How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Chris and Mike were first class leaders - efficient, knowledgeable and above all good fun!

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Make sure you have a decent size memory card in you camera.

 

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Both our tour leaders (Grant Elliott and Mike Miles) were excellent and were able to share a lot of information with us.  Mikes iteration of the Zulu Wars at Rouke's drift was particularly memorable.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

This is a very busy tour, so be ready to live out of a bag.  The weather in the Drakensburg Mountains was particularly bad and everyone suffered with wet cameras and equipment, so people need to be aware and prepared.  That said, it is a great taster of what South Africa has to offer.

Do you have anything else to add?

The camping in the wet weather was difficult and whilst I enjoyed it, a lot of time was wasted the following day trying to pack up wet tents and equipment.  This was to the detriment of time spent at the Zulu Battle Fields.  I would have preferred a lodge/hut option to negate this possibility especially knowing what the weather can be like when you are camping in mountains.  Would loved to have spent more time at St Lucia.  There was so much more to see.

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Both Fabulous, however spent more time sat upfront with Chris who had me in stitches!!

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Don't be disappointed if you don't get to see everything!

Do you have anything else to add?

In my journal this trip is referred to as My South African adventure and that is exactly what it was.  From the 2 nights camping in NP Natal, through the many safari drives, Ulundi, St Lucia, fabulous whale watching, the battle grounds at Rorkesdrift, bought to life with Chris' shorter rendition.  The stunning wildlife a photographers paradise, homecooked campfire meals, incorporating chicken curry and rice - Grant style! All washed down with Savannah or my favourite Hunters cider. The gorge walk, exhausting but well worth it just for the panoramic views.  Cato our wonderful host at Ulundi, the youngsters and their beautiful song and dance routine that bought tears to my eyes.  Meeting the formidable chief (lady) at an orphanage in Swaziland along with the amazing beehive huts in Nyala village and lastly not forgetting the group dynamic who were side splittingly fun to be with!  

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Graeme and Mike were excellent.They worked tirelessly and with humour. Sometimes I wondered how they kept going. They were extremely knowledgeable and great guys. They cooked us some great breakfasts and braais.

Do you have anything else to add?

I would have loved more time at St Lucia and in the games parks with more time to spend observing the animals.

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Graeme and Mike were excelent nothing was to much trouble in particular their historical knowledge and appreciation of the wild live was a major bonus.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Temperatures ranged from -1 in the mountaunds to > 30c in Kruger mixed with a few clear blue skies but also torential rain and enourmous  hailstones. With camping plenty of warm clothes is very important.Essential items good tourch, binocculars and largeb optical zoom on camera.

Do you have anything else to add?

It was my first African  Safari holiday and would certainly like to arrange a similar holiday in the future. Cannot wait to get my photos printed.

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Grant and Chris were brilliant. Both were very helpful, endlessly patient  and extremely knowledgable about the many animals and birds that we saw. They also cooked  wonderful braes.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

"Be prepared for variable weather conditions. On our first night it was cold, it lashed with rain and the wind blew a gale.It was not much fun erecting tents in that but later in the week the sun shone brilliantly and we could snorkel in the Indian ocean.
Take advantage of every optional trip - we wouldnt have missed the croc/hippo river cruise or the whale watching for anything and drinking hot chocolate under a wonderfully starry sky while on the night safari was simply surreal."

Do you have anything else to add?

The trip does not allow adequate time at the Zulu battle fields which was disappointing as it was one of the things we were most looking forward to. Even with a very early start a lot of time was spent on the morning taking down tents and trying to pack the too small trailer with all the camping stuff. If ready erected tents or huts were used then an extra two hours could be spent at the battlefields.  Also camping stools or seats should be provided so that one could eat sitting down and a gazebo type covering to provide a communal area in bad weather.  The camping element really wasn't up to standard despite the best efforts of Grant and Chris and spoiled an otherwise great trip. Basic weatherproofing of the vehicle would greatly help!  

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

"Remember to wrap up warm in the Drakensberg in winter. We were not given sufficient guidance before leaving England about the likelihood of near 0 degree temps.
Its an adventure tour - enjoy it for that - not a picnic"

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

"Remember to wrap up warm in the Drakensberg in winter. We were not given sufficient guidance before leaving England about the likelihood of near 0 degree temps.
Its an adventure tour - enjoy it for that - not a picnic"

Do you have anything else to add?

I'm looking forward to my next holiday

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Both Chris and Graeme were excellent leaders. Both very well informed and well organised. Totally committed to giving the group a magnificient experience even at personal cost (they had to use day off to drive 800km to swap a vehicle) and be ready to drive us on into Swaziland the next day.  They are excellent cooks and we ate well when they had control of the budget, food purchasing and cooking. The "included" meals were very disappointing and did not come up to usual explore standard. Insufficient food had been provided both in quantitiy and variety.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

"Be prepared for very cold weather and snow! We were not and had insufficient clothing for evenings and nights in Drakensberg.
Consider going a day early rather than 2 night flights in ten days if there is the flexibility to extend. Returned home very tired and developed infection.  "

On our Explore! Holiday we found out that there are two sorts of South African Campaign …  During the Anglo-Zulu War there was Lord Chelmsford’s unsuccessful Battle of Isandlwana in 1879, and by contrast there was our Explore! guides Grant and Chris‘s successful exploration of August 2010. Lord Chelmsford may have had his breakfast wagon, but Grant and Chris brought us breakfast, lunch and dinner every day! However after Rorke’s Drift, Grant was unlucky to follow Michael Caine’s example and “Blow the blooming wheel nuts off his Land Cruiser”. Unlike Lord Chelmsford’s army which divided, we stayed together to visit Hluhluwe-Umfolozi game reserve to see all that moved, and also the fabled Rockosaurus! From the beautiful St Lucia wetlands park a scouting party went up to Cape Vidal for snorkeling and swimming and we had to stand guard over the barbecue food to keep the monkeys away. Later a night-time sortie saw leopard, chameleon and was fortified by hot chocolate and rusks. Under our Explore! guides Grant and Chris’s leadership the whole company advanced across the Swaziland border to Mlilwane wildlife sanctuary’s beehive huts, which were warm, cosy, but not entirely soundproof - so we learnt a little more about each other there! Troops went out on foot, bicycles and horses. Like Mlilwane’s founder Ted Reilly, Grant and Chris drove their “Jezebels” up Executioner’s Rock so we could see the sun set on what may have been part of the British empire. And that evening we were treated to high-kicking dancing and high-pitched singing. After further border crossings our Explore! guides Grant and Chris ensured our ammunition supplies by visits to all the gift shops in the area! After a skirmish in the kitchen with Chris, Grant just made it to our table covered in Wellington’s sweet chilli sauce, to tell us that dinner was ready, before they both sat down exhausted. Under Grant and Chris’s guidance we saw much more than just the big five at St Lucia wetlands park, Mlilwane wildlife sanctuary and Kruger national park. Our Explore! guides drove us thousands of kilometres to show us South Africa’s beautiful animals, birds and extraordinary sights and we left via God’s Window, which for us was Johannesburg airport. We enjoyed getting to know Grant and Chris, each other, and the fantastic country of South Africa, which we hope will continue to develop harmoniously. We all thanked our guides Grant and Chris for their precise timetables, skill, knowledge and professionalism in guiding us on an unforgettable Explore! holiday. (ZK- 12th August 2010)