FAMILY SAFARIS
Zimbabwe May 2009 — , had a passion for dinosaurs and outdoor adventure. In early April they emailed, stating they wanted to experience a bush safari and asked if there were any interesting early man and prehistoric dinosaur experiences in the bush. They were planning to travel in May 2009 and this was very short notice for our planning. They had contacted several other adventure agencies in the USA who had been unable to help.
I offered the family an exciting two week flying adventure. The biggest gallery of early San paintings is in the Matobo Hills in Zimbabwe. The hills are picturesque with balancing rocks and stunning overhangs. Sentinel, on the Limpopo, is a fascinating dinosaur area. Massospondylus remains are dotted through sandstone hills and there are bits and pieces of a Thecodonts and a creature called Euskelasauraus. In the Zambezi Valley, at a place called Chewore, there is a fascinating dinosaur track way embedded in sandstone. All first time visitors to southern Africa should visit the iconic Victoria Falls. The expansive Makgadigadi Pans in the Gondwanaland days was the core of a large inland lake that drained down the Limpopo Valley to the Indian Ocean. Pleistocene fossils can be found on the pans and this area is still unexplored.
SAA from Johannesburg to Bulawayo Zimbabwe
2 nights Camp Amalinda Matobos National Park Zimbabwe
2 nights Sentinel Rocks Limpopo Valley Zimbabwe
2 nights Chewore Concession Zambezi Valley Zimbabwe
2 nights Musango Lodge Lake Kariba Zimbabwe
1 night Victoria Falls Hotel Zimbabwe
2 nights Jack's Camp Makgadigadi Pans Botswana
2 nights Chitabe Lediba Okavango Delta Botswana
Air Botswana from Maun to Johannesburg
Victoria Falls, Zambia March 2009 — asked Eco Logical for a Zambian wildlife package that included Victoria Falls. They were interested in white water rafting but sadly the Zambezi River was too high that March 2009 and because of the high water I could not even offer them a Livingstone Island picnic lunch on the lip of the mighty falls. Tongabezi's satellite camp Sindabezi was still open so I started their adventure on the island for a real Zambezi River experience.
From Livingstone I organised a Proflight transfer to Jeki runway in the lower Zambezi for three nights at Sausage Tree. The only negative was that the transfer had to route through Lusaka and a private charter was more expensive so they opted for the transfer.
After their Sausage Tree experience I organised another Proflight transfer to Mfuwe and a charter flight to Mwaleshi in the North Luangwa Park. Rod and Guz Tether operate a cool rustic walking safari camp called Kutandala on the banks of the Mwaleshi River.
For the last three nights I booked Tafika camp in the South Luangwa Park. Tafika is a Romote Africa safari camp in the wild side of the Luangwa Park.
The couples said that their canoe trip down the Zambezi River at Sausage Tree Camp was the activity highlight. Guz's home cooked meals with amazing "ant hill" baked bread was a big hit. Next time round they indicated that they would not repeat the Victoria Falls.
SAA from Johannesburg to Livingstone Zambia.
2 nights Sindabezi Island - Victoria Falls
3 nights Sausage Tree Camp - Lower Zambezi National Park
3 nights Kutandala Camp - North Luangwa National Park
3 Nights Tafika Camp - South Luangwa National Park
Proflight schedule from Mfuwe to Lusaka and SAA from Lusaka to Johannesburg.
Lake Malawi August 2008 — with three young teenage children contacted Eco Logical Africa for any cost effective and interesting African escape near water. We offered them Lake Kariba or Lake Malawi. The Kariba package was based on a houseboat and Victoria Falls combination. The Lake Malawi adventure was designed around a fantastic little lodge called Kaya Mawa (Maybe Tomorrow in local language) on Likoma Island and Nkwichi Lodge (squeaky sand in local language) on the Mozambique shore of the great lake.
The family were excited with the exotic nature of the Lake Malawi adventure and booked the following itinerary for August 2008.
SAA from Johannesburg to Lilongwe
Private charter on Niassa Air from Lilongwe to Likoma Island
Vehicle transfer to Kaya Mawa
3 nights Kaya Mawa
Small boat transfer to Cobue for Mozambique immigration formalities
Small boat transfer to Nkwichi
3 nights Nkwichi
Small boat transfer to Likoma Island via Cobue
Private Charter on Niassa Air from Likoma Island to Lilongwe
SAA from Lilongwe to Johannesburg
Mozambique 2006 — , three teenagers contacted me by telephone for an August Mozambique adventure. They had been on two previous adventure safaris with Eco Logical Africa. They only had ten days and from past experience, I knew that they wanted wilderness hiking, swimming and diving. I started the itinerary on the east bank of Lake Niassa (Lake Malawi) because Nkwichi Lodge is in the heart of the huge Manda Wilderness area. The lake is so pure that you can swim and drink the water at the same time. Moja is a private concession on the Lugenda River in the huge Niassa National Park. Quilalea is an island in the heart of the Quirimba archipelago.
This was one of the most enjoyable safaris that I have ever guided. We explored the rugged surrounding wilderness for a few hours every day and canoed the shores of Lake Niassa.
Fly SAA into Lilongwe where I meet them and transit to Mozambique
Meet at Lilongwe arrivals
2 nights Nkwichi - Lake Niassa Mozambique
3 nights Moja - Niassa National Park
3 nights Quilalea - Quirimba Archipelago
Depart from Pemba town on SAA to Johannesburg
Southern Africa December 2005 — , four adults with six children aged from six to fourteen was referred to Eco Logical Africa by a past eco logical Client. They wanted a fun African Christmas and New Year safari.
I had a time frame of twelve days to work with and I used two aeroplanes. December is in our summer and it can be hot and this is our rain season. I started the adventure at Mashatu on the Limpopo because the camp has a huge swimming pool and a wonderful discovery room that is educational. Night driving in an open vehicle with a spotlight is a highlight at Mashatu. Seba is the only Wilderness Safaris camp in the Okavango Delta that is geared up for children. I secured Motswiri as an exclusive camp. Impalila Island is fun because you can game view down the Chobe River in a speed boat. The Victoria Falls Hotel has a large swimming pool and is in walking distance of the Victoria Falls.
Seba camp, for the kids, was a major highlight. The camp is geared up for entertaining children. Rain was a big dampener and we never saw sunshine at Impalila.
SA Airlink into Polokwane and we meet in the arrivals hall
3 nights Mashatu Main Camp - Limpopo Valley Botswana
3 nights Seba Camp - Okavango Delta Botswana
3 nights Motswiri Camp - Linyanti Explorations Botswana
1 night Impalila Island Lodge - Impalila Island Namibia
1 night Victoria Falls Hotel - Victoria Falls Zimbabwe
SAA from Victoria Falls to Johannesburg
Namibia September 2005 — sent me an email regarding an adventure into Namibia. They wanted a desert experience in August to fit in with their son's school break. The parents had, in the past, travelled to Kenya and Botswana and this time wanted a 10 night Namibian experience
I sent the doctor this itinerary with a blurb on what to expect in Namibia; big open skies, long corrugated distances, amazing desert colour tones, a mysterious cold misty Atlantic beach and a historical colonial German shadow. Didn't hear from him for a few days, then he said when do we leave? Didn't hurt that I was recommended to him by a couple who had a great experience with me four years ago. I've found that's the best kind of advertising.
In designing this itinerary, I had to balance the perceived needs of a 10-year-old boy on a Namibian safari with the holiday expectations of his parents. Not easy. If the kid has too great of a time, the parents' vacation suffers. The other way around is probably worse.
I started with Wolwedans because it is scenically stunning and I have the flexibility of driving and walking through red dunes and craggy mountains. The flight from Wolwedans to Kulala is less than twenty minutes and we fly low level over the rolling red dunes. Even the 10 year old is gaga.
This flight is always a surprising highlight. I use Little Kulala as a one-night stop so that we can experience the world's largest sand dunes at dawn and before the masses arrive. Little Kulala has a private access gate into the Sossousvlei park which means that we can be sitting in the big red dunes before sunrise. From Kulala we fly at midday across the desert to Swakopmund to spend one night on the cold misty Atlantic Ocean.
If you are interested in culture, you will be fascinated with the Ttwyfelfontein petroglyphs. I'd hate to get that in a spelling bee, but that's rock art. Paintings and engravings. Incredible.
There is a hint of mystique and African romance in tracking endangered desert rhino. The Rhino Camp guide is Chris Bakkes. Chris had a fight with a crocodile in the Kruger National Park and lost his arm in the battle. He's a fascinating guy and he had the entire family enthralled.
Serra Cafema camp is a luxury lodge on the Angolan border. There are isolated nomadic Himba settlements scattered through the area and if you are adventurous, you can ride a quad bike through the dunes.
Okonjima is a commercialised wildlife rehabilitation centre that supports a large cheetah population. I use their luxury bush camp as a convenient break in the long journey back to Windhoek.
The itinerary was well balanced and the ten year old boy had a great time. In particular loved Dune Boarding at Swakopmund. I even liked it myself. The parents thirsted for more indigenous cultural interaction. And they got it. They're going to great for word of mouth.
Connect to Windhoek via Johannesburg - return ticket on SAA.
Meet in Hosea Kutako International arrivals hall
2 nights Wolwedans Dunes Lodge - Namib-Rand Reserve (oldest desert on our planet)
1 night Little Kulala - Sossousvlei (tallest sand dunes on our planet)
1 night Swakopmund - Hansa Hotel
1 night Mowana Lodge - Twyfelfontein (largest rock engraving site on our planet)
2 nights Rhino Camp - desrt black rhino tracking
2 nights Serra Cafema - far enough to feel really exotic
1 night Okonjima Luxury Bush Camp - cheetah rehabilitation project
Botswana July 2005 — you've taken on safari come back for more. A family from Dallas Texas, on their fourth trip with Eco Logical Africa, asked me for a ten-day luxury Botswana safari in the cool winter period.
Their extended family now consisted of a daughter in law, besides the Mother, father and son.
This family has travelled with me through Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia. I proposed dates for early July and with a bit of juggling the dates were set.
We started the adventure at Duba Plains. Known for the titanic clashes between buffalo and lion, and so a classic game drive is one that tracks down the truly enormous buffalo herd to see if any lion are also headed in that direction.
Vumbura plains, Jao and Mombo are all premier safari destinations with Jao being more water orientated.
While we were at Mombo, the Texans decided to extend their safari by another two days. I flew to Maun and searched for availability. I managed to secure two nights at Vumbura Plains.
It takes quite a bit to impress anybody from Texas. They were impressed.
This safari was all about luxury in the bush and a huge amount of wild life was seen including the big five and cheetah. After the Safari the family boarded the Blue Train for Cape Town. The family have subsequently booked their next safari. We're planning it already.
Meet in Maun arrivals
2 nights Duba Plains
2 nights Vumbura Plains
2 nights Jao
3 nights Mombo
2 nights add on - Vumbura Plains
Depart Maun for Johannesburg
Zimbabwe May 2005 — , two couples and three teenage girls from Virginia contacted Eco Logical Africa for a privately guided safari to Zimbabwe in mid May.
They were referred to Eco Logical by a Zimbabwe family living abroad and their aim was to show their teenage children their memory of Zimbabwe from the early nineties.
I built the itinerary on diversity. Using two aeroplanes. Matobo Hills was our first stop. There's no more beautiful picture of white rhinos grazing on open grassy plains where you can discover ancient San art in concealed overhangs.
From the Matobos we fly across Zimbabwe to Chikwenya on the lower Zambezi River. Walking in the Mana Pools floodplain is like placing yourself in a large colourful coffee table book that has wildlife scattered randomly under a tall tree canopy. Flying up the Zambezi River we land at Bumi on the south bank of Lake Kariba. We transfer to Musango, a small island in Lake Kariba on the western edge of the Matusadonna National Park. This is a wonderful area to track the endangered and elusive Black Rhino in rugged terrain. The silent watery Kariba sunsets normally capture every emotion. The Hide in Hwange National Park has some huge vehicle friendly lone ranging bull elephants and large herds of cape buffalo. On most of my safaris in this area we find cheetah, roan-antelope and bat-eared foxes.
The girls, after initial apprehension, fell in love with the flying and one has decided to pursue a career in aviation.
Fly into Bulawayo on SA Airlink and out of Victoria Falls on SAA
2 nights Camp Amalinda - Matobo Hills Matabeleland
2 nights Chikwenya - Mana Pools on the Zambezi River
2 nights Musango - Lake Kariba
2 nights The Hide - Hwange National Park
2 nights Victoria Falls Hotel - Victoria Falls