If you are a foodie, the Iberian Peninsula is an exceptional place to visit. Tapas, or small plates, paella, and amazing wine are available on every corner. I was kind of disappointed that the meals on board did not have a lot of local flavors and local seafood. For most of the culinary experiences we had, we went off the ship and had meals in the port. The wine was so cheap, sometimes cheaper or comparable to a bottle of water! I really enjoyed tasting sangria and Tinto de Verano, which is like a bubbly sangria.
Speaking of wine, one fun excursion we took was to the Tio Pepe sherry factory. Tio Pepe is a well-known sherry label, and even though I am not a big fan of the taste of sherry, I enjoyed seeing and learning about the history of the location. The casks in the winery were signed by different famous figures, like Orson Welles and Steven Spielberg!
The tapas were also delicious treats and it was fun to experience because you could have a lot of small bites and taste a lot of different flavors and recipes all at once. I am a big seafood fan, so I was most excited by the fresh mussels, and fried calamari! Another Spanish specialty is paella, which is a rice dish that often has seafood or pork in it.
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.