20-35 years of age
A beautiful place brimming with friendly people, amazing wildlife encounters and stunning landscapes
I have enjoyed fantastic safaris in Zambia in the months of January, February, March and April. The birdlife, mammals and trees are fascinating, and I managed to see everything on a fairly close up level so got good photographs.
I have stayed in a range of beautiful locations, including lakeside lodges and simple accomodation.
The weather was dry, apart from a few huge thunderstorms, I would return to Zambia at this time of year again.
The local peopl I met were friendly and very photogenic.
Incredible wildlife, people and scenery
The highlight of the visit was to see Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe side which without a doubt is the better side to view the falls. The wild life is to be found everywhere from the waterhole next to our hotel called the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge to the animals wandering around the Victoria Falls. You can expect to see elephants and many exotic animals if you take a boat ride on the Zambazie river or a local safari. The scenery takes your breath away and you can not stop taking pictures of scenery such as the falls or the Zambezie river. In fact our trip to Africa produced around 2,500 digital photographs each for my wife and i. We were also concerned about the food quality but were pleasantly surprised by the excellent quality and the interesting content. In fact this is true of all the amenities provided such as the transport, drivers and guides who went out of their way to provide service in a pleasant and friendly manner. One special event was high tea at the Victoria Falls Hotel and i still have the bill which came to Z$25, 650,000 or US$26 at the time. Again walking around the grounds of the hotel resulted in encounters with many baboons and warthogs. The poverty is a culture shock but buying local goods and services must help the people survive and provide hope for a better future. The locals are more than willing to exchange the old Zimbabwe currency at attractive rates i.e. a 5 billion dollar note for US$1 and gifts for the children such as good quality hats are well received and appreciated.
Awe-inspiring
The weather the day we went was nice and warm and the spray of the water cools you off nicely. Best time to go see the falls is when their was massive rains then the river is full and you can see most of the falls.
To see with what force the water falls down that massive drop is just awesome the noice is thunderous and you don't get to see that everyday.
Review about South Africa by GhostlyCasper
Loads of animals to see in South Africa.
US
50-65 years of age
Unbelievable wildlife sightings and the most amazing and friendly people.
We had the opportunity to take a three day private canoe trip on the Zambezi River where we witnessed lion prides along the banks, hippos came close enough to our canoes to kiss and a crocodile almost upended our canoe. Our camp was set up in advance of the end of our daily canoe ride and we were served dinner and had warm water for showers. Our guide tracked the elusive white rhino, which we were able to photograph close up and we were close enough to the elephants to smell their breath! It was the trip of a lifetime and we are still telling stories about our adventure to this day.
US
20-35 years of age
Review about Chobe National Park by Was Buf., Now Was.
Off the beaten track, Chobe has got a lot more that you can't see in Mokolodi, including crocodies and elephants-- loads of them! It's also fantastic because it's an easy and not-too-expensive jaunt over from Vic Falls.
US
20-35 years of age
Accessible, affordable, box-checking adventure for lightweights like me
If you have one extra day on a business trip to Gaborone, this park is a must-do. It's located just outside of town, so it's easily accessible from anywhere. It's not expensive, so even those on an expense account can manage. And it's got the possibility to show you a whole lot of stuff you can't get elsewhere, without the major allocation of time and resources required elsewhere.
Above all, the cheetah-meeting experience is worth every penny. Don't just get face-to-face with a cheetah; actually kneel down and pet one on the head. Two cheetahs whose mother was killed by poachers were saved by the sanctuary and are housed in an area where, when they're not hungry, safarigoers can get up close and personal-- in very small groups, of course. I've done this twice, and would do it again.
Apart from the cheetahs, there are a lot of other animals in Mokolodi worth seeing. We did a black-rhino tracking safari, where we got within 20-30 feet of a couple of the massive mammals after following their tracks on foot. We saw bunches of giraffes as they poked their heads out from the bush-- how can they hide so well, given how much taller they are than most anything out there? We saw elephants on a previous visit, but were saddened to hear that all the elephants were moved following a tragic accident last year involving an employee. Of course, all the smaller mammals are also there, including kudu, impala, zebras, baboons, warthogs, and more.
I haven't stayed on site, but that's not for lack of trying... in March, I just waited too long to book my reservations. If you want to do a very early morning safari, though, it's not a big deal to get to Mokolodi from most any hotel in Gabs.
The scenery is bush-- nothing special. But the region has these crazy lump-mountains that just bloop up from the ground every now and then; these are what you see on the not-so-distant horizon both surrounding Mokolodi and throughout Gabs.
Overall, I'd say if you have gone to a big-time reserve before, you'll probably be unimpressed by Mokolodi. But if Gaborone is part of a bigger itinerary, or part of a business trip like the ones that take me through Botswana often, it's a definite must-see.
NL
50-65 years of age
Review about Lower Zambezi National Park by bymy141
Too many tourists to my taste
NL
50-65 years of age
Review about South Luangwa National Park by bymy141
Too many people to my taste.
NL
50-65 years of age
Review about North Luangwa National Park by bymy141
Africa as Livingstone must have found it.