We started the day at the Melk Abbey, a grand baroque building with 500 rooms dripping in opulence. Guides were lovely but I much preferred the scenic walk back down the hill thru the charming town of Melk to the extravagant abbey.
Back onboard we had our nicest weather of the trip. We enjoyed the gorgeous scenery of the Wachau valley sailing downstream from Melk to Durnstein. Though there was still a chill in the air, I stayed cozy in the hot pool on the sundeck, admiring the castles we passed while soaking in the warmth!
After lunch we opted to skip the afternoon excursion in Durnstein so that we could decorate gingerbread cookies in the Chef's Table restaurant. We were given gluhwein and chef hats and went to work on our cookies!
When we finished, there was still an hour or so until sunset and Durnstein did look exceptionally charming so we decided to walk into town. At the front desk, the receptionist asked if we were walking up to the ruins of Durnstein castle perched high on the mountaintop overlooking the town. I hadn't thought we had time so I jumped at the offer and he gave us directions to the cobblestone walking trail. The walk up was lovely with signs talking about the history and legends of the area including the 4 months that Richard the Lionhearted had been imprisoned here.
Once at the top we had stunning views of the Danube and the Durnstein Abbey below. We had the fortress to ourselves as dusk fell over the mountaintop and the castle lights came on. Considering the castle was built nearly 900 years ago (1130), it was remarkably intact. Sitting over 1000 feet above the Danube, it is the most imposing structure in the area.
We made it back to town in time to catch a few souvenir shops still open and ride the 'fun train', a cute trolley, back to the ship.
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.