Journeys With Rosemary
​South Africa & Botswana
August - September 2015
 

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We were there for 3 weeks so there are a lot of wonderful photos.

For most of us this was a trip of a lifetime!  From Livingstone in Zambia; to Chobe and the Okavango Delta in Botswana; to Cape Town, Kruger Park and Johannesburg in South Africa, we had such rich experiences!

The journey began in Livingstone, Zambia.  At our hotel, we were greeted by a dazzle of zebras that liked to hang out outside our rooms--instilling a little trepidation in some of us.  Also on the property were mischievous baboons and monkeys and the occasional impala or giraffe.  And separated from the property by just a low fence at the river, was a small herd of  large elephants, capable of tossing their trunks onto the deck where guests were enjoying food and drink.  We visited Victoria Falls where, although water levels were low, we saw some spectacular sights.  The highlight of our visit here, though, was the Zambezi River cruise at sunset where we were introduced to hippos, cape buffalo, giraffes, elephants, crocs, warthogs and various birds--and our first of many beautiful sunsets in southern Africa.

From Livingstone we transferred by land (such a traffic jam at the Botswana border!) and small boat to our first lodge, just outside Chobe Park.  We were thrilled by our first game drive the afternoon of our arrival!  Chobe has huge concentrations of elephants and prolific wildlife of various ilk--giraffes, hippos, crocs, buffalo, baboons, and various members of the antelope family.  It was here that we were introduced to the Sundowner, the great tradition of having cocktails in the wild during the evening game drive.  Gin & Tonic was definitely the drink of choice for our group!  One afternoon we were treated to a visit to the nearby village, where one of the guides grew up; we met several of the residents, most notably the matriarch Esther,  and saw their humble abodes. At the lodge, we were cautioned to lock our rooms against baboons and to stay inside after dark; there were guards at night watching for more dangerous animals.  When not on safari, we were treated to home-cooked meals put together by the staff morning, noon and night.    Except for the first evening, we were the only guests in residence.  We were treated to a song and dance show by the staff the last evening, something they do only for favored guests (really ☺)

Our next experience was our first ride on bush planes (props, approx. 12-seaters) into the Okavango Delta.  Here the animal populations are a little less dense, but the water attracts different species including many birds.  We were amazed at the deep water our land rovers could "drive" through!  Special experiences here included rides in mokoro canoes and seeing wildebeest, a leopard and hyenas.  And once again, our group was the only one in camp.  One evening we celebrated a birthday--with singing and dancing by our attentive staff!

We flew out of the Delta on bush planes once again, then took "real" planes to Cape Town.  Here we were graced with especially nice weather throughout most of our 4 days. We started out by ferrying to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela and many other political prisoners were incarcerated during Apartheid.  Our guide, a prisoner there himself during the '80's, lent his first-hand experience to the tour.  Back at the lovely Victoria & Alfred waterfront, we glanced at some of the shops then had a delicious lunch.  Afterwards we ascended Table Mountain for panoramic views of the city.  We also walked around the Cape Malay Quarter with its incredibly colorful houses.  This township was originally inhabited by slaves transported in the 17th and 18th centuries by the Dutch from Malaysia and Indonesia.  They brought the Muslim faith to So Africa. 

The following day we headed for the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point.  Some of us climbed to the lighthouse to see the fabulous vistas.  We enjoyed a seafood lunch overlooking the coast, then visited Boulders Beach for a close up with a colony of African Penguins.  Finally that afternoon, we braved strong winds to walk through the stunning Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.  On our final day, we visited Stellenbosch where Cape Style houses from the 18th century are preserved in a village museum setting.  We then explored the Winelands, having lunch at one winery, then doing a wine and cheese-paired tasting at another.  Anyone who says Cape Town is "just like San Francisco" misses that it's also like New Orleans, the Pacific Coast, and much more!  We learned that most residents speak both English and Afrikaans, a blend of Dutch, Malay and other languages that was formed in the 17th century.

After Cape Town, four of our travelers headed home while the rest of us went on to Kruger National Park for 3 more days of safaris--okay, and Sundowners!  At Kruger the wildlife is sparser, but we got to see white rhinos and lions, completing the Big 5!  And here we celebrated another birthday, with, yes, signing and dancing!

Our last stop in South Africa was Johannesburg.  We had a morning overview tour of the city then visited the Apartheid Museum.  Our guide, who'd lived through Apartheid, gave a moving account as we progressed through the exhibits.  We then drove to Southwest Township (Soweto), Nelson Mandela's former home, and had a delicious lunch prepared by a multi-generational family at a restaurant housed in their home. Unemployment in Soweto approaches 70% but some enterprising residents like these, and the dancers who performed to drums during lunch, do whatever they can to support themselves.  Travelers to South Africa should not overlook this amazing city!

Addendum:  Most of the group flew from the U.S. via Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and spent a day exploring that city.  At 105 degrees with high humidity, it wasn't the ideal time to visit, but it was quite an experience to see the opulent buildings.  After a half-day city tour, most of us spent some time at the mall where we saw a slice of life and the traditional dress of the residents--women in black and men in white garments.  We learned only a small percentage of the residents in Dubai are Emirati; it's mostly an ex-pat community.  The cost of living is high and as the oil has dried up in this Emirate, they now rely on tourism for income.  On the return following the main trip, several of us visited Abu Dhabi, 90 minutes from Dubai.  It's worth the trip just to see the stunning Sheikh Sayed Grand Mosque.  To visit it, we had to be clad to the ankles and wrists and with a head scarf, but it was well worth it! 

We covered a lot of territory and did a quite a bit of flying, but it was worth every minute of the three weeks we were on the road!