Are you a stickler for detail and want to know exactly what to expect from a safari holiday in Southern Africa? Then read the below diary from John & Sandra Field who diarised day-to-day accounts of their holiday.
John and Sandra stayed at the following places:
- Shinde Camp, Botswana
- Xakanaxa, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
- Ngoma Safari Lodge, Chobe Forest Reserve
- Ilala Hotel, Victoria Falls
- Rovos Rail
Tuesday 26 March
Left villa at 08.20 as planned. Good journey to airport – Easyparking guy waiting. Check-in at Easyjet priority boarding a doddle. However airport security didn’t like the camera bag and we were asked to unpack it (plonkers – only airport where we were asked to do it!). Then to add insult they called the flight then changed boarding gates twice leaving people galloping between gates and back again – what fun! So plane from Spain 15 minutes late leaving. Fortunately we had pre-booked front seats so boarding easy.
Arrived Gatwick on time. We were a bit concerned about time as we had pre-booked the coach to Heathrow. However off plane quickly (as we were at the front) – passport control unusually quick and then luggage out very quickly. So ended up 30 minutes early for the coach (even time for a coffee!).
South African Airways check-in at Terminal 1 Heathrow quite good. Beer/wine and toasted sarnie and then long walk to boarding gate. Plane on time 18.05 – Airbus A600 with good leg room and free goodies. Queued 30 minutes for take off though.
Wednesday 27 March
Flight and food excellent and arrived on time at Johannesburg at 07.20 (2 hours ahead of GMT). Airport formalities OK after a hiccup where we weren’t sure whether we had to go through immigration or not (turned out not).
While waiting bought a wedding ring for John as planned. Turned out to be the swankiest place in South Africa (Brown’s). They/we had a laugh though as we told them we had been married 18 years and only now decided to get a ring for John. So they made Sandra pay for it and put on a bit of a show getting her to put it on his finger!. All the staff involved.
Check-in for Air Botswana flight good. A BAE146 with only about 12 people on it. Flight 1 hour 20 minutes very good and even served orange juices before take-off and very good sarnies and 2 mini bottles of wine each during the flight (hic!).
Maun airport Botswana tiny but immigration very slow. Weather quite hot. Few minutes later the next flight a 12 seater single engine Cessna Caravan 208 with a young woman pilot. Flight about an hour. Dirt runway at Shinde Camp. Staff at the Camp out to greet us singing. Everyone very friendly and nice atmosphere.
Our tent looks good with nice touches such as decanter of sherry and glasses, barrel of biscuits etc..
Afternoon game drive a bit disappointing after the Kruger last year.
Anyway dinner good on a single long table in a nice dining room with the driver/guides and management joining us – Camp holds a maximum of 18 people. Early night as we had been travelling on 4 planes and for 33 hours!
Thursday 28 March
Both slept very well. Woken with tea/coffee at 6.00 in bed then breakfast on the lawns and out in a makoro (a 2 seater flat bottomed boat) with a guide/punter to explore all the numerous waterways surrounding the camp.
Very pretty and lots of different miniature frogs on the reeds. Back to Camp about 10.30 having stopped earlier at a small island for refreshments.
There a safari jeep was waiting to rush us see some lions spotted near the airstrip. They were 2 lionesses and 1 male. Got some really good photos of them. Back to Camp for a very good lunch.
After we went back to our tent where we found 3 small ginger squirrels (who we had earlier photographed up a nearby tree bonking) running amok having made a hole in the window netting and had somehow taken the lid off the biscuit barrel and left bits of half eaten biscuits everywhere.
Reported our “break-in” (staff were a bit concerned – we thought it funny). So went for a swim in the nearby small pool photographing on the way a family of warthogs very close just munching their way around the lawns totally unconcerned about us.
Afternoon tea then out on drive at 16.00. Not a lot to see until a young female leopard was spotted draped over a disused termite mound. She just stayed there posing and we got lots of good photos. Back to Camp about 19.15 – quick shower then drinks around the bhorma at 19.45. At 20.00 (to announce dinner) the staff did an impromptu African dance with singing which was fun. Apparently they didn’t do it very often – just when they are “happy”. As they set off in a line to the dining room singing we followed trying to emulate them.
A good dinner with good company on the single long table with the Camp husband and wife managers Jono and Justine.
Afterwards we all had a nightcap around the log fire of the bhorma followed by Justine taking us to a small river inlet nearby and calling out into the night– when to our surprise a small croc appeared – about 8 years old. The Camp croc. Then back to our tent where we startled a group of red hartebeest feeding alongside the tent who then ran off into the night. The end of a very good day..
Friday 29 March
Both didn’t sleep so well for some reason. Call at 06.00 with tea/coffee.Breakfast then out at 7.15. First thing we saw was a very aggressive male elephant in musk that our driver had to be careful of. Then a shy leopard – then yesterday’s leopard again who just wanted to kip! Then Hartebeest, Wildebeest, lots of red Lechwe (unique to Botswana), Zebra, Ground Hornbills etc. Very pleasant scenery and drive. Great camcorder shots of the Lechwe leaping Back to Camp about 10.30.
Had a beer or 2 on our veranda – lovely day again. Temperature probably low 30’s.Lunch 11.30 – again good. Chatted to Aus. couple Delphine and Peter from Brisbane. Had a swim/beer.Elephant approached camp at 15.00 walking right by our tent. Warthog also munching close to our tent.
Tea at 15.30 then out on a speedboat along the waterways with the Aus couple and a couple from Portugal for a spot of optional fishing. It was decided that the girls should fish while the boys gave encouragement and drank the wine etc. Good fun and they caught lots of fish (bream and tilapia) – the boat guys did the donkey work of baiting etc. Portugal ended up winning “the competition”. Going back the boat went flat out through the narrow twisty waterways – great fun.
Back at the Camp the restaurant cooked the fish as a course to the evening meal which was superb and as we had caught the fish it added to the enjoyment..Overall we have liked this place very much – with lovely staff and a varied itinerary which you can choose from.
At dinner a bit of fun. Having found out the staff were not going to do there singing/dancing tonight (they only do it as an impromptu thing when they feel happy) John came up with the idea of the guests doing a pseudo African thing singing “dinners ready thank you” to the Conga song/dance led by Sandra. Everyone joined in and the staff loved it too. Great fun.
Turned in just after 22.00
Saturday 30 March
Finished packing and breakfast just after 6.45. Put dosh in staff tin and gave same to our driver/guides BT and Adam (not their real names). Out on drive at 7.30 – not a lot to see apart from several lilac breasted rollers, bee eaters, pied kingfisher and saddle billed stork.
Back to airstrip at 9.30 for Portuguese couple to catch their onward flight. We carried on with our drive for a while until time for our flight. Said goodbye to the Aus couple and left on our flight at 11.00 for the bumpy 10 minute flight to our next Camp at Moremi Game Reserve. Just us and another woman pilot. We got a bit worried because the engine didn’t want to start until she remembered to turn on the fuel!!
A driver met us at the airstrip and took us to our Camp Xakanaxa – a 10 minute drive away. Seems quite nice but not the”same feel” as Shinde.. Lunch is normally at 11.00! 11.00? Yes!
So we had missed the official lunch but they kept some for us at 12.00. Afternoon tea at 15.30 and game drive at 16.00. Great photos of a very tame Woodland Kingfisher we could have touched, elephants, an elusive leopard, Tsessebe and Waterbuck. Following a radio tip-off the driver drove like a “lunie” to see a leopard. A family of 4 from Lichfield were with us – Richard, Debs and 2 boys Josh and Tom ( Liselle of Sunsafaris had booked their holiday also for the second year running).
One of the boys very excited by the driving said “eat your heart out Alton Towers!” – making a comparison of the drive with a modern roller-coaster. Dinner OK. Back to room – just candles and paraffin lamps – hard to see anything and we had not yet unpacked.
Sunday 31 March
Waited wake-up call at 5.30 with a cup of tea (which never happened). So rush, rush, rush – couldn’t even see to do hair – breakfast just bird food so John miffed!! Out at 6.30 but a slow start then saw lion at close quarters who was calling out for his brother. Eventually they met up and hugged each other in greeting. Followed them for some time and got some good photos particularly with them on a look-out hill. Their manes were unusually short due, the driver thought, to the sharp grasses in the vicinity cutting the longer hair.
However at the end there were 9 vehicles surrounding them (which is not good) and which leaves a nasty taste.
Back to camp about 10.30 – brunch at 11.00 – quite good – afternoon tea at 15.30 then out on motorboat at 16.00 changing to fibreglass dug-out canoe for a short “punt” – quite pleasant.
Back at 18.45 – shower (must do it quickly before light goes!).
Early impressions of camp – old and tired. OK but clearly cutting corners – no wake-up tea – no proper breakfast – lighting in rooms inadequate – no back to bathrooms so couldn’t leave anything in the bathroom – gaps under the tent and no mosquito netting – no idea until last evening who manager was. Not “superior “ standard” in my book. Just about adequate and description could have been more honest. Shinde maybe a difficult act for them to follow.
Picked up from room at 19.30 – dinner very good. Sat with a French couple on our table – he was from St Tropez.
Also a fanatical Indian/Botswanian photographer with huge telephoto lenses showed us some of his photographs – good but no better than Sandra’s! Back to tent at 21.45.
Monday 1 April
Up at 5.30 – out on drive at 6.30. The 2 from France joined us – so 8 people + driver in Landrover which we are not used to. Went a bit further afield which was interesting – back about 10.30 – brunch OK – wrote a few postcards then chatted with Lichfield family.
Out on next drive at 16.00. Really good this time – saw several crocs – back about 18.30.
Apparently the French guy had food poisoning or something (we suspected the water) and had to be airlifted to Maun.
Did some packing because tomorrow’s flight is at 10.40 and we hope to go on drive first.
Tuesday 2 April
Didn’t do the drive after all as timing too tight. Plane 15 minutes late (a 3 seater so John goes Co-pilot). Landed at another airstrip about 10 minutes later and transferred to a larger 12 seater Cessna (6 people on board that had come from Maun first and included the hospitalised Frenchman who was still not 100%). 55 minutes flight to Kasane Airport. A very small but proper airport. Our driver was waiting – easy transfer to Ngoma Safari Lodge on the Chobe River.
Looks great with thatched buildings – if a bit drab looking from the outside but superb in. A lovely welcome from the acting manager Cathy and staff. Driver and chef Samson and about 20 staff there. Had a light lunch – then a dip in our private plunge pool with a bottle of decent wine.
Out on a drive at 15.30with a couple of “friends” (so they said) from South Africa (he originated from Newcastle UK).
First stop was at a 2 day old dead elephant with loads of vultures squabbling over it – the smell was appalling (but very memorable!).Dinner back at Lodge was good – pork tenderloin. Loads of drinks with SA couple afterwards. Bed about 22.30’ish a bit squiffey!. Slept well.
Wednesday 3 April
Up at 6.30 – good breakfast at 7.30 – out just after 8.00 for a full day’s drive and boat trip. Took about an hour to drive to a waiting boat on the Chobe River. Started out being Sandra’s first “good hair” day since arriving – now turned into the usual “bad hair” day due to the 1 hour open vehicle drive!
The 2 hour trip exploring the river banks turned out to be brilliant – lovely scenery – loads of hippos, crocs, kingfishers and other great birds – lots of bathing elephants – lizards etc. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Then a drive back through the Chobe National Park seeing loads of animals – in numbers the most we have ever seen in a day. About 13.00 stopped for a picnic lunch alongside the river.
We were then tipped-off about a lioness with a kill being nearby which our driver managed to find. There were actually 2 lionesses with 1 guarding and eating a just killed baby warthog (with lots of crunching). Great photos.
Then another p-break and beer! Sandra was having hers behind a bush when a family of elephants came around the other side behind her (heading for the river to bathe) – they froze – she froze – who was more scared? Back at the Lodge we are now only 4 guests left – great. Dinner was excellent. Of all things the starter was a mozerella and tomato salad with the tastiest dressing you have ever had. Apparently the chef had first marinated the mozerella in the dressing (good tip).
Dinner on the lovely terrace under the stars by candle light – brilliant.
When having coffees it started to spit with rain so a quick move to the covered veranda where we had a nightcap with the SA couple who were leaving early in the morning. Bed for us about 22.00
Thursday 4 April
Now just us left at the Lodge. Up at 5.30. Light breakfast and out at 6.30. Not a lot to see although it was just so peaceful with delightful scenery. We did though see 3 Sable Antelope and 3 Leopard Tortoises. Back to Lodge about 10.00 for a very good breakfast.
The chef, Samson, came and asked us what we would like for dinner that evening – the wide choice was to be ours – brilliant. Back to our room about 11.00 – into our plunge pool – bit of packing and writing – very hot now. This place is just brilliant – 5* plus treatment. A light lunch at 14.00 – really good salads.
Looked like thunderstorms but while we could see the lightening in the distance the storm went around us.
Another drive – never saw much but the driver took us “to a very special place” to see a fantastic sunset. Saw the Namibia and Zambia borders as well.
Back to Lodge at 18.45 – candle lit dinner at 19.30 – our earlier chosen meals were terrific and then a big surprise birthday cake appeared with candles and lots of staff to sing Happy Birthday. Afterwards we sat with the Manager Cathy for a nightcap. Another lovely day and a most memorable stay nears the end.
Friday 5 April
Up at 7.00 – final packing – breakfast at 8.00 – said a sad goodbye to everyone and left with driver at 9.00.
A rather cloudy and chilly morning (the first in Africa). Drove 1 ¼ hours to the border with Zimbabwe. First to the exit control for Botswana then immigration control into Zimbabwe which cost a bit steep 55US$ per person for a single entry visa. However all done very quickly (we had been warned it could take hours so we were lucky).
Changed drivers and vehicle on Zimbabwe side. Drive through a National Park to Victoria Falls took just over an hour on surprisingly good roads.Stopped in the town and got our tickets for the tram, walking with lions and helicopter flight – then to the Hotel Llala – the nearest to the Falls.
Llala quite nice – a bit olde worlde being built in the early 1900’s – maybe a bit tired but OK. Had a light lunch on the attractive garden terrace which was lovely – just as the sun came out and the weather improved. Booked our evening table at this restaurant as it was considered one of the best in the Falls.
Then off to the Victoria Falls. Decided not to go in for getting or hiring waterproof gear. It was great – lots of spray. Just when we thought we were going to get away with staying quite dry we turned a corner and got soaked in minutes. A great experience though. So back to the hotel to change and a quick exit to get the evening sunset tram tour to the Bridge at 16.30.
Lots of booze and nibbles included. On the other side of the bridge (which technically is in Zambia) they put on a little show re-enacting the building of the bridge before a couple did an overhead wire trip across part of the gorge. Watched the sunset and then the return journey where the tram waited for ages outside the station (because a train was already there) and John got a bit impatient and decided to get off as it was close to the hotel.
With no street lights it was very dark and, thinking it was a path, walked on “the path” only to find out It wasn’t a path but a deep ditch – and he fell in. Luckily no injuries other than pride and muddy feet and of course a telling off from Sandra!Dinner at hotel at 20.00 – beef medallions where each one was like an individual steak rather than medallions – excellent. Bed about 22.00.
Saturday 6 April
Up at 5.30 and out at 6.30. Transport to the walking with lions place arrived on time but then we had to wait 15 minutes for some dozy female who couldn’t be on time all morning. Protracted talk-in/video and breakfast before our group could go walking with the lions. 2 lionesses who were about 14 months old and sisters. Big enough to do damage if they wanted. We were each given a stick (the idea is that it becomes an extension of the arm when held out which an attacking lion might grab – not very plausible to me!).
Anyway the lions were lovely – even if one of them got rather bored with the walking. You could even stroke them (but not around the head in case they grabbed you). We really enjoyed the experience. Thought our cat at home Cyril was more dangerous than them! Back to the hotel and then an included pick-up drive to the Bonaire Helicopter Pad (this company had been recommended to us by the Aus couple at Shinde). A bit out of town on a Reserve.
First a competent safety briefing .Then the 6 of us were split just into 2’s for the flights. Great – so just Sandra and John (John sitting in co-pilot position and both of us sitting on the same side so that we both had the best views of the Falls as we turned (going around a treble figure of eight course). The 20 minute flight was absolutely brilliant – definitely a “must do” at the Falls. Even saw quite a few zebra and giraffe in the Reserve on the way back. John couldn’t stop talking about it!Had another very good light lunch at the hotel. Waiter named Gift who we were chatting to yesterday made a b-line for us again – a nice chap.
Then walked along the Victoria Falls town small shopping street. Now a bit run down but must have been good in the Colonial days. Made a slight detour to a small market selling carvings and metal works but soon left as were really pestered by lads trying to sell their stuff. We felt a bit intimidated by them.
So back to hotel for a vino and re-cap on the day’s super experiences. Another good dinner about 20.00 – nightcap and back to room about 21.30 to also do some packing. Summary of our views about Victoria Falls and what we saw of Zimbabwe – really enjoyed the experiences – Zimbabwe very expensive with everything now priced mainly in US$. Hotel and tour staff very friendly – locals you met while walking quite unfriendly. Magabe’s influence perhaps. Even the Tourist Police were complaining they hadn’t been paid and asked us for money.
Sunday 7 April
Up at 6.00 – very good breakfast on terrace at 7.30 watching the distant spray plumes/clouds from the Falls. Sandra had an unusual soufflé omelette which she pronounced very good. We were picked up at 8.45 and taken on the short drive to the Victoria Falls Hotel and the train station for the Rovos Rail departure at 10.00. A red carpet – nicely groomed staff and champagne greeted us plus as an added bonus we had the owner and Chief Executive of Rovos Rail, Rohan Vos, travelling with us (which he doesn’t do very often).
A full train is 96 passengers – ours was about half full for its return to Pretoria. Rohan got us to assemble in the sunshine on the lawns of the Victoria Falls Hotel to brief us on the trip – informative and humorous – what a character! Turned out the full train coming out to Victoria Falls was 5 hours late arriving. He explained in a dry but hilarious way the difficulties of running trains in Africa! Such as trying to get the train, engine drivers, fuel, water etc all in the right place at the same time!
This gave us a bit of a concern as our flight back to the UK from Johannesburg in 2 days time was only 3 hours after the scheduled arrival time in Pretoria. John spoke to Rohan who assured him we would catch our flight by hook or by crook with us being taken off the train if it was running late. As it was it arrived in Pretoria 30 minutes early. John thanked Rohan in Pretoria whose response was “that’s another bloody miracle!”.
Anyway back to the journey. Our suite on the train was really good – probably better laid-out than The Blue Train. Another lovely day – we hear South Africa had been very cold over the previous few days – so we had been lucky with almost perfect weather. Had a bottle of champagne while settling in and then off to the observation car for a gin and tonic.
Lunch (just 1 sitting for all in 2 restaurant cars) starting at 13.00. Menu great and food/wine excellent. The dining car is so regal looking – great. Back to room for a siesta before afternoon tea in the lounge car at 16.00 where we met again a very interesting Austrian couple we had been with on the helicopter trip over The Falls and who we met up with several times after. He had (and still did) run marathons all over the world.
Scenery and animals interesting. Then the train stopped for quite a long time and we saw the owner and Train Manager drive off in a waiting jeep. Turned out that as the train was running ahead of schedule and the owner decided to stop and sort out the problem with an emergency water supply they had there that had been damaged by something.
Back in action an excellent dinner was at 19.30. Sandra had confit of duck for the first time and loved it (John had been trying to get her to try it for years without success). Bed about 22.30.
Monday 8 April
Not a very good night – very noisy. Up at 6.30. Breakfast at 7.15. Apparently we had gone over the border during the night and were now back in Botswana. The train stopped at 8.15 at a group of waiting safari vehicles who first took us to a pedigree brahma cattle breeding farm who bred American Red and White Brahma cattle. Turned out to be a fascinating talk-in by the very knowledgeable owner.
Then a short safari drive and stop for refreshments. Not a lot to see apart from a massive flock of marabou storks. A glass of champagne awaited us as we got back to the train. On the move again about 11.15.
Stopped at Francistown for a while. Clearly a bustling town with lots of new buildings and posh business buildings. Lunch at 13.00 (again 3 out of the 4 courses very good but 1 odd with combinations that really didn’t work. Was it us?).
Back to room for a siesta – then got ready for dinner detouring to the observation car first for an aperitif.
Dinner at 19.30. Everyone was presented with a rose corsage. An interesting South African couple who we had met earlier asked to dine with us (she was black tour organiser from SA and he a white doctor specialising in forestry matters and originated from Guildford.
Great meal – main course of Brahma steak which was fantastic – best ever. Bit boozed! So back to room where a mini champagne and rose petals had been laid out on the bed – but couldn’t manage shampoo that night!
Tuesday 9 April
Another not very good night (we should learn by now overnight train journeys are not noted for a good night’s sleep!). Up at 7.30 and breakfast at 8.30.Rohan said we were 2 hours ahead of schedule which looks good for our flight tonight. Started packing – a lovely day again.
By now the train started going very slowly but lovely countryside until Krugersdorp where there was lots of mining and muck-heaps. The train stopped at this station for 1 ¼ hours – John a bit miffed as nothing to see. Sandra decided to have a sleep! Anyway a good lunch then moving again (slowly).
Eventually just outside the Rovos Rail terminal in Pretoria our double header diesel locomotives were changed for a magnificent and immaculate steam train to pull us into their station. The grand entrance!
Our driver was waiting. We said our goodbyes and were whisked off at a great speed through the Pretoria rush hour traffic to Johannesburg Airport. Our driver was leaving nothing to chance to make sure we were on time – very pleasing.
And yes we were in good time for our flight. Brilliant. Unfortunately the South African Airways check-in was a shambles – took forever and then they tried to separate us and put us in separate parts of the plane – eventually arranging after protest to putting us together but in the inside/middle 2 seats of 4 (the worst positions to be for an overnight flight). Lesson for us to learn here – make sure you book long haul flights via the airline’s web not an agent.
Wednesday 10 April
Flight OK but main meal disappointingly poor so our previously high opinion of SA Airways dropped a further couple of notches. Anyway it was on time arriving in London. Airport formalities were fast and we were quickly out and on the coach to Gatwick for our flight home to Spain.
We had pre-arranged to meet our friends Trevor and Kate, who were booked on the same flight to Spain, for breakfast at Jamie Oliver’s at Gatwick and yes they had only been there a couple of minutes and we walked in. Talk about spot on timing after such a long journey.
Our flight home was easy and well to time and uneventful. The car parking guy was waiting with our car and we were home within 2 minutes of our forecast time made months earlier. And importantly all our animals were OK and pleased to see us!
So the end of another very special holiday adventure.
Thank you again Liselle of Sunsafaris for “doing it again” for us. Brilliant!
