, and a strong desire to engage with the communities they would visit, all of which she shared with Val. “Valentina seems to know; she asks the right questions." With Jennifer’s preferences in mind, Val created a customized 19-day trip to Uganda and Tanzania for the Lohndorfs that checked all their boxes.  Jennifer calls it “definitely the trip of a lifetime.” (For some other proposed safari itineraries, visit this page.)

Witnessing the adult elephants with their juveniles was one of the highlights of the trip. All photos courtesy of Jennifer Lohndorf.

What made the trip so special?

• Communing with the animals.  For Lohndorf, the up-close and personal interactions with the animals were almost mystical experiences. When an elephant approached their vehicle on the last day, Lohndorf had the distinct feeling the animal was saying goodbye. There were other emotional highlights:  seeing lion moms hover protectively over their cubs, witnessing a herd of elephants parade across the savannah in the breaking morning light,  being startled by the height of a giraffe loping across their path, or being checked out at very close range by a curious leopard.
  
  

The fall is a great time to see the juveniles born the previous spring taking their first stab at independence. This baby zebra seemed to be posing for Lohndorf. 

• Great guides and personalized attention. Aside from the animals, “The thing we’re most impressed with is the way we were handled. I came back feeling we had been held the whole time. There was never any ball dropped.  When we were in the hands of our guide, we felt safe all the time. Their communication was amazing. It was just amazing."

• Accommodations. "What we loved so much—Valentina seemed to know the right questions to ask. We’re campers; we’re not fussy people; we don’t need extravagant luxury," although they certainly did appreciate indulging at the Ziwani Lodge, which reminded Glenn and Jennifer of  The African Queen. What's not to love when "We were the only guests and we had our own castle"? But true to her word, Lohndorf was equally impressed with all their lodgings. "We absolutely loved every aspect of every place we stayed, from little tiny places to big extravagant places to tent camps.  The place that looked like the  African Queen place, we loved it; then we did the camps, we loved that."
  

Kyambura Game Lodge, Uganda, is also giving African Queen vibes.

• The opportunity to give back. The Lohndorfs had a serious desire to engage with the communities they visited, and "get into the complications and the tensions of their lives." They wanted to know "what are the challenges of having a community of people raising goats and chickens in a national park with wild animals. They shouldn't be living there because the wild animals are going to eat their animals, but that's their livelihood, and how do you manage it."
• Valentina also arranged for them to visit with the women of Ride 4 a Woman in Uganda, a project that supports women who have suffered domestic abuse, live in poverty, have HIV, or need education. The organization provides jobs, training, classes,  therapy, and whatever the women need to gain and maintain emotional and financial independence. From basketweaving to microfinance to clean drinking water,  the organization tries to make sure these women are fully supported. 
  
  "We got to talk to the women, and that was really impactful," says Lohndorf. "I was happy to support them and buy from them. I think we really felt rich from that experience. I like to include those kinds of things where we can rub shoulders with the people."

What's your dream safari?

This safari fulfilled the Lohndorfs' dream. What kind of safari experience do you imagine?  Take a look at our safari offerings to get a sense of what's possible, and remember we can make your specific dream a reality. Then contact us for a quote.