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Photos From Two Visits To Phinda Private Game Reserve As Part Of Our Cruises


Keith1010
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A few short years ago we stayed at Phinda Sand Forest Lodge and it was a wonderful experience. Which lodge did you stay at? You were very lucky to see a leopard up close as you did. We saw one and the poor thing was being chased by every vehicle in the reserve. The trip was a part of exploring the Zulu Battlefields. Hope you had a chance to visit them also.

 

Bill

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A few short years ago we stayed at Phinda Sand Forest Lodge and it was a wonderful experience. Which lodge did you stay at? You were very lucky to see a leopard up close as you did. We saw one and the poor thing was being chased by every vehicle in the reserve. The trip was a part of exploring the Zulu Battlefields. Hope you had a chance to visit them also.

 

Bill

 

Bill we stayed at Vlei at Phinda. We also visited the lodge your stayed at. They are both wonderful.

 

Keith

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How far did you have to go to see the animals? Great pics

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

 

We did this two years in a row.

 

The first port was about a three hour drive to the private reserve.

 

The second time it was about a ninety minute drive.

 

We then took a one hour flight to meet the ship.

 

In terms of seeing animals some were right at our lodge as there is no fence other then one around a perimeter. At nght they will take you to your chateau.

 

When you go on the drives depending on where they are taking you, the drive could be 15 minutes to see the first animal or maybe a little longer.

 

 

It is an amazing experience.

 

Keith

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Thanks, Keith. What port and what reserve did you go to?

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

 

It was Phinda Game Reserve

 

We've done it a couple of times. This time we left out of Richard's Bay and the drive was about 90 minutes.

Another time we left out of Port Elizabeth and the driven was over three hours. The last time we met up with

 

the ship by flying to Cape Town and the time before we flew back to Port Elizabeth to meet the ship.

 

Keith

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Wonderful photos! Thank you for sharing.

 

May I asked what camera gear you packed?

 

Thanks,

 

Patti

 

Patti, glad you liked the photos and happy to share them.

 

I primarily used my Nikon D7100 and had a few lenses with me.

 

Brought extra batteries.

 

I also had another Nikon DSLR as a backup and a Lumix Point & Shoot which my wife used.

 

Keith

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Patti, glad you liked the photos and happy to share them.

 

I primarily used my Nikon D7100 and had a few lenses with me.

 

Brought extra batteries.

 

I also had another Nikon DSLR as a backup and a Lumix Point & Shoot which my wife used.

 

Keith

 

Thank you!

 

Did you have any difficulty charging batteries? I assume with adapters, but were an adequate number of plugs supplied at your lodge?

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Thank you!

 

Did you have any difficulty charging batteries? I assume with adapters, but were an adequate number of plugs supplied at your lodge?

 

You are very welcome.

 

We had no trouble.

 

There provided an adapter and I also had one and I used a travel outlet strip so everything worked out perfectly.

 

Keith

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  • 4 weeks later...

Keith, fantastic pictures and thank you for sharing.

 

We went to South Africa in 2016, but it was a flying trip. I can't wait to go back for more safari. I had no idea I would love it so much.

 

I have an Oceania cruise booked that stops at Richards Bay, but only 8 to 4. Did your ship overnight or did you catch up with it?

 

Also, if you don't mind, was this a ship tour or private?

 

Thank you so much,

Jeannie

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Jeannie, I am glad you liked the photos.

 

We left from Richard's Bay and then met up with the ship a few days later in Cape Town.

 

We did do the tour through the cruise line. Many do while many don't.

 

I was glad we did because we were supposed to meet the ship in another port. The original plan was to fly to Port Elizabeth and meet the ship there. Unfortunately due to high winds there was concern about getting the ship to and from that port so the visit was cancelled and the ship headed to the next port of call in Cape Town.

 

We were informed of this by the cruise line as we were being driven to the airport. They changed our flights and we flew to Cape Town and then they put us up at a hotel right near where the ship would dock the following day. They provided meals and then took us over to the ship the next day.

 

Those on their own had to scramble to make changes.

 

So while the price for the ships overland tour was higher we did have peace of mind and it worked well given the unforeseen circumstances.

 

Keith

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