C/O O&O Mandarina

I just returned from our annual exchange with my host agency, Departure Lounge, where we spent 4 nights at the Conrad Punta Mita and then ended our trip with an AMAZING stay at the fairly new One&Only Mandarina right outside of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

What is a host agency you might ask? Think of me like a realtor. Realtors work with a broker for their clients that help with relations and licensing. This is what Departure Lounge is to me. They are one of the best know host agencies in the business and are amazing for supplier relations. What does this mean to you? It means that because we have such great relationships with our suppliers they want to make sure our guests are the happiest. I love working with Departure Lounge as well as all of our VIP partners to make sure that my guests and clients have amazing vacations that they deserve!

Anyways, back to One&Only Mandarina!

This resort opened in 2021 in a new complex called Mandarina, right outside of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It is a quick 45 minute drive from the Puerto Vallarta airport so that you are in paradise before you know it! This property felt more like Costa Rica to me than Mexico and I loved it. A beautiful mix of jungle that meets the sea!

We stayed in the Ocean View Cliff Villa during our stay. The great thing about this property are that all rooms are villa/suite type accommodations so even the entry level rooms are a great size and still perfect for a family. Kids under 12 years of age are not allowed to stay in the treehouse suites due to safety reasons. That being said, I think this is a fabulous resort for kids! The kids club is so cool with a treehouse and a butterfly garden as well as an indoor area for arts and crafts and fun play. They also have several pools around the property with the Jetty Beach Club being the best for children in my opinion. If you are wanting a more adult only vibe, there is an adult only pool that is much quieter with no kiddos in site!

There is a Rosewood that is planned to open in 2025 that will also be apart of the Mandarina complex similar to the Mayakoba complex in the Cancun/Riviera Maya area. It will connect to the Mandarina beach club and you will be able to “dine around”. I can’t wait to go back and check out this property when it opens.

For my clients, my VIP amenities are as follows:

Daily breakfast for 2
$100 resort credit
Upgrade on arrival (based on availability)
Early check-in/late check-out (based on availability)

I would love to book this fabulous property for you and your family today! Send me an email at lauren@thatblondetravels.com or fill out my contact form to get started!

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Image c/o Fino Restaurant

Website: Fino Restaurant

Address: Oia 847 01, Greece

Reservations required? No, but highly recommended

Phone: +30 2286 072037

Would I recommend? Yes

When we arrived into Santorini, we were a little overwhelmed with the restaurant options. Having had some of the most delicious food of my life, I knew I didn’t want to leave it up to chance and end up in a tourist trap regretting everything. Canaves Oia Epitome did an excellent job helping us to figure out where and what to eat. They assisted with getting us last minute reservations when required as well! Huge shout out to them for sending us to this amazing restaurant!

Fino Restaurant is located in Oia right in the tourist streets. It is known for its delicious Mediterranean cuisine and intriguing signature cocktails. We ordered the Mexican Zombie signature cocktail on a suggestion from the shuttle driver at the hotel. When we told the server who recommended it, he said “Oh! I know him!”. Too funny that Santorini also has those “small town vibes”.

WHAT WE ORDERED:

For my drink, I had the Mexican Zombie 🧟‍♀️.

We started with fresh bread and seared tuna 🍣. We also had the ricotta gnocchi in goat and truffle pekorino cheese 🧀 topped with sun dried figs. Omg so good. Gnocchi is always a fav!

For my main course, I had the grilled chicken with avocado 🥑 salad and Kayla had the Iberian pork ragout with rigatoni and a sweet and sour sauce.

Dessert was a delicious baklava 😋. Notice the detail on the ice cream!

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Image c/o Mystique

Website: Lure Restaurant

Address: Oia 847 02, Greece

Reservations required? Yes

Phone: +30 2286 071114

Would I recommend? Yes

Lure by Chef Olivier Campanha is located in Oia, Santorini on the cliffside overlooking the caldera. The views and the food were simply spectacular! I am so grateful to have gotten to experience this restaurant first hand. If you are looking for a fine-dining experience while in Santorini, then Lure is an amazing option!

Grab yourself a seat here to witness the most amazing sunset!

WHAT I ORDERED:

We started with a pallet cleanser and some fresh sourdough bread. Omg, it was so good! The bread was accompanied by two types of sea salt, some fresh olive oil, and butter.

For our main dish, I ordered the free range chicken breast topped with thyme jus and Naxos gruyere. It came with a side of asparagus and roasted cherry tomatoes. My cousin, Kayla, ordered the Black Angus beef filet with pepper crust, potatoes Anna, fresh slim amaranth, and onion chlorophyll. Both dishes were yummy!

For dessert, a bitter chocolate sphere with milk chocolate mousse and salted caramel sauce topped with a flower honeycomb.

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Website: Armeni Restaurant

Address: Armeni Bay, Oía 847 02, Greece

Reservations required? Yes

Phone: +30 2286 071053

Would I recommend? 1000%

To get to this off-the-beaten path restaurant, take the long hike down the cliffside in Oia or take the ferryboat from Ammoundi Bay. When we went, it was super windy outside so the ferry was not running. While the hike down was not too bad, the hike back up almost did me in! The views are phenomenal though so you have plenty of opportunities to stop and enjoy them on your way back to Oia.

This was such an amazing experience to eat here and watch the waves crash against the dock. It was so peaceful and the food was delicious. Definitely add this one to your “must eats” when in Santorini! You will not be disappointed!

WHAT I ORDERED:

We ordered the spicy feta dip to start. While in Greece, we ordered the spicy feta dip several times at multiple restaurants and it was always fantastic!

I had heard that the octopus in Santorini was divine and that I should give it another shot. The first time that I tried octopus, I found it to be very tough and chewy. This on the other hand was very fresh and delicious!

For my main dish, I had the chicken souvlaki. It was grilled to perfection!

We hadn’t planned on ordering dessert, but they brought out a complementary chocolate ice cream cake that was wonderful!

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Disclaimer: This post contains Affiliate Links for products I’m currently using. By using these links you won’t pay any additional fees, but support me to keep this site running!

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ultimate botswana safari

Written by Kelly Wilson

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Planning a safari is exciting, but also overwhelming! First, I asked myself what I wanted to from the experience. Do I want to see African wild dogs or gorillas? Do I value a more solitary experience away from crowds? Luxury or budget? Answering these questions helped me narrow down where to go on safari.

Why Choose Botswana

Botswana is committed to eco-friendly tourism. It has slightly higher prices but fewer crowds compared to the Serengeti for example. It's also home to the beautiful Okavango Delta, which is a unique vast inland river delta famous for its grassy plains. Flooding seasonally, this area becomes a lush animal habitat. During the dry season, animals travel for miles in search of water as other sources begin to disappear. This increases one's chances of seeing lots of wildlife! The Okavango Delta is also a paradise for bird enthusiasts as well. Botswana is home to the world's largest concentration of elephants, in addition to, conservation land devoted to the protection of African wild dogs, cheetahs and black rhinos. The landscape is diverse and beautiful, from marsh land of the delta, to the dry saltpans of the Makgadikgadi region, to the red sand of the Kalahari desert, Botswana will surely capture your heart.

BOTSWANA ITINERARY: OKAVANGO DELTA, MOREMI GAME RESERVE, CHOBE NATIONAL PARK, VICTORIA FALLS

Recommended 11-Day Botswana Itinerary:

Okavango Delta (4 nights)

Moremi Game Reserve (2 nights)

Chobe National Park (3 nights)

Victoria Falls (1 night)

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Total days: 11

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My Botswana Experience

My husband, Jimmy, and I chose to go at the beginning of the dry season, at the end of June, which is winter in the southern hemisphere. Some advantages of going at this time are that the prices are slightly cheaper, as it's off season, the weather is still cool, and no rain. Due to COVID, we were the only people on the boats and in our safari jeep, as not many people were traveling yet. There were still other guests at the lodges that we ate meals with, but all of our excursions were essentially private. Not only were the animals amazing, but so was the scenery. I loved the peacefulness we experienced out on our drives just as much as seeing the animals. I would sit back, enjoy the breeze and beautiful landscape, and wait to see what nature had in store for us that day.

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Okavango Delta

Location: Setari Camp (2 nights)

From the Maun airport, my husband and I took a 40-minute flight on a 12 passenger plane to an airstrip in the middle of the delta near our first lodge, Setari Camp. The views from the air were beautiful as the water created blue swirls of inlets among the green islands. We even spotted elephants and ostriches from the plane. After landing, we were met by two employees from the camp, a boat driver guide and a guide who sat next to us and knew the name of every bird we saw. To get to the lodge, we took a boat along the papyrus lined canals for 50 minutes allowing us to take in the scenery and wildlife during our journey! Upon arrival, lots of lodges offer you a tasty and much appreciated welcome drink. While sipping our welcome drinks, we spotted monkeys in the trees! It was so exciting to see so much wildlife already. That night we watched the sunset from the deck as we warmed ourselves with hot drinks around the fire before dinner. The food at all the lodges was amazing and we ate well the entire safari.

While at the Setari Camp, we did boat safaris around the delta and a guided walk around the island where the lodge was located. We saw African fishing eagles, Malachi Kingfisher, cormorants, and so many more types of birds! We saw sitatunga and red lechwe antelope, baboons, crocodiles and hippos. On an evening boat ride my husband, the second guide, and I were looking down into the water from the top level of the two-tier boat, when we spotted some bubbles floating to the surface, indicating an animal was below in the water. Suddenly, the boat lurched side-to-side knocking us off-balance almost tipping the boat! The boat driver had quick reflexes and righted the boat just in time. Hippos are very territorial and this bull did not like us in his space. He rammed our boat from the bottom! The hippo was ok. The guide, who has been working in the Okavango Delta for twenty years, said that has never happened to him before. It goes to show that you just never know what one moment to the next will bring.

Location: Mochaba Crossing (2 nights)

Next, we stayed at Mochaba Crossing on the eastern edge of Okavango Delta. Here, the land is much drier, but there are still areas of marshland and rivers. We did a game drive as well as a Mokoro Boat, traditional long wooden canoe, excursion to a large island where a local guide took us on a safari walk. We wandered over sand, past herds of zebra and antelope, into pockets of forest. At one point, while walking through the trees, I stopped to stare in awe at a huge termite mound, when I spotted movement ten feet away. I simultaneously noticed a large grey body and an ivory tusk. The next moment, the guide was silently pushing us along and away from what was an elephant hiding in the trees! Since it is not safe to surprise elephants on foot, we hastily and silently retreated to safety. It happened so quickly that my husband Jimmy didn't see the elephant or even know what was happening. It was a special experience to see the animals on foot, without the barrier of the jeep. I would definitely recommend a safari walk if possible and when it is safe to do so during your stay.

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Moremi Game Reserve

Location: Sango Safari Camp (2 nights)

We drove to our next camp which may have been my favorite! Sango Safari Camp is situated on the Khwai River at the edge of the Moremi Game Reserve. Our lodgings were right on the river and looked like an old fashioned canvas safari tent, however, it was updated with an en-suite bathroom, outdoor shower, and electricity.

On the other side of the river was the game reserve. More than once, we came out of our room to see elephants across the water about 50 feet away. One evening, I saw a monitor lizard right before it rushed back into the water. At night, we could hear the grunting of the hippos! They are a pretty noisy bunch. When we first arrived at the camp, we walked to a viewing platform where we could immediately see at least 3 elephants, a hippo, and several birds. Next, we ate lunch and made friends with a family from South Africa.

After lunch and a quick nap, it was time for our evening game drive. The guide said we would go to a spot where wild African dogs had been known to den with their puppy litters in years past. I held my breath as we waited for the first jeep from our camp to radio with news of the dogs’ presence! I was hoping against hope that I would be able to see African wild dogs while on safari. They are a favorite, but are endangered and rare to see. These dogs are found in much of Botswana, which is another reason I chose it for our first safari. After about 10 minutes, we finally received word the African dogs were here! We gave the first jeep time to see them, then we headed back into the pocket of the forest to finally see them for ourselves. The puppies were so adorable and the mom was patient as they all climbed and played on and over her. We must have stayed there for 30 minutes watching them. This is easy to do and the time goes very quickly!

Next, we drove around the game reserve, where our guide spotted a lion in the grass. I would never have seen the lion! They camouflage very well and this is why guides are a must on your first safari! It turned out to be not one lion, but a small pride of 7 lions. They were all sleepy as it was still pretty warm out. After watching for a bit, we drove around the reserve and saw more antelope, zebra, elephants, giraffes, warthogs, etc! As the sun was setting, we headed back to find the lion pride. The lions were starting to wake up and be playful. Slowly, by ones and twos, they started walking off toward the waterhole. We followed them, even going off road (this is allowed at this park, but not at all of them). We followed and watched them as long as we could before they disappeared into the night, past the waterhole, where we couldn't follow.

Day 2 at Sango camp

Early mornings are the name of the game in Africa! It's the best time to see wildlife before the heat of the day sets in. We were there in winter so the mornings were in the 40s and could be pretty chilly especially once the jeep got moving. On our morning game drive, the first thing we did was try and find the lions from the previous night. Before we could spot them, we found a zebra carcass. The lions had been on their way to hunt when we saw them the night before and we could see they had been successful. Next, we found the lions walking back to their favorite sleep spot. Their stomachs looked like basketballs because they had eaten so much! They wouldn't need to eat for another 4 to 5 days after eating an entire zebra.

That evening, we saw the African wild dogs again! We were the only jeep out there that particular day. FYI: all the parks we went to, we saw almost no one out there as it was during COVID. We stayed another 30 minutes or longer. We saw the male African dog come back to the family and regurgitate the found he hunted for them. African dogs do this so that other animals don't try and steal their food (you learn a lot while on safari as the guides are incredibly knowledgeable!). There were a few vultures who flew in and tried to steal the scraps of food the puppies were playing with, but momma dog scared them off. We saw lots more antelope and other animals during the rest of the drive.

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Chobe National Park

Chobe Elephant Camp (3 Nights)

Chobe National Park is an incredible place as it has the largest concentration of elephants in the world! There are over 120,000 elephants who live in this large park. So many elephants all the time! We saw elephants crossing the river from our boat, as well as, cute babies and juveniles playing in the water along the banks. The Chobe River separates Namibia and Botswana, so during the dry season, animals from all over come for water. We saw many crocodiles along the banks and in the water, so many beautiful eagles, cape buffalo, zebras, antelope, hippos, giraffes, and lots of baboon troops. One troop of baboons can have hundreds of monkeys. They are so fun to watch! The babies are adorable and the younger baboons play all day sometimes infuriating the older baboons. That is a little scary. We saw more lions here too! A larger pride than the previous park, but we did not see the males with this pride. The males will go out on their own and patrol their territory. This pride had 3 females and about 9 cubs. The cubs are very curious about the safari jeeps and will come up to your jeep and growl at it. The females are used to safari jeeps that they just carry on like you're not even there. It was fun to watch this group, as the cubs were initially up high in a rock outcropping, hiding behind trees, watching us. Slowly, the cubs came down one-by-one out of curiosity and because the sun was setting.

I was so happy because I saw so many lions, African wild dogs, giraffes, and elephants that I thought this trip would be really extra special if I saw a leopard. So, all the three days in Chobe, I looked in the low lying branches of the trees to try and spot a leopard. I was so obsessed! I even dreamed about a leopard. Our last day, we had just entered the park, early in the morning. Our guide parked the jeep in the road to tell us more about the Chobe river that was down the hill and straight ahead. He is mid-sentence when, all of a sudden, he got very excited and says, in one breath, "Look! A leopard!" We looked up to see one walking away from us in the brush. Miraculously, she turned around and started walking towards us. I was so happy, and the leopard is so beautiful, that I am close to tears (not exaggerating or trying to be overly sentimental). Leopards are so incredibly beautiful in the wild. The leopard walked right in front of our jeep on the road and looked right at us. I just stared and stared. I could not believe my eyes. Jimmy, my husband, was sweet and took photos so I could really soak in the experience. We tried to follow the leopard, but it was too far to see well. We caught a couple more glimpses of her from far away, but, eventually, lost her. We believe that she must've gone somewhere to sleep for the day.

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Victoria Falls

Location: Batonka Guest Lodge (1 night)

Chobe National Park is very close to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, where we decided to end our trip. We only spent one day here, but, honestly, that was enough. The city was overstimulating after being in the bush for 9 days. It is worth a stop, however, as the falls are stunning and absolutely breathtaking!

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Final thoughts: If you are considering going on an African Safari, just do it! You will not regret it! Honestly, you will want to go back to Africa immediately. We are already looking into traveling to Uganda in 2023. An African Safari is such a unique and invaluable experience that you will always treasure.

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A few helpful tips

1. Bring a good camera. I already had a DSLR, but I did buy a new zoom lens. I was soooo glad I did. My favorite camera at the moment is my Sony Alpha a6300 Mirrorless Camera and I love the look and bokeh of the Sigma lenses.

2. Pack light! You are moving camps often and the weight limit in the small planes is only 20 kg. We each brought a hiking overnight backpack and a small carry on tote (hard luggage is not allowed).

3. Some light neutral solid colors are good to bring, but you don't have to buy a new wardrobe. You're sitting in the jeep a lot so you get a little dusty. You can definitely wear some clothes twice however, and most camps have laundry service.

4. Know what kind of safari that you want. What is your budget? What type of safari experience do you want, such as camping, luxury, or somewhere in between? We work with several outfitters that will work with you on your budget and specific requests for an amazing bucket list experience.

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