US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A not-to-be-misses destination
The Okavango Delta was just one stop on a month long visit to Africa but it was the richest in terms of game viewing and overall safari experience. We encounter the rarely seen pangolin, lions galore (a pair on their "honeymoon"), amusing (and sometimes annoying) vervet monkeys, elephants, zebra, herds of antelope, and amazing birds; the iconic lilac-breasted roller among many others. It was July so bundling up for the early morning game drives was a must....by about 10 it warmed up enough to shed a few layers and enjoy the sun. Our camp was operated by Wilderness Safaris - the food was wonderful, the staff simply the best, and our guides shared not only their knowledge of the area but their love of the land as well. The sweet scent of what our guide called "savannah basil" filled the air as we traveled through the delta - an experience I will long remember.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful for birds and elephants.
This was a one-day visit from our base at Victoria Falls. We love birds so that was a priority for us. We have seen the bigger animals in Zambia's South Luanga NP. The tour was arranged from our hotel and was with Bushtracks. The organisation ran like clockwork - courteous staff who helped us through the border crossings which looked intimidating but were easy. There were just 6 of us in the party. We started with the river tour which was quiet from a wildlife point of view to start with, however an hour in and we started to see lots of birds - which our guide was pleased to follow and get good views of. Our guide knew all the birds we saw and was informative but not intrusive to the experience. A woodland kingfisher and carmine bee-eaters being highlights. Great view of elephants coming down to the water to drink, then the hippos and crocodiles completed the morning. Lunch at a lodge was an excellent buffet. The afternoon overland safari gave us great views of more elephants, giraffe, impala and warthogs. No big cats seen - and the zebra had migrated to Namibia. Weather was cool - low 20s, overcast and dry. There were a lot of other safari vehicles all following the same route - our guide explained they had to keep to set tracks so we couldn't go and see what was attracting the vultures a couple of hundred metres away. However he did try hard to keep us away from from the larger group and we had great views and enjoyed our day.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Wonderful, but best spent in a tent or caravan.
I go often to Marakele National Park, always as a camper. This is the only way to truly enjoy Marakele.
There are three things that stand out about Marakele, and that make the park unusual. Firstly, there is the campsite that is unfenced, and that is often visited by numerous mammals and lots of birds. It is not uncommon for white rhinoceros to wander through the campsite, and often you can hear them at night munching on grass outside your tent. Secondly, there is access to the mountain areas with several species of birds that are not easy to see elsewhere, and large flocks of Cape Vultures. Thirdly is the variety of habitats and the large number of bird species that can be seen there, especially in summer.
While there is plenty of wildlife, and it is worth seeing, the number of species is lower than some of the other parks, such as Pilanesberg, and the thick bush can obscure game viewing. But, that is also part of the charm, and the challenge of the park. The Waterberg Mountains creates some stunning scenery, and the open campsite gives good access to wildlife that wanders through. The birding is excellent, and never disappoints.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Namib-Naukluft National Park by TwiGGyAth
this is the most stunning place in Namibia you could see, that's definitely a must
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Etosha National Park by TwiGGyAth
dry season is best if you want to easily catch animals around the water ponds.
Etosha is easy to drive and go around and there are a lot of animals and birds to see
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Nice stop on the way to Etosha
I've spent just an afternoon at Waterberg, anyway trail is good and easy to walk without a guide.
At the top there is a really nice view of the plateau and the country around.
Unluckily there are many monkeys around and sometimes they can be aggressive also if you stay away from them, they even broke our car antenna while we were trekking!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Had a great time camping in the bush
I really enjoyed seeing Ruaha. I've been to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Selous before, but Ruaha was still really impressive for several reasons: First, we camped in Ruaha, which you can't do everywhere (especially not for the reasonable rates that you get in Ruaha). And when I say 'camped', I really mean camped - we took our own tent and set up camp in a little-used private campsite. We cooked over a campfire, and sat out under the stars. No other camps or people anywhere close. That's another of the benefits to Ruaha - there just aren't as many people there as in the Northern Circuit parks (especially Serengeti and Ngorongoro). Third, although the Northern Circuit may be a bit better for seeing wildlife, you certainly won't be disappointing at Ruaha! In two days, I saw elephants, lions, greater kudu, impala, giraffe, baboons, vervet monkeys, nile and savanah monitor lizards (one Savanah monitor even spent the afternoon, evening, night, and the next morning in a tree over our camp), hippos, black-backed jackals, banded and lesser mongoose, and lots of birds (2 spotted eagle owls, several bustards, lilac-breasted rollers and European rollers, shrikes, buffalo-weavers, white-headed vultures, fish eagles, brown-hooded kingfishers, pied kingfishers, lots of Franklins and other quail, guinea fowl, red-billed hornbills, ground hornbills, hammerkops, among others). If you go with a tour guide, you're liable to see even more, since they communicate with each other by radio to learn where all the key animals are (I went with a couple local Tanzanians).
April isn't the most popular time to visit - there's more rain and more vegetation, which decreases visibility on safaris, but we had very little rain, still saw a good sampling of wildlife, and had the added benefit of the park being practically empty.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A day jaunt to the Pilanesberg
We have an American friend in Johannesburg and we wondering what to do with the weekend after New Year. We decided to take him to see Sun City and the Pilanesberg. It's close by, has the big five and some great lodges. It was late at night and very spur of the moment when we decided - could we get accommodation? A search on the Internet revealed some options - most places were full but we found a lodge with two rooms - and it turned out just perfect. We spent the next day in the sun re-living childhood as we hurtled down the water slides at SunCity's Valley of the Waves. That night we stayed at the Bakubung Reserve. We ate supper on the terrace with the bush sounds and starlit sky as companions. The next day we drove through he reserve - we left a bit late in the morning but still saw plenty of game. All in all a great way to spend two days!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about South Africa by Derek Keats
South Africa has it all. I never tire of visiting our national parks and nature reserves.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Namibia by TwiGGyAth
Namibia is a stunning place, extraordinary landscapes, safari parks and people!