Today was great fun! We took a short ride to the Rio Azul, a small, crystal clear, calm river that feeds into the Fu. We boarded 1 or 2 person inflatable kayaks that were MUCH more comfortable than the hard shells (no need to squeeze your knees under and rotate your hips out). They were also easier to get out of quickly without a heavy skirt to pull off so they felt more secure.
Joe, the other lead paddler on our raft (who could easily double for Steve Martin by the way), was the first to fall out only 20 feet from the put in. We all joked that it was going to be a tough day for him!
I was next as I played pinball between the shallow rocks, bouncing from one to the next (thanks Joe for giving me that initial bump! :) and ultimately getting hung up on a large boulder where I slid out in slow motion. By this time, we were on the Fu itself, but it was not terribly deep or fast so I was able to stand up (big no no) and hold my raft as I waited for help.
The duckies were great and we all enjoyed the bouncy class II-III rapids of the upper Fu. Safety kayakers were always nearby if anyone fell out and we rode the Fu all the way down to the top of the Terminator V where we pulled out (before going through!!).
After returning to the camp, several of us decided to head out on mountain bikes. The staff is amazing and accommodating to just about anything we want to do. They loaded up the bikes and transported us up to a country trail that was a mix of dirt road and muddy mountain trail with lots of hills. My first bike kept slipping out of gear so Stan, our guide, offered me his bike.
Back in camp, we had a traditional Argentinian BBQ called parilla and some more great wine.
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
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
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.