We are back from another safe and successful Africa adventure. Congratulations to a great crew: Mike Crafts, Brittany Szalkiewicz, Joey Szalkiewicz, Joe Szalkiewicz! Thanks to Kym Szalkiewicz for joining us on safari too!!
Our adventure started with Mt. Kenya on June 10-17, 2010. Check previous blog entries for this amazing seven day journey through some very remote and wild country. This was a truly unforgettable experience and a place we look forward to visiting again soon!
We then headed to Tanzania for our climb of Kilimanjaro June 21-27, 2010. We were blessed with excellent weather for climbing. Our summit day was clear and windless. A great time was had by all and we were once again 100% successful reaching the summit and returning safely.
Summit of Kilimanjaro June 26, 2010 at 7:30 AM
Returning to our hotel in Moshi we then started on a 5-day game viewing safari on June 28. We visited Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti. We saw a vast array of wildlife including all of the Big 5: Lion, Cape Buffalo, Rhino, Leopard, and Elephant. We also took a balloon ride over the Serengeti, which turned into one of the highlights of the trip. We saw the wildlife and scenery from a unique vantage point then landed for a gourmet breakfast on the Serengeti plains. If all of this wasn’t enough to make for the trip of a lifetime we also had the honor of a chance meeting with Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, the president of Tanzania!!
Lioness and her cub in the Serengeti
Zebras congregating hear a watering hole
Black Faced Vervet Monkey mother and baby in the Ngorongoro Crater
Bull elephant in Lake Manyara National Park
Stork
Lioness in the Serengeti
Hot Air Balloon Ride over the Serengeti on July 1
Breakfast table on the Serengeti after a memorable hot air balloon ride.
From left to right: Kym Szalkiewicz, Brittany Szalkiewicz, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, Kurt Wedberg, Joey Szalkiewicz, Joe Szalkiewicz
Thanks to everybody for a truly memorable experience. For those following our blog we invite you to join us on a future trip to East Africa. As past participants will attest we run a very special trip to this part of the world. The combination of climbing on equally remote and famous terrain plus seeing some of the most exotic wildlife on our planet up close and personal make this an unforgettable adventure like no other!
All the pictures are uploaded to our photo gallery pages. Here are links to the albums:
Mt. Kenya June 10-17, 2010: http://kurtwedbergphotography.com/International-Expeditions/Africa/Mt-Kenya-June-2010/12592128_aHzKX#904439876_Bozqc
Kilimanjaro June 21-27, 2010: http://kurtwedbergphotography.com/International-Expeditions/Africa/Kilimanjaro-June-21-27-2010/12795325_FXkWp#922560822_j65xD
Safari June 28 – July 2: http://kurtwedbergphotography.com/International-Expeditions/Africa/Safari-June-28-July-2-2010/12813849_j6LEK#923967845_AkY7v