The final weeks before leaving on a TravelswithElsa tour are always exciting. This time, I have two overlapping family tours, so my partner and brother, Johan, will be leading one tour while I take care of the other. Fine-combing the itineraries, I get swept up in the anticipation of what the guests will be enjoying.
Jim and his family are touching down in Johannesburg for a two-night layover, taking in a Soweto tuk-tuk tour before flying to Botswana for a once-in-a-lifetime experience of a safari in the Okavango Delta.
I remember the mokoro boat ride through those ancient waterways, the hippos running along the river edge before plunging in, and three elephants we had to avoid on a walking trail. What an experience that was!
The family will then meet Johan and his wife, Lina, in Cape Town to enjoy the sights the city offers. A leading global media and hospitality company, Time Out, recently voted Cape Town as the second-best city for 2024 in a list of the "50 Best Cities for 2024." New York beat the Mother City, with Berlin, London, and Madrid completing the top 5. I am not surprised – Table Mountain dominates the city, offering spectacular views.
Besides the natural beauty of the fauna and flora, there are the capricious Cape penguins and the historic Robben Island.
And for me, no visit is complete without enjoying the African cuisine, drumming, and entertainment at the Gold Restaurant.
Johan then takes Jim and his family along the Garden Route, sleeping above an elephant enclosure at Knysna Elephant Park and enjoying another three-day safari at Kariega Game Reserve on the East Coast (Sunshine Coast.)
In the meantime, I meet Mark, his wife, and his daughter in Johannesburg, from where they will also explore the Cradle of Humankind (a World Heritage Site,) and Lesedi Cultural Village.
After they enjoy five days in Cape Town, I will take them to Inyati Game Lodge in the world-famous private game reserve, Sabi Sands, where I lived for nearly four years before coming to America. In this unique camp, viewing the Big Five is almost assured. I took incredible footage of two leopards climbing a tree with their kill.
It is also fun to plan these fantastic trips and others — Victoria Falls, the Serengeti, Namibia…. or perhaps Malawi. TravelswithElsa is always ready for adventure!