An amazing experience. I would recommend it to others.
I saw a Leopard quite by chance. I also saw giraffes, buffalo, elephants,and various other animal. The weather was hot and dry. There was a lot of dust. The lodge was brilliant with lovely clean rooms and a good al a carte menu in the restaurant.
An enormous, spacious, uninhabited, dry, cold and hot, real African landscape
The Central Kalahari is enormous. Driving through this Reserve, only on dirt roads, is quite an experience.
Maybe 2 or 3 other cars can be seen daily. There is a lot more chance to see wildlife than humans.
Don't expect to see animals every 10 minutes. Sometimes you have to drive some distance to see them.
Overall Botswana gives much more bush - wildlife experience than the touristic areas in Kenya.
A video of this trip can be seen on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BWD5I6YrIo
Your own private paradise
No big five or Serengeti-style mega-herds but lots of other wildlife to enjoy. Never saw so many raptors in one place.
You need to work a bit harder than in Luangwa because this park was recently established and animals here are not used to people watching them. Makes it feel all the more 'wild'.
Only one lodge in this park so you really feel like you own the place; especially if you are the only guests like we were. Staff (many from local community) is excellent.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Bwabwata National Park by lifeisgreat77
Kwando River is the best, i ever saw!
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Etosha National Park by lifeisgreat77
if you have been in Khaudum or at the Kwando river, Etosha looks like a big zoo
35-50 years of age
Organised
I went on the horse workshop in Pakamisa. It was really a stunning experience. Accommodation and food were really fantastic. All the organising into photographing the horses was really well done. Overall it was a really great time. Weather - one cannot control the weather although our weather was relatively good. My highlight were the horses - I love horses and love photographing and being around them.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Holiday safari
What a lovely holiday it was in South Africa!
The animals made a wonderful impression on us as well as the scenery. The food is excellent and the people are very hospitable. Our guide was very good at showing us around.
Safari and luxury
Lion Sands was the perfect final stop on our safari adventure. We had travelled to two other camps in Botswana before finishing with 3 days at LS.
Staff were warm, welcoming, and tended to our needs. We were privileged to have Landon and Eddie as our guide and tracker. Jeffery also took care of our needs while in camp at every meal----a very humble and funny man.
We were able to view all the animals we wanted to see in close proximity without feeling threatened or disturbing the wildlife. One particular lion pride viewing was spectacular....around 15 lions grooming, playing, and getting VERY close to our vehicle.
The weather was perfect during our trip which was late January into February.
Lion Sands made it extremely easy and fun with travel between camps, airports, and game drives.
Our highlight was viewing an adolescent elephant trying to intimidate our truck by mock charging, flaring his ears, raising his trunk and so on. We all got a good laugh and were treated to this close up encounter ( check my video plus voice over http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69URe-21FO4 ).
My parents also had the opportunity to stay in the 'treehouse' one night. Quite an adventure for them! Extremely beautiful venue and a once in a lifetime opportunity.
And one must not forget Lion Sands Frank....he will send you on your way and greet you on your way back in with quite the song and dance :)
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Mala Mala Game Reserves definately delivers the wildlife experiences you are looking for.
The Mala Mala Game Reserve is privately owned, nestled between the Sabi Sands Game Reserve and the Kruger National Park. The reserve is about 133 sq kms and only accessible to Mala Mala guests. This is a major point as lodges in the Sabi Sands Reserve share traversing rights with other lodges resulting in increased vehicle and human presence.
Mala Mala is renowned for the wildlife. On my trip I was lucky enough to see the rare pangolin (actually 2 of them), leopards, elephants and an array of other animals and birds. You can see why many documentary makers and professional photographers are drawn to Mala Mala.
The accommodation is good, but a little tired. There are 2 properties on the reserve - Mala Mala Main Camp which houses Sable Camp and Rattrays. Rattray's is more upmarket than Main Camp. All the properties have the concept of "his" and "hers" bathrooms which to me is overkill and I would prefer more space in the bedroom/living area. The bathrooms need an update as well. Accommodation at Main camp is affordable and fine, especially compared to other camps in the Sabi Sands. You'd choose Mala Mala for the wildlife opportunities, not the accommodation.
Mala Mala has its own airstrip so recommend people fly in rather than transfer from Nelspruit or Hoedspruit. This can be done through Fedair. The drive from Nelspruit to the Sabi Sands gate takes a little over an hour then it is another hour to get to Mala Mala Main Camp. Normally transfers are done by an external company so bouncing around in a transit van is uncomfortable, whereas the flight will take you from Johannesburg airport directly to the Mala Mala airstrip.
The guides are great and have a great love of the bush. My guide Ross even has a Masters of Zoology so the depth of knowledge is incredible. The open vehicles are comfortable and reliable. The rangers are allowed to go off road in certain cases, which adds to the excitement. We followed a leopard stalking a rock python which we couldn't do unless we were off road. This is why you pay the extra money to be a private lodge.
Game viewing = 10 out of 10
accommodation = 7 out of 10
