I have to be honest -- I haven't ever faced flights this long. The severity of the flight pattern for this trip to Botswana is weighing on me. I have been a bit wedded to Latin America since first heading to Ecuador in 2002. Apart from a foray to Finland, I haven't taken a trans-Atlantic flight since 2000. Central and South America take much less in the way of long haul flights than Botswana. No leg is much longer than 9 hours -- a good solid night of sleep.
But I'm headed to Kasane for the Botswana Travel and Tourism Expo that occurs every November. To the front and back end of this, I've tacked on what most would consider a dream itinerary consisting of various locations in the Okavango Delta, Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and Chobe National Park.
This is my first trip away from my family since having my daughter almost two years ago and I've decided to make it a good one: a little over two weeks. On the other side of this flight itinerary is two weeks of rest and freedom. But to get there .....
1) Missoula to Denver (2 hours flying) with a 3 hour layover
2) Denver to New York (5 hours) with a 14 hour layover
3) New York to Johannesburg (14.5 hours) with a 4 hour layover
4) Johannesburg to Maun (2 hours)
Fortunately, I'm in luck. South African Airways from New York to Johannesburg is about half full and I get a whole row of seats to myself, allowing for lying-flat and getting a bit of rest.
I've also allowed myself a full day of recovery, which is crucial when planning a safari. What people don't always explain is that safari entails waking up every day at 5:00 AM, so build yourself a rest day upon arrival. You will thank yourself for doing so!
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.