What our clients say about us.
Updated December 2007
Botswana/Zimbabwe/Namibia/South Africa lodge & fly-in safaris
PRIVATE BOTSWANA SAFARI, JULY 2007
Hi Bert,
We all want to thank you and Wilderness Safaris very much for an excellent trip. We returned on Saturday, and we are still jetlagged, but very pleased with the experience.
The logistics were impeccable. Transfers arrived on time, with courteous and efficient drivers and pilots in the charter planes and helicopters. The two lodges, at the beginning and end of the safari, were delightful and relaxing. Especially following the safari, the time at Shackleton's to rest for the afternoon and shower before the return flights home, was very welcome.
But the five days of safari were most outstanding. Ketumetse had little game, because the waters were so high and the wildlife was spread out, but Thuto took us on walks and taught us about how to track, found many birds, and canoed to an island, in addition to introducing us, by game drives, to the most common animals. In Linyanti, he outdid himself. He is an absolutely spectacular guide who really made the trip for us. I think he could track any animal anywhere, was very pleasant and kind, has a wonderful sense of humor, was knowledgeable about every aspect of Africa and animal life and ecology, and got us hooked on birding. We identified 124 different kinds of birds in a very few days, and his excitement was infectious. He found a mother leopard with her cub, a pack of wild dogs, and many male lions. There also was a sense of security in close encounters with animals, since it was absolutely clear that he had an intimate knowledge of animal behavior. We all felt that he deserves a raise in salary for his absolutely splendid work as a guide!
Now, all you have to do is arrange for Africa to be closer to the US, and we would go again in a heartbeat.
If you would, please forward this letter to Wilderness Safaris also. I would like them to know how delighted we are, with their organization and with Thuto.
Best regards,
Susan
Thanks
Kenya with Origins Safaris, July 2007
Hello Bert,
We are home safe and sound after a very wonderful trip with Origins. I don’t know if I can put all my thoughts about the trip in an email at this time. Our guide, Peter Muigai, made the trip what it was. I think any other guide would not have done the job Peter did and the trip would have been just a so so trip. We spent many hours with Peter, he was informative, caring about our wishes, willing to spend extra time on the drives by taking picnic lunches so we did not have to come back for breakfast, willing to sit and watch various animals and not zip off to find the next quarry. He was also very informative about Kenya, its people, politics, the geography and we visited the private school where two of his children were enrolled. Peter is an outstanding guide. I would like to go back to the right people at Origins and put in a good word for Peter. The other Origins people in Nairobi were also very good and took good care of us.
As for the game viewing we saw every thing we had on our list, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk and the leading edge of the migration crossing over into Kenya from Tanzania. We had pleasant surprises like seeing several hyenas lying in the road at dusk that turned out to be a whole family with several small cubs and juveniles, cheetah with five cubs, good leopard sightings, watching elephants dig water holes in the river sand to obtain fresh water from the muddy river.
The accommodations were all good with the possible exception of the pillows at Intrepids Samburu. Ol P was interesting; our tents at Intrepids Masai Mara were a brand new duplex with connecting screened porch. The food at Lion Hill was the most interesting as they served several native dishes that were delicious, no other camp served native dishes and we did enjoy trying new foods.
There is already talk of Tanzania and seeing the Gnu calving in the early part of the year, but that we will have to wait and see what develops. We appreciate all your help and getting our trips lined up, all have been a success.
Thanks
M Warner, VA
"Hi - we had a wonderful time! The parks in Zimbabwe are in great shape, we were generally unaffected by the political situation, except for power problems at the Harare airport. The walks and night drives were fantastic, so much better than always being in a jeep.
Mana Pools was unbelievable. Had a great time canoeing, and the camp arrangements were fantastic. Would recommend spending additional nights at Ruckomechi camp, it was very nice there. There was so much wildlife was right near the camp that the drives and walks were fantastic, and from stories we heard it appears there are many different sightings every day. Our guides made sure we were safe during the canoe trips and walks, so I don't think there's as much danger there as the stories would have you believe.
Makalolo was excellent, incredible amount of wildlife there in the winter months. The leaves were changing, so the scenery was beautiful. The guides were excellent, well-trained and had lots of experience, the best we had on the trip. We were probably the first to see the newly released white rhino. It was extremely cold here! On the night drives, we needed gloves, hats, and every piece of
clothing we could find.
Matusadona was a great park, and we saw lots of signs of Black Rhino, excellent place for exploring. Was very unhappy with Musanga, though. The staff consisted of two newcomers who were working for free board, groundskeepers, kitchen staff and one guide. We begged to do walks to search for Black
Rhino, and the guide only allowed us to do it on one morning, and we had to go with an older couple who
were more interested in filming each other in front of every termite mound they passed - very frustrating. Most of the game-viewing activities were from a boat, not what we had in mind when planning for a game safari. As far as birding, Mana Pools had much more diverse and interesting bird life. The guide, although probably a good game tracker, was not very knowledgeable about game or birds. One afternoon we did a game drive, but it was on bad roads close to the camp so we didn't get far. The camp is not entirely functional since they get so few guests, but even when it is functional, it is not in any shape or form a game safari lodge. One positive, though - the chef there was amazing. Some of the meals were better than you can get in the best Washington DC restaurants. Someone we met stayed in Matusadona at a place called Rhino Lodge or something like that, and said it was great, they went on lots of walks. I would assume the Water Lodge, near Musanga, would not be appropriate for game safari
guests, since they mostly have boat activities as well.
Our Johannesburg hotel was perfect, we didn't have to leave the grounds.
Our Victoria Falls hotel, Ilala, was great, could walk to the national park, and had really nice grounds full of wildlife day and night.
The Cape Town bed & breakfast (Villa Sunshine) was great. It had a beautiful view from the patio, and the staff was very helpful with all our tour arrangements and daily plans. There was so much to do in Cape Town!
Shark cage diving was incredible!!!
-S. Metzger, D.C.
Botswana and Zambia with Wilderness Safaris, June 2007
Dear Bert,
Oh, yes, back safe and sound and now over jet lag. Nice to be home, but we are missing Africa!
We thought of you many times while we were there. You helped us put together the perfect trip for our family. The trip exceeded our expectations! I don't know how to start except to say that we were already talking about our "next trip to Africa" after our first camp. That sentiment held for the entire three weeks there.
It was magnificent! All of it was wonderful. Two ....maybe three....of us loved Zambia the best just because the landscape and the setting of the camp is magical. The other two loved Botswana for the variety of animals we saw there.
Staying at camps where the terrain and, therefore, activities varied was very good. The length of stay at each was just fine. Having the option for walking in a couple of the camps was wonderful. Walking to and then sleeping in the tree in Chitabe was terrific!
Shumba was amazing. That area of Africa was magical. The sunsets and sunrises were breathtaking over that vast remote area. We had a great variety of activities with a wonderful guide. The people who work there are outstanding. The food was spectacular. All of us would go back to anywhere in Zambia in a flash! The trip would not have been complete without our stay in that part of Africa.
Many, many thanks for your help. If you want any more details about our trip, let us know.
Looking forward to working with you again!
Sincerely and happily,
M L Walter, CA
South Luangwa Valley with The Bushcamps Company - June 2007
Hi Bert
I just wanted to say thank you for the most fabulous trip. Lynne and I had the best time. The camps were way beyond my expectations. The staff, comfort, food, and service were great. For a photographer it was so much fun. When I have made my slide show I will send you a link.
Thanks again. I am so glad Lynne found you on line.
Best wishes
Julie
www.julieskarratt.com
ZAMBIA - S. LUANGWA VALLEY WITH THE BUSHCAMP COMPANY
"Hi Bert,
I have been traveling for work since I got back and can’t remember if I responded to this.
I have been meaning to email you...
The trip was way beyond my expectations!!!!! It was truly one of the best trips I have been on. I was amazed that the bush camps were so nice, the people were incredible, the food outrageous and the guides, knowledgeable, interesting and personable (didn’t hurt that the guys running the camps were REALLY CUTE AND FUN). I was even more thrilled that we saw NO ONE (except the the couples staying at the camps) while in the bush when we were game viewing, on foot or in the truck. Julie and I were so sad to leave the bush and go to the Mfuwe Lodge. The lodge was great, don’t get me wrong, but there were so many people and rovers everywhere. Even though we saw more game in and around Mfuwe Lodge, the whole experience of the bush camps was much more appealing to me as well as Julie.
I have many, many photos which, when I get time, I will put into a slideshow and send you the link.
Bert, thank you thank you thank you for putting together such and incredible trip!!! The next thing I would like to do is go hike the Congo, Rwanda, Uganda area and see the Gorillas. The first idea was to hike Kilimanjaro, now I think the trip idea is morphing into the gorilla adventure... We (about 5 women, leaving husbands at home) are looking at 2008. Have any suggestions?
Regards,
L. Brubaker VA
Namibia and the Cape with Wilderness Safaris - Feb 2007
Dear Bert,
We've been on full speed since back from Africa. You may recall this trip was, in part, a celebratory trip for our daughter, who will graduate from Medical School in June. She will be beginning a six year residency in Plastic Surgery in June, so the trip was well-timed.
Our trip was wonderful. We travel quite a bit, both for pleasure and for world community service, and have been in Iceland, Guatemala, Peru , Cambodia, Easter Island, the South Pacific, Australia, etc, etc. We would be hard-pressed to find a destination as unforgettable as the Skeleton Coast. It was like being on the surface of Mars, or the moon, in utter beauty, with opportunity to meet wonderful people, see animals, and learn about the cultures, too. We were told that approximately 2000 visitors have been to the Skeleton Coast camp since it opened 15 years ago. There were only five visitors, plus the camp staff, during our stay. Us, and 500,000 acres of unbelievable beauty.
We were lucky enough to see desert elephant, giraffe, plus oryx and springbok. This isn't a game-viewing trip, though. There is too much else to see. Every day was different. We visited the Himba village one day, which was memorable. Bare-breasted women, covered with red ochre and animal fat, are not very different from other women in what we care about day to day. We could share smiles and mutual curiosity about how we live. Our guide, Rudi, was indispensable in bridging any gaps in communication. He must be the little brother of Eddie Murphy! He has the most unforgettable laugh, and an amazing understanding of the land, flora, and fauna.
The last night we were in camp, the camp staff danced and sang for us , as we sat under a huge tree, under the stars. We tried to learn the "click" language, with some coaching from the staff. We shared the night with a tour operator from London, who was there to evaluate the camp as a potential destination for future travelers who like to go way off the usual itineraries. Skeleton coast was unforgettable. We were fortunate to be there before the inevitable crowds, because they will be there in the future. The only saving grace for the camp's popularity is the effort needed to get there. Thanks to you, and Wilderness, everything was spot-on perfect.
Flying in the small planes was great. Our pilot, Glen, flew low enough over the coast on the way to Sossusvlei that we could see marine life. The Dunes camp was busier, but again we were the only people from the US. We had great discussions with others from the UK, and Germany on politics. With wine flowing, no discussion was taboo. The dunes were beautiful, and our guide Franco was wonderful. It was just the three of us, and Franco, for the entire time we were there. He is such a kind, knowledgeable man. He is one of four Wilderness guides who are participating in a two year pilot program leading to a degree in ecological management. It was hard to say goodbye to him.
Of course, we had a great time in Capetown. We hired a guide to take us to the wine country for a day, and want to go back! In Capetown for the second time, we felt very comfortable navigating on our own. I do wish we had asked you to secure tickets to Robbins Island , as they were sold the entire week. Another reason to go back to Capetown.
The Olive Grove in Windhoek was VERY nice. We hired a guide for a day tour, and had a wonderful dinner under the stars at the Olive Grove. I'd go back there again, and would recommend it in Windhoek. In Capetown, we would stay closer to the waterfront next time.
This was one of the best trips we've taken. We met quite a few people who wanted to go to the Skeleton Coast, but said cost was an issue. It was worth the cost. Go before the Skeleton Coast turns into another Angkor Wat, overrun with tourists. We will never see anything like this again in our travels.
We will keep referring adventurous travelers to you. Thank you for such an unforgettable trip.
Sincerely,
Beers family, MI
Kenya with Origins Safaris - Nov 2006
Dear Bert,We were very pleased with our trip. [Our guide] Godfrey was helpful to us on many levels. He not only had a lot of information about the wildlife in the park but also he was knowledgeable about the local tribes and it was enjoyable to talk to him over dinner about other aspects of life in Kenya. He has a wonderful sense of humor and he is adept at perceiving each person's interests and needs. I think our interaction with him brought the experience to a level that would have been impossible otherwise. The best part is that we felt that we had the opportunity to become friends because we had time to develop a relationship which is important to us.
We were able to fully appreciate having Godfrey with us since on the first part of the trip we went by van to Eldoret with a group (three vans) and although the drivers were experienced they were not able to answer questions so it was frustrating. Oner and I were thrilled that we had Godfrey "to ourselves" for our first trip to Africa, as we were curious about so many aspects of life there. Godfrey with his "big personality" also gave a informative and delightful answer to our most detailed questions. He truly shaped our trip into a meaningful experience and both of us are anxious to go back to Africa again.
Bert, you were right on the money in helping us plan our trip. After a hectic and busy time in Eldoret (it also was a profound experience) we were very happy to see Godfrey who took good care of us and allowed us to enjoy ourselves without worrying about details. Since we have travelled on our own throughout south east Asia (having lived in Kuala Lumpur for over a year) and throughout Europe and the Middle East we were not sure if it was necessary to have a private guide this time. We quickly realized that it was very important for us to have a private guide there (particularly the first time) and after the Eldoret part of the trip, it was delightful to relax. Having Godfrey with us allowed us to do just that.
We were also pleased with the camps. Tortilis is beautiful with excellent food and accommodations. The staff was very helpful and professional and the landscape design is striking. We really enjoyed the food (foodies that we are) and the quiet beauty at that camp is to be treasured.
The Mara Intrepids camp is centrally located and also very good. The staff helped us in many ways. I still remember how someone there fixed my husband's 'safari pants as we had a problem with the zipper..within two hours it was repaired. Also (due to a Godfrey intervention) the staff prepared a wonderful cake for our 30th anniversary. The presentation was outstanding and memorable as at least ten people danced around the room singing in Swahili as they made their way to our table ..what a surprise!
Overall the food there was adequate....We were spoiled with the Tortilis experience. The location at the Mara Intrepids camp was good for access to different parts of the camp so we were pleased with that aspect and also the staff there were very good and they seemed to have an excellent network..helping each other to spot animals or lend a helping hand if someone had a problem with their vehicle. The buildings could be better maintained.
It was a wonderful experience and I have been sending out glowing reports to my friends about your company and the way you helped us shape the itinerary. When I am fully recovered from whatever is ailing me .. I will have a party here for friends and we will truly celebrate our wonderful trip.
Best regards,
M. Yurtseven
South Africa with Wilderness Safaris
Hi Bert,
Our trip was terrific. Thank you for your help in organizing the trip. We had a wonderful time and would recommend the trip and you to our friends.
Bongani was very different and beautiful - however, I hear CC Africa may no longer work with Bongani, which is a shame. Kirkman's was also great. Cape Town was superb and Constantia Uitsig was quaint and nice.
All in all, it was a great way to see the country and, importantly, everything went off without a hitch.
Thanks again for setting up a great trip.
S. Sehadri
Hi Bert,
We had a wonderful time. South Africa is a beautiful country and everybody should visit at least once. The accommodations were great and everything was set up extremely well. The transfers were right on time and the guides were all very nice. Thanks for your help and who knows, we may be going back.
Sincerely
K. Kambourian
Credit for the above photographs goes to Alain Schram, Michael Poliza, Dana Allen, Wilderness Safaris.
ZAMBIA, MALAWI & CAPE TOWN – AUG 2006
Bert -
This was written by Peggy, but expresses my feelings too, and
I think Tom and Mary's as well. Many thanks for such outstanding work for us.
We had a marvelous time.
Frank H.
Every day we exclaimed to one another several times “Didn’t Bert make a fabulous plan?!!!” Everything worked so well. We could tell that you had really listened to our desires in thinking about what we wanted. We had opportunities to see people and culture from each game camp, we were not “over peopled” with other tourists. However, we could also tell that you took our descriptions of our desires into account and gave us something way beyond that. For instance, we could not have known to ask for camps that weren’t crowded with 10 vans at every animal sighting. We saw evidence of that after we left our part of the Luangwa Valley. We had been very secluded. On the way out, we saw just how busy some of the other camps and areas were. We were really glad to not have been there.
Our first guides, Patrick and Ian, at Kaingo and Mwambwa respectively, were extraordinary. Mary and I, who were both a bit uneasy about the proximity to wild animals, felt immediately confident in their wisdom and knowledge of animal patterns. We had so many questions and learned so much. We were very grateful to them for making it such an amazing experience. It was a perfect introduction to Africa.
We loved the distinctive nature of each camp and of the different cultures evident in Zambia and Malawi. And, we relished the chance to rest between camp life and city life in the well chosen Kaya Mawa.
Welgelegen House was fabulous. We ended up hiring a few guides for our time in Cape Town and we did some exploring on our own. Kirsten at WH had all the information we needed to know in order to make plans to our liking.
We definitely will recommend you to friends setting about on adventures like ours.
Thank you.
P. Guest
BOTSWANA AND SOUTH AFRICA: AUG/SEPT 2006
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Bert! |
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| Sunset at Tubu Tree Camp, Okavango
Delta Credit: Michael Poliza |
Dear Bert,
You did a fabulous job and everything went like clockwork.
John and I had a great time. It was the best trip we've ever had. The camps
were all exceptional. It was interesting, we all discussed whether we would
change anything, and we were hard pressed to improve. Some random thoughts came
up, however, and I'm sure you want feedback. Chobe Chilwero was beautiful, but
after the wilds of Tubu Tree and feeling like we were in the wilds, the park
experience and the wired off grounds were too tame for the likes of us. We
enjoyed the adrenalin rush of the other camps. The standout guide was from
Exeter River Camp, Chris.
The other thought I had was that I might have gone to fewer camps (3) and spent more time in Capetown and the Winelands, but you would not have been successful talking us into that. We all loved the Bush and treasured the animal viewing beyond our wildest expectations. We were really troubled to stand in line in Johannesburg airport and hear a Texan reporting he had killed 54 large animals including lions and cheetahs. Why would anyone need to kill 54 large animals?
The food was good, and the best was Exeter and Baines. We loved all of the accommodations. Thanks for doing such a great job.
Thanks, Bert!
C. Reininga
Dear Bert;
What can we say? We, as everyone else who travels there, fell in love with South Africa - the people, the country, the history, etc. We had a wonderful experience and everything went as clockwork. Your organization did a terrific job.
I think you will probably hear from others in our group as well. I thought we might pass along some thoughts to you. We loved the Wilderness Camps - they were special experiences and the staff always seemed friendlier than the Sanctuary Camps. Most of us would pass on Chobe Chilwero next time as we felt we could have been in a fancy hotel anywhere - the grounds are surrounded by an electric fence and there are only two places to go, the park and the river and there was more civilization around. However, we know people who love it...
We loved Tubu Tree, Xigera and River Lodge at Exeter. On one of the drives in Exeter we saw The Big Five within an hour! We also loved our guides there - Chris and Isaac.
It was a wonderful experience. Thanks for helping make it so.
We miss the bush...Kaye and Dick
GREAT MALAWI JOURNEY, JUNE 2006
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| Interesting game drive at Mvuu
Lodge, Malawi Credit: Dana Allen |
Bert, hi. Paul and I returned home safely Monday morning after about 20 hours flying. Malawi is an interesting country to visit, even though it is quite poor. This is indicated by observing the people riding the bicycles or walking on the paved or dirt road and very little traffic. Most houses were built of homemade bricks and thatched roof. However, the diversity of the landscapes we went through is quite breathtaking, especially the high plateau Nyika. It is such a vast, rolling grassland like savannah, but not flat as seen in Serengeti. It can be seen for miles all around when we were traveling along the top of the hills. We saw the wildlife at some of the camps and lodges, lot of elephants though.
I have to tell you about an interesting incident that took place at the Kazuni Safari Camp in the Wvava Marsh Game Reserve. Paul, a Finnish guy, and I were sitting in an open dining hall waiting for our lunch. By then, one or more elephants started coming out of the wood by the camp heading for the water in Lake Kazuni. Then, one of them stopped and headed for the dining hall. Several of them followed him. They were picking something up from the ground near the tree in front of the hall. They wandered around the hall. Paul was sitting in the hall near the retaining wall taking pictures. That same elephant walked by him so close that Paul could have reached out and touched him. See the picture of Paul and the elephant that I took. We just simply stayed put in the hall and taking pictures and observing them until they moved away toward the water. It was really exciting to see them up that close. By then, I counted 55 elephants that had come out of the wood for the water.
At the Liwonde National Park, Paul and I saw a fight between two male sables when we came upon a small sable herd. Because of the mating period, one male was watching his harem and the other male was trying to mate. After trying to chase him off several times, they came face to face and really rammed their horns together several times. This lasted for a couple minutes when the challenger backed off but kept on trying for the harem.
Anyway these are just a few exciting events and sights we encountered during this trip. We enjoyed it.
Best regards,
H. Horner
Been meaning to call you. We had the time of our lives. You planned a fabulous trip for us and anyone who speaks of going to Africa will have your name in their hands before they can finish speaking. I have been working since I got back. My pictures are incredible. We have new friends there!! Big Smiles!!
In one word, indescribable. Thanks for setting this up. I can’t
wait to go back and refer friends. We bonded with each other, the animals and
the natives. I miss Africa.
Tiffany and Tandy
Bert,
Carole and I wanted to thank you for planning a wonderful trip
to Botswana for us. Everything was really great and the whole trip went very
smoothly. The camps and the people, from staff to trackers, were all top notch,
as were the accommodations and food. We also met a couple from New York, Braden
and Christian, who you also booked on Safari. We all agreed that you did a
great job. We hope to contact you again as we intend to go back to Africa in
the near future. Again, thanks for your help...
Carole and
Stan
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Hi Bert, We have a picture of me in a microlight over Victoria Falls. What an experience as was the whole trip. Thanks, |
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SOUTH AFRICA & BOTSWANA, JUNE 2005
Dear Bert,
I am very late in writing you about our trip to Southern
Africa last June, but just wanted to let you know that everything went as
planned and it was such a wonderful experience.
Both the CCAfrica camps in South Africa and the Wilderness camps in Botswana were first rate and we would definitely stay at any of their camps again.
Our first stop was at Londolozi, and I cannot say enough good things about Londolozi.
The accommodations at Tree Camp are really lovely and intimate, the service is excellent, and our ranger and tracker were exceptional. We saw a great variety of animals here, including the “big five” on our first game drive, leopards each day, and exciting night game drives. There is a lot of consistent game to be seen on almost every drive: giraffes, elephants, nyalas, impalas, kudus, bushbuck, etc. as well as lion, rhino, and of course the leopards that Londolozi are famous for.
Our suite at Tree Camp was very nice and large with a beautiful sala, and very well maintained each day, but the suites are not what I term “over the top”. Our butler also took us on a short walk one afternoon to visit the Londolozi “village” to see the little kids at the day dare center where they do a very sweet performance, see traditional huts, etc. and pick up a few curios at the craft shop. Then it is a nice walk back through all four of the Londolozi camps to get back to Tree Camp, so this is a nice way to spend an hour or two one afternoon after brunch.
Our last night here was very special, as our ranger was kind enough to keep us out about an hour later than usual on a great sighting of two male leopards in a “stand-off”, one in a tree and one on the ground snarling and growling at one another. All the night commotion attracted several hyenas, and one passed directly in front of the leopard on the ground. It was a lot of fun being out there on a dark and starry night with all the predators in such close view. When we returned to camp, the staff had set up our sala with lanterns and a table for the two of us where we were served dinner – really thoughtful and romantic. Londolozi Tree Camp was my favorite camp, and I would definitely love to get back there sometime.
We then flew Fed Air back to Johannesburg and onto Madikwe Safari Lodge. This is CCAfrica’s newest camp, the suites are very nice (although not quite as private feeling as Londolozi Tree Camp), and the food here is very good. Each suite has a nice bedroom, combined sitting area with a small fireplace, a nice bath area, with indoor shower, a large tub and two separate sinks. The outside deck area is quite large, with sitting areas, a plunge pool and outdoor shower. The suites are not set as far apart as at Tree Camp, so it’s possible to hear voices from the next suite if you both have the windows open or you are out on the decks. There were no screens on the windows, so you can’t leave your windows open at night to hear the bush sounds. The game viewing was not quite as good for us here; the game drives were long, but greater lengths of time between sightings (sometimes of any kind). The area is different from Londolozi as the entire reserve is open to all the lodges and the guides from different lodges are in contact with each other.
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| A mixed herd at Little Vumbura,
Okavango Delta Credit: Michael Poliza |
This is helpful in finding the animals, but can make for quite a few vehicles lined up to see important sightings. Of course, this reserve is becoming well known for the wild dogs, and we were fortunate to see the dogs on our last day here. This is also the only camp where we saw Cheetahs (a coalition of 4 males). The temperatures here at Madikwe are cold in the mornings and at night after dark, so warm coats and gloves are really useful.
Our plan to stay at Madikwe, then land transfer to Gaborone, rather than having to overnight at JNB airport worked out fine (a slight mix-up, so make sure there is plenty of time allowed for the ground transfer, but turned out OK), so it was nice in that regard. We were able to have our full game drive at Madikwe, and made it up to our next camp, Little Vumbura in time for most of the afternoon game drive.
Staying at Little Vumbura is a lot of fun, as the landrovers routinely drive through several feet of water, and taking the small boats in the evening over to the island where the camp is located really makes one feel like you are out in the bush. We had a wonderful sighting of a male leopard the first evening before heading into camp. The next day we spent a lot of time with a lion pride watching the two males snarl and argue over the remains of a small buffalo. We drove thru a large herd of buffalo, saw herds of red lechwe, a variety of birds of course, and a martial eagle with a kill. We also took a ride in the mekoros one morning, then on a short walk around a small island. This was a nice and peaceful way to spend a morning, but in general, we prefer the game drives. The tents here were the most basic of our accommodations, but were spaced far apart, very intimate and really a nice “safari” type feeling (I believe that we were in the “honeymoon” tent). I think that Little Vumbura was probably my husband’s favorite camp. The food here was very good, the service not quite up to the same level as Londolozi Tree Camp, but certainly nothing to complain about. We only had two nights here and another night would have been wonderful!
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| Interior view of a tent at Kings
Pool Camp, Linyanti Credit: 'Wilderness Safaris' |
Our last stop was at Kings Pool in the Linyati area of Botswana. Kings Pool is a wonderful six paw camp located next to the river. The area in general is not as beautiful as the Okavango Delta, but the camp itself had the most beautiful setting of any of our camps, the main lodge and deck and each tent overlooking the river with hippos and elephants all nearby for easy viewing. The tents are very large and new have an Architectural Digest “look”. The bathrooms are huge with a wonderful indoor shower that is open to views over the river. The salas are very large with private plunge pools, large sitting area, large bed, and outdoor shower. There is really a substantial difference between the 5 paw and the 6 paw camps, and this may be of special importance to some people, but in some ways, this camp is not as intimate or peaceful as Little Vumbura. We were in tent #9 at the far end, so the elephants virtually cut right across the back of our sala and were near enough to almost reach out and touch. There was a lot of hippo action at this end of the camp which is fun during the day, but very noisy all through the night when the hippos are under the tent eating and bellowing all night. During the afternoons between game drives, it is very interesting to visit the hide at the watering hole, and see all the animals coming in to drink, especially the elephants which at this near distance are so amazingly large! The game viewing was not as good as Londolozi or Little Vumbura,but that may have just been luck of the draw. We did have a very good and long sighting of a beautiful lion that we were able to get a lot of good photos and now have a framed blowup. We also saw a lot of general game here: elephants, zebra, giraffes, buffalo, hippos, warthogs, impala, etc. but not as many predators. The food at Kings Pool is excellent, perhaps the best dinners we had.
The vehicles were in good shape at all the camps (those at Little Vumbura being the oldest and a little beat up) and at the most we had 6 guests in our vehicles and often only four guests (the vehicles are actually meant to seat 9 guests), so we were never crowded and always had an outside seat and plenty of room for camera bags, coats, etc. The service at brunch is slightly different at CCAfrica camps than the Wilderness camps, as at CCAfrica you are seated at a small table with just your partner or immediate group, while at the Wilderness camps, you are seated at larger tables with the rest of your vehicle group and usually your guide. At Londolozi, we were served lunch each day at 2:00 pm, again at small private tables on the outdoor deck. Tree Camp was not full, so the lunches were very relaxing and quiet with great food, a nice time for a glass of South African wine and I personally found this very enjoyable. At our other three camps, we did not have a formal lunch, but afternoon tea with all the other guests with plenty of snacks and sweets just before the game drive. As far as the food goes, nothing to worry about at any of these camps, you will come home about 5 pounds heavier!
Thank you Bert, for setting us up at such wonderful camps, it was a very memorable vacation and hopefully we will be able to make a return visit sometime.
L. Lauria
Dear Bert:
I just want to take this opportunity to thank you for all
your work on Dr. Cook's and my behalf regarding our recent trip to Africa. It
was the trip of a lifetime and we couldn't have had a better time. The country
is just beautiful and the people were wonderful. All of our guides were
delightful and our accommodations were five star. We saw the big five animals
and Malamala was fabulous. Thank you again for making our trip of a lifetime
truly a trip of a lifetime.
Sincerely,
Barbara and Bill
Cook
BOTSWANA AND ZIMBABWE - JAN 2006
Dear Bert,
Bob and I just got back from our latest safari. We want to
update you and thank you for the arrangement that you initiated for us. The
hotels as always were great. Chobe Chilwero "knocked our socks off." Manager
Patrick did a great job with us and we really enjoyed ourselves with other
guests and Victor our guide. The camp setting was beautiful and every thing was
included. The animal activity was also great, less however than October, but
expected.
We felt like kings at Makalolo because we were the only guests for first couple days. Our friends from Linkwasha heard we were there so we had a great reunion one afternoon. The animals and birds were tracked down by a knowledgeable guide in Hupu. He did so much to make our stay rating of 10 as did the management staff. It rained every day but it did not dampen our activities.
Finally our stay at Musango Safari Camp was the final topping of another great trip to Africa. Owner Steve provided his excellent expertise with birding and safe walking safari searching for the black rhino. The foliage was, however, so thick that we missed the rhino. Birding was excellent and we ended up with a total of 145 species of Southern Africa birds for the trip. Forty-eight of these species were new to the over all recordings of other visits to the area. We would strongly recommend new clients be directed to this camp because of it's beautiful setting and variety of activities. Because of the poor press that Zimbabwe is getting, client traffic has just about stopped and forcing a lot of closures. Musango is also of the endangered list.
The South African Airline was most pleasant both ways. Even though it is a long trip, we get to the bush faster than our customary British Air flights through London.
Thanks again Bert for the excellent service and will not hesitate to recommend new business to you.
Best Regards,
Bob and Paul, MD
BOTSWANA AND NAMIBIA - DEC 2005
Hi Bert,
We're back after an immensely successful trip. Everything
went like a dream and the highlight was definitely Mombo. You can't believe all
that we saw - our sons are now totally ruined for any more safaris! The staff
and accommodations at all the lodges and at Hilltop House were superb - but
there again Mombo was King, excelling in absolutely everything.
There we no problems with any of your flights or reservations, in fact we're smitten with Fish Eagle and Wilderness Safaris - wonderful organization and attention to detail. Bravo! Thanks again for all your hard work.
All the best for 2006.
Wendy, CA
BOTSWANA AND NAMIBIA - SEPT 2005
Hi Bert!
Well, I tell ya. I had my apprehensions about going. In
fact, I got to the airport late and I was starting to think about all the fly
fishing I was going to do in Montana since I missed my flight, but the ticket
agent got me on another flight and I was on my way.
I really enjoyed those Kwando Safari people. The Kwara Camp was run by this Hungarian couple that was really fun. I loved the animals. Unfortunately, my binoculars died right after my flashlight. My camera was hanging by a thread. Africa is tough on equipment. I even broke one of Anita's fishing rods at the Lagoon Camp, but she didn't mind. She was wonderful too. She has in interesting life history being born in Maun, but raised in boarding schools in South Africa, and England.
You were right about the tiger fish being easy to catch at Impalila Lodge during June, July, and August. Since it was September, they told me to give it my best shot with bait and after fighting 3 and losing them, I landed the beauty in the photo. Hemingway would have loved the lodge.
My last night in Africa, I laid in bed wondering if I would, like Hemingway, be thinking only about how to "get back to Africa". I concluded though, that it would never get as good as it had been on the trip, and to return would be to ruin my memories so I will never go back.
I also really loved the Songwe Village. I was the only one there and enjoyed hanging with the group. One girl sang so beautifully and was so cute I wanted to bring her home with me. I also visited their "early man" site and was amazed at the artifacts that had been collected. I even found a flake tool that had been made by a hominid perhaps hundreds of thousands of years ago. My only regret was having only 2 nights there since you really need at least three in any spot to take in all it has to offer. I really wanted to raft the Zambezi and ride some elephants but time didn't allow.
Thanks for all your planning. It all ran as smooth as a Swiss watch and those two companies really could not be any better. The experience completely altered my opinion of Africa and its people.
Yours,
John B., CA
"As a destination in southern Africa, Malawi may not be the first choice for most travelers, but a week or so there is an excellent way to complement travel elsewhere in the region.
In October 2005, I added a week in Malawi to a two-week visit to Namibia. I made my Malawi arrangements with Bert Du Plessis of Fish Eagle Safaris in Houston (800-513-5222; exafrica@aol.com). Bert is a native South African who knows the region very well and who is a true travel professional. He also is the U.S. representative for Wilderness Safaris of South Africa and its affiliates in Botswana, Namibia, and elsewhere. The affiliate in Malawi is Central African Wilderness Safaris (CAWS), under the friendly and very capable management of Pam and Chris Badger. Bert had arranged for me to visit Botswana with Wilderness Safaris in 2004, so my expectations of CAWS were high and I was not disappointed. I recommend Fish Eagle Safaris and CAWS without reservation.
There are two-hour flights between Johannesburg and Lilonge. A CAWS representative met me as soon as I disembarked and soon had me in a car for the five-hour drive east from Lilongwe to the town of Liwonde and then to CAWS Mvuu Camp inside Liwonde National Park. The Shire River runs through the park, which is described as Malawi's premier game park. (Visitors pay a $5/day fee to park officials when entering the park.) Mvuu Camp is located on the banks of the river, and consists of perhaps a dozen comfortable chalets, with stone walls, wooden floors, and high canvas roofs. My chalet had two rooms, with two beds in each, and a fully-functioning bathroom. The camp also has a pool and a bar and dining room that overlook the river. The buffet meals were excellent; on some evenings, dinner is served in an outdoor barbeque area or around the pool. (On the evening I arrived, a warthog grazed contentedly within a few feet of my table near the pool.)
The routine at the camp is simple. For early risers, there's a nature walk offered at 5:30 in the morning. For those of us who were less ambitious, our morning started with breakfast at 7:00 a.m. and a safari from 8:00 until 10:00 in boats that are covered and stable. Then there was leisure time until lunch at 12:30 and again until the land safari departed at 4:00 p.m. After stopping for a sundowner along the river bank, we returned to camp in time to relax for a few minutes before dinner was served at 7:30.
It's the boat safaris that make Mvuu a special experience. There are large numbers of hippos and crocodiles to be seen-usually in the water, of course, but sometimes on the bank. If you're lucky, as I was, you encounter large numbers of elephants who come to the river to drink, as do impala, waterbuck, and some of their other relatives. I heard hippos grunting near the camp at night and in the early mornings; elephants also were seen directly across the river from the camp. I was there at the end of the dry season. I suppose the number of animals who come to the river for water depends on whether it's been raining and there are pools of water available elsewhere.
We were able to get quite close to the hippos, crocs, and elephants. The first two eventually would submerge as we got closer and closer in our boat. The elephants seemed even more accustomed to our presence.
The afternoon game drives are in open, three-tiered Land Rovers. The game at Liwonde isn't as plentiful as at Kruger or Etosha or in the Okavango Delta, but there were sable, buffalo, and kudu to see, as well as elephants, hippos, waterbuck, warthogs, and others. Within the park, there is a separate fenced area for species that are rare in the area, such as black rhinos. On the day we entered this special area, I didn't see the rhinos, but I'm told that sightings are not unusual.
Mvuu Camp also has facilities for campers who may purchase meals and join the safaris. Adjacent to the Camp is the Mvuu Lodge, which is more exclusive and more expensive. I can't comment further on the differences because those of us who stayed at the Camp were discouraged from wandering into the Lodge area, just as economy class passengers are discouraged from intruding into the domain of business class passengers.
After three nights and two full days at Mvuu Camp, which I think was just about the right amount of time to take advantage of what it has to offer, a CAWS car and driver was waiting across the river to take me about 90 minutes north past the town of Mangochi to Club Makokola, located on the southern shore of Lake Malawi. Club Mak, as it's known, is an immaculately-maintained beach resort, with a pool, lake-side bar, and roughly 40 thatched bungalows looking out on gardens full of baobab trees or a broad and wide sandy beach that's swept clean and smooth every morning. I stayed there for another three nights and two days, and used the time to relax and prepare for the long flights home from Lilongwe to Johannesburg to Frankfurt to Amsterdam to Washington, DC. For the more energetic, Club Mak offers a variety of water sports and local excursions. The food and service were excellent. For most of the time I was there, there were no more than five bungalows occupied, so the few of us in residence had the entire resort to ourselves.
Once again a CAWS car and driver was waiting to drive me back to Lilonge by a different road that connects the city with the Monkey Bay tourist area. On our way from the airport to Liwonde, we had stopped at the Dedza Pottery; now, en route back to Lilongwe, we stopped at the KuNgoni Centre of Culture & Art at Mua Parish, where excellent wood carvings are made and sold. The craftsmanship at both places was far superior to anything on sale at the tourist market in front of Lilongwe's post office.
For my one night in Lilongwe, I stayed at the Lilongwe Hotel in the old city, which is separated by several kilometers of parkland from the new city where the newer government buildings are located. The service and food at the Lilongwe Hotel were good, but the rooms are beginning to show their age. It was fine for a one-night stopover, but my impression is that Lilongwe doesn't offer attractions to detain visitors for more than one or two days.
Americans don't need a visa to enter Malawi. Malaria prophylaxis is advised, and the rooms at Camp Mvuu and Club Mak were equipped with mosquito nets. Malawi advertises itself as the warm heart of Africa. From my brief experience there, it's a well-deserved claim."
S. Bach, Washington D.C.
Bert:
Awesome trip. Thanks for all your help. Leopard carrying an
impala up a tree; four different dens of bat-eared fox cubs; hyenas tearing
apart a baby elephant; a hyena den with little cubs; lions jumping on the backs
of buffalo; A LIONESS KILLING A CUB OF HER PRIDE!!!!; FOUR sightings of honey
badgers; four aardwolf; two porcupines; two civets; a dozen side-striped
jackals; large and small spotted genets; chobe bushbuck; four species of owls;
trunkless elephant babies (hyena and lion encounters); great new friends among
managers and staff (Paul at Duba is the best I've met in 20 years of leading
safari groups).
Again, my good friend, please come and visit us when you're up this way. Next tour will be Duba (when it's cooler and wetter, when we can spend more time with the pride, when the lions aren't stopped in their tracks by the 100 degree heat), Little Vumbura (my personal favorite sleeper camp), Savuti, maybe a brown hyena camp, and Vic Falls. I'm thinking of July' 07.
Just a couple additional thoughts: my groups seem to do best with passionate, young, high-energy guides that look to do more: we got that with Thuto at Savuti and Chief at Duba. I want to keep this in mind for the future, with some picnic lunches to maximize time in the field, as well as some extended night drives that were so successful this time. We did extra time at night on major night drives, sometimes till almost midnight, a great advantage over just driving back to camp and taking what we got along the way. Naturally the guides were compensated above the expected level.
I'll enjoy planning our next adventure in the Okavango.
Thanks again, my friend!
Mark B., MA
ZIMBABWE AND BOTSWANA - SEPT 2005
Hi Bert,
What a fabulous trip! Everything went without a hitch
including all the transfers and flights. So many exciting things - here are
just a few highlights by camp:
Little Makalolo was a great start to the trip. We got the honeymoon tent and a bottle of champagne - very nice. We didn't have the camp to ourselves but we enjoyed having meals with a group of six from California. We did have our own vehicle for the entire stay and that was very nice and something we hadn't experienced before. The highlight at this camp was probably having sundowners at the waterhole in front of Big Mak completely surrounded by herds of elephant. We also enjoyed an all day drive and visiting the hyena den and watching the baby hyenas.
The Mana Canoe trip was incredible. Our guide, Humphrey, was outstanding. The river was beautiful, the camp was comfortable and we had some very exciting moments - like tracking lions and finding them, canoeing within a few feet of 2 swimming elephants, and a mock charge by an elephant while on foot. Every day here brought new adventures.
Chikwenya is a beautiful camp. Two nights here was perfect to unwind a bit after the canoe trip. Best tent and food of all the camps. The management staff here was excellent.
Victoria Falls Hotel - you were absolutely right about this one Bert. We loved this hotel and our dinner in the Livingstone Room was one of the best we've had anywhere. The service was impeccable and they upgraded us to a suite when I ask. The Falls were at about 25% capacity but still impressive. One night here was just right for us.
Savuti. MAGICAL! We were so fortunate to get Richard Coke as our guide. Without a doubt he is the best guide we have ever had in Africa. He's not only enthusiastic and knowledgeable but also a photographer so he was able to maneuver us in the vehicle just perfectly to get the best shots. We spent many hours with Richard watching a leopard and her 6 month old cub with a kill in a tree. At one point the cub was almost attacked by a hyena but managed to escape up the tree just in time. Another time the cub managed to dislodge the impala and it dropped to the ground and Mom had haul it back up. At several sightings (and there were many excellent sightings of leopard, cheetah, hyenas, etc.) another vehicle or two might show up but they would only stay a short time. Richard, on the other hand, seemed to know that if we stayed a bit longer some interesting interaction would happen - and it always did. We got the tent with the loo with a view of the water hole - and oh what a view! The hide by the waterhole was also fun.
Little Vumbura is in a beautiful setting. We asked to go see the new camp - Vumbura Plains. The staff was very accommodating and Rowen drove us over there for a tour during the siesta. Talk about over the top. It is beautiful but in a very modern, stark way - not at all African and not to our taste. It was fun; however, to see a premier camp. While we enjoyed our stay here, I think 2 nights would have been sufficient. The highlight was the huge herd of buffalo and a leopard with a kill. Unfortunately, this camp felt a lot like Kenya - too many vehicles. It was impossible to spend more than a few minutes at any particular site because another vehicle was waiting to come in. I think the rule was no more than 3 vehicles at any one time, which is good. But it always felt like you were in line and it was contrived.
Chitabe Trails. We got the honeymoon tent here and it was very nice. We had some very good sightings of a lion pride, African wild cats, honey badgers, and hyenas.
We are in the process of sorting out the hundreds of pictures we took - it could take months! I'll send you 3 or 4 of the best ones. Thank-you again Bert for making all the arrangements for this trip and providing info and suggestions. We had a wonderful time.
Regards,
K. & R. Cross, AZ
BOTSWANA ‘MIGRATION ROUTES’ SAFARI, JUNE 2005
Hi Bert,
Our trip to Botswana was amazing! The safari was everything
and more of what we expected, not only for what we saw but also for the people
we met. All the people associated with Wilderness Safaris were great, and our
guide, Pilot, made the trip for us. What a beautiful country, we loved every
minute. We will go back as soon as possible. Thanks for everything!
Sincerely,
Karen Evans, MA
TANZANIA AND BOTSWANA – MAY 2005
Dear Bert,
Yes, we're back from another wonderful trip to Africa. We
loved the Serengeti in the middle of the wildebeest migration and never tired
of watching all the animals. The trip to the Ngorongoro crater was very
interesting, and seeing the Olduvai Gorge I enjoyed. We also stopped at a small
Masai village where the headman was most gracious in showing us his home,
explaining his life and that of the rest of the villagers. Lots of flies, but
lots of authenticity, too!
All of the lodging was very comfortable, and the people went out of their way to create comfort and ease. Our guides were exceptional – very knowledgeable and capable. We saw a female cheetah and her two cubs in Tanzania, all of whom were pretty casual in their attitude towards us. We saw several lion, both male and female, including a wildebeest kill that was being devoured. Numerous giraffe and elephant also. We were lucky enough to see a rhino and baby in the Crater, and I was thrilled to see leopard in Botswana. Again, many elephant of all ages and sizes, abundant Cape buffalo, two aardwolves (!),and again, lion and cheetah.
At DumaTau, there were two "resident" elephants who wandered around camp munching on leaves and seed pods, sometimes bringing traffic on the walkways to a complete halt until it moved on. Quite the experience! We were also awed by the yearly rise of the water level around Little Vumbura as the flood slowly crept up on them - what an amazing event. The Boettchers were as pleased as we were, and all of us were talking about "the next time". Many thanks for your seamless arrangements - it is so comforting to know that at each step of the journey, we would be met by a perfectly competent person who smoothed the way to the next site. We will be back.
Sincerely,
Lorah and David MacIntosh, MI
SOUTH AFRICA AND BOTSWANA – MAY 2005
Hello Bert!!
We are home safe, thank you. We had a wonderful
experience at all of our stops. The trip could not have gone better. Thank you
and we would not hesitate to refer you to anyone. We had the best time - the
flow of the trip was perfect and we loved all of the places- our least favorite
was probably Le Quartier Francais because it was raining and the restaurant was
closed, but we still had a lot of fun in the town and driving up there. We will
e-mail pics soon - saw all sorts of animals and the service all around was
excellent- far exceeding our expectations - we were given the royal honeymoon
(treatment) in all the places.
Thank you so much for planning an unforgettable trip !
Best,
Julia & Gordon, FL
Hi Bert:
We are back from our trip and I wanted to tell you how
wonderful it was. We enjoyed all three of the camps and you recommended. We saw
amazing wildlife and incredible landscapes. The accommodations were superb and
the food was excellent. Moses was our guide at King’s pool. He was very
eager and knowledgeable. He tracked the wild dogs and eventually positioned us
right next to the pack along the river. The drives along the Linyanti River
were beautiful with the grasses, the water, the hippos, elephants, impala, and
birds.
Jack’s Camp was a surreal experience. While out on the pans one evening, we saw the sun set and the moon rise within a half hour. 360 degrees of the horizon were red and pink. The vastness of the salt pans is humbling. Lee was our guide at Little Mombo. In the openness of the delta area we were able to observe the interaction of many groups of animals. The delta was just flooding and we followed lions crossing the water to follow a herd of water buffalo. We watched a pride of 30 lions coping with 14 energetic cubs, some as young as two months. The staff at all of the camps was very pleasant and anticipated you every wish.
Thank your for all your advice and assistance preparing this wonderful experience for us.
Sandi Southwick, MA
Dear Bert --
The trip was amazing and we thank you for putting it
all together so well. We loved Welgelegen House -- so attractive and incredible
breakfasts! Capetown was fabulous -- loads to do and see, and we tried to do it
all! Tubu was our favorite camp as we saw the most and there were more
activities than Savuti. The managers there were terrific. The water hole at
Savuti was not very active but the river bed supplied a variety of wildlife.
The facilities were not as good as Tubu, but it had its own unique personality.
The Victoria Falls Hotel was a complete throw back to another generation of
British Colonial occupation and the grand, beautiful public rooms of the era.
Splendid service, and we hope they survive the problems of Zimbabwe.
We all thank you for a wonderful safari adventure filled with variety and splendid beauty. Africa definitely gets in one's blood.
We had a fabulous time. A life changing experience, just as everyone said it would be. Your choices were great.
All the best.
Gale Patron, PR
CAPE TOWN, BOTSWANA & ZIMBABWE – APRIL 2005
Dear Bert,
I'm sorry that I have not written to let you know how
very much we enjoyed our trip.
It was all that I had hoped for and more. Everything went smoothly with transfers and flights and we were very impressed with all the Wildlife Safari people. They were efficient and pleasant and there were no hitches.
All three camps were comfortable and we were well looked after. Little Vumbura had fewer animals to see - maybe it was the time of year? The flooding was only just beginning a trickling so I imagine there would be more animals after we left. Makalolo Plains had large herds of elephants and water buffalo, and more animals than the previous camp. Chikwenya was so scenic and beautiful with the river and the mountains - I was in heaven!
We had a wonderful time at Welgelegen - it is a lovely, lovely place and the women there were so helpful in arranging tours for us and making suggestions that we enjoyed every minute of our stay. The breakfasts there were exceptionally good - and the food in all the camps was delicious and plentiful.
Thank you for arranging such a great and memorable trip! When I tell people about it I've had a few say they think they'd like to go - based on my experience.
L Krashes
CAPE TOWN, BOTSWANA & ZIMBABWE – APRIL 2005
Bert,
The trip was wonderful. Wilderness Safaris made us feel like
royalty. The places and the people were great. Accommodations and food could
not have been better. Very glad that we took your advice about Welgelegen. The
harbor life in Cape Town was busy and noisy. The animal life was a bit sparse
compared to what I saw in Kenya and Tanzania at migration time. The only thing
that I would definitely not recommend is the boat ride at Victoria Falls.
Zimbabwe is really hurting. I feel very scared for the wonderful people that we
met . I hope that they continue to be well and have work. I would love to go on
another safari in the future. I have raved about this one to everybody.
R Bretschneider
ETHIOPIA, RWANDA, TANZANIA & ZANZIBAR – SEPT 2004
Dear Bert,
It is with the greatest pleasure that Linda Walker and I
are singing your praises and also praises are extended to Steve Turner of
Origins for creating such a perfect trip for us to Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania
and Zanzibar. Every little detail went according to plan. It is truly amazing
how you work out all the fine pieces to the puzzle. We returned home on
Wednesday, October 13 just as the schedule had indicated.
I would like to mention some of the guides so that you may credit them with exceptional knowledge, insight, kindness, courtesy, flexibility and humor. They are truly pre-eminent in their field. How in the world do you make perfect matches between guide and client?
To begin: our guide in Ethiopia, Solomon Tekle W. Tsadik, was outstanding. He possessed vast knowledge of his country, and he was so refined and courteous. Our 10 visit to his country was incredible, with every detail going according to plan, and he was with us through-out our stay there, which makes such a difference. When we parted, we were like old friends, infact, I have already received some photos from him about the lip plate women in the South of Ethiopia. He even gave us a book that we had expressed interest in on the last day. What a lovely and considerate gentleman.
Next, our guide in Rwanda, Budaramani Frederic, or Fred as we called him, was wonderful. We met his family on our way to the Congo. He was most engaging and accommodating. He did not accompany us on the trek to see the gorillas as this was left to the expert guides and trackers who always handle this part. By the way, Linda and I were thrilled with the trekking experience, and we did see the gorillas ( 8 in the Amaharo group on Mt Bisoke). This was no easy trek as we climbed up to 5,000 Ft. of an 8,000 ft Mt. We trekked through mud, rocks, rain, mist, and stinging nettles with guides hacking trails through thick bamboo. We went STRAIGHT up the Mt., and finally we saw the gorillas. They were very friendly and we got along very well during our one hour visit with them. There were 5 other tourist in our group and all of them were MUCH younger. When we all returned safely, (6 hours later), all of them said how fit and able Linda and I were. Everyone received a certificate, which I will treasure forever. For me, it was like climbing Kilimanjaro. Linda and I loved everything about Rwanda. Fred introduced us to his bosses at Primate Safaris when we were in Kigali and they were most cordial. All accommodations were perfect.
Then in Tanzania, everything was flawless there also. Our guide, Raymond Ole Kosyando, was the perfect match for Linda and me. We were so happy that he accompanied us every step of the way, five days. We appreciated his vast knowledge about all the animals and the flora. What a difference it makes to have a guide who is well informed and articulate. Please see that Raymond receives special praise for his many talents. We saw the elusive black rhino as well as two leopards and 4 cheetahs. The lions were wonderful as well as the plentiful elephants, giraffes, buffalo, wildebeests, zebras, etc. We loved the Serena lodges, and the food was heavenly.
Next, Zanzibar was exotic and wonderful. Our room had a balcony looking right out on the Indian Ocean with the colorful dhows and other boats. We ate lobster every day and had a splendid time going to Stone Town, a spice tour, and one to the Jozani Forest to see the Red Colobus monkeys. Our guide, Charles, who was with ZanTours was with us for our visit there. Again, he was a perfect match for us with a great sense of humor and a store of knowledge.
Many thanks again, Bert, for helping Linda and me achieve so many happy memories of Africa. We do love that continent so much, but YOU are the person who made it all work. Please express our gratitude to Steve at Origins also.
Grace Harison
NAMIBIA SELF-DRIVE – SEPT 2004
Bert,
We are back from Southern Africa. What a great trip! The
vehicle worked out...although it was delivered late and there was no seal on
the back cab so all our suitcases got verrry dusty on those Namibian roads. I
told Albert, my husband, that I would let you know. Budget needs to add a
simple seal. We saw other travelers with the same dilemma.
The accommodations were mostly great. We upgraded at Namutoni to a self catering unit with two bedrooms and it was right near the watering hole. That was much better than the dungeon-like bedroom at the German Fort. We were fortunate to change the second night as someone didn't show up. I really didn't like Sam's Giardino B&B but Jean thought it was fine. Our room there was cramped and very little fresh air (I'm somewhat of a claustrophobic.) It was noisy too. That was the worst of the accommodations. The best was of course...Okonjima. But I realize too we paid dearly for that fabulous experience. We were so grateful for the help we received from the owners of Hilltop House. Nice nice people!!! I had a reaction to the mefloguine and needed a doctor and HH was very helpful.
We spent my birthday night at Cape Cross Lodge and it was very very lovely. We also loved Little Kulala Tented Camp and the staff there was outrageously wonderful. Our guide...the accommodations...all were splendid. I almost cried when we left.
Thank you for arranging all the itinerary for this memorable trip. Again....mahalo and aloha.
Lorna Jeyte
Hi Bert,
I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful time I had at
Thornybush last weekend. Serondella (both the lodge itself and the folks who
work there) was terrific! The game drives were outstanding and I saw everything
there was to see -- including leopards! Lots of lions, elephants, buffalo,
rhinos, hippos, zebras, giraffes, impala, kudu, nyala, tons of birds, warthogs,
and on and on. It was really worth the eight-year wait to finally see
everything! Our ranger was terrific and gave lots of really interesting
information about all the animals we saw. Then the second day I was there a
group of French folks showed up who didn't speak much English -- I happen to
speak fluent French so I was able to translate for them on the drives. It was
really fun!
Anyway, just wanted to give you the trip report and to say thanks for making all the arrangements. It turned out perfectly!
Cheers.
Pam
SOUTH AFRICA, BOTSWANA, ZAMBIA – SEPT 2004
Hi Bert,
Natalia and I returned from our 11 Sept/04 - 3 Oct/04
Southern Africa trip and despite jet lag I wanted to give you some impressions
-- The trip was an excellent one. Your knowledge of the area is superb and we
sincerely appreciate your involvement. Neither of us had ever taken a
beginning-to-end travel-agent-arranged adventure of this sort, and we are
mostly delighted by the results.
Here are some (+) and (-) place-specific comments. The x/10 rating is the emotional gut reaction we have when thinking back on the place.
Owl's Loft - 8/10
(+) They've done an excellent job of making
this place more comfortable than most B&Bs and the food is excellent.
Alison and her husband are gracious diamond merchants, sophisticated, and
well-organized, with an excellent library, articulate friends (whom they
invited to dinner), and an exotic horse, and went out of their way to make us
comfortable the two separate nights we were there.
(-) The problem here is
beyond anyone's control - the place is a bit far from the airport on crowded
highways, and the area, as you know, has a busy edge-of-urban feel. This is not
a travel destination itself, but is a comfortable place for a necessary
layover.
Royal Livingston Hotel - 10/10
(+) This place is great and
deserves its 5 stars. It's only a few years old, but the illusion of an old
luxury Victorian retreat on the falls is amazing. Best food on the trip. Maybe
my favorite hotel anywhere.
Dumatau - 10/10
Duba Plains - 10/10
(+) These camps in
Botswana are certainly some of the most memorable places on Earth. Wilderness
Safaris has invented what amounts to a travel art form here - as you know,
these camps are truly comfortable - great care has been taken to provide the
comforts of home and the staff is great, but the camps are also utterly
immersed in the wild - at Dumatau elephants block the path to the common area
and at Duba Plains you have to watch out for leopards on the paths at night. At
Dumatau a leopard killed a baboon during the night, dragged it across the
dining and commons area leaving long streaks of blood and deposited the uneaten
lower half of the baboon in a tree next to the commons room. At Duba, an
agitated male elephant from a family of 20 charged the vehicle and then chased
it and wouldn't stop; if the vehicle had not started, we would have been
squashed. Whatever the staff might say, these places are definitely not
completely safe from an animal point of view, but they are safe enough, and the
combination of the comforts with the authenticity and immersion is simply
fantastic. The top dollar prices for these places are justified - it is amazing
to me that any manager would have all the necessary skills to put places like
this together in the first place. Despite the cost, we might return at some
point, and appreciate your encouragement when we were initially considering the
itinerary.
(-) The animals live on real time in a vast area and seeing them
involves luck - sometimes 3 hour game drives yield little in the way of game
viewing. Guests should go on as many drives as possible to increase the chances
of encounters.
Rocktail Bay - 10/10
(+) Remote and beautiful forest and
beach. The Wilderness Safaris version of the seaside with their signature
comforts immersed in a pristine place. Excellent staff and food.
(-) The
locals illegally and anonymously set fire to the nearby forests to clear areas
for grazing cattle, and areas were burning apparently out of control while we
were there. Everyone had a different take on this, but it is clear that
Rocktail could be accidentally burned up. Despite the reputation otherwise, the
snorkeling areas have a lot of dead coral. This is true everyplace in the
world.
Hluhluwe River Lodge - 5/10
As you recall, Bert, this place
was substituted for the Wilderness Safaris' Ndumo camp. I don't know if you
have been there, but Hluhluwe River Lodge is clearly based on a different
premise than Wilderness properties are - it is in the nature of a gated country
lodge with comfortable chalets and great food, but there is no attempt to
immerse anyone in anything.
…Wilderness is a victim of its own
excellence here - when one of their camps closes, it is difficult to substitute
anything similarly unique and valuable from a travel perspective.
Quarters hotel - 8/10
(+) A charming, intimate city hotel
which does what it is intended to do. The staff was pleasant. We didn’t
have much time here.
Orchid Valley lodge - 9/10
(+) Truly remote deep in the
mountains. Run by the owners’ gracious 20-something artist daughter, who
lives there alone, while the owners are starting a zebra (?) farm in the north
of the country. A designed 3 BR home set facing a fairy tale magnificent
mountainside and river, very comfortable and very relaxing, with the place to
ourselves. Felt completely non-commercial, like visiting a friend from college.
Natalia had a great horse-riding experience here.
Sani Pass - 9/10 (+)
Ultra-dramatic border mountain.
Blanket-clad shepherds on vast plateaus are shockingly beautiful.
Welgelegen Guest House 10/10
(+) Cape Town became one of
Natalia’s favorite cities. This guest house is great, run with taste and
charm. Doors propped open during the warm sunny day, excellent music, library,
and art. (-) The 5-key arrangement is a bit weird but eventually is part of the
charm.
Transfers - the numerous transfers involving vans, cars and flights went smoothly, without exception. These travel companies really have their acts together. The driver Trevor who took us into Durban twice was an especially interesting person.
Again, thanks for your wisdom and energies. Except for the HRL problem, which was not in your control, we are completely happy with the trip and are thinking about returning to Southern Africa. My best to everyone in your operation.
Macey R.
CAPE TOWN, NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA – AUGUST 2004
Dear Bert,
Just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our recent
trip to Cape Town, Namibia, Botswana, and Johannesburg.
The Welgelegen Guest House was very nice and the breakfast was very good. The location was very convenient to walk to a restaurant on Kloof Street. Our half day City Tour was very nice and there was only one other tourist with us. We were able to go up to the top of Table Mountain in the cable car and walk around and enjoy the great views. At the end of the tour we were left off at the V & A Waterfront and we enjoyed walking around there and had a nice dinner. We got a taxi and the driver said that his meter was broken, so we negotiated a price in advance before entering the taxi. Since you had told us approximately what the fare should be, we were able to know if the driver's offer was reasonable.
The full day Peninsula Tour was very nice and there were 3 other tourists who joined us. We especially enjoyed seeing Kirstenbosch Gardens and were able to spend 1 1/2 hours there, since we didn't go on any boat ride to see seals. Also enjoyed all the lovely scenery including the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point and Boulders Beach. We were unable to take the Chapman’s Peak Drive because it was closed due to previous rains.
Our pilot in Namibia was fabulous. She was very professional and also went on all our activities with us. She knew her animals and birds, and so it was like having an additional guide with us whose English we could understand perfectly. She even suggested two full-day outings for us to take, so that we could view some Bushman rock art at Twyfelfontein which was near Damaraland Camp and also see more of Etosha National Park. There was only one other tourist in the plane with us and sometimes he didn't want to go on the full day outings with us, so he joined the group of 4 who had flown in another plane and were also on the Best of Namibia Wing Safari.
The accommodations and setting at Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp were great. Our guide there was nice, but we weren't impressed with the managers of the camp. Viewing the red sand dunes at sunrise was awesome and it was fun to climb Dune #45, although it was very windy. We also visited the interesting Sesriem Canyon which was nice for a walk, since it was so windy walking near the dunes.
Our flight to Swakopmund was breathtaking as we viewed the beautiful dunes from the air and also the ocean coming up to meet them. The boat ride on Walvis Bay was lots of fun. The huge pink pelicans were wonderful and the seals swimming along side and jumping into the boat was marvelous.
The camp manager and the employees at Damaraland were lots of fun and very nice. Our guide there was very good and we were fortunate to see many desert adapted elephants.
Ongava Tented Camp was in a great location with the water hole in view of the dining area. During lunch the first day, we saw several male kudu drinking and at tea time, several waterbucks were drinking. At night we could hear the lions roaring which was exciting and we saw some lions while driving from the airstrip to the camp. Our guide at Ongava was very nice and the managers were okay. The game we saw at the water holes in Etosha were incredible in numbers and variety. On the Ongava Reserve, we saw several white rhinos two different times, which we had never seen in the wild before.
Our stay at Villa Verdi in Windhoek was very pleasant and the food there was very good. However, we were disappointed that we couldn't go shopping because all the stores close up at either 1 or 2 o'clock in the afternoon on Saturdays. Also we learned that the other plane which flew with us on the Best of Namibia Wing Safari, left Ongava early and was able to get to Windhoek in time for the tourists to make their flight to Maun that afternoon.
Little Vumbura was delightful and the managers were very nice. Our guide was nice also and we were fortunate to see a leopard, which we had never seen in the wild before. We also saw a pride of lions stalking Cape Buffalo, but never witnessed a kill. But it was very interesting to watch all the animal interaction. Elephants visited the tents in camp and that was thrilling to see them eating the flowers off our tent roof. The birds were wonderful there, but we saw most of them while driving around rather than when we were on the boat.
While at Chitabe Trails were enjoyed two afternoons when several elephants surrounded our tent. Our guide there was nice, but quiet, but he showed us some great sights: a leopard and her cub, two lion cubs, a male lion resting on a tree limb, a male and female lion mating and 5 wild dogs. The food there was very good and the managers were nice. When I inquired about where the hide was, they said that it was only for sleeping out over night. That was disappointing, because we had wanted at least one camp where we could sit in a hide for a while. Unfortunately we left there a little frazzled because Wilderness Safaris-Sefofane scheduled our departure from the camp too late for us to catch our Maun to Johannesburg flight. However, after several phone calls and fast drives to the airstrip, we managed to make our flight 20 minutes before it departed.
The Holiday Inn at the Johannesburg Airport was very nice. The next day we took a tour to Sterkfontein Caves. We liked the little museum there better than the actual cave, but we were glad that we took the opportunity to see it and learn about what had been found there. Lesedi Tribal Village was nicely built and decorated and I had an opportunity to do some shopping there. The entertainment was fun, but the food wasn't very good. At the beginning of the presentation we were the only tourists there and then after about 15 minutes one other tourist joined us.
The following day we took our scheduled tour to Pretoria. We were impressed with the Voortrekker Monument and enjoyed driving around the city to the Union Building and the surrounding gardens. Since it was Monday, all the museums were closed, so our tour of Pretoria was over by 11 AM. The guide knew that I expected to be guided until about 1 or 2 o'clock in the afternoon, so he decided to drive us through downtown Johannesburg. Well, that was interesting and also a little scary, especially with his commentary about all the crime in the city.
Thanks again for setting up our trip. We really had a wonderful time and are very happy we went.
Sincerely,
Gloria Krier
CAPE TOWN, MASHATU (BOTSWANA) AND VICTORIA FALLS – SEPT 2004
Hi Bert ,
Wow!!!!!! We loved our trip and everything went as
scheduled.....Saw some amazing animals and to our surprise the South Africans
really know how to cook. Wonderful meals and Mashatu was the highlight of the
trip...Great people, super guides and trackers and outstanding
accommodations.... A true African Experience.....Welgelegen Guest House is just
wonderful !!!!!!!..... We are still talking about the homemade breads and the
super service..... The only improvement I can suggest is the Jo'burg Airport
Holiday Inn was not clean with toilet that didn't flush and no hot water at
times..... But we were only there a night and then off to Vic Falls...
Thanks again and rest assured all my friends will get your business card.
Cheers,
Carl Schimmel, VA
BUSHCAMPS (ZAMBIA) – AUGUST 2004
Hi Bert,
We returned on Monday and had a great time, both in Zambia
and Cape Town. Our only problem was that our checked bag did not arrive in
Lusaka. It arrived during the week and we picked it up on our way back the next
week. Some things had been stolen out of it. I filed a report with South
African Airways and don't know if we'll receive any compensation.
We thoroughly enjoyed the Bush Camps. I'm especially glad we were able to spend time at Kuyenda. Phil Berry has worked in the valley for many, many years and has a wealth of knowledge about animals, plants, birds, environment, history, etc, etc. It was the most primitive of the camps, but we were well taken care of and very well fed. I thought it had the best food of the three we visited. All transfers went smoothly and all details were well taken care of. The visa waiver in Zambia was completely hassle free for us.
We enjoyed staying at different camps because the different guides had different interests and specialties.
I don't know that we would return to the South Luangwa Valley any time soon, only because there are many more places we want to explore. But, I would highly recommend the trip and would be happy to serve as a reference in the future.
Thanks,
Debbie Enna
SOUTH AFRICA FLY-IN SAFARI, JULY 2004
Dear Bert,
We apologize for the tardiness for this response. Between
being hit by one hurricane (lost a tree and some bushes and a couple of days
without power or phone) and watching another going by, we have been a little
distracted.
None of this has taken away from the wonder and perfection of our trip. The service was extraordinary. From our room being ready for us at 8 AM at The Grace to the baggage handling to the timeliness of all the transfers to the warmth of our hosts and hostesses at the camps, everyone made us feel most welcome wherever we were. We are particularly appreciative of our guides and trackers for their expertise and knowledge and their ability to share them with us.
The highlights for us were our stays at Tanda Tula, Ndumo and Cape Town. These provided excellent traveling companions, great photo ops and lasting memories of a wonderful time in a great country with welcoming and friendly people.
There was nothing wrong with Rocktail Bay. We had the same great caring service that was common throughout, but the water was too cold for me to snorkel without a wet suit (available, but not forewarned) and Black Rock just was not that exciting without whales, turtles or dolphins. Sheila had an enlightening visit to a nearby community which gave us an insight into rural life.
Cape Town was a blast. The Victoria & Alfred was perfectly situated to provide wonderful views of Table Mountain, easy access to fine dining, including their own, and shopping. By the way, dining, wherever we were, was always very good in presentation, preparation and taste. We had wonderful weather for the tours around the Cape, and we enjoyed the wonderful scenery and the visit to the vineyards. We even got to the top of Table Mountain on a perfectly clear day. Who could ask more from their tour group?
There was an added joy at being in South Africa. I can’t think of a country more deserving of our little support. The feeling of optimism throughout the country, notwithstanding the problems still to be overcome, was exciting and encouraging.
We have provided our friends, Eleanor & Kurt Muenz with your addresses and our enthusiastic recommendations. We are willing to provide the same references to any and all requests.
Thank you again for such fine service,
Sheila & Howard
Phillips
BOTSWANA, ZAMBIA & ZIMBABWE - AUGUST 2004
Bert,
We can't say enough good things about Matusadona Water
Wilderness. The guides and accommodations there were excellent. We saw
elephant, rhino, hippo, eagles, warthog, impala, kudu and numerous other birds.
It was really a unique setting.
The River Club was very nice and the accommodations were also excellent. The food was good as was the service. It tended to have a much older crowd.
Pom Pom was a great finish. There, we saw zebra, giraffe, and lions to complete our game viewing. Again, the guides were excellent as were the hosts. The tents were nicely furnished and more comfortable than we'd anticipated. The delta was impressive with water everywhere.
Overall, it was a great trip.
Richard Makowiec, MD
BOTSWANA & ZIMBABWE - AUGUST 2004
Bert,
We haven't been able to stop talking about the trip since we
got back. It was everything we hoped for & more. I can't thank you enough
for your help in setting it up. We have some incredible pictures and videos to
always remind us of the trip. Food was outstanding. People were uniformly
polite and informative and seemed genuinely interested in helping us get the
most out of our African experience.
Here are some comments on the camps and travel....
* With the early morning arrival in Johannesburg of the flight from Atlanta, I think it would have been better to continue the travel on to the first camp. As it was, we didn't have much to do for a day in J'Burg & spent almost the entire next day getting up to Matusadona, not arriving at the camp until early evening. The anticipation was killing us.
* Matusadona was great. We enjoyed the opportunity for game walks. The guides, Orbett & Solomon, were informative and kept the pace appropriate for the kids. They got us close to animals. We tracked black rhino tracks over two days & ended up finding two! Loved the ability to canoe between the lodges. Was my favorite camp.
* Duma Tau was the hands-down favorite of my wife and kids. Saw tons of wildlife. Our guide, Peace, was outstanding, especially at spotting animals at night. Saw just about everything the kids wanted to except cheetahs & wild dogs.
* Xigera was a bit of a letdown from a game watching point. The camp facilities were excellent. High water levels apparently impacted our ability to see a wide variety. Mokoros were great for one trip but couldn't hold the kids interest. Game drive was over the same track both days. Did have some positive experiences though. Solly took us off the reserve for a long afternoon of fishing. The kids loved it. Also, the dinner under the stars in the boma was outstanding.
* River Club was a great way to end the trip. No luck fishing but the helicopter over the falls was amazing.
The kids want to go back for Christmas!
Thank you again for all of your assistance.
Randy R, TX
ZAMBIA, ZIMBABWE & BOTSWANA - AUGUST 2004
Bert!
If I weren't so swamped at work, I would have sent an email
sooner.
We had a phenomenal trip. Thank you so much for putting it together for us. We enjoyed every camp for its' uniqueness, people and wildlife.
We went rafting in Zambia, rode mokoros in Xigera, the safari drives in Dumatau were extraordinary! We saw lioness feeding on waterbuck, saw a cheetah with her cubs, and even saw a leopard, and mamba snake! I was awed by the beauty of the people and our surroundings. The variety of the birds alone was incredible! Obed kept us quite entertained at Matusadona. We went on foot and saw a huge Rhino. The accommodations were really something. There was a couple from Harare staying at the camp. They educated us on the history and political struggles within Zimbabwe. The Mana Canoe Trails were really something. It was just Rob and I, and our pilot, along with our guide. We had a fantastic time seeing the sunrise in the morning and set in the evenings from our canoe. Seeing the animals up close and personal from an 18-foot canoe is quite an adventure! I caught a bad case of heat rash the last night, and our guide, Humphrey, arranged for us to check into Chikwenya camp, for two nights. It was an amazing place. We fished, and shared our catches with the folks at camp.
Victoria Falls Hotel was incredible. We saw the Falls from Zim, sponsored a local soccer team, gave Rob's shoes to children there, and went to the house of one of the porter's of the hotel and met his wife and children. I have lived in third world countries, but have to say, I have never been as overwhelmed as in Africa. It was heart wrenching to see the poverty. It has changed me.
So, quite a spectrum of experiences, emotions, and memories that will last a life time. Rob and I agreed, we will go back! And will tell anyone who will listen to take the trip.
Thank you for putting together this wonderful trip, and for making such a significant impact on our lives!
All our best,
Sherry and Rob, VA
BOTSWANA AND THE CAPE - AUGUST 2004
Hello Bert,
Everyone (children and adults) agrees that this was the
best travel experience we've ever had! Clearly, your guidance and facilitation
were invaluable. And, from what we were told, we had extraordinary luck. The
weather in Botswana turned lovely the day before we arrived and stayed sunny
and comfortable. We saw at least three preexisting kill sites (lions on
giraffe, hyenas on elephant, leopard with impala in tree), and actually
witnessed two kills - three cheetah brothers took a wildebeest, and a pack of
wild dogs took an impala (both of these at Duma Tau). We tracked the hunts from
start to finish for both kills.
We also completely enjoyed Victoria Falls, and fell in love with Cape Town and the surrounding area. The Cape Grace was a wonderfully indulgent way to end our trip -- truly graceful. We even talked about owning property in or around Cape Town some day.
So many points in the trip were absolutely enthralling! More details later, but for now, let me just say that I can't thank you enough!
Best regards,
Carol A. GA
BOTSWANA AND CAPE TOWN - AUGUST 2004
Andy and I returned on August 22 after 11 days in Botswana, and 6 in Cape Town. We had the most amazing Safari experiences. Just when I thought it can't get any better than this, we'd have another awesome safari adventure. The guides in both Tubu Tree (Moa) and Vumbura (KG and his "uncle" Wilson) were so knowledgeable, and so tuned in to the environment and the ecological interplay of the flora and fauna that it felt like they were guides for the land and not a corporation. We watched them track animal movements by looking at the tracks in the sand, the scent in the air, the age and content of animal droppings, of the sounds of the baboons (if they were in the trees), and the francolins on the ground.
We had wanted to see animals/wildlife being active, not just to see them, and our wish list was totally granted. On our first day out at Tubu, we were suddenly surrounded by the largest flock (though it felt more like a swarm) of queleas. Thousands of them flying around us in huge, endless, undulating waves. Their tiny wings like shimmering silver in the twilight. Their whooshing sounds, as they swooped into trees and then suddenly out of them, and made the air vibrate. Even Moa, our guide had never seen so many at one time.
At Tubu we were "privileged" to be part of a pride of 7 female lions out on an evening hunt and traveled with them with our lights on for at least 45 minutes hour- until they had a confrontation with a male lion with two females- about whose turf this was. Our pride of lionesses, "prevailed" on them to leave, and then spent the next 20 minutes growling and marking the surrounding territory as their own! We left and went home for our dinner. One evening following 4 immature female lions, we watched them try to figure out (unsuccessfully) how to kill a huge african porcupine, who lived to tell the story to his porcupine friends.
The next evening, on our way back to dinner, we came upon a lone male lion sitting on the ground in the dark, and roaring. We sat, about 25 feet from him and waited to hear him again. Which we did. It was the most awe inspiring experience we ever had...:Like a choir in a huge cathedral, the air actually vibrated with the sound of his roar. We sat there, holding our breath as his roars totally filled the night air. Later, he wandered into our camp, still roaring and growling, ( turns out he was looking for his brother- and letting him know where he was). Having a roaring lion just below where we were eating ( and drinking) led to much excited joking and chatter among us- playing out various fantasies of being held hostage in the camp dining area. He wandered off eventually, of course, and we were led back to our tents with two guides instead of the usual one; one in front, and one in back of us. It was wonderful fun. When we arrived at Little Mombo I explained that I hoped to see the white Rhinos.. They explained they had not been sighted in months, and hoped I would not be too disappointed. Second day there, my husband Andy, (not even the guide) spotted three of them. And we have wonderful close up photos of these gentle giants. We were so lucky, I guess that means we saw the Big Five.
The accommodations at Little Mombo were wonderfully comfortable and luxurious, while the atmosphere at the camp was totally casual and unpretentious. The relatively new managers, Justin and Angela, were so gracious and thoughtful, they made everyone feel comfortable and included. They are also both interesting and enjoyable company. Andy and I were the totally unexpected recipients of one of their candle- lit, romantic dinners, served to us privately on the deck of our "tent". Candles and lanterns, flowers, our favorite wines, cheese board and a 4 course meal- all timed to our pace and leisure. We even had the background music of a school of about 8 hippos munching their way across the plain in front of our tent. And for more traditional music, Jane, the manager/intern came and sang some traditional African songs, for and with us... as someone told them we knew the words to Kumbaya. It was a wonderful last night in Botswana.
Cape Town and the Peninsula were spectacular. We had no idea the setting and terrain would be so over the top powerful, and beautiful. We had arranged for a private tour guide for two days- and were so lucky that the stormy, rainy weather of the prior two weeks had all but disappeared by the time we arrived. Nights were cold though, and in addition to comforters, it was great to have a heater in the room of our B&B. We stayed about a block from the beach in Sea Point- and loved being so close to that magnificent crashing surf. The Cape Town Aquarium was really worth seeing, and even the V&A waterfront was interesting and tastefully done. I am not a shopper, and thought I would hate being there, but didn't. Because we are also interested in the political and social history ( and future) of South Africa, aside from visiting Robben Island, we were able to spend some time in one of the townships, and toured district 6 and areas where the coloreds were relocated, with the head of the Oral History Dept at University of Cape Town. We did everything!!
We have (at their request!) been showing our photos, and telling our adventures to all our friends, and I expect you will be hearing from some of them during the next two years. I have been continually impressed with the thought and planning that Wilderness Safaris puts into the philosophy and staffing and running of their camps.
So, thank you again, for your help, and good advice. It was everything we could have hoped for, and more.
Very best wishes,
Leni W, NY
MASHATU GAME RESERVE, BOTSWANA & VICTORIA FALLS - AUG 2004
Dear Bert:
We got home from Africa last night, and I just wanted to
let you know that the trip was fabulous, one the family will be talking about
for a long time. The Mashatu “Adventure Package” in particular was
outstanding, and I expect it will only get better, as they are always
re-thinking and retooling it. We also really enjoyed the Owl’s Loft, in
particular the company of the owners at dinner. As for Victoria Falls, I have
wanted to see it practically all my life, and I wasn’t disappointed. The
raft trip was quite an adventure; we flipped over in a class 5-plus rapids, but
the safety briefing had been so good that everyone knew exactly what do to keep
a tricky situation under control.
Thanks for all your help in planning the trip. I don’t know if we’ll be doing an encore, but I’ll certainly get in touch if we do, and I’ll recommend you to any safari-bound friends.
Best regards,
Andrew M., MA
Yes, we had a fantastic trip. Thank you so much for all of your help. No, we missed most of the bad weather. We did hit some rain in Cape Town but nothing too bad. Overall, every property had lovely accommodations!
TANDA TULA - loved it! The accommodations, entire staff and food were exceptional. Can't wait to go back. Definitely gets our "best all-round" award.
STEENBERG - great accommodations and location. We were happy not to be in the center of Cape Town.
SANBONA - Should bill itself more as a wildlife reserve (like Grootbos) than game reserve. They took us on game drives to see fenced animals. Food was excellent. Accommodations were very nice, however getting there was a bit inconvenient (once you get to the property it is another 40-some Kms on a really rocky, dirt road. A little too much for our car but we made it. (Some of the other guests had to be towed!)
KLIPPE RIVIER - very friendly staff and good cuisine. Interesting accommodations (we had a barber chair in our room).
GROOTBOS - We really liked it here. A lot of different activities and friendly staff. Food was not so hot.
LA COURONNE - Great rooms, beautiful surroundings. We really liked the town of Franschoek. The service in the hotel restaurant was absolutely horrible (but the Piano player was exceptional).
Again, many many thanks. We all enjoyed it so much and will forever remember the trip. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to ask us.
Best,
Amelia, Christine and Lisa, NY
ZIMBABWE FLY-IN SAFARI, JULY 2004
Dear Bert,
This is just a quick note to let you know that our family
had the best imaginable time in Zimbabwe.
The arrangements went flawlessly, the accommodations were wonderful, and the Wilderness hospitality and guides were outstanding. I really must add special praise for the guides in Chikwenya, Simeon on the canoes and Sacha, who led us several walking day trips, all of them memorable beyond words. (You might ask him about the elephant on Chikwenya Island. We appreciated his professional approach.) Also, for me personally, I know one of the high points of the trip was tracking rhino for two days, and finding the fellow eating twigs less than 30 meters away. He lay down for an afternoon nap. We have passed your name on to several others and I hope they call. Everyone needs to experience Africa this way. Thank you for your assistance in setting this trip up. We hope to contact you again soon.
Yours,
Joanna L. OR
JACANA SAFARI, BOTSWANA - MAY 2004
We just wanted to write and say that we had a wonderful trip! Everything was beautifully organized and went smoothly. Starting in Cape Town, we enjoyed the Welgelegen. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Our guide in Cape Town, Lionel Pead, was great. He imparted lots of information on South Africa and we had an enjoyable two days with him.
The safari was magnificent!! Our guide, Gavin McCabe was excellent! He was so knowledgeable and patiently answered all our questions. He knew how to find animals and each day we saw something new and exciting. We couldn't have asked for a better trip. The camps were all comfortable and the food was delicious. We had no idea that we would eat so well in the bush. Kate was our hostess at a couple of the camps and she did an excellent job. And the staff was wonderful. They made sure we were well taken care of and everyone was so delightful. We never ceased to amaze at how well everything was coordinated and went off without a hitch. We most definitely would recommend Wilderness Safaris.
We did fill out an evaluation which we left at the Wilderness desk at the Victoria Falls Hotel. Hopefully this will get back to the main office. Our only suggestion was that camping at Chobe was our least favorite. If we did it again, we'd opt to stay an additional day at Jacana and Linyanti Tented Camp and then go directly to Victoria Falls.
Thank you, Bert, for all your work in putting our trip together. We had a wonderful time and didn't encounter any problems. Feel free to contact us if you'd like more input.
Sincerely, Dave & Karen Colwell, CO
JACANA SAFARI, BOTSWANA - MAY 2004
Dear Bert,
It's been a flurry of activity since we've been home, but
I did want to take a minute to tell you what a completely fabulous trip we had.
Many thanks to you for all you did to make it so. Steve and I kept asking each
other during the trip, "How will we describe this to our friends? What will we
tell them?" We both concluded that there is no possible way to convey the
experience, and interestingly I find I have different stories, all faithful to
the experience, depending on the listener. The three weeks were so diverse and
so intense we can't quite get a simple response together.
In some ways what was most exhilarating was feeling so unknowing and so naive about so much. All the while being lulled by being in countries where English is the main language (though often hard for us to understand!) and two cities bursting with energy and modernity, we were overwhelmed, pleasurably, by so much that was new, unexpected, only partially understood. We left hungry to know more about everything and everyone. If we teach our children to be careful crossing the street, how do Botswana parents teach their children to navigate the bush? If we encourage our children to be independent thinkers, how do Botswana parents teach their children to fit into a more stable and traditional culture? How are the different tensions between freedom and safety, tradition and change balanced in different cultures, including ours? Just a few of the myriad questions we had.
Fascinating were the questions raised by seeing the many ways animals have developed to perpetuate their gene pool, adapt to different conditions, camouflage their bodies, live in different social orders. And what about the ways humans have adapted? So good to challenge the complacent thinking we all fall into by staying in our own small worlds.
Our group was wonderful and very compatable. Perhaps we will do a repeat in Namibia in '06! I gather Michelle and Dominique Le Marie have already talked to you about this. Our guide, Pilot, was a treasure of knowledge, warmth, humor, stories and fun. And our hostess, Dyane, was also a delight, always having some kind of surprise for us in terms of meals or their location. (My particular favorite was the lunch with tables completely set with linens, flowers, etc. literally IN the Okavango Delta). They were a smooth and enthusiastic team and made us feel everything was effortless, which of course it wasn't. What a lot of hard work they put in! Likewise the staff in the camps who entertained us on several occasions with singing and dancing. The food was superb, including Dy's grandmother's recipe for Cape Brandy Pudding which will now be made in several homes in the U.S. and France!
All the arrangments you made for us worked out very well. As I guess you know, we got up-graded to Jack's Camp. Not clear whether San was over-booked or didn't have anyone but us. We found the Kalahari spectacular, but missed the closeness of our little Jacana Safari "family". Jack's seemed a bit stiff and formal by comparison though we were intrigued by the collections of carpets, pottery, skeletons, etc.
I hope we will have the opportunity to return. If we do, I think we would like to see if there is some way to be able to see the animals without always having to be in a land rover. Are there camps where one can view them from a hide and have longer viewing oppportunities? Are there ways to do more walking? Our only frustration was the need to be always moving around in a boat or land rover and to get relatively brief looks in the pursuit of always looking for more. I'm sure each trip is unique also depending on the time of year and the particular circumstances, such as this year's flooding. On our particular trip we saw fewer hippos than I expected, I guess because of so much water, but then there was the one day we saw a leopard, cheetah and lions!
I could go on and on. But easiest to just report that all was what we hoped for and more. It will take quite some time to sort out all we experiened from fynbos to Soweto to an aardwolf!
Thanks for all your help and suggestions which made this such a special trip, and one where everything ran smoothly and superbly. I hope we can do a second Africa trip!
Best Regards, Linda & Steve Skrainka, MO
JACANA SAFARI, BOTSWANA - MAY 2004
Our experience this month with Wilderness Safaris was very satisfying from start to finish. Perhaps the best part was the staff on the safari, especially our guide Gavin McCabe who was extraordinarily knowledgeable about the "bush". We also want to commend the staff in Victoria Falls and the Colwells felt the same about the people in Capetown. We can think of no way to improve on any aspect of the planning and personnel. We hope to have an opportunity to travel with them again and we ask you forward our impressions on to Johannesberg.
Bill and Nan West, CA
BOTSWANA FLY-IN SAFARI, APRIL 2004
Just a short note to tell you that my wife, Elizabeth, and I had a wonderful time on Safari. Thank you for setting it up for us. Having been to 35-40 countries so far we had met up with some people that told us of South Africa and Botswana and that we should go there to see for ourselves the wonderful people, animals and land. So glad we did! We were a little hesitant at first but glad you and Wilderness Safaris helped us through it. We stayed at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe at the Illala Lodge (wonderful place!), saw the Falls, and then on to the safari. Two nights at Savuti and two at Tubu tree. I told my wife that I would be happy to see one giraffe and one elephant....of course 30 minutes on the first drive we had that covered along with 2-300 zebras, wildebeest, hippos. We were lucky to see a pride of 5 Lions (two of them cubs), witnessed 16 wild dogs eating! Incredible. I pinched my wife a few times telling her :" Do you believe it? We are in Africa on a Safari!!" From the moment Wilderness Safaris took us in we were greeted and treated as honored guests. Everyone was great! The camps and vehicles were clean, food ample and delicious and the guides, hosts and crew of each of the camps went out of their way to make our trip special. One guide at Savuti, Thuto Moutloatse, went far and above his duties, taking us out for a 10 hour safari drive. His enthusiasm was contagious! We were both awed and humbled by Africa and our experiences there. Both of us now wondered why it took u
