The Elephant Cafe-Livingstone Zambia

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  • Cathy, I hear you. I'll cross my fingers and hope for the best. I just booked the microflight, OMG! scary. hopefully it doesn't take more then 3 hours , so I can be back at the hotel by 10:00 for my Elephant pick up. :))

  • edited May 2022

    mil
    May 8
    ALAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just did. Look!

    Super!! I really think you will love it! You only go around once!

    FYI, since you didn't wait for my answers, we did the 30 min. flight in the afternoon with a 1500 p/u at the Royal Livingstone. When we got there we had to wait a few minutes for the flights before us to land. From the price quoted it sounds like you are doing the 15 min. flight? So you selected the "Dawn Patrol" - 0600 am pickup for a 0700 flight? :o What time is sunrise? You will have plenty of time to get back for your 10:15 pickup and could have even done the 30 min. flight. Also, I think you could have done either early am or afternoon flight. Neither my wife nor I are morning people so I know which one we would have chosen. :D

    It is only a 10 min. ride from the airstrip to the Royal Livingstone, but the shuttle may wait for others to finish their flight and you'll want to look at the photos if you've booked that. The takeoff and land times weren't exact. Remember, like K&T, things there run a bit slower and with less urgency. Let them know when you need to be back- they can always make a run just for you. Again, it should be no trouble getting back by 10:15- you'll probably be back before 8:30 and able to catch breakfast before you head off for lunch. :D

    I mentioned we saw elephants etc. during the flight- but also saw this guy at the other end of the size spectrum at the landing strip: :D

    cathyandsteve
    May 8
    Mil...we were told that the electric company uses the falls to produce electricity. They control the falls according to their needs. so they divert the water.I can't say what happens upstream.

    There is only one tiny hydroelectric power station at Zengaminaway, over 600 miles upstream from Victoria Falls on the Zambezi near the border with the Congo, but it is so small it can't use much water. Maybe British remembers what the water level and flow were like at the Kazangula crossing from Zambia to Botswana. But, from what I saw in person and and from Google satellite view, the power company could open up the flow to both of the two very small Victoria Falls power stations and it would make absolutely no difference in the flow over the falls. Both plants are small and fed from intakes (pipes and a small sluice-way) right by the Avani Hotel. The intake and turbine buildings are circled in red in the first photo.

  • edited May 2022

    To see the Falls in full glory, you definitely don’t want to go in September, it’s too risky that they may be low. As I say, I found it interesting when it was low flow to see all the rocks underneath. We even saw a guy fishing at the top of the Falls that time, we’d seen a documentry that included interviewing him not long before we went.
    I suggest going to Iguazu Falls in South America if you want to see the biggest and best. We haven’t been but would love to go if we could find the right tour but the Tauck Essence of America doesn’t appeal as we have been to several of the places it goes already since they changed the tour. We would rather go to Patagonia again. We’ve seen travel shows featuring those Falls, wow!

  • Cathy, I recommended going early September rather than late in case the short rains arrive early that year. It’s definitely a more challenging time to be there in rain as we found out when the short rains ended very late in 2019/2020. We had to divert because of flooded trails, even a soggy wet airfield and a very muddy walking Safari near the Four Seasons. We do have some great photos of drenched Cheetahs, a male Lion with a soggy flattened mane and elephants frolicking in a thunderstorm and even slipping and sliding and falling in the mud. Glad to see it that way for a change but definitely challenging.

  • Alan, Good morning. :))
    Sorry , but I could not wait.. I had to booked!
    I have already contacted the Livingstone Adv. office, they will pick me up at 7:45 am the earliest- flights now start at 8 and they told me , I would be back at the hotel on time for the next activity.
    It's going to be an Amazing day- the flight and then the Ellies- great start.

    British Hi! I'm sure that even with no water the falls have to be impressive.- I'll take what ever it is...

    Cathy Salut, Bonjour! You will love India. The people, the castles/Forts and food is amazing.

    Now back to work :) I have a lot to pay.....

  • I'd go back in a heartbeat. Do you need someone to carry your bags? I provide porter services for a modest fee- price of the tour + airfare! :D:D:D

  • :D:D I can provide same services for the Gorilla trip.

  • Mil, take the Gorilla trip soon it’s tough at 10,000 feet in humidity and stinging nettles. I would go again in a heart beat .Maybe forgo a couple of spa treatments to make it affordable 😂😂😂

  • British affordable it is.... but emotionally not quite there yet. They look amazing and I'm sure to see them so close it has to be incredible.. but I have Bali and Antarctica in my radar first. :))
    Spa's are part of the Vacation package. :)) that's included on my cost. I give myself a budget of $1500 for xtras. :)

  • Nice pictures Lady British.

  • Mil, I’m not holding up much hope for our Singapore Bali trip right now In September right now, they are are all canceled through July. I’ve been enquiring about an Africa tour instead just his morning, I might end up in Africa before you at this rate.

  • milmil
    edited May 2022

    British you love Africa, so it would be a win win situation. I'm doing Bali next year 2023, so I should be fine.
    Well, good luck with your Bali booking, they have cancelled some because they are not selling it, people are afraid of going to Asia -Indonesia. If I were you , I would wait till early July... to see what happens with the other bookings. It's a bummer, because you have your mind set up to go somewhere and then Boom! have to change plans, attire, xtra visits etc.. You pretty much have to start all over researching places of interest.
    Keep me posted. ;)

  • Interesting you say they have canceled for lack of bookings, that is exactly what they originally did to us way back in 2019, told us it was not selling well and asked us to consolidate to another date, they did the same to another forum regular. At the time, I thought they would cancel the tour for good. This is unbelievable!

  • milmil
    edited May 2022

    it's unbelievable! but it's the new normal, people are afraid and are doing more local tourism, I would give then another year to see a substantial pick up on international bookings. Also, I can see how the itinerary is a little less appealing and, in some cases, boring... I feel there is a lack of temples, those you see in every Bali Brochure like the Tanah Lot temple in Denpasar, the Tirta Empul temple, the Taman Sarasguati etc... They are so beautiful, so... in a way it feels like you're paying all that money and not seeing much. I'll stay 2 xtra days at the end in Denpasar to see some on my own.
    We'll see what happens...

  • We were going to book this tour for 2023 but we have already booked four trips with Tauck next year.   We have been to Africa three times and it is my favorite place to visit in the whole world.  I loved Southern Africa. It is in my opinion spellbinding!  We are going to Egypt and the Nile and two day later  we are going to Morocco.  We like to do back to back tours when we can as we travel in business class and it makes it less expensive than doing two tours separately. We will try for 2024.

  • Noreen hi.
    Done both Morrocco is incredible and Jordan-Egypt too, people are super nice, food is incredible and the History amazing. You are tacking 2 very enjoyable trips.
    Africa -Safaris etc... are Amazing and super addicting- you have to go more than once. :)
    Enjoy all of them. Lucky.
    Have a great evening.
    Mil

  • Mil - You are absolutely correct about Africa.  We have gone on safari three times and I just loved it, however, my husband doesn't want to return for a fourth safari trip.  We haven't been to Northern Africa so we are excited about 2023.  We have been to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania.  I am so glad that you enjoyed Morocco.  We have been to Jordan and Israel many years ago but not Egypt.  So happy that we are able to travel again.

  • milmil
    edited May 2022

    Noreen Hi!
    Of the 2 my fav. is Morocco , it is Amazing . But Egypt has it own Charm and very interesting, plus the monuments are incredible and the Nile with the Temples one of the kind. nothing like it. -
    I just think the Chaos in the Morocco, specially at the Medina it's so much fun. and food is delicious! If I wanted to repeat a tour besides the Safari ones.. it would be this one first, also Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand and also India and all the others again too :))
    Have a lovely day.

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