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Mondisti

Safaris

Like many folks, we like to use the word safari to mean more than just an African wildlife experience. Known since the 1800’s as a Swahili word, safari did originate from the Arabic expression سفر which means to journey. At Mondisti, we use it in that sense, to journey around our planet to experience wildlife and their special destinations, from polar bears in the tundra to pythons in Amazon jungles to big cats in Zambia.

Amazon River cruise – from Peru or Brazil?

When planning an Amazon river cruise, one important consideration is which country do you choose? Peru or Brazil? We chose Peru over Brazil for our Amazon River cruise. The main reason is that the. . . . .

Avoiding Crowds on a Serengeti-Mara Safari

The great wildebeest migration spectacle is unlike other safaris because of the huge numbers of animals, but sometimes it seems the tourists outnumber the animals. Visitor estimates during the 2018. . . . .

Borneo fishing village

Borneo-houseboat cruise

Borneo – houseboat or lodge The best way to see Borneo is on the water. We debated a water only tour or a combination of hotel and houseboat. In the end, we opted for the water only option as. . . . .

Botswana Safaris – The Gem of Africa

Botswana is known as the Gem of Africa because it is the world’s top diamond producer (by value of diamonds; Russia is the top producer by volume). Botswana is also a gem for safari. . . . .

Churchill, Manitoba – polar bear tour

Although Churchill, Manitoba is not technically in the Arctic (the Arctic Circle is 66.6 degrees latitude, while Churchill is 59 degrees latitude), polar bears have long gathered. . . . .

Tanzania, Serengeti, male lion feeding time

How Weather Affects the Serengeti-Mara Migration

The Maasai Mara National Reserve and the Serengeti National Park are part of the same continuous ecosystem, which extends from southern Kenya into northern Tanzania. The ecosystem has 2 or 3 seasons. . . . .

Nairobi, Kenya, downtown view

Nairobi, Kenya – East Africa’s Safari Capital

Kenya’s main tourism attractions are safari tours, and sun—sea—sand resorts on its coast, and many tourists combine both in a single trip. Nairobi is Kenya’s capital, and as the title. . . . .

India safari, Bandhavgarh, gaur

Nepal Safari – in search of the Elusive Tiger

A safari experience in Nepal (Chitwan or Bardia) is very different than India (see our post on Indian safaris). Many travelers want to know which country to visit if they want to see tigers, India or. . . . .

Planning Your First African Safari Vacation [2020]

 “I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy.” Ernest Hemingway What are the variables that go into planning an amazing safari vacation, and how to choose from all. . . . .

Safari in India: The Big Five plus One

The goal of many safari goers on an African safari is to see the Big 5. Although India does not have the range of species one can see on the plains of Africa, it does have its own version. . . . .

South Africa, Sabi Sand, Mondisti Author in jeep

South Africa – The big five in four days

For those Mondisti looking to experience the ‘Big Five‘ in the least amount of time, South Africa should be at the top of your list. See our posts on Botwana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia for. . . . .

Zambia, Busanga Plains, Lion fight

The Serengeti-Mara Great Migration

The holy grail of African safaris is the great wildebeest migration that takes place each year in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem of Tanzania and Kenya. This post describes some of what we learned while. . . . .

Zambia – Safaris – five takeaways

Many tourists only associate Zambia with Victoria Falls, and that’s exactly what makes Zambia safaris so attractive, there are no crowds! In this post we describe the three main safari. . . . .