Here is a trip of a lifetime to Africa, that I got to share with my husband and dear friends Alessandra & Peter. It was exactly what I dreamt of and some more! Starla Estrada at GEOEX took care of all the details on trip planning and for the first time I went on a trip that I did not plan. It was such a treat and true vacation!

ITINERARY

{NAMIBIA} Windhoek [1] > Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp [3] > Serra Cafema Camp [3] > {SOUTH AFRICA} Cape Town [4] > {BOTSWANA – OKAVANGO DELTA} Sandibe Camp [3] > Little Vumbura Camp [3] > {SOUTH AFRICA} Johannesburg [2]

FLIGHTS

San Francisco > London > Johannesburg > Windhoek > Doro Nawas > Hoanib > Moewe Bay > Hoanib > Doro Nawas > Hartmann Valley > Doro Nawas > Windhoek > Cape Town > Maun > Chitabe > Vumbura > Maun > Johannesburg > London > San Francisco

19 flights total - 11 of them on small bush planes. That's a lot of take-offs and landings!

NAMIBIA

A striking country with vast open landscapes and its immensity is accentuated by the fact that it is the driest country south of the Sahara. It is comprised of two great deserts: the Namib desert with its sea of red sand that runs along the entire Atlantic coastline and is the oldest desert in the world; and the Kalahari in the eastern interior with sparsely vegetated savannah that sprawls across the border into Botswana. In between lies the Central Plateau with open plains and rugged mountains.

Some interesting facts:

It has a very small population of only 2 million people in a country larger than France and Great Britain combined.
Namibia is the first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into their constitution.
Previously under British, German and South African rule, it only gained its independence fairly recently in 1990.

HOANIB - WILDERNESS SAFARIS

Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp is an intimate camp with only 8 tents with canvas roofing that blend with the surrounding landscape. It is located in the Palmwag Concession where the landscape is dominated by a dry valley with the Hoanib river snaking through. Typically a pretty dry river, but not while we were there. Namibia had received more rain than they had seen in decades and the river was quite full. The riverbed that typically is an oasis for wildlife, kept animals away with its strong current, which made it harder for us to view them. But we endured, with the help of our amazing guide Charles, and got to see desert adapted elephants, lions, giraffes, oryx, BBJs (black back jackals) and springboks.

The camp allows access to the legendary Skeleton Coast with its shores interspersed with rocks, Cape fur seal colonies (30,000 seals!) and magnificent dunes. The Skeleton Coast has its name due to the fact that many ships have sunken along its shore for centuries.

SERRA CAFEMA - WILDERNESS SAFARIS

Serra Cafema Camp is the most remote camp in Namibia, in the Hartmann’s Valley, and is perched on the banks of the Kunene River, which separates Namibia from Angola. It is a permanent source of water in this region, which is an anomaly in the desert. The camp is built under a canopy of green, surrounded by an immensity of pinkish sand. During our stay, we got to visit a Himba tribe; a minority group numbering around 12000 that still live as if on the edge of time. They have a very unique look with their skin covered by a reddish dye, intricate hairstyles and leather clothing. Their nomadic lifestyle follows grazing & water availability with their herds of cattle, goats and donkeys.

BOTSWANA

The bulk of Botswana is covered by the Kalahari Desert, which is part of the world’s largest unbroken expanse of land. But within it lies an oasis of green and water: the astounding Okavango Delta. It is a wetland that receives its water from rain falling a thousand kilometers away in Angola.

Interesting facts:

Around 38% of the country’s surface is dedicated to national parks, reserves and wildlife management areas, which ranks pretty hight compared to most other countries.
Botswana is home to the world’s biggest concentration of African elephants.
English is the official language of the country. Even in rural areas, many local villagers will be able to converse in English.
Before its independence in 1966, Botswana was a British protectorate and was one of the poorest and least developed countries in Africa. One year after gaining independence, a huge diamond mine was discovered in Orapa. At the moment, Botswana is one of the most prosperous countries in Africa producing about 17,7% of the total world production of diamonds. The diamond revenues enable every child in Botswana to receive free education up to the age of 13.
The current president, Ian Khama, is the son of Botswana’s first president after independence, Sir Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams, who is of British origin. He was born in 1953 in England while his parents were in exile in the UK due to their interracial marriage (tale told on the recently released “The United Kingdom” movie).

SANDIBE - & BEYOND

Sandibe is situated on a private concession in the Okavango, adjacent to the wildlife-rich Moremi Game Reserve. The lodge is architecturally stunning with elevated guest suites and beautiful views of the Delta. The wonderful game drives with our great guide KK and spotter Judas, took us through wide-open savannahs dotted with palm trees; and across waterways, sometimes quite deep ones, and offered us viewings of a pride of 11 lions, a leopard hunting from a tall tree branch, then another one with her cub, zebras, giraffes, kudus, red lechwes, impalas, elephants, baboons, water buffalos and the most phenomenal birds. We also got very spoiled by our butler Thato, who attended to our every need. We felt like kings & queens!

LITTLE VUMBURA - WILDERNESS SAFARIS

Little Vumbura is a small & very intimate tented camp (only 6 tents) built beneath a canopy of Okavango forest only accessible by boat. It is island living within the Delta, with narrow channels of water weaving through the wetlands grassy vegetation formed by elephants and hippos. It is situated in a concession in the Kwedi Reserve leased from remote rural communities organized under the Okavango Community Trust. This ensures that local villages derive direct benefits from their natural environment and are encouraged to conserve it. Little Vumbura is rich in both wetland and savanna wildlife - we got to see red lechwes, hippos, crocodiles, sable antelopes, kudus, herds of zebras, wildebeests, buffalos and elephants, journeys of giraffes, as well lions, leopards and the lucky sighting of cheetahs. We also go to trasverse the grassy floodplains in a mekoro (traditional canoe) under the guidance of an expert poler (think gondolas in Venice!)

I luckily got to spend my 42nd birthday at this incredible place. As soon as we got on the boat, upon our arrival, to go to the camp, we saw a really big family of hippos and that was such a treat. It was a very "Hippo" Birthday to me!!!

**Do you know what animals comprise the title "Big 5"? Buffalo, Lion, Rhino, Hippo and Elephant. "Big 7" - add: Leopard & Cheetah; "Big 9" - add: Giraffe & Zebra. We got to see almost all of them, except for the Rhino :-)

SOUTH AFRICA

CAPE TOWN

Cape Town is a port city on a peninsula beneath Table Mountain, that gets its name due to its flat top. It is a lively city with beautiful beaches, gardens, great restaurants and art. We only had 3 days in Cape Town, a bit tight given all that it has to offer, so we maximized it with the help of our wonderful guide Melissa Sutherland. She picked us up in the morning at our guesthouse La Grenadine (highly recommended) and took us around all-day just returning us for a quick shower and then dinner.

DAY 1 – AM: we took the first ferry to Robben Island, best known as the place of banishment for political prisoners, and the most famous of all being Nelson Mandela. The ferry ride offers beautiful views of Cape Town’s skyline & Table Mountain. Once on Robben Island, we visited the maximum-security prison, now a museum, guided by an ex-prisoner, and it was so personal, emotional, a truly fantastic experience. We got to go into Mandela’s cell and get a taste for what a terrible journey he and other freedom fighters had to endure. We also drove around the island and got to visit the graveyard of people who died from leprosy, the Lime Quarry where the prisoners had to do hard labor, Robert Sobukwe’s house. PM: after walking around the downtown area and having lunch at the Company’s Garden restaurant, we took the cable car to Table Mountain (we would have hiked up if we were not so constrained with time). Yes, it is a very touristy thing to do, but the endless views from the mountain are well worth it and it will give you a very good idea of the varied topography of Cape Town and its surroundings.

DRINKS: Outrage of Modesty in the downtown area (very creative drinks); DINNER: Chef’s Warehouse, just around the corner from the bar, is really where we wanted to go, but they don’t take reservations and we could not get a table. We ate at a restaurant nearby not worth mentioning.

DAY 2 – we drove along the Cape Peninsula to Cape Point, along Chapman’s Peak Drive, which is one of the country’s most spectacular marine drives. The road follows the shoreline, offering grand views of beaches, and it culminated at the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Table Mountain National Park. We took a cable car up to the old Cape Point lighthouse and that offered some extraordinary views of the area. From there we continued along the coast and stopped at Noordhoek Farm Village for some coffee. They have a great juice stand as well as a charming bakery and deli called The Foodbarn. We did not get to eat there, but the food looked amazing. Our next stop was at the Jackass Penguin Colony at Boulders Beach in the historic naval base of Simons Town. Makes me smile to this day to think about all the penguins hanging out at that gorgeous beach and walking around with their bouncy & funny walk. From there we headed to Fish Hoek and then to the quaint fishing village of Kalk Bay, where we had a wonderful seafood lunch at Harbour House.

DRINKS & DINNER: Greenhouse in Constantia was a phenomenal dinner. Extremely creative tasting menu & wine pairing. Top 5 meals we have ever had.

DAY 3: spent in the world famous Winelands with majestic scenery characterized by vineyards, hills and mountains. We did a wine safari at Waterford. I know what you must be thinking – that sounds pretty cheesy, but I guarantee you it was not. Quite the opposite. On board of a safari land rover, we drove around Waterford’s large property and through their vineyards, where we stopped for tastings of wines derived from the grapes we were just looking at. It also included food pairings for each wine. It was a great experience! From there we headed to Babylonstoren, a farm known for its stunning gardens, restaurants and small hotel. We had lunch at Babel, housed in an old cowshed, with a mix of Cape Dutch architecture and contemporary touches. We were impressed and inspired by the dishes that were presented. All the produce comes from their garden and the dishes are seasonal and color-coded. So if you select the orange salad, it comes with carrots, persimmon, papaya, smoked trout, edible flowers and melon. The green salad had wild greens, asparagus, pear, zucchini, avocado, prickly pear and herbs. On the way back to Cape Town we stopped at Stellenbosch, the country’s second-oldest town. It’s a charming town but a bit Carmel-like. Beautifully restored old buildings, but with most of the businesses catering to tourists & a lot of bad art galleries. It does have some gems hidden in the mix if you take the time to walk around.

DRINKS & DINNER: Pot Luck Club located in an old Biscuit Mill. Same owners as the famous Test Kitchen, it serves tapas-style dishes. While it has a fun & hip atmosphere, the food was not uber impressive. We also had just had an incredible dinner the night before, so it was challenging for any restaurant to meet our expectations in that particular night!

JOHANNESBURG

This was our final destination after an incredible 3-week stay in Africa. Joburg is rapidly becoming a hotspot for public art, and we focused our time on just that - street art &graffiti, as well as art galleries & open art studios with the guidance of the awesome Jo Buitendach. We spent most of our time at the Maboneng neighborhood, a gritty but becoming a fashionable neighborhood full of galleries, food trucks, sidewalk cafes, public & street art and a great artisanal crafts & food market that is open on Sundays. Highly recommend it! The shops are on the second level of the market, so don't miss it! We also went to the August House a few blocks away, which is a warehouse repurposed as an art and production space. They were having an Open Studio day and we got to see the work of a lot of wonderful local artists.

DRINKS & DINNER: Marble – relatively new contemporary restaurant with beautiful food. The bread is beyond the beyond! The wine selection was great as well. An all around great experience.

** I want to credit Alessandra & Peter for a lot of the great pictures I'm sharing here!