Holden Safaris

08/20/2024

An Oxymoron? Take a Safari for Your Health! -

For most people, Africa is synonymous with disease, pestilence, and every bug under the sun that can bite!   Nothing could be further from the truth.   In the early days of the British Empire, anyone sickly in England was advised to emigrate to Africa, and other British Colonies, where the sun sho...

07/10/2024

“What’s in a Name?” Tracking or Trekking? -

“What’s in a name?” So wrote the famous playwright William Shakespeare in his play Romeo and Juliet.   Shakespeare was referring to a rose, making the point that if the rose was called by any other name it would still be a rose, and its fragrance smell just the same.   Not so in the safari b...

06/03/2024

So You Thought you Knew South Africa! -

South Africa has been called many names, among them, “The Rainbow Nation," coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, to draw attention to South Africa’s many races and cultures.   And similarly, the southernmost tip of the African continent has been known by different names, among them, “The Cape of...

05/02/2024

The Pre-Departure Call – What a Concept! -

We’ve all heard the refrain, “Time is Money” – keep time spent on tasks to a minimum.    At Holden Safaris we believe in doing the exact opposite!   The more time we spend answering and understanding each individual safari inquiry and request, the better the outcome.   We start with what...

04/10/2024

“Going someplace else ... is a beautiful thing." -

“Going someplace else …. is a beautiful thing” is a quote attributed to Conan O’Brien introducing his upcoming travel series on Max, “Conan O’Brien Must Go”.

03/14/2024

On Safari with Holden Safaris February 2024 -

“The Africa trip was a grand odyssey that unfolded over the course of several days, weaving through the diverse landscapes and rich cultures of Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar.

02/15/2024

Africa 2024: "A Life Changing Experience" -

12/13/2023

Leaping out of 2023 into Leap Year 2024! -

11/02/2023

“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!” -

10/11/2023

Cape to Cairo - Five Journeys - One Safari -

07/13/2023

Far from the Madding Crowd in Namibia -

06/12/2023

Cape Town: A Coming Together of Who’s Who in the Safari Industry -

06/08/2023

https://mailchi.mp/1f7bcc76c016/eight-days-traveling-on-the-surface-of-the-moon

06/07/2023

Eight Days Traveling on the Surface of the Moon -

04/11/2023

A Journey Back in Time -

02/10/2023

Use a Custom Safari to Experiencewhat Others Don’t! -

10/30/2021

Time to Travel! Its sometimes said that you should go on safari only at certain times of the year if you want to see Africa’s wildlife! Not true! Game viewing in Africa is superb regardless of the season, and now that travel has resumed and the number of flights into southern and east Africa has increased, planning your once in a lifetime safari is a whole lot easier.
When you travel on safari during rainy seasons or to destinations where food is plentiful all year round and life is relatively easy for the animals, you will see many baby animals - from the cutest elephant calves covered in ginger fuzz who are so unsure of what to do with their trunks at first and will often suck on them in the same way a human baby sucks its thumb - to cuddly playful lion and cheetah cubs, baby monkeys and baboons who cling fiercely to their mothers, warthog babies running in a straight line following their mom with their tails standing straight up – such exciting and heart-warming experiences.
Contact Jim at our Holden Safaris Newport Beach CA office, who will personally take care of you in planning your safari from beginning to end, and make sure you, your family and friends have a truly memorable experience.
Lion cub image credit: Derek Keats

09/22/2021

Today we celebrate World Rhino Day - to acknowledge and appreciate a species that has weathered much ecological turmoil and upheaval over many millions of years, and say thank you to all the people and organizations dedicated to the protection of these amazing creatures. When you are on safari with Holden Safaris in East or Southern Africa - home to the white and black rhinos (2 of the 5 different rhino species) - you visit wildlife reserves where you can watch these animals in the wild and see how they behave in their natural environment. The video post, filmed in the Kruger National Park South Africa - which is one of the wildlife reserves our clients visit when in South Africa- shows a baby white rhino who, with much courage (fortified by mom), is greeting dad who really doesn’t seem to be too interested! See how mom is always close by to protect her baby.
Video credit: Harry Mateman.

06/08/2021

Today is World Oceans Day – a day to appreciate the wonders and importance of the ocean, and to protect and safeguard the health of aquatic animals, plants and inevitably humans. As the experts say, the oceans are currently under threat – what with climate change, plastic pollution, overfishing, destruction of marine parks and fisheries subsidies. A recent Netflix documentary “Seaspiracy” sheds light on a wide array of important issues and the impact on sea life and the oceans. It certainly has created public attention!

Oceans cover 70% of the earth’s surface, and In the words of renowned oceanographer Syliva Earle – “With every drop of water we drink, every breath we take, we’re connected to the seas. No matter where on Earth we live. Most of the oxygen in the atmosphere is generated by the seas”.
So when you are on safari with Holden Safaris in east or southern Africa, and experience the wonders of life in the ocean - whether it’s the African penguins at Boulders Beach in the Cape, or the breaching of the humpback whales along the coast of South Africa, or whether you sitting on a dhow sipping cocktails enjoying a sunset cruise off the coast of Kenya, or snorkeling in the waters of the Seychelles, we appreciate the need to continually protect and preserve this majestic and mystical ocean environment and all its creatures.

05/20/2021

Today is World Bee Day, when we celebrate another species, with whom we share the planet. Once again we are made to realize how we are all connected, and depend on one another. Bees are the earth's pollinators, helping to produce many of the foods we eat, such as nuts, fruits and vegetables. Bees are also being used in Africa to help keep elephants out of vegetable gardens, as explained in the video below. So next time you see a bee buzzing around you, sit still and let it go on its way, it's not trying to sting you, just doing the important business of pollination. Safari Jim.

05/19/2021

National Endangered Species Day is Friday this week when attention is drawn to wildlife conservation initiatives and the restoration of natural resources. One of the best ways to contribute towards wildlife conservation, is to take a safari to Africa, as the safari camps visited on a safari are all heavily involved and vested in wildlife conservation. Set aside time to watch the video below of my Fireside Chat with Cynthia Moss, an American who has devoted her life to the study of elephant behavior in the Amboseli National Park in Kenya. Cynthia and her colleagues in wildlife conservation are always happy to meet with Holden Safaris clients to talk about wildlife conservation. Safari Jim.

04/25/2021

Today is World Penguin Day when we celebrate penguins but especially the so called Jackass Penguins, who've chosen to live in Cape Town, South Africa rather than in Antarctica. Although Cape Town is a more congenial place than Antarctica, the penguins habitat is threatened by human development, as us humans also find Cape Town to be a pleasant place to live. We need to heed Sir David Attenborough's advice, when he says we should share the planet more equitably with our fellow creatures, as it takes all species to maintain our different climatic zones and weather patterns. We're all in a symbiotic relationship, relying on each other for equilibrium to balance the forces of nature. Safari Jim.

04/22/2021

Today is Earth Day with the theme of “Restore our Earth”. The video below, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, has scenes filmed in Africa during covid shutdowns, with Jackass Penguins strutting their stuff around town in Cape Town, a Leopard strolling down a covered walkway, and other animals all reveling in their new found freedom to roam where they want, without any interference from us humans. It’s a timely reminder, as Sir David Attenborough pointed out in a separate interview with Greta Thunberg, that we need to “give up a share of the planet” where we have taken too much for ourselves and deprived animals of their share. What do you think? Please leave a comment below. Safari Jim.

04/15/2021

Who doesn't love elephants? I took this video of these gentle giants with their babies while in Kenya a few years ago. This Friday is Save the Elephant Day! I can't wait to go back on safari and spend relaxing time in the wide open spaces and watch the elephants. Holden Safaris creates safaris to suit your interests. What do you look forward to seeing on safari?

04/06/2021

Here's a video from our friends at Angama Safari Lodge, situated on the site used to film the movie Out of Africa, in the world famous Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, of a dramatic river crossing by a herd of zebras. When viewed, peacefully grazing on the grass plains of the Masai Mara, a zebra's life looks idyllic, until you see a video like this showing how a zebra has to risk its life, when deciding to swim across a river crawling with crocodiles. Watch how the crocodiles are in no hurry to pick their target, lazily watching the zebras scramble across the river as fast as they can. Maybe it's the crocodiles that lead an idyllic life, with no shortage of food right on their doorstep. Perhaps that's why crocodiles are little changed from the time when dinosours roamed the earth! On a safari with Holden Safaris, observing a river crossing of zebras and wildebeest in the Masai Mara, is an experience to remember. Safari Jim.

04/04/2021

Do you think the lion in the video below might be on an Easter Egg Hunt? The video was taken at dawn today, on Easter Sunday, in the Nairobi National Park, a gem of a Park, often overlooked, with four of the Big Five (no elephants) and many different antelope, amongst other species of Africa's wildlife. Some residents of Nairobi, living in the suburb of Karen, named after Karen von Blixen, author of Out of Africa, are lucky enough to have a special pass, issued by the Kenya Wildlife Authority, allowing them to take a short cut through the Park, on their way to their offices every morning. You can imagine some of the reasons given for being late to the office; "I was held up by lions!" Holden Safaris often arranges for a safari to start with a leisurely drive through the Nairobi National Park on arrival in Kenya, as a way to acclimatize and become orientated to Africa, before heading out to some of the bigger surrounding National Parks, after a flight from the USA. Safari Jim.

03/16/2021

A Safari Hide is another way to observe Africa's unique wildlife up close and personal, and in complete safety, while on a safari, hidden in an underground enclosure, situated conveniently overlooking a waterhole, where wildlife comes to drink and frolick. The video below is taken from a hide, observing a family of elephants visiting a waterhole, while those in the hide sip on their favorite beverages, and nibble on bar snacks, taking in the grandeur of Africa. When planning a safari, ask about staying at a safari lodge that has a "Hide", from which to observe wildlife in comfortable surroundings, and complete safety. Safari Jim.