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Hi Liz and Alan,
Thank you very much for sharing your "Canada 2022" experience.
The pictures are beautiful. It looks like a great resource for planning our next adventure.
It would be interesting to know what were the dates of this journey ? It seems like a good season for that area.
Kind regards,
Hello - ive been given your name by Travis on BC Whalewatching FB page. I love your page - you have been to lots of places on our bucket list! We are very interested in visiting BC next September for the wildlife. We are comparing two bear lodges, ignoring the eyewatering cost :( do you have any experience of the Chilotin / Chilko lake area for bears? We are looking at Farwell Harbour which also gives whale options and Chilko experience, which appears to have smaller groups. Some of the information I have read seems to suggest that inland might be better for grizzlies? If you have any suggestions that would be really helpful as we are a bit stuck!
Hi Geoff - the good news depending on where you are in Alaska and what the weather is like you might get lucky and not experience too many mosquitoes in June. When we did have them buzzing around us we used repellent and head nets. Also be warned they can bite through untreated clothing, so wear thicker fabrics.
Planning a trip to Alaska in June , how did you cope with the mosquitoes while you were there ?
Hi Anouschka,
This was sometime ago so I'd recommend checking out more recent reviews, on say trip advisor.
A general recommendation with wildlife watching is to go out at dawn or dusk as this is when you will stand the best chance of seeing wildlife on the move.
Happy travels!
Hi, I just read your review and watched your nice pictures and videos of the Blue River Safari you made in 2011.
What time of the day did you have the safari because of the many bears and other wildlife you've seen in one hour?
We like to book this safari as well.
Best regards,
Anouschka Voragen
Hi Liz & Alan, Wow your website is amazing, I thought we had traveled widely but we have some catching up to do! You have given us advice on our Yukon/Alaska trip in May to which I have just responded. Regards Lewis
I am considering a trip with Churchill wild end of oct beg of november - when exactly did you go? I have the option of dymond lodge, nanuk lodge and seal river - do you know if one tends to see more bears than the other? Thank you!!
Hi. Loved your trip report about the Polar Bears. We are going (fingers crossed) on the same trip with Churchill Wild during the first week this November, having had the trip postponed from last year. I was just wondering what guests wear in the evenings for dinner ie. is a thin sweater and jeans okay. Also, it says that drinks are included with dinner but can you buy them at other times eg. pre-dinner. Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer. Helen (Cambridge, UK)
Hi Sara, yes! We are working on the Fall USA trip report (we are very late with this one!) it should be complete by the end of January. Thank you Liz & Alan
Will you be doing a TR for your Fall USA trip? I always love reading them.
Conrad - lol! 😂
This is probably the first time i have seen a picture with Alan sitting on the right side - took a bit to adjust. (-:
Hi Richard & Pam - we have emailed you so you can ask as many questions as you like 😁
We so relate to you! Also African wildlife so far, now Canada and US. Planning first trip to Canada west coast for next May, June to see bears, especially. I need more space to ask questions.
Hi Richard,
Many thanks for your compliments regarding our website. It is always great to hear people have found the results of our hobby useful!
I have emailed you directly to answer your questions.
Liz
PS, I have just been looking at your website and your wildlife sightings on Mull (we are on the island for the next week).
Hi Liz and Alan
I recently read your 2018 report on your website in respect of your Naturetrek “Tiger Direct” trip to India.
Given that I am seriously considering booking this same trip for next February or March, I was so pleased to find your informative and entertaining report on your own experience.
Whilst the wildlife experience sounds amazing, I have been slightly put off by the several references to both of you and others feeling “unwell”. Without wishing to step on anyone’s privacy, could I tactfully ask if being “unwell” resulted from food and/or water issues?
I visited Bulgaria and Romania last year and on my last full day went down with Campylobacter food poisoning, something I am not at all keen to repeat!
Are there any particular tips that you would offer in respect of eating and drinking and avoiding “Delhi belly”?
Also, on a totally unrelated matter, is there any particular reason why you changed your flights to and from Mumbai to British Airways from Jet Airways?.
Finally, I think you have done an amazing job with your website in documenting your travels. I have saved the link so that I can go through your other trip reports which I am sure will provide me with inspiration for my own travel and wildlife watching plans.
Best wishes
Richard
Thanks Traci, watching the Marsh Pride cubs was so entertaining!
Amazing as always ... cubs so cute.
hello, what an amazing blog! thanks. we're planning to drive the Golden Circle during Aug 6-14 from Whitehorse. however, mosquitos love to bite us alive. there are many lakes, ponds and rivers long the way and there is a Mosquitoes Lake close to Haines! My God. so we wonder if during this time, there are still mosquitoes around. if so, we have to choose a different time.
do you think the counterclockwise has better view? even between Whitehorse and Carcross?
thanks so much for your time!
Amazing photos and reporting. Thank you!
You certainly have a nest egg if you ever need it.
Dear Liz and Alan
I have just been viewing your amazing trip report on the Pantanal in 2016 with Naturtrek. I am well travelled and found your report the most informative that I have ever read!
Many thanks - Roger, Lincolnshire
Hi Traci - the otters were a highlight for us too :)
Another great report and fab pictures. The otters at the end made it for me - they are my fav wild animal. We ate at that Roasters in Virginia City also - it was good and great folks. Thanks as always!
Hi Emma, thanks for visiting & for the lovely comments. We took our soft sided roller bags, once out of the airport the bags were carried between vehicle & rooms by the lodge staff. So depending on how you are planning to get to the airport in the UK you could get away with hold-all’s without wheels. They stack your bags in the back of the vehicle which can get dusty, so we don’t recommend you take hard-cases or anything you would mind getting dusty! Hope you get lots of wonderful wildlife sightings!
Hi there, I’ve loved reading your article about the Kuoni Leopard Safari in Kenya. We are due to fly out in August and do this trip, allbeit with some slight variations on accommodation and a Zanzibar bolt on at the end. We are so excited and even more so having read your wonderful article.
I wondered if I could pick your brains on recommend luggage type and any other tips you think would be useful?
Many thanks
Emma & Martin
Hi Liz,
Thanks very much for your kind advice.
Been great reading up on your trip reports.
Cheers,
Buddika
Hi Buddika, we put our camera/lens in bags similar in size to Think Tank Digital Holster 50 V2.0. They weighed both of our gear altogether, so if you are checking in with someone else don’t get hung up on splitting it equally just ensure in total it doesn’t add up to more than the allowance. Hope that helps.
Hi There,
I have read your post on the GIB tour as I am planned to go to Nanuk Lodge later on this year. I do have a question on the carry-on baggage experience with Calm Air and wondering what sort of a camera bag that you took your gear with given the restrictions which you say are strictly enforced.
thanks,
Buddika
Thanks Traci - lol regards the twin beds! Our trips often involve very early mornings so I like to ensure I get as much sleep as I can - Alan fidgets & snores and twin beds avoids him ending up bruised and battered from me, lol. I loved the blue too, but it’s bright pink (magenta) now, I’m trying out several shades this year :)
Hi Conrad - thank you for the kind comments. With regards to our next trip, that’s one of Alan’s! He tells me we’re not going that far east. Cheers Liz :)
Great report as always. I love the tigress and cubs, also the one where the tiger is scratching his face on the tree. Gorgeous. Question do they also make you sleep Lucy & Ricky style at the lodges? (twin beds) I never thought you would let the pink go but the blue is awesome!
hi
re: India trip
Another great adventure with great info; tiger family is the best.
Do you have an outline for May/June trip? Just wondering how close you might get to the Okanogan and if the "scablands" are on the list?
Hi Tati - thanks for visiting & for the lovely comments. Wishing you a wonderful trip to Chile!
Hi there, I came across your blog via the Tripadvisor forums for Chile (currently trying to plan a two-week trip for later in the year). I spent the better part of my Sunday evening reading your detailed blog, enjoying every photograph and witty anecdote. Thank you for all of the information and tips provided! I look forward to my trip planning, but I'm glad to have found this blog - can't wait to read about other adventures!
Hi Pete & Sue
Thanks for contacting us via our Wildlife Mad Travellers website.
Pouso Alegre was the most basic of the accommodation that we stayed at, but it was great for night drives and the variety of wildlife viewings. No real tips for the rooms, other than if WiFi is important get one as close to the dining room as possible. If not, then get one as far away from the dining room as possible! Don't delay in going for meals, when we stayed there they didn't have heaters to keep the food warm, so best to eat as soon as they bring it out!
You'll have to let us know how you get on in the Taiama Reserve with jaguar sightings, we will very likely go back to the Pantanal so it would be good to know what other options are out there. We decided on the Jaguar Flotel due to the number of professional photographers that use it as a base, plus the BBC stayed there while filming too.
Good luck & wishing you many great sightings!
Liz & Alan
Hi Alan & Liz,
Found your blog during our preparations for going to the Pantanal next week and just wanted to say we found your notes very useful. We are old Africa hands and normally gol there each year but this year I managed to convince my wife Sue to make a change and see Brazil instead. We also booked with Naturetrek but decided after a lot thought on a tailor made trip so we will be in the Pantanal for 8 nts, ending in Amazon region at the Cristalino Lodge for 3 nts. In the Pantanal we will also stay at Alegre but instead of trying for Jaguars at Porto Jofre we opted to go to the Taiama Reserve instead in the hope it will be less busy.Normally we are in tents as far away from the camp as possible so this will be a big change for us, any room tips for Alegre in that regard?
Hi John, they don't use hides at Knight Inlet, you view the bears from platforms & boats. We have visited the Inlet in June (viewing the bears from a skiff) and in early October (viewing from the platforms).
We were closer to the bears when we were on the platforms. Both visits we used a 100-400mm lens.
We are going back to Knight Inlet in September 2018, so obviously we think it's a good place to view bears. But you do need to pick the right time of year for what you want to see. Early in the viewing season you will see them from boats eating grasses & crustaceans, from late August you can see them from platforms but only if you stay at the Knight Inlet lodge.
Happy to answer any other questions you have. Cheers Liz
I have just seen your pictures taken at Knight Inlet. I have seen reports suggesting that the bears can be some distance away from the hides. What lenses did you use? Do you have any other tips for Knight Inlet? Many thanks
Hi Gerald, thanks for the feedback :)
We have already visited Machu Picchu back in 2003 during our first visit to South America. You can see some pictures in the our Around the World, South America section.
Really enjoy your trip reports. Keep up the good work. Hope you'll soon take a trip to Manchu Picchu.
Thanks Conrad! Google is my friend and my enemy! I have now corrected the error :)
Hi Liz and Alan
After I started reading your 2017 Alaska trip and trying to figure out the route and getting overloaded I started plotting it in Google maps and creating a spreadsheet to save daily travel links. So I am up to Day 7 and came across Seaton Recreation area and a mention of it being part of BC Hydro???
with some digging it looks like the Seaton area in AK is not the same as Seton Recreation area which is in Lillooett BC north of Whistler. Both of which come up when doing a google search. I suspect that you did not drive to Lillooet from Tok (-:
+when done this exercise I can send you the spreadsheet
cheers
conrad
Thanks Traci - it was a great trip for scenery & those amazing pumas! We're off to Alaska & the Yukon next, more mountains and hopefully some bears!
Hi Liz & Alan ... as always great report and photos! The pumas were amazing. It's so horrible to get ill at the end of a trip. I've been there. Thank goodness for a good flight attendant! Thank you both!
Hi Ning - bearing in mind we have only visited Kenya in March & September & Tanzania in September we are by no means experts on Feb & July. But reading advice elsewhere & it possibly being your only Safari I'd probably go for Kenya in late July. Hope that helps, Liz.
Dear Liz and Alan,
I appreciate your time to share your travel experience. it is helpful. I am planning to go to Africa Safari in 2018. I have option to go either Tanzania at Feb or go to Kenya at July time frame. It may be my first and the only Africa Safari. my goal is to see the migration of large herd as much as possible. I saw you went both place before, which do you chose if you were me? Thanks
Ning
Hi Paul & Karen, great to hear from you. We certainly had our fair share of polar bears didn't we :) Happy New Year to you both and safe & happy travels too!
Enjoyed reading the review of our trip to Dymond Lake Hope you are both well Happy new year and enjoy your travels in 2017 Paul and Karen
Hi Traci - thanks for your very kind comments, it's always great to get some feedback (even on my hair, lol). Happy New Year to you & your family.
Thank you both for continuing to share. I don't think we would ever be able to see the polar bears. Very intolerable to cold - we're Texans! LOL. Great reporting & photos! Love the new shade of hair Liz!
Hi Alan,
Just realised that I could have put the link in with the comments in the first place (I think I had a moment... ;) ).
Here it is: http://www.queenslandandbeyond.com/2016/11/canada-5-reasons-inside-passage-ferries.html
I re-read your entire trip report once we came back from Canada! I can't believe you saw so many bears, that's amazing!
Hi Kati - it's great to know that our trip report helped and that you had the trip of a lifetime :).
Yes, we'd love to read about your trip! All the best Alan.
Hi Alan and Liz,
Just want to shout out in thanks for your North America Pacific Rim 2014 Trip Report! I first cottoned on to the idea of taking the ferries up the Inside Passage after stumbling upon your blog, thanks guys! You've helped turn our recent Canada trip into a trip of a life time!!!
Have linked to your blog from my post on travelling the Inside Passage by ferry (can send the link of you're interested :) ).
Cheers
Kati
Tomi - thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. I would so love to have the confidence to explore the underwater world! I shall keep in mind keep your wife's experience and reconsider whether I can gain the courage to try it myself!
found your website while planning our Yala safari. I'm amazed. Very inspirational for youngsters. Skipping the rest of the introduction, I would like to tell about our experience. I discovered the fascinating underwater world, snorkelling in kho-tao. I was so impressed that i convinced my wife to take the PADI license. My wife was also not happy if she couldn't touch the bottom in a pool. Also she is a bad swimmer. She got her license, and then we went for two weeks diving in different spots in Indonesia. Final conclusion of the trip: she loves the deep blue, and can't stop her from planning diving trips. The idea is that the life you find just under the blue line is so fascinating that it worth giving a try. You will find it as a "milestone" of your wildlife experience.
Tomi
Hi Alan. Just wanted to say that I've thoroughly enjoyed looking at your wonderful shots and reading up your trip report. Wonderful quality throughout. Thanks for bringing back many happy memories of
our own trip. Enjoy your future trips and photography. Best wishes Jon.
Thanks Traci, your recommended diversion resulted in us seeing a beaver so thank you so much!
Great report. Our 10 year drought has ended and flooded out a lot of your plans. But good thing it will bring new life to the area again. Awesome pictures - loved the swamp.
Thanks Traci we really appreciate your feedback :)
I enjoy your trip reports so much. The info mixed in with great pics. You should publish a photo book. I would buy it. Safe travels. Traci from Texas
Hi Rob(ert), thanks for the very kind comments about my Cornwall trip. Yes, I am the food porn picture collector, lol.
This trip we are keeping the posts to a minimum and just updating the map & adding a picture each day. We're going to save creating the trip report for when we get home... Alan's trying to cram
in as much as he can, you know what he's like, so I'm keeping the work to a minimum!
Liz, Great Cornwall report and photos, and I've only just realised because Alan didn't go to Cornwall with you is, that you must be the one who gets all that scrumptious food (photos), anyway great
read and photos of the scenery and your folks.
Liz & Aland have a great & safe trip, and as normal I look forward to your posts and photos.
Cheers
Robert
Hi Ivan, we had a great trip and very much plan to return to your wonderful country again in the next few years! Thanks for helping make it so great!
Hi Liz & Alan,
Glad to see you made it back safely, thoroughly enjoyed your light hearted reports and great photos, I am looking for to your summation. And Liz I saw resemblance with Alan and the Moai's.
Cheers
Rob
Hi guys, just wanted to wish you all the best with the rest of your trip to Patagonia and Easter Island. I hope you get good wheather and find great landscapes for your photography.
Have a safe return home.
Regards, Ivan
Hi Rob T.
That's fantastic, you'll have a great time.
Plenty of good advice 'you know where' to help you put it all together.
Hi Guys, as you already know, I'm so jealous that you're on the road again, and as you know Alan I love a good road trip. Loved your photos of your last trip, and we loved them so much, we're off to
Alaska and Canada September 2016.
Looking forward to your next adventure.
Cheers
Rob
Thank you Liz and Allen for your incredible Chile posting. I just read the entire thing. And thank you for your excellent Tripadvisor advice! The work, skill and time you put into your posts are
phenomenal! As a fellow bear enthusiast (we saw and watched for 15 minutes or so, two of them near our cabin this summer grazing on huckleberries!) I totally understand your wildlife fascination!
Keep up the good work to help us fellow travelers along our way.
Hi Pam, wish we had wild bears here in the UK! Thanks so much for the lovely comments, it's great to hear you've enjoyed reading trip reports.
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