Guest Blogger: Francois Ghanem - Panorama Route

When I was planning this trip most resources and guide books barely (if at all) mentioned the "Panorama Route."
The "Pano Route" (as I heard it referred to several times during our day discovering it) is a wonderful day trip.  The problem was itinerary planning.  I was a day short elsewhere on the trip and told Elizabeth to cut out the Pano Route.
Elizabeth persuaded me not to.  We were glad we had the opportunity to take a day trip  to explore the Pano Route.  The route is a great way to appreciate the Blyde River canyon - one of the biggest in the world and 2nd biggest in Africa. 
Along the way we saw lush forests, great waterfalls, interesting rock formations and mountain peaks up to 1900+ meters.
We ended our day with a bit of shopping in Graskop.

All in all a great day and a different one than the bush. Glad we did not skip it.

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Instalment 2: Guest Blogger - Francois Ghanem

So we've finally arrived in South Africa.
I've been thinking about what to write and what my guest blog focus will be.  I will be giving an overview of our experiences and not obsessing about details of accomodations and hotels.

Our first stop was a Sabi Sands private reserve.  We stayed at a lodge recommended by Elizabeth.  The accommodations were perfect.  The food was very good and abundant.  The staff was hyper-attentive to our comfort and were excellent host.  Suffice it to say that when we checked in to the lodge my wife declared Elizabeth a travel advice goddess.
(The lodge routine was fairly typical of all lodges: early morning and late afternoon drives, bush walks, meals etc... a busy schedule indeed that started at 5:30 am and ended at 9:30 pm.)
But I digress....  The reason we are here is to see the bush creatures  - not to talk about the generous creature comforts we enjoyed.   The big 5 parade started on the drive to the lodge when we saw two lions.  It gets better.  Over the next 6 game drives we saw the big five multiple times.  We saw babies, adults and ageing animals.  We saw some of the "little 5" and some of the "shy 5".  We saw a nursing baby rhino and two lions " in flagante delicto."  We even saw an elusive cheetah - we were told the first sighting in the area in 4 months.
Really memorable!  Yet just as thrilling were the bush walks where we got an overview of the flora and fauna and lessons in tracking animals by tracks and dung.  The best part was one walk with just me and the ranger.  We enjoyed conversations along the way but we also stopped to enjoy the bush silence punctuated by the sounds of animals doing what they do and at times you could actually hear the bigger birds flapping their wings as I stood there in silent awe.
The guests were an international bunch with an American majority.  A few south Africans visiting the bush with us certainly provided an interesting perspective on bush tourism as well as past and current events in the country. Also of interest was a conversation with the lodge proprietor about rhino poaching and eco-tourism.   Thought provoking!

That's it for now.  Till the next update.....

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On route to Africa - Guest Blogger - Francois Ghanem

So my wife and I are on a plane 5 hours away from Jo'burg and an incredible journey of 4 weeks that Elizabeth helped make a reality.
Some history first...  We started planning for our Africa trip 14 months ago.  It all began with an email describing who we are as travellers, what we enjoy doing when we travel and what we want and what we dont - and possible dates for trip.  We did not want a mass marketed tour, a camping trip,  or an ultra expensive "spafari".  We were looking for good value which I know is not necessarilly inexpensive.
Out of the dozen or so companies (in USA, UK and South Africa) we contacted we selected Elizabeth. Why?
Because,  some responded that they do not cater to customers with our specific requirements (read not interested in value minded travellers).  Some ignored our email and told us what they wanted to sell us and why it fits our travel requirements.  Some even would not even talk unless we established a budget (I do not like to start the process with this important aspect of travel for reasons beyond this post).  And some said the trip is 14 months in the future come back in 8 months when pricing is available.
Elizabeth, on the other hand - responded with a thourogh email that gave specific feedback and suggestions for every aspect of our inquiry.  We fine tuned the trip with Elizabeth providing guidance along each step of the way. 
In a nut shell, Elizabeth understood us and our requirements.  Her emails clearly reflected this along with a sense of humor and a keen understanding of the Southern Africa travel scene.
Most important in our dealings with Elizabeth was the transparancy in pricing and her openness in sharing pricing of alternatives.  Remarkable, also, is the fact when she found a pricing error (in my favor) she let me know and credited me the amount!
One last thing - I research quite a bit and ask a million questions.  Elizabeth handled everything so well for 14 months and addressed all my inquires with efficient professionalizm along  with responsiveness and humor.
Enough about how we came to this point.  On to the trip.... Over the next four weeks we will visit South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.  Will be on safari,  some city stays, and self drive in Namibia.
We are thrilled as we embark on this trip and look forward to all the experiences and food (yes including smiley, mopani worms and monkey gland sauce - it is not what you think !)

Till the next installment with some travel observations and recap of what we're doing....

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Guest Blogger

For some time I have been working on the travel arrangements for a client, Francois Ghanem.  He is just about due to arrive into South Africa, and, during one of many conversations, the idea of a guest blog was proposed.

I thought it would be ever so interesting to hear from a client, during his travels, about how he finds the whole experience - the good, the bad and the ugly!  So, look out for our first ever guest blog - to follow

Elizabeth

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The Big Five

The Big Five are simply magnificent - there is something absolutely magical about seeing one of these amazing creatures in the great outdoors, from the safety of your game drive vehicle.  It is impossible to forget one's first safari!

The rangers will ask what it is you want to see - and, who can resist the lure of the Big Five.  (Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Elephant and Rhino).  Tracking them down and finding them is just thrilling!

But - there is more to the game experience than the Big Five only!  For me, Wild Dog remain the sighting of sightings!  They are incredible to watch - they work together and move in a choreographed unity that is just fascinating to see.  They are very elusive - they have a massive range so, it is not always certain that you will find them - it means that, when you do, you feel like you have found treasure!  Best options to look for them include the Madikwe Game Reserve, Tembe Elephant Park in Northern Kwazulu Natal and regions of the Okavango Delta in Botswana.

Often, these are areas that are not visited on the first time to Southern Africa - so, it is a great reason to come back.

Another of my favourite sightings was seeing bat-eared foxes feasting on flying termites one evening near Botswana - they were a delight to see - and, had the added benefit of being a lot smaller than an elephant (just saying - ellies are just too darn big!)

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Okavango Delta Moment

I find it ever so intriguing how a tiny incident can stand out in your mind and capture a moment that you remember forever.

We visited the Okavango Delta and stayed at the most gorgeous accommodation, with sublime food and scenery and game viewing.  But, what I will never forget was the moment we were drifing in our mokora, close to the reeds in the waterway when the tiniest jewel-coloured, Faberge-styled tree frog let out a mighty squirt of something - I have no idea what it was, but it was horrible!!!!  There was a LOT of shrieking and we nearly fell over-board - it was hilarious. 

I don't even remember which lodge we were at or what area - but, I remember that frog most fondly.

Just a silly moment on safari!

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Kruger Park Safari

The Kruger National Park is an incredible place to visit and explore.  It is hard to sum it up in just a few words!  Along the western border is the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve.  The fences between Sabi Sands and the Kruger were dropped decades ago and the animals move freely between the 2 reserves.  So - the obvious question is - which is the better option, Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve, or Kruger National Park?  Here are my thoughts:

Inside Kruger you are obliged to stay on the roads.  You do often see the animals close to or on the roads, as they find them convenient too!  But, if they wander off, you may not follow.  Whereas in the private reserves, the vehicles track the animals wherever they go.  It means that if you are following a hunt, you will go wherever the hunter leads - sometimes around, and sometimes over, small bush and scrub - it is very exciting and exhillarating!

In the Sabi Sands Game Reserve the game viewing is carefully controlled - the rangers confer with each other so there are never massive numbers of vehicles around any sighting - in Kruger National Park, this may not be the case. 

In the private reserves, you could easily encounter a huge variety of animals within a day or two - this may not be (but often is) the case in Kruger Park.  The size of the herds in the private reserves can be smallish, but in Kruger you stand the chance of seeing massive herds - which are absolutely spectacular - the sheer volume of numbers can be incredible and provides an unforgettable wildlife moment.

The private reserves provide all arrangements from the time you arrive - so, meals and game drives are included.  In Kruger, you either self-drive, or book packages through your tour operator that include game drives and usually, dinner and breakfast.  These can and do range in price, depending on how many game drives you opt to take.

Lastly - the quality and luxury of the accommodation in the private reserves is of a very high standard.  The lodges are generally 5 star and prices are reflective.  In Kruger, you get basic comfort, and a reasonable rate.   

If I had to choose...  Very tricky.  I think I would probably go the "money-is-no-object" private game reserve - for the accommodation more than for the game experience!  (But - I have done many, many game drives and I am rather scared of elephants - so the game viewing for me, is best done from a deck overlooking a water-hole with G&T in paw!)

But that's just me!

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