Kenya Wildlife Safari in East Africa is the most unique and exciting travel destination on the planet offering a modern, sophisticated experience in a relatively unspoiled environment. This region is the last refuge on earth for teeming herds of numerous wildlife species roaming free against the backdrop of wide open savannah grasslands, snow capped mountains and tropical, sandy beaches.

Thomas Cook Collapses, what it means if you booked Tanzania safaris with Thomas Cook

Thomas Cook safari

What you need to know if you’re on a Tanzania Safari tour with the failed travel agent.

The travel giant company,  Thomas Cook collapses after last-minute bailout plans to save the failing firm which has been running for 178-years. The tour company based in the U.K has ceased to trade with immediate effect, this is according to the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority. Thomas Cook has gone ahead to publish travel advice for tourists on holiday with the affected company at the following website thomascook.caa.co.uk.

Apart from Tanzania Safari holiday goers that have booked with Thomas Cook, many tourists around the world have also been affected by this situation either while on holiday or with long term plans of coming to Tanzania for Tanzania Safari tours with Thomas Cook. Fortunately, we can advise you what to do next and to claim a refund on your tour to Kilimanjaro if Thomas Cook goes into administration.

Atol protection for Kilimanjaro climbers

The Atol travel plan protects people who buy Tanzania tour package holidays that are all-inclusive plus a flight, through UK tour operators and agents like in the case of Thomas Cook. If you have booked a Tanzania safari or just a flight to Tanzania through the Thomas cook, Atol protection ensures you do not lose your money or be left stranded in Tanzania as Atol protection means they will be flown back home free of charge.

Clients who have already booked and actually paid for an upcoming Tanzania safari with Thomas Cook should a right to a refund as part of the Atol scheme.

Unfortunately, if you didn’t book your tour as part of a package you might not be Atol protected, but you may still be able to claim a refund of some sort through your travel insurance or credit card issuer – as per your booking terms and agreements.’ For more information about the Atol scheme and protection, read here.

What to do if you’re already in Tanzania for your safari

Now that, unfortunately, Thomas Cook has gone into administration, this is what you should do:

  1. Continue your Tanzania safari as normal.
  2. Arrive for your return flight as normal unless something changes and you receive an official update. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will try their best to get you on a return flight as close to your original departure time as possible.
  3. Your costs for returning home will be covered. Keep receipts of any additional costs you may be asked to pay as a result. Send a claim to The Civil Aviation Authority on your return home so that a refund can be arranged for all reasonable expenses.

Here’s more information on how to make an Atol claim if you’re currently abroad. 

Do I have to pay for my hotel/camp/lodge during and after a safari?

Since most Tanzania safari itineraries include your hotel accommodation in Tanzania (Arusha) before and after your climb it will not be necessary to pay but if you’re experiencing any difficulties with your Atol-protected hotel, or if your hotel is requesting payment from you, you can call the CAA call centre on the following line: +44 1753 330 330. NB: It may take the Civil Aviation Authority a few days to secure new payment arrangements for your accommodation. Do not proceed to pay your accommodation unless given the green-light by the CAA team. If your trip is not covered by the Atol scheme, you are not entitled to make a claim for your extra expenses and additional nights of hotel accommodation under the Atol protection, but you may be able to claim for a refund or payment from your travel insurer as per the booking terms and conditions, bank or your credit card issuer. Here’s more information on how to make an Atol claim if you’re currently abroad. 

What to do if you’re planning to travel soon for a safari in Tanzania

If you’re due to travel with Thomas Cook in the near future, here is what you should do:

From 23 September 2019, all flights and Tanzania safari tours will be cancelled.

All Thomas Cook arline flights will not operate anymore, so if you have booked on a Thomas Cook Airlines flight, please do not go to your UK airport. Please double-check with your accommodation/flight provider to check if your booking is on record. Keep all your booking information and make a record of all emails and replies. If will not continue with your safari in Tanzania, make a claim under the Atol plan to get a refund.

Here’s more information on how to make an Atol claim if you’re currently abroad. 

Why has Thomas Cook collapsed?

The troubled tour company, Thomas Cook tried to secure a £750m cash injection to see it safe for low season of winter 2019-20 when the number of bookings goes down. Thomas Cook’s chief executive, Peter Fankhauser, said the company’s collapse was a ‘matter of profound regret’. Commenting as the company entered compulsory liquidation, Mr Fankhauser also had words of apology to Thomas Cook’s ‘millions of customers and thousands of employed staff’. If the company does go bust it would be the biggest-ever repatriation, with an estimated 150,000 tourists of British origin currently abroad on a variety Thomas Cook holidays that include Tanzania safari holidays. The government has 45  jets ready to bring clients back home and with 64 routes being flown today. The size of the fleet will make it UK’s fifth-largest airline. The collapse has put over 20,000 jobs at risk, including 9,000 in the United Kingdom alone.

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New Trend: Hyenas biting off Buffalo Balls in Kenya

hyena vs buffalo

Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) has been alerted after an increase of cases where of hyenas have a new overgrown appetite for buffalo testicles at the Aberdare National Park in Kenya.

The hyenas, known more for their scavenger habits than hunting efforts are believed to be taking advantage of the hanging parts of the Buffaloes leading to lifetime castration or in some cases deformities of the Buffaloes at the Kenyan National Park.

According to Aberdare National Park KWS Senior Warden Lilian Ajuoga, the first reported incident was recorded in 2008 but it has become a common occurrence recently.

“The incidences of hyenas biting of testicles and tails of buffaloes are everyday occurrences in the National Park. Tens of buffaloes are partly deformed after hyenas chewed off some parts,”

Ms Ajuoga said.

She linked the incidents to lack of lions in the park, a scenario that has hampered the food chain which places hyenas in their scavenger category.

A balanced food chain is vital, the officer revealed adding that it helps animals in the ecosystem balance roles.

“In this case, hyenas are forced to hunt instead of scavenging on leftovers that have been left by other predators. This forces them to hunt on easily available things and since they lack the power to strangle, they depend on biting off hanging parts for survival,”

she said.

She noted that owing to the fact that hyenas cannot hunt, they target loose hanging parts of the animals like testicles and tails.

“Hyenas literally feast on a prey when they are still alive because they cannot kill. In the National Park, hyenas target young buffalo bulls so they can strip off the ‘loose-hanging’ parts,”

she says.

Although hyenas are known to target other small animals in the park, the officer also linked the increasing cases to lack of speed by the scavengers who sometimes lack something to feed on.

To save the buffaloes from the jaws of hyenas, Ajuoga said KWS is considering counting the number of hyenas within the National Park for purposes of management and sustainability.

“We are planning on a doing an animal count so as to establish the number of hyenas for purposes of management to avoid cases of unsustainability. This will also help in boosting survival for both hyenas and buffaloes,”

she adds.Trend

According to Ajuoga, Introduction of predators in the park will also place the scavengers at their rightful position.

“We are trying to avoid the scenario where buffaloes might not be able to sire in future with their vital organs bitten off,”

she said.

Kenya Wildlife Service Assistant Director in charge of Mountain Areas Simon Gitau said the service has also considered involving researchers to shed light on what might have prompted the hyenas to bite off testicles and tails.

“This thing has been on-going for a while but that does not mean the population of buffaloes is going down. One healthy buffalo with intact organs can still mate with 50 females and successfully sire,”

Gitau said.

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