2018 Testimonials
Dear Mandy,
We returned from Zambia in mid-Nov. as scheduled. We are thanking you for making this tour such a wonderful experience! It is amazing how many leopards, lions and wild dogs we packed into one tour. We wish we were still there. We could not have experienced all of these without you. Our hearts are still smiling. A big thank you!
For us, South Luangwa is simply the best. The camps are excellent, food is great, staffs are friendly, the guides are outstanding, and wild life is next to none! One night in Nsefu Sector, a leopard killed an impala right under our noses. Some minutes after feeding, he pulled the unborn baby out of the mother impala’s belly and enjoyed this fresh snack. Another morning (Nkwali), the whole pride of “Big Pride” lions finished feeding a buffalo and rested nearby. A skinny young male lion from another pride went to the buffalo and started to feed. He was seriously injured by a porcupine two weeks ago, but survived. At this moment, “Ginger”, the dominated male lion of the “Big Pride” walked towards “Skinny”. Both BBC Earth and National Geographic told us that “Ginger” was going to kill “Skinny”, but he didn’t. It was “Skinny” who charged “Ginger”. Even though, “Ginger” showed his kindness all the time. He didn’t touch “Skinny” at all. In addition to this, we had a pack of 13 wild dogs (the Salt Pan Pack in Nsefu), including 3 adults, 3 sub-adults and 7 puppies. They showed up 5 times, drank water beside a crocodile with great care, hunted an impala, but two hyenas took over their kill……
Please let our attached “Thousand Words Photography” images show you some stories. We guess you wouldn’t be surprised that we’d like to go back. Let’s keep in touch.
F&H T October 2018
Hello Mandy,
now back in a very cold and windy Stockholm. What a contrast to a hot Kruger Park! We would like to thank you for a wonderful program during our three weeks visit to SA. Everything went according to plan and our expectations were more than fullfilled. As usual... Attached, please find our ratings for the different lodges. As we see it, 7 or more are very good to outstanding! However, we are a little bit confused that you didn't recommend to book a flight direct to Durban instead of Johannesburg at arrival the first day since our first lodge was Amakhosi. We now understand that several of the big airlines (incl.Qatar Airlines) have direct flights into Durban. Best regards
L&I O, November 18
Mandy,
I hope you had an enjoyable trip to Botswana. We certainly enjoyed our Zimbabwe adventure. There are demands already from some quarters for a 2019 tour. Brexit permitting maybe!!!!!
As promised, we have put our thoughts together and attach a copy for your information. Thanks again for your time and expertise, without which, it would be incredibly difficult for us to organise such a trip.
Best wishes for a peaceful and successful 2019.
B,M, W, October 2018
Hi Mandy. Back home after a splendid seven night sojourn at Thula Thula , watching the antics of the baby jumbos amongst the herd of twenty nine elephants! It was a memorable stay there, combined with the very homely atmosphere provided by Claire and her staff at Lavender Moon, on our in / out stops.
This time of the year would certainly be our preference for travel to SA , rather than during the hot and humid summer. So ... hopefully we'll be in contact again. Thank you.
VC, October 2018
Greetings,
Just to let you know we had a wonderful time at each place plus a great variety of wild life
Shall return again in a few years
T&C, September 2018
Dear Janice,
Thanks for your email. We got excellent time in Africa! Thanks for your help and organising everything.
HV, August 2018
Hi Janice,
Sorry this is so delayed, went to write back and then totally forgot. Thanks for organising our trip, it was fantastic we had an absolute ball. The camps were fantastic. We loved oddballs enclave and the staff everywhere in Botswana where just beautiful. Such a fabulous country, we hope to get back to explore more of the continent sometime in the future!
Thanks again, KW, July 2018
Hi Mandy
As promised, a report on our holiday, having been back a few days, done all the washing and gone back to work ,sadly. We had a WONDERFUL time! Loved every minute and was sad to come home. Everything went according to plan, with no hiccups.
In brief, Hoyo Hoyo was great, loved the staff and enjoyed champagne from our children. Little disappointed with quantity of animals, but understood it was cold and I think we were unlucky not to have the best guide.
La Roca guest house was great, pity we were there such a short time, and would thoroughly recommend it.
Fugitives Drift was wonderful, fantastic suite and staff. Even my sceptical wife enjoyed it! We also met a couple there who were from our nearest town at home and we had mutual friends!! They ran a travel business to Africa, as did our transfer driver, does everyone work in travel!! We were very taken with KZN, the country side, the weather and think that the area is under rated.
The Waterfront Village was perfect. Great apartment and a short walk to all amenities. The wine trip was good, although at first, we struggled with the driver as he was broad Afrikaner, and we struggled a bit to understand him. However, we got over that and warmed to him, although I think he could have done a little more homework on suggestions of places to visit.
In hindsight (always easy after the event!!) I think we tried to do too much in the first week. It was only at Fugitives that we unpacked our suitcases, as we never stayed in one place more than two nights and we were a bit weary by then. Also we had hadn't realised the distances, meant long transfers, usually around 4 hours in a car. Lastly, I think we could have done without the stop overs in J'burg and flown straight to Heathrow on the return and probably to Skukuza, when going.
However, all part of the learning curve and we will know for next time.
Thank you so much for a wonderful time and we are already talking about next year!! Best wishes RS, July 2018
Hi Mandy,
I want to add my thanks...for what was truly an amazing trip. Everything worked so well and each of the lodges was unique, the staff wonderful, the food delicious, the guides extremely knowledgeable. I am still amazed at the wildlife we saw - and how close to them we were. What wonderful memories - and photos! Thank you so much for putting together such an incredible trip for us.
EB, May 2018
Good Morning, Mandy! It is hard to believe that our trip is over and we’re back home, all without a hitch. This note is to thank you - the trip exceeded all our expectations in every way, in large part because of your careful planning and attention to detail.
We benefited from your expertise, experience and judgement as you helped us put this trip together. The people, the lodges, the guides, the activities were all super - you knew where to send us and what we shouldn’t miss. And, by building the trip so that we went from urban, to rural, to wilderness just meant the trip built from day to day and we always looked forward to our next adventure.
It has been a delight to work with you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Sincerely,
M & R T, May 2018
Dear Mandy,
We made it home safe and sound and now look back to the most wonderful memories of our trip with R and A and the Canadian contingent through South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe. We cannot believe how fortunate we were to see the variety of animals in their natural surroundings, and so close!! We also found the people very pleasant and happy to show us just what Africa has to provide. Our accommodation was excellent and the food delicious.
Our last night in Johannesburg at the Safari Club was rather special as we met you for a very pleasant time together. Thank you so much for paying our way, most unexpected, but appreciated. We will certainly recommend you and your company to other prospective Australian friends. I also have a friend who is a travel agent so will pass your details on. Thank you again.
M + J T, May 2018
Hello Mandy!!! Here we are just returned from our amazing, amazing trip 😊We want to say you MANY THANKS for helping us on our great adventure, everything was perfect and we are so happy to have done each part of the trip.
With our best regards. G&F, April 2018
Like I said before I would plan the trip in line with these bush pilots….You either start in Kasane and end in Maun or the other way round. I would also book place like in line with the next place. I would have gone first to Nxai pan, the Eagle island, Moremi and the Savuti. What happened is that you are flying to Moremi, then back to Eagle island and then Savuti….hope you understand.
We were also not too sure about the planes but realized that sometimes you are on the “milk train”…when the bush pilot sees an airstrip he lands. It took us 2 :30 hours from Nxai pan to Moremi.
We the planes varied from a 4 seater “puke” plane to a bigger caravan (H is a very bad flyer). The pilots overall was not bad.
It would be really difficult for me to say what the best place was.
Nxai Pan:
• The food at all the places were really good and plentiful
• The people were great, we were entertained by Moses every night telling us big stories which was good
• The time of the year is really hot so we are all well-tanned!!.
• People must be aware that this time of the year most tents are hot and a fan normally do not cool you down
• The game viewing was interesting with loads of zebra, giraffe and a big pride of lions. And obviously elephants. We had a friendly discussion one day with the famous elephant that digs up the pipes around the camp for water
• I think if you go there a bit later then you will see a whole lot more of the migration but that’s all luck
• If I must compare the game viewing to the other sites it was not as good but for us it was fine
• The Baobabs is a must to see!!!
Moremi – Khwai
• This is a very good property and coming from the heat with no aircon to a tent with aircon was really good
• Again the food was awesome
• The game viewing is spectacular, saw twice leopards, saw wild dogs who just killed a kudu, with a hippo protecting it and it was later claimed by crocodiles, lions and obviously elephants (a herd of about 80) one morning while having a cup of coffee. The interaction within this herd was really good
Eagle Island
• I think because of the low water levels we did not really get to experience the real Eagle Island
• One night one of the waiters actually sang for us…after a bit of convincing….
• Will have to go back one day to experience all the water
• We didn’t see any cats but that’s not really why we go as it’s a bonus when you see them.
• We saw a massive herd of buffalo
Savuti – Ghoha Hills
• When we arrived there we met Nennette and we spoke Afrikaans, from then one we had long discussions with her and her husband Abram
• Again it was smoking hot in the tents but that comes with the time of the year
• Again we saw plenty game with wild dogs again, leopard and lion, massive herd of Eland of about 120, elephants
• The Savuti plains is a really interesting plains and would love to see it with water!!!
GvdM, January 2018
