Daily Diary | July 10, 2014
Day 5: Great White Shark Diving, Grootbos Resort, Gansbaai
What an incredible way to start the day- now we see what all the fuss was about! In addition to the absolutely breathtaking views that welcomed us to Gansbaai this morning, we set out on an excursion that would be one of the most exhilarating, terrifying, and gratifying of our lives- cage diving with great whites! The following is my daily account from this glorious day: Continue reading
Daily Diary | July 9, 2014
Day 4: Kapama River Lodge, Kruger National Park & Grootbos Resort, Gansbaai
Another incredible day in this glorious country. Today’s plans were made very strategically to attain as many goals as possible:
1. Get in one more game drive.
2. Make the flight back to Jo-Burg then to Cape Town.
3. Meet up with our private transfer- Bernardus Tours.
4. Get to Grootbos Resort in time to enjoy dinner before retiring for the evening.
As you already know, my plans often lead to some interesting unplans, however the day got off without a hitch:
Morning Game Drive- July 9
The coldest drive yet! Our first sighting today were some zebras, impala and water buffalo.
A zebra stepping out into the sunrise.
Good morning impala
Love this impala’s attempt to just blend in with his surroundings, how could we miss those gorgeous horns?!
We came upon a family of elephants and had a lot of fun watching a baby elephant running and trumpeting around us- put a huge smile on our faces.
We later spotted the male and female white rhino again.
We saw lots of birds of prey today including vultures and an eagle. We are very sad to say goodbye to Kapama, but we are very grateful for the opportunity to visit such a magical place.
Sad to say goodbye to Kim and Roger since this incredible experience was completely thanks to them!
Off on a short flight from Hoedspruit to JoBurg then to Cape Town.
Side Note: As you can see we spent no time in Johannesburg other than to warm the seats in the airport lounge during our one hour flight delay. We were told that there wasn’t much to see in JoBurg, that it was quite dangerous, and since time really wasn’t on our side we decided to cut it out completely. However, since then, I have heard some incredible things about Jovi (so many cute nicknames!) and its inhabitants. In hindsight it sounds like it would have been an incredible stop! In case you’re curious, check out this post created by our friend Kristian Holmes (who lives in Jovi)- 10 Reasons We Love Jovi– which includes gorgeous shots of their hometown, like this one:
Continuing from my daily diary: Upon arriving in CT we had a two hour drive to Grootbos resort in Gansbaai. After an hours’ flight delay we are arriving in the dark and have no idea of our surroundings, but we were greeted with a warm fire and a late dinner in our room which was an incredible touch!
It should be noted that we made arrangements with Bernardus Tours who took us in a private car from Cape Town International directly to Grootbos. The great Bernardus himself greeted us with a warm smile and a welcoming demeanour, this despite having to wait around for us during our flight delay! Bernardus is the kind of person you want shuttling you around an unfamiliar country- knowledgeable about its rich history, many sights, and all the cool insider-only type things you’d like to know, but he also gets you there promptly. Due to our delay we arrived in complete darkness so really didn’t get to take in much of the scenery, which disappointed Bernardus, however he assured us that we’d be able to see it when he picked us up again in a few days’ time.
Also, due to the flight delay, I really had no idea what would be waiting for us in terms of food at Grootbos, but we knew one thing for certain, we were starving. Upon checking in, their very attentive staff informed us that the dining room had closed for the evening, however they anticipated our late arrival and arranged to have special meals made for us that would be brought to our room. Amazing! See- unplans rock!
…and by room what they really meant was your own private cottage, down your own private path, with your very own wood burning fireplace and fruit and cheese plate waiting! As if timed just right for us to tour the cottage, pick our jaws up off the floor about 30 times, unpack a few things, and drop to the couch- there was a gentle knock at the door and our meals arrived, incredibly fresh and hot, and served to us in front of our fireplace. As if all the details up to this point weren’t convincing enough, we are now pretty certain we are living a dream.
The master suite in our private cottage at Grootbos Resort.
Now for the cliffhanger: What exactly are we looking at out of the wall-to-wall windows that wrap around this cottage, currently tucked-in for the night in a blanket of complete darkness, that everyone keeps apologizing for us missing?
Daily Diary | July 8, 2014
Day 3: Kapama River Lodge, Kruger National Park
Payam and I had a little game going on while we were out on safari where, as we settled into our Land Cruiser seats waiting for the amazing wilderness show to start, we’d ask one another which animal we hoped to see that drive. The best part was that, thanks to the incredible possibilities at Kapama, our wish came true every time! We had been told at the outset of our trip that hippos would be hard to spot this time of year so not to get our hopes up, but we did anyway and it totally paid off!
Morning Game Drive- July 8
It was amazing and very intimidating to sit in the middle of this cape buffalo herd, especially when some of the males were starting to lock horns!
We came upon these three lions in the very same spot we later stopped for tea- though the lions were gone by then, we were still looking over our shoulders!
We found a hippo!! It was so exciting as this was the animal on our wish list to see! She was very large, Kim said about 2000 kg, and she was standing outside of the water along the shore having a snack.
Thrilled to have found our hippo and to see her out of the water too!
We also spotted 3 jackals running in the field. They are reminiscent of Canadian foxes in their look and mannerisms.
We then went on a long chase for the leopard, which we saw for a split second before he disappeared again! We gave a good effort and a lot of “bush bashing” (the name we gave to Kim’s thrilling drives through the thick bush as we all got attacked by bushes and prickly branches in the back) before giving up on him. Though we didn’t see the leopard, we all thoroughly enjoyed the hunt and Kim’s efforts to make this happen for us.
A special note should be made to those of you booking your trip to Kapama. If at all possible, request Kim as your guide. Kim was born in Kruger, has literally spent his entire life here, and knows every tree, trail and animal like they are his own family, because to him they are. He is very passionate about the land and about sharing his love for it with you. He is an exceptionally good driver, an incredible tracker, and a very considerate man.
Between game drives today we made a spur of the moment decision and decided to partake in the Elephant Interaction offered by Kapama. After breakfast we were off again in our open-air safari limo to a designated spot in the bush. We met a few of the handlers and were given a run down about this part of the facility and the incredible work they do with the elephants. Many of the elephants in this area (which is completely out in the wild by the way, no enclosures) were separated from their herds somehow and needed human assistance in order to survive, both from a medical and an emotional standpoint. We were then invited to meet some of the elephants up close and personal (the handlers call the elephants by name and they come running!), were able to feed them, and get some nice cuddles caught on camera. While brief, this experience was a lovely way to pass some time during the afternoon and gave us an incredible opportunity to get this close to an animal in the wild.
Despite its tough, wrinkly skin, it was still incredible to get some elephant hugs
Apparently Payam needed some more elephant cuddles!
Afternoon Game Drive- July 8
A cool night, but we are still so excited to head out. Very soon into our drive we came upon a female lioness who had just recently caught a buffalo! She laid only about 5 feet away from her kill, but seemed exhausted from the hunt and possibly from the large meal afterwards. Kim told us she won’t leave the kill for fear of another animal taking it, however every day she may wander out a bit to try to let the rest of her pride know of the food.
Exhausted from the kill, this lioness could hardly lift her head to acknowledge our presence, while keeping a keen eye on her kill
We continued our drive and were fortunate enough to find a large male lion and lioness couple having a nap. Kim explained that the female could no longer have babies as she is too old, however she and the male remain together.
A quick nuzzle before they separated to settle in for their naps
We couldn’t get over how full and fluffy the lion’s mane was. At one point the male got up and walked right to the Land Cruiser, was within mere feet of it (seriously looked as though he might hop aboard) before going around the back and laying down behind us. We were all terrified at the lion’s nearness to us. Of all the days for me to choose the outer seat- I was certain I was going to be lion bait!
Clearly not camera shy, this male lion looked more ready for the “cat”walk!
The most beautiful markings were evident on her sweet napping face
We stopped for our sundowner in a dried up river bed. After drinks we got stuck on some rocks in the river bed and all got out to give the Kim and the Land Cruiser a push!
Enjoying our last sundowner at Kapama and toasting an Amarula to this beautiful land!
Upon our return to the lodge we enjoyed our final meal with new Aussie friends Carly and Sue. We had a great time visiting with Kim and getting him to open up, he’s a wonderful guide.
A giraffe enjoying the beautiful sunset during a nice evening stroll
Daily Diary | July 7, 2014
Day 2: Kapama River Lodge, Kruger National Park
Not only was this trip to commemorate our 30th birthdays, but today also happens to be our 8th anniversary- cannot think of a better way to celebrate eight magnificent years together.
Every morning the game drives set out early, so you are up before the sun to get dressed and head down to the main lodge for a scrumptious morning tea before meeting your group to head out. The mornings this time of year are quite cool so we are dressed in many layers including wooly hats (gloves would have been a wise choice too!). The following is my actual diary from July 7, 2014:
Morning game drive-July 7
Start at 6:30
To say that this morning’s game drive was incredible is an understatement. We are so fortunate to start our day like this. Shortly after departing we came across 2 female giraffes grazing on tall tree branches, enjoying a lovely breakfast. We were so close you could see their every detail- Payam commented on their beautiful eyelashes (how I’ve often described his as similar!).
Giraffe and friend enjoying their breakfast
Then, seemingly around the corner, we came upon a herd of zebra. They are easily startled by the vehicle but we were still able to see them long enough to be mesmerized by their stripes. Kim told us that when a zebra has a baby she separates from the rest so the baby has a chance to learn the mother’s stripes (and her particular pattern), otherwise it may get hurt if approaching the wrong mom for food.
Continuing on we saw many impala, kudu and water buffalo (they’re huge!).
Too bad the lighting wasn’t optimal, though you can still see some of the many beautiful colours displayed on the Lilac-breasted Roller’s fluffy feathers
Our tracker Roger spotted elephant tracks and we knew we were close! Not many turns in the bush later we came upon a huge family of elephants- even a baby as young as 8 mo.!
With the expansion of our own family very much on my mind, this little guy stole my heart!
Literally surrounded by this parade of elephants, we felt like part of the family (that’s Roger up front in the tracker’s seat, and Kim at the helm)
The large male was tearing bark off a tree using his tusk and trunk- the sound of him tearing a tree apart was incredible! Upon crossing the road the baby became very curious and was playing with the lights of our vehicle.
At one point a large female came from behind the jeep and was within 5 feet of me, so thrilling (and a tad terrifying!). We stopped for tea and took in the endless gorgeous views of the plains of Africa and a family of giraffes in the distance- it was quite a sight to see how large the male was compared to the others.
Tea will never taste as good as it does when giraffes are present
Every day when you return from your morning game drive you are greeted with a beautiful breakfast spread featuring enough options to please the varying palates of those travelling far and wide on their own bucket list journeys.
In honour of our anniversary we pre-booked at couples massage at the Wellness Centre and were awestruck by the beautiful view of the African plains and pond from our massage tables! While disappointing not to be able to dip your toes in the very inviting infinity pool afterwards (it is not heated), it was still a treat to sit pool-side in a fluffy white robe and enjoy the scenery and the memories of the beautiful elephant family that morning.
Even more breathtaking scenery at the Kapama Wellness Centre
Afternoon game drive- 4-7pm
Night started off cool with a strong breeze.
Great red-billed hornbill sighting to start off the night (yes, for those of your wondering, this is Zazu!)
Not long into the drive we came upon three female lions sleeping in the field. Their coats almost perfectly matched the colour of the long grass- so very camouflaged. We parked within 6 feet of them and watched as one meticulously groomed herself. Kim told us that this group has a cub who is separated from the group when hunting, since the cub is still young and might spoil the hunt.
Grooming time for this beautiful lioness
Ever the dramatic, this lioness wasn’t ready for her close-up
Down the road we spotted a white rhino and its baby (about 8mo.) at a watering hole- the baby was so cute and we were shocked at how rotund the mother was. Our guide Kim told us the baby was indicating to the mother that it was cold, as they headed for lower ground to be sheltered from the wind.
Beautiful mom and baby white rhino
This photo seems to really put their enormous size into perspective!
We came upon a giraffe very close to the road who seemed to chew as slowly as possible while looking at us with a “what?” expression.
Sometimes on safari it’s difficult to tell who’s watching whom
As our drive continued we suddenly heard a loud and low guttural roar and we were fast on the chase- only to find a large male lion and park within mere feet of him! He was so majestic looking as he groomed himself and stretched before getting up for his nightly stroll.
Another sleepy soul, this yawning lion is just waking up for his nightly hunt
We followed him as he walked with an air of pure ownership over this land and all its inhabitants.
Word later came through the radio that there had been a leopard spotting and we were on yet another hot pursuit. We never did see the elusive leopard again, but a lot of fun was had on the drive including being attacked by trees and a very high speed run with wildebeests! We returned to the lodge in the dark to eat dinner in the boma (forest) with our group and we all stayed up late recounting the days’ events and laughing a lot. What an absolutely incredible 8th anniversary!
Daily Diary | July 6, 2014
Day 1: Kapama River Lodge, Kruger National Park
So if you’ve been following along, you’ll be thinking wait what, how is July 6 “day 1” if her trip started on July 4? If you take a gander at that big ol’ schedule of mine you’ll realize that it took us about two days to get to our destination. All of our flights were great, especially our first ride on the upper deck of a double-decker airplane! The biggest drag was the 6 hour layover at Heathrow, though I must say that with all their recent renovations, it’s like being caught in a very busy and very posh mall for 6 hours- that, factored in with the fact that one of my favourite places on earth to just hang out and people watch is at the airport, made it totally bearable and a little bit fun! Besides, we were on our way to South Africa, layover shmayover.
Side Note: If you’ve got a layover in terminal 5 at LHR make sure to hit up the café Pret and get one of their to-die-for chocolate croissants… you can thank me later.
As I was saying, though both legs of the flight from Toronto to London and from London to Johannesburg were very long, they were enjoyable. For those of you thinking you couldn’t endure a long flight (nevermind two!), in order to get to your destination, I promise you that it really doesn’t seem that long when you are aboard the aircraft. It’s like you set your mind to knowing that you’ll be there for a really long time, so there’s no point in checking the time or wondering if you’re there yet. There is endless entertainment, lots of amenities to keep you comfortable so you can catch up on some zzz’s, space to get up and stretch your legs out, and multiple meal and bevvy services. You’re there before you know it, I swear!
Upon arrival to Jo-Burg we didn’t even leave the airport. We simply collected our luggage from one airline and dropped it off with another and after a short layover were on our way for a quick one hour flight to Hoedspruit. You can consider landing in Hoedspruit the official start of your safari, since you’ll exit the aircraft directly into the warm African sun, collect your bags from the back of a tractor, and meet with your safari guide in your open air Land Cruiser- your chariot for the duration of your stay. Kapama really went above and beyond to make us feel welcome from the minute we arrived, so our ranger, Kim, and tracker, Roger, who would be our guides for the duration of our stay, picked us up personally from the airport! The best feeling of all? Driving across the street from the airport and through the gates into Kapama’s share of Kruger National Park, just minutes after touching down. Your inaugural drive into Kapama will leave you awestruck and amazed, technically this is your FIRST game drive, and all you were trying to do was check in!
Can you tell how excited I am to officially be on safari??
The view from our airport transfer with Kim (right) and Roger at the wheel
As the sun beamed down on us, and the warm air (the warmest day of them all for us) kissed our cheeks, we were greeted by the best welcoming party anyone could ever ask for, including nyalas, giraffes, zebras and warthogs. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be so fortunate to see so much so soon, that little tears of joy streamed down my face as we drove to the lodge, I just could not believe this was actually happening!
Then you arrive at the River Lodge and your jaw drops a little bit more. This luxury resort has not spared any detail in terms of consideration to the guests or luxury, while still fitting into the landscape perfectly. Our room, though just their basic suite, was spacious and beautiful, with a grand ensuite bath and perfect balcony nestled amongst tree branches.
Our beautiful home away from home
With no detail missed, Kapama helped us celebrate our 8th anniversary in style
We spent a few minutes freshening up, quickly changed into our safari gear, and headed back down to the main eating area of the lodge for afternoon tea before heading out for our first game drive.
Thrilled to finally don my safari gear and head out on our first drive!
Side Note: When planning all of our flight times I ensured that we would make it there in time for the afternoon game departure since I wanted to squeeze as many drives out of our short stay as possible, I highly recommend this since you’ll want as many opportunities to see all the wildlife as you can get.
We met Kim and Roger in the parking lot and had the opportunity to meet the rest of the folks who would be riding along with us. As it turns out, this is your travel crew for the duration of your stay. You’ll spend every game drive with the same group (with the exception of some members who come and go as their travel plans see fit) and you are assigned to sit together at dinner each night. It’s really wise of Kapama to work it out this way because it enables you to develop new friendships when you may not have otherwise stepped out of your comfort zone to do so. I liken it to cabin mates at summer camp. If you’ve ever been then you know just how quickly you can develop incredible friendships and have the time of your life with people who were complete strangers just hours before.
I digress. After a quick introduction and briefing on the rules of safari (never stand up, no loud noises, speak in a whisper, wear neutral colours, ask questions as needed, etc), off we went on our first official game drive of the trip. Yet another jaw dropping experience for me. Here’s a quick list of all the animals we saw that first night: warthogs, blue wildebeest, giraffes, zebras, nyalas, impalas, a pair of white rhinoceroses, a hyena, water buffalo and a leopard!
We took a leisurely stroll with the white rhinoceros pair, rolling gingerly alongside them as the sun set. I was amazed at how close we were to the animals, at times just a few arms’ lengths from our vehicle, and yet you feel completely calm and at ease.
Just out for an evening stroll with these cute rhino bums
Catching the natural beauty that lives in Kruger National Park- A white rhino in the setting sun
Kim was very happy that we were able to spot a hyena resting near a green lagoon since they are hard to find and rarely seen by those on safari (yes!!). Despite their vicious temperament, this little hyena looked like so docile stretched out like a house cat in the setting sun.
So fortunate to catch this hyena during his afternoon snooze
Then, after dark, we were off on a wild chase for a leopard that had been sighted by another safari group in our section of the park. There is nothing quite as thrilling as darting through the pitch black in your open-air vehicle in the middle of bush in search for the elusive leopard. After over an hour on the lookout for the leopard, crawling over heavy brush and bouncing around thick trees we could hardly see (it was so dark), there he was in all his glory, a gorgeous leopard. Then, in a few blinks of the eye, what appeared before us just moments before had completely disappeared into the night, making you wonder if you had even seen it at all. What an incredible moment!
Upon returning to the lodge, after a quick change, it’s time for one of their incredible dinners and an opportunity to meet the folks we had just shared one of the best nights of our lives with- so amazing!
Next Up: Day 2 at Kapama
After pouring over Lonely Planet’s Southern Africa, I decided to hit in the Internet and start to learn more about the beautiful country we were about to visit, and what I thought I’d get the most of with our quick 10 day trip.
From all my notes, especially the starred ones on incredible looking stops, drives, experiences, and more, I decided to make a must do list, and see how I could fit it all in:
While this list may not seem too daunting, what you must understand is that despite 10 travel days, we’d only be in South Africa for 8. It is also important to note that the distance between Kruger National Park and Cape Town is roughly 1800km!
However, this type of challenge is my bread and butter, it sparks something inside me that is more addictive and satisfying than I’m sure any drug could be, and I could not be more thrilled to plan every aspect of yet another bucket list trip! Yes you heard it right, I did not use a travel agency for any part of my trip, nor do I usually. I’m a bit of a control freak, and really like to be in charge of my own destiny (or at least feel like I am), so am not too comfortable with the idea of leaving my very previous time in someone else’s hands. No disrespect to travel agents or those who use them, it’s just not my thing.
The added challenge to accomplishing my must do list is how we would get between destinations safely, quickly, and reasonably. Of course the quickest method in most cases would be flying, however this can be limited by availability, schedules, and cost. Additionally, sometimes the quickest method is not the most scenic, and I didn’t want to sacrifice the opportunity to see some of the beautiful countryside just to get there faster, you know the old saying, it’s not just about the destination, but the journey. I should also add that neither Payam nor I had any inclination on driving across the country to get from place to place. While we will both admit that it would be an incredible way to see many different parts of a country and would certainly make for share-worthy stories after the fact, it also brings a certain element of risk and stress that neither of us could see fitting into our 8-day dream trip. (Remember, I mentioned, we don’t “rough it”, we purposely plan to make the most of our trip and how it suits us- we plan with unplans in mind!).
I also added to my geographical challenge by deciding that we would be skipping out on Cape Town to do our shark diving and whale watching- I wanted to see Cape Town for the amazingly beautiful urban center that it is, and use sharks and whales as an excuse to see the Southern Cape (remember my original “to do” of spending time on/near water).
If you’re keeping track this now means that in 10 days we’d be flying from Toronto to Johannesburg (2.5 days) to Kruger, from Kruger to Cape Town, from Cape Town to Gansbaai, back to Cape Town and then to Toronto. In case you’re wondering, yes we did plan to stop and smell the flowers along the way too!
(More details to come on how/why I chose the various lodges, transportation services, and excursions in the daily diary posts.)
Since Kapama River Lodge (in Kruger Park) is conveniently located virtually across the street from the Hoedspruit (in case you’re curious it’s pronounced ‘hood-sprite’, hope this saves you the embarrassment I put myself through trying to pronounce it to many confused South Africans!) airport, I wanted to try to coordinate a flight from Johannesburg there (about an hour) versus taking some type of land transport (4-5 hours, with the possibility of major carsickness for me!). This proved to be an added challenge however considering the only airline to fly JNB-HDS is South African Airlines, and they only have two flights every day.
After coordinating with various airlines, flight times, and private transfers, here’s what our initial itinerary looked like:
Yes it is handwritten, and yes I did take this, amongst many other paper documents, with me wherever we went
I realize that it may be too hard to read, so here’s a daily breakdown:
July 4
Depart Toronto (YYZ) @ 11:15pm for London (LHR) on British Airways
July 5
Arrive LHR @ 11:05am
Depart LHR @ 7:10pm for Johannesburg (JNB) on British Airways
July 6
Arrive JNB @ 7:10am
Depart JNB @ 12:15pm for Hoedspruit (HDS) on South African Airways
Arrive HDS @ 1:20 pm
Transfer to Kapama River Lodge
Make it in time for departure on the afternoon game drive- FIRST SAFARI!!
July 7
2 Daily Game Drives
11:00am Couples Massages at the Kapama Wellness Centre– Happy 8 Year Anniversary to us!
July 8
2 Daily Game Drives
Optional excursions at Kapama
July 9
Morning Game Drive
Check-Out of Kapama
Depart HDS @ 12:00pm to JNB on South African Airways
Arrive JNB 1:00 pm
Depart JNB @ 3:50pm to Cape Town (CPT) on South African Airways
Arrive CPT @ 6:00pm
Private Transfer with Bernardus Tours to Grootbos Lodge
Dinner at Grootbos on Arrival
July 10
Morning: Shark Cage Diving-DIVING WITH FREAKING SHARKS!!!
Horse Back Riding on Grootbos Reserve
Dinner in the Private Wine Cellar at Grootbos Lodge
July 11
Morning: Marine Big 5 trip- WHALES!
Check out of Grootbos
Private Transfer with Bernardus Tours to Cape Town
Stop in Stony Point to see the African Penguins- PENGUINS!!
Arrive at Blackheath Lodge Cape Town
V&A Waterfront tonight?
July 12
Hop on/off bus around Cape Town
Neighbourgoods Market (9am-2pm)
Table Mountain
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens- Make sure to do the Canopy Walkway
Long St or V&A Waterfront
July 13
Rent (“hire”) Mini Cooper from Blackheath Lodge for the day
Morning: Mount Nelson Hotel High Tea
Surf Lessons at 11:00 with Gary’s Surf School in Muizenberg
Head out to Wine Country
Return Mini Cooper to Blackheath Lodge and take city taxi to airport
Depart CPT @ 9:25pm to LHR on British Airways
July 14
Arrive LHR @ 8:30am
Depart LHR @ 2:45pm for YYZ
Arrive YYZ @ 5:25pm
Pick up Isla and prepare for lots of cuddles!
Spoiler Alert: As I’m sure you can imagine, though this seems like a seamless plan, many things were changed/adjusted along the way based on how we were feeling, the weather, and how we thought we could make the most of our trip- each day will be updated in the daily diaries.
Next up: My daily diary from South Africa!
The bucket list that is, and kicking it into high gear is what I’ve been hell-bent on doing. You may have heard me mention in previous posts that I’m a firm believer in living for today, because I’ve experienced firsthand that you really never know how short life may be. I lost my mom when she was too young, and had too many dreams yet to realize. I made a vow to myself that I would honour her by achieving as many of my hopes and dreams as possible. So I call it my bucket list, but really it’s a to-do list. This to-do list continues to grow and grow as I read about more places to travel to and hear more about friends’ travel experiences, so it’s going to be hard to achieve it all, but I’ll make it my life’s work trying to do just that!
One of the many items on my to-do list was a trip to Africa to safari. My main goal was to see as many animals in the wild as possible, while also being able to divide up my trip with some city sightseeing and some time spent by water (which always seems to work its way into my plans, I just love the beach). I should also add that while Payam and I absolutely love to travel, we are not backpackers and are not the types to rough it, at all. I guess my mentality is that if we are taking time away from work and family and spending lots of hard-earned money, then it better be just as we’d like it, rather than getting all the way there and wishing we could have done more. To this day, we have never come back from a trip feeling like we missed out in any way, so mission accomplished so far!
Here’s how travel plans go in our relationship: Payam says “Yes, let’s do it!” to any idea I have, quickly followed up by “…just tell me where to show up and when”. What this translates into is that while he loves to travel and always enjoys whatever I’ve dreamt up, he does not have the time or the inclination to plan. It just so happens I love to plan (and unplan!), so we are the perfect travel pair, lucky me!
I had been dreaming of the idea of an African safari for years, from my absolute love of animals, to my desire to see such a different part of the world, from hearing first-hand experience from a great friend who had recently travelled to South Africa and raved about it, I was obsessed with the idea and it was at the top of my bucket list. With our upcoming 30th birthdays looming in the near future, something I wasn’t overly excited about (30 just seemed so heavy to me), I knew this would be the perfect way to put a positive spin on it and kick off the next decade.
I started doing research on the various areas of Africa, where we might expect to see what types of animals, what the safety level was like, what else could we visit other than safari while there, and what the best time of year was to travel and see animals. All of these factors combined with speaking to two sets of friends who had done safaris in recent years, one to South Africa and the other to Botswana. Both raved about their experiences and highly recommended all they did. Then there was the idea of East Africa, what about Kenya? I remember having read about the Giraffe Hotel in Nairobi years ago and have fantasized about staying there ever since. I decided to do a ton of research on each area and how they worked with our preferred travel time of year- July or August, right before our birthdays!
At the end of the day South Africa won, for these reasons:
…and more of course, but I feel like these were the big ones.
I got a detailed pros and cons list from the friend who had done a safari in recent years in SA, mostly as it concerned the camp she chose, what she saw, and how she rated the overall experience. Kapama Lodge at Kruger National Park, as it turns out, did not have a con in her eyes- the whole experience was basically flawless. She saw more than she ever hoped to, made some lifelong friends, and dreams almost daily of returning. Whew, these were pretty big pros! However, I still had to do my own research of other available lodges just so I was fully aware of all my choices. It didn’t take long to realize that when you’re travelling to a 5-star safari lodge in South Africa, you’d probably be wowed no matter where you went. Since Kapama got huge reviews from someone I knew and trusted, I decided to trust my instincts and go there, better to take the advice of someone whose travel style and personality you can analyze versus a random online reviewer.
Could not wait to call this gorgeous lodge home and hit the twice daily safari drives!
With my mind now set on the incredible experience we’d be having at Kapama, I was very anxious to book flights, since this would make the whole thing real and would force the rest of the plans to happen. I did some quick email back and forthing with the booking agents at Kapama (wonderful people by the way, extremely helpful), and secured that they had availability on the dates I was looking at. With this in mind, I booked our flights. I still remember the day we booked the flights, May 6, for departure July 4!
It’s actually happening! Flights are booked, now to plan the rest of the trip and fast!
As of this point in time I had nothing booked but the flights, and a promise from the booking agent that we’d have space at the Safari for our preferred dates, but I didn’t care because this was actually going to happen, WE WERE GOING ON SAFARI!
Knowing we’d be leaving our business and our 19-month-old daughter behind (Grandparents are the greatest!), our time away would be limited to 10 days including travel time. It would be fast and furious, but this is just how we seem to live our lives and we like it like that. The challenge was on, I’d be booking as many stops and wish list items as I could cram into 10 days (including travel and time change) so that we got the most out of this big trip, without feeling completely run-down by the time we returned home. All this and we’d be departing in two months’ time.
First stop, the library for the Lonely Planet’s guide to South Africa.
Lonely Planet travel guides are one of my favourite starting points when planning any trip
Stay tuned for more to come on our must-do list, what our schedule looked like, as well as a day-by-day look at our experience on safari and beyond!
We said Happy 30th Birthday to us with the trip of a lifetime! Stay tuned for more about our incredible safari, shark diving, vineyard, and sightseeing experience in what is sure to be one of the World’s prettiest countries!
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