Leopard SealWow! We started the morning in what would be our coldest adventure - a couple hours in the snow on the zodiacs... just a thin piece of rubber between you and the icy depths! That said, this might have been my favorite adventure to date! Icebergs covered in fluffy snow surrounded by mysterious fog, and then out of the darkness a leopard seal appeared! It taunted us circling the zodiacs, breathing loudly at the surface, jumping up on ice floats, gracefully sliding back in.... it was beautiful. They average around 10 feet in length, and are voracious hunters, so to be so close was frightening yet fantastic. We saw several more en-route back to the ship. Thinking all was perfect in the world, from on deck a warning call was made that whales were nearby. Nearby is an understatement! We had five Humpback Whales circle the ship for about 30 minutes. We all just followed around in circles with awe and excitement! I finally got a great photo of a whale tail as they were diving below the surface! I had a similar poster over my bed as a little girl so this was one of my personal missions for the trip. And just when you thought you couldn't believe there could be more, we landed at Orne Island in the late afternoon. The weather was glorious, and Chinstrap Penguins waddled about. From the peaks of Orne, you could see for miles and miles the beauty of Antarctica. We had a full minute of silence during which a pod of whales breached the water surface below and albatross swooped overhead. I will never be able to recapture that moment in time but it left me breathless and so appreciative of the journey that took me to this beautiful place. We found out after the trip that two of my friends from the ship actually got engaged at that beautiful peak. They were traveling around the world together for a year and I can't imagine a more memorable location to plan their lives together. Sunset as we sailed through the Errera Channel just capped off what was indeed a magical day!!
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
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
