What better way to mark one of life’s most unforgettable milestones than with an incredible journey to match?
AAA member Maggie Bass and her husband Adam wanted to spend their honeymoon on an African safari, and AAA Northeast travel advisor Helen Devoe helped to make it a reality.
From Bucket List to To-Do List
“Our trip was amazing!” Bass said. “Helen planned an incredibly seamless and stress-free travel experience for us. The entire trip was absolutely perfect, and my husband and I have already spoken about doing it again!”
The couple traveled in June to the Tengile River Lodge in South African in the Sabi Sands game reserve.
“We chose a safari for our honeymoon because it was one of the top trips on our bucket lists,” Bass said. “We had researched the best locations for the time of year we were planning, and we knew we wanted to take a once in a lifetime trip for this special occasion.”
After choosing their preferred country and accommodations, Bass contacted Devoe for advice and assistance scheduling transportation and excursions.
“She was amazing at coordinating all of our travel to and from such a unique location,” Bass added.
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Bass called shortly after getting engaged, according to Devoe, who was not surprised by her honeymoon pick.
“She knew exactly what she was looking for,” said Devoe. “Adam and Maggie both work for an airline, so it seemed normal that since they can fly free, they would pick an exotic destination for a honeymoon.”
And they came to the right place. This was not Devoe’s first safari.
“I work through our partner African Travel, which has four decades of expertise. They helped me gain access to expert support, immersive training and exclusive tools to help me plan personalized journeys for folks looking to travel to Africa,” Devoe said.
Viewing wildlife was the top priority for the newlyweds.
“The main activity was to go out on day and evening game reserve drives — where they hoped to see the big five— lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos and buffalo,” Devoe said. “They also wanted their evenings to include stargazing at the beautiful African sky.”
The entire trip was so memorable, Bass mentioned that she could not pick one highlight.
“The experience of being that close to the animals in their natural habitat was life changing,” she said. “The food was amazing and the service was incredible. I would absolutely recommend AAA and specifically Helen Devoe to anyone.”
Building Big Trips
Among the challenges of planning trips like a safari are deciding which country and park to visit, determining the budget, and then, crafting an itinerary that balances time to see wildlife with time to relax.
While the African safari honeymoon is one of the more uncommon trips she has organized, Devoe said she has booked vacations to other exotic destinations and they are the most fun to plan, simply because travel advisors don’t do them every day.
“I have booked … the Galapagos, river cruising in Egypt, Australia and even bird watching in Costa Rica,” Devoe said.
For those ready to map out an adventure, Devoe offered this advice:
- Plan ahead by choosing your destination.
- Research safety precautions and understand the local customs.
- Make sure you have all the necessary travel documents.
- Know the best time of year to travel and then calculate your budget.
- Book your trip, get ready for an adventure, but most importantly, buy travel insurance. “Always be prepared for the unexpected.” Learn how to get travel insurance through AAA.
Devoe also understands the significance of these trips.
“For the most part, they are usually trips of a lifetime for the person going, and something that they will remember long after they have returned home.”
Contact a AAA travel advisor to start planning your vacation of a lifetime. The service is free with your membership!
Have you ever gone on an African safari? Would you like to? Tell us in the comments below.
Ellen is a content producer for AAA Northeast, covering automotive, finance, public affairs and electric vehicle news. She is a former newspaper reporter with experience writing for print and online publications about everything from higher education to sustainability. She recently returned to her native Long Island after living in Connecticut for 20-plus years, and has never met a beach she didn’t like.
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