Author Topic: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report  (Read 43489 times)

Offline morgs

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #100 on: September 08, 2015, 02:11:14 AM »
amazing tr and fantastic pics! Thanks for taking out the time to write it up!

Offline ponash123

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #101 on: September 08, 2015, 10:01:20 AM »
BTW just wondering, did you guys rent a car in Cape Town? Joburg?
No we didn't.

Offline ponash123

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #102 on: September 09, 2015, 10:38:17 AM »
Days 8, 9,10: Hoedspruit, South Africa
Monday morning was chilly and misty. This was basically the only non-perfect weather we had and we were on our way out anyway. We went right back to Cape Town airport and caught a flight to Hoedspruit Airport. It’s actually an air force base and was an emergency landing site for the space shuttle, but it looked like a house with tarmac in the backyard. At the airport we were greeted by a ranger and taken to the game reserve.
We stayed at Kapama Southern Camp, a private game reserve adjacent to Kruger. It was truly amazing! We stayed in these cabins that were beautiful on the inside. The staff were really helpful and nice and everything worked out perfectly. The schedule goes as follows:
5:30 AM wake up call
6:00 AM morning tea
6:30 AM morning game drive
9:30 AM breakfast
1:00 PM lunch
3:30 PM high tea
4:00 PM afternoon game drive
7:30 PM dinner
The game drives are incredible. Every jeep has a ranger and a tracker. The tracker, who is usually a local, reads the spoor (tracks and other signs) of wildlife to help locate the game in the area. The tracker is seated on a little open seat attached to the front of the vehicle to see the ground clearly. Once it gets dark out the tracker holds a torch and continues to look for animals.
After settling in we went on our first game drive. We saw all kinds of animals, including 2 lion cubs playing while their mothers slept nearby. Our ranger was really amazing and so knowledgeable in all areas. 
After the drive we had dinner outside, around the fire. This is what they call ‘braai’ which means to grill. The waiters treated us to some very entertaining song and dance while we ate.
Later that night while in the cabin we heard a male lion roaring for a long time. It sounded like it was right outside and it was, quite literally, awesome.
The next morning we were awakened at 5 AM to go on our next game drive. This too was amazing and we saw 2 lionesses chilling out by the water, as well a whole bunch of other animals. After returning from the drive and eating breakfast we chose to do a bush walk from the variety of extra activities they offer. A bush walk is a way to go out into the bush and focus on the smaller things that you don’t focus on during a drive. Our ranger, after giving us strict instructions, walked in front holding a rifle and we all followed in a single file line. He showed us how to identify some tracks, different plants and the like. The focus is on smaller mammals, birds and insects, with a spotlight on animal spoor and dung, small flowers and plants, bird calls and the like. We did spot some large animals like elephants and giraffes but we avoided them while on foot.
After the bush walk we went to the spa, or wellness centre, which was fantastic. It was so beautiful and out there in the bush with the sounds of the wildlife in the background.
We returned from the spa for lunch, some rest and then off to the next game drive.  This game drive was just as great as the others. We spotted the 2 female lionesses again and they walked so close to the jeep that I could’ve reached out my hand touched them. It was really cool and slightly scary too!
That night we had dinner right out in the bush.
Wednesday morning was our last game drive and we still hadn’t seen any male lions. And so our ranger and tracker were very busy trying to find and track it, when out of the blue he just ran out in front of us. He proceeded to sit himself down for the next while, with 2 lionesses nearby.
During breakfast our ranger called us, and showed us a different male lion that was sitting right in view of the dining room. It was just sitting there by the water staring at us.
After we packed up and checked out, our ranger, who was taking us to the airport, took us a bit early because he thought he knew where the lions were. Sure enough we came across the whole family sleeping in the sun. Dad, mom, 2 older female lions and 2 younger cubs. After staring at them for an infinitely long (yet not nearly long enough) time we finally went to the airport where we flew back to Joburg. We had a couple of hours to kill until our flight home so we left the airport and went out to eat at Michelos, a nice place with pretty good food. After eating we went back to the airport where we took our flight back to JFK.

Kapama entrance:
DSC02113 by ponash, on Flickr

Outside and inside of our cabin:
DSC02149 by ponash, on Flickr
DSC02150 by ponash, on Flickr
DSC02153 by ponash, on Flickr

Kapama's library/lounge and pool:
DSC02342 by ponash, on Flickr
DSC02139 by ponash, on Flickr

Spa:
DSC02365 by ponash, on Flickr

Dinner out in the bush:
DSC02651 by ponash, on Flickr
DSC02262 by ponash, on Flickr

2 cubs playing while their mothers slept:
DSC02222 by ponash, on Flickr

Rhino:
DSC02277 by ponash, on Flickr

Wildebeests:
DSC02334 by ponash, on Flickr

Moving a tree that one elephant had knocked down:
IMG_1934 by ponash, on Flickr

The family of lions sleeping:
DSC02748 by ponash, on Flickr

Kudu and Impala:
DSC02495 by ponash, on Flickr
DSC02491 by ponash, on Flickr

Zebras crossing the road:
DSC02660 by ponash, on Flickr

The male lion running out in front of us:
DSC02666 by ponash, on Flickr
DSC02676 by ponash, on Flickr
DSC02685 by ponash, on Flickr
DSC02688 by ponash, on Flickr

Lioness stretching:
DSC02625 by ponash, on Flickr

Crocs and Giraffes:
. by ponash, on Flickr
DSC02346 by ponash, on Flickr
« Last Edit: September 09, 2015, 11:25:20 AM by ponash123 »

Offline Chapshnell

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #103 on: September 09, 2015, 10:52:20 AM »
I have a few questions & thoughts...

1) The cabin is really modern on the inside, on the outside you wouldn't know it.
2) How is that safe in the picture with that lion with the jeep in the background.. Cant he just jump into the car &............??
3) LOL at that giraffe drinking. A+.
4) I see people are wearing coats and a ski hat? is it cold there?

Absolutely amazing TR & extremely well written...

Thanks for sharing..
« Last Edit: September 09, 2015, 10:58:04 AM by Chapshnell »

Offline stbaum

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #104 on: September 09, 2015, 11:01:01 AM »
not gonna lie. these pics literally bringing tears to my eyes. so beautiful! i NEED to go now. we've surpassed want... do you know how much a night is at that cabin? do you know if the game drives are included? It looks magnificent from start to finish!!!
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Offline stbaum

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #105 on: September 09, 2015, 11:01:59 AM »
I have a few questions & thoughts...

1) The cabin is really modern on the inside, on the outside you wouldn't know it.
2) How is that safe in the picture with that lion with the jeep in the background.. Cant he just jump into the car &............??
3) LOL at that giraffe drinking. A+.
4) I see people are wearing coats and a ski hat? is it cold there?

Absolutely amazing TR & extremely well written...

Thanks for sharing..

i'm thinking its similar to a desert where it's freezing early morning/at night and boiling during the day
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Offline Yehoshua

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #106 on: September 09, 2015, 11:02:52 AM »
Wow, really great pictures! Looks like the entire trip was amazing. Now I need to find time to get there.  TYVM for sharing!!

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #107 on: September 09, 2015, 11:03:06 AM »
i'm thinking its similar to a desert where it's freezing early morning/at night and boiling during the day
It was also winter, so it may have been cold.

Offline ponash123

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #108 on: September 09, 2015, 11:07:59 AM »
I have a few questions & thoughts...

1) The cabin is really modern on the inside, on the outside you wouldn't know it.
2) How is that safe in the picture with that lion with the jeep in the background.. Cant he just jump into the car &............??
3) LOL at that giraffe drinking. A+.
4) I see people are wearing coats and a ski hat? is it cold there?

Absolutely amazing TR & extremely well written...

Thanks for sharing..

Thanks for the feedback!

1) Yep, that's what I loved about the place.
2) The animals don't see individuals in the jeep, they just see one large entity that they don't want to attack. That's why no one is allowed to stand up, for then they see a human form. The morning that we arrived there was an incident where someone stood up and made noises at the lion, which then started attacking. I don't think anyone was hurt but it was a bad situation.
3) It's funny, they can't reach the water without adopting that stance.
4) When you're in the jeep at 6 in the morning and the wind is in your face, it's quite chilly. But once the sun comes up it's hot. We went when it was the beginning of spring and it was very warm in the heat of the day (though not humid at all) so I can't imagine how hot it gets in the summer.

Offline Chapshnell

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #109 on: September 09, 2015, 11:11:59 AM »
Getting up making noises at a lion on their turf with no gate in between.. How smart... Genius..  :o

Offline ponash123

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #110 on: September 09, 2015, 11:14:59 AM »
not gonna lie. these pics literally bringing tears to my eyes. so beautiful! i NEED to go now. we've surpassed want... do you know how much a night is at that cabin? do you know if the game drives are included? It looks magnificent from start to finish!!!
Thanks for your comment, I very much understand the NEED.  :)
I believe the game drives are included in the price. Every season is different, but you can check it out here

Offline stbaum

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #111 on: September 09, 2015, 11:19:57 AM »
Thanks for your comment, I very much understand the NEED.  :)
I believe the game drives are included in the price. Every season is different, but you can check it out here

Quote
SonicWALL Network Security Appliance
Alert This site has been blocked by the network administrator.
URL: http://www.kapama.co.za/

Block reason: Forbidden Category "Sports/Recreation"

will have to check it out from home :(
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Offline Luvtotravel

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #112 on: September 09, 2015, 11:33:19 AM »
will have to check it out from home :(
no wonder youre scared to ask your boss for some vaca time off  ;)
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Offline stbaum

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #113 on: September 09, 2015, 11:34:57 AM »
no wonder youre scared to ask your boss for some vaca time off  ;)

also cuz i'm here rather than actually doing anything... sh!
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Online Yehuda57

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #114 on: September 09, 2015, 11:35:12 AM »
will have to check it out from home :(

Not sure about this particular camp, but most lodges within Kruger, and the private lodges adjoining it, include at least one game drive in the price. Additional drives and/or bush walks cost extra, but some include drives and walks all day, like OP had. In general, the more you pay for accommodation, the more they will include. In the private (read:more expensive) lodges, I believe there is also a more concentrated amount of the big 5, especially lions, which is why tourists in those places almost always see good stuff, while us local plebs doing self drives are left to rely on luck.

Bottom line? Splurge

Offline stbaum

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #115 on: September 09, 2015, 11:36:23 AM »
Not sure about this particular camp, but most lodges within Kruger, and the private lodges adjoining it, include at least one game drive in the price. Additional drives and/or bush walks cost extra, but some include drives and walks all day, like OP had. In general, the more you pay for accommodation, the more they will include. In the private (read:more expensive) lodges, I believe there is also a more concentrated amount of the big 5, especially lions, which is why tourists in those places almost always see good stuff, while us local plebs doing self drives are left to rely on luck.

Bottom line?

if you're already doing it, do it right!
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Online Yehuda57

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #116 on: September 09, 2015, 11:37:28 AM »
if you're already doing it, do it right!

Whoops, missed a word.

Offline ponash123

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #117 on: September 09, 2015, 11:45:27 AM »
Not sure about this particular camp, but most lodges within Kruger, and the private lodges adjoining it, include at least one game drive in the price. Additional drives and/or bush walks cost extra, but some include drives and walks all day, like OP had. In general, the more you pay for accommodation, the more they will include. In the private (read:more expensive) lodges, I believe there is also a more concentrated amount of the big 5, especially lions, which is why tourists in those places almost always see good stuff, while us local plebs doing self drives are left to rely on luck.

Bottom line? Splurge
Game drives are included, as well as bush walks. Other activities are additional fees. At our specific game reserve that included:
Spa
Elephant-back safari
Elephant interaction
Centre for Endangered Species
Photographic safaris
Hot Air Ballooning

I don't understand how or why anyone would chose a self drive. Certainly not for the first time going. The rangers know how to track animals, where to go, what to do. Also, they tell you everything there is to know about the animals which is the best part.

Online Yehuda57

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #118 on: September 09, 2015, 11:48:31 AM »
I don't understand how or why anyone would chose a self drive. Certainly not for the first time going. The rangers know how to track animals, where to go, what to do. Also, they tell you everything there is to know about the animals which is the best part.

Cost, pure and simple. You are. of course, 100% correct - best is to do it the way you did.

There is something to be said for driving through the vast expanse of a park like Kruger, some people would enjoy that too.

Offline Chapshnell

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Re: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Report
« Reply #119 on: September 09, 2015, 12:23:20 PM »
Per forum rules.. Thanks for the heads up @username

http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=53386.msg1260111#msg1260111