21 Jul 2025
I went back & forth between the different companies for this excursion, reading all the reviews, and while this one was a scosh more expensive… IT WAS WORTH IT. I picked it for the smaller group size. It started with just my friend & I getting picked up from our hotel, on the drive to the boarder we saw giraffes, impala, water buffalo & waterbuck. Picked up a couple at the boarder & switched drivers-Thizah- our amaaaazing guide. The boarder crossing had multiple steps and I’m glad we had someone telling us what to do. We stopped at a cafe for coffee/tea & pastries (included for us, tho I didn’t read that anywhere. Nice treat). Picked up 3 more ppl at the cafe and we were off! Unlike the other tours, we started with the boat cruise. We got close (but respectable distance) to sooo many hippos & water buffalo. Parked right on top of a crocodile lol. And watched a bull elephant wade across the river to the island and bath himself. Thizah pointed out a bunch of bird species too which we appreciated. He dropped everyone off back at the cafe, while my friend & I got toted over to Mowana- gorgeous resort for lunch. We then started our land safari, coming upon loads of giraffes and elephants. Then Thizah was like “I know a place” and zipped us over to a pride of lions!! It was our 4th game drive this trip and hadn’t seen any big cats yet, I could’ve cried how close we were to them! THEN he pedaled to the metal us to a leopard spotting! Already about 8-10 jeeps were already there, but the guides have a system so that everyone gets a chance to look. Not only was the leopard just chillin under a tree close by, she walked right by our jeep! We followed her for a bit too. Incredible.