Al Dawson described South Africa as “a study in glorious contrasts that left us with unforgettable images and feelings.” He also called it the best vacation that he, Jane Mahoney and Erin Dawson had ever been on. Our consultant, Samantha, arranged a trip that took them from the luxury boutique hotel MannaBay in Cape Town to the incomparable Londolozi in the Sabi Sand concession. Al’s words sum up their experience wonderfully and so I’ll hand it over to him to describe their time here.
“The words ‘wow’ and ‘fabulous’ are too often overused. A shame because they fit perfectly the experience Jane, Erin and I had as first-time visitors to South Africa. Samantha at Rhino Africa developed a trip that included the beauties of Cape Town and the wonders of Londolozi. Carel was a terrific guide to the natural wonders of the Cape – the winelands, coastline, peninsula, restaurants, scenery. Mannabay was a hotel that redefines the genre with excellent amenities and a superb staff. It was like living in a Hollywood mansion.
“And what can you say that adequately describes the experience at the Londolozi Tree Camp? Luxurious living in the Sabi bush country, expert guidance by rangers and trackers like Daniel and Jeremy, an up-close experience with animals on morning and afternoon drives that yielded priceless photos.
“On the second and third days we couldn’t wait to get out on drives in the bush. We never knew what we might come across. The big cats were awe-inspiring and it was easy to be captivated by them. But there were so many hoofed beasts: impala, kudu, nyala, buffalo and giraffe. We saw jackal, warthog, hippo, and to Erin’s great delight, plenty of monkeys and small baboons who made themselves quite at home in our camp.
“But what is Londolozi if not for the big cats? We got so close to different prides of young lions resting, and hunting. And a female leopard with young cubs. The animals passed by without menace and went serenely about their business.
“We dreaded the end of the trip. What a richly fulfilling adventure for three strangers to South Africa. Thank you, Samantha and all who made this the trip of a lifetime for us.”
Not only did Al take some great videos of lion sightings but also some fantastic photos of their 8-night South African holiday, which you can see below the video playlist. Thanks Al!
