After our action packed day yesterday, we sleep a little later and then Hope and I head to the butterfly farm where the owner puts out large pieces of fresh papaya and other fruit. Huge (I mean the size of my head huge) moths and butterflies are all around us, as well as two beautiful hummingbirds that have managed to get into the farm. The owner explains the stages of life and how the butterflies hatch.
We pack up to leave and are amazed to watch people moving a herd of cows across the river that has a very very fast current by tying them onto the sides of the small boats and swimming them across. Needless to say the cows are not happy as only their heads remain above water as they are towed along the sides of the boat. I can barely watch for fear that the cows heads will go under.
We take an uneventful boat ride to the Sabalos Lodge which is very jungle like and we are met with fresh squeezed lemonade and led to our Casita which is open air enough to make us all become even closer friends-too much information!
We nap in our individual hammocks on our riverfront porch, and then head out to kayak. It pours right before we are to put the kayaks in the water so we wait for a clearing and have two rain free hours of kayaking through the tranquil river past Sabalos town. We see lots of Kingfishers and other birds and when I push my paddle off the short at one point a small cayman I disturbed jumps into the water and I am ready to jump out of the kayak. I don't think I'll swim here.
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.