Review about Okavango Delta by Simon G
The delta in May was quite full of water and the "bush vibe" was incredible. We would go for a 4 hour safari and not see a single other vehicle during that time. A ride in a mocorro is essential and a brilliant way to see the small details in the water such as frogs and (at a safe distance) hippos.
US
50-65 years of age
Review about Moremi Game Reserve by Scott and Mark
Moremi had fewer animal sitings except that we had quite a good viewing of a mother and baby leopard enjoying a meal. Moremi was nice because it has both water and land activities and offers a good variety. We stayed at Baines Camp, which has some wonderful, romantic options. Weather permitting, they will move the bed out to the balcony so you can sleep under the stars (and mosquito netting). It's a remarkable experience and while you may feel like you prefer the safety of being indoors, it really is an experience not to miss. At one point we were wakened by an elephant casually eating grass next to our balcony. It was literally up against the railing and seeing that from your bed was among the most memorable experiences of the trip. They will also set up outdoor bubble baths on the balcony - very romantic! Getting to the camp requires a long boat ride snaking through paths cut through marsh. How the guides know which paths to take is beyond me. The water is crystal clear and if the guides spot a scrap of paper or other trash in the water they would stop and reverse to pick it up. Pristine beauty.
US
50-65 years of age
Review about Chobe National Park by Scott and Mark
Wow. If you've ever seen the scene in the movie Jurassic Park where the family finally comes upon the vast plain with hundreds of dinosaurs of different species spanning across a vast plain - that's Chobe. The sheer volume and diversity of species is incredible, multiple antelope species, literally thousands of elephants, lions, leopards, dogs, etc. are easy finds. Herds of buffalo, zebra, and antelope; and large quantities of giraffe and baboon; and easy bird spotting all make Chobe a "destination." You will be spoiled after visiting Chobe. You should go here as your last safari destination. We stayed at Chobe Under Canvas, which is a truly tented camp. The entire camp relocates every 5 days. The advantage of "glamping" at CUC, though, is that at 6 am, when the park opens, you are already in the camp and are not being "picked up" at your out-of-the-park hotel/property. You get earliest spotting and best conditions with no other vehicles/tourists around.
US
50-65 years of age
The natural beauty and diversity of the Okavango Delta can't be beat anywhere in Africa.
We traveled August 13-28 and included Cape Town, Victoria Falls/Livingston, Chobe National Park, Moremi Reserve and the Okavango Delta. We booked through a gay African Holiday Specialist - Savvy Navigator and Southern Destinations - because as gay travelers to Africa, it was important to us to stay at gay-friendly properties. We stayed at Chobe Under Canvas, Baines Camp, and Eagle Island. The sheer volume and diversity of wildlife in Chobe can spoil the rest of a holiday. Wildlife is so abundant that I'd recommend going to Chobe at the end of a safari trip, rather than the beginning. You will be blown away. We went to Chobe first, and then had such high expectations at Baines and Eagle Island, that we felt let down. If you do the other direction, and go to Chobe last, you will experience the wildlife of the Okavango and Moremi and appreciate those environments and then get hit with a climax at Chobe. That said, and as this is supposed to be a review of Okavango and not other parts of Botswana, Okavango did NOT disappoint. It is remarkably beautiful. I grew up in South Florida and there were parts of Okavango that reminded me of the Florida Everglades (except that the Everglades doesn't have elephants, giraffe, leopards, antelope, jackal, honey badger, etc.). We were in Okavango in August so it was Winter, and the dry season. There were NO mosquitoes and the days got into the 80s F. No rain, in fact, no clouds the entire trip, (even in Cape Town, which is supposed to be rainy in August). Eagle Island is a luxury camp with wonderful accommodations and good, not great, food. All of the other camps allowed for communal dining, a feature I enjoyed because you can interract with people from all parts of the world, or you can eat alone. Eagle Island doesn't encourage the communal dining and is more like a "hotel" in that respect. Eagle Island gets high marks for its guides (our guide, Chris, has been transferred to another Orient Express property), and activities, which include, motor boating and makoro, fishing, walking safaris, village tour (recommended), and relaxing. The focus, though is on water activities. Eagle Island also provides a helicopter ride for guests included in the price. What a treat to be able to see the animals from the air, and to see the Okavango islands and waterways from a vantage point you could not get otherwise. Bird viewing is quite special in Okavango. Birding - excellent in Okavango, various varieties of storks, egrets, bee eaters, kingfishers, vultures, herons, bustards, and the beautiful starlings, rollers, etc. I would have liked to have seen more eagle species, e.g. Martial, Crowned, etc., but missed them and only saw the Fish Eagle.
SE
20-35 years of age
Meeting the African wildlife
The wildlife was the best ever. We first went by boat and watched hippos and crocodiles and birds of all kinds. Great guides that spotted even the smallest animals in the national park and pointed them out for us eager photographers. The weather was great and we had a great dinner at the Chobe Safari Lodge. After that we entered the national park by truck and had a great guide there too. We met elephants, giraffes and lions and a whole variety of different animals.
35-50 years of age
Amazing, wild but luxurious, safari the way it should be
If you want a safari where you can guarantee what you see and when, then this isn't the safari for you. The Selous is huge, the size of Belgium if I recall correctly, which means it’s harder to find the animals but rewarding when you do, also means you can go a whole day without seeing any other people. Although there is conservation in progress there isn't 'farming' of animals and they roam free without restrictions so each day becomes exciting as you can follow the same path taking the previous day but see a completely different Selous.
Maybe we were lucky, but on the transfer from the runway, little more than a dirt track, to the lodge we came across 4 lionesses who were just resting after a big kill and feed, the vultures were now tidying up the carcass. We stayed at Sand Rivers, which has an excellent position over the river which was teeming with crocs and hippos, although be expected to share your room, which is open towards the river, with monkeys, bush-babys and various bugs, but that’s all part of being on safari. Be warned the monkeys are very inquisitive, they know when your morning coffee is coming and want the sugar and the biscuits, it’s a funny start to each day. Given the lodge is open to the wild, as night falls you must be escorted by an Ascari for protection, one night a herd of elephants decided the trees by our room were their dinner.
Given the position of the lodge, we were able to take a number of river safaris, given a completely different view as you get a bit more up close to the crocs and hippos, remember the latter are the number one killer of humans in Africa, so hope your guide knows how to navigate. If you’re lucky you may get to see a herd of wildebeest or elephants drinking and washing in the river, the birdlife here is amazing as well. But there is nothing like switching the engine off and just drifting listening to the sounds. You can also do walking safari, with an armed guard, where your guide can talk to you about some of the plants and smaller animals you may come across, as well as looking for tracks of the bigger ones
You will see lots of elephant, giraffe, zebra and impala, you will see lions, but there’s no guarantee when, our encounters were more by chance than planning, in fact our day we specifically set out on a lion hunt proved fruitless until we made the journey back to camp and there was a young lion just sleeping by the dirt track. We were lucky on our first full day to see a young leopard, he had been spotted a few days earlier in the same tree, so as we approached our guide was apprehensive he would be there again but luckily he was. After this meeting he wasn’t seen again that week, despite various other parties looking for him. On our trip we were also managed to wild dogs and hyenas, both are rare sightings and we have to thank our eagle eyed guides for being able to find them. As mentioned earlier due to the remoteness, when you return to the lodge in the evenings you regale your stories of the day to others in the camp over drinks and dinner, as you are likely to have been the only one to have seen yours sights that day, it makes for plenty to talk about. Although all the jeeps are in contact with each other if a rare sighting is made and others are in the area to see it.
One highlight, amongst many, at Sand Rivers is the ability to go fly camping. This is going back to basics, sleeping out in the open, with nothing but a mosquito net above you, although they provide a small modesty tent for changing in. The advanced party had set up the camp by a lake which was full of crocs, wait till the sun goes down and shine a torch across the water and see their yellow eyes looking back at you. A bar is there, a 3 course mean by the lake and the wild all around you, plus a couple of armed guards who stay up through the night just in case.
The guides and hosts were all excellent with good food and plenty of it, breakfast is served to order just don’t expect it in a hurry, but there is no need to rush as everything is done to your timings. The evening meal is served together on big table for all guests, which makes for a great atmosphere as you all share your stories of the day, and don’t forget afternoon tea before you head out for your late afternoon drive, with a different freshly made cake each day. The lodge bedrooms are grand, with a bathroom open to the river but with trees providing enough privacy and a wonderful waterfall shower. Overall this was an amazing trip, raw safari but in luxury.
A Magical Location for a Wild Bush Safari
We stayed in a couple of "posh tent" lodges in the middle of the park. It was very exciting because we flew in on a light aircraft and were picked up by a 4x4 to take us to the lodge. Both lodges we stayed in were fantastic and very atmospheric - we got woken up at 3am one night by an elephant eating the tree outside out tent!
The guides were all very professional and had great knowledge of the area and the wildlife. We liked the concept of setting up a table in a clearing and stopping for tea and cakes for the morning and a cocktail for sunset.
Due to the time of the year the big animals were a little patchy - we could go for 30-60 mins and only see antelope - we did see everything we wanted to see with the exception of a leopard (notoriously shy).
We loved it and are currently saving up to go again!
US
50-65 years of age
Review about Botswana by Scott and Mark
In my review of Chobe National Park you will see why I rate Botswana so highly as a Safari destination. Overall, the people are remarkably friendly and proud of their country, its history and leaders. Even through areas of extreme poverty, there was a consistent expression of pride. The scenic beauty, isolation, and unspoiled expanses of land are worth the trip.
SE
20-35 years of age
Review about Botswana by Martin
Lots of animals - both on land, in water and in the air. Botswana is a beautiful country.
35-50 years of age
Review about Tanzania by jonnyboy1403
There is everything there to see, but you might just have to be a little more patient and observation than in some other safari's, but that just makes all it more worthwhile