Up early and picked up at 7:30 AM at our hotel for out tour to Tikal. Our driver picked us up in a very nice shuttle van complete with air-conditioning. We went to the Flores airport to pick up two more people for the tour. We enjoyed a beautiful drive to Tikal. Our guide, Aguilino Martinez, was so informative! He was full of knowledge about the history and the ruins. Tikal was amazing! We saw howler monkeys, spider monkeys, and birds that build interesting pendulum-like nests. We also saw leaf-cutter ants, and a coatamundi – a raccoon-like animal. The howler monkeys put on quite the loud show for us!
We climbed to the top of some of the pyramids of Tikal – What an amazing view! Afterwards, we ate lunch in the park and returned to our hotel for a dip in the pool. We walked over the causeway that connects Santa Elena to Flores, where we had dinner overlooking the lake. We watched the sun set while downing some delicious daquiries and pina coladas.
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.