Sunday, July 28, 2013

2013東非之旅 東非獵遊經驗分享(二)


 


我們在肯亞部份的旅行
, 很幸運的Explorer Kenya給了我們一個很有經驗的駕駛間導遊, 他的名字叫做Simon, 
(Simon is the tour guide and driver from Explorer Kenya when we were travelling in Kenya.)




他懂非常多的動物
, 總是可以很迅速的找到許多的動物, 很有經驗, 所以不會像照片裡這台車一樣, 在國家公園裡走錯路, 掉到泥坑裡動彈不得
(He was able to recognize lots of different animal and plant species. Besides, it seemed very easy for him to find animals easily and fast. He knew where the best road is to find the animals so we wasn’t stuck somewhere like this Safari van. )
 



 

他雖然讓我們一定看到動物, 但他總把我們的安全當做第一優先, 在他的安排之下, 我們不但可以找到最好的角度拍攝動物, 也兼顧到安全的考量, 不會像下面這張照片, 這個駕駛兼導遊就是不顧客人的安全, 只一味的讓他們跳到車外拍動物, 殊不知身後還有兩隻母獅隨時都有可能做出攻擊的動作
(Though he tried his best to let us see animals, he always put our safety as the first priority. “The client’s safety is the most important thing.” Said by Simon. When we were in Masai Mara National Park, a guide drove his Safari van between two lions in order to make his clients very close to the lions. That guide also allowed his client (the girl in the picture) to get out the van taking the pictures. However, this girl just didn’t notice that there was a lion sitting behind her when she was taking the picture of another lion. This is an example showing that a bad driver and guide may made his clients in a dangerous situation.
 







 
肯亞的旅行社非常的多, 優劣也參疵不其, 由沒有信譽的旅行社經手, 或是由沒有經過專業訓練的導遊駕駛帶領, 很容易會像上面那兩張照片一樣, 讓自己陷入險境之中, 所以在肯亞, 我真的很幸運遇到了Explorer Kenya的Simon,我實在是大力推薦這一家旅行社
(There are tons of Safari agency, and the quality of agency will significantly influence your safari trip. If you are asking an agency without good reputation to deal with your safari, it may make your trip dangerous and not safe.)
 



(Explorer Kenya的網頁, The website of Explorer Kenya)


所有的肯亞的旅行社只要有安排有坦尚尼亞的行程
(以我們的行程來說就是恩格魯國家公園和賽倫蓋提國家公園),都必須找一個在坦尚尼亞的旅行社來承包這部份的行程, Explorer Kenya在坦尚尼亞伙伴是一家稱為Masai Tribe Adventure的坦尚尼亞旅行社
(Because the government of Tanzania doesn’t allow the Kenyan travel agency to deal with the itinerary including Tanzania. Therefore, those agencies always need to find Tanzania partner agencies to be in charge of the Tanzania part. In our case, Explorer Kenya asked another Tanzania agency to be in charge the Tanzania part of our itinerary. The name of this partner agency is “Masai Tribe Adventure”

Masai Tribe Adventure 
網頁: http://maasaitribeadventure.com/About%20us.html 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maasai-Tribe-Adventure/122370457886498 
(
Facebook的Cover picture就是我們和駕史兼導遊Mbasha的合照)

負責當我們駕駛兼導遊是
Mbasha (M不發音, 所以念成”巴夏”)
(Here is the website of Masai Tribe Adventure, http://maasaitribeadventure.com/About%20us.html. 
Here is the website of their facebook page. 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maasai-Tribe-Adventure/122370457886498





(Masai Tribe Adventure的網頁, The website of Masai Tribe Adventure)
 

Mbasha也是這家旅行社的老闆, 旅行社有四個人, 包括他和他的弟弟(他弟弟在旅行社裡做IT的工作), 根據我這幾天的經驗, 我非常推薦Masai Tribe Adventure這家旅行社
(The owner of Masai Tribe Adventure is Mbasha who is also our guide and driver when we were in Tanzania. There are four people including him and his brother in his company. According to my Safari experience in Tanzania, I highly recommend Mbasha and his company, Masai Tribe Adventure.
 

 
(這就是我們的駕駛及導遊Mbasha; Mbasha, our guide and driver in Tanzania)


因為, Mbasha和前面提到的Simon一樣, 都很會認動物, 也很會找動物, 前面遊記裡看到那些在賽倫蓋提的許多動物, 沒有Mbasha的話我們可都是看不到的, 而且很多時候, 我們都是前幾部車發現動物的, 後面才有其他的車子趕來看我們發現的動物
(Like Simon from Explorer Kenya, Mbasha also has a great eyesight and is able to find where those animals are. Without Mbasha, we were not able to find so many animals shown on the pictures of my trip report of Serengeti and Ngorongoro. In fact, we are often the first one to find the animals, and other Safari van came after us to see those animals found by Mbasha.)


 
 
(我們和Mbasha的合照, 我們身後的就是恩格魯國家公園的火口湖; Mbasha and us. We are in Ngorongoro crater.)


Mbasha
在Safari的這幾天裡也會依照我們的需求彈性調整行程, 也不會逼我們一直去紀念品店買
東西, 非常不錯
(Mbasha was also able to adjust for us as what we needed and he didn’t enforce us to do shopping if we don’t want.)
 
另外, 通常一般的Safari行程會花一小時去參觀當地原住民馬賽人的部落, 也許看看他們唱歌跳舞, 買買紀念品就離開了, 然而, 因為Mbasha自己就是馬賽族原住民, 他其實有很多的馬賽朋友, 所以不同於其他旅行社蜻蜓點水式的參觀馬賽部落, Mbasha可以安排行程讓大家不只是花一小時參觀馬賽人的部落, 他甚至可以安排讓觀光客在馬賽人家住一晚, 來一段馬賽原住民的文化之旅
(Generally, visiting Masai village is always included in the safari in Kenya or Tanzania. However, because Mbasha grow up in a Masai tribe, he can arrange his clients to visit the “real Masai family” not like the Masai village always visited for tourists. He can also let his clients to stay with a real Masai family for a night to experience the Masai Culture.)
 
Mbasha告訴我說他們旅行社還有安排攀登位於坦尚尼亞的非洲第一高峰吉力馬札羅山的行程, 喜愛爬山的人可以考慮跟他聯絡喔, 不過我很不喜歡爬山, 所以Mbasha就建議我喝一下當地的吉力馬札羅牌的啤酒就好….
(Besides, Mbasha told me that his agency can also offer the itinerary of Mount. Kilimanjaro for some people who likes hiking and outdoor activity. However, I don’t like to climb the mountain so Mbasha told me that you can just drink a local beer named as Kilimanjaro to pretend you have been there. Haha.)
 
大概分享到這裡, 有問題再問我吧
Anyway, here is my experience about picking up a good travel agency. Please let me know if you have any questions.
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2013夏東非之旅 東非獵遊經驗分享(一)


 


這次
Safari的重心, 就是在馬賽馬拉或是賽倫蓋提國家公園欣賞動物大遷徙的景觀, 不過首先必須要提到的是, 動物大遷徙就像很多的自然現象一樣, 是可遇不可求的, 然而, 如同之後我會提到的文章一樣, 在馬賽馬拉和賽倫蓋提國家公園的動物, 是一直不斷的在遷徙, 因此每個季節去馬賽馬拉和賽倫蓋提, 都會有機會看到動物, 然而, 動物大遷徙的過程中, 最讓人震撼的景觀就是大量的牛羚和班馬通過馬賽馬拉國家公園的馬拉河的壯觀過程, 如果要特別能夠見到動物過河的景觀, 夏季(從七月到九月)會比較有機會看到, 不過還是一句老話: 可遇不可求
 



(馬賽馬拉與賽倫蓋提的位置圖)

因為動物不斷地在馬賽馬拉和賽倫蓋提之間移動, 為了能夠看到大部份的動物, 我在行程安排之初就決定兩個國家公園都要去(後來事實證明也沒有錯), 因為當我們前往這兩個國家公園的時候, 我們發現大部份的動物都還在賽倫蓋提, 尚未遷徙到馬賽馬拉
 




(馬賽馬拉與賽倫蓋提國家公園)

當決定了兩國家公園都要去之後, 接下來就決定了一定要去坦尚尼亞位在賽倫蓋提國家公園旁的恩格魯火山口, 肯亞安伯得雷國家公園的樹頂旅館以及肯亞的納庫魯湖國家公園欣賞火鶴,
 
關於納庫魯湖國家公園, 因為最近幾年來湖水被稀釋的很嚴重, 導致火鶴的食物: 藍綠藻生長困難, 沒有了食物, 火鶴也不常來這裡聚集了, 所以這一點是需要先考量的
‘



(納庫魯湖國家公園, 其實我們沒有看到很多火鶴)




(反而是在坦尚尼亞的恩格魯國家公園見到很多火鶴)

接下來就要考慮行程是順時針或是逆時針的問題, 事實上差距並不大, 動物不是在馬賽馬拉, 就是在賽倫蓋提, 重要需要考慮的反而是: 從馬賽馬拉直接到賽倫蓋提, 或是賽倫蓋提直接到馬賽馬拉, 中間本來有一個關口, 這個關口暫時性的關閉, 因此所有行車都必須繞到另一個關口, 使得這兩個國家公園間的路程會長達九小時, 這部份的時間考量也必須要注意
 
然後稍微來談一下旅行社的選擇, 在肯亞的部份, 我參考了背包客棧及Lonely Planet Thorntree Forum上網友的推薦, 找了以下幾家旅行社做詢價:

1.      SafeRide: http://www.saferidesafaris.com/
2.      Explorer Kenya: http://www.explorerkenya.com/
3.      Africa Veterans: http://www.africaveterans.com/
4.      Savuka: http://www.savuka-travels.com/
 
我詢價時所用的行程如下:

6/13(四) Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Nairobi – Aberdares NP
Morning: Pick up us from Nairobi airport and go to Explorer Kenya agent to pay the rest of the money
Afternoon: Arrive Aberdares NP and transfer to Treetops hotel.
FULL BOARD AT THE TREETOPS HOTEL www.aberdaresafarihotels.com

6/14(五) Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Aberdares NP–Great Rift Valley - Lake Nakuru NP
Morning: Depart to Lake Nakuru, visit Great Rift Valley
Afternoon: Game drive in Lake Nakuru.
FULL BOARD ACCOMMODATION AT Lake Nakuru Lodge http://www.lakenakurulodge.com/

6/15(六) Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Lake Nakuru NP–Masai Mara NP
Early Morning game drive at Lake Nakuru
Late afternoon: Arrive Masai Mara.
FULL BOARD ACCOMMODATION AT THE MARA SIDAI CAMP www.marasidaicamp.com

6/16(日) Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Masai Mara NP Full day
Morning:  Game drive at Masai Mara
Afternoon:  Visit Masai village.
FULL BOARD ACCOMMODATION AT THE MARA SIDAI CAMP www.marasidaicamp.com

6/17(一) Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Masai Mara NP – Serengeti NP
Early morning Game drive at Masai Mara
Late afternoon Game drive at Serengeti.
FULL BOARD ACCOMMODATION AT THE IKOMA SAFARI CAMPwww.ikomasafaricamp.com

6/18(二) Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Serengeti NP Full day
Morning Game drive at Serengeti
Afternoon Game drive at Serengeti.
FULL BOARD ACCOMMODATION AT THE IKOMA SAFARI CAMP www.ikomasafaricamp.com

6/19(三) Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Serengeti NP – Ngorongoro Crater
Early morning game drive at Serengeti
Late afternoon brief Game drive at Ngorongoro.
FULL BOARD ACCOMMODATION AT RHINO LODGE
http://www.ngorongoro.cc/

6/20(四) Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Ngorongoro Crater Full day
Morning and afternoon: Descend 2000 feet (Over 600 meters) to the floor of the crater for a crater tour with packed lunch
FULL BOARD ACCOMMODATION AT THE BOUGAINVILLEA CAMP  www.bougainvilleacamp.com

6/21(五) Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Ngorongoro Crater – Nairobi
Morning:  go back to Nairobi, arrive Nairobi around late afternoon.
TAKE AN AFTERNOON SHUTTLE BUS AND ARRIVE IN NAIROBI or Nairobi airport AROUND 7-8 PM
 
旅行社報價情況中, Explorer Kenya和Africa Veterans兩家的價錢最合理, 也最低廉, 因此我選擇這兩家繼續詢價, 然而, Africa Veterans在某些住宿及行程的價錢並不是完全透明, 須要我多次詢問才能瞭解, Explorer Kenya相對的來說價格透明, 比較少的隱藏價錢, 於是我最後選擇使用Explorer Kenya做為我們Safari的旅行社

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