So maybe it’s just because I was walking “Africa Alley”, the corridor dedicated to African
trips, but I was amazed at the number of Africa game viewing trips there are being offered. Africa is BIG, I was told
numerous times today. The hot new place. And what’s so great are apparently private game reserves tours, the idea being
that it is better to watch animals than to shoot them. Hemingway would be so sad.
These game reserve trips are basically your standard safari, but on private land. You are awakened at the crack of
dawn by lion roars, sip coffee while watching the sun rise, and then set out by jeep to catch sight of the BIG 5
(lions, rhinos, buffalos, leopards and elephants…yes, I had to look it up). The fellow pictured here, John Moody, runs
one of the more popular private reserves called the Kwamadwala Reserve. He
showed me pictures and some video of the place and I have to say I’d go in a heartbeat. And the price didn’t seem to
bad, given what you get. It’s $350 a day for two safaris (morning and night), food and lodging.