Naturetrek Newsletter

Much of the moisture that finds its way into Namibia does so infrequently and unpredictably. Namibia is thus a dry country in which low and variable rainfalls are normal, and droughts are frequent and to be expected.

Sossusvlei lies in Namibia's beautiful Namib Naukluft Park and is situated in a valley formed by the highest sand dunes in the world, reaching heights of 300 metres! The marvelous beauty of the vlei with its dunes and ancient camel-thorn trees more than amply rewards those who journey there. When conditions are favourable, however, and the vlei has water in it, gemsbok and springbok make regular appearances and various water birds, particularly flamingos gather here to provide unforgettable scenes.

Massive cloudbursts have caused the Tsauchab River to come down in flood and reach the vlei at Sossusvlei for the first time in five years. The Tsauchab River in the Sossusvlei area was running at a record high on Saturday 25 February 2006, with tons of water sure to follow.

This phenomenon occurs only once, maybe twice in a lifetime and the following Naturetrek tours provide the perfect opportunity of witnessing this spectnatural wonder:

Namibia Mammals*
26th May - 4th June 2006 Cost: £1,395
17th - 26th November 2006 Cost: £1,395
* extensions available to SossusVlei

Namibia 's Etosha Pan & Skeleton Coast
3rd - 19th November 2006 Cost: £3,595
10th - 26th November 2006 (photographic special) Cost: £3,595

...we made a slightly earlier start with Jean Chry going ahead to spend the entire morning searching for lemurs and unusually he found nothing, but we did eventually locate a group of three Milne Edward’s Sifaka, which then disturbed a group of four Great Dwarf Lemur from their day time roost. We then watched the interaction between the two species for some time, even seeing a Sifaka knock one of the Dwarf Lemurs off a branch, only for it to land safely on another branch 15 foot below. There were also several squabbles between the Dwarf Lemurs themselves, it’s an extremely rare event to see these small lemurs active in the day time, and even our local guides had never experienced it before. It was also evidently novel for the lemurs as one came right down to within a few feet to intently scrutinize us for a while. We also heard a Henst’s Goshawk calling while all the activity was taking place . . . . .

We had a great trip with good weather: no rain at all as expected during the dry season (writes local guide Cecilia Herrera). We had lots of birds: a species total of 323 including quite a few endemics and regional endemics like Rufous-cheeked Tanager, White-tipped Quetzal, Buffy Hummingbird, Handsome Fruiteater and Venezuelan Flycatcher - all in Henri Pittier National Park. But the undoubted highlight of the trip was the endemic and endangered species rarely seen, the Northern Helmeted Curassow, thanks to the fact that we ran into a group led by Chris Sharpe while birding on the Choroni road. Chris told us where he had found a nest, so on our way back we stopped at the spot and had excellent views of a bird on the nest below eye-level just feet from the roadside. Unbelievable!

Hato Piñero, deep within the Llanos, was fantastic as always with its beautiful wildlife including lots of herons, egrets, ibises. We also saw the endemic White-bearded Flycatcher and the regional endemic Orinocan Saltator. On our first night drive we had Tropical Screech-Owl and an Ocelot!! The second night we had Spectacled Owl and on the third night great looks at 2 more Ocelots!

Kulu & Ladakh's Markha Valley
Friday 21st July – Friday 11th August 2006

A 22-day holiday, including a 10-day trek in Ladakh’s beautiful Markha Valley in search of the mammals, birds, plants and cultural aspects of Buddhist Ladakh, plus wildlife walks in the Indus and Kulu Valleys.

INDIA – FAMILY TOUR (BARGAIN BIRDWATCHING TOUR)
Saturday 21st – Sunday 29th October 2006

One aspect of India, which always impresses travellers, is the degree of love and concern that even the poorest of the people display towards their families despite the hardships of daily life. This attitude, and the fact that this ancient land has always placed cultural importance in the strength of extended family bonds – is the inspiration for this new tour which is designed to create this feeling of togetherness, and share the fun & excitement of being with your loved ones in the heart of the Indian countryside, amid a wealth of colorful and fascinating creatures. The focus of the tour is to help participants to enjoy a few of the luxuries that the north Indian sub-continent offers and at the same time introduce their families to this fascinating country, home of the Taj Mahal and the Tiger – two of the most popular attractions in the world. To do this, the tour itinerary visits Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, the ‘Pink city’ Jaipur, where you will enjoy an elephant ride to the fort, and the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. The tour additionally includes a visit to Bharatpur bird sanctuary and the picturesque deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri to complete the Indian experience.

For those of you who like to plan ahead please be aware that we are taking provisional and confirmed bookings for 2007. Although some tours do not have finalised dates it is a good idea to phone us and at least book a provisional place on your preferred holiday to avoid disappointment. Our bargain birdwatching tour to Ecuador departing January 2007 only has two remaining places and both our Galapagos and Costa Rica tours are already half full!

If you need some help in planning your wildlife holiday for 2006, join our leaders and staff at our Cheriton Mill offices for tea, coffee, cakes and expert advice on one of the Naturetrek Open Days listed below… but please do phone the office to ensure an appointment can be made for you to see the staff member best suited to discuss your interests!

Why not make a day of it – and visit some of the local nature reserves or attractive market towns and historic sites in our pretty corner of Hampshire – whilst you are in the area?

To view a list of the late availability for Naturetrek tours departing over the next couple of months, please click here. However, as things are constantly changing, we advise you to call our Cheriton Mill office on 01962 733051 to check for any amendments.

We hope you have enjoyed reading this edition of the Naturetrek e-news. If you would like some help planning a future wildlife holiday, please call or e-mail us on info@naturetrek.co.uk and we will be happy to assist you.

We are continually striving to improve our e-newsletter – any comments and feedback would be gratefully appreciated!

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For more information on any of our holidays please call us on 01962 733051