South Africa 2017 - Final Thoughts



I will definitely be taking this trip down the line and will also be going the same time of year. I am so glad you are doing this TR!


It was great running into you guys this weekend! Kate and I were walking into the WDW Food & Wine festival center, and I was thinking, "I know them!" I hope you had a wonderful Food & Wine trip! Were you at Epcot for the 35th?

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It was great running into you guys this weekend! Kate and I were walking into the WDW Food & Wine festival center, and I was thinking, "I know them!" I hope you had a wonderful Food & Wine trip! Were you at Epcot for the 35th?

It was great running into you and Kate as well and getting to meet in real life! We had a wonderful time and yes we were there for the 35th. I do hope Wally and I wind up on the same adventure as you guys down the line.
 


Day 10 Kapama



Sadly today is our last day with our ABD family. As there are only 2 flights a day in and out of the local airport, we had some time before our flight. And....that means one last morning game drive.



It was another beautiful, cool day out. We headed out with Rassie, Collen and our ABD guide Jennae once more. The area is just so amazing, it’s hard to put it into words. It really is magical driving out in the jeep not knowing what you may see. We found a couple of giraffes hanging out, and after following them for a bit we found an amazing assortment of animals. Giraffes, zebras, and impalas all around us.



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It was a very Circle of Life moment. We continued on our way and drove for quite a long time. Rassie would stop along the way to check out some birds or explain some of the vegetation but otherwise we kept driving until we found… buffalo.



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There were so many of them. It was a very “ABD moment”. Everything had been building up to that moment. We saw 4/5 of the Big 5 and tried to find Buffalo the last few drives to no avail. Yesterday, we stressed to Rassie and Collen that we were OK not finding buffalo. We had so many amazing encounters. So many rare ones. So many beautiful sights. We felt we had really accomplished a lot in Africa. Nevertheless, they kept searching for buffalo. So, we found them during the last morning drive before flying out. It was a sight to see.



Rassie explained just how dangerous Buffalo are. They’re like the mafia of African animals. They will find you and they will kill you. Rassie asked Collen if he came upon some elephants, would he run? “No,” he shakes his head. How about lions? “No.” A leopard? “No.” Rhinos? No.” Cape Buffalo? “Yes.” The buffalo will absolutely attack you. Even if they lose you, they’ll track you down and find you. They’re the most dangerous animal in Africa.



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We found some elephants hiding…



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and some more giraffe…



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and another lion hunting…



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It was a great game drive and brought a terrific close to the ABD.



These guys were the best!



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So, we grabbed breakfast, packed up and headed out with Rassie to the airport. A few animals came out to wish us farewell.



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We boarded our little plane which was late picking us up, but I don’t think it affected anyone’s travel plans.



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This was a fabulous ABD. I told Jennae and Craig that out of 9 now this was the best ABD I’ve done. I came back from Africa changed. Not just to have experienced something fundamentally different from my own culture. Not just to have seen these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat. It’s the people, the music, the landscape, the animals. There’s a synergy that can’t be explained, but must be experienced. It’s emotional. It’s magical. Over the last several years we’ve been fortunate to do a number of ABD’s, visit Aulani, do several European cruises with DCL, and of course the Parks. They are all amazing. However, I really feel this is the best experience, the best storytelling as ABD prefers to see it, that Disney offers.







Post ABD…



We said our goodbyes to our family. Jennae and Craig were kind enough to walk us over to the Intercontinental Hotel. We were heading up to Zimbabwe to Victoria Falls, but would have to wait until the morning to catch the next flight. The Intercontinental was certainly nice, but being in any airport hotel between travels is like being in purgatory. They did have a nice restaurant, Quills, though serving pretty good African food. Cool masks on the wall and porcupine quills artistically hung above us. Pretty cool. But it was a means to an end. Tomorrow… Zimbabwe.



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Also, we obviously chose to stay at the airport in Johannesburg. That was a very conscious choice. For one, there's not much in the city to do for a traveler with a few hours. There is a public square with a giant statue of Mandela that is accessible by train from the airport, but other than the statue and a Hard Rock there's nothing there. Plus the train service ends around 8pm, so I didn't want to be stressed in finishing dinner in time to catch the last train. On top of that, the city doesn't have the reputation of being the safest in South Africa. It could be totally fine, but it wasn't worth the trek away from the airport. I think staying and eating at Quills was the smartest play for us.
 
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SO GLAD you saw Buffalo! All 5! Excellent! Was everyone still there for the last drive, or had anyone left already?

I have to admit, this trip never held much interest for me, but I may have to re-evaluate that.

Sayhello
 
SO GLAD you saw Buffalo! All 5! Excellent! Was everyone still there for the last drive, or had anyone left already?

I have to admit, this trip never held much interest for me, but I may have to re-evaluate that.

Sayhello

No one left early. Most of the flights back to the US leave Johannesburg in the evening so it works out fine. I think just about everyone had to wait around Johannesburg Airport for a few hours before their flight home. It was just us that had to catch a morning flight to Victoria Falls.
 
Kapama looks amazing, and I'm just drooling over your pictures! And I completely agree with you about how life-changing Africa is. I've been dreaming about going back since returning from Zambia and Zimbabwe in 2001. On that trip, we saw tons of hippos (because we were mostly on the Zambezi River) and also lots of Cape Buffalo. And we were told the same thing: that the Cape Buffalo are the most dangerous animal in Africa. This trip is definitely high up on my list! Looking forward to reading about your post days in Victoria Falls and Botswana.
 
Looks like you had an incredible last game drive. And to finally see the buffalo must have been amazing! Your favorite trip out of 9 ABD's? That says a lot!

Are the only flights from JNB to Victoria Falls in the morning? I am trying to figure out how many days off work I will need for this trip. I am thinking I may go to Victoria Falls pre-ABD if that can help eliminate the extra night in Jo'berg.

I am excited to read about your adventures in Victoria Falls and Botswana!
 
Thank you Cousin Orville for another GREAT REPORT. Love the pictures. I would think about traveling to South Africa but I would never survive the airline trip. Happy Travels.
 
Kapama looks amazing, and I'm just drooling over your pictures! And I completely agree with you about how life-changing Africa is. I've been dreaming about going back since returning from Zambia and Zimbabwe in 2001. On that trip, we saw tons of hippos (because we were mostly on the Zambezi River) and also lots of Cape Buffalo. And we were told the same thing: that the Cape Buffalo are the most dangerous animal in Africa. This trip is definitely high up on my list! Looking forward to reading about your post days in Victoria Falls and Botswana.

Thanks! Yes, I'm trying to figure out when I can go back too. Hopefully Vic Falls and Botswana will be up soon. We're heading off to China in another week and I NEED to finish this trip report :)

Looks like you had an incredible last game drive. And to finally see the buffalo must have been amazing! Your favorite trip out of 9 ABD's? That says a lot!

Are the only flights from JNB to Victoria Falls in the morning? I am trying to figure out how many days off work I will need for this trip. I am thinking I may go to Victoria Falls pre-ABD if that can help eliminate the extra night in Jo'berg.

I am excited to read about your adventures in Victoria Falls and Botswana!

Our flight to VFA was at 10:50am. I want to say the 2nd flight was a couple of hours later. The flight from Hoedspruit was at 12:00, so we probably got in and picked up our bags around 2:00, maybe later. We wouldn't have been able to catch the latest VFA flight at the time. It would have been nice to avoid staying overnight at Jo'burg, but I couldn't find a way with the current flight schedules.

Thank you Cousin Orville for another GREAT REPORT. Love the pictures. I would think about traveling to South Africa but I would never survive the airline trip. Happy Travels.

Thank you! Yeah, I understand. The flights are no joke. Basically you're living in airports and on planes for the next 24 hrs+. It is worth it in the end :)
 
Post Day 1 Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Part 1



We woke up the next morning, and had breakfast at the Intercontinental. It was convenient but not as good as most of the other breakfasts we’ve had on the trip. The hotel is right across the street from the airport. We checked in early and went through passport control to the international departures. Pretty easy. Had plenty of time. Our flight to Victoria Falls was on British Airways and took about 1.5 hrs. I arranged my trip through Rhino Africa. They in turn booked almost everything except the hotel. They tried, but couldn’t book the Victoria Falls Hotel. I’m not sure why. When I looked it up on Expedia, there was availability. So, I booked the VFH separately. Rhino Africa in turn arranges just about everything with a local Victoria Falls company, Wild Horizons. Wild Horizons seems to be the major player in Vic Falls. They have their own river cruises, their own cafe overlooking the falls, their own guides and trips/adventures etc. Their name is everywhere.



Sitting next to our plane was a Brazilian plane with WDW painted on it!



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We arrived in the early afternoon into Zimbabwe. As a part of Passport control you have to buy a Visa. You buy it there at the airport with US Dollars. Their currency hyperinflated and at the time I’m writing this, it isn’t being used anymore. There’s a movement to try to reinstate it. Everyone on the plane had to fill out the Visa application in the passport control area. Then after identifying ourselves as Americans one of the officers directed me to a specific line. It was confusing because the sign above the line suggested something different, but once we got up to the front, it worked out. They checked all our info including my letters as a traveling solo parent. They took our US cash and gave us a Visa stamp. Immediately after passport control was baggage claim. It took awhile but our bags made it out. I have to admit I was pretty nervous during the entire process. There wasn’t any real reason to be nervous. It just felt very foreign. So exotic. Zimbabwe doesn’t have the best modern history and the same “president” that oversaw the bad times is still in power and his portrait is everywhere. It felt a little intimidating. In reality, it was actually a pretty smooth process all things considered.



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After we got our bags and cleared customs, our driver was there waiting for us. He was very polite and professional. We boarded a large van just for us and headed into Vic Falls. We arrived at the hotel and let me say… The hotel was magnificent. I would arrange my entire trip to be sure to stay at that hotel. Very turn of the century African colonial. Think the Adventurers Club, but in real life. The service was very good. We were checked in by the manager in the VIP area (although we had a normal room). The room was gorgeous. It was recently refurbished. The bathroom had a clawfoot tub. I didn’t use it but it looked cool.



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We went to the back porch to have lunch. Gavin got a cheeseburger and I had pork belly. It was tasty. The porch looks out to the ravine in the distance. You can see the “smoke” from Victoria Falls further out but not the Falls itself. You can also see the bridge in the distance that connects Zimbabwe on the left and Zambia on the Right. This hotel was originally built to accommodate the workers constructing the bridge at the turn of the century. The bridge allowed the continuation of the rail line from Cape Town to Cairo - master planned by the Englishman, Rhodes. When it was controlled by the UK, the country was known as Rhodesia and only recently gained independence. Same guy the Rhodes scholar is named after…



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Post Day 1 Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Part 2


After lunch we were picked up at the hotel to go to our sunset cruise. I specially asked Rhino Africa to get us tickets on the Zambezi Explorer Sunset Cruise VIP deck (or whatever the top deck was called). It was absolutely beautiful. Here’s Gavin double fisting it…



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We made it up to the top deck. They served drinks and appetizers as they cruised up and down the Zambezi.



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Me with a specialty G&T



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Some of the animals we saw along the cruise…



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And back to the hotel…



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Everyone having their pre dinner drinks on the porch…



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We ate at the the Stanley Room for dinner. Service and food were amazing. There was a pianist who just never stopped. It was a great dinner. We planned to eat there twice. So, I ordered a bottle and they saved it for me a couple of nights later. Amazing experience.



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What an amazing shot of the hippos going into the water! It is very rare to see them on land.

We had a close encounter with a hippo just off our cabin deck (within 3-4 feet of me when I noticed it) in Zambia - it was very scary - so much so that I didn't even snap a picture, we just turned and ran back into our cabin and called the desk for an escort to breakfast!

I miss being in Africa. It is an experience we will re-live (hopefully) every summer from now on.

Don't you love passport control there? We had our visa "expedited" because I had US cash to pay the fee. It took MUCH longer for those using a credit card.

I agree with you about the airport being a bit disconcerting at first. It had a very different feel than both Johannesburg and Cape Town.
 
Post Day 1 Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Part 1



We woke up the next morning, and had breakfast at the Intercontinental. It was convenient but not as good as most of the other breakfasts we’ve had on the trip. The hotel is right across the street from the airport. We checked in early and went through passport control to the international departures. Pretty easy. Had plenty of time. Our flight to Victoria Falls was on British Airways and took about 1.5 hrs. I arranged my trip through Rhino Africa. They in turn booked almost everything except the hotel. They tried but couldn’t book the Victoria Falls Hotel. I’m not sure why. When I looked it up on Expedia, it there was availability. So, I booked the VFH separately. Rhino Africa in turn arranges just about everything with a local Victoria Falls company, Wild Horizons. Wild Horizons seems to be the major player in Vic Falls. They have their own river cruises, their own cafe overlooking the falls, their own guides and trips/adventures etc. Their name is everywhere.



Sitting next to our plane was a Brazilian plane with WDW painted on it!



37456675336_f45f296bcc_c.jpg




23652372738_b97d7df369_c.jpg




We arrived in the early afternoon into Zimbabwe. As a part of Passport control you have to buy a Visa. You buy it there at the airport with US Dollars. Their currency hyperinflated and at the time I’m writing this isn’t being used anymore. There’s a movement to try to reinstate it. Everyone on the plane had to fill out the Visa application in the passport control area. Then after identifying ourselves as Americans one of the officers directed me to a specific line. It was confusing because the sign above the line suggested something different, but once we got up to the front, it worked out. They checked all our info including my letters as a solo parent. They took our US cash and gave us a Visa stamp. Immediately after passport control was baggage claim. It took a while but our bags made it out. I have to admit I was pretty nervous during the entire process. There wasn’t any real reason to be nervous. It just felt very foreign. So exotic. Zimbabwe doesn’t have the best modern history and the same “president” that oversaw the bad times is still in power and his portrait is everywhere. It felt a little intimidating. In reality, it was actually a pretty smooth process all things considered.



37456675656_fca6d816f3_c.jpg




After we got our bags and cleared customs, our driver was there waiting for us. He was very polite and professional. We boarded a large van just for us and headed into Vic Falls. We arrived at the hotel and let me say… The hotel was magnificent. I would arrange my entire trip to be sure to stay at that hotel. Very turn of the century African colonial. Think the Adventurers Club, but in real life. The service was very good. We were checked in by the manager in the VIP area (although we had a normal room). The room was gorgeous. It was recently refurbished. The bathroom had a clawfoot tub. I didn’t use it but it looked cool.



37456677296_2b57052bb6_c.jpg




37456677766_e15326b292_c.jpg




37473554742_c173538b96_c.jpg




37473556702_07eb50fcc7_c.jpg




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We went to the back porch to have lunch. Gavin got a cheeseburger and I had pork belly. It was tasty. The porch looks out to the ravine in the distance. You can see the “smoke” from Victoria Falls further out but not the Falls itself. You can also see the bridge in the distance that connects Zimbabwe on the left and Zambia on the Right. This hotel was originally built to accommodate the workers constructing the bridge at the turn of the century. The bridge allowed the continuation of the rail line from Cape Town to Cairo - master planned by the Englishman, Rhodes. When it was controlled by the UK, the country was knows as Rhodesia and only recently gained independence. Same guy the Rhodes scholar is named after…



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37456678956_ccb655f348_c.jpg




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Seeing your pictures of the Victoria Falls Hotel brings back such great memories!!
 
Oh I love the hotel decor. Adventurer's Club decor is right up my alley. I'm so glad you are posting about your post trip since it will likely be exactly what I wind up doing when we do visit VF after our South Africa ABD down the line. Awesome pictures as always!
 

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