JUN 09 ZAMBIA TRIP-PLEASE REVIEW
 

I am planning my third trip to Africa and this summer Ill be mixing the safari with a bit of sightseeing for a change. Any comments on the Lodges selected would be appreciated.

LAX-JNB
JNB DOREALE GRAND HOTEL
8 DAYS---CHIAWA/OLD MONDORO
4 DAYS--VIC FALLS--Tongabezi Lodge Nut House
Jnb Premiere Class Train To Cape town
3 days Capetown--Still planning but reached out to Lynn's Guide per her posting.

I Know mid June is a bit chilly but its the best month for me to travel. Hopefully I've selected great places. Thanks for your feedback!

A nice long time along the Lower Zambezi!

Do you have 4 days of activities planned in Vic Falls? That seems too long to spend there. One or two nights would be my preference. You could easily take those days and add them to the Cape Town area. But if you wish to do all the activities from bungee jumping to river rafting, etc. then you may need that amount of time.

If you want to get the most out of the canoeing opportunities in the LZ, you could spend at least one night at Sausage Tree between Chiawa and Old Mondoro.

If you do plan to spend lots of time in a canoe or a small boat, then the cooler June temps will be welcome. Canoeing all day with no protection from the sun can get intense in the hotter temps.

See if you can take the Chifungulu Channel from Sausage Tree to OM. It is a scenic canoe trip that takes all day and was a canoeing highlight for me. You cannot canoe from Chiawa to OM because it takes too long. You can transfer by boat between the two, but that's along the main river. Meandering the narrow channel was magical.

I was told it was not a good idea to go between Joburg and Cape Town on the train, but that shorter trips around the cape from bay to bay are very nice. Since the train was not part of my plans this time, I did not seek out details on why not to go between Joburg and Cape Town.

monyline,
chiawa is a very nice camp and old mondoro is VERY rustic. at least it was when we visited in june 07.
everything within the hut is in wooden boxed because of the mice which tend to eat ANYTHING incl. soap

june was very pleasant temp wise! it was chilly especially gurind early morning hours but bearable and not as cold as bot at the same time.

you will like it!

div

oops forgot something...

when stayping at tongabezi during the lunar rainbow pls make sure the take you to the falls ON TIME!
or even better organize your own transport (taxi) and do it yourself.

leave tonga at around 1700hrs in order to make sure you are there!

when we visited

-the first evening they "forgot" to take a couple (which planned the whole trip around that lunar rainbow!!! imagine a 3 weeks safari to SA and bot/zam around that specific date and they forget to take them!)
-the second evening they left much too late so they arrived at the falls at around 2045hrs and all we could see was the pics people had taken 1 hours prior to our arrival.

so make sure it's properly done! or DIY

div

Good idea to try for the full moon. Organizing the transport on your own is a helpful hint if there are such problems with promptness that you miss the whole thing.

Comments on Old Mondoro--It remains one of my favorite camps. Ask for a tent where there is the most elephant activity. I had one walk about 12 feet from the open window in the thatching and look in while I was looking at him. S

Showers were taken with hot water poured into a big bucket that you requested in advance. You controlled the flow in your tent. The setting was beautiful. The use of natural light was beautiful. The buffalo and elephants in camp were nice, sometimes causing delays. Great food and staff. What a place!

On one of the walks we walked with honey badgers. I'll never forget that.

Lynn

I am doing 3 days at Vic Falls and probably will want to fish for one of the days. Curious as to if anyone has comments on the JNB train.

Also I reached out to Wayne at Take 2 tours per your recommendation. He emailed me back in ten minutes! He's off on a long tour for a week but will be getting back to me. I appreciate your insights!

OK, fishing. That makes sense. I think you can fish at the LZ camps too. Though I did not bait up a pole, I watched some tigerfish fishing and it was quite exciting. Please tell Wayne hi from Lynn, the early planner.

lynn

as you mention elephants walking right besides your accommodation........

we always ask for the last accommodation in the row in order to have that open space besides us which offers animals the space they need.

in lower zambesi a couple of weeks ago we also had the last one. one morning we had the pleasure of watching a herd (approx. 40 elephants) walking slowly towards the river. they were pretty close and we were standing on our deck.
all of a sudden a huge bull passed us from the left..........he was HUGE. we stood QUIETLY watching the scene. such moments make the effort, which is involved in travelling to africa, worthwhile.

ah - all the cows suddenly came to a stand still, facing the old guy and not moving at all. it took them some time to figure out what that guy was all about.
very lively, colourful and awesome memories!

div