I had absolutely decided that we would do the challenging hike to the Towers today. However, the weather still looked iffy and our guide warned that there was a distinct possibility that we would not be able to see the Towers when we arrived. The whole park was shrouded in clouds, though the rains had nearly stopped.
Hiking 22 km in the rain did not particularly appeal so we gladly opted for the easier fauna trail and lookout stops instead. As it turned out, we made a fantastic choice! Though the weather was cloudy, it did not rain much after we started walking and we were blessed with all kinds of wildlife sightings- hundreds of guanacos, pygmy owls, a couple condors, a red fox, lesser rheas, and more. We also hiked to one of the only places in the park with prehistoric cave paintings. About this time of day, the weather started to clear and we begin to get a sense of the grand mountains surrounding us.
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.