Abana Safaris | Kenya Safaris video

Our Founder & CEO, Regina Kirimi

Regina is a professional tour operator, with over 10yrs experience in the industry.  Very passionate about travel and letting the world know about the wonders of our globe. It is with this passion that she  established AbanaSafaris to simplify travel round the world just like our vision states. She imparts knowledge to business people, tourists,  students, short trip missionaries and many more on how to make a positive impact to the community and the environment through travel!  

Regina believes that everyone is a tourist in their own rights, the difference is the distance.  Her vision is to demystify the notion that people travel when they have excess money to spare. Hence, Abana Safaris came up with a savings plan that helps anyone willing to save for their holiday in small bits as well as get financing for holidays, and emergency travels.  With this she started group tours to enable people save on travel costs while having the same experience because of group discounts. 1000s of people have benefited through these trips to various countries.

With her wide range of exposure and travel to various countries round all continents, she is able to address various travel needs and give relevant advise on the best places for holiday or business. Regina believes that once you travel, the experience should change you or at least your business must get to another level.

Abana Safaris puts up packages that help people with the small travels hassles like visa applications, travel insurance, ticket bookings, transportation, accommodation, cargo and freight managements and much more.  This helps people relax during planning as well as on the safari.

She is passionate about giving back to the community and we have a list of Foundations and children's home that we work with to support either the people or conservation efforts.

Our team has been impacted by her and we exist to grow a populace of travelers round the globe mindful of sustainable tourism.  Change starts with me, change begins with you 

With Abana you just don't travel, we care about you, we care about the future.  Go green!

buffallos

                 

The African, or Cape, buffalo is a member of the so-called "Big Five" group of animals, with the elephant, rhino, lion and leopard. Once popular trophies for hunters, these large and often dangerous animals have continued to capture the imagination. Buffaloes have earned a bad reputation from hunters and other people who come in close contact with them. They are unpredictable and can be dangerous if cornered or wounded. Though they have been known to ambush men and are often accused of deliberate savagery, they are usually placid if left alone.

There is only one genus and one species of buffalo in Africa, but this single species has two different types: the large savanna buffalo and the much smaller dwarf forest buffalo. There are also several intermediate types. The buffaloes found in the forests of Kenya and Tanzania are the savanna type, however, and not the true forest buffalo, which occurs only in West Africa.

Physical Characteristics
Savanna buffaloes are large, heavy cowlike animals. They vary greatly not only in size, but in the shapes of their horns and color. Adults are usually dark gray or black (or even look red or white if they have been wallowing in mud of that color) and the young are often reddish-brown. The smaller forest buffalo maintains the red color even as an adult, although in western Uganda, many savanna buffaloes are also red or pale orange instead of black. Adults lose hair as they age.
Both male and female buffaloes have heavy, ridged horns that grow straight out from the head or curve downward and then up. The horns are formidable weapons against predators and for jostling for space within the herd; males use the horns in fights for dominance.

Habitat
Both savanna buffaloes and forest buffaloes live close to water. In general buffaloes are found throughout the northern and southern savanna as well as the lowland rain forest.

Behavior
Buffaloes can live in herds of a few hundred, but have been known to congregate in thousands in the Serengeti during the rainy season. The females and their offspring make up the bulk of the herd. Males may spend much of their time in bachelor groups. These groups are of two types, those that contain males from 4 to 7 years of age and those that have males 12 years and older. The older bulls often prefer to be on their own. Males do not reach their full weight until about age 10. After this, however, their body weight and condition decline, probably because the teeth become worn.
Sight and hearing are both rather poor, but scent is well developed in buffaloes. Although quiet for the most part, the animals do communicate. In mating seasons they grunt and emit hoarse bellows. A calf in danger will bellow mournfully, bringing herd members running at a gallop to defend it.

Diet
Food sources play more of an important role than predation in regulating buffalo numbers. Without fresh green feed, buffaloes lose condition faster than other savanna ungulates, and so death is often due to malnutrition.
Grass forms the greatest part of the savanna buffalo's diet, although at certain times of the year browse plants other than grass is also consumed. Buffaloes spend more time feeding at night than during the day. They seem to have a relatively poor ability to regulate body temperature and remain in the shade for long periods of time in the heat of the day, or wallow in mud.

Caring for the Young
Females have their first calves at age 4 or 5. They usually calve only once every two years. Although young may be born throughout the year, most births occur in the rainy season when abundant grass improves the nutritional level for the females when they are pregnant or nursing. The female and her offspring have an unusually intense and prolonged relationship. Calves are suckled for as long as a year and during this time are completely dependent on their mothers. Female offspring usually stay in the natal herd, but males leave when they are about 4 years old.

Predators
If attacked, the adults in the herd form a circle around the young and face outward. By lowering their heads and presenting a solid barrier of sharp horns, it is difficult for predators to seize a calf. This effective group defense even allows blind and crippled members of the herd to survive. Thus predators do not have a major impact on buffalo herds; it is the old, solitary-living males that are most likely to be taken by lions.
Outside the national parks in East Africa, buffaloes frequently come into conflict with human interests. They break fences and raid cultivated crops and may spread bovine diseases to domestic stock. They are still numerous in many parts of East Africa, even though they have been periodically devastated by the rinderpest virus. In other areas of Africa, buffaloes have been eliminated or their numbers greatly reduced.

Did you know?

• The African buffalo differs from the domesticated water buffalo found in other parts of the world, although they both superficially resemble one another.
• The buffalo is one of the most abundant of Africa's large herbivores. It depends on water and does not live in regions with less than 10 inches of rain a year.

Abana World Safaris : facts about the wolves

Abana World Safaris : facts about the wolves: Wolf Information, Anatomy, Feeding, Reproduction, Habitat and Wolf Top Facts about Wolves The alpha male and beta female are gene...

facts about the wolves

Wolf Information, Anatomy, Feeding, Reproduction, Habitat and Wolf

Top Facts about Wolves

• The alpha male and beta female are generally the only two in a pack of wolves that will mate.
• The entire pack of wolves is responsible for the care of the young.

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The average lifespan of a wolf in the wild is from 6 to 8 years. However, in captivity they can live up to 16 years. They don’t seem to have a problem adjusting to life in captivity. Most of the locations where they are kept try to keep the habitat as natural as they possibly can for them. It is illegal in many areas to sell the pelts of the wolf. However, they were once worth a great deal of money and some still circulate on the 

black market Conservation

Introduction to Wolves

Wolves are a class of the canine family, and they seem to do very well in the right environment. In fact, they are the largest of all canines with exception of some dog species. They are meat eaters and can range in size considerably depending on where they live. Some of them are only about 55 pounds full grown while others can be up to 200 pounds. They can range in size from 40 to 65 inches in length. Such a measurement is from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail.

They have long gotten a bad reputation out there in the wild. They are very intelligent animals that live in groups that are known as packs. They have thick fur to help them survive in a variety of climates. They are found to live in many places throughout the Northern Hemisphere. However, the amount of roaming space that they have continues to get smaller all the time.

Wolves live in small groups that are called packs. They can have from 6 to 20 members in them at a time. They have a very large range that they cover from 33 to 6,200 km2. They hunt as a group which makes it possible for them to take down large prey such as moose and elk. This type of kill helps to ensure there is plenty of food to go around for the entire pack.

Other than hunting to eat, wolves are usually not aggressive. However, they will fight other animals and even other wolves in order to protect their pack. This is where the stories often come in of wolves being violent killers. Right now the biggest threat is to them and not to other animals or humans. The reduction of their habitat has created a great deal of hardship for the wolves.

travel with abana safaris today and  get to know more about the wolves.

WILD DOGS

  The African wild dog also called cape hunting dog or painted dog.It inhibits the sparse  woodlands of  the sub- Saharan Africa.The long -legged canine have only four toes per foot unlike the other dogs which have five on their forefeet.The dogs Latin word means,"painted wolf" referring to the animals mottled coat,which features white ,black, brown,red and yellow fur.Each animal has its own unique  pattern for its coat and all have big rounded ears.

            African dogs live in packs  which are dominated by a monogamous breeding pair.The female has a litter of 2 to 20 pups which are taken care of by the pack.This dogs are very social they are ford of sharing food and assisting ill members.They communicate by touch ,actions and vocalization.
 They hunt in groups  of 6 to 20 thus being the  best hunters in the world of all the animals.They hunt antelopes and will tackle much larger prey like wildebeest.They supplement there diet with rodents and birds.

As human settlement as expanded the dogs have developed a taste for livestock ,though significant damage is rare.Unfortunately they are hunted and killed by farmers  who fear for their domestic animals.Travel with Abana safaris  and you will get to explore your world and what it consist of in terms of wildlife

The Mountain Gorilla

The mountain gorilla  (Gorilla beringei beringei) is one of the two sub species of the eastern gorilla, found in the Viruga Volcanic Mountains of central Africa and Bwindi impenetrable national park in Uganda

The mountain gorilla is a critically endangered species discovered in 1902 its population has endured years of war, uncontrolled hunting, capture for the illegal pet trade, habitat destruction and diseases that it was once  thought that the species would become extinct in the same year it was discovered. Through conservation measures put in place and intense monitoring of the creatures since the 1950's the numbers are believed to be slowly increasing from an estimate of 600 individuals in 1980's to just over 880 individuals in the present day.

The fur of the mountain Gorilla is normally thicker and longer than that of other Gorilla species, this is a trait that enables it to live in much colder areas. It also has longer jaws and teeth but with slightly shorter arms than the lowland gorilla. One can identify different gorillas through there nose prints which are unique to every individual. Adult male gorillas have an average weight of 200 kgs  and usually weigh half as much as the females with an average weight of 100 kgs. At about 13 years of age male mountain gorillas start growing there distinctive silver colored hair on there back. The mountain gorillas are most active from 0600 hrs to 1800 hrs and most of its time is spent feeding, they feed on fruits, leaves, roots and vines. Every evening they makes a new nest from the surrounding vegetation to sleep in, only infants sleep in the same nests as there mothers.

They are highly social with groups of form 5 to 30 individuals, there groups are known as troops. About 60% of the groups are lead by one dominant silver back with several females,  about 36% contain several adult males and the remainder is composed of lone males and exclusive male groups. The dominant silverback determine the movement of the group leading them to appropriate feeding sites, settling disputes in the group, protecting the group from any external threats. If a mother dies in a group the silverback takes care of the offspring that the mother has left. Some silverbacks are well experienced and are capable of removing snare traps from feet and hands of there group members. Although strong and powerful gorillas are generally gentle and shy except when disturbed. The have 25 distinct vocalizations that are used to communicate among est groups. Gorillas are also known for there fear of certain reptiles.

This magnificent creatures still face serious threats like poaching, destruction of there habitats and diseases. You can join in conservation activities through buying the gorilla permits any time you travel and other efforts by various organization that are about conservation and support the activities like Abana safaris.   See some exciting Rwanda and Uganda gorilla tracking itineraries and Special offers. 

 

                                          

The Mountain Bongo in Kenya

The mountain Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci) is one of the largest forest antelopes found in Africa. The Mountain Bongo is found in Kenya in the Abadares forest reserve, Mt Kenya forest and the Mau forest. It is one of the most endangered of the antelope species with a high number in captivity as compared to the wild. This is due to destruction of its habitat through human encroachment illegal logging, poaching, predators like the Leopards, spotted hyenas and pythons. 

The mountain Bongo normally lives in high altitude forested areas. It is a herbivorous browser, feeds on tree and bush leaves, tree barks. The mountain bongo has been noted to feed on charcoal from burnt trees. This has been attributed to the need of salt in its diet. It is also known to visit natural salt licks in search of salt. In the Aberdares National park, its frequents the watering holes and salt lick around Treetops Lodge, Serena Mountain Lodge and the Ark Lodge.  

The bongo is chestnut brown,  with a series of white flank stripes. It has a poor sense of smell hence its distinctive bright coat color helps the Bongos identify one another in the dark forest environment. Its large ears sharpen its hearing ability and has long twisted permanent horns in both males and females. The horns can grow to about a meter long with the female horns being smaller than those of the male. It runs gracefully at full speed through dense vegetation with its horns laying on its back so as not to get tangled in the vegetation and impend its flight. Despite its bold appearance the bongo is a very shy creature that stays out of sight in the cover of the forest during the day. The female adult Bongo ways an average of 200kgs while the adult male can way up to 400kgs.

Bongos rarely stay in group. The male bongo (bull) tends to be solitary while the females with there young live in groups of 6 - 8. has a gestation period of about 9.5 months gives birth to a single calf. Once it gives birth the calf stays hidden for a week or more while the mother pays it visits so as to suckle.it reaches maturity at 24-27 months of age. 

The rare species is near extinction. Lets join hands and save this critically endangered  antelope. Every time you travel with Abana Safaris you help save wonderful antelope. Lets join hands and conserve it for the future! 

Facts About Abana Safaris

Thinking of Abana Safaris and am sure you are wondering who are they, what do they know, how do they do it and stuff like that. We are here to off load all the info that you need to  know about us or on safari. keep on checking this wonderful page to give you interesting updates about the travel world.
You may be a follower of Africa Travel Blogger that show case various cultures, safaris ad much more. We are here to show you the how.

Why do we use the bongo as our symbol animal?
 The Mountain bongo is rare to find in the wild and can only be found in Kenya. Its critically endangered. This means the kind of services we offer are rare to find with other travel agencies. We know it and we do it the best and in the most professional way!

Why the name Abana?
Its Biblical! Abana is a river in Damascus Israel. What better way to describe us than reading
2 Kings 5:12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?

Vision
Simplifying travel while growing a populace of travelers mindful of sustainable tourism!

Mission: 
To serve the world through tours and travels, that focuses on the future, making maximum benefits today.

Our Core values help us serve you better every day. 

• Integrity 
• Professionalism 
• Flexibility 

Customer Service Promise

• Best rates
• Reliability
• Hustle and hassle free travel