For those of us dreaming about our first South Africa safari, please share your post-trip reflections about planning and logistics for ROAR 2. While the impressions are fresh, let us know such things as items you wish you had or had not packed, things you wish you had known beforehand, preferences for routing your air travel, top 3 pieces of advice for safari novices, and so forth.

Many thanks in advance.

Thanks for posting this, Luke. As one of those leaving next month for GAME, I need all the advice I can get.

What a GREAT idea, Luke. You could probably add to that list, a "recommended camera/lens" discussion but that would probably become a separate thread! ;)

The camera/lens info is crucial ... I'm pretty well set with my diginal SLR and a couple of zooms, but I welcome ALL recommendations, comments, warnings, and suggestions.

My initial thoughts.

ROAR 2 after thoughts-

Used up all our frequent flyer miles so did AMEX Platinum buy one get one free business class. From LAX determined that LH was the best carrier and routing was LAX-FRA-JNB. I thought business class on LH was very good seats and room a bit more than American. Food has a German bent but was adequate. The layover in FRA was 10 hours so LH provided a voucher for a day room in an airport hotel. This was a good routing for us. The jet lag gets to us and we did two nights in Cape Town before starting the group stuff. Adds to the cost but well worth it in our opinion.

Packed too much. Two pair of safari pants would be enough. The pants were the type that you could zip off but never did that, more trouble that it was worth. Three safari shirts would be enough. Two long sleeve and one short sleeve. I also took a couple of Patagonia light weight capilene undershirts, they worked well in the early morning and do not weigh anything or take up room. I had a fleece vest that I used under a rain jacket. That worked well. Take gloves. I used a pair of light weight fleece type. Something to keep head and ears warm would be a plus. I keep a head band warmer in my rain jacket all the time and that worked well to keep ears warm in the early morning and early evening. Some people bought fleece jackets at the game parks. When riding in the upper tiers of the game drive vehicles the wind makes it colder and I wanted to be comfortable. Good souvenir and not very expensive. I had a pair of shorts that I wore during the day for lunch etc. several times. I bought a golf shirt at a game park that came in handy for the warm afternoons. I have a Tilley hat and that worked well.

Keeping track of pictures can be a challenge. I ended up using a different SD card for each game park. That helped categorize the pictures. I used several 2 gb cards instead of one large one. Next time we go I plan on having a video camera as well as the dlsr that I will use. Carol would use the video camera. Charging batteries each night in the room was easy. Ngaire provided a plug adaptor. I used the Nikon 70-300 zoom 4.5-5.6 and it was very adequate. If I could aford it the 70-200 lens at 2.8 would I think work very well also. Some people had very good results with the higher end point and shoot cameras with the higher zoom ability. Unless you are very serious I think that is a very viable option.

Luke, I see you are on FUN as Carol and I are so we can chat some during the cruise.

Ralph has given terrific advice, and I concur. This was the first time I tried the video feature on my point and shoot camera (Kodak 12x zoom, 6x optical) and it worked brilliantly (sorry German kezboard so typos are inevitable). There are a few things a still photo simply can,t capture - seeing the effort it takes for a male lion to issue a full-out challenge roar, for example.

Read up on the camp's website for any blog or ranger reports. If something isn't current and they have an archive, read from one year ago. It will help to understand what kinds of highlights you may get lucky and see

Hard to do, I know, but put the camera down periodically to focus attention on how the animals live. The interplay amongst the animals is worth observing. Birds will start the calls - babboons are next - etc. There's almost an animal internet that you may start to understand.

Walking safaris at midday are so-so. If you can do them early or late, they are better. If you do plan anything outside of game drives, one extra pair of safari pants. There are thorns out there and they can tear clothing (better than skin, of course)

We were lucky enough to get frequent flyer tix. Routings were lengthy. Sing Air out of JFK was very good to Frankfurt. South African air with new business class is best. Several bought coach tickets * 1 extra seat and were comfortable (Delta, South African Air). Much less expensive than business class. This strategy will net zou the shortest flying time. A little tricky, depending on who is manning Dakar transfer gates.

Lightweight hiking shoes are better than tennis type shoes.

Smaller memory cards are better, and back up batteries for charging is a good idea.

Have a great time! Massages at Hermanus were good and reasonably priced.

Cheers, Anne

Even though we took far less clothes than Roar1, I still took too many. I can never convince myself completely. BUT, I only took three pairs of shoes, and one of those was the slide-in type for airports. My feet are extremely narrow, so I can't get the hiking type shoes. I wear Easy Spirit AP1, in a tan buckskin; it fits securely and is flexible.

Ladies, forget jewelry and make-up, you either don't have time or are too tired to care.

By all means, take a jacket and gloves (and, unlike me, check to make sure you have a left and a right glove)! I like the driving gloves, then have a heavier pair to go over them if it's really cold; I can use my camera with the lighter ones on. I know I saw some people with the type that you can uncover the finger tips, but I didn't have those.


I took more battery chargers than I needed, but I'd probably do that again. I had several things running on AA batteries, and charged in shifts. I also took several adaptor plugs and was glad for that. I took a spare camera, just in case, that I didn't use. But I use point-n-shoot, so it didn't weigh much. I wish I had bought yet another camera, lusted after the one that the Webster's friend had with him. I'll be getting one of those soon. I also wish I had learned more about the camera I had with me before we went.

We used FF miles on Delta Biz. The seats are hard, but reasonably comfortable (I was dreading it since SAA's seats were really good), the pillows and blankets were very adequate. Food was better than I expected it to be, and service was reasonably good. We prefer to go all the way in "one fell swoop" and recuperate at the other end for an extra day, it just works for us.

And I agree with Anne, just look and enjoy part of the time. It's an amazing experience.

Thanks for the good packing tips Ralph & Pam. Packing for Switzerland (30-40 degree temps), Sabi Sabi, Hermanus, Rio, Caribbean seems challenging. Not to mention packing LIGHT....but then again with 27 nights on the Navigator, how light can we realistically pack !!

Ralph, if you and Carol come over and pack for us we'll provide the appetizers and wine ! :D

Recent postings about the RAND rate vs the dollar and shopping have reminded me about a topic I was going to post about.

The topic is the VAT. READ THE SECTION IN NGAIRE'S BOOK ON THE VAT. Heed her write up. I stood in three different lines for over 30 minutes in two of them to get very little. Would I do it again. NO.

If planning on doing this anyway be sure the invoice has the numbers that are required. One of our invoices did not have the number and the VAT for that was denied. All the goods will need to be inspected. This means that you have them inspected BEFORE puting them in the checked bags and of course before checking the bags. Doing this does not guarrantee that an inspector down the line will not ask to see the goods and if you can not produce them deny the refund. The refund will be in RAND and in the form of a check that can only be cashed at the money change window.

To summarize- Three lines-

Inspection line before checking bags

Vat refund line (LONG LINE and moves slow)

Check cashing and money change line. LONG line and moves slow)

READ THE VALUE ADDED TAX SECTION OF THE BOOK.

There are two VAT lines. Make sure you check both. One had no lines. It was near the liquor store and seemed to be hidden.

If you plan to buy Amarula, it is a good use of your rand. Amarula is a great liquor on which many of us became hooked and is only $12 per 750 liter bottle.

Another tip..if you are leaving through JBRG and have time to kill at the airport, there is a service called Gautang to go. For three hours, it costs $114 for up to 6 people and goes up minimally in 2 hour increments. A limo will pick you and your luggage up and drive you around JBG to see the sights instead of hanging out at the airport. So, you can go to Soweto, have a tour of the area, go to a diamond or gold mine, etc. We hadn't much time...so, we went to the Rosebank Mall (40 minutes) and went to the African Craft Mart and did all our souvenir shopping for an hour. There are also places to eat there that are very nice. It is safe. The goods are lovely and you bargain. Credit cards are accepted. You will not do better on African goods and crafts anywhere. You can fill up those empty suitcases before leaving. We had a very nice time.

I remember Pam being hung up in the VAT lines, I think she posted? Those airport VAT things always make it hard to get your money back. I rarely shop on trips anymore. Too much "stuff" already. On ROAR I, I did buy a statue of a fertility goddess for my son and DIL, and was blessed last December with my first grandbaby, so that was a good buy!

We had our VAT refunded to our Visa card both times, so that cut out one line that I stood in. Having the stuff inspected before we checked the luggage was pretty painless, because I had everything in one suitcase and was able to show her everything she wanted to see (which wasn't every single thing we bought). Then I stood in line forever to turn those invoice in and get the Visa credit, but since Mark had bought the black diamond, it was worth it and we had plenty of time. That final guy wanted to see the stone, and I had to go get it from Mark, but I had "parked" him close to where I was standing in line. I really didn't want to do any shopping in the airport shops anyway, so we got the VAT thing done and went on to the (very nice) Air France lounge.

S. Africa is very efficient in giving you back that VAT, so they try to make it difficult and tiring for you, so that you'll give up and go away. That line charges a 10% fee, then if you get a check, they charge another fee to cash it; crediting to Visa doesn't incur that fee.

Andrea, I keep meaning to ask if you and Len got all the way home with those bottles of Amarula. Everybody kept saying they couldn't buy it, but I know I saw Len lugging those big bags around.