peggionthego

We are retired and Africa was our one remaining continent so now we have been to all of them! We spent 25 nights in southern Africa in September/October 2017. 11 nights were in hotels (Cape Town, Hermanus, Franschoek, Jo-burg) and 14 nights were in five safari camps. We took 10 commercial flights and 4 bush flights. We worried about all the transfers, but there isn't a single thing we would have missed. We worked with Eileen Datt of Frontiers Travel. The planning is an arduous process when you haven't been before, don't know much, and have so many options presented to you. We were a group of three couples traveling together and I think we all feel the trip plan worked very well for us. In fact, now that we've been, we all want to go back and are seriously considering that for 2019 (need to replenish the bank account first.)

We loved Cape Town, Hermanus, and the wine country. We were astonished by how un-Africa like it seemed to us. As others have written, it felt more like being in Northern California or the Mediterranean except for the baboon warning signs.

We flew Qatar with frequent flyer miles in business class. We had a 9 hour layover in Doha, but figured out there is a 24 hour spa there and getting a massage was fantastic! We arrived in Cape Town tired but sort of functional. Our room wasn't ready and we managed to get lunch and stay standing until we could get in. A nap was helpful. We stayed at the Queen Victoria Hotel which is near the V&A Waterfront but not actually on it. Lovely hotel and restaurant. It was very windy so we were not able to go up to Table Mountain until our third day there. We loved our 11 hour peninsula tour, and lunch at the Oceans restaurant at the Cape of Good Hope was excellent.

We stayed at a super luxury property in Hermanus: Birkenhead House. We could see whales from the deck and there is a lovely oceanside walkway. In the wine country, we stayed at Le Quartier Francaise. We recommend the Huguenot Museum and Memorial nearby. Had dinner at La Petite Columbe and loved it. Also had a terrific dinner at Rust & Verde but it was VERY far from our hotel and we wish we had stayed closer.

Our first safari camp was Kalahari. We had no idea what to expect; it ended up being the most remote and rustic of our camps but it was very comfortable and we loved it!! We were fascinated by the salt pans, saw amazing herds of wildebeest and zebra, and even saw TWO lion feasts following a night time kill.

The birds in Africa are amazing. Our group of six started with two birders and came home with six. We had a Pocket Guide to Birds of Africa that was immensely helpful.

Next camp was Kwetsani in the Okavanga Delta. Many more elephants than in Kalahari, lots of time in boats on hippo highways, rode in a mokoro. Wonderful guide, Mr. Moyo, but then EVERY guide was wonderful!!!

Can highly recommend the Great Courses class on Africa: From Lucy to Mandela. Also suggest Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, The South African Story by Ron McGregor and the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith.

peggionthego

Continuing the report: our next camp was Savuti, right on the channel with hippos right outside our rooms. Lots of variety of habitat here. Very well managed camp. Great guide. Our favorite food of all the camps.Saw our first leopard and nursing cub here. Got to see a hippo upset with a herd of Cape Buffalo who were between it and the water. Lots of open-mouthed hippo photos!

Toka Leya near Victoria Falls was our next camp which some of the other camps referred to a "safari-LIKE." It was a bit less game drive oriented but it had its own charms. This is not when the water is best over the falls, but we still are glad we saw it. I took the ultralight ride over the falls and the rest of our group took the helicopter. We were all happy. Had a terrific tour of a school and a traditional village if that is of interest to you. Very much enjoyed boat rides on the Zambezi.

Next went to Jo-burg, which is less visited by tourists and more by business people. We are glad we went but now we have been there, done that and wouldn't go back. We toured Soweto and the Apartheid Museum, both worth seeing. One couple had an extra day and went to the Cradle of Humankind. They report they could have skipped the cave tour but the museum itself was fascinating.

Our last camp was Rattrays in MalaMala. Unbelieveable luxury. The game drive vehicles are open and you really get to notice more of the night sky than you do in a covered vehicle. One night we were treated to an unbelievable storm. Lightning up and down, sideways, diagonal, sometimes so bright you could see as clearly as you can in the daytime! The Sand River was all sand when we were there, but must have been starting to trickle, because a hippo showed up our last morning there.

deladeb

Thank-you for sharing, glad you loved it. My favorite bird was the Lilac breasted roller.

peggionthego

We loved those too and saw many of them, but there were SO MANY species! It was kind of mind blowing. I liked the yellow-billed hornbills, the secretary bird, the kori bustard. Just so many birds.