Wild Lifestyles Safaris
May 7th, 2008, 02:31 AM
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Wild Lifestyles Safaris
Hi,
we´re planning a mobile safari with "Wild Lifestyles" in Botswana this November, combined with a fly-in safari.
Has anybody already done a mobile-safari with this company?
We´re planning to stay 4 nights Lebala or Lagoon, 4 nights mobile Khwai area and 3 nights fly-camp Makgadikgadi. Thereafter selfdrive Kruger or Kgalagadi.
Alternately 3 nights Lebala/Lagoon,
3 nights Mapula and 4 nights mobile Khwai area. Thereafter trip to Kgalagadi selfdrive.
Thomas
we´re planning a mobile safari with "Wild Lifestyles" in Botswana this November, combined with a fly-in safari.
Has anybody already done a mobile-safari with this company?
We´re planning to stay 4 nights Lebala or Lagoon, 4 nights mobile Khwai area and 3 nights fly-camp Makgadikgadi. Thereafter selfdrive Kruger or Kgalagadi.
Alternately 3 nights Lebala/Lagoon,
3 nights Mapula and 4 nights mobile Khwai area. Thereafter trip to Kgalagadi selfdrive.
Thomas
May 7th, 2008, 08:08 AM
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I know that it´s Mike Penmans mobile.
I am just curious if anybody already did safari with him.
I am sure he doesn´t do the same weird things with clients he did on the tv show with Mark Tennant.
Thomas
I am just curious if anybody already did safari with him.
I am sure he doesn´t do the same weird things with clients he did on the tv show with Mark Tennant.
Thomas
May 21st, 2008, 11:25 AM
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I unfortunately have had the displeasure of running into Mike Pennman while on safari in Khwai. I hope you have a wonderful time, however I find the man to be repulsive, and would not trust him to guide a log. He was more than rude to other safari guides, disrespectful of the animals and their enviornment...... well I guess that you get the idea that I just did not care for him at all!
Maybe he has changed
Maybe he has changed
Jun 6th, 2008, 06:08 AM
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After more than one month of no reply by Wild Lifestyles Safaris I finally booked a "traditional" camp safari thru my travel agent. I don´t know why Wild Lifestyles didn´t answer.
So now the fixed schedule is:
5. - 9.11. Lebala
9. - 12.11. Mapula
12. - 15.11. Kwara
Hopefully we´ll see Doctor in Mapula, he was twice our guide in Kwara.
After that we´ll be going on a self drive to Kgalagadi. It´s planned to stay one night Twee Rivieren and 3 nights Kalahari Tented Camp. I am not sure if it would be better to stay 1 night Twee Rivieren, 2 nights KTC and 2 nights Nossob.
Any suggestions?
Thomas
So now the fixed schedule is:
5. - 9.11. Lebala
9. - 12.11. Mapula
12. - 15.11. Kwara
Hopefully we´ll see Doctor in Mapula, he was twice our guide in Kwara.
After that we´ll be going on a self drive to Kgalagadi. It´s planned to stay one night Twee Rivieren and 3 nights Kalahari Tented Camp. I am not sure if it would be better to stay 1 night Twee Rivieren, 2 nights KTC and 2 nights Nossob.
Any suggestions?
Thomas
Jun 6th, 2008, 09:32 AM
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Hi Hari
I don´t know, I just told my TA where I wanted to go for how long, and this is what came out.
I don´t care if I change the company in between. And I think as long as the camps have free space, they don´t care from which camp you´re coming and going.
Last year we had some booking problems with Kwando and they suggested to put us one night to Duba Plains (we´d already booked 3 nights there) and they would not charge for the higher WS rate.
Maybe it´s another fairytale TA´s tell there clients, that you have to stick to one company.
Thomas
I don´t know, I just told my TA where I wanted to go for how long, and this is what came out.
I don´t care if I change the company in between. And I think as long as the camps have free space, they don´t care from which camp you´re coming and going.
Last year we had some booking problems with Kwando and they suggested to put us one night to Duba Plains (we´d already booked 3 nights there) and they would not charge for the higher WS rate.
Maybe it´s another fairytale TA´s tell there clients, that you have to stick to one company.
Thomas
Jun 6th, 2008, 06:30 PM
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Hi Thomas,
Yep, Lot of TA's are full of "fairy tales" - but, more so the ones who depend on travel chat forums for their business! They really need to "gas" it out to sound impressive and knowledgeable.
Back to your trip - sounds fantastic!!!
Cheers
Hari
Yep, Lot of TA's are full of "fairy tales" - but, more so the ones who depend on travel chat forums for their business! They really need to "gas" it out to sound impressive and knowledgeable.
Back to your trip - sounds fantastic!!!
Cheers
Hari
Jun 8th, 2008, 12:58 AM
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Hello Thomas,
Great to see that there are some people also interested in mobile or self driving, instead of only focused on 6 paw lodges and more particularly on WS, who are giving you more the feeling that you are, like someone else was saying in another talk on this forum, on a beach holiday or a sea cruise.
Well I've been twice in the Gemsbok (now called Kgalagadi), in 2002 and 2005.
The only place, where there was a restaurant, was Twee Rivieren. So if nothing changed in the meanwhile, the self driving is also a self catering. One night at Twee Rivieren is an obligation. Indeed, you will have to arrive in Uppington early in the morning, living Joburg even earlier with the first flight. Then you will have to pick your car, I would rather advice a 4X4 (more expensive, but more comfortable and safier) than a a normal car for 2 reasons.
The roads in KTP are good gravel roads, but in the north some places are sandy.
The main reason is that, when the roads were leveled, a low wall took form on each side, so that in many places the roads are sunken. In a 4X4, your position on the seat is higher and so you have a better view on the surrounding open spaces and the animals are easier to spot. If your budget does not allow you a 4X4, take a Toyota Condor (the seats are higher).
In Twee Rivieren, Nossob and Auob there is a small shop but prices are higher than in Uppington and there is not much choice. So you will have to go out shopping in Uppington. Ask the car to be equiped with a fridge and a 50 liters drinking water can.
The road to KTP is a tar road for the first 180 kms, the last 50 kms are gravel. You will arrive at Twee Rivieren at about 3 pm, so due the distance between TR and Nossob and the speed limits in the Park, it is very difficult to reach Nossob before the closing of the camp.
After the night in TR, I think it's better to spend 2 nights in Nossob and then 2 nights in KTC.
Some more advices, book your nights in advance, don't underestimate the distances, there are speed limits and if there is a lot to see, it takes several hours to make 100 kms.
KTP is a great place. Not taking into consideration the gemsboks, springboks, wildebeests, hartebeests and other girafes, I had great sightings of lions, cheetahs, leopards and even caracal. KTP is also one of the best places in Africa for birds of prey.
If you have further questions, please tell me.
Do not forget that my informations are based on my 2005 experience.
Mike
Great to see that there are some people also interested in mobile or self driving, instead of only focused on 6 paw lodges and more particularly on WS, who are giving you more the feeling that you are, like someone else was saying in another talk on this forum, on a beach holiday or a sea cruise.
Well I've been twice in the Gemsbok (now called Kgalagadi), in 2002 and 2005.
The only place, where there was a restaurant, was Twee Rivieren. So if nothing changed in the meanwhile, the self driving is also a self catering. One night at Twee Rivieren is an obligation. Indeed, you will have to arrive in Uppington early in the morning, living Joburg even earlier with the first flight. Then you will have to pick your car, I would rather advice a 4X4 (more expensive, but more comfortable and safier) than a a normal car for 2 reasons.
The roads in KTP are good gravel roads, but in the north some places are sandy.
The main reason is that, when the roads were leveled, a low wall took form on each side, so that in many places the roads are sunken. In a 4X4, your position on the seat is higher and so you have a better view on the surrounding open spaces and the animals are easier to spot. If your budget does not allow you a 4X4, take a Toyota Condor (the seats are higher).
In Twee Rivieren, Nossob and Auob there is a small shop but prices are higher than in Uppington and there is not much choice. So you will have to go out shopping in Uppington. Ask the car to be equiped with a fridge and a 50 liters drinking water can.
The road to KTP is a tar road for the first 180 kms, the last 50 kms are gravel. You will arrive at Twee Rivieren at about 3 pm, so due the distance between TR and Nossob and the speed limits in the Park, it is very difficult to reach Nossob before the closing of the camp.
After the night in TR, I think it's better to spend 2 nights in Nossob and then 2 nights in KTC.
Some more advices, book your nights in advance, don't underestimate the distances, there are speed limits and if there is a lot to see, it takes several hours to make 100 kms.
KTP is a great place. Not taking into consideration the gemsboks, springboks, wildebeests, hartebeests and other girafes, I had great sightings of lions, cheetahs, leopards and even caracal. KTP is also one of the best places in Africa for birds of prey.
If you have further questions, please tell me.
Do not forget that my informations are based on my 2005 experience.
Mike
Jun 9th, 2008, 07:01 AM
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@ Mike,
thanks for your tips.
I think we will skip Twee Rivieren and stay at Molopo Kalahari Lodge instead, which seems to be not far away from the Twee Rivieren Gate.
As we will arrive in Upington on a sunday I hope the supermarkets will be opened. But I think they are, only the liquor shops are closed, when I´m right.
We will be landing in Upington at 10.20 I think. I hope it´s time enough to pick up the 4x4, do some shopping and then head up to Molopo Lodge to be there before dark.
Thomas
thanks for your tips.
I think we will skip Twee Rivieren and stay at Molopo Kalahari Lodge instead, which seems to be not far away from the Twee Rivieren Gate.
As we will arrive in Upington on a sunday I hope the supermarkets will be opened. But I think they are, only the liquor shops are closed, when I´m right.
We will be landing in Upington at 10.20 I think. I hope it´s time enough to pick up the 4x4, do some shopping and then head up to Molopo Lodge to be there before dark.
Thomas
Jun 9th, 2008, 01:12 PM
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Thomas,
Molopo lodge is a good alternative, it's about 1 hour and a half from TR. I do not know if supermarkets are open on sundays. But if they are, they might only be open in the morning until 12 or 13 hour. If so, that does not leave you a lot of time if you land at 10.20.
Be careful, perhaps it is more reasonable to arrive one day later.
Mike
Molopo lodge is a good alternative, it's about 1 hour and a half from TR. I do not know if supermarkets are open on sundays. But if they are, they might only be open in the morning until 12 or 13 hour. If so, that does not leave you a lot of time if you land at 10.20.
Be careful, perhaps it is more reasonable to arrive one day later.
Mike
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