A summary of my 2 trips !
Zimbabwe (1999) - an Adventure tour with Exodus !
This was just before the president (Mugabe) implemented various changes. White settled ex-europeans still managed many of the tourist operations.
Things changed drastically shortly afterwards. this is just an account of the trip. No advice given but yes I recommend all the places !
The Exodus trip was 2 weeks but due to late booking I needed to go out 3 days before and return 3 days after so a 3 week trip !
Stage 1 Flight to Harare and 3 nights in the "usual exodus type hotel", a simple but comfortable place. Another traveller was in a similar situation to me.
We shared a taxi for a day trip to a local Cheetah reservation. On another day I visited a cultural open air site demonstating tribal dancing and other customs.
All very good !.
Stage 2 (Exodus)
So the other dozen or so arrived at the hotel and we met the tour guides. They were a couple who ownwed the vehicle and 1 other. The vehicle was the usual "Exodus expedition Camping truck", this was owned by the couple who were linked to Exodus. I fear this will all have "gone bad" !
Our rute was https://goo.gl/maps/RnvXwEVdJat3VZ6L7
Experiences
Lion sanctuary
NP with Rhinos
Then drive to Maun (Botswana)
3 nights in The Okavango Delta (dugout canoes)
Victoria Falls (The falls, microlite flight over, white water rafting, River cruise, Chobe NP)
Stage 3 (self)
I booked a mini tor to Hwange NP (local bus then Lodge pickup).
Back to Vic Falls and light aircraft to Harare and home.
An excellent trip but probably not easy to do similar norw !
Life is not without danger ! ( Rhinos, Hippos, Grumpy "Tusker", getting drowned whilst Rafting. Microlite flight..Heyho
Images here
South Africa with Nida 2007 All self organised
2 weeks at Easter
1 Fly To Jo'burg and on to Nelspruit. We hired a car to drive to our 2 safari camps
Pungwe very nice (2 nights)
Nyala not so good (2 nights) ..a battered old jeep and walking near Hippos. The "guide" had a handgun ONLY..about as much use as a pea-shooter.
Anyway no problems and drive back to Nelspruit
Route https://goo.gl/maps/CYxWDPSd4xZ8Z5sa7
2 Fly to Durban Hire car
Route https://goo.gl/maps/oM5TKqjv4nY3czbx9
Drive to Mooi River, lovely acommodation for 2 nights and day trip to Giant's Castle
Again nice drive across the hills to Himevile for 2 nights with an escorted tour to Lesotho (Sani Pass) and then back to Durban !
3a Fly to Capetown again a car-hire
One of my friends was working in Capetown so we stayed wth them for 2 nights.
Table Mountain of course and a wine-tasting picnic lunch at Franshhoek.
Then to Cape of Good Hope and the penguins at Boulders beach
East and south to Cap Algulhas (Most southerly point of Africa..thus potentially the most southerly place you can drive to from Europe)
Back to CapeTown to return the car https://goo.gl/maps/7hqG8RXsePqgbYNE8
3b Overnight tran to Jo'burg and fly home.
Not the "Blue Train" but quite luxurious and a long journety with comfortable cabin and lounge/dining car
Bought Nida a diamond in the airport. We had this mounted as a ring back in UK
Images here
This was just before the president (Mugabe) implemented various changes. White settled ex-europeans still managed many of the tourist operations.
Things changed drastically shortly afterwards. this is just an account of the trip. No advice given but yes I recommend all the places !
The Exodus trip was 2 weeks but due to late booking I needed to go out 3 days before and return 3 days after so a 3 week trip !
Stage 1 Flight to Harare and 3 nights in the "usual exodus type hotel", a simple but comfortable place. Another traveller was in a similar situation to me.
We shared a taxi for a day trip to a local Cheetah reservation. On another day I visited a cultural open air site demonstating tribal dancing and other customs.
All very good !.
Stage 2 (Exodus)
So the other dozen or so arrived at the hotel and we met the tour guides. They were a couple who ownwed the vehicle and 1 other. The vehicle was the usual "Exodus expedition Camping truck", this was owned by the couple who were linked to Exodus. I fear this will all have "gone bad" !
Our rute was https://goo.gl/maps/RnvXwEVdJat3VZ6L7
Experiences
Lion sanctuary
NP with Rhinos
Then drive to Maun (Botswana)
3 nights in The Okavango Delta (dugout canoes)
Victoria Falls (The falls, microlite flight over, white water rafting, River cruise, Chobe NP)
Stage 3 (self)
I booked a mini tor to Hwange NP (local bus then Lodge pickup).
Back to Vic Falls and light aircraft to Harare and home.
An excellent trip but probably not easy to do similar norw !
Life is not without danger ! ( Rhinos, Hippos, Grumpy "Tusker", getting drowned whilst Rafting. Microlite flight..Heyho
Images here
South Africa with Nida 2007 All self organised
2 weeks at Easter
1 Fly To Jo'burg and on to Nelspruit. We hired a car to drive to our 2 safari camps
Pungwe very nice (2 nights)
Nyala not so good (2 nights) ..a battered old jeep and walking near Hippos. The "guide" had a handgun ONLY..about as much use as a pea-shooter.
Anyway no problems and drive back to Nelspruit
Route https://goo.gl/maps/CYxWDPSd4xZ8Z5sa7
2 Fly to Durban Hire car
Route https://goo.gl/maps/oM5TKqjv4nY3czbx9
Drive to Mooi River, lovely acommodation for 2 nights and day trip to Giant's Castle
Again nice drive across the hills to Himevile for 2 nights with an escorted tour to Lesotho (Sani Pass) and then back to Durban !
3a Fly to Capetown again a car-hire
One of my friends was working in Capetown so we stayed wth them for 2 nights.
Table Mountain of course and a wine-tasting picnic lunch at Franshhoek.
Then to Cape of Good Hope and the penguins at Boulders beach
East and south to Cap Algulhas (Most southerly point of Africa..thus potentially the most southerly place you can drive to from Europe)
Back to CapeTown to return the car https://goo.gl/maps/7hqG8RXsePqgbYNE8
3b Overnight tran to Jo'burg and fly home.
Not the "Blue Train" but quite luxurious and a long journety with comfortable cabin and lounge/dining car
Bought Nida a diamond in the airport. We had this mounted as a ring back in UK
Images here