Going Awesome Places
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Hi Reader! We just came back from an epic 15 day safari in Zambia πΏπ² and have so much to tell so let's get into it! βοΈ In this issue:
If you haven't yet, make sure to check out the latest on our social channels: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube. Epic Safari In ZambiaIt's been 9 years since our first safari in South Africa. For those of you that have been with us since the early days, you might remember that this is when we started our vlog series. For that trip, we did 3 nights at Elephant Plains and then 3 nights in Kruger National Park. As our first safari, we were so impressed with everything but one thing that we kept hearing was that what we did was a great starter but that there was more (and better) experiences in other parts of Africa. Why Zambia? The natural progression for most safari-goers is to start in South Africa and then try Kenya, Tanzania, and Botswana but the more I read about places like the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Masai Mara, and Okavango Delta, these places were becoming overcrowded and run by larger corporate lodges. The thought of hundreds of safari vehicles during the Wildebeest Migration is a scary thought. Not sure when we'd be able to safari again, we wanted to take less-travelled route for once and try going to a place where bush camps are the norm, lodges are consciously spaced out, the chances of running across other vehicles is slim, and you're welcomed like family. When Zambia came about, we didn't know much about it but once we were introduced to Tyrone at Classic Zambia and learned how they built their company from the ground up as guides, their commitment to conservation, and where luxury comes from their exclusivity in being very quiet places within the National Parks they're in. Classic Zambia Experience We really went all out this time around, spending 5 nights each at their Kutali, Chula Island Camp in Lower Zambezi National Park and then another 5 nights at Musekese Camp in Kafue National Park. Going in early May (low-season), the tradeoff was that we were going during their transition from wet to dry season, meaning that the landscape was still quite lush. Counter-intuitively, this meant that wildlife was a bit harder to spot but we still had several iconic moments. Something that makes Classic Zambia quite unique is that they also have a nice range of activities that go beyond the standard game drive including walking safari, canoeing, boat safari, fishing, visit to Musekese Conservation, and a photography hide. On top of that, they are so flexible in tailoring these to what you need so we often combined activities and made special requests. If I think about what made this safari different from South Africa, it has to be the personal connections we were able to make with the team on the ground. With at most 12 people at each camp, we knew everyone by name and they would often eat with us at meals. It's that old school approach that really made our time special. A Few Special MomentsThe best thing about safari is that no two days are the same. You never know what nature might bring your way. Some days are quiet and others are insane. Here are a few precious experiences we had along the way. Our Leopard Moment Canoeing Thrills Conservation At The Core Post-SafariNow that we're back we'll be going through all 80,000 some odd photos and hours of video footage, we'll be working on the YouTube videos and articles so stay tuned! Special offer Working with Classic Zambia Safaris, we have an exciting offer. If you book through our referral code, GOINGAWESOMEPLACES, and include a stay in one of their camps in Kafue National Park, you'll get a free private lunch for you and your group.
Interest in a safari group trip? Putting the feelers out there. Would anyone be interested in a photography-focused safari group trip in the future? The idea is that I'd love to put together an incredible safari where I know the full ins-and-outs of how it works so that you get the best experience. It'd be a small group of 12 and I'll be on-hand to improve your wildlife photography skills. If you've been thinking about doing a safari trip to Zambia and would love to do it with me, just reply to this e-mail and let me know! π€« Japan Toolkit Is OutWe know that you received the e-mail last week about our soft product launch but if you're thinking about planning a trip to Japan this year, make sure to pick this up!
πΈ Travel Deals This MonthHere are the top deals that are currently live right now.
To get notified of all travel deals we discover, go to our deals group on Facebook. βοΈWhat's New on the SiteIn case you're not subscribed to our 'let us know whenever you publish something new' list, here are our new posts. We aim to publish posts twice a week so if you subscribe you are always kept in the loop! βοΈ What's Next at Going Awesome PlacesMy hometown of Toronto, Canada π¨π¦ is gearing up for the World Cup in June and I'll be covering all of the action so make sure to follow us on Instagram! Will you be cheering on any specific teams for the World Cup? πͺ Travel TidbitsHere's the latest from the industry that caught our eye this month. They're worth the read!
Is your summer booked yet?Have anything on your mind? All you have to do is reply to this e-mail! See ya next month! Will Your Chief of Awesome Affiliate Disclaimer: To cover the cost of our email software and the time we spend writing our content, we sometimes link to products that we recommend. Keep up to date with the latest: β€οΈ Looking for ways to support us? We have a tip jar set up. |
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