“Something you’ll want to do again and again...”

A Next Adventure Traveler’s Testimonial

Each camp had something different to offer and a variety of activities. The order we went to the camps was perfect.

What are some of the most striking things you remember from your safari?

Khwai Bush Camp: Our guide, Mighty, went out of his way to locate a variety of animals for us to see—staying out late and blazing new trails throughout the concession. Our game drives were bumpy, we had to duck and lean to avoid the brush, and at times the jeep traveled through pretty deep water. It could have been a ride at Disneyland (think the Indiana Jones ride)! I loved it!! Highlights included seeing a leopard (we saw a dead elephant during our afternoon game drive and went back the next morning to see what might show up); so many elephants and babies; lions and a small cub; and the Mokoro trip (it was nice to sit back and enjoy the stillness and listen to the birds). Our surprise helicopter ride was a real treat! The views were amazing and it was so cool to be able to see the elephant and hippo trails from above! Thank you again! The deck where we gathered for meals and the pool area had nice views. The camp provided reusable water bottles for the game drives so that we would stay hydrated.

Thorntree River Lodge/Victoria Falls: The amount of “mist” at the falls on the Zambia side was ridiculous! Thank goodness for the ponchos!!! It was exciting to see the rhinos up close. The room was spacious and well laid out. I especially liked the sliding doors in the room that opened on two sides. Even though it was chilly, we opened the glass doors and just used the screen doors at night. Loved the hot water bottles (also at Somalisa Camp and Tembo Plains). The public areas are lovely. The location on the river is great.

Somalisa Camp: Our guide, Mike, had a vast array of knowledge, booming voice, and wonderful laugh. He was a joy to be around. The first evening at camp, a large herd of Cape buffalo came to the watering hole. As we were watching them, some elephants came up to the opposite side to drink. It was stunning! Mike got us very close to some male lions and I was able to take a video of one of the lions calling to another male lion. We saw multiple prides of different lions. It was our third camp and we still hadn’t seen any giraffes. Mike drove quite a distance to a place where we finally saw them. We also got up close and personal when we visited one of the “hides” and watched the elephants drink and cool off in the mud. THE WATER HOLE! Who doesn’t love the opportunity for an armchair safari?!?! The wood stove in the room was great. I liked the structures in the concession (hides) where we were able to get close to the elephants.

Tembo Plains: SO MANY HIPPOS!!!! I don’t know how David convinced me that a canoe trip on the Zambezi River was a good idea. But our guides were knowledgeable in animal behavior and knew how to keep us safe! We went on a walking safari in Mana Pools and watched an elephant reach its trunk high up into a tree. He didn’t stand on his hind legs, but it was still an amazing sight. The concession didn’t have as much wildlife compared to what we saw at Khwai Bush Camp and Somalisa Camp, but it did have fishing! We went out twice. On our last night, minutes before we were going to call it a day, David caught a 30-pound catfish! David will be telling that fish story for years!!! Everything about the place is sheer luxury! The tent with a deck and private plunge pool with a view of the Zambezi River was amazing. A corporate trainer was there at the time. A surprise lunch during our full-day safari at Mana Pools and after our canoe trip! Seriously..tablecloth, china, the manager and chef at the scene! Crazy! Then there was the surprise sundowner in the middle of the Zambezi River. A bubble bath with champagne was set up in our room! We had dinner in the wine cellar! When we said it would be nice to try some traditional food, the chef prepared a special dish that was absolutely delicious!! They had an interactive kitchen where we were able to engage with the chefs. After David told a couple of guides that he brewed beer, he was invited to do a beer tasting with the manager (Lloyd) of some craft beers from a brewery in Victoria Falls. They ranked the beers and Lloyd took David’s suggestions into account when he placed his next order. We were surprised with a gift bag that contained a beautiful scarf, postcards, buff and scented room spray. Oh…for two nights we were the only guests!! Our last two nights a single woman who was a professional photographer was also at the camp. But what an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience it was staying at Tembo Plains!!

What was it like to plan your safari with Next Adventure?

Wonderful! You listened to what we were interested in and put together two great options within our budget. Each camp had something different to offer and a variety of activities. The order we went to the camps was perfect. I also appreciated how you kept in touch with us during the process. The dossier is beautiful and full of great information. It was very helpful to get the abbreviated final documents to take with us.

How would you describe to a friend what it's like to be on a safari?

A life-changing experience and something you’ll want to do again and again!! I wasn’t sure if David would enjoy it as much as I did. But I did not need to worry. In ranking the trips David and I have taken together, David placed this trip number one (I agree)!