How to sell the whole migration
IN JULY and August, two
million wildebeest and
thousands of other plains
game migrate from the
Serengeti in Tanzania to the
south of Kenya’s Maasai
Mara, following the rains in
search of lush pastures.
This is the peak migration
season, when travellers
are most likely to see the
iconic river crossings.
But, other periods of
the year have their own
spectacular offerings and
come with big savings.
One of the common
misconceptions about the
migration is that all the
animals disappear with this
movement, when in fact
there isn’t one migration
event – the animals are
moving throughout the year.
Nicky Fitzgerald, ceo of
Angama Mara, says that,
when it comes to marketing
the Maasai Mara, she says
the industry has a habit
of placing too great an
emphasis on the migration.
She says this has created
the misperception that
when the migration
leaves the Mara, it takes
every animal back to the
Serengeti, which it doesn’t.
Chris Roche, md new
business development
at Wilderness Safaris,
also points out that even
outside of the migration,
the wildlife viewing in
the Mara is good all year
round.
Because the migration
moves, Wild Frontiers
director, Debbie Addison
says it’s a case of planning
the trip to be at the right
place at the right time.
It’s also important to
note that the seasons of
the migration are not set
in stone and they change
depending on when the
rains come and if there
have been fires.
But, she points out, the
game is continually moving,
looking for grass and water.
“It’s a case of planning
your trip to be at the right
place at the right time.”
It’s also important to note
that the seasons of the
migration are not set in
stone.
Lance Zackey of Rove
Africa, says while peak
migration season is July to
August, the rainy season,
from April to May, is a good
time for South Africans on
a tight budget to travel.
“This is the low season,
or what is called the green
season,” he says. “Visitors
might have a little rain
every other day, but they
can save up to 30% in
accommodation costs.”
Nicky highlights the
importance of properly
informing clients about the
rainy season in Kenya. “It
is rare for rain to settle in;
instead it usually arrives
in dramatic, late afternoon
thunderstorms and the sun
reappears after an hour.”
A selling point of the
green season is that it
offers some of the most
spectacular photographic
opportunities, says Debbie.
“You have amazing skies
and the air is clear from
the rains and there are not
as many people.”
For agents selling this
period, it’s important to
let their clients know
that while they won’t be
seeing the river crossings,
they can still witness the
migration.
Just after the green
season, there is a shoulder
season in June, where
there is less chance of rain
and here, South Africans
can still enjoy an up to
15% discount on peak
season prices.
Both Chris and Debbie
recommend the calving
season in February and
March, when the young
are born near Lake
Ndutu in the Ngorongoro
Conservation Area. Unlike
other species, wildebeest
tend to drop all their young
at the same time, attracts
all the predators, including
lion, leopard and hyena.
Debbie adds that this is
her favourite time, while
less crowded sightings is
also a selling point.
The Serengeti-Mara
ecosystem is unique in that
it offers an intact system
where animals can follow
natural migration paths,
says Chris. “The animals
breed in a particular place,
feed in a particular place
in winter, and so the cycle
goes,” he says. “You
can only really maintain
massive populations of a
species if they do move.
ET ups African connections
LAST year was a definitive
one for Ethiopian Airlines
in the SA market, with
a new third daily flight
out of Johannesburg. It
also showed growth in its
regional and international
network.
The new morning
departure from JNB as
well as the afternoon
and evening flights, give
travellers more flexibility and
better onward connections
from Addis.
Over the last year or so,
the airline has grown its
intra-Africa routes with new
services to Kisangani and
Mbuji-Mayi in the DRC,
and Nosy Be. It has also
reinstated its service to
Mogadishu, Somalia.
Additions to its overseas
network include Manchester,
Barcelona, Chicago, Buenos
Aires, and direct services
to Washington and Toronto,
which were previously
serviced via Dublin.
Nairobi hotel completes first phase of refurbishment
NAIROBI Serena Hotel
has completed the first
phase of its ongoing
refurbishment with 95
rooms in the north wing
fully upgraded.
New meeting facilities
include a new executive
lounge on the seventh
floor, which takes up
the entire floor. It offers
two private meeting
rooms and views of the
Nairobi skyline; a new
450-sqm ballroom, which
can accommodate up
to 450 people theatre
style and can divide into
two separate meeting
rooms – the Frangipani
and Allamanda; as well as
two additional meetings
rooms, Lily and Orchid.
“Through the use of
unique hand-crafted
woodwork and motifs,
water features and
beautiful landscaping,
we have been able to
preserve our unique
identity,” said Mahmud
Jan Mohamed, md Serena
Hotels.
The lobby has also been
upgraded and a new
parking lot offers additional
capacity, including universal
access parking bays.
The second phase of
the hotel’s refurbishment
is under way and
is expected to be
completed by the first
quarter of 2019, when
the full room inventory
of 199 rooms will have
been upgraded.
Unique wildlife makes upselling easy
LANCE Zackey of Rove
Africa highlights Samburu’s
unique offering where, he
says, travellers can see
specialised game like the
Somali ostrich, which is
known for its blue neck and
the Gerenuk, which has an
exceptionally long neck.
In the north-western part
of Tanzania, travellers can
go chimpanzee-trekking in
the Mahale Mountains and
Gombe Stream National Parks,
as well as in the untamed
wilderness of Kitavi National
Park. Chimpanzee trekking can
also be done in Rwanda and
Uganda. Lance points out that
chimpanzee trekking is very
different from gorilla-trekking.
He says while gorillas are
usually more docile and can be
seen to be more relaxed and
playful, the chimps are more
active and so travellers will
mostly follow them around on
foot as they forage for food.
Best-known for gorilla
trekking, Uganda and Rwanda
also have a diverse wildlife
offering that should not be
overlooked. Chris Roche of
Wilderness Safaris describes
the Albertina Rift as the
epicentre for species diversity
and endemism on the
continent – stretching from
Rwanda to Uganda and the
Democratic Republic of Congo.
Uganda has about 1 000
species of birds.
Ethiopia too has its own
endemic species including
the striking Gelada baboon,
or ‘bleeding-heart monkey’
which is distinguished by the
bright red patch of skin on the
chests of males, and the Walia
ibex, an endangered antelopelike creature unique for the
large, backward curving horns
found on the males. These
can reach a length of up to
one metre.
