Africa with Deirdre
Places Visited: Cape Town, Johannesburg – South Africa // Lenyatti Reserve, Okavango Delta, Moremi Reserve – Botswana//Nairobi and Masai Mara – Kenya
Agent Name: Deirdre Manley
Date: November 2004
Trip Location: South Africa, Botswana and Kenya
Overall Trip Impression: Overall – the most fabulous trip. The people were so friendly all over and the wildlife was very abundant all over even though we were not traveling in the high season. I stayed in top resorts and hotels throughout, and felt like royalty.
Travel Advice for Africa: Pack lightly if you will be doing fly-in safaris to camps on light aircraft, as you can usually only have a soft sided bag weighing a maximum of 25 lbs. Definitely travel with a good set of binoculars for each person in your party, and a decent camera with a good zoom lens. Travel with lots of small bills, either in US Dollars or Euros, so that you can tip easily along the way without having to convert too much money at once.
Favorite Hotel: The private camps in Botswana and Kenya were out of this world – no fences, just raised wooden walkways so that the animals can pass through the camps. Private outdoor showers and clawfoot bathtubs so that you can enjoy your morning or evening bathing with the most amazing views, not to mention the “loos with a view” where you sit on your thrown, also taking in the wonders of the wild.
Favorite City: Cape Town – a stunning mixture of Vancouver, Sydney, San Fran and Miami all rolled into one with an African flavour – the food, drink, people, shopping and local sights were fabulous.
Recommended Local Tour: I did a very interesting ½ day tour in Johannesburg though Soweto and found this most interesting and a huge learning experience
The Most Touching Thing I Saw: In the Masai Mara where we watched a lioness moving her two cubs (probably only about 1 month old) from one den to another in her jaws.
Best Souvenirs to Bring Home: Wine and Amarulla (South African style Bailey’s Irish Cream) and diamonds from South Africa. Baskets and jewellery from Botswana. I didn’t have time to shop in Kenya, just bring home your memories.