Been to South Africa twice. Many of my friends travel in Africa all the time, and a friend of mine has a outdoor safari travel company. Were do you want to go? Africa is pretty Big. What do you want to know? After my first trip to South africa I posted this thread (http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=113595)
Best trip of our lives and I'd go back in a heart beat. As a matter of fact, my wife is going on an all women's trip led by the Minnesota Zoo in October. We spent time in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa with the experience at Kusini Camp in the Serengeti, the highlight. Here is a link to some pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/55439965@N08/sets/72157629614015133/ Kusini Camp was the best because there were no roads or trails to stick to when we were out on a game drive so we could drive right up to the animals. Kind of exhilarating to be within 20 feet of a leopard and have a lion brush up against your truck and have an elephant chase you. We got part of our trip through an auction then added some stuff in. We used this company if you are interested and the guy who helped us is named Kota. http://travelbeyond.com
My friend went to Tanzania a couple of years ago and said it was such a beautiful experience. I saw some of the pictures and had to concur. Also I'm always reminded of when I think African tours for some reason.
went to the Mara Triangle about a year and a half ago. It was truly a trip of a lifetime. If you have the opportunity to go. Do it.
I went with a group of friends. We rented a Land Rover in Nariobi and drove to The Mara. So we did it the relativity affordable way and camped inside the park. There are many options for lodging, but if you are up to it I would highly recommend camping. Just make sure you do not go outside your tent after dark but seriously..don't.
I lived in Nairobi for a long time. Come at me brah's with your Q's. I'd say Maasai Mara first choice in Kenya. You can take a day trip to the Nairobi National Park to get your feet wet. Spend a day in Nairobi, go to the Giraffe Center to feed Giraffes, go to the little animal orphanage, go see crocodiles etc. Secondly, if you love elephants, go to Amboseli. You can also take a day trip to Lake Naivasha National Park. If you're going Tanzania - definitely Ngorongoro which is a huge crater. You could also go to Serengetti, Tarangire or Lake Manyara there
We went to Ngorongoro and definitely recommend it, however, it was the most touristy of the places we went to. The Wildebeest migration through the Serengeti at Kusini camp (as well as the whole experience) was spectacular.
You're very fortunate to catch the Mara to Serengetti migration. It's one of the most spectacular sights. Did you have a chance to cool down in Zanzibar?
great in every way. I went to Kruger in South Africa--well, a smaller spot very close to it at least. I liked that we were the only group that was staying at this camp--it meant the staff was solely focused on us.
No. Our trip was an overnight stay in Nairobi National Park, followed by a few days in Mombasa to visit an eye hospital we support, followed by Kusini camp in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire in Tanzania and then a week in South Africa a few hours away from Johannesburg. The thing we would have done differently in retrospect, was schedule an extra day at the camps just to wind down a bit. In particular we stayed two nights at Gibb's Farm near the crater, but spent very little time there. While the trip was exciting and exhilarating, we did a lot of moving around from place to place.
While we weren't the only ones at the camps, we were the only two in the vehicle during the game drives. That was great as we controlled what we wanted to do and see and when we wanted to head back. If/when we go again, we will make sure that happens again.
That is very cool. My first trip to south Africa was during my study, my girlfriend (now Wife) and I studied Biology and went for our research thesis to a national park in South Africa (Timbavati) to study the diet change of Impala and Elephant. Basically what we did all day was drive around (with a ranger) and look for animals. We stayed at a small house without electricity in the middle of the park near a waterhole. Everyday the animals would visit our waterhole. When we BBQ-ed at night the Hyena's were roaming our house waiting for us to go inside to steal our food (and once a hyena succeeded in stealing a chicken). We could go to the small town of Hoedspruit once a week to buy supplies and check on the news (and ofcourse Rockets). Our study lasted for 4 months and we got to publish our finding in a scientific journal. It is really one of my greatest memories and the cause for a lot more traveling to nature areas in later vacations. I cannot believe it has already been 8 years.
Awesome trip report. I'm actually near where you were now. At the Ngala Lodge near Timbavati in South Africa. Amazing place.
Very cool, Timbavati is very cool, ask if you can go to the Orange house in Ooms Piets area (not sure if it is still there or if you can go there, and I expect Oom Piet to be dead by now) that was the house we stayed at (far less luxurious than Ngala, but also a lot less expensive :grin. It is in Umbabat close to Motswari. In the middle of the Mopani fields. in the middle between the gate of Timbavati and Hoedspruit is a nice little cafe where we liked to eat. It is close to the airport of Hoedspruit. But it is probably gone our favorite restaurant in Hoedspruit (actually it was more like a bar) was gone when we came back in 2011. I looked at the pictures of Ngala, very nice. I really want to go back to South Africa. I miss our vacations in nature areas (we also visited Peru, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaisia for the nature parks). We will have to wait for our children to be older to appreciate those trips (we are expecting our second this October). I remember driving past the exits of the main road that lead to Ngala. Very nice. How long are you staying there? Have you seen nice animals. I am still waiting on my first pangolin (which i really want to see), but we saw most other animals. Enjoy your time there, how long will you stay there? And are you going to other places?
