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Africa 2014

The Africa 2014 trip was a complete success with many amazing highlights and wonderful lifetime memories. 

Into the Virunga mountains of Rwanda we trekked to visit the mountain gorillas. We were lucky enough to come upon our group very quickly and with minimal hiking. The gorillas we visited were the Hirwa group. There were 18 of these amazing creatures varying from babies, to infants, juvenile twins, and adults with a large Silverback in charge of the group. We were able to stand as close as 10ft away from this amazing animals and watch there interactions. 

After a few days in Rwanda we travelled to Amboseli national park, at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro where we saw hyenas, giraffes, zebras, gazelle, Impala, dik dik, and more. Some of the highlights were juveniles elephants playing at a watering hole and watching a spitting cobra eating a common African house snake. 

After our few days in Amboseli we travelled to the Maasai Mara which was a truly amazing experience. Aside from Impala, Topi, Gazelle, and all the usual game animals we managed to see tons of Lions, 4 Leopards, and Cheetahs on the hunt. We were lucky enough to see lions mating, an impala being born, and a mass zebra river crossing of the Mara River. This only happens twice a year so it was a real treat and what you would only normally see on National Geographic as the Crocs were taking the Zebra as they crossed. 

After having an awe inspiring time with gorillas and an unbelievable safari we carried on to Zanzibar. The spice island never fails to impress with its ancient cobblestone streets, warm azure Indian ocean, and pristine coral reefs. The group dove every day on the beautiful reefs with lots of reef fish, nudibranch, turtles, rays, Moray eels and a few sharks. The conditions were fantastic which lead to lots of happy divers. 

All in all it was an incredible trip of a lifetime and we are looking forward to our trip back in September 2015 when we will be visiting lake Manyara, the Serengeti, and the Ngorogoro crater before returning to Zanzibar for some spectacular diving! 

Here's what some of our Africa explorers had to say about our 2014 trip: 
Paul and Kristen really know how to plan a vacation! 

I left a little earlier and flew into Kilimanjaro where I spent the first week of my vacation climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. The guides and porters that were booked for me were amazing! I was able to complete the six-day trek up the Machame Route and down the Mweka Route through beautiful vistas of rainforests, moorland, alpine desert, and glacial regions. The amazing views came frequently - from looking up to the peaks or down to the valleys and rolling hills below. It was an amazing experience… but it was only the first part of the trip! 

After climbing the mountain, I met up with the rest of the group to go on our safaris in Amboseli and Maasai Mara. Amboseli had frequent sightings of elephants, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, hyena, and so much more. Maasai Mara topped that with frequent lion sightings, four leopard sightings, and multiple cheetah sightings. The camps were complete luxury and it was amazing to see so many stars in the sky at night. 

And finally we headed to Zanzibar for the final week. The diving was beautiful with many sightings of eels, turtles, barracuda, and many other beautifully colored wildlife. I even got the chance to swim with dolphins during a surface interval. The resort was wonderful and the meals were spectacular – I especially enjoyed the breakfast buffets. 

If you want to go to Africa – whether to climb Kilimanjaro, go on safari, or dive the reefs – you should definitely go with Seminole Scuba! 

By Ryan M
This was my second safari with Seminole Scuba. The first one was so great that I was eager to do it again and then they offered gorillas so there was no stopping me from signing up! Someone asked me if it was redundant and my response was "No way, I wish I could go again in September!" 

Every detail is meticulously thought out and well executed. Yes, there is a schedule however that is to ensure that you get the most out of your holiday! The camps and accommodations are great and I think I gained weight on the trip from all of the fabulous meals. 

Words don't begin to describe the beauty and richness of the countries I have visited with Kristen and Paul. The people, animals and landscapes of Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and Zanzibar should be experienced first hand with people who have experience living and working there and who continue to maintain positive relationships with reputable tour companies and resorts. 

Thanks for a lovely trip! - Julie
My trip to Africa in 2014 will definitely not be my last with Seminole Scuba. I first contacted Paul and Kristen a year and a half before the trip after finding their shop online. From my first conversation with them they were friendly, fun, and professional. They made sure everyone on the trip was well informed and prepared for the trip, even providing safari guide books for each of us. By the time I finally met them in Nairobi it felt like meeting up with old friends. The trip was a blast. Paul and Kristen really know how to plan every detail of a trip while making it all seem easy. The hotels, camps and resorts we stayed in were all wonderful and had obviously been well researched. They are very experienced travelers with extensive knowledge of Africa. We saw so much more than I expected all for an extremely reasonable price. Paul and Kristen are so much fun to travel with and I can’t wait to join another Seminole Scuba trip.

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