One stop during my trip to South Africa was the Phinda Private Game Reserve, in the KwaZulu-Natal area.  The reserve had four options for accommodations, and we chose the Vlei Lodge.  The Vlei Lodge was in fact a camp set up, not a large lodge.  The thatch roofed chalets were separated from each other by bushes and trees, which created a nice sense of privacy.  The rooms and the large bathrooms were beautiful.  The main building was at the center of the camp, just a two minute walk down a path.  The main building had a nice sitting area and shady deck looking out over the vlei (grassy area) in addition to dining tables.  Lunch and breakfast were served outside on the deck, which was lovely and warm mid-day.  

To me, the highlight of the game viewing at Phinda was the number of rhino sightings. Rhinos are hunted illegally for their horns throughout Africa, and the poachers are hard to stop in some areas.  Phinda has done an amazing job keeping the poachers at bay, largely due to their good relationship with the local community.  The reserve's land is actually leased from the local community and they have a mutually beneficial financial partnership.  People in the community alert their friends on the anti-poaching force if they see someone new or suspicious in the area. We saw rhino each day we went on game drives, and were lucky enough to spot this baby rhino at the water hole with his mother. 

Other sightings included elephants, giraffe, buffalo, hippos, a group of three cheetah brothers, and two prides of lions.  As you can see above, the one pride had several young lions that were a riot to watch.  At times, you had to drive a bit between good sightings, but overall there was a good variety of game in the reserve and the trackers did an excellent job of finding the animals.  We had at most six people per open topped vehicle, so nobody sat in the dreaded middle seat where the view is not good.  

Another note about Phinda Vlei Lodge-the food was out of this world.  A woman named Happiness was the chef, and she was an incredible cook.  Homemade bread and desserts, imaginative and varied menus, and lots of fresh fruit and produce from the area all made for memorable meals.  She was sure to make a vegetarian option for me at each meal, and they were all exceptional.

Do you want to go to Africa but don't know where to start?  It is definitely a trip that needs to be planned far in advance.  The first time, I thought it was going to be a once in a lifetime experience.  How wrong I was!  I was lucky enough to return three more times, and am excited to be planning a trip for next summer.  The animals are always the focus for me, but that does not mean there aren't other amazing experiences and activities. Culture, art, spas, and history can be a part of your trip along with the wildlife.

Accommodation
There are three main types of accommodations in the safari areas-lodges, tented camps, and mobile tented camping.  Lodges are generally larger, with the rooms in one building or a few smaller buildings.  Tented camps are permanent tents, with real floors and full ensuite bathrooms.  Sometimes, the camps have a small chalet rather than a canvas tent, but they are stand alone rather than grouped in a building.  Mobile tented camping is just how it sounds-the safari operator may set up the camp for a whole season, but it is not a permanent camp.  Each type of lodging has its advantages, and I have liked doing a mix of camps and lodges.  While some are quite luxurious and I know there are amazing experiences to be had at the mobile tented camps, that style is just not for me!

Some will be found in or adjoining national parks, some will be in private reserves.  Trip Advisor reviews and each place's website will help you determine this.  Something else to find out is what type of vehicle is used, and how many people per vehicle.  

I will highlight some of my favorite camps and lodges in upcoming posts.

After a few days in Bangkok, we flew to Chiang Mai on a quick Bangkok Airways flight. One of the activities we planned far in advance of arriving was seeing some of Thailand's famous elephants.  Unfortunately, the more I researched the different elephant camps and treks found outside of the city, the more disappointed I became.  Many of the elephants in the these venues are terribly mistreated and live horrible lives.  However, I read about the Elephant Nature Park and was happy to find an elephant experience that was humane.  The Elephant Nature Park is a sanctuary for elephants (and cats and dogs!) from Northern Thailand and Burma where the elephants live in a somewhat wild setting.  Visitors feed the elephants and go down to the river to bathe them, but there are no elephants rides or tricks performed.

You can schedule a visit online before arriving.  They do have a limited number of visitors each day, so plan ahead.  Their van will pick you up at your hotel in the morning.  I asked our hotel front desk to call and confirm the day before.  The ride through the forests and mountains was quite pretty.  The driver shows a short video on the way about their work and the need for elephant sanctuaries.  After arriving, you help feed the elephants and see them walking around the grounds.  You are allowed to get quite close to them, but there is also a platform viewing area for those who are not as comfortable being close.  A guide accompanies you throughout the day.  Bring a large bottle of water and clothes that you don't mind getting wet (and dirty!)  A vegetarian lunch was provided mid-day. After lunch, they show a video showing the traditional training process many of these elephants go through.  It was absolutely heartbreaking, and I was not able to stay through much of it.  You are welcome to leave and go out to the viewing platform until it is over.