Blog - Page 6 of 144 - Sonia Marsh

How Much Does A Safari Cost?

November 17, 2018 by Sonia Marsh 1 Comment

One of the first questions I get from people I meet is, “How much does a Safari cost?”

While this is a normal question, I feel like replying with another question: “How much does a car cost?”

Obviously this depends on the car. A Kia is not the same as a Porsche. I understand why some people may be shocked at the price of a Safari, but as my friend Judy said after she got back from her first trip to Kenya:

“The most amazing trip I’ve ever been on. I plan to be on the next one. I can’t recommend it enough. Luxury mixed with adventure! What a way to go.” Judy P.

Since returning from the Peace Corps, I now design custom Safaris for my “Travel with a Purpose” Club in Laguna Woods, with Jim Holden, as my expert on Africa.

The key word here is “Custom.” My Safaris are tailored to specific themes, (for example, a writers’ retreat, a culinary Safari experience, or an elephant conservation Safari.)

I think the main reason some people balk at the price, is that they compare a Safari to places they’re familiar with. Africa cannot be compared with a vacation in Hawaii, Paris or Tuscany.

Africa is an experience, not a typical vacation.

Let me explain. One of the main reasons people travel to Africa, is to see the wildlife, especially the BIG 5.

The Wildlife:

There are several components that make a wildlife experience spectacular: the guides, and in particular their knowledge, the vehicles they use, and where they take you. The knowledge of the guides can make or break your overall Safari experience. If you travel on a budget Safari with a large group of 16 or more people, you won’t get the same level of interaction with your “personal and professional” guide as when you’re on an exclusive Safari with no more than 6-travelers per vehicle. On my Safaris, you’re able to ask many questions about the wildlife, and learn facts you didn’t know about leopards, elephants, zebras, hippos, wildebeest and more.

The Accommodation:

I find that most people expect comfort while on Safari. They want a nice hot shower, a flushing toilet, electricity, delicious meals, and drinks. There is now way you can take an Uber to a restaurant or a fast food restaurant while in the National Parks or private concessions, so everything is included when you stay in a lodge. All the food and beverages have to be flown, or driven in, and kept refrigerated in the lodge. The local staff are trained to cook and plate the food by Chefs and serve meals that appeal to our western palate. They offer a variety of meats, fish, vegetables, desserts, and fresh baked items, on a daily basis. This, as well as the laundry, soft sheets and towels, and all the other amenities we’re used to, obviously adds to the cost. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the average cost of a Safari today is $1,000/person/day. This cost also includes all activities as well as flights between countries in Africa.

I’ve done cost comparisons of hotels in my area, Laguna Beach, as well as in similar accommodations in Paris, London and Rome, and the cheapest room at one resort is $950/night. This does not include any meals or drinks, or activities, or shows, unlike what you would get on a Safari. Basically nothing other than the room and a 15% tax is included in my Laguna Beach area hotel.

Of course, just like a Motel 6, for $66/night, there are budget Safaris where you’ll be staying in cheap accommodations, like the tent below on the left. There’s nothing wrong with that, if you’re happy to stay in a tent with a bush toilet and a bucket shower. I’ve stayed at the Serengeti Bushtops camp on the right, and those are the smaller lodges that I like to offer to my “Travel with a Purpose” groups. Another advantage is that these smaller lodges hire and train people from the local villages and part of what you’re paying for goes towards supporting local communities, schools, books, teachers’ salaries and wildlife conservation efforts. Most tourists don’t realize that by going on Safari, they are actually contributing towards those sustainable causes, offering employment opportunities and education to the people in neighboring villages, including the Masai in Kenya.

The Food:

Most people who travel to Africa for the first time, like the women on my recent “Travel with a Purpose” trip to Kenya, have no idea what to expect. They are blown away by the quality and presentation of the food. We have a wonderful “Foods of Africa” trip to Madikwe, South Africa, with an award-winning Chef, Nico Verster, who will be cooking for us and showing us plating techniques. He is co-owner of the beautiful Jamala lodge.

Since I have way more to say, please check out next Sunday’s blog post. Your comments and shares, are always appreciated.

Also, I am proud to say that I was interviewed in the OC Register and so were some of the woman on my recent trip to Kenya. You can read the article by clicking here.

Continued in (Part 2) next week

My First Trip As a Tour Leader

October 13, 2018 by Sonia Marsh 4 Comments

As you can see from the broad smiles on these lovely ladies, my first trip as a tour leader to Africa went incredibly well and exceeded my expectations. I was fortunate to have Roz Berry (far left), Director of the African Child Foundation, assist with our “Women Travel with a Purpose” Safari. Roz brought two duffel-bags full of T-shirts from the U.S., which we sorted, first-thing, before visiting the schools in the suburbs of Nairobi.

Our hotel in Nairobi was the perfect setting for the start of a Safari, as it’s located on the edge of Nairobi National park and offers an introduction to Kenya’s wildlife. All of us enjoyed getting to know one-another for breakfast on our first day. A few giraffes and a Cape Buffalo roamed in the park behind us.

Our schedule was jam-packed with activities, and I’m going to share several blog posts so you get a feel for what “Travel with a Purpose” entails. On our first morning, we visited Fanaka primary school and Mt. Olive boarding school, both run by Father Henry.

Father Henry greeting us at Fanaka Primary school

All of us were impressed with the level of reading and writing in the classroom. A couple of ladies commented on how the children have such beautiful penmanship, compared to their own children back in the U.S.

The children enjoyed dancing and singing and we could tell they had been rehearsing for days before we arrived.

After a full-day at both schools, we returned to our hotel, and had a delicious dinner at the Norfolk Hotel, where we met the four young University students, sponsored by the African Child Foundation. Two of them are studying law, one accounting, and one medical studies.

Two Women travel with a Purpose and a sponsored student

Ladies enjoying a Happy Hour at the Norfolk Hotel before we met the students.

It’s been one year and five months since I started my new career in the Safari business. I decided to design theme-focused trips to Africa that would interest women. October 2018, was my first trip leading 11 women to Kenya. Most of them had never been to Africa and were somewhat frightened of what to expect, however, my first, “Travel with a Purpose” Safari, turned out to be the best bonding experience of 12 women. A camaraderie and intense friendship developed as together we experienced the wonderful children, the wildlife in the Masai Mara, and the warm-hearted Kenyans and their broad smiles.

Next week, I’ll share some of our adventures in the Masai Mara.

How Do You Keep Your Sense of Wonder?

September 23, 2018 by Sonia Marsh 1 Comment

In my mind, a sense of wonder starts with curiosity: something we’re all born with. The question I ask myself is: How can we keep that sense of wonder as we grow older?

Young children are constantly learning something new: how to read, how to tie their shoes, how to ride a bicycle. It’s not surprising that if we don’t make a conscious effort to keep a sense of curiosity and wonder, life may seem mundane as we grow older.

When I lived in Lesotho, I listened to BBC World on my small radio, and was interested in hearing how Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, reflected on her travels abroad. The interviewer commented on how brave Elizabeth was to uproot her life and move alone to Italy, India and Bali, for one year. Elizabeth replied that she didn’t think she was brave, but simply curious about life and other people.

Another person I admire is Maria Shriver. She recently wrote in her blog, “Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper,” about how she took a one-month break from work, and decided to focus on:

“Less busyness. Less intense thinking. More calm. More connection. More wonder.”

Shriver decided to travel to Africa with her youngest son, and her goal was to focus on:

the concept of wonder

“Wonder gets you out of your head. It feels less intense than thinking. It feels more stream of consciousness and more creative. It actually feels freeing and it allows one to connect more with oneself and others.

Wonder is what I felt as I drove across the vast, open Serengeti. I found myself wondering what it might be like to live there full time, either working in the conservation movement or working with the women I met who are trying to overcome deep poverty and build lives that their mothers could have never imagined.
The thing that I found interesting was how she found the right word to describe Africa. Wonder.” Maria Shriver

I feel a connection with Elizabeth Gilbert and Maria Shriver, in that I’m curious about other people, and always want to keep learning.

Some people are more curious, and thirsty for new experiences than others. I’ve always felt the need to get away from my daily routine in order to satisfy my sense of curiosity. I do this in the following ways:

On a small scale:

Speaking to someone new every day
Trying a new recipe
Reading a novel I wouldn’t normally read
Re-connecting with someone I haven’t spoken to in over a year
Joining a new group such as “Dining For Women”
Joining a TED Talks discussion group

On a larger scale:

Starting my new travel club
Traveling to new places
Leading my first trip to Kenya with ten women

I keep myself open to new opportunities.

How about you? How do you keep your sense of wonder? I’d love to hear.

Travel with a Purpose: A Writers’ Retreat

September 3, 2018 by Sonia Marsh 8 Comments

When I moved to Laguna Woods, five months ago, I had the idea of starting my own Travel Club. Initially I wanted to start “Women Travel with a Purpose,” , but then I changed to “Travel with a Purpose,” despite the fact that women often have the urge to travel, more than men.

Maybe the “Free” South African wine and the delicious appetizers, including the home-made hummus, enticed the large attendance of 72 people at the inaugural meeting of “Travel with a Purpose.” Our enthusiastic guest, speaker, Pat Lenahan, inspired many who are passionate about travel with her presentation, “How Travel to Africa Changed My Life.”

The reason I started this club is to inspire people to travel, and remove any fear of travel, especially to Africa.

Is it Dangerous to go on a Safari?

As Jim Holden states in his blog post:“Is it Dangerous?”

“I interpret the question, “Is it dangerous?”, mostly as a fear of the unknown. No different to finding oneself in an unfamiliar part of town and being unsure if it’s safe to be there.” Jim Holden

This is exactly how Pat Lenahan answered the fear of going to Africa. She also stated that she has strayed into the wrong parts of Chicago, and other cities in the U.S., which made her feel unsafe, however, she never felt fear on any of her seven trips to various countries in Africa.

In fact, I’m more afraid of driving in parts of Los Angeles than I am sitting in a jeep with a professional guide in the middle of the Big 5 in Kenya, or even standing 12 feet from the gorillas in Rwanda. I’ve experienced several countries in the last year: Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and South Africa.

When you travel in small groups to Africa with me, or even as a single or a couple, you are escorted by a professional tour leader and at no time are you left to fend for yourself. Not even at the airport in Nairobi or Cape Town; you will always be met by someone from Holden Safaris, escorted to a private vehicle, and taken to your hotel or lodge.

Sonia Marsh answering questions at Travel with a Purpose Club

When I talk about “Travel with a Purpose,” I mean learning something about the culture, the wildlife, the people, the foods, the flora, and also stimulating the senses with new experiences. As an author, who has attended many writers retreats, I’m designing a different writers’ retreat in Zambia and Zimbabwe where we will be instructed by a professional writing coach in a small group setting of no more than ten writers.

Writers’ Retreat in Zambia: A Transformative Experience

How can you not feel a transformative experience in Africa? Experiencing the beauty of Victoria Falls, the largest sheet of falling water on earth, watching the wildlife up close with your professional guide, having your morning coffee in the bush and your sunset happy hour in the bush during our twice daily game drives, watching the elephants interacting in front of the lodge’s water hole is unique. You will then have time to reflect and articulate your feelings in your journal– is this not rejuvenating? Your writing coach will guide you with a prompt, and you will have time to share your stories.

Designing a Writers’ Retreat at these Lodges

I am thinking of using these beautiful lodges in Zambia during this 8-day writers’ retreat. Pre and post extensions will be offered to those who wish to see more of Africa; after all, each country has its own unique landscape and wildlife.

Our first lodge perfect for writers to find nooks and crannies to write.

Our second lodge on the Zambezi River, is where we shall explore the Victoria Falls. Last year, during a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river, I saw hippos in the water and 80 or more elephants ambling down the slopes of the river bank to drink. This was my favorite birthday present.

The elephants that came down to drink when I was on a sunset cruise for my birthday on the Zambezi river.

Please let me know if you’re interested by leaving a comment below or send me an e-mail at Sonia@soniamarsh.com if you’d like to learn more about a writers’ retreat for May/June 2019, or any other trips I’m planning.

Dining for Women Helps Reduce Poverty Among Girls in the Developing World

July 29, 2018 by Sonia Marsh 2 Comments

I just joined a group called “Dining for Women,” thanks to my Peace Corps friend, Mary Broude. A new chapter was started in Orange County by Elizabeth Boretz, and the concept is: We get together, dine in, catch up with friends, expand our knowledge of the world, and donate to projects that reduce poverty and promote gender equity.

What exactly is Dining for Women?

Dining for Women is a global giving circle dedicated to transforming lives and eradicating poverty among women and girls in the developing world. Through member education and engagement, as well as the power of collective giving, Dining for Women funds grassroots organizations that empower women and girls and promote gender equity.

My first meeting was last week at Mary’s house and the concept is that members give what they can–usually what they would have spent for a dinner out–towards a grassroots project.

What is an Example of a Dining for Women Featured Project?

In July the featured project was to help the mission of Women’s Global Education Project (WGEP) with eliminating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the Tharaka-Nithi County region of Kenya where (WGEP) works. In that region, 71% of women aged 15-49, have undergone some form of FGM/Cutting. This can cause severe physical as well as psychological effects and this is intensified in rural areas such as Tharaka-Nithi County where local individuals, rather than medical professionals, carry out the procedure in non-sterile settings.

Research shows that girls who undergo genital cutting are more likely to drop out of school since they are considered ready for marriage, typically between ages 9-12. Although Kenya’s 2010 Constitution and 2001 Children’s Act outlawed activities such as FGM/C and early marriage, the practice continues. (WGEP) believes that education, gender equality, and empowerment of women are critical to a society’s development. It’s mission is to provide access to education and develop training programs that empower women and girls to build healthy and productive communities.

How Does Dining for women Work?

One host invites members and other women who would like to learn about the organization and share a meal together. Members learn about that month’s featured grantees through videos, educational documents and presentations, and discuss the project. Funds raised each month go to fund the featured and sustained grantees, as well as support the entire mission of Dining for Women.

Some members such as the long-time established Vienna/Fairfax Chapter (photo of group above) prepare recipes based on the country being featured. For example this July, the host prepared a Kenyan meal. The Fairfax group has 60 women on its roster. Anywhere from 12 – 30 attend the monthly meetings held in members’ homes. They start with socializing, then watch the video from the featured grantee and discuss the project. Afterwards, they enjoy dinner together, often focused on dishes from the grantee’s country.