Hello,
New to this forum - and was hoping you guys could help us with the first safari trip we are planning for our honeymoon! I've searched through the rest of the forum and have also been researching this for a few weeks now but still need help with a few things...
We're planning for a trip late next year - possibly in October or November 2020. In terms of "top picks", my other half is obsessed with elephants, and we're both also very into big cats and gorillas (as well as generally being animal lovers!). Unsurprisingly, we'd ideally like to see if we can find an as up-close as possible experience.
We've so far identified Chobe as being a potential top destination for us, as well as Rwanda/Uganda (realising the high fees for the gorilla sightings and the differences between them, being a difference in fees as well as ease of reaching the gorilla tribes). However, we're struggling to narrow down our choice(s) and also finding the right package or combining the right itineraries, so hoping you can help!
In short, we are looking for a low to mid-range option which will enable us to actually maximise animal sightings rather than other activities. We are also not thinking of self drive at this point just because of the sheer amount of research and preparation that will need to go into it which we don't have time for; we don't mind smallish/medium sized groups (so no need for a private tour), but the issue is that we can't seem to find non-private tours which work for us.
Basically, our thinking is that we are only going to spend this much money a limited number of times in our lives (possibly once, at least in the near future), so we don't want to "waste" it on other things that are in the area like visiting local villages or sights such as Victoria Falls. Yes, I have read many times that rests are needed, etc., but I wouldn't mind for example doing two multi-day trips with a break in between (e.g. five days in each, with us taking a 2-3 day break in between). The issue is that all the organised tours seem to really only let you in the "good bits" about 1/4 of the time - much of the time is "wasted" on travel, "leisure time", activities and other sights which are not safari.
Don't get me wrong, I don't want to come across as rude, but we are just looking for the safari only. We're both around 30, don't mind camping (a low cost lodge is great of course but no need if we can save money), but equally also don't mind paying extra for things that will be worth it (e.g. higher entrance fees for better parks, such as the fees for the gorilla experiences). We'd ideally like to spend 2-2.5 weeks in Southern and/or Eastern Africa and I have a BA companion voucher (saved up especially for this!) so I'd like to use that for the flights, so no need to take those into account.
So really, in an ideal world, what we are looking for is a bespoke low cost itinerary, but I am sure that must sound like I am asking for too much. I was wondering if anyone has been in this situation or can help us with what we are looking for with tips on where to go etc. I am prepared to self-organise parts of the trip (e.g. main flight and internal flights to start shorter multi day tours) if that is necessary (e.g. I have seen some 2-3 day trips which do seem to offer what we are looking for - like two game drives per day, starting and ending in one place - but hard to tell how to combine them and which ones to go for etc.), but I wanted to ask people with experience for tips!
Thanks very much in advance!
