Anywhere Worth Going that DOESN'T involve Malaria Meds?
 

Hi Guys,
Well we're literally just back from a quick trip to the US and to beat those winter blues I need to start figuring our where our next vacation will be. I would absolutely LOVE to go back to Africa but there's a catch (isn't there always!), we're hoping to start a family and if all goes to plan, I won't be able to take Malaria meds. If we did decide to go to Africa the trip would HAVE to involve mainly safari. Now I think I know the answer I'm going to get but I just have to ask - should we plan a trip elsewhere? We're thinking anytime from June or July onwards.

Imelda

Madikwe

Imdelda, you and I are in the exact same boat. When we came back in October 2005 we were told to wait at least 3 months before trying to start a family. 1 year later still no kids.... methinks we need to try a bit harder ((a))

When I caught the plane out of Kigali, I knew this was going to be my last exotic vacation for many many years. I think we will slip in a week in one European city. My wife wants Rome or London (yawn, been there done that). If I must go to Europe I prefer Prague.

Madikwe or the growing number of locations in the Eastern Cape

Thanks for the input guys. I've just taken a very quick look at Madikwe but I'm not too sure it's for us. I know it's a LOT to ask for BUT... any other areas where there is more chance of seeing the elusive Leopard? Does anyone know where I can find a map of the Malaria Free areas?

Wayne, our last trip was supposed to be our last exotic trip too but I'm afraid I just can't let this go that easily .... no harm in looking and investigating ;)

Imelda

For malaria free you need to be looking in the eastern cape region of South Africa. Shamwari - great little private game reserve about an hour from Port Elizabeth and also Addo Elephant Park (has more than elephants but not sure if they have brought in predators yet - the park has just done a massive expansion. That way you perhaps fly into Cape Town - take in Table Mountain etc. the wine region if you are not preggers and then the glorious garden route down to the PE area - or towards Grahamstown. You'll hit both Addo and Shamwari in that area. Check out Shamwari. I was looking at Hluhluwe-Umfolozi in KwaZulu natal but that's also malaria. I have to tell you though that June/July are winter and you are not going to see a mosquito anywhere. In fact, we were in Kruger in February 03 (the rainy hot season) and had zero trouble with mosquitos; we were also there in April 05 and had no trouble. If you do go to SA and via Cape Town route you should check out Spier winery. I have heard that they have cheetahs there.
Melanie

The main part of Namibia (ie, non-Caprivi strip) is malaria-free, and is a unique experience. While I didn't see any leopards, I did see lion and cheetah in Etosha, and there are some rehabilitation centers that work with large cats, including leopards.

Hi Melanie,
Thanks for the great advice. I had actually just found the Shamwari website and it looks interesting. I am trying to find information on the gameviewing there. Have you been there? Any preference for location / accomodation? We have been to SA before and spent 5 nights in Cape Town but didn't do the Garden Route. We LOVED Cape Town though and I know I could convince hubby to go back. (He actually doesn't know I'm looking into going back to Africa yet ... can't just drop a bombshell like that on him when I haven't even fully unpacked from our last jaunt :) ) We didn't know about the Spiers Cheetahs back then but I read about them here a while back (thanks Lynda!) - I had actually forgotten about them - thanks for reminding me Melanie!

Imelda

Hi thit-cho,
Our posts just crossed. Actually, Namibia is on my list of places to visit but I hadn't realised that there is a malaria free area.... do you think that it would be worth visiting and leaving out the caprivi strip or would it be better to wait until malarianwon't be an issue for me? Also, I'm wondering about medical facilities availability and ease of access ... any advice?

Thanks,
Imelda

Yes, I think most of the participants on this forum who visited Namibia visited the main part of Namibia and did not spend time in Caprivi (a very narrow strip that abuts Botswana).

The only thing I know about Namibia's medical facilities is that Brangelina gave birth there.

Thanks thit-cho - am going to look into it more ... I'm sure I'll have a "few" questions for you when I get my head around it :)

Imelda

congratulations on your upcoming pregnancy Imelda! Any chance of naming your kid "Burundi"? ;)

I suggest Madikwe. We saw everything we wanted except the leopard, but then again they are elusive just about everywhere. We made a serious effort for 2 nights to find one, but luck was not with useven though there had been some recent sightings. Timing is the key for any animal sighting on safari. Then again, you could run into a leopard on your visit. Plus for Madikwe is they have African Wild Dogs, which you have a pretty decent chance of seeing. Several lion prides + several hundred elephant. Also white and black rhino which you will see. Cheetah is there along with some hippo. Lots of great birds and small animals. We really liked the reserve. The landscape reminded me of the Texas Hill country

Try searching for "malaria free safari"
It came up with a lot of options.

If it is in the budget, quite possibly the nicest safari lodge in existence is in a malaria free area:

www.mateyasafari.com

Not only malaria free but I had some of the very best gameviewing of my Botswana/South Africa safari while at my 2 nights at Mateya. Saw wild dogs, lions, brown hyena and spotted hyena, and had I arrived a day earlier, I would have seen three cheetahs together as did my vehicle mates.

Imelda: I really enjoyed Madikwe as well and was enthralled with Namibia. With Madikwe's proximity to Joburg it would be a fantastic trip to combine the two. Namibia for the most part (other than Etosha) is a different kind of viewing with scenery and enormous wilderness taking an emphasis. Combined with the easy viewing of a diverse number of species in Madikwe you would get a very well rounded experience.

Another malaria free area that has my interest in Kwandwe. CC Africa has an operation there and I would like to get there sometime down the road.

http://www.ccafrica.com/reserve-1-id-2-8
Good luck with your family plan!

Hee hee Dennis - I'm never going to forget that am I ... don't think I need to name a kid Burundi to remember either ;)

Madikwe looks very promising indeed but I have read some conflicting reports on the gameviewing end of things. Rocco, Mateya looks AMAZING but the price might be prohibitive, I'm not sure yet what our budget would be but at first glance that price would definately be stretching it a bit. .... that is unless I (or more importantly Deck) could be convinced that it would be worth it. ... Would Shamwari or Kwandwe be better in terms of gameviewing do you think? Also, I'm reading conflicting reports on Namibias Malarial status - most websites I see say it i not Malarial free but has a low Malarial risk. Lots of sites suggest getting the meds and taking them with you snd 'if' mosquitoes are biting, then to take the meds. I know that if there is ANY risk then I won't have a hope in hell of getting Deck to agree to go. One other thing ... remember Decks 'creepy crawlie and tented camps' issue .. is it going to be much harder to be able to find 'walled' camps in Namibia?

Thanks again everyone for all your help and lets hope it's Africa bound this year.

Imelda

My understanding is that there's no malarial risk south of Etosha but I could be wrong. There should be no problem finding "walled" camps in Namibia.

My understanding is the same as Patty's and we did not take malarone until needed for the Etosha part of the trip. I think risk at Etosha is seasonal, it would be ashame to miss Etosha but I still think a wonderful trip would take in Soussuvlei/Namib area and Damaraland area for huge landscapes and desert adapted species (there are some very good lodges that are not tents) and then move onto South Africa for a malaria free park. My gameviewing at Madikwe was very good. Check Buffalo Ridge Lodge for a special community owned lodge that is much cheaper than some of the other options.

Well I'm back ... and with very good news ... I have the 'official' go-ahead to plan our next trip ....YIPPEE!!!... So it's all systems go.....

Now I'm going to throw the cat among the pigeons and ask a question I probably shouldn't ask on the Africa board ...BUT....along with Namibia (you were right (of course :) )South of Windhoek is Malaria free according to namibiatourism dot com) plus South Africa I'm drawn to going to Churchill Manitoba to see the Polar Bears. Thit_cho I know you've done both this AND Namibia .... what do you think ... the pluses of each and I suppose ultimately, if it were you, which would you do??
IF we did Churchill we could combine it with Black Bears also (this tour http://www.tundrabuggy.com/polar-bea...ack-and-white/ ) - I've e-mailed them for more details.

Anyways, sorry to sidetrack but I'm sure by now you all know how indecisive I am and I just HAVE to ask these questions :D

Imelda