Katelyn, her mother and her mother-in-law embarked on a safari in South Africa, Victoria Falls and Kenya at the beginning of 2024. Africa had been on Katelyn’s bucket list for a long time and was on the top of her mother’s travel wish list. Her mother-in-law likes to travel and everyone enjoys spending time together, so they decided to do a ‘moms and daughter’ trip.
A friend of Katelyn’s was originally from Cape Town and was planning her wedding there so the women decided to plan the trip around the wedding. They knew that even without the wedding they wanted to visit Cape Town to experience the city along with its wonderful food and wine. They contacted Africa Adventure Consultants and left it to Angie, their Journey Specialist, to plan their adventure. They all wanted to be active while on vacation and seeing a rhino was a top priority for Susan – details they shared with Angie so she could plan the trip accordingly.
Kicking things off in Cape Town was a great way to ease into their trip, though they wished they had spent more time in the Western Cape with its many highlights including opportunities to hike, incredible dining, world-class wine country and great activities.
“We loved our Lion’s Head hike – we even liked it better than hiking up Table Mountain. It had a better view of the city. Our cooking class in the Bo Kaap neighborhood was really fun. I wasn’t sure about spending the time to do it but ended up loving it. We were so glad Angie suggested it. The Winelands were fantastic – we especially loved Babylonstoren and Blaauwklippen. We loved our stay at Mont Rochelle Hotel & Vineyard and wish we had had another night! Cape Town is a must – the food and the landscape are amazing and the people are so kind.” - Katelyn
After their time in South Africa’s Western Cape, they flew to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe for the next part of their trip. Their lodge – Victoria Falls River Lodge – was their favorite accommodation on their safari. Close enough to the falls to see the spray (seasonal), it offers luxurious thatched tented suites, each with a private deck with its own plunge pool and uninterrupted views of the mighty Zambezi River.
As the adventure capital of Southern Africa, Victoria Falls offers travelers a huge buffet of activity options. Katelyn, Susan and Beth chose to enjoy cruising, a scenic helicopter ride and a visit to the Angel’s Pool on the edge of the falls (seasonal).
“We loved the sundowner cruises on the Zambezi – we left right from the lodge. They were super enjoyable. Visiting the Angel’s Pool was a no brainer. The moms are generally terrified of heights, but they loved it. The food at the lodge was amazing as well.” - Katelyn
From Victoria Falls they were off to their final destination – Kenya. Their first accommodation there, Elewana Lewa Safari Camp, came in a close second in terms of how much they loved it. Angie recommended this location for Susan whose top priority was spotting rhino. Lewa Conservancy is home to hundreds of rhino – both black and white – and is a must visit for anyone that loves the species. It’s also a shining example of a wildlife protection success story.
They saw far more than rhino during their stay in Lewa and combined time there with Elewana Elephant Pepper Camp in the Mara North Conservancy bordering the world-famous Masai Mara.
“We got really lucky and saw everything on safari! We would wake up in the morning and talk about what we wanted to see and it was like clockwork - lion cubs, a leopard with a kill in a tree, rhinos, a 3-day-old giraffe – our guides Jackson and James, and the wildlife were incredible at both locations. We also saw baby hyenas – they don’t deserve to be part of the ‘Ugly 5!’ The pumbas are so cute – I might like the ugly 5 more than any others! One night I found myself having a glass of rose with a lion 3 feet away – so bizarre. I was staring into the eyes of a big cat with the sun setting. The hot air balloon ride was so much fun! We got to watch the sunrise over the Mara River. 10/10 recommend!” - Katelyn
Katelyn can’t wait to visit Africa again – this time with her husband. She learned a lot from her trip and has great advice to share with others thinking of going on safari.
“Trust your guides. Trust your agent. Tell them what you’re interested in and passionate about. They know what they are doing. I like to be in control and it was hard to relinquish the planning to Angie, but I’m so glad we did. Go for as long as possible. Milk your trip to the max - you’ll never want to leave! Also, if you can, be sure to book first class plane tickets. This was my first ever international first class flight. You will thank yourself but will be forever ruined!”
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Photos courtesy Katelyn B. and Victoria Falls River Lodge