Re: Back, Excited and 2007?!
Oct 6th, 2006, 10:37 AM
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Re: Back, Excited and 2007?!
HI Everyone,
I am back from my first safari in Kenya! Had just a grand time travelling solo and ready to go again. Trip report and photos coming. (If any of you recall I am the one who had all sorts of problems with BA, camera purchase etc. and it all paled the minute my feet hit Nairobi!!!)BUT here I am...I am ready to go back and ready to book my frequent flyer flights so here I need some quick fast advice...again:
Is it possible to do Botswana and Kenya in 3 weeks? I would like to return to Lewa & Lil gov's in the Mara & possibly Ol Malo to see my friends but then thught I could do something in Botswana since I have 3 weeks. What does anyone think and where could I go down there in a weeks or so? Cheers! rhoda
I am back from my first safari in Kenya! Had just a grand time travelling solo and ready to go again. Trip report and photos coming. (If any of you recall I am the one who had all sorts of problems with BA, camera purchase etc. and it all paled the minute my feet hit Nairobi!!!)BUT here I am...I am ready to go back and ready to book my frequent flyer flights so here I need some quick fast advice...again:
Is it possible to do Botswana and Kenya in 3 weeks? I would like to return to Lewa & Lil gov's in the Mara & possibly Ol Malo to see my friends but then thught I could do something in Botswana since I have 3 weeks. What does anyone think and where could I go down there in a weeks or so? Cheers! rhoda
Oct 6th, 2006, 11:03 AM
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Hello,
Combining Botswana and Kenya is certainly doable, though it will require a few city overnights between countries due to flight timings. If you don't mind that, then you should be fine.
I'd recommend splitting your time as follows: 2 weeks Botswana/1 week Kenya. You've already been to Kenya, and to do Botswana justice you really do want two weeks. You'll also lose a few nights on city overnights.
You could start in either country -- the choice may end up depending on availability in Botswana, which is already quite tight for many parts of the year. I'd recommend something along these lines:
Fly into Joburg, connect up to Maun
Makgadikgadi Pans x3
Okavango Camp 1 (mixed land and water) x3
Okavango Camp 2 (land-based) x3
Linyanti x4
Joburg x1 (due to flight timings)
Fly from Joburg-Nairobi
Little Governor's Camp x3
Lewa Downs x3
Fly back to Nairobi and on home.
You could add a day at Vic Falls after the Linyanti if you want.
Cheers,
Julian
Combining Botswana and Kenya is certainly doable, though it will require a few city overnights between countries due to flight timings. If you don't mind that, then you should be fine.
I'd recommend splitting your time as follows: 2 weeks Botswana/1 week Kenya. You've already been to Kenya, and to do Botswana justice you really do want two weeks. You'll also lose a few nights on city overnights.
You could start in either country -- the choice may end up depending on availability in Botswana, which is already quite tight for many parts of the year. I'd recommend something along these lines:
Fly into Joburg, connect up to Maun
Makgadikgadi Pans x3
Okavango Camp 1 (mixed land and water) x3
Okavango Camp 2 (land-based) x3
Linyanti x4
Joburg x1 (due to flight timings)
Fly from Joburg-Nairobi
Little Governor's Camp x3
Lewa Downs x3
Fly back to Nairobi and on home.
You could add a day at Vic Falls after the Linyanti if you want.
Cheers,
Julian
Oct 6th, 2006, 11:06 AM
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Hello,
Sorry, forgot to note that you may need a city overnight at the beginning of the trip as well depending on when your flight arrives. To make the connection to Maun you need to be on either the BA or Virgin flights that get in around 630am.
A lot of people prefer to have a city overnight at the beginning of their trip to get over their jet-lag if they're coming from the US -- it's much better to be a zombie in Joburg than it is to be a zombie in the safari camp you've paid so much to visit. If you're coming from Europe, there's no jet lag.
Cheers,
Julian
Sorry, forgot to note that you may need a city overnight at the beginning of the trip as well depending on when your flight arrives. To make the connection to Maun you need to be on either the BA or Virgin flights that get in around 630am.
A lot of people prefer to have a city overnight at the beginning of their trip to get over their jet-lag if they're coming from the US -- it's much better to be a zombie in Joburg than it is to be a zombie in the safari camp you've paid so much to visit. If you're coming from Europe, there's no jet lag.
Cheers,
Julian
Oct 6th, 2006, 11:53 AM
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Welcome back, and I'm glad you had a great time. While it may be possible to combine Botswana and Kenya, I would recommend that you wait a while before you decide and do some research. In my mind, its not a practical combination. I think you'd be better combining Botswana with Zambia, Zimbabwe or South Africa.
And, for this next sentence, I'm sure I will be attacked, but while on safari, and even after we return, we all think the lodge employees, guides, trackers are our friends -- in some cases that may be so, but they are extremely friendly, but I'm sure in a few months they wouldn't recognize you if they passed you on the street. They see so many different people, and are very friendly to all of them. But, its a business, and I'm sure they would welcome you back if you returned like a long-lost sister. There are so many excellent places that, unless you loved the lodge, the game viewing, its amenities, etc., I wouldn't travel back just to see "my friends." Believe me, you will be likewise befriended at every lodge you visit. Perhaps I'm cynical.
Anyway, that's a bit off topic, but I would recommend that you relish your recent trip a bit before committing to a trip next year. I realize some lodges are likely, by now, unavailable for 2007, but if you decide in the next few months, you should be able to secure lodging. You may also find it very difficult to find frequent flyer tickets for next Summer, so you may want to lock that in soon -- if you don't use them, you could always redeposit them for a small fee.
Michael
And, for this next sentence, I'm sure I will be attacked, but while on safari, and even after we return, we all think the lodge employees, guides, trackers are our friends -- in some cases that may be so, but they are extremely friendly, but I'm sure in a few months they wouldn't recognize you if they passed you on the street. They see so many different people, and are very friendly to all of them. But, its a business, and I'm sure they would welcome you back if you returned like a long-lost sister. There are so many excellent places that, unless you loved the lodge, the game viewing, its amenities, etc., I wouldn't travel back just to see "my friends." Believe me, you will be likewise befriended at every lodge you visit. Perhaps I'm cynical.
Anyway, that's a bit off topic, but I would recommend that you relish your recent trip a bit before committing to a trip next year. I realize some lodges are likely, by now, unavailable for 2007, but if you decide in the next few months, you should be able to secure lodging. You may also find it very difficult to find frequent flyer tickets for next Summer, so you may want to lock that in soon -- if you don't use them, you could always redeposit them for a small fee.
Michael
Oct 6th, 2006, 12:25 PM
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Welcome back and welcome to the hooked on Africa club. It is best to have the bad luck before you hit the continent. That appears to have been your situation.
Botswana and Kenya can certainly be done in 3 weeks. I came back from trip #1 and a year later and did Zimbabwe & Uganda/Kenya in 23 days total.
Your FF reference means you'd be going in August or September, a great time for Botswana, along with Kenya--as you know.
To add to Thit Cho's comments, you cannot be sure the people you enjoyed on this trip will be there next time. They could be on leave or at another company. It is a nice feeling to return to familiar people and surroundings where you've established a relationship. Traveling alone you do tend to bond more with the staff, guides, managers in my experience. But be sure you'd want to go back to these places even if the people weren't there, since you cannot be certain they will be there.
Looking forward to your report. You can offer inside advice to other would be solo female travelers to Africa.
Botswana and Kenya can certainly be done in 3 weeks. I came back from trip #1 and a year later and did Zimbabwe & Uganda/Kenya in 23 days total.
Your FF reference means you'd be going in August or September, a great time for Botswana, along with Kenya--as you know.
To add to Thit Cho's comments, you cannot be sure the people you enjoyed on this trip will be there next time. They could be on leave or at another company. It is a nice feeling to return to familiar people and surroundings where you've established a relationship. Traveling alone you do tend to bond more with the staff, guides, managers in my experience. But be sure you'd want to go back to these places even if the people weren't there, since you cannot be certain they will be there.
Looking forward to your report. You can offer inside advice to other would be solo female travelers to Africa.
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