2024-10 & 11 Africa

We set off from Melbourne and travelled to Kilimanjaro international airport in Tanzania via Doha in Qatar.

Tanzania

We had a very comfortable flight and arrived at our accommodation in Arusha (A on map below) at 09:30 in the morning which was of course too early to check in. Anyway, they rushed around and got our room ready 3 hours before scheduled and it was rather nice. Meanwhile we strolled around the estate.

Tarangire

Next day we had our briefing from our guide Peter Moshi, who was to be our guide for the entire stay in Tanzania. He turned out to be a terrific guide and and a lovely man. With him we headed to Tarangire national park and the Ndovu Tented Lodge (B on the map above). The park was full of animals and the lodge was extremely comfortable and the staff lovely.

Ngorogoro

We left Tarangire after 2 nights and headed for the Ngorogoro crater and the Ngorogoro lodge. Wow, what a place! How they provide such luxury at the top of the rim of a dormant volcano with shocking dirt roads is a mystery. The view from our room was nothing short of spectacular.

Serengeti

We left Ngorogoro after 2 nights and headed for the Serengeti plains and the Elewana Serengeti Pioneer Camp. Another amazing place to stay and as for the wildlife, well…………….

After 3 amazing nights in the Serengeti, we flew back to Arusha and spent another night there. The following morning, we flew to Lusaka via Nairobi where we had 6 hours wait in Nairobi and Kenya airways managed to abandon our bags. However, we were entertained by some of the staff who decided to sing in front of the gates. Then onto Zambia.

Zambia

Kafue

We spent one night in Lusaka (F on map above) and then we headed for Kafue national park (G on map above) which is the second largest national park in Africa. It has, in the past, been heavily affected by poaching but we were delighted to find it to be a very worthwhile place to visit with an exceptional lodge and staff.

Lower Zambezi

After Kafue we flew to the Lower Zambezi national park (H on map above) via Lusaka to stay in Sausage tree camp which was run by the same company (Green safaris) as the Ila camp in Kafue national park. Both were outstanding camps.

After leaving the lower Zambezi, we headed for Victoria falls on the Zambian side (I on map below).

We stayed in a terrific hotel, The Royal Livingstone, which went above and beyond by retrieving Hazel’s phone, that she had lost on the transfer bus, and providing us with the closest encounter with a Giraffe anyone could want. The severe drought affecting Zambia meant that there is almost no water flowing over the falls on the Zambian side but we took a terrific helicopter flight that allowed us to see the entire spectacle.

Zimbabwe

After 2 nights in the Royal Livingstone, we crossed the border into Zimbabwe and headed to the Old Drift Lodge (J on map above) where we could do more safaris and view Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwean side where there was more water flowing.

After 2 excellent nights at the Old Drift Lodge, we again crssed a border and headed for our final safari country, Botswana.

Botswana

Chobe

Our first stop in Botswana was the Chobe Lodge (K on map above) in Chobe national park, an absolute mecca for people interested in wildlife.

Camp Moremi

After Chobe, we flew by light aircraft to Camp Moremi (L on the map above) on the edge of the famous Okavango delta. Another amazing place.

Camp Okavango

Our final stop on the safari marathon was Camp Okavango, a beautiful spot where there are no game drives, just mokoro (canoe) and boat safaris.

After Safaris

Maun

We finally departed Camp Okavango and 26 days of safari to head to Maun where we were supposed to meet our friend Shathy. However, his job got in the way and so we had a couple of nights in Mau on our own staying at accommodation owned by a friend of Shathy’s. Whilst there we visited Elephant Havens which is 45km northeast of Maun on the edge of the delta. There they care for orphan elephants before returning them to the wild once they have reached an age when they can fend for themselves.

Marapong

We flew from Maun to Gabarone where we met with our friends Shathy and Shungu with whom we stayed for one night before heading north to Francistown and the thence to Marapong which is the resting place of Rob’s dear university friend Doctor Malikongwa. It is also Shathy’s home village, Shathy is Docs nephew, and the home of Pinky, also a dear friend, and wife to Doc.

Gabarone

After Marapong and Francistown we headed back to Gabarone, the capital of Botswana, for another couple of nights at Shathy and Shungu’s place. We also went for a hike with Shathy up one of the hills near Gabarone which gave us a panoramic view of the city.

South Africa

Hout Bay near Cape Town

After leaving SHathy and Shungu, we flew to Cape Town and spent 4 relaxing days in the quirky little town of Hout Bay

After that, we returned to Melbourne via Doha