2nd safari
Aug 18th, 2005, 09:08 PM
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2nd safari
Ever since we got back from our first safari, I've spent a LOT of time thinking about our second.
So, here's my question to the "veterans" out there: how was your second safari compared to your first? Was it even better or not as good as you remembered? Did you go to the same or different places? What did you do differently?
Judy
So, here's my question to the "veterans" out there: how was your second safari compared to your first? Was it even better or not as good as you remembered? Did you go to the same or different places? What did you do differently?
Judy
Aug 18th, 2005, 09:35 PM
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Hi Judy, I think this is a very good question. For my second recent safari (two previous were years ago), the main benefit was knowing what to pack and what I would not need. With the weight restrictions (in southern Africa) this took a lot of stress off. I went to different camps/countries, and I guess I would say, that in each safari I had some good and some negative reactions to the camps. So much depends upon the camp management. Therefore some places were much better than I remembered and some were not.
My plan was to focus on elephants and hippos because I didn't see as much of those animals as I wanted to last year. So I researched camps that increased my chances of such enounters (and I was very successful!). One thing I did differently was to reserve a private vehicle at two camps. No regrets there! I would do that again.
I tried to choose camps with features I didn't encounter before, such as those located on rivers and offering canoe safaris, and those with hides offering another way to observe the animals.
Being in Africa, witnessing the Southern Cross and the Milky Way every night, seeing those sunsets, smelling the plants and feeling the wind and dust in my face - that was all as good as I remembered from last time - not to speak of the enduring joyous reaction to each and every animal sighting.
My plan was to focus on elephants and hippos because I didn't see as much of those animals as I wanted to last year. So I researched camps that increased my chances of such enounters (and I was very successful!). One thing I did differently was to reserve a private vehicle at two camps. No regrets there! I would do that again.
I tried to choose camps with features I didn't encounter before, such as those located on rivers and offering canoe safaris, and those with hides offering another way to observe the animals.
Being in Africa, witnessing the Southern Cross and the Milky Way every night, seeing those sunsets, smelling the plants and feeling the wind and dust in my face - that was all as good as I remembered from last time - not to speak of the enduring joyous reaction to each and every animal sighting.
Aug 18th, 2005, 11:30 PM
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linjudy,
>>>how was your second safari compared to your first? Was it even better or not as good as you remembered? Did you go to the same or different places? What did you do differently?
<<<
Honestly, on my first safari, in March 2002, I was completely clueless. It was all a mistake to begin with.
My wife and I had leased out our house to our business (Elder Care) and were leasing a great house in a very nice part of Pasadena near the trendy Old Town area. We couldn't be happier...we were close to great restaurants and entertainment (being able to walk to many places, including the GYM!) and had no intentions of moving out anytime soon. We figured that we would save up for possibly five years to get a personal house that we really loved. Of course, however, things don't always work out the way we plan.
I had booked like a 15 night trip to Australia & New Zealand through possibly Swain Tours for January 2002. However, come about October, here we were in our little 1300 sq. ft. Craftsman rental when we see some man in a big Mercedes Sedan pull in front of our house and start poking around.
Right away I suspected that he was a realtor and I was right. After making a quick call to another realtor to enquire if the house was listed on the market, I was told yes it was, along with the sales price. It was a ridiculously low sales price for the house which was on a huge lot and had a couple rentals in the back, sort of a two on a lot deal, but in a very prime area.
We wanted to buy the house ourself, but the owner played dumb and acted like she did not want to inconvenience us, so therefore never contacted us about the possibility of buying the property. It turns out that she sold it to a developer and within 18 months after we moved there were these magnificent townhouses, about six of them built on the very same property, with the best ones upward of $1 million. I believe that the owner probably received a hefty sum of money under the table to avoid taxes.
Anyway, once we were rejected when we tried to buy the property, we wanted out immediately. Our lease was over in December and by December we had taken the Australia money and whatever else we could scrape together and bought a similar house but in a different part of Pasadena.
So, there went Australia. But, since we got a great deal on the house we bought and with only 5% down, we quickly recovered and I was immediately on the hunt for someplace different than Australia, since by March it wasn't going to be their peak season.
I actuallys came across a pretty cheesy South Africa trip that I bought on Sky Auction (www.skyauction.com). It was a package that included my air, a night in Joburg at the Rosebank, two nights at the Skukuza Rest Camp in Kruger NP and four nights at some long&since forgotten 3* hotel. Only then did I really start researching Southern Africa.
The only thing that saved me was that I just went with Conde Nast Travelers Best In The World selections for Singita and the Table Bay Hotel, and likely appearing on their Gold List (not quite their top 100 list, but still very nice places) was the Mount Nelson Hotel and Matetsi Water Lodge. Here was the precise itinerary...you will see how badly planned it was:
Rosebank Hotel, Joburg (1)
Singita (2)
Table Bay Hotel (4)
Matetsi Water Lodge (3)
Victoria Falls Hotel (1) (this was not planned, but I got stuck an extra night in Zimbabwe due to a cancelled flight)
Mount Nelson Hotel (3) (the original plan was to stay two nights here and two nights at La Grande Roche in Paarl but due to losing a night in Victoria Falls, we just stayed three nights at the Mount Nelson and dropped La Grande Roche).
This first safari was in early March, right after I ran the L.A. Marathon. I only mention this because as anyone who has run a marathon may agree, it takes a week or so of eating just to replinish your body, so Singita and the Table Bay Hotel were just what the doctor ordered, and the luxury did not hurt either.
With the Rand at about 11.5 to 1, I was able to upgrade all around, but back then even two nights at Singita was expensive. If I could buy Singita for $1,100 per night now, I would spend FIVE nights there.
Overall, I enjoyed my first Southern Africa holiday, but I surely was not yet bitten by the Africa bug.
---However, after a visit to Chile at the end of the same year, when I tried to outdo the Southern Africa trip, I was pretty disappointed when it did not come close to measuring up. Probably at about that point I realized that Southern Africa was a very special place, so I started planning a return trip for June 2003, by then already hooked on the Fodors Africa forum, but still quite naive when it came to Africa.
The second time around was in June 2003, fifteen months after my first visit, but only six months after Chile. With not much time to recover financially after Chile, I was pretty limited on my finances...plus it did not help that the Rand had fallen all the way down to about 8.5 Rand to 1 USD (I would kill to see the rates the same now).
For the next trip, I was able to intelligently research the trip and by then I had learned of websites like Luxury Link, Taga Safaris and others. Due to budget constraints, I settled for the following itinerary:
Michelangelo Hotel, Joburg (2)
Kafunta River Lodge, South Luangwa (3)
Kafunta Island Bush Camp (2)
Twelve Apostles Hotel, Cape Town (4)
Vuyatela, Sabi Sand (3)
While the hotels were actually better this time than for my first safari (and made affordable by Luxury Link), the safari lodges were not on the same level. Kafunta was a nice introduction to South Luangwa, however, and I knew that I had stumbled across somewhere very special from the onset while just driving through the smoky haze of Mfuwe, a true African village/town, en route to South Luangwa NP.
Vuyatela should have been a much better experience but one of the owners is a real ***+ and we happened to be there when two separate groups of six were there, so we were largely ignored. The lodging was fantastic, nearly on the same level as Singita, and some of the staff were outstanding, but the service was uneven, and so that one of the owners of the lodge could enjoy a private dinner with her family who was present, my wife and I were seated on the deck of our room for a romantic candlelight dinner in the mid-June winter night with temperatures hovering in the upper 40's (f).
Vuyatela was not the best way to end a safari, but overall it was a very nice trip. I do believe I was bitten by the Africa bug on this trip, but it definitely happened in South Luangwa and definitely not at Vuyatela in the Sabi Sand.
Just to briefly touch on my 3rd safari...I HAD to get back to Africa, but I was forced to go with my wife and her uncles/aunts on a 10 night Italy tour. To make matters worse, my finances were in the gutter, but somehow I really shopped around, begged, pleaded, etc., and was able to get to Joburg from London using frequent flier miles for an 11 night Zambian safari at Kulefu in the Lower Zambezi, Kaingo in South Luangwa and Chichele Presidential Lodge in South Luangwa. Fantastic trip, especially my time at Kaingo and Chichele, even if it was early June. After this trip I had no question where I would be going at the end of August, 2005!
So for my September 2005 safari, coming up in exactly 11 days, I have chosen to return to places that I have previously visited, but a combination of the same parks but in the best lodges possible. However, I was impressed enough with the Twelve Apostles Hotel to keep this the same.
The precise itinerary is:
Kasaka River Lodge, Lower Zambezi (3)
Chongwe River Camp, Lower Zambezi (3)
Luangwa River Lodge, South Luangwa (3)
Puku Ridge, South Luangwa (3)
Twelve Apostles, Cape Town (4)
Simbambili (3)
This will be my very first high season safari and my first with decent camera equipment, so I am pretty excited about each one of those things.
Whew!!! That is my story, and I am sticking to it.
Next up after the above is a 19 night trip to Tanzania, including 11 nights on safari in Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, 3 nights in Arusha to run the Kiliminjaro Marathon and 5 nights in Zanzibar. Realizing just how expensive this next trip is, I am probably good until November or December 2006 before setting off on my sixth safari.
I would just suggest that you really think about what will appeal to you for your next safari. It has taken until safari #5 for me to visit East Africa, but I am confident that I have, with the help of my fellow Fodorites, picked a great itinerary.
If you absolutely loved the destinations you first visited, and that is what you want, don't hesitate to return! Get it out of your system and then you may move onto someplace new later. As already mentioned, I am on this next safari making my 3rd visit to South Luangwa, my 2nd visit to Lower Zambezi, my 3rd visit to Cape Town and my 3rd visit to the Sabi Sand. All told, it will be 15 nights of safari. Sure, I probably could have taken a 9 night safari to Botswana for about the same price, but there is no way that I was going to sacrifice 6 nights on safari just for the opportunity to go to Botswana. I want to get South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi out of my system before the prices are on par with Botswana.
Already I have seen the rack rates for Star Of Africa for 2006 and Chichele Presidential Lodge will be the first $1,000 per night lodge I have yet seen in Zambia ($500 pppns). I suspect that Sausage Tree Camp and Chiawa will follow suit, deservedly so.
Just start sharing what you have in mind for your NEXT safari and allow other Fodorites to help you plan it out. The sooner you start talking about it, the sooner it will become a reality!
>>>how was your second safari compared to your first? Was it even better or not as good as you remembered? Did you go to the same or different places? What did you do differently?
<<<
Honestly, on my first safari, in March 2002, I was completely clueless. It was all a mistake to begin with.
My wife and I had leased out our house to our business (Elder Care) and were leasing a great house in a very nice part of Pasadena near the trendy Old Town area. We couldn't be happier...we were close to great restaurants and entertainment (being able to walk to many places, including the GYM!) and had no intentions of moving out anytime soon. We figured that we would save up for possibly five years to get a personal house that we really loved. Of course, however, things don't always work out the way we plan.
I had booked like a 15 night trip to Australia & New Zealand through possibly Swain Tours for January 2002. However, come about October, here we were in our little 1300 sq. ft. Craftsman rental when we see some man in a big Mercedes Sedan pull in front of our house and start poking around.
Right away I suspected that he was a realtor and I was right. After making a quick call to another realtor to enquire if the house was listed on the market, I was told yes it was, along with the sales price. It was a ridiculously low sales price for the house which was on a huge lot and had a couple rentals in the back, sort of a two on a lot deal, but in a very prime area.
We wanted to buy the house ourself, but the owner played dumb and acted like she did not want to inconvenience us, so therefore never contacted us about the possibility of buying the property. It turns out that she sold it to a developer and within 18 months after we moved there were these magnificent townhouses, about six of them built on the very same property, with the best ones upward of $1 million. I believe that the owner probably received a hefty sum of money under the table to avoid taxes.
Anyway, once we were rejected when we tried to buy the property, we wanted out immediately. Our lease was over in December and by December we had taken the Australia money and whatever else we could scrape together and bought a similar house but in a different part of Pasadena.
So, there went Australia. But, since we got a great deal on the house we bought and with only 5% down, we quickly recovered and I was immediately on the hunt for someplace different than Australia, since by March it wasn't going to be their peak season.
I actuallys came across a pretty cheesy South Africa trip that I bought on Sky Auction (www.skyauction.com). It was a package that included my air, a night in Joburg at the Rosebank, two nights at the Skukuza Rest Camp in Kruger NP and four nights at some long&since forgotten 3* hotel. Only then did I really start researching Southern Africa.
The only thing that saved me was that I just went with Conde Nast Travelers Best In The World selections for Singita and the Table Bay Hotel, and likely appearing on their Gold List (not quite their top 100 list, but still very nice places) was the Mount Nelson Hotel and Matetsi Water Lodge. Here was the precise itinerary...you will see how badly planned it was:
Rosebank Hotel, Joburg (1)
Singita (2)
Table Bay Hotel (4)
Matetsi Water Lodge (3)
Victoria Falls Hotel (1) (this was not planned, but I got stuck an extra night in Zimbabwe due to a cancelled flight)
Mount Nelson Hotel (3) (the original plan was to stay two nights here and two nights at La Grande Roche in Paarl but due to losing a night in Victoria Falls, we just stayed three nights at the Mount Nelson and dropped La Grande Roche).
This first safari was in early March, right after I ran the L.A. Marathon. I only mention this because as anyone who has run a marathon may agree, it takes a week or so of eating just to replinish your body, so Singita and the Table Bay Hotel were just what the doctor ordered, and the luxury did not hurt either.
With the Rand at about 11.5 to 1, I was able to upgrade all around, but back then even two nights at Singita was expensive. If I could buy Singita for $1,100 per night now, I would spend FIVE nights there.
Overall, I enjoyed my first Southern Africa holiday, but I surely was not yet bitten by the Africa bug.
---However, after a visit to Chile at the end of the same year, when I tried to outdo the Southern Africa trip, I was pretty disappointed when it did not come close to measuring up. Probably at about that point I realized that Southern Africa was a very special place, so I started planning a return trip for June 2003, by then already hooked on the Fodors Africa forum, but still quite naive when it came to Africa.
The second time around was in June 2003, fifteen months after my first visit, but only six months after Chile. With not much time to recover financially after Chile, I was pretty limited on my finances...plus it did not help that the Rand had fallen all the way down to about 8.5 Rand to 1 USD (I would kill to see the rates the same now).
For the next trip, I was able to intelligently research the trip and by then I had learned of websites like Luxury Link, Taga Safaris and others. Due to budget constraints, I settled for the following itinerary:
Michelangelo Hotel, Joburg (2)
Kafunta River Lodge, South Luangwa (3)
Kafunta Island Bush Camp (2)
Twelve Apostles Hotel, Cape Town (4)
Vuyatela, Sabi Sand (3)
While the hotels were actually better this time than for my first safari (and made affordable by Luxury Link), the safari lodges were not on the same level. Kafunta was a nice introduction to South Luangwa, however, and I knew that I had stumbled across somewhere very special from the onset while just driving through the smoky haze of Mfuwe, a true African village/town, en route to South Luangwa NP.
Vuyatela should have been a much better experience but one of the owners is a real ***+ and we happened to be there when two separate groups of six were there, so we were largely ignored. The lodging was fantastic, nearly on the same level as Singita, and some of the staff were outstanding, but the service was uneven, and so that one of the owners of the lodge could enjoy a private dinner with her family who was present, my wife and I were seated on the deck of our room for a romantic candlelight dinner in the mid-June winter night with temperatures hovering in the upper 40's (f).
Vuyatela was not the best way to end a safari, but overall it was a very nice trip. I do believe I was bitten by the Africa bug on this trip, but it definitely happened in South Luangwa and definitely not at Vuyatela in the Sabi Sand.
Just to briefly touch on my 3rd safari...I HAD to get back to Africa, but I was forced to go with my wife and her uncles/aunts on a 10 night Italy tour. To make matters worse, my finances were in the gutter, but somehow I really shopped around, begged, pleaded, etc., and was able to get to Joburg from London using frequent flier miles for an 11 night Zambian safari at Kulefu in the Lower Zambezi, Kaingo in South Luangwa and Chichele Presidential Lodge in South Luangwa. Fantastic trip, especially my time at Kaingo and Chichele, even if it was early June. After this trip I had no question where I would be going at the end of August, 2005!
So for my September 2005 safari, coming up in exactly 11 days, I have chosen to return to places that I have previously visited, but a combination of the same parks but in the best lodges possible. However, I was impressed enough with the Twelve Apostles Hotel to keep this the same.
The precise itinerary is:
Kasaka River Lodge, Lower Zambezi (3)
Chongwe River Camp, Lower Zambezi (3)
Luangwa River Lodge, South Luangwa (3)
Puku Ridge, South Luangwa (3)
Twelve Apostles, Cape Town (4)
Simbambili (3)
This will be my very first high season safari and my first with decent camera equipment, so I am pretty excited about each one of those things.
Whew!!! That is my story, and I am sticking to it.
Next up after the above is a 19 night trip to Tanzania, including 11 nights on safari in Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, 3 nights in Arusha to run the Kiliminjaro Marathon and 5 nights in Zanzibar. Realizing just how expensive this next trip is, I am probably good until November or December 2006 before setting off on my sixth safari.
I would just suggest that you really think about what will appeal to you for your next safari. It has taken until safari #5 for me to visit East Africa, but I am confident that I have, with the help of my fellow Fodorites, picked a great itinerary.
If you absolutely loved the destinations you first visited, and that is what you want, don't hesitate to return! Get it out of your system and then you may move onto someplace new later. As already mentioned, I am on this next safari making my 3rd visit to South Luangwa, my 2nd visit to Lower Zambezi, my 3rd visit to Cape Town and my 3rd visit to the Sabi Sand. All told, it will be 15 nights of safari. Sure, I probably could have taken a 9 night safari to Botswana for about the same price, but there is no way that I was going to sacrifice 6 nights on safari just for the opportunity to go to Botswana. I want to get South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi out of my system before the prices are on par with Botswana.
Already I have seen the rack rates for Star Of Africa for 2006 and Chichele Presidential Lodge will be the first $1,000 per night lodge I have yet seen in Zambia ($500 pppns). I suspect that Sausage Tree Camp and Chiawa will follow suit, deservedly so.
Just start sharing what you have in mind for your NEXT safari and allow other Fodorites to help you plan it out. The sooner you start talking about it, the sooner it will become a reality!
Aug 19th, 2005, 02:42 PM
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Better
Even better
Same
Three nights not two
Our first two trips were two week holidays in South Africa, with a trip to Mala Mala as the finish. At that point we were hooked, though it took 3 years to get back.
Even better
Same
Three nights not two
Our first two trips were two week holidays in South Africa, with a trip to Mala Mala as the finish. At that point we were hooked, though it took 3 years to get back.
Aug 20th, 2005, 09:14 AM
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Umm, the sooner I start planning the sooner I'd be back... I like that thought
We had such an amazing time in Botswana that I really really want to go back, but I am also secretly afraid that it won't live up to our first trip. I simply can't imagine seeing more animals than we saw the first time.
I would like our second trip to be more active: more walking, maybe some sleep outs either in hides or tents, and some canoeing. Also I really want to see the migration.
So, this is what I've been thinking would be the ideal 2nd trip:
* going back to Botswana. I'd absolutely have to go back to Mombo if we return to Bots. Pick 2 other camps we haven't been before. I'd like to do the Chitabe 3-day walking trail
and/or
* going to Zambia on a walking/canoeing safari. Though I don't know much about Zambia yet. Also we've never done any long canoe trips (I think longest we've done is 3/4 of a day on kayak) so I'm not sure how much we'd like this.
and/or
* a private tented safari in Tanzania for a few days.
and/or
* going to Namibia to see the desert dunes
I would also perhaps like to spend some time in some of the more urban areas in Botswana to get to know the people/culture better.
Before our trip I was thinking that 8 days was plenty enough to be on safari. Now that I've been, I can easily see doing 2 weeks if there's enough variety in scenary and activities.
Our 2007 (Italy for our 10th anniversary) and 2008 (Beijing for Olympics) vacations are spoken for, so maybe we'd have to go back next year! It's dreadful to think we won't be back til 2009!! I guess I better get started on the planning. All suggestions welcome
Judy
We had such an amazing time in Botswana that I really really want to go back, but I am also secretly afraid that it won't live up to our first trip. I simply can't imagine seeing more animals than we saw the first time.
I would like our second trip to be more active: more walking, maybe some sleep outs either in hides or tents, and some canoeing. Also I really want to see the migration.
So, this is what I've been thinking would be the ideal 2nd trip:
* going back to Botswana. I'd absolutely have to go back to Mombo if we return to Bots. Pick 2 other camps we haven't been before. I'd like to do the Chitabe 3-day walking trail
and/or
* going to Zambia on a walking/canoeing safari. Though I don't know much about Zambia yet. Also we've never done any long canoe trips (I think longest we've done is 3/4 of a day on kayak) so I'm not sure how much we'd like this.
and/or
* a private tented safari in Tanzania for a few days.
and/or
* going to Namibia to see the desert dunes
I would also perhaps like to spend some time in some of the more urban areas in Botswana to get to know the people/culture better.
Before our trip I was thinking that 8 days was plenty enough to be on safari. Now that I've been, I can easily see doing 2 weeks if there's enough variety in scenary and activities.
Our 2007 (Italy for our 10th anniversary) and 2008 (Beijing for Olympics) vacations are spoken for, so maybe we'd have to go back next year! It's dreadful to think we won't be back til 2009!! I guess I better get started on the planning. All suggestions welcome
Judy
Aug 21st, 2005, 05:51 AM
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Like Roccco, our first trip in 2003 was an accident. We had planned to visit Poland in May 2003, but then there were 3 terror attacks here in Saudi and a subsequent evacuation of non-essential personnel. By the time we got all that sorted out it was mid-June and Europe in the summer is too crowded. I worked out a trip to South African beaches, because we had never been there, and my wife made me add Victoria Falls and Chobe, since we figured we may as well see some animals. Anyway, we were entranced and also ended up visiting Hluhluwe? National Park and West Coast National Park in South Africa.
We loved safari so much that in the summer of 2004 we took our grown son and daughter along with us for two weeks in the Northern Tanzanian parks and a week in South Africa. This was better than our first trip because we had a much better idea of how to organize things. Now we are thinking about our third trip, probably to Zambia - Roccco, your fault!
We loved safari so much that in the summer of 2004 we took our grown son and daughter along with us for two weeks in the Northern Tanzanian parks and a week in South Africa. This was better than our first trip because we had a much better idea of how to organize things. Now we are thinking about our third trip, probably to Zambia - Roccco, your fault!
Aug 21st, 2005, 06:55 AM
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My first safari was in August 1999 when we visited Kenya (Masai Mara and Amboseli) and Tanzania (Ngorongoro and Serengeti). Even before that trip, I knew that a safari would not be a "once in a lifetime" trip, and that I'd get back to Africa several times, I just didn't realize how soon and how frequently.
Since then, I have returned almost annually:
May 2000 -- Kruger, Sabi Sands and Cape Town (South Africa)
November 2000 -- Ivory Coast, Benin, Togo and Ghana
August 2001 -- Okavango Delta and Chobe (Botswana), Vic Falls (Zimbabwe), South Luangwa (Zambia) and Lake Malawi
August 2002 -- Mkhaya Game Reserve (Swaziland), Maputo (Mozambique) and Etosha and Sossosvlei (Namibia)
August 2003 -- Queen Elizabeth NP and Bwindi (Uganda), Parc Nacional Volcans (Rwanda) and Samburu (Kenya)
May 2005 -- Madagascar
July 2006 (planned) -- Mana Pools (Zim) and Kgalagadi (South Africa).
But, even after having been on several safaris, the best was my visit to Masai Mara during migration. But I generally don't compare the safaris because I try to go to different parks and countries, just like I try to get to a few different European countries each year, and they are different (for example, I just returned from Ukraine and last year visited Romania and Bulgaria, which are interesting, but I don't think I could visit them annually, like I try to do with France).
But others identify a love for a particular park or country and make repeated visits. It depends on your traveling style, and I like to get to different places.
One thing that I do differently is I now care less on the number of stars in the lodging, but rather the location and quality of the game viewing, and I'd prefer to save money by staying in a less expensive place in the same area as say Mombo or Ngorongoro Crater Lodge. That way I can manage costs and return almost annually.
Michael
Since then, I have returned almost annually:
May 2000 -- Kruger, Sabi Sands and Cape Town (South Africa)
November 2000 -- Ivory Coast, Benin, Togo and Ghana
August 2001 -- Okavango Delta and Chobe (Botswana), Vic Falls (Zimbabwe), South Luangwa (Zambia) and Lake Malawi
August 2002 -- Mkhaya Game Reserve (Swaziland), Maputo (Mozambique) and Etosha and Sossosvlei (Namibia)
August 2003 -- Queen Elizabeth NP and Bwindi (Uganda), Parc Nacional Volcans (Rwanda) and Samburu (Kenya)
May 2005 -- Madagascar
July 2006 (planned) -- Mana Pools (Zim) and Kgalagadi (South Africa).
But, even after having been on several safaris, the best was my visit to Masai Mara during migration. But I generally don't compare the safaris because I try to go to different parks and countries, just like I try to get to a few different European countries each year, and they are different (for example, I just returned from Ukraine and last year visited Romania and Bulgaria, which are interesting, but I don't think I could visit them annually, like I try to do with France).
But others identify a love for a particular park or country and make repeated visits. It depends on your traveling style, and I like to get to different places.
One thing that I do differently is I now care less on the number of stars in the lodging, but rather the location and quality of the game viewing, and I'd prefer to save money by staying in a less expensive place in the same area as say Mombo or Ngorongoro Crater Lodge. That way I can manage costs and return almost annually.
Michael
Aug 21st, 2005, 07:43 AM
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Michael,
I am unfamiliar with Kgalagadi. When I do a search on Google, I only find that it is a transfrontier area shared between South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. Are there actual lodges established in this area yet, and if so which one have you chosen?
Please tell me a little more about this area, particularly its wildlife.
Thanks.
I am unfamiliar with Kgalagadi. When I do a search on Google, I only find that it is a transfrontier area shared between South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. Are there actual lodges established in this area yet, and if so which one have you chosen?
Please tell me a little more about this area, particularly its wildlife.
Thanks.
Aug 21st, 2005, 07:55 AM
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http://www.sanparks.org/parks/kgalagadi/
Rocco, Kgalagadi is a shared border park that's comprised of the former Kalahari Gemsbok Park (South Africa) and Gemsbok Park (Botswana), but only the South African side is manageable in a 2WD car.
I am flying into Upington and renting a Mercedes (2WD) and then driving five hours to the park. There is basic lodging, similar to that in Kruger and Etosha, and its certainly not the Wilderness Safaris or CCA standard, but its less than $100 per night, and I intend to spend 12 hours per day driving in the park. We'll also barbeque at night, so it will be a much more basic trip.
Its a desert environment so hope to see brown hyena, meerkats, gemsbok, plus lots of lions, cheetah, springbok and birds of prey.
I have only visited two parks on a self-drive (Kruger and Etosha) and its a very different experience to search for game yourself and spend time at waterholes waiting for arrivals (I have found lion, cheetah, leopard, and rhino on self-drive and its a much different experience to be there by yourself). We'll spend four days/three nights spending one night in each of Twee Rivieren, Nossob and Kalahari Tented Camp, and even with the cost of the Mercedes, it should cost less than $1,000 for the visit.
But we'll start at Chikwenya (Wilderness Safaris) in Mana Pools for a few nights, so it will be a mix of high end Wilderness camps and basic lodges in Kgalagadi.
Check out the www.sanparks.org website, especially the public photo directory, which has amazing photos from Kruger and Kgalagadi.
Michael
Rocco, Kgalagadi is a shared border park that's comprised of the former Kalahari Gemsbok Park (South Africa) and Gemsbok Park (Botswana), but only the South African side is manageable in a 2WD car.
I am flying into Upington and renting a Mercedes (2WD) and then driving five hours to the park. There is basic lodging, similar to that in Kruger and Etosha, and its certainly not the Wilderness Safaris or CCA standard, but its less than $100 per night, and I intend to spend 12 hours per day driving in the park. We'll also barbeque at night, so it will be a much more basic trip.
Its a desert environment so hope to see brown hyena, meerkats, gemsbok, plus lots of lions, cheetah, springbok and birds of prey.
I have only visited two parks on a self-drive (Kruger and Etosha) and its a very different experience to search for game yourself and spend time at waterholes waiting for arrivals (I have found lion, cheetah, leopard, and rhino on self-drive and its a much different experience to be there by yourself). We'll spend four days/three nights spending one night in each of Twee Rivieren, Nossob and Kalahari Tented Camp, and even with the cost of the Mercedes, it should cost less than $1,000 for the visit.
But we'll start at Chikwenya (Wilderness Safaris) in Mana Pools for a few nights, so it will be a mix of high end Wilderness camps and basic lodges in Kgalagadi.
Check out the www.sanparks.org website, especially the public photo directory, which has amazing photos from Kruger and Kgalagadi.
Michael
Aug 21st, 2005, 01:48 PM
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Madagascar is fascinating, and other than taking anti-malarial pills, which I also have taken to visit many countries worldwide, there are no health concerns or any questions over political stability. There were some issues several years ago, but the country is now very safe. Travel is a bit difficult, since we needed to spend the night in Tana while traveling around the country since most flights transit Tana and its not that easy to make connecting flights. I didn't find it as interesting as a traditional safari, and I couldn't see visiting annually, but I do expect to revisit to get to some other parks, although not for a few years.
Jul 18th, 2006, 11:28 PM
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Dear Rocco
My response is almost a year later, but I only saw your post today. I am the owner (and founder - which my partner was not) of Djuma - sole owner now. I bought out my partner last year, and the less said the better!
Anyway, I would like to apologise for the bad service you received at Vuyatela; we are known for the best service with friendly staff - we are especially known for our "can do" attitude.
I hereby extend an invitation to you to spend three days at Vuyatela on your next safari on the house. That is, your entire stay with us will be complimentary.
We look forward to you taking us up on this offer.
Regards
Jurie Moolman
My response is almost a year later, but I only saw your post today. I am the owner (and founder - which my partner was not) of Djuma - sole owner now. I bought out my partner last year, and the less said the better!
Anyway, I would like to apologise for the bad service you received at Vuyatela; we are known for the best service with friendly staff - we are especially known for our "can do" attitude.
I hereby extend an invitation to you to spend three days at Vuyatela on your next safari on the house. That is, your entire stay with us will be complimentary.
We look forward to you taking us up on this offer.
Regards
Jurie Moolman
Jul 19th, 2006, 08:26 AM
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You are hooked! Good question.
2nd compared to 1st: Every bit as good or better, and each subsequent one has been as good or better. I am just hooked on the experience, which is always unique because it's nature. I haven't yet said, "OK, that's enough of this Africa stuff."
Interestingly, Safari #2 was the next year after Safari #1. When I left on the plane for #1 it was a once in a lifetime trip. By my first afternoon in Tarangire, the first park, I knew there'd be more African trips.
Same or different place: 1st=Kenya & Tanzania.
2nd=Zimbabwe because I wanted to do walking and night drives; Uganda for gorillas & Queen Elizabeth; Amboseli in Kenya because I wanted to see that park and didn't include it on #1 and it was easy to fit in.
When I've gone back to Kenya and Tanzania, some of the same parks as Safari #1, I've been just as enthused as the first time.
Do Differently I got a better camera. I did not dye my white athletic socks beige, thinking I had to be 100% khaki. I wanted more activity on Safari #2 than #1.
So Linjudy, what are you leaning toward for #2?
2nd compared to 1st: Every bit as good or better, and each subsequent one has been as good or better. I am just hooked on the experience, which is always unique because it's nature. I haven't yet said, "OK, that's enough of this Africa stuff."
Interestingly, Safari #2 was the next year after Safari #1. When I left on the plane for #1 it was a once in a lifetime trip. By my first afternoon in Tarangire, the first park, I knew there'd be more African trips.
Same or different place: 1st=Kenya & Tanzania.
2nd=Zimbabwe because I wanted to do walking and night drives; Uganda for gorillas & Queen Elizabeth; Amboseli in Kenya because I wanted to see that park and didn't include it on #1 and it was easy to fit in.
When I've gone back to Kenya and Tanzania, some of the same parks as Safari #1, I've been just as enthused as the first time.
Do Differently I got a better camera. I did not dye my white athletic socks beige, thinking I had to be 100% khaki. I wanted more activity on Safari #2 than #1.
So Linjudy, what are you leaning toward for #2?
Jul 19th, 2006, 12:31 PM
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Hi Jurie,
Your offer is very much appreciated. Rather than discuss this in a public forum, I will be in touch via e-mail.
(This response is more for the benefit for others to see that I am receptive and not ignoring Jurie, as may be the case if I did not respond for others to see).
Your offer is very much appreciated. Rather than discuss this in a public forum, I will be in touch via e-mail.
(This response is more for the benefit for others to see that I am receptive and not ignoring Jurie, as may be the case if I did not respond for others to see).
Jul 19th, 2006, 01:45 PM
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My first safari hooked me totally. I went to the Okavango Delta (Mombo, Xigera), Savute, Chobe, & a bit of Zim (Vic Falls & Matobo Hills). I celebrated the 10th anniversary of that trip just a few weeks ago. I woke up one morning and suddenly remembered what I had been doing 10 years before and what camp I'd been in at that moment. When I got home that year, I told my agent I wanted to go back to the delta, but she said 'Oh no, you must try other places.' So I did...Kenya the next year, more of Zimbabwe the third year etc. Each safari has been different, even when repeating a destination. Each has been as good as the last. All have been enjoyable. Africa is like that.
John
John
Jul 19th, 2006, 07:29 PM
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Hi Carla,
Yes, I'm still here!
Actually it's been a while since I've to Fodors, but now I'm back looking for info while planning a vacation to Italy next spring.
Alas, probably won't be able to make it back to Africa until 2008 or 2009. Sigh. Still think about my first trip all the time though... And still looking for those 2nd safari suggestions! I've decided I want to:
- Go to East Africa on one of those tented safaris...
- Do a bit of walking and sleeping out in those hides...
- Go back to Botswana but different camps...
- And once again, end our trip at Mombo!
Yes, I want it all!
Judy
-
Yes, I'm still here!
Actually it's been a while since I've to Fodors, but now I'm back looking for info while planning a vacation to Italy next spring.
Alas, probably won't be able to make it back to Africa until 2008 or 2009. Sigh. Still think about my first trip all the time though... And still looking for those 2nd safari suggestions! I've decided I want to:
- Go to East Africa on one of those tented safaris...
- Do a bit of walking and sleeping out in those hides...
- Go back to Botswana but different camps...
- And once again, end our trip at Mombo!
Yes, I want it all!
Judy
-
