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-   -   Elephant Valley Lodge--Chobe--Any Feedback? (https://www.fodors.com/community/africa-and-the-middle-east/elephant-valley-lodge-chobe-any-feedback-655645/)

Bo2642 Oct 28th, 2006 08:19 AM

Elephant Valley Lodge--Chobe--Any Feedback?
 
Hi, Everybody--
If anybody has stayed at the Elephant Valley Lodge, located in the Kasane Forest, I'd appreciate hearing about your experience there. I have a much anticipated Botswana 2007 trip already booked, but it's possible that my travel partner and I will be making a short trip in addition to that in April, 2007.
We are two ladies on a budget. We're looking at 2Afrika's Season of Plenty offering which would put us at The Chobe Safari Lodge for 6 nights w/1 night in Johannesburg, but with a consolidator's airfare and an additional $300 we could take the package put together for us by Island-Safari--3 nights Pom Pom, 3 nights Elephant Valley Lodge (or Chobe Safari Lodge if we wish), and 2 nights Zambezi Sun at the Falls. Any and all input would be very welcome. Thanks in advance. Barbara

travelwmn Oct 28th, 2006 07:44 PM

I'm sorry to say, we had a very bad one night stay at Elephant Valley Lodge this past September. We were a large group staying in 8 of their tents. All but one tent had some kind of problem: toilet not working, no hot water, spider infestation, tent zippers that would not close, etc. Probably the worst problem was when one member of our group put his passport in the safe and the safe would not reopen. They had to call in a locksmith who also could not open the safe. Eventually, they had to use explosives to open it -- luckily his passport was not damaged in the process.

I will say that the food was good and Elephant Valley has a large watering whole with LOTS of elephants and other game visiting both day and night. Also, the guide we had to Kruger was quite knowledgable.

I hope this helps.

Bo2642 Oct 28th, 2006 10:12 PM

Yes, indeed, Travelwmn. This certainly does help. Thank you.

bots Oct 29th, 2006 02:30 AM

Hi Bo,
I assume the extra 300 is to fly to Maun.
April is not the best time for the Okavango Delta.The flood waters normally reaches Pom Pom about middle of may.
Saying that 6 days at Chobe Safari Lodge could be a bit much.
I suppose you are flying into Livingstone Google " green season specials botswana"
There are some great specials over the period.Maybe do 3 nights Chobe and 3 Livingstone ie Island of siankaba or Taita Falcon Lodge.Lots of diff activ in the Area.

atravelynn Oct 29th, 2006 04:34 AM

Blowing up the safe! Goodness!

Bo2642 Oct 29th, 2006 06:58 AM

Good morning, bots--
I appreciate the time you took to pass along valuable information. I did the Google search you suggested--green season specials botswana--and came up with some really tempting offerings for April.
Here's our situation right now, though. The possibility of an April trip came about when a good friend approached me regarding a short trip to view African wildlife. She had enjoyed hearing about a previous trip I had taken to Kenya and Tanzania, but she was hoping for something in Botswana. Her situation is complicated, though. She has a special needs 20 year old daughter who requires constant care and support. While her wonderful husband has arranged to take some time off work in April to be with the daughter and allow my friend some much needed time out, upon really thinking about the distance she'd be away from home and how difficult it might be to get home quickly should that be necessary, my friend concluded that as much as she wanted this trip, she just couldn't go with a light heart. Understandable. So....we will take a short trip together, but to someplace closer to home. "Where" is yet to be decided.
In the meantime, though, I do have Botswana to look forward to, having already booked for a September 12 trip with my usual travel partner.
Just want to thank everybody for the usual good input.
Barbara


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