Trip Reports – EXTRAORDINARY AFRICA

Our gorgeous clients Ben and Jenna just came back from Kenya, and left us the loveliest trip report.

Sorry- very long email- the short version if you’ve read this far is that “it was wonderful, thank you.” If you want to use any quotes for your marketing/testimonials please feel free, or let me know if you want me to expand on anything. It really was fabulous.

It was a fantastic trip, thank you. Obviously missing the first 24 hours on the beach was a bit of a shame, and we will be claiming from Kenya Airways for this. Other than that, all was wonderful. We had extra leg room seats on the outbound flight- thank you if that was your doing- it really made a difference! We also really appreciated the service from the ground team at NBO. I wasn’t expecting to be met before passport control and whisked through the Priority lane- a nice surprise!

The airport hotel was nice and transfers to Diani all went smoothly. Asha was a great hotel- we had a lovely room with a sea/pool view, and we had a blissful stay there. We had no guilt whatsoever about lack of exploration there; I did want to visit the monkey sanctuary as I love colobuses but one kindly visited the garden, so that meant no need to leave the hotel grounds. We took a snorkelling trip with the hotel’s boat out to the nearby reef which was spectacular.

I also managed to find a small family of pipefish further down the beach, which was wonderful although slightly hair raising as I hadn’t anticipated so many sea urchins. The sea in front of the hotel is clear of them, but a few hundred metres away they are everywhere. I’d love to go back for more snorkelling and relaxation.

As for safari, both camps treated us very well indeed- the staff were really lovely at both. Basecamp Explorer was pretty simple, as you had said- however I wasn’t anticipating such a pretty view either from the tent or the main camp and our tent was comfortable. Eagle View was simply stunning. Unfortunately our arrival at Eagle View coincided with the arrival of the rains, and they were fairly torrential all afternoon and most of the night. As a result, our evening game drive was cancelled (and it was a bit cold for a couple of days). However, we had an extended drive the following morning, with a bush breakfast, which more than made up for any disappointment.

All of our drives were productive, both in the main reserve and Naboisho. I didn’t keep count but we must have seen around 40 different lions at 8-10 sightings. On our drive from the airstrip to Basecamp, we had a great view of a leopard stretched out on a rock in full view, and then saw her the following day (or the one after- I forget) with a carcass. The second viewing was too crowded for comfort (20 vehicles) but I was impressed that David kept his distance and didn’t block her exit, as many cars were doing. We also had a third leopard sighting, but she was very deep in the bush- I think we saw an ear and half her head.

We also had two cheetah sightings, both mothers with cubs, and I was really pleased to spot one chasing (and then, out of sight, killing) a warthog piglet from the public area at Eagle View. I had never seen a cheetah before and it was absolutely wonderful to see them; such stunning cats. I was very impressed David took us down to get a better view of them feeding even though we’d already had a long drive with him that morning. We also saw a hyena take a baby impala from the camp viewing point, plus lots of interesting animal interractions (lions mating, zebra fighting, hyena cubs tumbling around etc…)

Other highlights- the huge number of hyena in both the reserve and Naboisho. Wonderful creatures to watch. I was thrilled to see my first secretary bird, and then 4 more- as well as my first ever wildebeest (lots of them!) Bat eared foxes, eland and spring hares were other favourites, and Jenna loved the hippos. We saw everything we wanted to see (except rhino, which we knew were extremely unlikely and which we’d seen a few years ago in Nairobi NP) and then lots more besides. No elephant in Naboisho, but we saw two families in the reserve. The night drive following a big pride of lions on the hunt was especially thrilling.

The walk we took was lovely- great to get some exercise- but as I suspected it was very much more an ‘exercise walk’ rather than being a really informative guide to nature, like I experienced in Zambia. That was fine though, it was nice to get the opportunity to walk further rather than stop at every skull and piece of dung. David and Fiona (a trainee guide who joined us) were really lovely and helpful and both great company. We had them to ourselves most of the time- a nice surprise; I’ve never had a private game drive before. We did occasionally join with other guests which was fine too.

We were really pleased with the guiding and service at both camps- it wasn’t exactly slick but was delivered with real friendliness and warmth, which was perfect for us. As for the destination, the Maasai Mara was exceptional. I have never seen such vast landscapes, with so many animals- a really different experience to other safaris I’ve taken. The reserve and Naboisho have different enough landscapes to make visiting both really worthwhile, it didn’t just feel like ‘more of the same.’ Other than that one leopard incident, I didn’t find the Talek area too overcrowded or busy- we had several interesting sightings to ourselves, and plenty of times where no other cars were visible. There were some cattle grazing in both areas (and a herder who seemed particularly interested in peering across the river at Basecamp at the outside shower!) but I didn’t find the presence of the village annoying- if anything it just showcased the realities of conservation. We did visit a Maasai village as well, which was slightly awkward but an interesting experience and, I think, worthwhile.

We had a fairly eventful flight back to Nairobi, stopping at 2 airstrips on the way. On the first (short) hop, we had the plane to ourselves. Then had a chat with the co-pilot on the tarmac while waiting for other passengers to arrive. The chosen conversational topic was air disasters, which was slightly surreal. At the second stop, the plane’s battery ran out of voltage (?!) and so we couldn’t take off. We were beginning to wonder about how to get to Nairobi for the following day’s flight home, but Safari Link called another plane to come pick us up. Fortunately it had enough seats free for us. We made it to Nairobi in time to use the hotel pool. I can’t imagine BA or Ryanair being that efficient!

Thanks for organising everything- it really all went very smoothly and it felt like a real luxury to know that all details were being taken care of without ever having to think for ourselves. That sounds really lazy- we both are fairly capable travellers and enjoy exploring by ourselves- but for this trip it was so nice just to be looked after at every step of the way. Although it was a relatively short trip, the time passed slowly (in a good way) so that, even though I’d quite happily stay for another few weeks/months, we didn’t feel like we’d missed anything, or had regrets about not doing x, y or z. 5 nights on safari felt like a good amount of time- I don’t think ‘too long’ would be possible, but it didn’t feel too short.

We’d love to do another trip and would definitely get in touch with you first. Unlikely to be 2023 (though I am not giving up hope). I don’t think there is anything of note I’d change about this trip; we’d be very happy to return to any of the hotels/camps in future; especially Eagle View which was a real highlight. For me it was my first ‘proper’ safari- flying in, not sleeping in a dome tent- and it was the best. More importantly, other than that one drive in Nairobi NP while on a long layover, it was Jen’s first safari, and it really exceeded her expectations and fulfilled her safari dreams. She agrees it’s not a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience and something that we need to do again. Thanks for delivering such a great experience for both of us.

Adventure, Africa, South Luangwa, Trip Reports, Zambia

Trip Report- Zambia 2022

July 12, 2022July 12, 2022 Alexandra Matts

Sarah and Gary have taken several adventures with us, but this time, decided to return and introduce Sarah’s mum to the magic of safari, taking in the South Luangwa National Park and Victoria Falls.

I really wanted to email you properly and tell you what a wonderful time we all had.

This time 2 weeks ago….we were having our first meal at Flatdogs and my Mum had just spotted her first hippo, in the camp! It was so funny because she didn’t quite know what to make of it. We just sat there eating our meal whilst one of the staff shined a torch on it for us to see. She kept saying, ‘is it ok?’ ‘are we safe’. I just said, ‘yes Mum, soak it up and enjoy the moment’. She didn’t sleep great the first night, she was a little anxious as she’s never experienced anything quite so wild, we had elephants eating all the trees right up to our tents all night. Even though she didn’t sleep that night, she soon settled straight in to safari life and was well away with it all.

Gary and I mainly wanted to go to Zambia to see leopards and wild dogs. We assumed everything else was a done deal, but those illusive lions proved to be the tricky ones. We had the most amazing guide, Geoffrey, he could see how passionate we are about wildlife, conservation and environment and went above an beyond to try and find us what we wanted to see.

So we saw our leopard first, got some great photos of him too. Then, quite unbelievably, using his tracking skills, Geoffrey found us a pack of hunting wild dogs !! First he found paw prints, then fresh poo, we back tracked for a short while, he pointed out where their den was, then there they were. A pack of approximately 20 wild dogs!!! I actually had a tear in my eye as I never thought I would see them. They were really lively. They had just made a kill and were sharing the food between them when an impala ran out from nowhere then they were back on the hunt !! They were unsuccessful on that occasion which I hate to say I wasn’t too upset about as Geoffrey had explained they ate their prey alive 😦 we were glad to miss that bit. We went on to see 2 more leopards and the same pack of dogs on another day.

After 3 safaris Gary and I were starting to worry that we weren’t going to see lions !! We shouldn’t have doubted Geoffrey, he knew what was on our list and lions were next. We drove far north and found approx. 300 strong herd of buffalo. Geoffrey said to us, ‘where there’s buffalo, there’s lions’ and he wasn’t wrong. He said to us he was going to look for a place for our sundowner then we would go on to look for the lions once the sun had gone down a bit more. So we circle around this area by the river, then we circled again, then again. Then there they were, perfectly camouflaged on the grass, 4 lionesses!!

So we watched them for a few minutes, popped off for a gin and a safe wild wee then returned just as they were moving off towards the buffalo. Oh my god Alex, it was so exciting and I felt so privileged as were the only car there and what we were about to see was amazing. The lions hid in the bushes, then one moved out and around whilst the buffalo tentatively moved through them. It was fascinating to see as you watch this on the BBC but were actually watching it real life. OK, so they missed the one they tried to catch, then they slipped off in to an area we couldn’t get to but they were following the buffalo and Geoffrey said he was certain they would be successful tonight. As we headed off back to Flatdogs, on a high from seeing 4 lions, we then went; on the see another 3.

The next morning, my Mum was very tired so she enjoyed some time on her own in camp whilst Geoffrey took us off back to the where we left then lions. We met a jeep on the way driving 2 girls, one was asleep and one was on her phone, Geoffrey asked the driver if he had seen the lions and he said no, but I thought to myself, why should that guide even bother trying whilst the 2 guest appeared to be showing no interest at all in where they are (we saw a lot of that indecently).

Anyway, Geoffrey, being the determined guide he was, was sure they would be there somewhere and thanks to the alarm calls of the puku and the circling vultures, he drove completely off track (I’m not sure we were supposed to be there!) and there they were!! 4 lions looking considerably fatter than they did the night before, trying desperately to fend off the impatient vultures. Amazing!!!

So I then jokingly set Geoffrey a task, I said I bet you can’t find me a porcupine ! Well he did !!! And a honey badger! I mean, what would be the chances. I shouldn’t forget our spotter too, Elias, with the torch, he as the one who found us a leopard one evening, meters in to the park on our last drive. he was working hard to shine the torch in the right places and even found us an African eagle owl!!

I loved Flatdogs, the management was very friendly, down to earth and easy to talk to, networking with guests each evening, it was also really nice how they met you from your safari each time you returned, interested to know what you had seen. The staff were just wonderful, I will never know how they remembered our names every time they spoke to us. The food was absolutely delicious and we had no worries at all about being vegetarian. The tents were totally adequate and I didn’t really want to leave there.

So then we were on to Chundukwa, where I can safely say I probably put on 5lbs hahaha. I don’t think there chef would be out of place in a really good restaurant in the UK somewhere. Knocked socks off most places we’ve eaten. I even asked for one of the recipes one evening. Really lovely setting, nice lodge, very comfortable and Doug and Gail were lovely. Poor Gail was really unwell with flu so we didn’t her too much much I could have talked to Doug for hours, he’d obviously led a very colourful life and had a real passion for conservation and local people which was really nice.

Gary and I tried a bit of horse riding, and we did the sunset cruise which was lovely too but my mum skipped that bit as she’s terrified of water and thought a hippo would upturn the boat !! hahaha. Got soaked at the falls, Gary and I walked to the boiling pot, then we went off and had lunch at The Royal Livingstone, lovely to experience but definitely not my style of accommodation, too many people, much preferred Chundukwa. We did the rhino walk which was really good too, very expensive but hopefully that money is being used in a good way and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity isn’t it?

Thank you Sarah for sharing your lovely trip with us!

Amboseli, Covid-19, Kenya, Laikipia, Masai Mara, Safari, Trip Reports

What’s it like to go on safari during a pandemic?

January 30, 2021January 30, 2021 Alexandra Matts

John and Mags, two of our most experienced, and intrepid, safari-goers report back.

Our daylight flight with BA was very good, with only 70 passengers onboard. John had treated us to First Class and we had a wonderful experience.

We were a bit confused who would be meeting us… later the hotel bus turned up and the driver took us to the hotel, leaving all the BA Crew waiting as they were also staying at the hotel too ! So it all turned out fine. We had a lovely spacious, well equipped room and slept very well. (Editor’s note- this was the airport Crowne Plaza–we use it a lot for an overnight crash-out).

The next day, following an excellent breakfast at the hotel, we were met by Emmanuel, our Asilia driver/guide… Emmanuel proved to be an excellent and considerate driver, and we liked him very much for the duration of our first few days. We had opted to drive from Nairobi down to Amboseli, avoiding the inevitable gridlock of traffic crossing to Wilson Airport, and also to avoid mixing with too many other people which we thought was a great choice.

Tortillis Camp is set in a lovely location, with the main area, deck and dining area and bar set on the ridge, with views out to Mt Kilimanjaro (weather permitting – which it rarely did for us, but that’s down to luck and time of year). The highlight of Amboseli was undoubtedly the prolific game, which we had hoped for but not expected. The huge herds of elephants, including the huge Matriarchs and Bulls with their enormous tuskers were a sight to behold.

And without exception, all the animals had young at this time of year (Editor’s note- late November), which was a bonus, and a real treat. We were surprised just how many areas of water there were. Apart from the actual lake, the rainwater from Kili and the recent rainfall had created large swamp areas, which was a haven for thousands of birds and hundreds of animals. In particular we were surprised how many thousands of flamingos there were, and apparently all the ones at Lake Nakuru and Naivasha have left that area which is now badly flooded, and they were all down at Amboseli. A wonderful sight : clouds of pink.

We also very much liked the Asilia Touring style safari vehicle, and its layout, which suited us well. It was very comfortable and spacious, yet still provided excellent game viewing from the 360 degree top opening.

Our private transfer from Tortillis up to Lewa with TropicAir went very smoothly. We had a Caravan to ourselves, piloted by Ian. We arrived early at the airstrip, and the plane arrived just as we did, so we left soon after and arrived early up in Lewa, a short flight of I hour 10 minutes.

We were met by David, our driver/guide whom we both liked immediately. He wore his red Masai clothing with pride every day. His English was excellent, as were in fact all of our guides, and all were easy to understand. We LOVED our time in Lewa House and were very glad we had chosen to spent 5 nights there : thank you for the suggestion ! We loved the terrain and the variety of game. On the way from the airstrip to the House, we passed 5 rhinos wallowing by the road, with others in the near distance too. Lewa House is a beautifully appointed family home, owned by Calum and Sophie MacFarlane. Calum came to Kenya 10 years ago, but Sophie comes from Lewa and the original ranching family. They were the perfect hosts.

We had a GORGEOUS room, Room 1/Waterhole (overlooking the waterhole) which was conveniently very near the house. We had both an indoor and outdoor bathroom and a lovely private patio. We ate breakfast on the lawn, usually with the children (11 and 8) and their adorable puppy ; lunch was by the pool ; aperitifs by the log fire in the spacious lounge and dinner (set menu) usually in the adjoining dining room, at one huge table which seated 10 socially distanced. And Calum and Sophie ate with us and were excellent company.

On our Anniversary a table had been laid for us in a separate entertainment area with lights and lit Chiminea in the walls making it warm and cozy with our own waiter John who showed us proudly his “oven” to keep the food warm. We were led by torchlight down a path with lantern lights and it felt like we had gone a long way from the lodge, but the reality was we had not gone very far as we realised after the meal !

2 ponies and Jersey cows also graze contentedly on the lawn and the waterhole attracted Somali Ostrich and other game whilst there were lots of birds helping us to breakfast too ! Perfect ! I should also mention that they have a super gift shop where I bought a LOT of things ! (retail therapy fix). You can see Mt Kenya from the house and all the rooms will have had wonderful views. Wifi was only available up at the main house, not in the rooms.

The game was outstanding. We were literally tripping over rhinos (both white and black) at every turn, often close and often in small groups. Grevy zebra were plentiful too and this is one of their last strongholds. David was also an excellent driver. About the only thing we did not like particularly was the vehicle we used, which was a more traditional (and less comfortable) old Toyota Landcruiser with open top and sides, but no opening doors. Which meant you had to haul yourself up and over the sides to get in (which we managed, but as we get older, will find increasingly tricky ). It also means you cannot stand to see game.

I did go for a ride at nearby Lewa Wilderness Camp (about 20 mins away) for an hour with Miranda, a super English girl. They have 45 horses. Bizarrely though, they only cater for guests 12 stone or under (Editor’s note- apparently it’s down to the horses they have and the weight they are able to bear). But I had a wonderful hack, riding right close to eland, waterbuck and zebra. I would highly recommend this.

We were very sad to leave Lewa, and said we would love to return. With your help we chartered an Air Kenya Caravan (2 pilots) to take us to the Masai Mara to Rekero Camp, which took 1 hour 10 mins, and we saw some wonderful scenery along the way – once again just the two of us!

At the Mara, we were met by Francis, who we also liked immediately. He was a very experienced driver (which was essential when we encountered rivers he had to ford, and deeply rutted muddy roads). He was great fun too and we got on very well indeed. It was only a short 20 minute transfer to the camp, which is set on the banks of the Talek River, and has stunning views from the main deck. The staff were extremely welcoming and friendly at all times.

In the evenings, there was a campfire and they also had a small private dining area, which was delightful. We did notice some mozzies and tetsies here. The food at Rekero was excellent, thanks to Clapperton the chef and his assistant Wilson. The waitstaff were very attentive and friendly too .

We had visited the Masai Mara many many times over the past 40 years and never have I seen it so deserted, with so few tourists. Which was excellent from our point of view, as sightings were undisturbed by dozens of vehicles all crowding around a single animal, which we hate (Editor’s note: us too!). Many, if not most, of the wildlife had young which is a big draw for us travelling in November, and although we did have rain it usually came at night and only stopped us going out one afternoon. And we were astonished at the profusion of game and birdlife too and put this down partly to the location of the camp but also the lack of disturbance by other vehicles. We were extremely lucky to see cheetah with very young cubs, leopard, a lion pride also with playful cubs, to name but a few.

We took the 1615 scheduled Safarilink from the Mara back to Wilson Airport in Nairobi, (which was very late and had 10 of the seats occupied Which of course we thought of as strange !) where we were promptly met by Asilia guide Rufus, who then took 1 hr 45 mins to get across the city to the International Airport. Even he thought this was not great, but there was nothing much he could do as the traffic was completely gridlocked. We had a good supper at the Crowne Plaza hotel before our flight back to London at Midnight.

I took 7600 photos over the 14 days, which says it all. We both feel it was without doubt one of the best safari’s we have ever been on. The combination and order of the camps we stayed at worked perfectly, with differing terrain and vegetation and a huge variety of game and birdlife.

We have come home feeling wonderfully refreshed and bringing back many very special memories.

Mags & John

Adventure, Cape Town, Culture, Eastern Cape, Extraordinary Picks, Food, Interviews, Sabi Sands, Safari, South Africa, Top tips, Trip Reports, Wildlife

Just back from…South Africa

November 15, 2019October 25, 2019 Alexandra Matts

After a few weeks of jet-setting in the southern hemisphere we finally pinned down Clare, our South Africa guru, to get her insider recommendations on her favourite country in Africa.

Why do you love South Africa? Or do you? We can’t just assume….

There’s so much to do here from the city buzz to rolling valleys, rugged coastline and safari, and they’re all spectacular. Being a true foodie, wine lover, and outdoor enthusiast (with admittedly, a distinct love of the odd bit of R&R) South Africa truly ticks all of the boxes, and much, much more.

What’s your favourite part of visiting SA?

I’d really have to say the people. Everyone was so incredibly warm and welcoming wherever I went. Some of my friends and family were sceptical about my travel to this part of the world having read some less than glowing news articles, but I couldn’t have been more swayed by the charm of South Africans. Absolutely nothing is too much for them to organise, and they really will go out their way to make visitors feel completely at home – utter bliss when you’re travelling solo and ready for a good natter!

We’re yet to meet anyone who doesn’t love Cape Town, but where’s your favourite place to stay?

Arriving in Cape Town after an 18 hour flight, I couldn’t have been more excited to sink into my large and seriously inviting bed at the Cape Grace. It’s on the bustling Waterfront (albeit tucked away enough to still be peaceful) and is the ideal spot to head out for an evening stroll and dinner at one of the nearby seafood restaurants. The day beds in the spa are the perfect place to read a good book and take in the glorious views up to Table Mountain. For something a bit livelier I’d probably head down to the hotel’s Bascule Bar for a cocktail, or try to choose from one of their 400 whiskies.

Top tip: every evening the Cape Grace offers complimentary wine tasting hosted by one of the hugely informative sommeliers – it’s a great way to meet other guests and to swot up on your wine facts.

If you had to give a personal recommendation for family trips to South Africa, where would you suggest?

If you’re headed to the Winelands then Boschendal caters for even the fussiest family member. There’s a wonderful farm school where children are looked after by qualified childminders and taught all about foraging, outdoor cooking and upcycling – maybe even enough to teach the parents a trick or two! Each child receives their pair of wellies and hat, ready to explore the greater countryside. For the more active, there are mountain bike and hiking trails galore as well as horse riding and plenty of farm tours. If you’re craving some adult time, ask for a babysitter and sample some of the seriously good food in their fine-dining restaurant, the Werf.

Top Tip: If you’re there on a Friday during the summer, be sure to check out the evening market.

Where’s your secret hotspot that no-one really knows about?

Morukuru Beach Lodge is one of those gems that you don’t want to shout too much about for fear of it being fully booked for evermore. The drive there isn’t for the faint hearted but boy is it worth it! Spend the day doing nature drives (in a safari vehicle with heated seats no less!) and ocean walks along the beach, before arriving back to warming hot chocolates laced with Amarula. Afterwards enjoy drinks and delicious food with your fellow guests, all whilst lapping up the most incredible sea views. I was too busy watching the whales out the window to eat my breakfast – I think I counted 8 at one time, incredible!

Top Tip: Take an early morning stroll over the sand dunes and you will more than likely find the place to yourself to really appreciate the stunning views.

This is a hotly debated topic at Extraordinary Africa HQ, but where would you choose to go for safari?

Tanda Tula. Set in the Timbavati Nature Reserve on the edge of Kruger, it epitomises the rustic safari camp vibe. All rooms here are tented but seriously well kitted out. There’s something rather romantic (with possibly some nervousness mixed in) about lying in bed, looking straight out of your tent and knowing that any form of wildlife could quite happily wander up to within a few feet of where you’re lying. Rest assured though, the wonderful staff here will ensure that your nerves are kept well under control!

Top tip: Keep your eyes peeled for the elusive white lion, known to be seen from time to time in the Timbavati

As an outdoors lover, where would you go for an active adventure?

Set just outside Plettenberg Bay, Hog Hollow is the perfect place for lovers of the outdoors. The huge rooms here are perched amongst the trees with large decks offering sweeping views over the valley. There are a wealth of activities to choose from whilst staying at Hog Hollow; hikes for even the most serious of walkers, adventure playgrounds for the younger members of the family, various animal sanctuaries to visit, horse riding (which Hog Hollow are well known for), or for those wanting to put their feet up, a quiet day on the beach. And the best bit after a busy day of exploring is to curl up by the warming fire pit for a sundowner with your fellow guests.

Top tip: There’s a great walk down the valley and up the other side (not for the faint hearted!) to Birds of Eden or the Monkey Sanctuary and once you’re finished, you can ask for a complimentary lift back to save those weary feet.

If you were sending a friend on honeymoon to South Africa, where would you recommend for romance?

For a serious dose of romance, I couldn’t help but fall in love with Dulini River Lodge. Sleeping just twelve guests in six suites, this is the perfect place to escape the rat race and indulge in some well-earned R&R. Each suite is vast, with the sort of bed you could easily get lost in. The shower and bath make the most of the wonderful views out to the river bed, and on warm days there’s a hugely inviting (heated) plunge pool out on deck where I happily spent a few minutes lapping up the peaceful surroundings while watching a herd of elephants slowly walking past. There was so much love in the air that one of the other guests assumed the manager, who had kindly offered to eat with me, must have been my newlywed husband…

Top tip: Do try their ChocaMocharula (hot chocolate, coffee, amarula) mix as a sundowner on a chilly game drive, it certainly warms those cockles.

Private dining in suite at Dulini River Lodge

You’re known in the EA office for your love of good food: where would you recommend to fellow foodies?

The winelands (and Cape Town for that matter) are renowned for seriously good food, and drink. So picking one is an arduous task, however, Babylonstoren is just one of those places that oozes foodie charm in the bucket loads. There’s a serious ethos here encompassing ‘from nature to plate’, and nearly everything found on the menu in the various restaurants, and for sale in the farm shop, comes direct from the farm. Not only is the main restaurant here (Babel) award winning and with utterly scrummy food, their harvest tables at breakfast are also a true work of art. If you’re lucky enough to be staying here in one of their charming cottages, we’d highly recommend scouting out some goodies in the farm shop to take back to your private state of the art kitchen via the chefs in the main restaurant who will more than happily provide you with some top notch cooking tips. If you’re after a bit of an Italian twist, do be sure to head to the bakery on a Monday or Friday for their Italian inspired homemade pasta and wood-fired pizzas. After all that eating, walk it off with an informative tour of the farm grounds to see exactly where all their delicious food originates from, followed by a warming glass of red in the tasting room…

Top tip: If you’re looking for somewhere to propose, there’s an island in the middle of the lake which is called the “yes spot”, and staff will do everything to make it magical.

Adventure, Africa, Beaches, Honeymoons, Lions, Safari, Tanzania, Trip Reports, Zanzibar

The wildebeest migration and other incredible animal sightings…a trip report from Tanzania

October 1, 2019October 3, 2019 Alexandra Matts

Hi Alex

So sorry for not getting back to you sooner – we have had a hectic time since returning from honeymoon – we have a new member of our family who we picked up the day after returning from Tanzania, Barney the puppy! He is an adorable bundle of energy who is keeping us busy!

Our trip was amazing!!! We had the best time ever and saw all the big 5 (the rhinos were in the distance but our guide assured us it was a rhino and not a water buffalo!). On our first afternoon in Tarangire we saw a lion stalk and kill an adult zebra which was exciting (although a little moving when she didn’t have a tight enough grip on the zebra to kill it!). We were also lucky enough to see two river crossings in the northern Serengeti after spending 3-4 hours on our first afternoon there watching the wildebeest walk to the river bank and peer over the side, but not daring to make the jump. We took some amazing photos and our guide even showed us a trick of taking photos with our phones through the binoculars!

All the staff at the camps were lovely and friendly and we loved Kati Kati camp. We heard lions and leopards near our tents at night and we woke up to zebras eating their breakfast as the sun was rising. Eddie our guide was fantastic, so knowledgeable and it felt like we spent a week with David Attenborough teaching us about all the animals.

Zanzibar was a stark contrast to the safari and it took us a while to get used to relaxing and doing nothing. Breezes was a lovely hotel and we went snorkeling nearby which was fantastic – the best snorkeling and range of fish we have ever seen!

We are glad that we now have Barney to keep us busy as it has reduced our post-honeymoon blues.Thank you so much for all your help making it a trip of a lifetime and we can’t wait to go back and do it all again!

Best wishes

Melissa and Tom!

Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, Safari, Tanzania, Trip Reports

Our first EVER clients to summit Kili a day early! Trip Report from Tanzania

July 25, 2019 Alexandra Matts

Hi Alex,

You are honestly not going to believe this, but I have literally just sat down to start typing a message to you when yours came through! We arrived back early yesterday morning, came home, had a shower and went straight to work – brutal but the best way to slot into a normal routine and get over the jet lag.

We cannot thank you enough for all your help with arrangements, and your patience with all our questions. Without a shadow of a doubt this has been the trip of a lifetime! It was short, but felt like we were away for months – yet neither of us wanted to come home and could’ve quite happily have stayed in the Serengeti 🙂 We cannot fault the arrangements – transfers were smooth, accommodation was brilliant and the people very friendly and attentive. Really appreciate your help with the extra night hotel stay after Kili – we could’ve stayed another night at Mweka camp, however the shower and soft bed was most welcome 🙂

This might sound a little bit nonchalant / arrogant, but we didn’t find Kili that challenging – apart from summit night. It was at the end of Day 2 when we spoke with the guides about the upcoming days and they said based on our fitness and pace the walks for the next couple of days would only be about an hour a day. We struggled with the decision overnight and the morning of Day 3 decided to divert and join the Machame route. Absolutely no regrets as Day 4 was both our favourites – climbing the Baranco Wall and the Lava Tower. I think the altitude of the Lava Tower (hike high, sleep low) help with our acclimatisation – thankfully neither of us felt the effects of it. But summit night was still a big challenge, and we were both so relieved to have made it to the top.

The Serengeti was superb! We both fell in love with Grumeti Tented Camp – the setting and layout of the camp is nice and intimate and just beautiful. The hippos add a great touch to it, even though a bit scary when they brush past the tents at night. We were very fortunate to have seen the migration at both camps in the end too! Talk about being lucky!

I will be writing photography based blogs on the different portions of the trips, and will send them over as soon as they are done. Although it may take a while – I downloaded around 4,000 photos last night, and now need to make the selections for editing…

We will be definitely doing more Africa trips in the (hopefully very) near future and will 100% be in touch about it – the Serengeti is on our radar again, as well as Namibia and Botswana…

Let us know how and where is best for us to submit a review for you 🙂

Warm wishes,

Bernard & Nick

Elephants, Leopards, Safari, South Africa, Trip Reports

Elephants on the Runway…Jenny’s Trip Report

April 23, 2019April 23, 2019 Alexandra Matts

Lovely feedback from our guests who visited South Africa.

Dear Alexandra

As you know we got home on Friday and because we launched straight into a busy weekend I haven’t written sooner to say an enormous thank you to you for arranging what was a truly wonderful holiday. We really did have the most amazing time – everything worked like clockwork ( apart from the elephant on the runway at Shukuza!!!!!!) and we said so many times while we were there how clever you had been to send us to all the different places which we loved in all their different ways.

It was lovely when we first arrived to have three days at Montusi to switch off and revel in those views – we thought we couldn’t go better!

Three Tree Hill lodge was perfect, Fugitives Drift even better and then the joy of seeing all the animals at the next two places (Notten’s and Makakatana [ed]). We felt incredibly lucky seeing so many animals although I think the highlight had to be seeing a female leopard one day sleeping and then the following day up a tree with her kill! We also saw a fabulous male leopard who strolled by the jeep so close we could have just reached out and stroked him!

There is a danger I could get far too carried away with superlatives but we did just want to say a really big thank you. We saw so much…….. scenery, culture, animals, not to mention being thoroughly pampered everywhere we went with fabulous food and drink as well as meeting so many lovely people in the lodges. The staff couldn’t have looked after us better giving us such welcomes either on arrival or when we got back from our various expeditions.

We can understand how you love it!

If we can ever recommend anyone to come your way we will…..

With love Jenny

Romance, Tanzania, Trip Reports

What’s fly camping really like? (Read to the very last for the best…)

August 15, 2018March 14, 2019 Alexandra Matts

First off you should know this is written by a grade one wimp. I’m not a natural fly camper, and my preferred method of getting a good night’s sleep on safari is a large glass of Rioja before bed. For those of us with an over-active imagination, the thought of sleeping out with only a mozzie net between bed and the bush comes with a side-order of sheer terror. Unfortunately, it’s a core part of the Extraordinary Africa ethos that we’ve been there and done that, so we can give you the best possible advice, even when terrified. And it turns out that for each Extraordinary Africa traveller who’s tried it, fly-camping seems to be one of the best bits of their safari.

Frankly, I knew it was high time I toughened up and headed out into the wilds.

Dining at the Sands River Fly Camp — Peaceful table for two

Most fly camps operate as part of a stay in a permanent camp, walking out to into the wilderness for a night or two under the stars. We’d made our base at Sand Rivers in the Selous Game Reserve, and if I was going to trust anyone with my nerves, the Sand Rivers guides seemed like a decent bet. So, nobly, your condemned reviewer ate a hearty tea. And afterwards tramped off into the bush, full of Victoria sponge, water bottle slung over her shoulder. And although it did not escape my notice that a steel bottle full of water might make an efficient weapon, it was not needed. Instead, we wandered gently through the Selous between the grasses and the trees in a strict line behind our guide, Ernest. We followed snake trails through the sand, photographed white hyena poo for my six-year-old godson, (obviously), and stepped carefully over armies of angry siafu. Please note- that unless you choose to fully explore the meaning of ants in the pants, this final tip is essential.

A few hours later we arrived in camp to what every traveller needs- a damp flannel for dusty faces, and a cold drink for dry throats. Lusekelo had slung a bucket shower over the branches of the nearest tree, and he’d dug a fresh short-drop loo (complete with a very smart seat) nearby. We were extremely grateful that our crew had built a canvas screen around both to stop the hippos being too startled by bottoms that hadn’t seen the sun in a very long time.

Showers smelt of warm water hitting dry dust, and our bedrooms were mozzie net cubes. It’d be fair to say these are spacious for one, cosy for two. They all had bedrolls to sleep on, but anything larger than a medium-sized elephant would have struggled to fit. Fortunately, when there’s a shooting star every 7 minutes, this didn’t cause too much of a problem. Behind each room was a dressing table with a mirror, bug spray and a safari sink and, further back, a dome tent in case it rained. Or you could sleep in it if you were nervous. But I wasn’t nervous. Obviously.

Fly Camp Bedroom — Bed for the night under the stars

Instead, caught up in the magic, I rushed my shower to make drinks around the campfire. Dinner was equally splendid. From a small safari kitchen Sallum produced a magnificent feast. And if you have, as I did, a serious foodie as a travelling companion, a tour of a bush kitchen is quite something. No blender, no microwave, no sous vide- just a hot metal box and a bucket of coals.

The cooking facilities — The simple yet effective cooking facilities

Afterwards, as (perhaps) not the bravest of souls, it’s fair to say I was tired. My day of dicing with imagined deaths had been fairly exhausting. No longer fearful, but still cautious (what kind of naïve fool do you take me for?), I retired to an early bed planning exactly how I would bop each invading hippo or intrusive lion on the nose. (Public Service Announcement: for those of you who are as nervous as I was, I was delighted to note our tent was at the far end of a peninsula guarded by two Landrovers, the guide and our magnificent crew. An invasion was possible, but on balance, unlikely). So, I looked my fears in the eye, looked up at billion stars, and wondered if there was anywhere in the world I’d rather be. I think you know the answer to that.

Breakfast — The breakfast spread with a view

We gave our experience at fly camp 9/10 (minus one point for the self-induced terror factor). Your reviewer was accompanied by Mr Extraordinary Africa. He would like it to be noted that he was especially impressed by Max’s splendid fly-camp bar, not to mention its white tablecloth, and the excellent dinner which seemed to come from nowhere. So impressed in fact, that when he returned to the fly net that night, under a sky of Scorpio and a million other stars, he found a Tanzanite ring in the bottom of his rucksack and proposed. And what Africa-lover could say no?

Africa, Safari, Seychelles, Tortoises, Trip Reports, Winter Sun

Just back from… The Seychelles

June 16, 2018March 14, 2019 Alexandra Matts

While the UK was having a second winter, Alex somehow found an urgent reason to jet off to the Seychelles. I think we call it “research”. Well, that’s what she’ll tell you, anyway.

Alex gives us the lowdown on her island-hopping trip to the Seychelles

What makes the Seychelles so special? The beaches are ridiculously lovely, especially on some of the outer islands, and they have a wonderfully safe, relaxed and peaceful feel.

(c) Denis Island — Dreamy beach view on Denis Island

Favourite bits? I was totally charmed by La Digue where there aren’t really any cars, so guests cruise sedately around on bicycles and golf carts. It was incredibly tranquil and the hotel I was staying at (Le Domaine De L’Orangeraie) had an amazing spa right up on the hill, so you could have a massage looking out at the island and the ocean- bliss.

Le Domaine De L'Orangeraie Spa — Massage Tables at Le Domaine De L’Orangeraie

Seeing the giant tortoises on Denis Island was pretty special too- the oldest, Toby is 120 years old. Though his age didn’t stop him chasing after Clara, a mere whippersnapper in her 60s.

Tortoise on Denis Island — One of the tortoises on Denis Island

“Less favourite” (ahem!) bits? There were a couple of fairly bland resorts I wasn’t too excited about – names hidden to protect the innocent (ish)… The laid-back island-style of the Seychelles generally works best with the smaller hotels, though there are some excellent exceptions to this. There are some seriously lovely resorts, especially at the top end, but some of the more mass-market places were pretty unexciting. Given the cost of getting to the Seychelles I think you’d want to feel like you were somewhere really special, so I’ve put those onto my “steer clear” list.

What’re the hotels like? Utterly charming and not as glitzy as you might expect. The Seychelles has quite a glamorous reputation, but the hotels, even the really high-end ones, in fact- especially the really high-end ones, have a very laid-back feel to them. If you turned up wearing heels and dripping in diamonds you might feel quite out of place.

Constance Ephelia on Mahé

One of the best seats at the Four Seasons Hotel

How would you plan a trip to the Seychelles? Well, BA’s direct flights to the Seychelles started at the end of May, making this a really easy combo with a safari in Kenya or South Africa. Or, if you have more time to spare, island hopping in the Seychelles would make a really fun longer trip.

Top tips? Unless you’re staying on La Digue, I’d recommend booking pretty much everywhere on at least half board. Though there are quite a few great restaurants we can recommend for lunch, in the evenings you’re fairly unlikely to eat out. As the Seychelles are right in the middle of the Indian Ocean much of the scrumptious food and drink you’ll get is imported, and is consequently more expensive than on mainland Africa. Knowing that you’ve paid for the bulk of the trip up front takes the hassle out of things on the ground and mean you can concentrate on enjoying yourselves instead.

(c) Constance Lemuria Seychelles — Beach at Constance Lemuria on Praslin

Gorilla Trekking, Trip Reports, Uganda

Just back from… Uganda

January 14, 2018June 14, 2018 Alexandra Matts

Just back from… Uganda

At the end of last year Alex zoomed off to Uganda. She claims it was absolutely critical for business, and definitely not just to escape the British winter. In fairness though, since Rwanda’s gorilla permits have shot up to $1,500 per person (ouch!) we’ve seen a huge surge in people travelling to Uganda, so being tip-top up to date has helped us to give our travellers the inside edge.

Alex gives us the lowdown on her “definitely-all-work, not-at-all-fun” trip:

What makes a trip to Uganda special? Definitely the people- what’s so cool about Uganda is that unlike visiting reserves in many other African countries, you don’t just jet in and out of remote wildernesses, you get to meet local people. The vast majority of the lodges and camps are in little villages around the edges of the national parks, and you get much more of a sense of the country than you would in many other places.

The Bwindi Bar in Buhoma Village, Courtesy of Bwindi Lodge

Favourite bits? Oh gorilla trekking, obviously. I’ve done an awful lot of safari, but gorilla trekking is still one of the best wildlife experiences I’ve ever had. I should also mention that if you’re a birding geek, Uganda is stellar- obviously the star of the show is spotting a shoebill stork, but there are incredible birds everywhere.

“Less favourite” (ahem!) bits? It rains in Uganda. A LOT. Even in the dry season. If you’re a woman from wet Scotland, desperately hoping for some African sun, this is not ideal. Investing in decent waterproofs is key.

What’re the lodges like? Fab. Generally charming and deliberately pretty rustic, so I think you’d have to like the more atmospheric/authentic style of lodge. If you want electricity that runs 24hrs and in-room wifi, you might find South Africa’s luxury safari lodges a safer bet.

How would you plan a trip to Uganda? Uganda is so varied, I think there is plenty to do there in a 2-week standalone trip. For now, I’d say the safari probably doesn’t (yet) stand up against safari in Kenya or Tanzania, so if you want a serious big game safari, you may want to combine Uganda with one of its neighbours. However, I think the best way to see Uganda is to focus on what’s so special there- the birds, the primates, and the range of brilliant activities you can do outside a vehicle: hiking, mountain bike safaris, horse riding and boat safaris.

Top tips? Pack some binos- I’ve never used mine more than I did in Uganda. Also- make sure you understand your camera properly before you go- the bright light of the forest and the darkness of gorilla (or chimp) faces makes photography difficult, so this is not the time to start learning how to use your camera!

Category: Trip Reports

Trip Report: November 2022, Kenya, Diani and Masai Mara