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Fall 2017

Picture of Peter Balunek
Peter Balunek

2018 Safari Dates & Updates

I don’t know where the time has gone!  This update is waaaaay over due and I have lots of news to share with you.  

As a wildlife ambassador, my goal has always been to create awareness about the threats facing our world’s wildlife by taking you to places where you can experience these magnificent animals up close and personal, while you still can.  By doing so, I hope that you too can become ambassadors for wildlife.  

Let’s start with two future safaris I’ve developed for you:  India and Alaska. 

India – Tigers and Snow Leopards

Did you know there are more tigers in captivity in the state of Texas than there are in the wild?  India is home to approximately 3,500 wild tigers.   With April and May being the best time to view tigers, I spent three weeks this spring exploring India’s wildlife.  While my exploratory trip took me to multiple locations throughout India, future tiger safaris will focus on central India.  

Next month, my family and I are on a quest that will take us to the Himalayas in Northern India in search of the White Ghost, aka the snow leopard.  Stay tuned for a trip report and my announcement of 2019 tiger and snow leopard safari dates.  

This female Asian elephant is pregnant and looks ready to give birth soon.  The Asian elephant is much smaller than the African elephant.
Mom and her cub finishing a drink at a man-made watering hole in Bandhavagarh National Park.  The park is not fenced and these tigers are free to move in and out of the park.  
The Asian rhino is distinguished from his African counterpart by having only one horn and his skin looks like a suit of armor.
The giant hornbill is on his way to bring his mate some berries.  She is inside a hollowed-out tree with her young.  The male made this predictable trip about every 20-30 minutes throughout the morning.

Alaska Experience

Alaska, often referred to as the “last frontier”, has captivated travelers and photographers alike.  While part of the United States, it can feel like a foreign land.  Alaska is so large you could fit the state of Texas in it twice!  Alaska is also home to some amazing wildlife.

While the focus of our trip will be the Alaskan Brown Bear, we will experience fly fishing, hiking, rafting and camping.  This inaugural trip is limited to just 4 guests.

With the bears so focused on the salmon, they are not paying much attention to the humans watching them play just 50 yards away on the other side of the river.  This allows us to get into the river and be at eye level with the bears.  They are magnificent animals to watch up close.  We spent the entire day watching bears come and go.  At one point we counted 16 different bears spread out along the river.  It was non-stop action!
Mom and her little ones relax while watching other bears fish for their dinner.
Success!  Bears take advantage of the annual salmon run to fatten themselves for the coming winter.  There is no shortage of fish, but catching them is not as easy as it looks.
These young bears look like humans wearing bear suits.  They were standing up to get a better view of the salmon in the river and looking out for older male bears who wanted to chase them away.

Kenya – Annual Migration

Kenya never disappoints, and our Big Cat and Migration safaris this year were no exception!  These perennial trips are scheduled for 2018 with one new offering: an optional extension following the Big Cat Safari in February to Uganda for a gorilla trek.  Several guests have been asking for this trip and we are making it happen in February.  

The hippo spends much of its day sunning itself on the banks of a river, then going into the water to cool off.  The evenings are spent eating grass in the fields near the river.
This young male leopard spent a good 45 minutes trying to get his dinner out of the tree after he got it caught between two trees.  Eventually he realized the best thing to do was to take the meal back to the top of tree.
A young male and his girl taking a break.

Kenya School Building Project – Satao Wildlife Foundation

A visit to a local village school is a part of all of our Kenya safaris and is a very rewarding experience for our guests.  This past February we noticed the student population quickly outgrowing the current facilities, with many students sitting on the floor or doubled up at desks.  Long story short, I committed to fundraising to construct a new 4 classroom and 4 office building complete with desks and textbooks for each student.

We have raised nearly half of the $60,000 cost of the project and need your help to raise the rest.  While I’m certain you have no shortage of good causes, I would like you to consider supporting one more.

To learn more or donate on-line, please visit the Satao Wildlife Foundation, a 501c3 public charity I established whose mission is “Improving the lives of wildlife”.  We do this by improving the lives of people through community conservation programs in Africa.  This school is our second project in Kenya.

If you have any questions, please contact me and I would be happy to answer your questions.  The architect drawing is below.

2018 Safari Dates

MedWish Brigade to Kenya
for Medical Professionals
February 1-10

Big Cat Safari
February 11-17

Uganda Gorillas extension
February 18-22

3 Kenya Parks
June 13-27

Annual Migration
August 4-11

Alaska Experience
August 21-28

For information on these trips, or to inquire on a private safari for your group or family, please contact me.

More photos from India, Alaska and Kenya can be found here.

Thank you for your time and consideration.  Have a great holiday season!

Warm regards,

Peter

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