Lowes Travels

Just as we’d finished unpacking and recovering from the jet lag of our exciting expedition cruise to Antarctica, it was time to begin preparing for our next adventure to South Africa. We booked this itinerary through AmaWaterways River Cruises, and it touched on five countries: South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. Items were ticked off both of our bucket lists during this trip – some purposely and some unexpected.

First off, for years Steve has been fascinated with the world’s largest passenger airplane, the Airbus A380. His bucket list dream of flying on one became a reality when our business class flight from Dubai to South Africa was changed from a Boeing 777 to an Airbus A380. Ka-ching!

There’s nothing quite like flying in an A380, especially on Emirates, our favorite airline. I waived my reward points with other airlines just to fly Emirates on this trip. The airline is synonymous with luxury and comfort, and they did not disappoint. The service, food and drinks along with the flat-bed capable seats in business class were sublime. They even threw in pajamas and a turn down service!

Because we had a nine-hour layover in Dubai, Emirates paid for airport transfers between the airport and the 5-star JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, plus our room and dinner. On our final flight leg from Dubai to Johannesburg, South Africa, an Emirates complimentary airport transport was already there to whisk us away to our hotel. How about that?

Dubai is an intriguing and fascinating over-the-top city. We’d watched some of its build-up on The History Channel’s show Modern Marvels, and we were eager to see it in person. Although our stay was short, we caught glimpses from the air and on our drive to the hotel. Quite a place, wish we could have spent more time!

A tidbit: Dubai’s International Airport is known as a “silent airport,” meaning that PA announcements are limited to emergency situations only. There are no regular boarding or paging announcements. And while the airport is huge, navigating through it was surprisingly easy with all of the clear signage. It was strange but pleasant hearing only piped-in music as we walked around:

On arrival in Johannesburg, South Africa the complimentary Emirates airport transfer was already waiting for us.

We were driven to Fairlawns Boutique Hotel and Spa for an overnight stay before moving on to begin our adventure. Let me tell you this place is exceptional, with lots of birds chirping in the extensive gardens. We learned that the hotel was previously a luxury private residence which has been transformed into a stylish property with an air of eclectic sophistication. We were booked into a Grand Chateau suite in the manor, check it out:

Unfortunately it was only a 1-night stay, but we would be returning in a week – more on that in a future post.

The following day we flew to Botswana and then moved on to Namibia where we boarded the Zambezi Queen, a small “hotel cruise ship” based on the Chobe River. We underwent several border crossings between Botswana and Namibia during this 4-day cruise, as the river separates those countries and we visited them both. Sort of a hassle, but it was what it was.

Using smaller boats, we took guided birding and river safaris daily in the mornings and afternoons. We also enjoyed a full-day land jeep safari at Chobe National Park in Botswana (which required more border crossings between Namibia and Botswana).

Birding along the Chobe River was excellent, and I was happy and excited as we spotted a wide variety of new feathered friends! Here are a few notable ones:

The African scenery was beautiful with clear blue skies stretching endlessly above, and it was wonderfully peaceful as the ship moved along the river. The season we were there was called “green season”, with the surrounding landscape lush and vibrant, and the air filled with the sounds of chirping birds, rustling foliage and grunting hippos added to the serene atmosphere:

We enjoyed both small motorboat safaris and shipboard safaris, with each offering their own special charm and providing two unique experiences. It was peaceful and calming as the Zambezi Queen cruised along the Chobe River, and at the same time exhilarating when we came across great wildlife sightings:

As can be expected on a safari, a variety of animals were seen in and around the cool waters whether we were on a small motorboat or on the ship:

You may remember that we viewed several of these same animals in Kenya and Tanzania, but we never get tired of the thrill of seeing them in their natural environment roaming freely. Besides, we were able to admire the beautiful landscapes of several countries in Africa while capturing amazing wildlife moments, like during a full-day land safari at Chobe National Park in Botswana:

Just a few fun facts about elephants:

Chobe National Park is the elephant capital of the world, featuring over 50,000 of them!

In four short days we witnessed spectacular birds and wildlife from different perspectives totally enjoying our river safari experience.

The sight of the African sun going down and casting a sparkling glow over the Chobe River was a beautiful image that will stay with us forever.

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Next up: Steve’s crazy adventure and more!