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Africa Botswana Safari

I initially wrote this on Epinions, just moved it to blogger

I went on a Botswana and Zambia safari (trip code BW) with Adventure Center in Sep 2004. I wanted to visit B’wana because it’s politically stable, has high concentrations of wildlife and fewer tourists than other African countries.

Just like any typical software engineer I started my research on Google. It did not take long for me to realize that there is cut-throat competition among travel agents that provide a vast array of packages ranging from basic camping style to 5-star luxury. I was willing to rough it and picked a basic camping tour.

I was looking for a 15 day package and the best that I could find was $1850 + $300 local payment. I arrived in J’Burg on Friday and took the flight to Muan, Botswana on Saturday where we met the tour guide in the airport. We were taken to ‘The Tree Lodge’ where we relaxed to embark on the actual safari on Sunday.

The tents in the lodge are quite spacious and exquisitely decorated. They would easily qualify for a 4-star hotel room. We went to Nxai Pan on the first day. September being a dry month, we did not get to see a lot of animals here. We saw elephants and jackals. I personally feel that visiting Nxai Pan during the dry season is not necessary as we later found out that these animals can be spotted in large numbers in Moremi and Savuti game reserves.

From Nxai Pan, we went to Zambia to spend a couple of nights on a house boat on the Zambezi. The stay on the boat was the best experience. You do nothing but float around. One day we visited a village on the river. There is wretched poverty in Africa. India is poor but poverty in Africa cannot be described (I am Indian).

From here we went to Livingstone to visit Mosi-o-tunya (Victoria Falls). There are a lot of adventure activities there. We spent just half a day and one night. If you are a rafter, this is the place to do it. On the trip I went, you will not have enough time to go rafting. I also went to do the Zambezi Swing. This is typically a full-day activity but I went for half a day and I jumped off the gorge just once. The trip would have been much better if they had a two day stop in Livingstone. However, if you are not into rafting or jumping, you will not complain.

From Livingstone, we went to Botswana the next day to start of our 7 day camping in Moremi and Savuti. The only cat we did not see is the cheetah. We spotted other animals such as elephants, lions, leopards, zebras, antelopes of various types, buffaloes, giraffes, etc. in the hundreds. This trip was offered by Explore (www.explore.co.uk). Since it’s a UK-based travel agency, expect to meet a lot of Britons. If you don’t like the British, don’t go with Explore! On the contrary if you like them go with Explore. I did not have any problem with them. There was an Irish girl too and she was pretty cool.

Our trip size was 12. We drove in a Toyota land cruiser. Since it is open jeep everyone can get a good view of animals and equal share of dust. There is a lot of driving involved in this trip. Some drives take as much as 6 hours. Keep your expectations low when it comes to road conditions. There is no road per se, its just soft sand which is impossible to maneuver without 4X4 drive. It is bumpy and very dusty. We had to wrap our faces like guerillas to protect ourselves from dust. We drive in the forest from 7 to 10 in the morning and again from 4 to 6 in the evening. Since it’s a non-participating camping trip, we had absolutely nothing to do during the day time. Don’t expect people to be super punctual. There is at least a half hour difference between the supposed start time and the actual time. Expect some flat tires and getting stuck in the sand. When this happens, do not panic as this is part of the experience. Realize that your guide has been in these situations before and on a regular basis. They cater food for vegetarians too, but you have to mention it when you book your trip. The food provided is tasty and the chef tries to be as creative as possible with the limited resources at his disposal in the middle of a jungle. The guide was very knowledgeable about the geography, the forest and the animals.

Adventure Center also books your air-tickets and I bought mine with them. I paid $1800 from Atlanta to Muan. However, try to get quotes from the internet or from travel agents as I felt that I wasn’t provided with the complete list of flights available. I could have avoided staying an extra night in J’Burg.

Overall I felt that the trip is very well organized and delivered what is promised on the brochure. You might carry around US $1000 cash expect to spend only half of it, to cover miscellaneous expenses like tips, alcohol and food while you are in lodges. AdventureCenter is part of responsible travel. They are quick to respond to emails and do not play tricks. You can find the trip dossier at http://www.explore.co.uk/docsXL/2005Dossiers/BWXL.pdf

ProsWell organized and excellent local guide.

ConsJust one day in livingstone.

The Bottom Line: It is an excellent choice if you want to stay in camps and spot wildlife.

I wish I could upload more pictures, but lost them when yahoo closed its site. Now I cannot find them.

Andaman Trip

I went to Andaman with five of my high school friends. The decision was not easy, we mulled over going to Kerala, Tibet and Assam. With one hurdle crossed it was a fight to agree on the dates of travel. As typical Indians we are very good in coming up with silly excuses and do not hesitate to use them. We decided to stay for nine days starting from 19th through 29th October.
We met in Chennai, stayed over night in a nearby not so great hotel. Beware of the Auto drivers in Chennai, they can sell pigs to "Lalloo Prasad Yadav" and make him believe they are cows. I am so paranoid about these auto guys, if one of them says that earth is round, I would doubt the scientists. From Chennai central station there is a direct train to Airport. You would have to walk about half a kilometer. Its better than haggling with an auto driver.
We took Air Deccan flight as it was the cheapest. Almost all flights reach Andaman in afternoon. We paid 5000 Rs/ $140 round trip from Chennai to Port Blair. First Stop: PORT BLAIR We were greeted by our polyglot guide Chinnayya. He was very accommodative of our requests. I

strongly recommend him. You could enquire about him in airport. Unlike other tourist destinations, andaman guides are friendly and trustworthy. Our vehicle of choice was Maruti Omni van. All such tourist vehicles are modified to seat six people. We were five, but one of our friends made up for the sixth with his weight. We stayed in government run "TEAL House" as they are spacious compared to regular hotels. We paid 800Rs or $20 per day for a twin bed room. We weren't looking for luxury and the quality surpassed our expectation. You have to book them at least a month in advance. We went to the local beach in Port Blair in the evening and visited sun set point. The ride to sunset point was very bumpy. We held our bladder on that rough road for the sunset, only to discover that clouds suddenly set in and did not get a good view. At least we emptied our bladders. We went to our lodge. In all hotels/lodges one has to order dinner in morning so that the chef buys groceries based on our needs. We had fish fry and chicken. Couple of my friends are vegetarian. Cuisine is similar to main land India. Beaches in Port Blair are mediocre. We visited the jail and one could not comprehend how barbaric and brutal Brits were (Not that they are any better now) It is an embodiment of medieval torture techniques and cruel tactics employed by Brits. The sound and light show narrates the excruciating experiences of earlier generations endured for our freedom.

The next day we visited nearby ROSS island where there were bunkers built during world war. It was worth a look. One cannot swim but can kill some time. Visiting "VIPER" Island is a total waste of time. There is nothing over there. One day we visited where there were limestone caves. They are very small. You could enjoy the walk and small boat ride though. The boats make a lot of noise. One could get an understanding of mangroves and their role in environment. We visited "Havelock Island" on day three. Get your ferry tickets in advance. Our guide arranged them for us. Nothing ever seems straight forward. To get on boat we had to use fake names. I could use English name like "Lisa" and ticket collector would care less. It is the most beautiful island in Andaman. One has to spend at least two nights there. We stayed in government guest house. Barefoot guest house is on beach. We stayed in govt guest house (Dolphin Yatri Nivas) for Rs 1500 per night located right on sea. You could find cheaper accommodation if you choose to stay as guest in a locals house. We could watch the waves pound the compound wall at night and to our amazement the water retreated almost 50 meters by day break. One could go scuba diving. We went to "Radha nagar" beach which is the best. We spent two days just chilling at the beach. The scenic beauty, hot sun and gentle waves, serene and pollution free environment will make you quit your job. With a heavy hearr that a kid experiences to return to school after holdiays. We returned to Port Blair and next few days visited Jolly Boy and Red Skin island.

Jolly boy is where you find a few corals. We climbed over to the light house to get the breath taking view of ocean. The feeling of cool breeze wiping your sweat makes one appreciate nature.
To visit RedSkin island one has to get permits. Our guide arranged them for us. Its a good place to take a dip and soak in sun. The good part is the only people on this island are our fellow travelers.
We went to baratang island, and have to drive through tribal areas. We were escorted by armed police which was totally unnecessary. We spotted a mother and a child who smiled and waved at us. The government and people must not interfere with natives. I saw a few people handing over sweets and other eatables near baratang.
We drove to mud volcano. Technically it may be but its just a 6 inch aperture through which mud oozes out. It is not worth the visit. There is a beach nearby. The trip into mangroves was good. The noise from motor boat will scratch the insanity itch in your mind.
We flew back to Chennai, took the train to Chennai central and boarded Charminar express to Hyderabad.
Our overall expenses came to Rs 20000 per person including flight and train charges to Hyd. We shared rooms in hotel.
Andaman maintains Indian Standard Time although its 1100 kms to east. Sun rises at 4-30 AM and sets by 5-30 PM.
Must Drink: Fresh Coconut water. They are sweet, cheap and filling and great for health.
Alcohol is cheap. You could carry 2 bottles to main land India.
Climate is always hot and humid. Don’t take sweaters or jeans. Take t-shirts and shorts.
Do not over dress most of them time you should be ready to take a dip in ocean.
Weather is unpredictable. We were lucky to have lot of sunny days.
Overall if you have good friends and want to have a good time Andaman is the place to visit. We had a good time as we were very close friends.
If you are looking for luxury, booze and party visit GOA not Andaman.
Do not use Travel Agents . They charge you ridiculously more. *** Before you rent a room in hotel make sure you walk into it and check how it looks.

Dont fall for Ocean front rooms. You wont spend much time in room.