obrienenator

Hi all,

I have been reading on these posts for a few weeks. I was wondering why Mala Mala rangers stay with you at dinner and the whole time through out the day. Is this normal at other camps and does anyone know why they do this? I am curious. We are going to Mala Mala this weekend for the first time. Also is Sable Camp that much nicer than Main Camp?
thanks in advance for the insights.

Lily622

I'm not sure of the protocol at other camps in SA - when we were in Botswana, our ranger ate with us once or twice, but not every meal. The MM rangers are with you during meals because they are responsible for you during your stay and want to do as much as possible to make it enjoyable (and they do!). Our ranger, Sean, was terrific in making sure we had everything we needed. We wanted for nothing and Sean went out of his way on more than one occasion to make sure we were taken care of properly. I was curious about how it would be to eat all meals with rangers and the other guests in our group, but we had great conversations and I was glad to have Sean there not only because he took care of us so well, but also because he was a great guy and we enjoyed getting to know him. All of the rangers I met at MM are so personable & knowledgable that I'd suggest you take advantage and learn about the animals, MM, South Africa and anything else you want to know about while you can!

If you prefer, you are certainly free to say you'd like to eat your meals by yourself, or in your room. The staff at Mala Mala is very accommodating. My husband and I were just at MM Sable Camp and had requested a private anniversary dinner in our room. We chose to eat with our ranger and the other guests on our truck - the staff made us a cake and sang "Happy Anniversary" to us - it was such a memorable experience and just one example of how the staff at Mala Mala is committed to ensuring a fantastic experience for each and every guest.

In my opinion, Sable Camp was definitely worth the added expense. Our room (more like a house!) was fantastic, I especially appreciated Sable Camp's separate eating area and smaller size. Also, the game viewing was phenomenal - you'll notice that the rangers 'keep score' (for fun) and that the 'scores' for sightings each day are tallied up when everyone sits around the bar before dinner. One day, two Sable trucks had more sightings than 8 cars from Main Camp. Not to say that Main Camp isn't great, though!
Hope these thoughts are helpful. We had a fabulous time and can't wait to return. Have a wonderful time!

obrienenator

thank you thank you this is very helpful!!

Clematis1

You are in for a real treat. The Mala Mala rangers are very smart guys and very well trained. At other camps I have also eaten dinners with my ranger (Singita comes to mind), but at many you don't. Your ranger also helps out with the service sometimes, filling your water, etc. making it easier on the wait staff.

Have fun with those wild dog puppies.

KayeN

Hi obrienenator

The ranger at MM is responsible for nearly everything regarding his guests. I have stayed at quite a few camps, and rarely do the rangers have a meal with you, maybe a dinner every few nights. To me, this gives the appearance of the guests being a bit much trouble, as if I have been with you for three hours, now I want my own time! MM's rangers are with you for the whole safari experience, and I know that it fills their whole working day, and I am often curious as to how the rangers at other camps spend their days apart from the time in the vehicle, because it gives them a huge amount of down time.

I much prefer MM's system, where the ranger eats each meal with you, as they are all entertaining guys with heaps of stories! As I stay quite a few days, I do decide quite quickly whether or not I eat with the group, and then the ranger tends to stay with the group and that is fine.

I have not stayed in Sable Camp, although I may be next year as Main Camp is fully booked for a few days when I am wanting to go. Speaking for me, I would never request Sable Camp, as I am perfectly happy in Main Camp. Sable Camp is at the southern end of Main Camp, and while the numbers are smaller, the gameviewing is exactly the same, just depends on the route your ranger decides upon.

If I went for just a weekend, I would go to Rattray's which is a super luxurious camp and definitely my preferred for the money.

Kind regards

Kaye

matnikstym

I enjoy eating with the guides and hosts at camps, have had many very interesting and educational conversations while at the dinner table. Only 1 lodge I've been to in Zambia didn't have the guide eat with us and the two lodges in the Caprivi Strip served us either at our own table or in the room by the pool. I didn't care for that, I like to hear other peoples adventures and stories. Unless you're on your honeymoon and want to be alone, then eating with others is great fun. Looking forward to eating with our guide at MalaMala!

HariS

I like the fact that the ranger stays with you throughout your stay and eats dinner with you! I find it more interesting than being stuck at the dinner table with somebody that may turn out boring....

This is the norm for Botswana. This wasn't the case at one of the camps in the western SSGR, where the ranger would drop you off after your evening drive and then say,
"Goodnight" and on more than one or two ocassions, dinner was TORTURE!!!

Hari

ellene

Although we like our ranger very much, we did ask him to not dine with us at dinner after the first night. We stayed at sable camp. and to be honest, would not stay there again. The rooms are the same as at main camp, with a separate dining area and pool. In fact the sable camp rooms are interspersed with the main camp rooms, you just dine in your own boma. We are returning in 4 months, and staying at main camp this time. The one thing we did splurge on, and are doing again, is our own vehicle/driver.

KayeN

Hi ellene

As a matter of interest, why didn't you want the ranger dining with you at dinner?

I would imagine dinner in Sable is similiar to main camp, where you all dine in the Boma - so I am curious as to why the ranger wasn't welcome to dine with you, especially when it is part of his job to see to your drinks etc during the meal? Or did you eat in your room, where understandably you would not want the ranger, and I am pretty sure, the ranger would not want that either!

Kind regards

Kaye

HariS

Hi Kaye,

My dinner strategy from my recent safari was, sit next to my guide and we sit near another guide either across the table or close to, so that my conversation is typically interesting and a fun evening!

Hari

KayeN

Hi Hari

Great idea, as most rangers are very amusing company. The only few that were not amusing were both in Botswana - and one really liked the sound of his voice and never seemed to stop talking and the other was nice enough but sounded like a text book and kept testing me on everything which grew very tiring very quickly!

Kind regards

Kaye

HariS

Hi Kaye,

That's a shame when you meet guides like that at some camps, and having read your experiences..... can tell that you weren't impressed by the gameviewing either at those camps!

Rgds,
Hari

ellene

I think we just wanted to spend time the two of us, and did not want to feel forced to make conversation with another party. I liked my ranger very much, but after all day with him(we had our own vehicle). I felt it was sufficient. We were the only guests in Sable camp during out stay, so opted to eat in the main camp boma. It felt unncessary to have them setup the sable camp boma just for two people. We had drinks with our ranger in the lodge prior to dinner, but did not dine with him.

napamatt

I'm sure your ranger appreciated the night off. We make the buggers work for every penny

napamatt

I second Main or Rattrays rather than Sable.

Momliz

I would think that the rangers would like the down time - I mean, this is work for them, and I don't want to be at my job for more than the usual 8 hours - we are on vacation after all, but they aren't. We may think it is fun, but when you do the same thing day in and day out, as the rangers do, it does get more like work... I find it interesting that some of you did not like the ranger's down time. Don't you think the ranger may want to have some of his own time, to relax, put his feet up and do his own thing? Or have I not understood? Do they maybe work all day and evening for your trip, then have several days off?

jackssid

I am an ex-field guide (ranger).

Overall we have to be quite good with people obviously. Some people are really nice and easy to sit with. With others it can be like pulling teeth! You will notice that most guides are young. There is a reason for this. Over time this sitting too often kills you. That is why so many guides leave the industry. Check out some of the older guides - many are bordering on alcoholism. This sounds sad and negative but is true. After many many years of guiding I am still hosting people all the time - and I am not an alcoholic but when I go on safari (often) I will always try to give the guides off - they do appreciate it mostly and need it!

KayeN

Momliz,

Sure the rangers love downtime, who doesn't? It is not more like work, it is a ranger's work! I have no problem with rangers having down-time, but at MM if you request your ranger not to dine with you when you are the only ones in the vehicle, then he needs to be nearby during the meal to see to your drink needs and then escort you back to your room, otherwise he needs to pass this job onto another ranger who has his own guests to see to. At MM a rangers job is to look after you from when you first appear to walk you to your room after dinner with very little down time during the day, though more in summer than in winter, and not for one minute is it an easy job as god knows I have seen many, many guests make sure that it isn't! Unless it is really busy for long periods of time, rangers would get the odd day or couple of days free of guests, but they still have work to do during the day as that is their job - 8 weeks straight work then 2 weeks leave, which is the same for most camp staff. Most of the staff at MM camps work long hours, it is their job description. So as with most jobs, they have good bits and bad bits.

MM rangers are always good company, are very gracious and all seem to have a good sense of humour and god do they need it! Other rangers at other camps I have been to have been less then gracious and forever watching the time when they are with you and if you ask them if they are joining you for a meal, they respond with maybe on the last meal or some such rubbish and I have said not to bother, as they obviously have other things to do with their time and I have felt as if I have been an intrusion on their time, which I am, but that is part of the job!

Kind regards

Kaye

napamatt

I think the time swapping stories with the rangers is some of the best. They particularly appreciate people who have been to areas they haven't or who maybe have a better understanding of the mammal history of their property. One of MM's rangers who guided our friends in May, expressed an interest in guiding us all in September because he wanted to improve his bird knowledge.

KayeN

Hi Matt

Who was the ranger Matt?

Kind regards

Kaye