WJaekel
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 p.15 #5 · African safari talk...recommendations? | |
Thank you all for your comments and replies so far !
As for precautions against Malaria it's very helpful to know that you all take Malarone. So that's the way to go. I will generally talk to a tropical doctor, of course, for individual advices and adjustments, too. From what I read, a yellow card (yellow fever vacc) is not required for Tanzania unless you enter from a country where this disease is common.
Of course, I didn't expect any information and insights of Lufthansa and the current domestic chaos from you foreign travelers. My comment was primarily related to the negative reports on LH posted here, and I wanted to say that we never had a problem with this airline in the past. However, I wasn't sure whether the enforcement of weight limits for carry-on luggage and rules generally have become even stricter after the pandemic, due to cost-savings strategies, reduction of ground staff etc. So it's good to know that you had no problems with KLM or US airlines, at least. Our backpacks (Gura Gear Bataflae 32L and older Tamrac Expedition 9X) are large, of course, but not that huge either. A 600m II with the lens hood in reversed position and some smaller staff will just fit in the Tamrac and the 200-400 mounted on the camera plus additiional gear fit in the Bataflae). Both bags fit well into the overhead compartments. Nevertheless, we always tried to "disguise" the weight and thus avoid special attention at the check-ins. That doesn't help if weight control becomes mandatory, of course.
Since our flights already are booked now with the Swiss companies "Helvetic Airways" from Stuttgart to Zurich, continuing with "Edelweiss Air" to JRO , though, I keep my fingers crossed that there will be no trouble either. It's just FYI, because most of you probably don't know the Swiss companies, of course but our return flights are operated by Lufthansa again
Regarding smaller airplains, I will have to wait for the information from the (US !) tour operator who will arrange the air transfers in Tanzania, too. It's an organized photo safari for 11 photogs at maximum who certainly bring a lot of gear including long lenses, too. So I'm presently less concerned about trouble on the smaller airplains. Maybe I'm wrong here.
I know that there's absolutely no guarantee of seeing the crossing and that it changes every year. I also would definetely prefer to stay away from the crowds and maybe lots of tourist vans and photogs who eventually compete for the best viewpoints. On the other hand, since they offered the extension of the main trip to Masai Mara and I don't know if I can go there again, it would be quite disappointing to miss the event if it actually happens. So we decided to join that extension trip at the end of October.
I'm still undecided to bring the 600mm II or 400mm II additionally to the zooms mentioned in my previous post. It's not that much a difference of weight between the two. So it depends on the light conditions, distance to wildlife (eventually to some birds, too) and chances of isolating the subjects. Bob seems to vote for the 400mm, other posters on previous pages of this thread went with the 600mm. I agree that it's a personal decision in the end, of course. But since it's my first trip to Tanzania, I don't know the circumstances there to come to a conclusion, that's why I was asking. Of course it can be nice to capture some closer wildlife with the iphone, too. However, this wasn't my focus with regard to the long lenses.
Thank you again so far and best regards
Wolfgang
www.wjaekel-foto.de
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