Jun 8, 2020
Award-winning travel agent, Ashley Morris from Alpaca Your Bags, will be joining us to talk about AFRICA! Ashley joined us in Season 1 to tell us all the tips and tricks to planning an amazing destination wedding or vow renewal. Ashley is back and fresh off of a trip she recently took to East Africa. She is going to share all of the details of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. She shares how she was lucky enough to get to go on a safari and preparation including visas and vaccinations.
We are going to hear every thrilling thing that happened on this amazing trip. You will learn how to prepare for the trip, the wide variety of lodging available, things you could never imagine, and the different experiences you could have in both Nairobi, Kenya, Zanzibar, and Tanzania. She also talks about weight limits for flights and packing light and taking exactly what you need. You are going to be ready to pack your bags before this interview even ends! So, let’s fly!
Show Notes:
[02:01] Ashley Morris is the owner of Alpaca Your Bags, a website all about travel.
[02:48] Ashley just got back from a trip to Africa. She normally specializes in destination weddings, but she knows that people are also very interested in adventure travel.
[03:53] She went on a 12-day safari.
[04:36] Wild Voyager offered trips to travel advisors and contacted Ashley.
[06:34] You need a visa as well as a passport to go to Kenya and Tanzania.
[07:20] You have to have your documents in order and get travel vaccinations.
[08:27] You do need a vaccination for yellow fever.
[11:28] There are special clinics dedicated to travel and travel preparation such as Passport Health.
[13:58] Ashley shares her preparation for the trip. Long sleeve shirts with built in SPF are very useful. Hats and fleece are great too. Get those pants that zip into shorts. You also want light colors that don't attract bugs. Go for greens, browns, and khakis.
[17:14] Ashley went to Kenya for the safari and Tanzania for the recovery. Masai Mara is a huge game reserve in Kenya. You will have a more diverse experience here than you would in the Serengeti.
[19:29] Ashley saw the Big 5 which are cape buffalos, lions, elephants, rhinos, and leopards. Plus all of the other animals you would expect like hippos and giraffes.
[21:32] It was overwhelming to be a nature among these beautiful animals.
[22:11] The big activity is called a game drive. This is where you drive around and see the animals. They are most active at sunrise and dusk.
[25:22] One of the most amazing parts of the day was sitting around the campfire talking about what they'd seen.
[26:03] Their camp was more rustic with tented rooms and bathrooms. They had a chef that made everything from scratch. She would also make one unique Kenyan item.
[29:05] They also went to a Masai Village and learned about the warriors.
[31:19] Everything on a safari is driving. They drove probably three or four hours a day.
[31:37] Some lodges and resorts have other activities.
[32:11] Some lodges will specialize in things like photography. Your travel advisor can tailor your experience to what you want.
[33:42] Understand your budget and what you're comfortable with.
[35:02] You can actually go on a hot air balloon safari. After landing, they had a bush breakfast. It was extremely elegant with champagne. It's a lovely way to celebrate a morning.
[37:33] They flew to Tanzania in a small plane. First they flew to Zanzibar. You can also see Freddie Mercury's first home because he was born in Zanzibar. There are also beautiful beaches and a lot of history.
[40:13] This was a more luxurious experience. They also went to Prison Island and saw land tortoises.
[44:12] Go to the elephant sanctuary in Nairobi.
[46:19] Ashley loved Stone Town Zanzibar.
[48:18] The food in Zanzibar was much more refined. There was a lot of Middle Eastern and Indian food.
[49:33] Cost depends on factors but there is a range of $7,000 to $15,000 plus travel expenses.
[51:27] Avoid peak times like during the animal great migration.
[53:14] Call Ashley for a consultation.
Links and Resources:
Fly with Chris and Di on Facebook
Fly with Chris and Di on Twitter
Fly with Chris and Di on Instagram
Fly with Chris and Di on Pinterest
Schedule an Appointment with Ashley
Planning a Destination Wedding or Vow Renewal
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