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Archives
| What our clients say about us. |
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ZIMBABWE AND ZAMBIA WITH WILDERNESS SAFARIS - JUNE 2010 Hi Bert, I got back to South Carolina on 2 July and have been busy organizing trip photo albums. John and my sister told me that they had been in contact with you. I had suggested that their feedback might be of interest to you. The fact that everything you arranged went absolutely according to schedule was not a surprise to me but I was impressed as usual. Ethiopian Airlines did pleasantly surprise me ..first by upgrading me on the Dulles-Rome-Addis segments and secondly by being only one hour late getting us to Lusaka. Except for Little Makalolo which was fully booked the various camp managers did gratiously agree to give John and me separate tents. That was greatly appreciated by both of us. All of the group were impressed with the accommodations, meals and especially the competent and friendly guides and other staff. The Shumba Camp substitution for the Busanga Bush Camp due to high water was an unexpected opportunity to experience a Premier Wilderness Camp.
The game viewing was exceptional and I don't think the others really appreciated how lucky they were. The wild dog experience was super and leopards three nights in a row during the Kafue Rivers and Plains was an unexpected treat. My luck continued during the 15 June -1 July time in South Luangwa with my friends. I saw 12 more leopards including one in a tree in the daytime. As always upon departure I said "I hope I will be lucky enough to come back again". Thanks for your excellent service. Regards, Bob F. SC |
NAMIBIA FLY-IN SAFARI - MAY 2010 Dear Bert, In case it helps you and future people I'll detail a bit our experiences which were colored by our interest in nature/wildlife. Remember that we shortened the Kulala Desert Lodge to spend more time at Skeleton Coast because they had scheduling issues? That worked out fine because the focus at Kulala seems solely on the magnificent dunes rather than wildlife. Only by chance did we fortunately get to see bat-eared foxes on the way to the landing strip, but that was wonderful. The accommodations were great (both rooms and food), the guides nice and it was pleasant. We weren't sure what to expect given it was our first destination. The guide unobtrusively assessed the nimbleness (lack!) of our group (we had two older English people in the vehicle) and so we ended up not hiking up Dune 45, which was fine. We thought of the hot air balloon but they were having poor winds that required previous people to reschedule. The flights were all great; nice pilots who escorted us through the airports so no worries. We kept getting comments of "that's all your bags?" because we hewed to the limits you sent and had soft-sided duffels (really important for the little Cessnas).
 Courtesy of Dana Allen
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KENYA WITH ORIGINS SAFARIS, JAN 2010 Bert, All went well with no hiccups. Mara Explorer and every staff member starting with Mariana and Steve were a 10. Food, staff and accommodations were five star in every respect. Having the three cars and spotters worked well giving the seven people flexibility as to when to be out, what to see and when to go back to camp and have meals and/or a nap. Each of the Masai spotters was loved by all of us. They added a lot. I believe it is the first time we have had Edwin as a guide. He also was rated a ten each of us. Very flexible. No drama. The flights went well with East African Air Charters. Virgin Atlantic was excellent. They ran bit late because of some of the security "enhancements" and snow in Europe; but nothing that affected connections. The delays were less than an hour. Overall it wasnt' any big deal. Because of security, some secondary screenings and not getting up the last hour; all understandable and handled efficiently. Wandering around one day we stopped and had a look at Naibor Camp. I think it is rated high by some, but Dan and I weren't impressed and didn't think it was even close to the quality and people at Explorer. Thanks for handling everything for us so professionally. Justin, CA |
NORTHERN TANZANIA WITH AND BEYOND SAFARIS -NOV 2009 Bert-- We had a great time on our recent trip to Tanzania. &Beyond did an excellent job--we were met by its representatives on time at every stop, the rangers an Betty and I want to thank you for your work in arranging this trip and the previous trips (three, I think). I would also like to send a thank you note to &Beyond. Could you furnish me an e-mail address and name of someone in their organization responsible for customer relations so I can thank them also. We recommend your company at every opportunity. I am also considering writing to ITN on this trip. If I do, I will let you know first. Happy New Year!! John and Betty, AZ |
KENYA FAMILY SAFARI: AUGUST 2010 Hi Bert, Just returned from Kenya today. I am writing to thank you for arranging an outstanding trip for us. We travel quite frequently to far off destinations but I can honestly say that this was one of the most memorable and enjoyable trips for our family. Origins Safari company in Kenya did a fantastic job. All logistics including airport pick ups/drop-offs, transfers, private airplane charters etc were flawless. Origins staff were all superb (especially Lydia who was our guide in Nairobi). We spent 4 nights at Mara Plains camp and it was spectacular. Service, accommodations, guides, vehicles, food etc. could not have been better. You were right in that the Masai Mara is the place to go in July / August due to the migration of 1.5 to 2 million animals. We saw an amazing number of animals and were also able to see the wildebeest crossing the Mara river. Ol Duonyu Wuas was also fantastic. Accommodations were over the top luxurious. We had a great time cycling on the flat plains and hiking in the hills. Our final stay was at Al Manara in Diani beach and was also great. The villas are beautiful and having a personal staff of 3 (including private chef) was amazing. Prior to our departure I was a little concerned since we had never met and all booking arrangements had been done over the phone and via email. However, after having returned from Kenya I cannot think of a single thing to complain about. On behalf of all 10 of us I would once again like to thank you for an unforgettable trip. Sincerely, Dr. Atif H, TX |
BOTSWANA FLY-IN SAFARI - JULY 2009 Hi Bert Thank you for our e-mail We had a fantastic trip. Duba Plains as you know is very luxurious and the landscape is spectacular. Lots of water and some magnificent bird life- as well as Duba's famous lions. Sankuyo Bush Camp was an excellent surprise. The camp is very well appointed - nice tents- showers and toilets are outside the tents. The food was excellent - every bit as good and as much variety as Duba. The camp is managed by "Doctor" a well known guide- who is excellent! His wife Tsogang also mananges with him. They offer great hospitality wonderful guiding and great food and accommodations. The landscape here is not as beautiful as Duba- no water. But the wildlife viewing was excellent- we saw a leopard! We also saw many lions- and many creatures of the night- the drive back to the camp at night was excellent for night viewing and Doctor was expert in finding animals. We had the trip of a lifetime. Thanks Agnes G, Maine |
ZIMBABWE - AUGUST 2009 Hi Bert, Bob and My trip ended well as we expected and we are home safely. Makalola and Little Makalola were the top of our list for hospitality, food, and especially the variety of animals every day. We will be wanting to go back to them next year as our finishing camps. The transfers went well. The Hide was nice but a little upscale to our liking. The first night there were eighteen people at the supper table. It felt like we were at a convention. The facilities get a rating of at least four paws. The animals and birds were average but not comparing to Makalola Plains. Note: Please be advised that because the Hide is not in the park proper, there is $60/person charge for three day entry to the park. We were not expecting this and it caught us a little short for Victoria Falls. Our fourth camp of Somalisa has a good setting but the camp has fallen on hard times. At the end of two days the generator burned out shutting the water pump down so the elephants were without water and started tearing up the water hole and pool. The nearest pan had a problem with the pump working only when attended closely. Our tent had some plumbing problem which got corrected the second day. The hostess was new and inexperienced. The activities were pretty much centered around Ngweshia every day to see animals. The camp shut down for two weeks until next clients check-in. Our last camp of Ruckomechi has a very pleasant setting with good game drives including a nice pair of Cheetahs. The river cruises were a highlight for birding. We took three canoes down to old camp site but met up with enraged hippo bull that had been disposed from the pod. While trying to portage around his pool, he came roaring out behind us and got within 30 feet of me before the guides stopped his charge with the paddles. Not satisfied the hippo made one more serious run at us. It certainly didn't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling to see that mouth full of teeth aimed at me. The game drives were clouded with tsi-tsi flies once we drove into bush from the river. There are no plan to place traps on the concession to rid of the nasty pest. The final two days in Victoria Falls were as pleasant as usual at the Ilala lodge mainly because we have been regular customers. Happy trails, Paul and Bob, MD |
BOTSWANA AND ZAMBIA - AUGUST 2009 Bert Botswana was great. Stanley's was a good stop in the Okavango for us we thoroughly enjoyed visiting Doug and Sandi's Elephant Experience - in fact we loved it! And Evelyn and Harry made us feel as tho we were visiting old friends. Baines Camp would have been too pretentious for us so I made the right choice (there was British "royalty" there - not the friendly types that you meet at so many other camps). In Botswana we saw cheetah, lions, ellies, more giraffe than i had ever seen etc... though fewer ellies than in the past probably because we skipped Chobe this trip. As for Savute, it was almost devoid of animal activity - which was a great dissappointment for us, but who knew the channel would have water in it so close after being dry for so long, things out of their control. But we did see the wild dogs there, right after they devoured an impala (2 wild dog sighting in Botswana this trip after never finding them in the past - was pretty nice). But there were simply too many people at Savute as well. I must say though that the Kwara Camps were wonderful, and the hosts very gracious and accommodating, the guides and trackers were excellent (some are former wilderness safari people). Lebala was fab as before and Little Kwara we loved and would like to return someday there as well. The tents are wonderful, elevated with bathtubs and outdoor showers, very nice. As for Zambia... I have lost my heart to the country and the people! We found Zambia to be more wild, primitive and pristine, less touristy and more undeveloped than Botswana - which we loved. (Next trip will probably be exclusively camps in Zambia, or so the plan is). Mfuwe Lodge was a good stopover for a night on the way to Kaingo. Mfuwe had lots of animal activity in the area. We saw 16 lions at once there (a new pride of 17 had invaded the area 2 weeks before) and another 3 the night before along with 6 others of another pride (a pride of 12 that had been there for years) the same night. We plan on staying there or close by for 2 nights next trip, although I must admit Mfuwe lodge is too large for more than a stopover for us. I wish there were a tented camp in the area more to our suiting, but you cannot ignore the abundant game life there, so it is worth staying a second night next time just for the game (much like Chobe). As for Kaingo, Kaingo was fabulous. Although the cabins were unimpressive and much more rustic than any of the tented camps we had been in.. (not exactly luxury camping here) we had some problems with frogs (in toilets, etc...) and the puff adder that was BEHIND our cabin - kind of made me nervous (he could easily have slipped under the door since the gap was so large)... it took a day for me to acclimate to this type of lodging, it was not exactly a place for romance, but it was worth it. We loved the guides (Mayam was ours and he is sweet, but Freya from San Diego was downright awesome!). Derek and Jules were terrific hosts (their little girl was a doll too) and the staff was great (Tom and Allison were particularly lovely). Their hides were incredible, all the bee eaters were coming en masse when we arrived, and the hippo hide was awesome (we could have stayed there much of the day - sometimes there were 100+ right in front of us). The sleepout in the ellie hide had me a bit apprehensive beforehand, but it turned out to be a great nights sleep and was quite refreshing and lovely in itself - though we did pass this trip on sleeping by the water hole in a sleeping bag on the ground (I would pass on that every trip after the puff adder incident). Like you, we saw lots of animal activity in the area and plenty of leopard. We plan on returning but probably for only 3-4 nights next trip as there is so much more to see in Zambia. As for Chiawa, while I agree the animal life was sparser, it was a lovely way to end the trip for me alone (I loved the milk bubble baths there). I had lions next to my tent at night as was evidenced by their tracks there in the morning (I was in tent 8 - far away from main camp - with only 4 tents occupied) ... and I did see mating lions at Chiawa. Mostly I loved the staff there and the variation of game viewing, it was nice to be on the water and out of a vehicle for a change. And although I am NOT a fisherman, I was coaxed by my guide for the day to TRY and I caught a tiger fish... nasty thing hard to reel in, real fighter... looked like a small shark! Kayla and Jason were absoltuely wonderful as hosts there were lots of hugs when I left (I did not meet Grant as he was away when I was there). I plan on returning there as well next trip (the tents were incredible and the food was 5*!). Thanks again for everything. Kindly, Cindy M, OH |
BOTSWANA FLY-IN SAFARI, AUG 2009 Hi, Bert: We are home from Africa and what was an amazing trip. Every moment was special. And we cannot thank you enough for your meticulous planning and help throughout the whole process. As you suspected, Duma Tau was our favorite, although they were all wonderful. The people were so warm and gracious. They had a special anniversary dinner for us, and Arthur was even selected Associate Chief at the final dinner! Our guides were exceptional: so knowledgeable and willing to share all they knew. The staff people were so accommodating and professional. And their music! My what harmonies. Some suggestions: One thing that might be helpful to people like us who have never been safari before is to know, in advance, that the guides meet you at the air strip and "take care" of you throughout your stay. We thought it would be sort of like a cruise experience where you get there and have to sign up for safaris and could miss a few. Again, thank you for everything. Susie and Arthur, Chicago IL |
SOUTH AFRICA, JULY 2009 Hi Bert, Yes, all went well on our trip. We did experience credit card theft (the card wasn't physically stolen but the card #'s were copied and numerous purchases were made once we were back in the US). In Sun City we went zip lining and 4 wheeling and both activities were wonderful. In Cape Town our Guide was Wayne Milne with Take2Tours and he was fabulous! Our visit with Baboon Matters was one of my favorite things on the whole trip. The weather in Cape Town was wonderful while we were there. They even reopened Robben Island so we got to visit there too. It was supposed to have been closed for maintenance during our visit. Lion Sands 1933 Lodge was absolutely exquisite. Words cannot describe that place. We would love to return to Lion Sands. The Ivory Lodge looks fabulous too. Since I doubt we can afford 1933 again, we would likely stay there. We saw lots and lots of wildlife. Everyday there we saw the Big 5. And we got to see my favorite thing, a leopard in a tree eating his impala kill. I couldn't believe how far up the tree he was!! We saw lots of lion cubs, and a week old elephant. The hippos were very abundant too. All in all it was just fabulous. We thought Lion Sands was better than Singita and far better than Mala Mala. Thanks for helping us plan the trip. I have recommended you already! Susan H., Houston TX |
BOTSWANA, VICTORIA FALLS, KRUGER PARK - JUNE 2009 Bert, Just wanted to write a note while things were fresh in my mind. The trip was incredible. It was my favorite trip of all time (Kenya held that place before). I want to make sure you got my email about Zimbabwe. They have no currency at this time and take absolutely no credit cards at the hotels and activities. EVERYTHING must be paid in cash. If your clients are staying on this side of the falls and plan to do any activities, they must pay in cash and plan the amount of cash they take on the trip accordingly. 1) Jao- loved the camp, loved the staff, loved the food. Eric (my son) had an encounter with a leopard at the lodge restroom, so that was exciting and a trip highlight. I would highly recommend this camp although the people that we talked to that had been to Little Vumbura loved it and we would opt for that camp next time. The family tent consists of one regular tent and an additional bedroom that you have to go outside and across the walkway to enter. We were advised not to cross the hall after dark because of leopard activity (we had one on our deck and roof the first night) so we divided up one adult/one child on each side. It would not work to put two kids together in the room without an adult unless they were teenagers. We had a great guide, Chief. 2) Duma Tau- the camp was great, staff good (guide was Ollie), food good, game sighting very good. The family room consists of one regular tent with an additional bedroom that opens into the one open bathroom. The second bedroom did not have mosquito netting over the beds. Luckily, the camp had vacant tents and they immediately assigned us to a second regular tent (we did no request the second tent). The family tent would work nicely with younger children but not so great with teenage or older children of opposite sex because of the open bathroom and floor plan. I think the staff recognized that as soon as they checked us in. With 2 tents, the camp worked out great for us and we loved it. 3) Vic Falls- loved the hotel. Gorgeous old British Empire hotel. Felt like you were stepping back in time. Rooms were fine, common areas incredible, grounds beautiful. The hawkers on the walk to the falls and into town make me crazy, but that was expected. Cash needed for meals, etc. as noted above. Vic Falls is a place you go to once but no need to return. 4) MalaMala- our flight was 3 hours delayed and we spent that time in the Jburg airport waiting area with a large family group (30+) that were headed to MalaMala. They were all having a jolly time and sort of rowdy so we (even the kids) were tired of them even before they got to camp. Their group pretty much took over the camp. We were allowed to eat and use the Sable Camp facility the first night and morning because of the group. The rooms have every creature comfort imaginable and the family room had 3 bathrooms. Our game sitings were incredible (did not see cheetah, however) but the concentration of game was actually better at Duma Tau. Our guide, Mike, was great. Very much a luxury safari experience rather than a more "classic" experience. If we returned, we would upgrade to the Sable camp just to have less people. I did ask to see the Rattray's camp while we were there. It would be perfect for a honeymoon couple or someone celebrating a special occasion. Lovely "khayas" but not really any character at this time. Looks like a luxury hotel that is too pretty to relax in. 5) Oceana Resort- Please recommend this place to your clients. We stayed in the owner's house which was incredible. 3 huge master suites with decks and views of 4 miles of private beaches and dunes on the Indian Ocean. Upstairs sitting area with tv, downstairs room with woodburning fireplace. Entire back of house slides open for views. Staff was incredible as was the food. There are 3 suites (individually and beautifully decorated) at the main lodge that open up into the game room. Would be great for families. Some, or all, have wood burning fireplaces and open air decks with views. The freestanding suites are also beautiful and each a different theme, with more privacy. The staff will cater to your every need and schedule things at your convenience. They dropped us off down at the beach one morning with a cooler, snacks, beach towel and radio (to call them when ready to go back). The kids had a great time running down the HUGE dunes and walking on the ocean front. It was exactly what we needed after sitting in a Range Rover for 18 game drives!! This piece of property is breathtakingly beautiful. On our next trip to SA we plan to go here first for 3 days to get over jet lag. They do not tell you that you have to show up for breakfast by 10 am or go without. They are there for you and your schedule. They do have game drives (mostly antelope varieties and rhino with no predators) but you do not go to this place for game. They told us that their summer is the time to come because of the beach, however, we loved it there now when it is cool and we could have a fire in the fireplace (also down comforters and heated stone floors!!) I shed real tears when I left this place as it was such a fantasy world (and the end of a wonderful vacation). We spent the last couple of days tossing around ideas for our return trip to this part of the world. Are we going to try Mombo and Little Vumbura? Namibia? Zambia? Morocco? Any suggestions??!!!! Thanks for helping to put together this great trip, Bert! Denise H., TX |
MASHATU, N. BOTSWANA & KALAHARI SAFARI, MAY 2009 Bert, Our trip was just wonderful! Thanks so much for helping to set things up. Gayle took over 1500 pictures. The logistics, including the luggage weight issues, all worked out just fine. Just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed it all. I am getting lots of queries from other people interested in similar trips, so I will fwd them your email address. |
NORTHERN BOTSWANA AND VICTORIA FALLS - MAY 2009 Hi Bert, |
BOTSWANA AND VICTORIA FALLS, APRIL 2009 Dear Bert, Well, what can I say? We are still trying to come to grips with the life changing experience we had in Africa. From the camps, to the wildlife to the people we met along the way, the trip was absolutely phenomenal. I thank you for putting together an ideal program for us and I very much look forward to booking the next tripJ! Thank you again and my very best regards, Natalie M, France |
Botswana fly-in safari, February 2009 Hi Bert- Just wanted to thank you for your help. We had a great time in Botswana. Of the two camps, I sense we liked Little Vumbura a bit better, both because we saw more animals as well as the relaxed and positive time with the staff and guests. A very intimate camp and a lot of fun. Dumatau was great too, so all in all, we had a great time. I hope we can use you again!! All the best, Shelly |
BOTSWANA AND SOUTH AFRICA, SEPT 2008 HI Bert, I hope this note finds you well. I just wanted to let you know that we had a FABULOUS trip ! Everything ran like clockwork. We especially enjoyed Botswana - the camps were wonderful and the ability to go off road certainly made for an outstanding experience. We never thought we'd get this close to animals - and that's after a trip to Kenya and Tanzania We will probably be planning another trip one day to go back to Botswana and probably Namibia - and maybe somewhere else too! We highly recommend the wilderness safari camps of Duma Tau, Duba Plains and Chitabe. Everything was top notch ! Thanks for planning a trip of a lifetime for us !!! Jan & Larry H. |
BOTSWANA FLY-IN -FEBRUARY 2009 Bert, We had a fantastic time. Your arrangements were flawless. Can’t wait to go back to Africa. I won’t bore you with the other 2000 photos. I’m sure you’ve go millions, but here’s a couple. I’ll look at the Tanzania info shortly. Thanks, Tom J., TX |
NAMIBIA - JULY 2008 Hi, Bert; Yes, I returned Monday the 7th, and it was a great trip, thank you. My travel companions (3 plus guide) were all terrific and contributed to my enjoyment of the experience. The camps were comfortable even though the Skeleton Coast camp was fairly primitive, but just so I didn't have to use a sleeping bag on the ground, I was happy. Food at a couple of the camps could use improvement, but certainly there was enough to eat. Camp staffs were outstanding. Scenery gorgeous for the most part and animal sightings exciting Didn't see any cats, though, but that's the way it happened for our group and one has to be philosophical about it. Hilltop House was great and I enjoyed the evening at Joe's Beer House - thanks for that recommendation. Southern Sun was fine and I appreciated that they let me stay beyond the usual checkout time on the second stay. One gripe, but its minor: I was the only person who paid attention to the 26 pound weight limit. The other 3 had much bigger bags with wheels, and therefore more clothing variety. I could have used wheels.... :-) Thanks for putting this fantastic tour together for me. I certainly will recommend you to anyone who wishes to travel to the southern part of Africa. Best wishes, Marjory G., NY |
BOTSWANA AND SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 2008 Hello there Bert, In brief - what an AMAZING trip!! Thanks for everything and I have to say that the flow was PEFECT! Ending in King's Pool was brilliant, and the animals in South Africa stunning. All in all we were very very happy indeed! Callum G., CA |
SOUTH AFRICA AND BOTSWANA - OCTOBER 2008 Hi Bert, Just a note to let you know we had a fantastic trip. We really enjoyed Mashatu, Malamala, Franshoeck & Hermanus. We saw everything we wanted & more (except cheetah, none). That was about our only significant disappointment. Cape Town was absolutely beautiful & very interesting. Kirstinboch Gardens was splendid in its spring colors. Table Top was spectacular. Robben Island was interesting, powerful, & moving. Just for future reference (as we are planning to go back to Africa in the next few years) we want to let you know about our evolving preferences/style for this sort of trip. We found Malamala a bit pretentious & unnecessarily luxurious for our needs & tastes. Most of the guests were a bit older & a lot wealthier than us. We truly enjoyed the “Tented” accommodations in the Delta more than the fully walled rooms with granite counters etc., The “tented camps” in the Okavonga just “feel” more Africa like. That said, the game at Malamala was incredible & we had a great time. We liked the somewhat more relaxed environment at Mashatu., though even Mashatu was more luxurious than we require. The game viewing & trackers there were superb (except no cheetah). We spent some time there with Peter & Jane LaRue & David Evans & we told them what a great job you do. They called ahead & Mr. Rattray met us at Malamala & he gave us a warm welcome. We also saw your family name in Franshoeck in the museum & elsewhere & wondered if they were your distant relatives? Just so you know ‘The Plumwood Inn’ turned out to be very, very nice, for the price (apprx. $150 per night). One medium sized pool, one smaller soaking pool, great breakfast, delightful Dutch hosts. We also liked it because it was a 4 mins walk to town center, yet very peaceful, quiet & picturesque. We also very much liked the Whale Rock Inn in Hermanus, & our other accommodations. The Ritz/Cape Town was a little funky, but the price was right, good breakfast, & the view (20th floor) was priceless, & we weren’t in the room much. Anyway, Bert, thank you for putting together a wonderful & memorable trip for us. We can’t wait to go back. Maybe Tanzania next time. Hope you & yours are well. Stay in touch. Guy and Eva J., OR |
BOTSWANA ZAMBIA AND VICTORIA FALLS - AUGUST 2008 Hi Bert, yes we are back and I am finally recovered. It took me a full week this time to get back to what passes for normal! Age related jet lag? Anyway, we did have a wonderful time – saw some new country, new camps and some new critters, too. Many more birds added to my list. We especially enjoyed Duba! I thought it might be the lower point in the trip, but we had a great young guide Carlton and the managers were a lot of fun, we saw wonderful lions (my goodness they are big there!) good buffalo and wonderful birds. Kwetsani was nice but our experience was tempered by our guide, who we did not like. The luck of the draw I guess, but it makes such a difference. I really enjoyed seeing that area again and the camp, as I had been there when it first opened (1999?). Wow Zib is a great camp. Fantastic amenities – things that you would never imagine but just nice touches in the tent – they have ice chests with cold water (or whatever you desire), a mono-pod in each tent, and oh the gas stove heater was a nice touch on those chilly mornings! We were impressed with their new camp. We loved seeing water in the Savuti Channel having been “regulars” at Duma Tau. We saw great game there (our only cheetah and leopard) and a good guide. River Club is still a nice respite, but the rooms needs a refurbishment and it is never the same if Mr. Jones is not there. Still like it though! Our time in Zambia was sure different. A very long plane ride but it is interesting crossing the forests and all that wilderness. We were concerned by the fires that seem to be everywhere from the air and the air quality certainly showed it! Made for great sunsets, though. It is such a huge area that we didn’t see as much game as we usually do in Botswana. We did a charter trip in the helicopter while there, and we really enjoyed that. Went to another camp and they put on a lovely brunch in the river (literally). Great pilot gave us a wonderful 5 star ride with game viewing and along the river and over the plains. Whew I needed a drink when I got there to settle my nerves, but I loved it. That is a great thing to recommend to clients, by the way. The camp didn’t really offer it – we thought it up on our own and they were happy to organize it, but it would be easy to just mention it to people as an option there. Toka Leya is a nice new addition to the river area. They did it quite well and entertained us with falls trips and anything else, but we were mostly done with game driving by then. Nice camp though. Better than the big commercial hotels, for sure. Thanks for all your help. Bob and Marsha were talking about taking some family on another trip, so hopefully you will have a new Africa convert! I am still sorting my photos but will send some if you like. Let me know what you would like to see. Patty S. CA |
BOTSWANA AND VICTORIA FALLS - JULY 2008 Bert, Mary W., TX |
BOTSWANA AND SOUTH AFRICA - SEPTEMBER 2008 HI Bert, I hope this note finds you well. I just wanted to let you know that we had a FABULOUS trip ! Everything ran like clockwork. We especially enjoyed Botswana - the camps were wonderful and the ability to go off road certainly made for an outstanding experience. We never thought we'd get this close to animals - and that's after a trip to Kenya and Tanzania We will probably be planning another trip one day to go back to Botswana and probably Namibia - and maybe somewhere else too! We highly recommend the wilderness safari camps of Duma Tau, Duba Plains and Chitabe. Everything was top notch ! Thanks for planning a trip of a lifetime for us !!! Jan & Larry H., VA |
BOTSWANA AND NAMIBIA - SEPTEMBER 2008 Bert, just a short note to say thanks again for putting a great trip together for us. I can give you more detailed feedback if you wish, but the simple and complete answer is the trip was outstanding in every way - exceeding our very high expectations. Everything happened exactly according to the travel itinerary, all of the Wilderness, Sefofane and other travel personnel who interacted with us were professional, friendly and courteous and we found the accomodations completely up to or exceeding our expectations. We did not see a cloud in the sky the entire three weeks and saw an incredible number and variety of wildlife and enjoyed the scenic beauty of Botswana, Namibia and Victoria Falls. We will certainly recommend your services and Wilderness to our friends. Best regards, Jim E., TX |
NORTHERN BOTSWANA AND VICTORIA FALLS - AUGUST 2008 Just got back from Africa. Incredible. Mating leopards at Little Vumbura and a honeybadger making a kill at Savuti were just two of a hundred astounding sights. Thanks for your great help and consummate professionalism, as usual! In total, it was one of the greatest safaris ever put together. Thank you all. The staff in Botswana commented that they had never seen a combination of qualities in a group taking over a camp that was both EASY in terms of non-idiosyncratic personalities and demands, and great passion, leading to being in the field for the maximum possible time. Special accolades: Wilderness has incredible leadership that filters down to its staff at each camp, where the attitude, personality, charm, smiles, and warmth are consistantly fantastic. I terribly miss a couple camp managers like Soly and Paul Thierry, but Connie and Noku are fabulous in that same vein, at Savuti, and the managers at Little Vumbura are as good as they get, as well, and Dudley is fun. But let me talk about the fantastic driver/guides: The best of the best is Brian. He was incredible as my main partner at Little Vumbura and is training his apprentices well. They are really learning birds in a superior fashion, as a result of his mentoring. You can tell how he makes a difference. JAMES at Duba was fantastic. I appreciated him so much that I am inviting him to the U.S. to stay with us next May, and for me to guide him to see our birds and wildlife at my research station. I MUST have him for my group next August 09! At Savuti, Sefo was tops, and I want him, definitely, along with Goodman. Little touches that were greatly appreciated: the hot water bottles in our beds; the escorts to/from our tents; the flashlights provided; the FABULOUS PONCHOS that keep people from getting too cold, morning and evening. At my suggestion, we came up with "Botswana Coffees": -- (like Irish coffee with Irish whiskey) -- made up of coffee with Amarula. Everyone went crazy over this. By the way, I found a wine in South Africa at the airport hotel that you might want to investigate: Tall Horse shiraz. People went crazy over this wine. Bert, you are incredible with your professionalism and personal touches. You and I are a great team, and I appreciate all that you do for my safari groups. I will be loyal to you and Wilderness for this unparalleled performance. The booklet that you provide each safari member is invaluable, professionally created, and something that no one in the business surpasses. Wildlife highlights: Duba: seeing the aardwolf, civet, bat eared fox, side striped jackal and African wildcat -- all with James. Seeing Milkey Eye again, still alive, but considerably beaten up by other lionesses was dramatic, as was seeing the single male that now is trying to hold onto the territory and pride after the demise of the last two Duba Boys. His tenure, I would guess, is very shakey, as any substantial coalition of two or more should end his reign. But he is magnificent, and hearing him call to his pride was viscerally thrilling. Finding a female leopard just coming into heat, calling out in the night at Little Vumbura, and hearing a male respond in the far distance was thrilling, as well, especially since we found them both in a tree together the following morning. We watched her, her hormones/pheromones obviously building up, sacheting her tail in his face and trying to get his attention to mate, but with no success. The allure was not yet powerful enough for the big male. That late afternoon, we rightly suspected that her pheromones would be even more alluring, and we were rewarded with the follow up of our suspicion by finding them mating, in perfect position for filming. To my surprise, this initial, first-day mating was not occuring every fifteen minutes or so, the interval which I have become used to, on previous safaris. Never before had I come upon leopards that had just started their mating. They actually mated initially every two minutes! (Timed.) After half a dozen of these growls/neck-bites, ejaculations, the intervals finally did get to about fifteen or twenty minutes, and we reluctantly returned very late for a celebratory dinner. Savuti at first disappointed me because I wanted to show my people the incomparable log hide, which in dry years attracts elephants and other wildlife up close, in your face, like no other camp in Africa. The filling of the channel, the first in 26 years, brought crocs, fish, large numbers of shore birds and waders. It was historical and magical. I was delighted we also found cheetah, leopard, and the Selinda Boys, the magnificent males from another pride, who divided and conquered the four Savuti Boys which had previously ruled the area. The two Selinda Boys violently defeated, in two separate encounters, two pairs of Savuti Boys that made the tragic error of traveling in pairs rather than in their indominatable group of four. But what topped everything for me at Savuti was watching honey badgers, a species that can be hard to find almost anywhere in Africa. We encountered them twice. The second time, we were withing 15 yards of one frantically digging out a big rodent that he smelled under ground. Dust was thrown up everywhere. My team got full frame photos of him crunching down his breakfast. Talk about symetry, to end our whole safari, with little time left before departing for Victoria Falls, we had a bush breakfast arranged for us, not far from the airstrip, so we wouldn't have to waste game drive time going back to camp. We were rewarded with an intimate encounter with the two Selinda Boys, marking their newly won territory, and staring us down, giving their big epiglotis-revealing yawn, showing sets of canines worthy of bragging rights. Dozens of other encounters with smashing good birds and mammals made this a safari of a lifetime, which few people deserve. My safari team was really impressed with the camps and locations, especially considering the fact that they were filming along side a National Geographic team that is doing a production on warthogs that should be finished next year. Thanks for all your invaluable help. Please pass this information on to the great staff at Wilderness. They should know how their hard work pays off. I look forward to seeing you all and working with you for my next group in August 09. Mark B., MA. |
CAPE TOWN AND BOTSWANA - AUGUST 2008 Hi Bert, We had a wonderful vacation in Africa, all of the arrangements for travel, accomodations and transfers were perfect. Wilderness Safaris is a great professional organisation and the camps were fabulous.Our favorite camp was Dumatau,the accomodations, the wide variety of game, great food and a superb experienced guide (Mr. T or Theba) who had over 20 yrs in that area. He made our stay there a special experience, trying to meet our every need and expectation for game viewing and photography. We got back to the US on the day of the storm, so could not return to Houston from DC, i found a flight to San Antonio,stayed overnight and drove home on Sunday. I have recommended your services and Wilderness Safaris to a close friend and colleague who may be calling you. Thanks again. Hope you were safe during the hurricane. We will be back in touch for our next safari to Africa!! Ranjit and Danuta C., TX |
d drivers were superb, the accommodations and meals were wonderful and the game was cooperative. At each camp, we were given a tent which was closest to the reception/dining area so we did not have to walk very far. &Beyond must have notified the various camp managers of our advanced age and asked them to make the trip as easy as possible for us, and they did.