Rapunzellover
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2014
Sorry if I overstated it in my initial review.
Lol...you didn't. I've overstated it in my own mind.
Sorry if I overstated it in my initial review.
Botswana sounds and looks fabulous. And great to hear about someone else on NatHab - they have several trips that are now on my bucket list!
When we did the South Africa ABD, our daughter was 6 which was the minimum age. Turns out, that age is set by the private reserve for all guests as presumably kids that age and older will quiet down when asked. And our guide made clear if she did not listen and comply, there would be no more game drives. Fortunately she is a rule follower and did not test him.....
It's really just loud, sudden outbursts that should be avoided when in the presence of lions (no tigers in Africa, so you don't need to worry about them!).
At first I thought it said you saw 3 in your TENT in Zambia!!No tigers but there are leopards. I saw 3 in my ten days in Zambia.
At first I thought it said you saw 3 in your TENT in Zambia!!
Sayhello
Depending on how long you're looking for your trip to be, you might want to check out OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel). I have a friend who traveled with them to China & really enjoyed it. But the trip is 22 days long. I think it tends to attract retirees a lot.This thread is fabulous, thanks to all who contributed! Read it all
We are going to China next year (couple 30,40 no kids). Initially was looking at private but we are a bit introverted and I don't want to talk to guides the whole time. Looking for a tour that has more scenic/natural beauty, hikes etc. G adventures had some options, but am concerned about the level of the accommodation being too basic. Does anyone have any suggestions? (3-4kishmark ideally start/end shanghai/ Hong Kong to do parks..)
TIA
Thanks for the reply! I like the look of the scenic tours from China Odyssesy , I might ask them for a quote. It is private touring though. Can compare it to the other company I asked. Nat Geo tours don't seem to have any that concentrate on the scenery, interestingly. The G adventures only seemed to have one with "upgraded " accommodations (not super fussy, just don't really want to stay in someone's house..)We were looking at this tour company when we were considering China China Odyssey Tours. National Geographic also has a variety of trips. They have a few Journeys which are run by G Adventures but with better accommodations. Nat Geo China Trips
Depending on how long you're looking for your trip to be, you might want to check out OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel). I have a friend who traveled with them to China & really enjoyed it. But the trip is 22 days long. I think it tends to attract retirees a lot.
https://www.oattravel.com/trips/sma...neraries?icid=global:itineraries:asia:ya42020
Sayhello
Thanks for the reply! I like the look of the scenic tours from China Odyssesy , I might ask them for a quote. It is private touring though. Can compare it to the other company I asked. Nat Geo tours don't seem to have any that concentrate on the scenery, interestingly. The G adventures only seemed to have one with "upgraded " accommodations (not super fussy, just don't really want to stay in someone's house..)
That one is high on my bucket list!
Thanks for the reply! I like the look of the scenic tours from China Odyssesy , I might ask them for a quote. It is private touring though. Can compare it to the other company I asked. Nat Geo tours don't seem to have any that concentrate on the scenery, interestingly. The G adventures only seemed to have one with "upgraded " accommodations (not super fussy, just don't really want to stay in someone's house..)
Wow, that looks AMAZING!! way outof our price range though.This might be too far in the scenery/wildlife direction, but I thought I’d point it out. We just got back from Botswana with Natural Habitat and I am definitely planning to travel with them again. It was an amazing trip, and Nat Hab was top-notch. Definitely pricey though.
https://www.nathab.com/asia-adventure-travel/wild-china-panda-tour/
Very good points, thanks. I totally agree RE in country tour organisers. I have a Chinese company costing up a tour for us currently, will see what it comes back asChina Odyssey does do private touring but the reason we were looking at them (other than the private aspect) is that they are based in China which means we'd get a better rate by booking with them than through a local company that is going to turn around and book with the trip with a China based company and charge us more.
We've done a number of private tours and you can chat with your tour guide as much or as little as you want. Also, private tours give you a little more leeway in doing things. If you want to spend more time at a location you can. We actually find them more flexible than a group tour. Here's an example of what I mean. When we were in Africa last year, the second safari camp we were at there was us (my mom and I) and a tour group of 14 people (2 guides + 12 guests). One night as we were preparing to head out for our night safari, one of the tour guides insisted on coming back to camp after the river safari, saying they didn't want to go out in the truck afterward. All 14 people ended up skipping the night drive and only doing the river safari. Meanwhile, my mom and I ended up zipping back along the river and hopping into our truck to head off and track the lions that we'd seen earlier. Also, we were given the opportunity to take extended morning drives if we wanted because it was just us and the driver/guide. One morning we were out for almost 6 hours when the standard is about 3. We also went much further afield.
Calfan,
Thanks so much for your Botswana review. Where can I find your FB pictures?