madeeasy 2:51 Mon May 28
safari holidays
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i know there was a post before and i cant find it anywhere.
got some questions for whoers that have been and need some help.
where did you go
how long for
what did you do as well as the big 5 or 7
would you go again
what did you like
what didnt you like
did you fly direct.
etc etc
and loads more, anyone that has got some experience of this i would really appreciate your thoughts.
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Replies - Newest Posts First ( Show In Chronological Order)
chim chim cha boo
1:45 Tue May 29
Re: safari holidays
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I'd always wanted to go on a safari to somewhere like the Okavango delta but being one of the poor people I baulked at the expense.
My Saffa pal said "fuck that- let's go on safari and I'll show you how to do it on the cheap".
We flew to Jo'Burg and stayed at his folks for a couple of days then hired a shitty Hyundai, filled it full of booze and food and drove about 100 miles across the low-veld past platinum mines and vultures, across a dam and some absolutely lovely scenery and arrived at Pilansburg national park.
We hired a 'tent' (more like a sturdy room with a wooden door that looked like a tent which had a BBQ outside, sat on the stoop and watched the Striped mongoose, Vervet monkeys, African Hornbills and big old Baboons on the ponce for food. The tent was about a tenner a night.
Next day at dawn we drove into the park (a fiver each) which is a huge extinct volcano about 50 miles wide. I then took some of the best photos I've ever taken of Black-backed jackles, Ostrich, Sea-Eagles, African Spoonbills, Egrets, Pied Kingfisher, White Rhino and a herd of Elephants (I shat myself in a shitty Hyundai when the bull came out of the trees and smashed a tree up roaring- probably just because he fucking COULD), Gnu, Impala, Hippos, Giraffe- basically every animal you link with Africa except cats who keep a low one. Stop at a watering hole and people are delighted to show you the pictures they've taken of Lion, Cheetah, Civet etc and tell you where they saw them- we were out of luck though. We drove around for four days and every day we saw something different and amazing and there were so few people there it was fantastic. I could have done that every day for a year.
We drove back, dumped the hire car then went to a truly amazing lion park where a famous Saffa animal expert goes in with his lions. It's only when you see a really big lion in a really big park that you realise you've never really seen one in a zoo. In their own environment they look as mean as hell. The park regularly loses visitors apparently and there are bits of dead animals everywhere. The park cost £8 to get into and you could go into the lion-cub enclosure at your own risk and interact with the cubs. One tiny one (still the size of a dog) got my pal (ex South-African Army dog-handler) and properly fucked him up and there was NOTHING he could do about it. It made be shudder to think what a big one could do. Even driving round the park the pride fanned-out and started stalking the car. Brilliant!
Then we flew down to Capetown - a lovely flight across the Karoo desert and past the famous Kimberly diamond mine which looks like a great big city with a fucking great hole in the middle. I'm a bit of a Nelson's Navy nut so we went to Port Elizabeth and then to Foxy beach to walk around with the African penguins who live there. Then we drove through the wine region to Humanus to go land-based whale watching- it's the best place in the world apparently and I got to within about 20 feet of a Southern Right Whale and calf. We were meant to go cage diving with Great White Sharks at that point but it was too choppy. Oh well, next time.
We had a brilliant two weeks and he was the perfect pal to go with and I think it cost about £1200 all in and including flights.We ate well, mostly in nice places. Bargain of the century and a holiday I'll never forget with the photos to prove it.
Funnily enough, like big Dave I too got fronted by a big fuck-off Baboon. I was stupid enough to leave the tent in the middle of the night to go to the shower block for a piss. Half asleep and trying not to wake up too much I turned a corner and this huge, mean as a snake Baboon was sitting there about three feet away. That woke me the fuck up and my arse properly fell out. After that if I needed a piss in the night I just pissed right outside the tent. Fuck that!
So it can be done for a not stupidly expensive price and without really slumming it too.
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SilverSurfer
1:08 Tue May 29
Re: safari holidays
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safari holidays?
that's not a holiday you sad bastard, just chuck sand in your pants, get the shits and eat dirty rubbish from dirty fuckers, and go to the zoo.
With all the money you've saved go on a proper holiday.
safari holiday...............heh heh what a mug.
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Shrek
12:32 Tue May 29
Re: safari holidays
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Windsor
A couple of hours
Burgers chips and ice creams
No
Legoland afterwards
Chips were those wedge ones
No thought the same but no direct flights to Heathrow from Stanstead
I'm game.
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AKA ERNIE
6:18 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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Billy-have traveled around lots of africa and asia and never been troubled by thieves
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WorldCupWilly
5:42 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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Went to Keyna about 25 years ago. Flew to Narobi and spent a day going round the local safari park there - quite good seeing rhinos with the skyscrapers of Narobi in the background. Also went to the giraffe sanctuary which is great as you walk up into the trees along walkways so you are at their head height. Then did Tsavo East and West over 4 days and then spent a week on the beach at Mombassa. At the time thought it was good but about 20 years ago, did Tanzania which was much much better.
Flew to Narobi and then in the trucks down to Tanzania. Did the usual - Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti over about 5 days. Nowhere near so commercialised and spectacular scenery and animals. Would thoroughly recommend Tanzania. Then spent a week in the Seychelles. I'd say about 5 days on safari is about enough and then a week or more on the beach to relax is ideal.
15 years ago was lucky to go to Londolizi on a 'business' trip- 3 days there was absolute luxury. Everything was class, including sundowners in the late afternoon. If you can afford it then the private reserves of Kruger can't be beaten.
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Billy Go Wings
5:17 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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Actually I'm going to say another thing.
DO NOT LET YOUR VALUABLES OUT OF YOUR SIGHT.
Even when putting your cases on the rack on the plane to go in the hold, take everything you do not want to lose with you at all times.
All you need to do is walk through Jo'berg airport and see the rows and rows of machines to shrink wrap your luggage for confirmation of what I am saying. .
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Billy Go Wings
5:14 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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I'm going to say one thing (ONE) thing
www.londolozi.com
This ends this thread. Simply the best place to go on safari in the world.
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AKA ERNIE
4:58 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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Dicksie-go for it mate.
In Namibia we just hired a car and drove ourselves around, went upo to etosha national park and it was amazing just sitting in your car feet from lions elephnats etc
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dicksie3
4:55 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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I wouldn't mind going on one some time...
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AKA ERNIE
4:47 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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The ngoro goro crater is amazing as is tangerie park
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Klashnekof
4:35 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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Hi Madeeasy
I went to Kenya - not specifically as a safari holiday, but i did a 3 day safari.
I went to tsavo east and west.
I really enjoyed it, however after 3 days I had had enough. Early starts and long game drives do become quite tiring after a while.
Didnt even get to see the big 5 , as the rhino is almost impossible to find - strangely enough.
I wouldnt do it again as I have done it once, so dont see how doing it a 2nd time would be any different.
But I would recommend it. It is fantastic!
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Josh
4:28 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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I've done two out in Kenya.
Went to the place called the Ark. It's build like an old boat (Noah's Ark) right next to a watering hole. Can stay up all night watching the big 5. Really decent hotel too right in the middle of nowhere.
I'll dig out some more details when I get home.
Elephants though are immense.
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One McAvennieeeeee
4:23 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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I haven't got the stones to go on one of these.
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AKA ERNIE
4:20 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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Been on safari in
kenya 7 days
tanzania 5 days
namibia 5 days
Going to Botswana for two weeks safari this october.
Have seen just about every animal going
Namibia was amazing and by far the best
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joe royal
4:20 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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is it full of ...you know
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harcourtroad
4:12 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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I'm lucky to have been several times, as we have friends that live in Nairobi. The more individual you can do it the better, but obviously the more expensive.
Recommendations are:
Chui Lodge
Masai Mara
Samburu
Lake Nakuru
Amboseli
Sweetwaters
14 to 17 days
Relax after doing four safaris in that time, they are very tiring.
Yes
The pure randomness of everything. These parks can be enormous, with the silliest, but true, observation, that it's like looking for a lion in Wales. You are lucky for everything you see, as unlike a theme park, they are there if they want to be there.
Travel times are at least two hours from Nairobi, and as much as five or six.
Heathrow to Nairobi on BA
This is the best time of your life. Remember that the safari guides are there to make sure you see animals, so they work on quantity over quality, when what you want is the reverse.
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roltrader
4:10 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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Safari always seems an appealing thing to do with your kids, however what puts me off is the cost, the standard of accommodation (for the cost), the fear that the tour will be hard and uncomfortable particularly for the kids. A somewhat irrational fear for personal security.
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too long
3:55 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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Went to Kenya.
6 nights in 4 locations. (if you are pressed for time we pretty much saw everything in the Masai Mara which was our last stop). Stayed in Mombassa for 5 days to recover.
Would do it again if I could afford it when I have kids. I wouldn't say i'm an animal lover or anything but it was pretty amazing.
The place we stayed in Mount kenya was a bit basic (I think it was called mountain lodge)
Flew direct - Kenya air I think. Pretty sure the plane was new(ish).
Make sure you get some binoculars - Paid about £60 for mine. There's plenty of info on google so that you can get something suitable.
Remember to get your yellow fever vaccine and malaria tablets (took malarone which is more expensive but you have to take it over a shorter period - no side effects)
Good luck
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madeeasy
3:48 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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also be interested to hear from anyone that is looking to go as well.
whats stopping you, where you looking, what you most interested in etc
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ChesterRd
3:46 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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Botswana by reputation is meant to be one of the top locations but not personally been.
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ChesterRd
3:44 Mon May 28
Re: safari holidays
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Go into somewhere like trailfinders. Done Hwange in Zimbabwe for 3 days which was brilliant. Game drives at dawn, dusk and night. Gets very cold early morning and night. Also done Kruger in SA which was not as good. I think private game parks might be better there. Done then in India and Sri Lanka but not a patch on Africa.
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