I just returned from a 8 day stay in Costa Rica. We split our time between four resorts. The first of which was Nayara Tented Camp in La Fortuna. This property is about 3.5 hours from San Jose or 3 hours from Liberia airports depending on traffic.

The tented camp is on the same property as the Springs (adults only) and the Gardens(family friendly). The tented camp is the newer property located at the top of the resort. Each tent has a hot spring feed floating pool on its balcony facing the volcano. The view is gorgeous!

La Fortuna is one of the main bases for excursions so when planning a trip to Costa Rica, I highly recommend a split stay between the beach and the La Fortuna area so that you are not spending 4 hours in the car every time you want to do one of the awesome excursions Costa Rica has to offer.

When I book your stay at this property, I can get you added amenities like included breakfast, $100 food and beverage credit, and a welcome amenity through my affiliations with the hotel. I can also book your restaurants and excursions for you as well.

Costa Rica is one of my favorite destinations. Contact me at lauren@thatblondetravels.com to book your stay today!

Lauren: Why did you choose a destination wedding?

Tammy and Jhony: We decided on a destination wedding because we were on a budget. We wanted an affordable wedding with an open bar and we knew a destination wedding would check all of our boxes. Also, a destination wedding allowed us to have an intimate ceremony and reception with our family and close friends.

Lauren: How many attendees did you have? What kind of experience did you envision your guests having?

Tammy and Jhony: We had 24 guests total attend our wedding. We envisioned our guests having a great time and enjoying the open bar all through the night.

Lauren: What was one part of planning your wedding that you knew you couldn't have done alone? How did having a Destination Wedding Specialist help with that?

Tammy and Jhony: We wouldn’t have been able to choose a resort without the assistance of our travel agent! She provided us with so many resorts to choose from based on her own personal experience, which was extremely helpful. We decided to go with an adults only resort, which was a great decision!

Lauren: What piece of advice would you give to couples who are just starting the planning process?

Tammy and Jhony: Book a knowledgeable travel agent and physically travel to the resort. This will allow couples to personally meet with the wedding planner to ensure it’s the right resort/fit for you.

Lauren: What’s one “extra” you’re super glad you splurged on? What surprised you the most about your wedding?

Tammy and Jhony: We were glad we splurged on the flowers. They were beautiful and were used for both ceremony and the reception. The weather was surprisingly great! Our previous visits to Mexico always had rainy weather; however, this trip and our wedding day had the best weather.

Lauren: If you could choose three words to describe your wedding, what would they be?

Tammy and Jhony: Fun, Memorable, Affordable!

Lauren: What is your favorite memory from your big day?

Tammy and Jhony: The whole day was great! The ceremony was short and sweet and we had a blast drinking the night away at our reception.

A Note from Lauren: Planning this gorgeous Destination Wedding in Cancun with Tammy and Jhony was an absolute pleasure. This was a true testament to perseverance and flexibility as this beautiful couple was truly tested during the constant waves of the pandemic. In the end, they got to celebrate along with ~25 of their closest friends and family in what turned out to be a truly magical ceremony. Congratulations to Tammy and Jhony on a beautiful ceremony!

If you are dreaming of a destination wedding, then your head is already swimming with resorts, wedding packages, and potential costs. We are here to help you sort this out and provide some much needed stress relief!

Coordinating travel arrangements for your group of guests requires careful planning. As a Destination Wedding Travel Planner, I will help you find a destination, resort, and wedding package that matches your wish list and spending plan as closely as possible. Once I narrow down the options for you and you make your resort choice, normally, I will assist you in confirming your wedding date and wedding package choice with the resort through a wedding day contract. From there, I will assist you with confirming a group rate for your wedding room block and begin educating and assisting your guests on how they can book their room in your contracted room block. To ensure the best fit for you and your guests, two contract options are available to accommodate your type of group, number of travelers, and flexibility of schedule.

Check out part 1 of my destination wedding series here.

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WHAT IS A ROOM BLOCK?

Typically a group of 10 or more guest rooms that resort puts on hold at a specific “negotiated” rate for a group of people. While room blocks normally need at least 10 rooms or more to qualify for the potential special rates or concessions, some hotels will actually provide this with only 6 rooms.

These “negotiated rates” are typically a standard rate (sometimes discounted) set by the hotel or management company for wedding groups. So..in essence, they aren’t really negotiated haha.

Once this has been set up, you will either be given a link or promo code for your guests to book into your group. As a Destination Wedding Travel Agent, I would help all of your guests with booking and coordinating details for travel.

Traditional OR CONTACTED groupS

This is the perfect booking option for travelers that are traveling on the same itinerary who need a flexible payment and cancellation policy for the entire group. This option typically has more perks associated as there is a contact made with the hotel or tour operator.

A traditional group typically consists of:

• 10 or more rooms (20 or more people)

• All traveling together (but with various date combinations)

• Set price for all travelers with pre-reserved room block inventory!

This option requires a signed contract with the resort in order to pull guest rooms out of inventory. In this contract, you will need to guarantee that a certain amount of the rooms will be sold or you’ll have to pay for them regardless. The contract will state the nightly rate based on occupancy, the amount and type of rooms available to book, and the repercussions of not booking all of the rooms in the block. This consequence is often called an attrition clause.

An attrition clause is when a group doesn’t live up to the room block agreement and payment is required to make up for the rooms not booked. For example, some high traffic hotels might have a 90% guarantee, meaning that you must book 90% of the total rooms in your block. So, if you’ve requested the resort to block 10 rooms in the contract, then you will be financially responsible for 9 of them, even if they are not booked by your guests.

As a destination wedding travel agent, I will oftentimes negotiate something called a “drop date”. A drop date is normally about 6 months or so before your wedding. This allows you to return any un-booked rooms in your room block, with no penalty, so you’re not responsible for them. This is my job so try not to worry too much about it!

Flexible and courtesy Groups

They're ideal for small groups of 10 or more who want to vacation together at the same resort, yet need flexibility with their travel dates, flights, length of stay, or who may be traveling from different cities.

• No need to sign a group contract!

• Guests can book from any origin and the hotel will still see them coming as one group

• You can customize every booking to the clients' individual travel needs

Sometimes resorts will offer what is called a Courtesy Room Block, which is a block of a certain number and type of rooms that the hotel has set aside for you as a “courtesy”. You’ll sometimes be given a special rate for these rooms, but not always. These rooms do not have to be financially guaranteed that they will be booked by you or your guests. Even though you are not financially responsible for these rooms getting booked, you may still be asked to sign a contract.

The contract outlines that the hotel will hold these rooms for you at “x” rate and the date the rooms will be released to the public. After the rooms are released, your guests will not be able to book a room at the terms offered in your room block contract. Generally, hotels will offer 10 or so rooms on a courtesy room block, but it all depends on the specific hotel.

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Why CHOOSE a Contracted group when a Courtesy or flexible group has no penalties?

• Courtesy room blocks may not be offered at the resort that you have chosen for your wedding. Mid to higher end hotel chains and most all-inclusive resorts will not offer a courtesy room block as an option. This is most likely found at a lower end hotel or resort.

• Another reason to book a contracted room block is that the hotel or resort is at risk of booking up leaving your guests with no room availability for your wedding date. This could happen due to booking a busy hotel that fills quickly or the date chosen is during a busy week or weekend. Unfortunately, most guests will wait until the last minute to book their room. If you didn’t set up a room block, then they may not be able to come to your wedding.

• You require several rooms for your wedding group. Again, if your guests wait until the last minute to book, the rooms may be gone, and they may not be able to come to your wedding. Couples sometimes think that blocking a large quantity of rooms will give them negotiating power. If the number of rooms that guests book are not guaranteed, there is more risk from the resort’s perspective. The more rooms you request, the less favorable the contract terms will be in most cases.

WHEN SHOULD WE SET UP THE ROOM BLOCK?

Once your destination wedding location is confirmed, you should set up the room block for your group. The booking rate and payment terms are likely to be more favorable the sooner you contract your wedding room block with the resort.

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More questions? Check out part 3 of my destination wedding series with some frequency asked questions here OR email me at lauren@thatblondetravels.com.

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Why Choose ME

Lauren Bailey Travel and Event Co. (That Blonde Travels, LLC) is dedicated to ensuring your experience, as well as your guests, is seamless from start to finish. When reserving your destination wedding with us, you'll enjoy:

• Flexible deposit, payment, and cancellation options

• The best vacation prices—including hotel and activities

• Complimentary room upgrades and money-saving offers based on group size

• Customized itineraries and group activities

• Group Travel Protection Plan, protecting your travel investment

• You'll receive professional, personalized one-stop-shop service

To get started schedule your complimentary consultation today!

So, you just got engaged and you think to yourself immediately - DESTINATION WEDDING!

Next step, google “Destination Wedding” and you’re like whaaaaaa…hold up (la de da de da - please tell me you get this reference)…when more than 15 million results hit your screen. You think to yourself “wow, there’s a ton of info” and “where do I even begin” and “I’m already overwhelmed”. After you’ve clicked through a seemingly endless amount of websites, you’re more confused than ever. Where should I have the wedding? How expensive is this going to be? Where do I even start? Maybe I should just go to the courthouse..

If this sounds like you, then welcome! With so much information available, it can be hard to decipher what is what. This is where I come in! Hopefully, you had someone refer you in my direction, or maybe all your googling found me. No matter how you ended up here, I’m happy to have you and to help, so grab yourself a glass of wine (or champagne, this is wedding planning after all!) and read on.

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PLANNING PROCESS

STEP 1: CHOOSE A DESTINATION WEDDING PLANNER

Your destination wedding planner (or destination wedding travel agent) will help you narrow down location, choose a date, negotiate rates and concessions for you, etc. In order to get as many of your “must-haves” as possible, we will take a look at your spending plan (or make one) to guide you to the right location or venue.

Where you start this process, will determine how fun or how much of a headache the planning process, travel, and wedding day will be.

STEP 2: LET’S DISCUSS

We will jump on a video chat and discuss all things relating to your wedding. This will take roughly an hour, so grab a glass of wine and get comfy on the couch and let’s discuss all your wedding dreams!

There is so much to talk about. Here are some examples of things that we will discuss..

• What are your wedding absolute musts?

• What kinds of activities do you want to have for you, your guests, or even on your honeymoon?

• How many guests?

• Are children allowed?

• Is your wedding date flexible?

• Are you looking for an all-inclusive resort or an off-site venue?

• Do you want an outdoor or indoor ceremony and reception?

• Do you want a legal or symbolic ceremony?

• Are you planning on bringing any of your own vendors, like a photographer?

The biggest tip I can give is to BE HONEST! If you really want something or really don’t want something, you need to tell us about it or we won’t know (We don’t have ESP-N or something - lol). Another tip - and this is a huge one - please don’t lie about your spending plan! Most couples have a spending plan in mind, but instead of telling their destination wedding planner, they give us a much lower number to “see what magic they can do”. This is a HUGE waste of time, for both you and us. Give us the honest info and we’ll give you the best options we can find or we will tell you if that number just isn’t feasible for what you are wanting. Either way, honesty is the best policy.

step 3: DESTINATION WEDDING PLANNER GOES TO WORK

After we finish our video chat and you go relax, I get to work figuring out what locations and resorts work for your budget, guests, and wedding preferences. From here, we will narrow it down to a few options and I will reach out to the resort’s wedding department to inquire about wedding dates. This could narrow our search down even more as some of the resorts may not have your preferred date available.

Once we have 1 – 3 locations in mind that have your wedding date options available, we will put together room rates for you and your guests, based on the types of rooms that are available and the options you’ve asked for, and present them to you for review.

How does this happen? Sometimes, we reach out to the resorts directly and other times we work with something called a “tour operator”. A tour operator buys or owns a very high volume of travel components and will then package these components for travel agents to sell. In order to purchase or book this way, you need to be a travel agent (with a CLIA or IATA number).

Why would we use a tour operator versus booking directly with the resort, you ask? First, a tour operator books millions of dollars a year with these resorts, so when something goes awry, you have more than one avenue of complaining and being able to get a resolution. Second, they offer travel protection in the form of travel insurance to protect your investment. Last, the rates will be the same as when booking directly with the hotel so why not have a huge company backing your event to make sure that things go according to the way they are planned.

We then present these options to you and go over room rates, contract, wedding packages, etc.

STEP 4: CHOOSE YOUR VENUE

After reviewing all of the options presented, you say yes! to the venue! Once we get your approval, we will proceed with a contract to secure your wedding date and room block. Woot woot! Other than the legal stuff, this is super exciting!

How does this happen? Your destination wedding planner/travel agent will first re-contact the resort that you have chosen and ask them to proceed with a contract for the wedding ceremony date and time. The resort will need your exact names – very important – address, email, and phone numbers. A contract will be prepared with this information and emailed to you for a signature. Normally, there is a small window to get this contract signed and returned – usually 1 to 2 days. You’ll fill out the contract, signing each item, and return it. The resort will ask for your credit card or your bank information at this time and will charge you a small ceremony deposit – usually around $250 or so, but each location is different (here lately the ones that I have been doing are $1000).

Once the resort has received this information, they will email a confirmation of your deposit payment an you are officially on the books. Your wedding date and time is reserved and I will email over a confirmation receipt to you.

Once the resort has secured your ceremony date and time, you will, in most cases, be assigned an “on site wedding planner/coordinator” from the resort.

I pride myself on being super responsive to emails and messages. If you’re like me, then this is a super important message for you! Once your contract is signed and your date is reserved with the resort, communication from them will typically slow down significantly. This might drive you crazy if you let it (just like it does me!), but realize that they are on island time. As your wedding gets closer, the response time will get better and better. Just make sure to cc me on all of those emails and we will make sure that everything gets taken care of! *wink* This does not mean that you aren’t important! They just have a lot of Brides that they are working with that may have wedding dates sooner than yours.

step 5: set up your room block

After your on-site destination wedding planner receives your wedding confirmation, we send it on to the tour operator. They then proceed with the contract for the room blocks for your guests. If you’d like more clarification on setting up room blocks for your wedding, or why you should do so, check out part 2 in my destination wedding series that explains it.

The room block contract will be sent via email and again you’ll have a short window to sign and return it with the initial deposit. We can schedule a quick call with you to go over the contract and discuss any questions you might have before signing if needed. The room block contract will show the deposit amount, when it is due, all of the payment milestones along the way, and the date for the final payment. Any other costs associated with the travel - travel insurance, attrition rates, etc - will also be listed.

How much is the deposit? The deposit varies with each room block. It could be as little as $50 – $100 per room to 50% (or even the whole amount) of the room rate. This just depends on the resort you choose, how many days before your wedding you book, and a number of other factors. Normally, the further in advance you book your room block, the more agreeable the deposit.

Don’t forget, up until you have signed the contract on any part of your wedding – room pricing, ceremony details, airfare – the rates are subject to change. Travel components can change VERY frequently. There is such a short window to sign the contract because, until signed, the rates can change at any time!

Once your room block contract is signed and returned with payment, your destination wedding planner will receive a confirmation email. which we forward onto you.

STEP 6: SAVE THE DATES AND YOUR WEDDING WEBSITE

We set up your wedding website where you will send your guests. This will have all of the information about the wedding – the location information and photos, time of events, how to book their rooms and travel, info on transportation to and from the location, passport information, and just about anything else that guests need to know. You can fully customize this site and can also post information about yourselves, like how you met, photos of together, registry information, a timeline or itinerary, dress code, etc.

This will be the place where you can send guests that gives them all of the information and help eliminate a ton of texts and calls to you asking about anything and everything under the sun. You can just tell them to go to your website and if they still have issues give them my email and we will get it worked out!

At this point, you will compile a list of your guests and give it your wedding planner/travel agent -very important!

STEP 7: VISIT THE RESORT

If you have the time, and you’re able, I’d recommend taking a few days to visit the resort you’ve selected to check out the ceremony locations and chat with their on-site wedding coordinator. Once you’ve selected a specific resort as your wedding location, some will offer discounted rates or other perks for you to visit. This way you can taste the food, check out the resort and surrounding area, meet with your on-site coordinator, look at the ceremony options, come up with a Plan B option just incase, and then just relax and have a little fun.

Your destination wedding planner can help you set up a meeting with your on-site coordinator and book your trip or “site visit”. If you’re not working with a full service wedding coordinator, the on-site coordinator at the resort will be your contact for anything involving the actual ceremony and reception. He or she will take all your vision for your wedding ceremony and reception and assemble the on-site vendor team to make it all happen. If you do have a full service destination wedding planner, the on-site resort coordinator will still be available to you, if needed, but your full service wedding planner will be the person that is most in contact with the on-site coordinator.

STEP 8: GET TO PLANNING!

Between now and the wedding, you will be getting all of your plans in order (cake, decorations, photographer, DJ, etc.). Your destination wedding planner will be connecting with all of your guests and helping them to confirm their travel arrangements and answer any questions that they may have.

45 days before the wedding: All of your on-site ceremony and reception items will typically need to be chosen by 45 days or more before the wedding. Also, this is typically when final payments will be due for travel and wedding related items.

30 days before the wedding: The countdown is on at this stage of the game! Now, a new person will be assigned from the resort – the onsite wedding planner. I know it is unnerving to feel like you’re starting with someone new so close to the wedding date, but don’t stress. This is just the way most resorts work. Once your on-site coordinator passes you along to the onsite wedding coordinator, they will confirm all the services you’ve hired and they will be assisting you once you get to the resort.

2 days before the wedding: 48 hours prior to the wedding, you (the couple) are almost always required to be on site at the resort. If possible, play it safe and arrive to the resort 3 days before the big day so you can consider the possibility of any weather or other delays. After arriving, you will meet with your on-site wedding coordinator to confirm all of the details of your wedding ceremony and other events.

Step 9: sit back, relax, and get ready for an awesome day!

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Ready to get started planning your dream wedding? Book a consultation today!

Image c/o Fino Restaurant

Website: Fino Restaurant

Address: Oia 847 01, Greece

Reservations required? No, but highly recommended

Phone: +30 2286 072037

Would I recommend? Yes

When we arrived into Santorini, we were a little overwhelmed with the restaurant options. Having had some of the most delicious food of my life, I knew I didn’t want to leave it up to chance and end up in a tourist trap regretting everything. Canaves Oia Epitome did an excellent job helping us to figure out where and what to eat. They assisted with getting us last minute reservations when required as well! Huge shout out to them for sending us to this amazing restaurant!

Fino Restaurant is located in Oia right in the tourist streets. It is known for its delicious Mediterranean cuisine and intriguing signature cocktails. We ordered the Mexican Zombie signature cocktail on a suggestion from the shuttle driver at the hotel. When we told the server who recommended it, he said “Oh! I know him!”. Too funny that Santorini also has those “small town vibes”.

WHAT WE ORDERED:

For my drink, I had the Mexican Zombie 🧟‍♀️.

We started with fresh bread and seared tuna 🍣. We also had the ricotta gnocchi in goat and truffle pekorino cheese 🧀 topped with sun dried figs. Omg so good. Gnocchi is always a fav!

For my main course, I had the grilled chicken with avocado 🥑 salad and Kayla had the Iberian pork ragout with rigatoni and a sweet and sour sauce.

Dessert was a delicious baklava 😋. Notice the detail on the ice cream!

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Image c/o Mystique

Website: Lure Restaurant

Address: Oia 847 02, Greece

Reservations required? Yes

Phone: +30 2286 071114

Would I recommend? Yes

Lure by Chef Olivier Campanha is located in Oia, Santorini on the cliffside overlooking the caldera. The views and the food were simply spectacular! I am so grateful to have gotten to experience this restaurant first hand. If you are looking for a fine-dining experience while in Santorini, then Lure is an amazing option!

Grab yourself a seat here to witness the most amazing sunset!

WHAT I ORDERED:

We started with a pallet cleanser and some fresh sourdough bread. Omg, it was so good! The bread was accompanied by two types of sea salt, some fresh olive oil, and butter.

For our main dish, I ordered the free range chicken breast topped with thyme jus and Naxos gruyere. It came with a side of asparagus and roasted cherry tomatoes. My cousin, Kayla, ordered the Black Angus beef filet with pepper crust, potatoes Anna, fresh slim amaranth, and onion chlorophyll. Both dishes were yummy!

For dessert, a bitter chocolate sphere with milk chocolate mousse and salted caramel sauce topped with a flower honeycomb.

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Website: Armeni Restaurant

Address: Armeni Bay, Oía 847 02, Greece

Reservations required? Yes

Phone: +30 2286 071053

Would I recommend? 1000%

To get to this off-the-beaten path restaurant, take the long hike down the cliffside in Oia or take the ferryboat from Ammoundi Bay. When we went, it was super windy outside so the ferry was not running. While the hike down was not too bad, the hike back up almost did me in! The views are phenomenal though so you have plenty of opportunities to stop and enjoy them on your way back to Oia.

This was such an amazing experience to eat here and watch the waves crash against the dock. It was so peaceful and the food was delicious. Definitely add this one to your “must eats” when in Santorini! You will not be disappointed!

WHAT I ORDERED:

We ordered the spicy feta dip to start. While in Greece, we ordered the spicy feta dip several times at multiple restaurants and it was always fantastic!

I had heard that the octopus in Santorini was divine and that I should give it another shot. The first time that I tried octopus, I found it to be very tough and chewy. This on the other hand was very fresh and delicious!

For my main dish, I had the chicken souvlaki. It was grilled to perfection!

We hadn’t planned on ordering dessert, but they brought out a complementary chocolate ice cream cake that was wonderful!

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Disclaimer: This post contains Affiliate Links for products I’m currently using. By using these links you won’t pay any additional fees, but support me to keep this site running!

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ultimate botswana safari

Written by Kelly Wilson

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Planning a safari is exciting, but also overwhelming! First, I asked myself what I wanted to from the experience. Do I want to see African wild dogs or gorillas? Do I value a more solitary experience away from crowds? Luxury or budget? Answering these questions helped me narrow down where to go on safari.

Why Choose Botswana

Botswana is committed to eco-friendly tourism. It has slightly higher prices but fewer crowds compared to the Serengeti for example. It's also home to the beautiful Okavango Delta, which is a unique vast inland river delta famous for its grassy plains. Flooding seasonally, this area becomes a lush animal habitat. During the dry season, animals travel for miles in search of water as other sources begin to disappear. This increases one's chances of seeing lots of wildlife! The Okavango Delta is also a paradise for bird enthusiasts as well. Botswana is home to the world's largest concentration of elephants, in addition to, conservation land devoted to the protection of African wild dogs, cheetahs and black rhinos. The landscape is diverse and beautiful, from marsh land of the delta, to the dry saltpans of the Makgadikgadi region, to the red sand of the Kalahari desert, Botswana will surely capture your heart.

BOTSWANA ITINERARY: OKAVANGO DELTA, MOREMI GAME RESERVE, CHOBE NATIONAL PARK, VICTORIA FALLS

Recommended 11-Day Botswana Itinerary:

Okavango Delta (4 nights)

Moremi Game Reserve (2 nights)

Chobe National Park (3 nights)

Victoria Falls (1 night)

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Total days: 11

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My Botswana Experience

My husband, Jimmy, and I chose to go at the beginning of the dry season, at the end of June, which is winter in the southern hemisphere. Some advantages of going at this time are that the prices are slightly cheaper, as it's off season, the weather is still cool, and no rain. Due to COVID, we were the only people on the boats and in our safari jeep, as not many people were traveling yet. There were still other guests at the lodges that we ate meals with, but all of our excursions were essentially private. Not only were the animals amazing, but so was the scenery. I loved the peacefulness we experienced out on our drives just as much as seeing the animals. I would sit back, enjoy the breeze and beautiful landscape, and wait to see what nature had in store for us that day.

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Okavango Delta

Location: Setari Camp (2 nights)

From the Maun airport, my husband and I took a 40-minute flight on a 12 passenger plane to an airstrip in the middle of the delta near our first lodge, Setari Camp. The views from the air were beautiful as the water created blue swirls of inlets among the green islands. We even spotted elephants and ostriches from the plane. After landing, we were met by two employees from the camp, a boat driver guide and a guide who sat next to us and knew the name of every bird we saw. To get to the lodge, we took a boat along the papyrus lined canals for 50 minutes allowing us to take in the scenery and wildlife during our journey! Upon arrival, lots of lodges offer you a tasty and much appreciated welcome drink. While sipping our welcome drinks, we spotted monkeys in the trees! It was so exciting to see so much wildlife already. That night we watched the sunset from the deck as we warmed ourselves with hot drinks around the fire before dinner. The food at all the lodges was amazing and we ate well the entire safari.

While at the Setari Camp, we did boat safaris around the delta and a guided walk around the island where the lodge was located. We saw African fishing eagles, Malachi Kingfisher, cormorants, and so many more types of birds! We saw sitatunga and red lechwe antelope, baboons, crocodiles and hippos. On an evening boat ride my husband, the second guide, and I were looking down into the water from the top level of the two-tier boat, when we spotted some bubbles floating to the surface, indicating an animal was below in the water. Suddenly, the boat lurched side-to-side knocking us off-balance almost tipping the boat! The boat driver had quick reflexes and righted the boat just in time. Hippos are very territorial and this bull did not like us in his space. He rammed our boat from the bottom! The hippo was ok. The guide, who has been working in the Okavango Delta for twenty years, said that has never happened to him before. It goes to show that you just never know what one moment to the next will bring.

Location: Mochaba Crossing (2 nights)

Next, we stayed at Mochaba Crossing on the eastern edge of Okavango Delta. Here, the land is much drier, but there are still areas of marshland and rivers. We did a game drive as well as a Mokoro Boat, traditional long wooden canoe, excursion to a large island where a local guide took us on a safari walk. We wandered over sand, past herds of zebra and antelope, into pockets of forest. At one point, while walking through the trees, I stopped to stare in awe at a huge termite mound, when I spotted movement ten feet away. I simultaneously noticed a large grey body and an ivory tusk. The next moment, the guide was silently pushing us along and away from what was an elephant hiding in the trees! Since it is not safe to surprise elephants on foot, we hastily and silently retreated to safety. It happened so quickly that my husband Jimmy didn't see the elephant or even know what was happening. It was a special experience to see the animals on foot, without the barrier of the jeep. I would definitely recommend a safari walk if possible and when it is safe to do so during your stay.

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Moremi Game Reserve

Location: Sango Safari Camp (2 nights)

We drove to our next camp which may have been my favorite! Sango Safari Camp is situated on the Khwai River at the edge of the Moremi Game Reserve. Our lodgings were right on the river and looked like an old fashioned canvas safari tent, however, it was updated with an en-suite bathroom, outdoor shower, and electricity.

On the other side of the river was the game reserve. More than once, we came out of our room to see elephants across the water about 50 feet away. One evening, I saw a monitor lizard right before it rushed back into the water. At night, we could hear the grunting of the hippos! They are a pretty noisy bunch. When we first arrived at the camp, we walked to a viewing platform where we could immediately see at least 3 elephants, a hippo, and several birds. Next, we ate lunch and made friends with a family from South Africa.

After lunch and a quick nap, it was time for our evening game drive. The guide said we would go to a spot where wild African dogs had been known to den with their puppy litters in years past. I held my breath as we waited for the first jeep from our camp to radio with news of the dogs’ presence! I was hoping against hope that I would be able to see African wild dogs while on safari. They are a favorite, but are endangered and rare to see. These dogs are found in much of Botswana, which is another reason I chose it for our first safari. After about 10 minutes, we finally received word the African dogs were here! We gave the first jeep time to see them, then we headed back into the pocket of the forest to finally see them for ourselves. The puppies were so adorable and the mom was patient as they all climbed and played on and over her. We must have stayed there for 30 minutes watching them. This is easy to do and the time goes very quickly!

Next, we drove around the game reserve, where our guide spotted a lion in the grass. I would never have seen the lion! They camouflage very well and this is why guides are a must on your first safari! It turned out to be not one lion, but a small pride of 7 lions. They were all sleepy as it was still pretty warm out. After watching for a bit, we drove around the reserve and saw more antelope, zebra, elephants, giraffes, warthogs, etc! As the sun was setting, we headed back to find the lion pride. The lions were starting to wake up and be playful. Slowly, by ones and twos, they started walking off toward the waterhole. We followed them, even going off road (this is allowed at this park, but not at all of them). We followed and watched them as long as we could before they disappeared into the night, past the waterhole, where we couldn't follow.

Day 2 at Sango camp

Early mornings are the name of the game in Africa! It's the best time to see wildlife before the heat of the day sets in. We were there in winter so the mornings were in the 40s and could be pretty chilly especially once the jeep got moving. On our morning game drive, the first thing we did was try and find the lions from the previous night. Before we could spot them, we found a zebra carcass. The lions had been on their way to hunt when we saw them the night before and we could see they had been successful. Next, we found the lions walking back to their favorite sleep spot. Their stomachs looked like basketballs because they had eaten so much! They wouldn't need to eat for another 4 to 5 days after eating an entire zebra.

That evening, we saw the African wild dogs again! We were the only jeep out there that particular day. FYI: all the parks we went to, we saw almost no one out there as it was during COVID. We stayed another 30 minutes or longer. We saw the male African dog come back to the family and regurgitate the found he hunted for them. African dogs do this so that other animals don't try and steal their food (you learn a lot while on safari as the guides are incredibly knowledgeable!). There were a few vultures who flew in and tried to steal the scraps of food the puppies were playing with, but momma dog scared them off. We saw lots more antelope and other animals during the rest of the drive.

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Chobe National Park

Chobe Elephant Camp (3 Nights)

Chobe National Park is an incredible place as it has the largest concentration of elephants in the world! There are over 120,000 elephants who live in this large park. So many elephants all the time! We saw elephants crossing the river from our boat, as well as, cute babies and juveniles playing in the water along the banks. The Chobe River separates Namibia and Botswana, so during the dry season, animals from all over come for water. We saw many crocodiles along the banks and in the water, so many beautiful eagles, cape buffalo, zebras, antelope, hippos, giraffes, and lots of baboon troops. One troop of baboons can have hundreds of monkeys. They are so fun to watch! The babies are adorable and the younger baboons play all day sometimes infuriating the older baboons. That is a little scary. We saw more lions here too! A larger pride than the previous park, but we did not see the males with this pride. The males will go out on their own and patrol their territory. This pride had 3 females and about 9 cubs. The cubs are very curious about the safari jeeps and will come up to your jeep and growl at it. The females are used to safari jeeps that they just carry on like you're not even there. It was fun to watch this group, as the cubs were initially up high in a rock outcropping, hiding behind trees, watching us. Slowly, the cubs came down one-by-one out of curiosity and because the sun was setting.

I was so happy because I saw so many lions, African wild dogs, giraffes, and elephants that I thought this trip would be really extra special if I saw a leopard. So, all the three days in Chobe, I looked in the low lying branches of the trees to try and spot a leopard. I was so obsessed! I even dreamed about a leopard. Our last day, we had just entered the park, early in the morning. Our guide parked the jeep in the road to tell us more about the Chobe river that was down the hill and straight ahead. He is mid-sentence when, all of a sudden, he got very excited and says, in one breath, "Look! A leopard!" We looked up to see one walking away from us in the brush. Miraculously, she turned around and started walking towards us. I was so happy, and the leopard is so beautiful, that I am close to tears (not exaggerating or trying to be overly sentimental). Leopards are so incredibly beautiful in the wild. The leopard walked right in front of our jeep on the road and looked right at us. I just stared and stared. I could not believe my eyes. Jimmy, my husband, was sweet and took photos so I could really soak in the experience. We tried to follow the leopard, but it was too far to see well. We caught a couple more glimpses of her from far away, but, eventually, lost her. We believe that she must've gone somewhere to sleep for the day.

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Victoria Falls

Location: Batonka Guest Lodge (1 night)

Chobe National Park is very close to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, where we decided to end our trip. We only spent one day here, but, honestly, that was enough. The city was overstimulating after being in the bush for 9 days. It is worth a stop, however, as the falls are stunning and absolutely breathtaking!

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Final thoughts: If you are considering going on an African Safari, just do it! You will not regret it! Honestly, you will want to go back to Africa immediately. We are already looking into traveling to Uganda in 2023. An African Safari is such a unique and invaluable experience that you will always treasure.

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A few helpful tips

1. Bring a good camera. I already had a DSLR, but I did buy a new zoom lens. I was soooo glad I did. My favorite camera at the moment is my Sony Alpha a6300 Mirrorless Camera and I love the look and bokeh of the Sigma lenses.

2. Pack light! You are moving camps often and the weight limit in the small planes is only 20 kg. We each brought a hiking overnight backpack and a small carry on tote (hard luggage is not allowed).

3. Some light neutral solid colors are good to bring, but you don't have to buy a new wardrobe. You're sitting in the jeep a lot so you get a little dusty. You can definitely wear some clothes twice however, and most camps have laundry service.

4. Know what kind of safari that you want. What is your budget? What type of safari experience do you want, such as camping, luxury, or somewhere in between? We work with several outfitters that will work with you on your budget and specific requests for an amazing bucket list experience.

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