We chose the RedOxx Safari-Beanos Bag PR6 because it was spacious enough to be used as a main check in luggage bag, yet narrow enough and tall enough to still fit into a charter plane luggage space for our trip to Africa. It is a soft sided bag made of durable 1000 weight urethane coated Dupont certified Cordura nylon. We particularly liked that all zippers are self-locking and the seams are double stitched. Our khaki colored bag was easy to carry and to handle.
Located within the borders of South Luangwa National Park, Puku Ridge Tented Camp had a traditional safari feel with modern comforts and amenities. Each tent was built on a concrete slab for a sturdy yet sophisticatedly rustic feel. The décor was simple and romantic, highlighting a beautiful sunken bathtub. The camp was situated on a ridge overlooking the African veldt (a field), which had abundant wildlife and beautiful sunrises in the mornings. Because the camp was inside park borders, animals wandered through as they pleased.
When was the last time you washed your hands with rosewater and had your face painted at your dining table? For us our visit to Moyo provided the first opportunity and it was lots of fun. Smiling staff, slightly shy, welcomed us to our corner table on the entertainment level, one of five levels at the 500-seat restaurant in the heart of a swanky Johannesburg neighborhood. Scant minutes passed before a pleasant lady in African garb took our drinks order. A server soon followed with a pitcher and bowl in hand. She poured rose water over our hands and provided a towel for us to dry them. A few minutes later she returned and painted our faces (cheeks and foreheads) following a Masaai Mara tradition. She drew small flowers and dots with black and white water soluble paint; another, the more masculine design was made with dots only. Moyo, which means soul or life in Swahili, was one of four such restaurants in South Africa serving African food (ranging from North Africa Tagines to South African Boboties) to one million guests.
It required a day of travel and three flights, the last one on a small bush plane, from Cape Town to reach Kwetsani Camp. We left the comfort of our waterfront hotel at 7 a.m and reached our new honeymoon suite at Kwetsani at 7 p.m. Although we were tired and hungry, we were also thrilled from a close viewing with a female leopard on our way from the airstrip to the Camp. Kwetsani could house up to 10 guests on its one kilometre site which was raised on stilts beneath a shady canopy overlooking the plains. It was one of several properties on the Jao Reserve, a 15-year 60,000 hectare concession with maximum guest occupancy of 48. The large elongated island was heavily wooded with palm mangosteen and fig trees and was one of the most remote camps in the expansive Okavango Delta. That night we enjoyed a fireside buffet dinner on the sandy boma enclosure. Prior to dinner, we watched with pleasure as local staff members sang and danced around the roaring fire with enthusiasm and laughter.
Although every trip and every lodge and camp we have visited in the past had qualities that distinguished it among its peers, some stand out for their sheer excellence. Our stay at Kings Pool, named for a Scandinavian monarch who visited the area before the camp was built, was one of the most rewarding overall visits to a game viewing tented camp in two dozen experiences to date. Fronting an oxbow of the Linyati River, Kings Pool had a rare combination of a superb location, extraordinary game viewing possibilities, a well designed, spacious and comfortable room, superior “home cooked” food and an outstanding, experienced and knowledgeable guide.
