Overall: Our safari was organized by Geographic Expeditions in the US. They use the group Wilderness Safaris within Botswana. We had two excellent guides with us for the duration of our time in Botswana. We had opted for a tented safari trip, which meant we slept in canvas tents that were set up for the season. The tents had cots in them and ‘en suite’ bathrooms which were a toilet placed over a hole in the ground and a bucket shower that we requested warm water for when we wanted to shower. We weren’t allowed out of our tents once we retired for the night, and had a way to signal in case of an emergency and someone would come help us. GeoEx offers much more luxurious lodge options but we loved going to sleep hearing the animals outside our camp and didn’t mind doing our own laundry when needed!
Day 1
We went to the airport to meet the two other families that we were joining us and to meet our safari guides. We took a smaller plane and then traveled to Linyanti Adventurer camp.
We got on our two safari trucks and started our adventure! On our drive to our camp we saw a pride of lions having just had a kill and enjoying their rewards. We settled into our camp and went out on another game drive.
Sleep: Linyanti Adventurer Camp
Day 2
Two game drives. Wonderful day! Lots of elephant adventures.
Sleep: Linyanti Adventurer Camp
Day 3
Game drive. Fly to Khwai to a new camp.
Sleep: Khwai Adventurer Camp
Day 4
Game drives.
Sleep: Khwai Adventurer Camp
Day 5
Game drives.
Sleep: Khwai Adventurer Camp
Day 6
Game drive in the morning.
Fly to Maun; fly to Capetown
Sleep: More Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
Day 6 cont
check into More Hotel – really nice hotel! We hired a wonderful guide Selwyn Davidowitz who has since retired unfortunately. He hired a minibus for our group and took care of our transportation and activities, which was so helpful for a big group.
Sleep: More Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
Day 7
We visited Robben Island and toured the prison, which was very powerful.
In the afternoon we had a Malay cooking class with Gamidah.
http://curiousgipsy.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/gamidahs-kitchen/
Gamidah’s home in the Bo-Kaap (Upper Cape Town – On the way to Table Mountain). In her home she teaches the whole concept of Cape Malay cooking. Thereafter she showed up how to do certain parts of Cape Malay cooking and we prepared our own Cape Malay lunch with variations of different types of Cape Malay foods. The experience with Gamidah costs R250/person. (Approximately $32/person).
Sleep: More Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
Day 8
Did Peninsula driving tour. Traveled from the city via the Atlantic seaboard towns of Sea Point, Camps Bay and Llandudno to Hout Bay. From Hout Bay traveled over magnificent Chapmans Peak to Noordhoek.
We then traveled to The Cape of Good Hope Nature reserve and onto the Cape of Good Hope as well as Cape Point. After lunch we traveled to Boulders Beach so as to see the beach’s special experience viz. the penguin colony. We then left Kalk bay and travel via Muizenberg, Boyes Drive, Constantia, Claremont, Observatory and Woodstock back to Cape Town.
Sleep: More Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
Day 9
In the morning half of us went up Table Mountain. The other half shopped in town. Table Mountain broke through the fog and it was a good visit.
In the afternoon we visited the township of Kayamandi – was a highlight of the trip. Our first stop was to meet Lily Ngwexana at her home. Lily is an amazing leader in the township of Kayamandi. She is a phenomenal cook as well as hostess. Beside all of this she is a bundle of energy and a character second to none. On arrival at Lily’s home she greeted us in her own cultural manner and thereafter we will sat down and enjoyed a Xhosa traditional lunch which she cooked for us. She took us through the culture of food making in the black culture as well as tell us her own personal history. We then had a tour of the township, had a demonstration of the kids doing ballroom dancing and then had a great game of soccer with the kids.
Sleep: More Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
Day 10
We shopped in the morning and then drove to the wine country for a quick visit and lunch. Then headed to the airport and come home. The end of one of the best trips ever!