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This is on the MalaMala website:
http://www.malamala.com/newsletters/...ce/DefAfEx.pdf R 2900 per person (one way) approx $362 US Mash-MM |
Hi Leslie
No I could not imagine me driving either, yet I will be in December! Yes, Matt I have been told about how different Pafuri is from MalaMala and as I am a birder (or whatever they are called) I am happy with that. Usually if I have wildlife and scenery, I will go for the wildlife and very few photos of scenery, so I was quite surprised with how many photos of scenery I did take at Mashatu. Have been told that Pafuri has beautiful areas. I also think I will enjoy it - maybe even the driving as when I have been on road transfers, I find the Southern African drivers to be very polite and they seem to follow the rules of courtesy to other drivers! Kind regards Kaye |
Hi Leslie,
I am planning the Mashatu/Mala Mala combo for October 2010. Just for your planning purposes, if you decide to do these two camps together, the flight between the camps is only on Sundays. I know there are other ways to get back and forth but I decided on the flight so I had to find out the day so that I could plan my other stops around it (Cape Town and Victoria Falls). If you haven't yet, you might want to contact Angela at Mala Mala for a rate quote. She quoted me $5710pp for 5 nights at Mashatu Tent Camp, 6 nights at Mala Mala Main Camp including the flight from Johannesburg, the flight between the camps and the transfers. She has been wonderful to work with and she can also add other stops to your package if you'd like. Maybe I'll see you there! Carrie |
Carrie -- Wow, that is a good price. So you're booking directly with them rather than through an agent/operator. Do you not think there's any value to be added by working with an agent? This is my first time to Africa so I'm sorry if that's a stupid question. I guess I've been assuming that the operators can get you the same or lower prices plus help in other ways.
Thanks for the heads up on the combo deal. |
Leslie,
I looked around, but there were no tour operators that offered any kind of discount for the Mashatu/Mala Mala properties (in fact - most were more expensive). I'm not big into tour groups and tend to want to arrange things myself so I do go direct through the properties if I can. Angela, while part of Mala Mala,is actually a travel agent too I believe - so she books more than just the Mala Mala properties. I got in contact with her by using the e-mail link on Mala Mala's web site. Of course, always do your research and make sure you're getting the right price, but I don't think you're going to find Mala Mala or Mashatu lower than the rates published on their web sites. Of course, if you are going with a group tour or similar, I suppose they could cut the price in other areas and make it lower overall... Good luck with your planning and get us updated on how you're doing. |
leslie - $5710 - good price? Sundowner above calculated it and got (I agree) $4375 for 5 and 6 at MM and Mashatu. $5710 - $4375 still leaves $1335 for camp transfers. I don't see the "good price" you are referring to? Looks like standard published rates to me.
I think it is generally good to work with an operator, TA, your first time in Africa especially if you have more than two safari camps and two countries involved. Many such times you need charter flights, like GenAir, to get around. And this would likely be tough to arrange for the novice. However, if you're going say to only MM and Mashatu in and out of JNB then the MM reservation staff should be able to handle all required transfers. (Although in my one time dealing with them about three years ago they were very lacking in responding to my questions, email). regards - tom |
I agree that it is good to work with an operator for your first time in Africa. However, you should take a look at Luxurylink.com which has some great southern Africa packages that fit well within your budget. We have used Luxurylink for a number of trips and were very pleased.
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Ah yes, Mashatu Tented - I was calculating at Mashatu Main rate. OK, so clearly as a newbie I will be better off to stick with an operator.
Tom - your reports on King's Camp really sound wonderful. Do you think it's possible that we could add that to the mix or would the logistics make it too expensive for us? |
Leslie - Well, you ask me what time is it, so, I'm going to tell you how to build a watch :-)
Kings Camp is in the Timbavati reserve that is just north of Sabi Sand reserve, MM. Here's that little map again showing this and surrounding towns/airports/Kruger - http://tinyurl.com/phlubo So getting from Mashatu to Kings Camp then to MM? First thing is, I don't know that because of KC that the MM reservation people will help you. In other words, things are a bit more complicated, but still reasonable. Starting at Mashatu and getting to KC. If you have a car you can drive it. Similar to what Cindy and Carla did in 2008 getting from Mashatu to MM. The town of Hoedspruit has an airport (HDS) that most people use to get into the Timbavati camps, KC. The camp picks you up at the airport. So you get (how?) from Mashatu to Hoedspruit. Then after KC fly to MM. This is in fact what I'm doing this Sep, I'm at KC then flying to the MM airstrip. This flight for me on Genair charter will cost me $200 because I have to pay two fares. So for two people still $200, KC to MM. Or, you could start not at Mashatu but at KC. That is fly JNB to Hoedspruit, do KC, back to Hoedspruit. Then have MM reservations take over your transfers. Have them arrange Hoedspruit to Mashatu to MM. (Would you have to back-track to JNB after KC? If so, not good, cost a day and hotel for night?) Or, you could skip Mashatu and do KC and MM. (For same cost). However, the terrain around Mashatu and it being tented camp may be a nice change from the other reserves. That is, the Timbavati and Sabi Sand reserves look very much alike. I have not been to Mashatu to say how much different its look and feel is to Sabi Sand. CINDY and CARLA, you know, was big difference in safari camps, Mashatu and MM? When doing more than one safari camp and especially more than one country it usually gets messy with details. And choices :-) regards - tom |
You, know, after thinking on this above for a while, I'm preferring best of all doing only Mashatu and MM. And having MM reservations arranging all transfers for you to/from JNB.
regards - tom |
Tom - I'm so grateful for your advice.
Since we only have 2 weeks and a slim budget I think it does make sense to just focus on the 2 camps this time and save KC for our next trip. Especially if KC and MM have certain similarities that might not make the extra travel time + cost worthwhile. But I have thrown the request for itineraries out to a few operators and mentioned Kings Camp also (and Pafuri but I'm less and less inclined to go that way - just little things I keep reading about not so much game there yet, more birding, etc.) so I'll see what I get back. As far as number of nights in one place - 6 and 5 would be nice to get a chance to settle in and not lose days on the move. Yes? Not repetitive, I take it - seems like a lot of you folks stay for even longer periods. And staying with the same owner seems like our best bet to minimize costs. I think I'm convinced. Hope the price is right to make this work. CarrieT -- Sounds like our trips might overlap -- hope to see you next October! Thanks again to all for your guidance. Leslie |
Hey Tom , ash, Katie and I have driven across half of tx, all of louisiana today and still have to get across mississippi into Alabama before stopping tonight. Kind of reminds me of the road trip last summer in Africa except we are missing Carla! We actually have to drive on this trip.
The camps and how they are run is similar but the landscapes are very different. Mashatu has vast areas of "nothing" where there is very little vegetation and the ellies have broken off every tree to knee level. I think there are some landscapes in the photo link above (takes too long to load on iPhone). Maybe Csrla can describe more about the landscape. I think we all cried when we left mashatu (Some more visibly than others). ((#)) cindy |
Agent or book direct? If the price is the same, I'd use an agent. You can check.
Are any of you considering Mala Mala going alone? If so and if you can book early enough to get it, Mala Mala allows one no single supplement room. The actual room shifts around from rondavel to rondavel. I enjoyed that discount during my solo stay. |
Leslie,
I was going to ask - are you set on South Africa? You might be able to get more mileage out of your money in Tanzania or Kenya. I enjoyed Tanzania in October last year - it was a great month to be there - I even saw some of the Migration crossing the Mara River. And, yes, the price quoted to me by Mala Mala was the rack rate with all 3 flights included I'm sure. I don't think they really give discounts (but I could be wrong). You're going to have a great trip whatever you decide and I'll be on the look-out for you if you decide on Mala Mala or Mashatu! :-) Carrie |
bookmarking, thanks
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atravelynn -I hope the single room at MM is available for my mom. Not sure if this is early for October 2010 or if people book safaris 2 years ahead.
Carrie - I am sort of set now on SA + Botswana but I'm pretty sure it will be the first of many so I'll keep Tanzania in mind for next time. Cindy - Weeping upon leaving is the best recommendation :) |
Leslie,
As of a couple weeks ago when I booked, the single room was still available, but if you're going to book it, you need to do it very soon. I almost booked it because I thought I was going to be traveling alone. Unfortunately for me, I found someone to go with me (she's the same person who went to Tanzania with me and I got the feeling safaris really weren't her thing - I can't believe she wants to go again!). Also, Angela at Mala Mala told me that room goes fast because there is only one and she said it is almost always booked over a year ahead. If you can't get the single room rate, you would have to pay for two people in the room even if it's just your mom - which makes it quite pricey at Mala Mala for one person. |
P.S. I just went and looked at Mala Mala rates and I was wrong - they do have a single supplement but it is almost $300/night. I just remember thinking it was too much for me. It would make it $862/night.
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"Not sure if this is early for October 2010 or if people book safaris 2 years ahead."
For the Mala Mala no single supplement room I would try 2 years ahead. I booked about 16 months in advance to get that room. |
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