We visited Santiago Island during low tide, so we walked along to beach to look for wildlife in the tide pools. There were a lot of creatures relaxing in the pools - it was like a day at the spa! I learned that Santiago Island is made of compact ash, not lava, which gives it a very different look & feel. The vegetation was beautiful - there were morning glory vines in full bloom all along the shore and huge cacti further inland. And with an impressive volcano within view on the horizon, the scenery on Santiago was breathtaking.
After our hike, we had chance to snorkel. This was probably the best snorkeling of the trip, because the water was calm and clear and the sea life was abundant. It was the first time I had ever experienced large schools of fish swimming all around me. We also saw a shark and several sea lions in the water - what a treat! I didn't expect the snorkeling to be such a highlight of our trip, but it certainly was.
After lunch, we snorkeled again, just off the shore of La Rabida island. The snorkeling here was great too - we came across a group of playful & curious sea lions in the water. I was struck by how graceful they look in the water, especially given how clumsy they appear on land.
La Rabida Island was beautiful. The earth was a deep red color, and the vegetation was lush and green. We saw a lot of wildlife on our walk, and after exploring a bit on the island, our guide took us for a ride in the zodiak along the shoreline, hoping to spot more wildlife. We saw boobies, a penguin, and several other types of birds. The afternoon was not without a little excitement - our zodiak sprung a leak when we pushed up against a rock to get closer to the penguin. So we had to return to the ship to exchange zodiaks. The guide and driver handled the situation very well, and fortunately we didn't have to test out our life jackets!
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.