Zinga African Safaris

2 recommendations and reviews from 1 person

Recommendations from Ken F.

• Referral from July 12, 2013
  

  Megan A. asked:

  Anyone been to Kenya? If so, where would you recommend to see Kenya at its best? Which place did you find amazing and why? Anyone going next year around March time?

  

  Ken F. replied:

  Hi Megan...My IVHQ placement was in southern Kenya in the Maasai village town of Kajiado where I taught Maasai children. I enjoyed the more rural Africa. I felt safe and the people were friendly, appreciative and curious about what I was doing there. You have the Maaasi Mara in Kenya's SW, which is an extension of the Serengeti south of the border in Tanzania ( I'm involved in a business there now:www.zingaafricansafaris.com). Diani Beach , just south of Mombassa along be Indian Ocean, was an outstanding hangout / vacation place. Quite Hakuna Matata.

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• Referral from July 9, 2013
  

  Maggie Z. asked:

  I am going to Kenya on July 12th for one month. Anyone else is going too? Could anyone give me some suggestions on the following situations- 1. I am struggling with whether to just carry a backpack or have a luggage case with me. I am just afraid that a backpack won't be enough. Is there any place to store my luggage after my program? 2. I am planning to climb the kilimanjaro Mountain. Anyone who climbed before have any suggestion on what should I prepare and travel agency. Thank you!! Maggie

  

  Ken F. replied:

  Hi Maggie, You asked about how to arrange climbing Mt Kilimanjaro. I am an IVHQ alum and am working with a tour operator near Mt Kilimanjaro ( in Arusha-Tanzania). The guides we work with included the top trekking guides in Tanzania. See our website and check out our mountain climbing safaris ( www.zingaafricansafaris.com). Check out the bio on Samia Tarimo under "Guides." To give you the longer version of how my volunteer work in Kenya led to the work I'm doing now, here it is: I was an IVHQ volunteer in Kajiado-Kenya teaching at a Maasai school ( PBS) about 2 hours north of the Tanzanian border from Jan-Feb 2012. It was a rewarding experience on many levels. I thought you might find the project I became involved in that followed my IVHQ experience interesting. After a few weeks working on my project, I took a long weekend break by going on a safari in the Serengeti in NW Tanzania. During this travel adventure, I discovered there was a lot more to do, see, learn and experience in the African bush in addition to viewing the fascinating animals and surreal landscapes. While passing exotic traditional peoples along the dusty road in the jeep, I asked my guide if I could spend time with one of the tribal-based communities to see how peopled live in the African bush's harsh natural environment. After spending one of the most stimulating experiences of my life with the Hadzabe tribesmen, one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes on earth (chanting, dancing, hunting), I became reengaged in my safari experience. Afterwards, while passing an ancient crater, I asked my guide if I could climb down into its caldera floor. While doing so, about a million flamingos rose from the saline lake at its base and flew over my head while I was viewing the spectacular flowers surrounding the crater's inner walls. After this mind-bending experience, I returned to Arusha town, the Gateway to the Serengeti, and tried to locate tour operators blending wildlife game viewing, engaging non-touristic cultural immersion experiences and recreational adventures. I located a well-established company owned and operated by an enterprising African tour operator who wanted to integrate this broader approach to Serengeti safarisby creating a holistic blend of stimulating multi-sensory activities. Often clients complained to him and his guides they experienced "animal fatigue" after a few days, making the animals seem less amazing each day they saw them. Clients also wanted to get out of the jeep to get more physical exercise and have greater intellectual stimulation. This meeting gave birth to Zinga African Safaris. We have been working together ever since. This project has bridged my interests, background, and studies in ethnicity, cultural identity, informal education, travels in developing countries, group facilitation, humanitarian commitments, and business entrepreneurialism. In addition to providing high quality and on-going engagement throughout the entire safari experience ,I view this overall relationship helping to strengthen Tanzania's private sector through economic development. Few tour companies in East Africa are owned and operated by Africans, so the bulk of theprofits go overseas. As a result, less money is spread around to the African peoples and the Africans who manage these companies do not get exposure to designing marketing strategies, learning how to use the internet, or creating business plans. By Africans owning their own companies, they can become more self-sufficient and receive greater profits so they can afford to send their children to schools to increase literacy, increase awareness to health issues, access better healthcare, and employ more African people as their companies grow. Culturally sensitive visits to the peoples living in the remoteAfrican bush also provides a way for these often disenfranchised indigenous peoples to supplement their traditional ways of life, which depend on grazing and hunting animals, to receive goods and services they must now purchase as their lands are shrinking due totheir misappropriation to outside interests. Cultural visits help ensure the physical survival and cultural preservation of these indigenous peoples. Forwestern visitors encountering pre-modern peoples throughwell designed but non-choreographed interactive activities, it allows for the development of relationships between guests and hosts. This contributes to a heightened awareness of the fragile interrelationship in which human and animal culturesco-exist within a bio-diverse eco-culture. It also stimulatespersonal growth that comes through personal self-discovery, questioning ones cultural assumptions, and increasestolerance between people of different backgrounds. At the end of a Zinga African Safari, travels guests have an enhanced appreciation of the natural world while having a relaxed, enriched, pleasurable, and aesthetic vacation experience. I invite you to join me during your time in East Africa. Check out Zinga African Safaris on Facebook, “Liking” posts and Sharing posts with friends andview the Zinga website www.zgaafricansafaris.com .You can also e-mail me atken.zingaficansafaris@gmail.com or kenfirestone7@gmail.com or cal 1-800-475-9204. Wishing you all the best during your volunteer work through IVHQ! Ken

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