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Africa Adventure
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Africa Adventure

A 19-day adventure by Work Less Travel More Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 9, 2024
  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    Landed in Africa

    September 10, 2024 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Touched down a few minutes early at 0650. We have an escort through the airport in case there had been any delays but the immigration and bag collection is very straightforward. We have to check in again for our Airlink domestic flight. A much smaller plane (Embraer E170) takes us to Skukuza on the edge of the Sabi Sabi game reserve. The very tiniest of airports we have been to.Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    Arriving at camp

    September 10, 2024 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    No aircon van to do the transfer to our camp; it’s a full on safari 4WD. On the way to the camp we see an elephant, impala and a gnu.

    On arrival at the bush camp we are greeted with cold drinks and an amazing room. First game drive at 3.30, but first some lunch. And, as we arrive at lunch, 4 giraffes and a zebra are grazing outside where we have lunch.

    A quick change before we go out for the Game Drive and as we are leaving the summer house where we had eaten a herd of elephants pass including 2 babies.

    Getting in the Jeep is a bit of a struggle - mainly for Alison until they find some steps. Thank goodness for that!! We spend around 3 hours out and managed to see Leopards, Giraffe, Impala, a pride of very sleepy Lions including 7 babies and quite rare Wild dogs. Finished with a very welcome sundowner by the jeep served by our rangers and back to the lodge for dinner. A very long day and we were very happy to be tucked up in bed by 9 and asleep ready for an early start in the morning.    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    Game Drives Day 2

    September 11, 2024 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    An early start with the rangers waking us at 5.30am. Dressing quickly we meet the rangers and guests in the lounge for a welcome hot tea/coffee. The jeeps assemble outside. The weather is overcast and chilly but - good news - we have a hot water bottle and blanket on our seats. Off we go.

    Almost immediately we see a family of elephants and some giraffes grazing. The we come across rhinos (first some males) then later we see some rhinos with a baby. Mum is not best pleased with the jeep’s closeness so charges at us stopping just short but still a nervy moment for our tracker perched on the jeep’s bonnet.

    We visit a water hole and spot a nearly submerged hippo. It will stay here all day having wandered around all night eating. A short stop for hot drink and snack, always in an open area to ensure nothing sneaks up on us. We do feel like we are a mobile lunch for the bigger animals.

    Another watering hole visit sees a mum and baby elephant who walk close by.

    After arriving back at lodge and a hearty bush breakfast we split. Emma and Alison for some R&R and Paul for a bush walk. With a ranger, a loaded rifle and four of us guests we go for a circuit. Any animals scatter long before we arrive (scent of human carries) so the ranger concentrates on showing us tracks and many types of dung which they use to track the animals we see.

    Then lunch, more eating ready for a 3.30pm game drive. The sun is out so much easier to take sharp photos. We stop to take photos of majestic impalas, more rhinos. We see a Grey Dakar (small antelope) and finally some mongooses stop still for long enough to grab a pic.

    We were expecting a G&T stop on the way home but pulled in to a well prepared BBQ snacks and bar out under the stars. Absolutely amazing. The stars were gradually appearing in the clear sky above. The bones from the BBQ were tossed into the bushes which attracted a couple of hyenas to within a few feet of us. Tried we get back to the lodge. Time for dinner and some more drinks and a chat with the lodge manager.    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    Game Drives Day 3 (last day 🥲)

    September 12, 2024 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    Our final day at Nottens started again with a 5.30 wake up call from the ranger and our early morning game drive began at 6.15 after a lovely cup of tea watching the sun rise. Today we were in Search of Cats and they promised we would go north to look for some lions which they had seen outside the lodge overnight travelling north. After about an hour where we had seen elephants, two sister leopards and vultures we came across a family of lions. They have just caught a warthog so we’re busy eating and playing with it. Amazing to see this. We are so close as well with the jeep being able to get in close - may 2/3 metres away and the animals are not phased this. A coffee stop on the way home to the lodge and we passed by a big watering hole not far from our lodge. As it was getting to be a really hot day there were lots of animals using this spot. So amazing to see

    After a bit of R&R and lunch we were off again for what we be the last time for us. Amazingly for us we were able to see the mum and dad leopards of the two sisters we had seen that morning. They had just killed an impala and were busy feeding and digesting their food. This would jeep them sustained for around 3 days. We were able to get up so close to the male leopard you could see his tummy digesting the food.

    A G&T stop on the way home watching the sunset and then dinner at the lodge. We were treated to a Braii (BBQ) and sat outside overlooking the fire and watching out for any animals they may pass by.    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    Planes and cars

    September 13, 2024 in Mozambique ⋅ 🌬 25 °C

    Today we move on from Kruger. We are all sad to leave but looking forward to our next stop Tofo, Mozambique. After a quick breakfast we make our way to Kruger airport. It’s about a 2 hour drive through the game reserve and then through the hills and farmlands adjacent to Kruger National Park. The landscape turns greener here and our driver gave us an interesting commentary on what we could see. A quick plane ride to Vilanculos north of Tofo and we then had a 5 hour drive south to get to our next stop. This wasn’t as we had planned it but our flight had been cancelled and so this was the only option for us to get here without losing out. We arrive to our Guest House and shown to a beautiful room - we could see nothing as it is pitch black but hear the waves. Hopes are high that we have a beautiful view tomorrow.Read more

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    Tofo R&R

    September 14, 2024 in Mozambique ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    A short update today. Our apartment is fabulous. Lovely view of the beach from our room and verandah and from the breakfast area. We take a walk up the beach after breakfast to check in at the dive centre ready for tomorrow. Then a walk back for lunch, some determined lounging by our room then dinner and bed. Quite enough for one day and there’s an early start tomorrow for diving.Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    Scuba Day 1 and 2

    September 16, 2024 in Mozambique ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Sunday and Monday were booked as diving days for Emma and Paul. The dive boat is launched from the beach using a tractor and human power (lots of pushing). Cutting to the chase we were hoping to see Manta and Whale sharks. We did not. Had a couple of good dives and a couple of not so good.

    We did see a whale breach on the surface (they migrate up past Tofo and back every year). They are drawn by plankton but the consequence is that visibility on dives is not great.

    We did also see some dolphins swimming alongside our boat and a giant turtle on its way somewhere.

    Alison’s time has been spent watching the world go by from the terrace of our room and checking out the beach.    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    Back to the airport again

    September 17, 2024 in Mozambique ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Our last few hours in Tofo and it’s off to the airport. The smallest airport we’ve ever flown from; ours is the only flight today. We get to Vilankulo in a little over 30 mins (compared to 5 hours by car to make the reverse journey last week). Another 30 minute transfer to our stunning accommodation - the Santorini. More on this tomorrow.Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    Santorini

    September 18, 2024 in Mozambique ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We can be forgiven thinking that we had arrived in Santorini Greece - but no this is Santorini Mozambique, Vilankulos. Our next stop is a coastal town around 400 km north of Tofo. Vilankulos is named after local tribal chief Gamela Vilankulo Mukoke, and some of the "bairros" (suburbs) are named after his sons. We are staying at a resort called Santorini. It is Greek inspired but with African roots and overlooks the Bazzaruto archipelago. Its buildings are white with blue so like Greece. We have a villa here where we can relax and have our meals. It is all-inclusive so great not to have to walk up and down the sandy beach for food and drinks like in Tofo. We quickly relax into this beautiful place and had a lovely dinner and drinks and played jenga and Emma and Paul are happy to fall asleep after their diving efforts of the last few days.Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    Catamaran

    September 19, 2024 in Mozambique ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Included with our stay here is a private catamaran trip to the nearby Bazaruto Island, a Marine Park, and to 2 Mile Reef for snorkelling. A rather breezy morning made for a bouncy trip there but much calmer on return. We managed to see lots of fish on our snorkelling trip and a humpback dolphin and Flamingos on our return trip and it was a beautiful day exploring the islands and the reef. A nice quiet drink before dinner watching the sunset and over dinner we managed to see the harvest moon - bright red lighting the sea up - the photo doesn’t do it justice but you can see it just !! (Paul
    Has better photos!! )    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    Our last day at Santorini 🥲

    September 20, 2024 in Mozambique ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Our final day at Santorini and after our day out on the boat we opted for a quiet morning by the pool. We had been offered a pizza lunch overlooking Kingfisher bay and we welcomed this - they have their own pizza oven and you choose your toppings and enjoy!! Alison and Paul had appointments for the spa in the afternoon and the treatments were lovely. Our last dinner was as lovely as ever and we will truly be sad to leave this beautiful place.Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    More travelling

    September 21, 2024 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Today is a day of travelling. All of us back to Johannesburg and then Emma onto London and us staying in a local hotel (the African Rock) until our flight to Victoria Falls in the morning.

  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    Another country (and another airport)

    September 22, 2024 in Zimbabwe ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    We headed back to OR Tambo airport this morning. The queue for checkin was very long, the queue for security was very long and the queue for immigration was …. even longer. Nearly an hour and a half to get to the gate just in time for boarding.

    Touching down at Victoria Falls airport the terminal looks very modern but inside the processes are archaic. Nearly an hour to get a visa and then nearly an hour whilst our transfer driver waited for all his party. Eventually arrived at the delightful Illala Lodge desperately in need of a drink. It’s a stone’s through from Victoria Falls - we can see the clouds of spray from the bar. Further investigation tomorrow. And also a warthog scoffing grass on the lawn outside our room.

    And of course we’re in another new country Zimbabwe and. of course another new local beer to try. This time the Zambezi !    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    Water. Lots of water

    September 23, 2024 in Zimbabwe ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Another highlight of the trip is a long awaited visit to Victoria Falls, biggest in the world by height and breadth. Victoria Falls combined width is 1,708 metres (5,604 ft) and height of 108 metres (354 ft), this results in the world's largest sheet of falling water. Even though it’s not wet season the amount of water crashing over the falls is astounding. At its highest point, in March/April, it is estimated that 500 million litres of water per minute flow over the Victoria Falls. During the dry season, it can be as low as 10 million litres.

    At various viewpoints we stop to take in the view; at some we are soaked by the spray rising up from the river over 100m below. There are 16 view points all taking in the falls and the Zambezi river in the distance. It takes us around 2 hours to do the trail and then stop for a quick drink and snack. We go back to see a few of the view points again including the chain walk where you go down steps And can see down the falls and at the right time of day a rainbow. Luckily Paul managed to get a pic of this !

    All in all a great experience and one we are glad not to have missed. Back to the hotel and a very welcome swim and dinner on the terrace.    Read more

  • Work Less Travel MoreAfrica AdventureTraveler

    Down the Zambezi

    September 25, 2024 in Zimbabwe ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C

    After a couple of days R&R with nothing to report today we are off on a sunset cruise along the Zambezi. With cocktails and canapés no less. It’s about a 2 hour round trip during which we see the river heading towards the falls (but can’t get too close obviously) then it’s all about the wildlife. We see Hippos ( about 10 in total), an elephant and several crocodiles.

    Then it’s back to the Palm River hotel on the bank of the Zambezi for dinner.    Read more

  • Trip end
    September 27, 2024
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