brw

Yvonne,

I'm really looking forward to seeing your pictures, the dog sighting sounds unbelievable! I think your trip report illustrates very clearly why there are so many choices in Sabi Sands, evryone has different preferences, and that game sightings vary by the day and pay no attention to how much you've paid for your lodge. Personally I loved my time at Mala Mala (we were at Rattray's) and our game ranger and tracker were great and the game viewing excellent. Your experience seems to have been somewhat different and you where looking for a different experience than we were. Thanks for a great trip report so far, keep it coming.

Bob

YvonneM

Sorry I've been slow on finishing off my report. I still have one more leopard sighting to go and, of course, 5 amazing days in Mozambique. But I have managed to upload some pictures. 'm not very good on putting on titles i'm afraid and I'm certainly no great photographer.. but here goes..Follow the link
http://www.kodakgallery.co.uk/Browse..._6413265120233

rickmck

Enjoyed your pics Yvonne, thanks. Especially the frustrated dogs with the waterbuck in the pond. Also all the Leopard pics. Someone here once said "impossible to take a poor picture of a Zebra." I think the same is true of Leopard, they are such beautiful and elegant creatures with sometimes expressive and sometimes inscrutable facial expressions...

scfphoto

Yvonne, I am very interested in hearing about Mozambique. We are planning to end our trip in September with 5 nights at Buenguerra Island. Is that where you were? I saw the sand dune photos which made me think it could be? Look forward to hearing about it.

YvonneM

Scfphoto I was at Indigo Bay on Bazaruto island, but look at the pics from the air and you will get a good idea of how the area looks. I haven't been to your island or lodge but the whole area is gorgeous. I just loved Indigo Bay because of all the activities, the beautiful accommodation ( our room was probably the nicest beach resort accommodation I have ever stayed in and that includes some lovely properties like the Four Seasons in Bali and various Aman resorts )But absolutely special was the fantastic horses and the riding over the dunes.. I just can't wait to go back.. Y

YvonneM

I'll post a full report on Moz soon, honest..

atravelynn

Great photos. The picture of the mother and baby waterbuck in the pool of water with dogs on either side illustrated your narrative perfectly.

isabel25

Great shots! The lighting on some of those cat photos was just beautiful.

YvonneM

Better late than never a few last words on Nottens and a report on Indigo bay Mozambique. Our last day at Nottens yielded even more quality time with the lion pride devouring the now week old giraffe. One of the males literally got inside the carcass which by this stage was entirely white inside with writhing maggots.. not for the faint hearted. Later we caught up with our final leopard of our trip. As you can see from the photos leopards make expert photographers out of us all.. am amazed by the shots we got in just 1 week and suspect that no matter where we go nothing will rival Sabi Sands for leopard sightings. I would return to Nottens in a second. I notice it is sometimes on MTbeds i can’t recommend it too much to anyone thinking of braving Sabi Sands prices.

And so to Indigo Bay Mozambique. Last time we were there our room resembled a 3 star motel room in Vegas. That was pre the hurricane and to be fair cost about a third of the price. This time all we could say about out 2 bed villa was whao! It was absolutely huge .. I mean huge with 2 beautiful bedrooms, a living room and kitchen a huge deck and splash pool and the whole front had sliding doors that totally open making the entire thing inside outside living. Now all food is included not just dinner, a new and totally beautiful beach bar and pool have been added and an amazing spa at the top of the property with its own pools myriad of treatment rooms and breathtaking views. It is a totally 5 star experience .. at a substantial price.
I think I have already said the riding was a total high light for us. It’s not nose to tail tourist riding but beautiful and incredibly well trained horses, galloping across empty beaches and an amazing experience riding up and then down a near vertical sand dune, with the horses up to their bellies in sand. We also went sand boarding, scuba diving, spent a divine day at Paradise island, played mini golf and ping pong, but chickened out on the waterskiing as I’m a bit of a baby. IN short if you want all the comforts of a top beach resort in incredible surroundings with virtually no one else there this is the place for you. I’m going to sell hubby to finance another holiday there .

atravelynn

Glad I wasn't reading through this last entry while munching lunch. Actually, it wouldn't phase me. Does hubby know about your last line?

annhig

hi yvonne,

thanks for the so detailed and thoughtful report. it's really helpful to have someone saying not only what they liked [and didn't, in the nicest possible way] but also why.

i am putting together some ideas for a trip to SA next year to co-incide with the lions rugby tour; as the 2nd match is in Pretoria, and the 3rd in Jo'burg, it would be an ideal oportunity to see Kruger.

we would be travelling with our "kids" aged [then] 21 & 18. which of the places you went to would be think was most suitable for them and why? [we went to CPT and the garden route last year and spend 3 nights on safari in the eastern cape, so i have a bit of an idea what to expect].

thanks for any thoguhts you might have,

regards, ann

YvonneM

Hi Ann, I guess you can tell from my report that we all loved Nottens. It was the most fun of the 3 Sabi Sands camps we stayed in.. because of the romantic bush type experinece of the evening meals together, all lit by hurricane lamps and candle light. And because of the great company of course. The game viewing was excellent, not just from luck but because they have trackers who have worked there for 20 years and really know what they're doing. Now one issue might be sleeping arrangements for your "kids" who no doubt don't want to share a bed! They have family rooms that have 2 bedrooms interconnected with 3 showers (one room has an outside one as well as an inside one ) and a bath. (lovely bath fittings by the way - I notice little things like that, and hot water all the time) These would be perfect for the family. Like all Sabi Sands lodges the experience doesn't come cheap, but its more reasonable that most of the luxury camps. If you're really on a budget Idube probably worked out cheaper and still have great game (and good food). Of course I only have experience of those 3 in Sabi Sands - others on the board will have much broader experience. Budget is and usually an issue, so you could start a new thread asking for broader advice. Good luck!

annhig

Hi Yvonne,

thanks for the response. i have worried about the double bed issue in the past, but it turns out that in most of these places, a double is actually two twins made up as one large bed.

when we have asked for twins, all that happens is that they make them up as singles still pushed together!

luckily the kids are used to this, and get on well enough for it not to be a problem - or at least, not so much a problem that we have to intervene. so long as DS remembers that DD is in charge, everything works just fine.[come to think of it, that applies to the rest of us too!]

Once I've done a bit more research, I'll start my own thread like you suggest. til then, I've bookmarked Nottens and idube.

regards, ann

bat

Thanks Yvonne> Nottens is now on my Sabi Sands list.