Our full day at Totoco EcoLodge was a mixture of experiences. Marnie, recovering from her stomach 'event' took it easy and rested at the lodge. All day. . . in a hammock. . . with a book. And a dip in the swimming pool. And a nap. The highlight of the day was finding a snake in the cabin that looked like a coral snake. Eric, the receptionist, came to the rescue and helped the snake back to its home in the jungle. Eric says the snake was not a coral snake, but just looked like one. Yeah, right.
Steve and Sam, along with a new friend Karin climbed Volcan Maderas. We left with a guide at 7:30 a.m. and finally returned at about 4:30 p.m. We were told this would be difficult, but nothing we've done in the past (the Inca Trail, Kilimanjaro, and the Tour de Mont Blanc) was as difficult as this hike. The mud was intense, the roots were slippery, and there were areas where you had to use your hands to get through some parts. We've got few pictures of the hike, only because we spent most of the time trying to not fall. This is a hike you can't do without a guide and our guide was expert. He was patient, young, and informative. He was 24 years old and says he does the hike at least 100 times per year. Wow!
Along the way we encountered packs of howler monkeys and colorful butterflies. We hiked through coffee plantations and cloud forests. Everyone returned in one piece and ended the day with a well-deserved beer (or two).
Tomorrow we head back across the lake and to our final destination: the beach. Stay tuned!
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
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.