Global Adviser

Going Batty
What? Bats Where? Zambia When? November
When the loquat, milk-wood and waterberry trees produce their fruit, 5 to 15 million strawcolored fruit bats darken the skies of Kasanka National Park in northeastern Zambia (www.kasanka.com). This is the greatest concentration of mammal life on earth, and dawn is the best time of day to witness it in all its glory.

Shocking Pink
What? Flamingos Where? Kenya When? All year
Kenya's 1.5 million lesser flamingos don't migrate far, mostly confining themselves to a circuit of the country's four soda lakes. Kenya overflows with luxury safari lodges — try Lake Nakuru Lodge (www.lakenakurulodge.com) — and, after the recent political turmoil, a stay will not only be at great rates but will also help keep tourism alive.

Thundering Hooves
What? Wildebeests, zebras, gazelles Where? Tanzania and Kenya When? July
Over 1 million wildebeests and 200,000 zebras and gazelles move from the exhausted grasslands of the Serengeti in Tanzania to Kenya's lush Masai Mara. As they cross the Mara River, many fall prey to crocodiles and floods. Stay at the I.L. Moran safari camp (www.governorscamp.com).

The Big Ones
What? Whales Where? South Africa, Mozambique and Madagascar When? July-November
There are 37 species of cetacean found in these waters and, in season, you'd be unlucky not to spot several from the shore. In Hermanus, South Africa, you can whale watch by boat or plane, or from your hotel balcony. Check out the view at the Marine (www.marine-hermanus.co.za).

The Greatest Shoal on Earth
What? Sardines Where? South Africa When? June and July
Millions of sardines, in shoals several miles long, run north from their home off Cape Agulhas to Mozambique's warmer waters. Dolphins, sharks and seals swarm the fish, offering a breath- taking sight of wildlife in action. To see it up close, go with Unreal Dive (www.unrealdive.com).