Iceland and Greenland with Explora Journeys – Sep 2023

Greenland had been on my travel list for a few years, and when the opportunity come up to visit in time for the Northern Lights – I just couldn’t say no… And WOW! The Aurora Borealis was simply stunning.

We decided to join Explora Journeys on her maiden Greenland Voyage in September. The sailing went from Reykjavik, Iceland all the way to New York City.

We were excited to cross all these firsts off our list: first time in Iceland, first time in Greenland, first time seeing the Northern Lights, first time on Explora Journeys, first time on a transatlantic sailing, seeing the Fall Foliage again… This itinerary just checked all the right boxes…

Iceland is a very pretty place to visit. We stayed at Centerhotel Plaza in Reykjavik the night before the cruise. The location is amazing, and you can take the airport bus shuttle (it’s like $20/pp) to the main drop off down the road. There are plenty of restaurants right around the hotel, as well as a really good second hand store that has tons of outdoor gear in case you forget anything at home. We enjoyed the city hop on-hop off bus, and did a whale watching tour.

We embarked the Explora I in Reykjavik, and were instantly wowed! The ship is stunning! She can hold an impressive 922 passengers, but we were at only 50% capacity for this sailing, so we felt as if we had the entire ship to ourselves… We stayed in a Premier Penthouse, which was HUGE! Ample space to spread out and enjoy yourself in for 3 weeks. The bathroom is quite large, which a big walk in rain shower that can easily accommodate two people at the same time. There was lots of storage space, a proper make up table with Dyson hairdryer, multiple flat screen TV’s, and the bedroom has separating doors from the living room for more privacy. The veranda is oversized, and furnished with 2 chairs, a full size table, and a double sized sun lounger. It was the perfect home at sea.

There are 9 dining venues on board (including complimentary room service with a delicious steak dinner), as well as 9 bar/lounge areas. Multiple venues for entertainment, a casino, and a beautiful spa and indoor pool. The gym has indoor and outdoor equipment, as well as a basketball and a pickle ball court. We fell in love with the exterior hot tubs and spend a lot of time in there to warm up after our hikes in port. The spa facilities are free to use, and you can rotate between the steam-room, sauna, salt room, and pool. Pick one day at least to get pampered in the spa. It’s worth it!

The food was to die for! My top food recommendations: Caviar Appetizer, Filet Mignon or Burger at Marble; Miso Soup, sushi and Lamb at Sakura; Any and all of the soufle’s at Fil Rouge; Octopus and beets at the Med Yacht Club; Caprese Sandwich and Madelines at Crema Cafe; order the Steak and Breakfast from room service; Crapes and Ice cream at Gelateria; and try everything at the Emporium Marketplace! Also make sure to treat yourself to dinner at Anthology once during your sailing.

The crew on board was phenomenal. They knew our names, drink preferences, and favorite snack foods within a day! We never had to wait in line or look for a seat, and somehow I always had a full glass with my favorite cocktail in hand… 🙂

There is a whole mini shopping mall on board, that offers high end jewelry like Rolex. An excellent way to spend your ship board credit on some incredible deals.

Iceland’s landscape is made up of rolling hills, covered in moss, with volcanic mountains in the background. We enjoyed good food, saw Icelandic Horses, visited stunning waterfalls, did some hiking and mountain biking, and explored lava fields. It’s a wonderful country to explore, and would be easy to do on a self-drive. They have great signage along the roads, and all major attractions have proper parking loots with a little gift shop and restrooms. There are so many great places to go hiking – we could have hiked for weeks… Our shore excursions took us all up and down the west coast of Iceland.

Greenland was very different. The landscape is so big, it’s almost incomprehensible. There are glaciers and icebergs everywhere, and the shore line is sparse. Every now and then you can spot a tiny village (maybe 100 people or so) along the coast. There are a few small towns along the way, which we visited. The locals were friendly, but very protective of their resources. We arrived towards the end of the season, and locals were in winter prep. They proudly showed us around town and took us on some stunning hikes, but they asked that we wouldn’t buy things in town to leave the limited resources they have to the locals. We anticipated this and brought fruit off the ship with us to gift to the little children. They were very excited about apples, but most didn’t know what an orange or a plum was. Hiking around Greenland felt surreal. The ground is so spongy that it makes you feel is if you’re walking on foam mats. We learned all about the local flora and fauna, some survival tips when in the country, and why houses are painted a certain color. We also learned about local beliefs and traditions, and the meaning of various carvings in rock, antler and wood.

Greenland is the perfect place to see the Northern Lights. It is so dark there! We saw the lights 4 times during our visit there, usually between 11PM-2AM. The captain was wonderful, and after we had staff call the bridge, he turned off all the lights aft on the ship so we could take in the Aurora Borealis in it’s full glory! We could even see it off our cabin’s veranda. It was amazing to stand under the dancing lights and see how they would pulsate, change patterns, and truly dance above us. It’s an indescribable feeling to witness such an event, and we were blessed to experience it multiple times.

We crossed into Nova Scotia where we enjoyed a lot of nice seafood, caught a glimpse of the Fall Foliage Colors, and made friends with the many dogs that seem to be part of all the stores staffing there. By the time we returned to New York, we were full of new impressions and experiences, and had definitely discovered our Ocean State of Mind. We cannot wait to get back on board for another adventure.

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A few things I learned:

There are self-serve washers and dryers on board Explora I, so you can pack light and rotate your wardrobe easily.

It gets wet in Iceland and Greenland. If you have them, bring waterproof pants and a warm waterproof parka.

Binoculars are a must have for wildlife sightings.

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Daniela Harrison is a Travel Advisor and Director of Marketing at Avenues of the World Travel in Flagstaff, AZ. For questions, please reach out via 928-556-0853 or Daniela@avenuesoftheworld.com.

** Please note that all photos are authors own, except where credited. As travel industry professional, I make a big investment in first hand experiences. I spend a lot of time to keep up with accreditation and stay up to date on current developments in the travel industry. This means attending conferences, seminars, site inspections fam trip and group trips. I have been able to have some of the experiences shown and described at a reduced cost or combed by the hotel, tour operator, cruise line or supplier. The feedback supplied is based on my personal experience, and based on my personal preferences, likes and dislikes. This first hand experience allows me to better serve you and match the experiences you are looking for. It also allows me to create travel tips for you, based on experiences I have and things I wish I knew before. Travel Supplier partners referenced in blog posts are part of Signature Travel Networks Preferred Portfolio or can be booked via a preferred supplier partner (at least at time of post creation). **

Patagonia March 2024

There I was, sitting on a million-year-old rock formation in front of Bernal Glacier, watching a small waterfall cascade from the top of the glacier into the ocean, as a wave of complete calm and serenity overcame me. The feeling is hard to describe. A mix of pure bliss, gratitude and the realization that I was in a place that very few people in the world have ever had, and will ever have the opportunity to visit – it brought me to tears. I sat there quietly for almost an hour, taking it all in, and reflecting on the adventure we’ve had experienced so far, and all the amazing experiences that were still to come.

Patagonia is a wild place. Many parts of the country are still unexplored and most of the countryside is uninhabited. The wildlife is abundant, curious, and very unafraid of humans. 50mph winds, and steady 3-minute weather changes from sunshine to hail, to rain and back to sunshine is just one way to describe a typical day in Patagonia. The vistas are endless, and sunrise and sunset are breathtaking, as the light reflects off the glacial mountain tops.

I started my journey in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We only had 24 hours there, so we decided to make the most of that limited time. We hired a private guide and driver to pick up at the airport after our early morning arrival. From there we went straight to the hotel to drop off our bags and check in with the front desk. We knew our room wouldn’t be ready, so instead of sitting around for hours, our guide whisked us away into old town to begin our city exploration. We had requested a mix of street art, history, cultural insights and foodie experiences for our day. Our guide did an amazing job of balancing our requests. We wandered the streets observing street art, sprinkled in a few historic and architectural marvels, stopped at the food hall for a proper local lunch with empanadas, and worked our way through the various neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. Having the private car & driver was definitely worth every penny. We navigated effortlessly through the city, and maximized our time with the guide.

After we had a shower and a quick nap, we met our evening driver to take us to Faena Hotel for a private Tango Dance Class, followed by dinner and a tango show. Rojo Tango Show is currently referred to as the best in the city, and the evening was spectacular!

We started with a 1-hour private dance class. Just the two of us and our instructors. Within 60 minutes we went from having never tangoed before, to actually dancing an entire song without looking foolish… The instructors were fantastic! Dinner was served in the same venue, and since we had booked the dance class, we were assigned the VIP table for unobstructed views of the stage and proceedings. The show was vibrant and diverse – absolutely amazing!

The next morning, we met with our Quark Expedition cruise guides before sunrise to make our way to the airport for our charter flight to Ushuaia. The check in process at the airport was fast and easy since Quark chartered the entire plane just for us. The flight takes about 3 hours and was a welcome break for a late morning nap… Upon arrival to Ushuaia, we were greeted by a sea of yellow parkas which we would later learn were our Expedition guides and Naturalists on board. We were whisked away to the pier, and after a short hour of exploring Ushuaia, we were able to embark on Quark’s Ultramarine.

Zodiac ride in Kirke Pass, with Ultramarine in the background

The Ultramarine is a purpose build polar expedition vessel. She holds 199 guests, plus staff, and is state of the art. Cabins are well laid out and spacious, equipped with plenty of storage space, USB plugs, a flat screen TV, heated bathroom floors and much more…

The public areas on board are laid out to be inviting and encourage guests to mingle with their fellow travelers, and interact with the Expedition Team. No matter where you went on the ship, the Expedition team was always around, being very approachable and engaging. The Ultramarine has 2 dining venues, a more casual bistro setting with buffets and live cooking station during breakfast, lunch and dinner; and the formal dining room which offers a buffet setup for breakfast and lunch, and a la carte setup for dinner. The food was fantastic. A good mix of local produce, with American staples, lots of vegetarian and vegan options, and lots of variety in offerings. Wine pairings were excellent and we found a few new wines to rotate into our personal bar at home.

The Panorama Lounge and Theater are well appointed with plenty of seating options for all guests, bar service, and ample outdoor space for wildlife and nature viewing. The spa and gym are bright and inviting, offering unobstructed ocean views from the sauna and relaxation areas, as well as the various workout stations. The hot stone massage on board is wonderful and I highly recommend you get one on your next voyage.

The daily program was busy, and ever changing. The expedition leader would cover their intentions for the following day in our daily pre-dinner briefing, but as mentioned the weather in Patagonia is fickle… Quark’s team did an excellent job of pivoting with natures demands and kept us well informed of changes and opportunities for exploration. We enjoyed 2 excursions per day: usually one zodiac excursion and one hiking excursions. We used zodiacs to explore the far ends of various fjords and get up close to waterfalls, glaciers, and unexplored beaches. Along the way we encountered gray whales, fur seals, sealions, dolphins, penguins, krill, lots of kelp and we were able to observe many species of birds. We did forest hikes, mountain hikes, and beach walks. This allowed us to closely observe the flora and fauna, but we also spotted foxes, condors, crabs, and spend a lot of time birding.

A personal highlight was our Heli-flightseeing. We were fortunate enough to do this activity twice and explore the region from the skies. The flights are only 15minutes long, but being able to see the area from a different vantage point was incredible.

For those of us that needed more activity, Quark offers options for kayaking and paddle boarding. We kayaked through ice shard fields, discovered hidden waterfalls and did a quick hike along a glacier.

One of the main stops of our journey was Torres del Paine National Park. We spend the day there, taking a bus ride from Puerto Natales where we crossed paths with ostriches called Nandu, sheep, wild horses, deer, Llamas called Guanaco, puma and over 130 different bird species including flamingos. We did a few short hikes through the windy mountains (50-60mph winds are not easy to move around in), had a fire grilled lunch, and had time left to enjoy Puerto Natales’ evening life.

We ended our journey in Punta Arenas, and after ample celebration of our adventurous journey, it was time for the morning charter flight to Santiago. There were many hugs, laughs, exchanging of pictures and phone numbers, tears were shed, and we had a lively flight to Santiago where we parted with all our new friends.

In the spirit of expedition, we had arranged a private guide and driver for Santiago as well. Our flight was not departing until 10PM, so we had most of the day to explore. We followed a similar set up we had in Buenos Aires and made our way through the various neighborhoods of Santiago, stopping for empanadas and ice cream, and perused some of the arts & crafts markets. Our guide made sure our luggage got checked properly with the airline and hugged us goodbye at the TSA checkpoint.

Happy but exhausted, we boarded our flight to return home. It’s been 4 weeks, and I am still processing all the sights we took in. Whenever I think back, the feeling of calm and serenity I experienced at Bernal glacier that day washes over me and takes my breath away for just a second. For that, I will be forever thankful!

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A few things I learned and some insider tips:

-When booking a private guide in a big spread-out city, make sure you have a separate driver: it saves so much time and allows your guide to fully focus on you

-Bring your favorite card game (or other game) with you as an icebreaker to meet fellow travelers. We spend many evenings learning new games that way

-On a polar journey, don’t go cheap on your base layer flannels and your waterproofs. These waters are COLD, and you will be spending every day in your base layer. Waterproof pants are a daily must have for the zodiac rides.

-Bring a good pair of binoculars with you, as well as a waterproof camera, and waterproof backpack (or drybag). Take one of the small hand towels from the ship with you on all excursions. Your hands will get wet and binoculars will fog up and can get rained/snowed on. Handling your camera equipment – it’ll be nice to have a dry towel on hand.

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Daniela Harrison is a Travel Advisor and Director of Marketing at Avenues of the World Travel in Flagstaff, AZ. For questions, please reach out via 928-556-0853 or Daniela@avenuesoftheworld.com.

** Please note that all photos are authors own, except where credited. As travel industry professional, I make a big investment in first hand experiences. I spend a lot of time to keep up with accreditation and stay up to date on current developments in the travel industry. This means attending conferences, seminars, site inspections fam trip and group trips. I have been able to have some of the experiences shown and described at a reduced cost or combed by the hotel, tour operator, cruise line or supplier. The feedback supplied is based on my personal experience, and based on my personal preferences, likes and dislikes. This first hand experience allows me to better serve you and match the experiences you are looking for. It also allows me to create travel tips for you, based on experiences I have and things I wish I knew before. Travel Supplier partners referenced in blog posts are part of Signature Travel Networks Preferred Portfolio or can be booked via a preferred supplier partner (at least at time of post creation). **

One day in Buenos Aires

One our way to Patagonia, my friend and I had a full day to Explore Buenos Aires. With such a big city, and only a few hours, it was hard to narrow down what we wanted to do. I am really interested in street art and local food, while my friend is into history and culture. The only thing we knew, was that we wanted to take a Tango class!

I reached out to one of my preferred partners, Argentina Activa, and had the perfect trip proposal within 24hours!

Since we both arrived into Buenos Aires in the morning, we decided to have the guide meet us at the airport. Claudia was on time, with a big smile, and easy to find in the airport. She helped us carry our bags, and we walked curbside to meet our driver. We had a large SUV available for just the two of us. First stop was our hotel to drop off bags with the bellhop and to let them know we had made it to the city. From there, we started exploring the city.

Claudia combined a street art and foodie tour into one, and added components from a historical city tour as well. We alternated between exploring a neighborhood on foot, and driving other parts to avoid crowds. For the food tour portion we stopped at a local food hall to enjoy some of the best empenadas in the city, we got gelato, had a local microbrew, and some veggies to stay healthy…

We finished our tour close to the hotel around 4PM and opted to walk back. Our room was ready for check in and after a quick shower, we checked in with the cruise line desk for our charter flight in the morning.

Our second half of the day, was a private tango class, followed by dinner and a tango show. Argentina Activa had arranged a private driver to take us to Faena Hotel, to meet the Rojo Tango Show dancers. We were the only 2 people in the theater and had 1:1 instructors for our 1 hour long class. In that short amount of time we managed to learn enough to go from never having tangoed before, to being able to dance a full song! It was so much fun!

After the dance class, we stayed in the same venue to enjoy a delicious 3 course dinner, and A LOT of Argentinian wine… Since we were there for the class, we got the VIP table in the venue with prime views. As we were enjoying our desert, the tango show started. A live orchestra entered the room, and was soon followed by the performers. A mix of dancers and vocalists entertained us for about 2 hours. It was spectacular – and having just completed the dance class we had a much deeper appreciation of the performances. The show ended around midnight, our driver was waiting for us outside, and delivered us safely to our hotel.

It was an incredible experience and truly combined all our interests and much more. Argentina Activa was fantastic and having the convenience of the drivers was worth every penny.

To read on about our cruise, please visit: Quark Expedition’s Ultramarine – ship review

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Daniela Harrison is a Travel Advisor and Director of Marketing at Avenues of the World Travel in Flagstaff, AZ. For questions, please reach out via 928-556-0853 or Daniela@avenuesoftheworld.com.

** Please note that all photos are authors own, except where credited. As travel industry professional, I make a big investment in first hand experiences. I spend a lot of time to keep up with accreditation and stay up to date on current developments in the travel industry. This means attending conferences, seminars, site inspections fam trip and group trips. I have been able to have some of the experiences shown and described at a reduced cost or combed by the hotel, tour operator, cruise line or supplier. The feedback supplied is based on my personal experience, and based on my personal preferences, likes and dislikes. This first hand experience allows me to better serve you and match the experiences you are looking for. It also allows me to create travel tips for you, based on experiences I have and things I wish I knew before. Travel Supplier partners referenced in blog posts are part of Signature Travel Networks Preferred Portfolio or can be booked via a preferred supplier partner (at least at time of post creation). **

Colombia

Last week my husband and I visited Colombia. (Click for Important Disclosures about author)

Our journey brought us to Cartagena. It’s located right on the ocean, the breeze feels great when you can enjoy it. As soon as you walk a few blocks into the heart of downtown, buildings become more crowded, traffic picks up and it gets a lot hotter.
We saw much street art, enjoyed the architecture the sounds an smells, and had a night out on the town.

There are many stray animals in Cartagena, and as obvious tourists we were approached by many people to buy their goods, or have them play music for us. We made a point of being polite but firm saying no.

The only person I bought jewelry from was a lady that was obviously a good person. She has little pre-packed bags of dog food in her purse and stopped many times to take care of the strays. I asked her why she was feeding the dogs.
She smiled and whistled, and a small dog ran up to us. She picked her up and presented her dog. She said, that a few years back, she was heading home after a long day of sales. Someone followed her and was trying to steal her money. This little stray dog came to her rescue, so she took it home and made it her pet. She said she is so thankful to her little dog, tat she wants to take care of all the stray dogs she can. She admitted she didn’t have much money, but that it was important to do the right thing. Needless to say we bought some of her goods and gave her money for dog food. I’m so glad we got to meet her!

After a long night of dancing in Cartagena, we decided to leave the city behind and explore one of the national parks. Tayrona National Park is about a 5 hour drive away. Instead of renting our own car, we found a shuttle service that took us from Cartagena to Santa Marta and there we met a cab driver to take us the rest of the way. We stayed at beautiful Villa Maria.

The first day we went tubing. A great little adventure.
It started by waiving down a local bus at the main road. Our instructions said to get off at the speed bump and meet William to get our tubes. Let me clarify this now by saying, we didn’t know if this was supposed to be the first speed bump or a specific speed bump later on. We had never met William and had no idea what he looked like.

When we finally found him, we walked down to the river and enjoyed an easy trip all the way to the ocean! It was stunning! We saw a type of flamingo, monkeys, donkeys, birds and iguanas.

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The next day we went into Tayrona National Park.
Now that we had mastered the local bus this seemed a lot easier.

We started with a 1 hour horseback ride to a hidden beach in the jungle. WOW!

We swam a lot, followed an iguana into a sea cave, enjoyed an amazing lunch and finally climbed back onto the horse and rode back. That was my favorite day in Colombia!

We enjoyed a leisure car ride back to Cartagena for our flight home.

I can highly recommend a trip to Colombia. But make sure to pack mosquito spray!  🙂

For more questions, please feel free to reach out: danielapharrison@gmail.com

**Please note that all photos are authors own, except where credited. As travel industry professional, I make a big investment in first hand experiences. I spend a lot of time to keep up with accreditation and stay up to date on current developments in the travel industry. This means attending conferences, seminars, site inspections fam trip and group trips. I have been able to have some of the experiences shown and described at a reduced cost or combed by the hotel, tour operator, cruise line or supplier. The feedback supplied is based on my personal experience, and based on my personal preferences, likes and dislikes. This first hand experience allows me to better serve you and match the experiences you are looking for. It also allows me to create travel tips for you, based on experiences I have and things I wish I knew before. Travel Supplier partners referenced in blog posts are part of Signature Travel Networks Preferred Portfolio or can be booked via a preferred supplier partner (at least at time of post creation).**

 

My first podcast! – All about travel of course

This was so much fun to record!

Cannot wait to do another one. Thank you BHTP for the opportunity!

Check it out here: PODCAST

 

Would love to hear your feedback…

 

What safari style is right for you?

A safari is on many travelers bucket list, but not everybody imagines the same experience.

Safari can mean a lot of different things, to a lot of people, so it’s important to be very clear about the experience you’re looking for when you start planning your trip.

The first thing to look at is the kind of camp you would like.

Some camps are tents, some are cottages or bungalows and some are hotels. Each has their own personality and pros and cons. Some camps are very small and intimate, with only 6-8 rooms. One of my favorite properties for a small intimate experience has been Dulini Safari Lodge. I truly felt like I was coming home to visit family.

Others are larger and focused on pure luxury. Do you want your room to be next to the riverbed and close to the wildlife, or do you prefer to be located on a cliff wall with breathtaking views over the bush? Lodges like Richard Bransons Ulusaba offer both options.

Some camps will be set up for community dining; others only offer a private dining experience. I loved our communal dinners. After the game drives we were able to all sit down together to an amazing meal and share our sightings of the day.

Next you should look at the kind of vehicles used during your safari. If you like the open land rovers (no roofs) you are limited to a safari in South Africa. If you feel more comfortable in an enclosed vehicle or jeep, you should consider East Africa. Personally I love the open land rovers. It really makes you feel as if you’re part of your environment. There are no dividing walls or windows to separate you from nature. There is nothing like having your hair blow in the breeze, smelling the trees around you as you can hear and see a leopard enjoying an antelope in the tree next to you.

Now it’s time to consider the kind of wildlife you would like to see. Do you want to be in the bush looking for small herds of animals? Do you prefer to be out in the open Savannah gazing upon herds of thousands of animals in migration? Are you hoping to see a family of gorillas? Are the Big 5 a must see for you? Are you into birding? All of those and more criteria’s should be considered as you cannot see all of these in the same place. South Africa will give you a wide variety of wildlife, but in small groups throughout a dense bush. East Africa is home to the famous Migrations and allows you to see thousands of animals at once in a very open space. Gorillas can be found in the forests of Rwanda and Uganda. If you’re into Lemurs, Madagascar is your best bet…

If you have a specific interest like birding, it’s important to find a lodge that employs guides with the necessary knowledge and patience to focus on your interests. During my stay at Tintswalo Lodge we actually saw a kill. Our guide had the knowledge and the patience to follow this particular pride of lions for multiple hours. Even when it was pitch black dark outside, he entertained us with star gazing and some lovely guide stories until the lionesses we were watching bolted into motion. We were able to follow the entire hunt, including seeing the males stealing the kill from the females and having to protect it from stealthy crocodiles. Not many of the guides we met would have had the patience to wait for this to happen.

Lastly you should include your preferred type of transportation for the actual game drives. Do you want to do all your safari game drives by car? Do you prefer to do them via elephant back, bicycle, on foot as a bush walk, in a canoe form the water, via river cruise, from a bush plane…? There are so many different options out there; it can be hard to choose. Not to worry, many camps will allow you to combine multiple experiences into one. On my recent trip I was able to do a land rover safari and bush walk and an elephant back safari all from the same camp. Camp Jabulani did a great job organizing all these different activities for us and fitting them into our day…

Most people traveling to Africa want to be able to support a local school, community or wildlife preservation organization. A visit to the local town and school is so rewarding. The people are friendly and love meeting visitor. To pack for your trip, visit http://packforapurpose.org/ and see what a certain village or school from your itinerary actually needs.

Wildlife rehabilitation centers are a great way to get involved and learn about conservation efforts. If you’re interested to learn more, please ask your safari specialist ways to get involved. There are camps that allow you to travel with local veterinarians to trek rhinos and more.

Please know that your presence in Africa alone is helping to make a difference. The tourist industry is one of the largest on the continent and sustains many villages and conservation acts. Just by traveling through the countries alone, you’re making a huge difference.

Traveling through Africa can take you to some very remote areas. Travel insurance with emergency evacuation can be a huge lifesaver. Contact your travel specialist for more details on the right policy for your next trip. See also: The Importance of Travel Insurance

Now all that’s left is to pick up the phone and contact your Africa Specialist to book your next safari.

Daniela Harrison

Daniela has been a Travel Consultant since June 2010. She works for Avenues of the World Travel, Flagstaff AZ 86004. For more information please contact Daniela at 800.230.3322 or Daniela@avenuesoftheworld.com. For travel inspiration please visit: www.avenuesoftheworld.com

Which Africa Adventure is right for you?

A safari is on many travelers bucket list, but not everybody imagines the same experience. Safari can mean a lot of different things, to a lot of people, so it’s important to be very clear about the experience you’re looking for when you start planning your trip.

1. What kind of safari camp do you envision?

Some camps are tents, some are cottages or bungalows and some are hotels. Each has their own personality and pros and cons. Some camps are very small and intimate like Dulini Safari Lodge (pictured above). I truly felt like I was coming home to visit family. Do you want your room to be next to the riverbed and close to the wildlife, or do you prefer to be located on a cliff wall with breathtaking views over the bush? Lodges like Richard Bransons Ulusaba offer both options.

2. Is the Dining Experience a contributing factor for you?

Some camps will be set up for community dining; others only offer a private dining experience. Some offer very high end cuisine, others like to stick to simpler dishes. do you want a Relais & Chateau Dining Experience with every meal? If so, you should look at a property like Camp Jabulani.

3. What kind of vehicle are you most comfortable in?

If you like the open land rovers (see above picture from Tintswalo Lodge) you are limited to a safari in South Africa. If you feel more comfortable in an enclosed vehicle or jeep, you should consider East Africa. Let me tell you, there is nothing like having your hair blow in the breeze, smelling the trees around you as you can hear and see a leopard enjoying an antelope in the tree next to you.

4. How would you like to experience the wildlife?

Do you want to be in the bush looking for small herds of animals? Do you prefer to be out in the open Savannah gazing upon herds of thousands of animals in migration? Are you hoping to see a family of gorillas? Are the Big 5 a must see for you? Are you into birding?

You cannot see all of these in the same place. South Africa will give you a wide variety of wildlife, but in small groups throughout a dense bush. East Africa is home to the famous Migrations and allows you to see thousands of animals at once in a very open space. Gorillas can be found in the forests of Rwanda and Uganda. If you’re into Lemurs, Madagascar is your best bet… You need to be clear about your wildlife watching goals to find the right destination at the right time of year.

If you have a specific interest like birding, it’s important to find a lodge that employs guides with the necessary knowledge and patience to focus on your interests. Some lodges and their guides are more focused on the safari checklist, and try to show you as many different animals as possible. The private reserves are the areas that focus more on the quality of the sighting and get to spend a lot of time tracking just one animal throughout the day.

5. Do you want to be in the car all day?

There are many different ways to enjoy your safari. Do you want to do game drives by car? Via elephant back, bicycle, on foot as a bush walk, in a canoe from the water, via river cruise, from a bush plane…? It can be hard to choose.

Not to worry, many camps will allow you to combine multiple experiences into one. On my recent trip I was able to do a land rover safari, a bush walk, elephant back safari and a village visit all in 2 days!

Africa will get into your blood and turn you into a travel addict.

I’m always counting the days until my next visit…

For more tips and tricks on travel to Africa, please visit: Travel Consultant Tips or our Africa Hotel Collection

Travel with only a Carry-On

In preparation for my 18 day trip to Africa, I finally packed last weekend.

I’m attending a 3 day conference in Cape Town, before meeting my husband for 10 days of Safari! To say I’m excited is an understatement. Traveling like this means a lot of different types of clothes. The conference requires business clothes, while the safari is more casual. Temperatures will also vary, so packing can be a challenge. Oh, and did I mention the safari requires a 30lbs weight limit and soft sided bag regulations…

I managed to pack everything into one carry-on bag, at 22 lbs! Want to know how? Read on…

Prepare for a long haul flight…

So you’re going on vacation. You’re excited and can’t wait for the adventure to begin – but oh that long flight ahead… That’s the only part you’re really dreading! Well, here are a few tips that might help make it more enjoyable…

In preparation for your flight I’m going to cover a few different topics:

1. Carry on items

Your carry on should be small and light. On most long haul flights, your big suitcase gets checked for free, so why bother dealing with a lot of carry on. You really only need a few essentials with you during the flight.

My personal favorites are my fully charged cell phone, earplugs, my own headphones, my eye mask, a good book, a few granola bars, almonds, chex mix, a refillable water bottle, a pair of heavy socks, my neck pillow and a small blanket. All of these items fit into a small backpack, along with my wallet and my passport. Multiple compartments help me keep it organized and easily accessible. I also add a pair of Yoga pants (to sleep in), a hairbrush, travel toothbrush and toothpaste, moisturizer, eye drops & nose spray (to fight the dry air on planes) and some powder make up. I always make sure I wear a scarf. Can be used as pillow, headband, blanket and more…

2. Food before and during your flight

Eat healthy, light foods. Elevation and climate changes are hard on the body and the digestive system. Eating heavy, hard to digest foods, is not going to help. You don’t want to be going to the restroom every hour and you probably don’t want to be the gassy person on the plane either… 🙂

Sandwiches, Salads, Nuts and Trail Mix are usually a safe choice. Snacks like Almonds can hold you over for hours and are easy on the stomach.

Stay away from smelly foods. Especially if you plan on eating on the plane. As yummy as it is, Indian Curries, Chinese Food, Burger King or Beef Jerky are NOT good options and will make your seatmates hate you. Do you really want to be the most disliked person on the plane for the next 8-14 hours? Think before you eat – it’s not like we can just open a window…

3. Proper stretching before you get on board

Sitting in the same position for a long time, is not only really uncomfortable, but can be a health hazard. It is important to move your limbs around a bit, get up and walk around and do proper stretching. It helps if you do some exercising a day or two before your flight. Get those muscles loose and the blood pumping…

When you’re at the airport, waiting for your flight, don’t sit around. You have hours of that ahead of you! Instead, walk the terminal, stretch out a bit and keep moving. You don’t have to resort to push ups at the gate, but hey, if you’re up for it good for you…

While on the plane, make sure to move your limbs a bit – within your own personal space please! You can draw circles with your feet, crunch your toes, tip your toes and heels and much more. There are usually some exercises in the Airline Magazines. Make sure you get up every few hours and walk up and down the aisles to get the circulation going. Blood clods are the biggest risk here.

4. Clothing

We know you’re going to be on a long flight. You want to be comfortable. I get it. But onesies are not acceptable clothing! PJ’s as a whole are not acceptable. Let’s be a bit more sophisticated than that… Cover your private body parts. We don’t want to see your belly button, lower back tattoo, side boob etc.. you get my drift. If you’re an adult, dress like one! .

5. Code of conduct at the airport and on the plane

I shouldn’t even have to cover this, but please try to be courteous and just be happy. Every person with a boarding pass has a seat on the plane. Nobody will steal it from you.

There is no need to push your fellow passenger around or try to cut in line to get on the plane first. If you stick with the standard carry on, there will be room for it.

Instead of bad mouthing the parents with crying kids in front of you, be sympathetic and understanding. They have enough to deal with and don’t need dirty looks.

Same goes for you, it’s nice to be able to strike up a conversation with your seat neighbor, but use indoor voices. Some people want to sleep and not everybody is as fascinated by the life cycle of butterflies as you might be…

Put up your backrest during meal services and keep your limbs to yourself.

If you take a relaxed approach, many things won’t bother you and you can be a happier traveler.

I hope these tips help you enjoy your next long haul flight a bit more.

Happy travels!

Preparing for an African Safari

I’m getting ready for my next African Safari. I thought it would be nice to share my preparations for the trip, so you have a good handle on what needs to be done before you can go…

First, always check Visa requirements. I’ll be traveling through South Africa, which currently doesn’t require a Visa for US citizens. However, 2 empty back to back passport pages are required and your passport has to be valid for at least 6 month after your return date!

Next I checked for required and advised immunizations. Yellow Fever shots are required, along with standard things like Hepatitis, Rabies etc… Also, most game drive areas advise the requirement of Malaria Pills. You can get a full list at either your local county health department, your primary physician or specialized Travel Health Services, such as Passport Health in Arizona.

The biggest hurdle are Luggage Restrictions. On many safari itineraries traveling via bush plane is required. As these planes are very small and can’t pack a lot of weight, luggage restrictions are strongly enforced. In general you can only have soft sided bags, between 28-33 pounds. That includes all your camera equipment!An no, exercising to lose 5 pounds before your trip, can not be added to the luggage weight… The larger airports, such as Johannesburg, host lockers, so you can secure larger pieces of luggage while on safari and pick them back up on your way home. Alternatively, services such as luggage free allow you to ship a larger suitcase home, while you enjoy your safari.

Check for the correct currency. South Africa uses the Rand. You can order some prior to departure, or purchase them at the airport. Keep an eye on current exchange rates, as they can change daily. If you choose to, you can wait until you arrive in Johannesburg. The airport offers a wide variety of exchange banks and ATM’s. Withdrawing money from the ATM’s seemed easiest to me – just make sure your ATM card only has a 4 digit pin number. On my first trip I had a six digit pin code, and the ATM’s didn’t accept that!

Wifi and Phone service can be tricky. Some parts of Africa are so remote, you just don’t have a signal there. Places like South Africa, usually provide pretty steady signals. Check rate plans with your cell phone providers. There are quite a bit higher that the European plans, but if you have to be accessible via phone or email, this is your best bet. Most hotels will offer wifi, at no or minimal charge, so connect via their network to check emails or face-time/viber with family and friends.

Next up, how to prepare for a long haul flight… Stay tuned!

Also see my previous post on South Africa Packing Lists: https://wordpress.com/post/82441859/134/