Great trip over all a lot of ground covered over the trip. Jess made the trip going that extra mile to make it the best experience with the time we had in each state / town. she really made the trip for the whole group an amazing tour guide need more trip leaders like her! Top deck need to update the trip information on the website as some of the optional activities advertised I no longer a part of the trip itinerary. Need to fix the app as not everyone had access to the chat before the trip or was glitchy.
We saw a T-shirt in Africa that said “it’s not a holiday, it’s an adventure!“ This sums up exactly what this trip is about. Although it took some stamina to camp the entire time and the bus trips were long to get from destination to destination, this was an adventure like no other. Spinning, two nights roughing it in Okavango Delta was magical and we heard lions roaring at night. Our guides were outstanding and the food was better than I could possibly expect, especially since our cook did it all in a campground the safari walks and drives did not disappoint! Because we were there in July, the nights were bitterly cold, but we stayed cozy in the tents. This is definitely a trip for those seeking authentic adventure, but not for those who are uncomfortable with idea of sleeping in a tent for 10 days. Our Guide Pappy was, always so patient and so thorough with all of us and was a wealth of knowledge about the region. I love this trip, but it definitely is not for those unused to roughing it or are expecting luxury.
This was an amazing trip made possible by extraordinary guides and drivers. We were met by the lovely Asmita who went to extra mile to prepare us for our trip, and to be sure we had all we needed. She could not be more charming and helpful. On day one, we were driven to the border, very expertly by Raju accompanied by Kersang. We needed an expert as the roads were very windy and not in good condition but it was exciting and we could take in the wonderful scenery and the interesting villages that we passed. After we crossed, the border which took some time we were met by Tarkye our guide and Cedun our driver. Tarkye was a very mature calm guide, solicitous knowledgeable and very caring. Cedun our driver was also very considerate and helpful which we as a group needed as many of us had not fully anticipated the effects of the high altitude. However, we were shepherded in an extraordinary manner through magnificent mountainous terrain, and lake filled scenery seeing yaks and other animals on the way. The monasteries were beautiful and Tarkye could answer any questions we had. This unique and extraordinary trip delivered exactly what it promised. There was a great deal of driving which could be tiring but this was specified up front. Overall, this was an amazing trip, but it was more physically demanding than anticipated because of the altitude and also being in a relatively small enclosed vehicle carrying 12 people with no space in between each person if one person gets sick it spreads through the group has happened for us. Nevertheless this tour is a once in a lifetime experience in a country as yet relatively undiscovered by western tourists. This is an exemplary company that I highly recommend. Many thanks!
