[Jieun] Hi everyone, I'm Choi Jieun, a 33-year-old travel creator. I decided to pursue this passion full-time after quitting my job last September, and I've explored around 50 countries so far.

[Jungmin] And I'm Cha Jungmin, 30 years old. I previously worked as an orthopedic physical therapist, but since last year, I've been working alongside Jieun as a travel creator to bring you helpful, informative travel guides. My personal travel count is currently at about 30 countries.

💬 How did you end up traveling together?

[Jieun] I had always wanted to visit Africa, so I posted on Instagram looking for travel companions to join me. More than 30 followers reached out, and I ended up traveling with three followers who seemed genuinely committed to the trip. One of them was Jungmin, whom I had been interacting with occasionally as a fellow creator. The other two people were completely new to me, and we were meeting for the very first time.

💬 Wasn't it uncomfortable traveling with people you'd never met before?

[Jieun, Jungmin] Everyone was quiet and considerate of each other, so there was no discomfort at all. Especially since we're both content creators, it was great that we could take photos for each other.

💬 Why did you want to go to Africa?

[Jieun] I had two reasons why I wanted to go on the trip. First, I really wanted to see the baobab trees in Madagascar. Second, I wanted to go on a safari in the wild and see animals in their natural habitats. After watching Gian 84 visit Madagascar on the show "Adventure by Accident," I felt an overwhelming urge to go, which is what prompted me to post the recruitment notice on Instagram. (The customer actually visited Madagascar with her group before the Tanzania trip.)

[Jungmin] Africa felt like the final boss to me. I'd thought about wanting to go and figured I'd go someday, but I didn't have any concrete plans. Then after watching "Adventure by Accident," I decided I had to go to Africa. And that is when I saw Jieun's recruitment post.

💬 What was difficult while preparing for the Africa trip?

I usually plan my trips very meticulously, organizing everything in Excel. However, one of the biggest challenges for this trip was simply not having enough time to prepare.

I posted the recruitment call in February, finalized the trip details, and we departed in May. But during the time, I was traveling in France which left me with almost no time to do proper research. Fortunately, I put my full trust in Ahmo Travel and followed their expert guidance, so we didn't face any major difficulties.

[Jungmin] Since it was my first time visiting, I did have some fears and worries. But Ahmo Travel kept reassuring me that I didn't need to worry, so I didn't have any major difficulties during preparation.

💬 Why did you choose Ahmo Travel?

[Jieun, Jungmin] Both of us learned about Ahmo Travel through travel creator Yelming, who had traveled with Ahmo Travel before. After comparing various agencies, they had the most reviews and the smoothest communication, so we chose Ahmo Travel, a Korean travel agency.

➡️ Yelming's Interview https://blog.naver.com/ahmotravel/223193591846 ⬅️

💬 You visited several regions on this trip - Tanzania, Victoria Falls, Botswana, Namibia. I'd love to hear about each destination.

Namibia

​[Jieun] The desert dunes were absolutely beautiful. Sand dunes stretching endlessly on both sides with deer-like animals and trees in between, so it wasn't boring at all.

It was such a shame that we couldn't do activities like sand sliding in this huge, beautiful desert. (Sand sliding and similar activities are prohibited in Namibia for environmental conservation.) The weather here - cool in the morning and evening, slightly warm during the day - was exactly my favorite kind of weather.

[Jungmin] Even though I was not feeling a hundred percent while in Namibia, it still easily ranks as the absolute best destination out of the 30 countries I have visited. Climbing the desert dunes was much harder than I anticipated, but the magnificent view from the top made every single step worth it.

The meal setup was so well arranged

and in the evening the stars and Milky Way were incredibly beautiful.

Tanzania

[Jieun] Tanzania was the place that truly fulfilled all my romantic dreams of Africa. I actually became so ill during this part of the trip that I actually felt like I might die. But despite being that sick, the sight of the boundless plains meeting the horizon was a breathtaking first for me, turning the experience into a beautiful memory. Out of the 50 countries I have explored, Tanzania has definitely earned a spot in my top five.

[Jungmin] When I travel, I value nature highly. I find great healing in nature. The safari tour in Serengeti was a truly amazing experience for someone like me who loves nature. Being able to see wild animals right up close like lions, giraffes, zebras, was so exciting.

​Victoria Falls

​[Jieun] With our visit to Victoria Falls, I finally checked off the last of the world's three great waterfalls. I am a huge fan of adventure activities, so I made sure to book a helicopter tour on-site to view the spectacular falls from the sky. Though the flight time felt a bit too short, it was still a really fun ride.

If I am being perfectly honest, having already experienced the other famous waterfalls meant the view didn't completely blow me away. That said, if this had been my first time seeing a waterfall of this scale, I know this incredible natural wonder would have completely overwhelmed me.

[Jungmin] I joined Jieun on the helicopter tour. We paid over 200,000 Korean won locally to book the flight, but just as she mentioned, it was far too short. The whole experience was over after flying around for only about 10 minutes, which was quite disappointing. If I ever visit again, I would skip the helicopter ride entirely and choose to walk around the trails to experience the nature of Victoria Falls more directly.

Chobe National Park, Botswana

​[Jieun] Chobe had a completely different charm compared to the Serengeti. While the Serengeti felt like observing wildlife spread across vast grasslands, Botswana's Chobe National Park felt like going on a real-life treasure hunt.

The Chobe River tour, which is a boat-based safari, was a completely fresh experience even for an activity enthusiast like me. Getting to see hippos, crocodiles, and buffalo up close made me feel like I was in heaven. It was truly that spectacular.

[Jungmin] Jieun mentioned that she fell ill in the Serengeti. Well I started getting sick myself in Botswana. I was so incredibly sick at that point that I actually just wanted to go home, which made it hard to fully appreciate the experience. Since we had already seen so many wild animals in the Serengeti, combined with how unwell I was feeling, the scenery didn't deeply move me. Still, because this region is home to the largest elephant population in Africa, it was truly wonderful to see so many elephants roaming around.

💬 What was your favorite accommodation?

[Jieun] In terms of accommodation quality itself, Acacia Bliss Luxury Tented Camp in Serengeti was my favorite. The food was excellent too.

For scenery and views, Nyikani Camp Central Serengeti was really amazing!

[Jungmin] I absolutely loved Hoodia Desert Lodge in Namibia. While many African dishes did not quite suit my taste, the food at Hoodia was delicious and the overall facilities were excellent. To top it all off, the sundowner experience, where we watched the sunset over the desert while sipping champagne, was absolute perfection.

💬 How was Ahmo Travel's local guide?

[Jieun] Guide Godson was absolutely amazing. I was moved by how hard he tried to show us even a little bit more wildlife during the safari. He drove faster than other safari vehicles to show us more lions. He even spoke a little Korean, which was so cute!

[Jungmin] It's no exaggeration to say that guide Godson was the biggest reason why my memories of Tanzania were so good. As Jieun said, Godson spoke some Korean and knew Korean culture well. He even created and sang a song about Ahmo Travel! I gave him a bite of my Buldak spicy noodles and he loved it!

💬 What advantages of Ahmo Travel did you notice during the trip?

[Jieun, Jungmin] First of all, the quality of the local guide is really a huge advantage. Godson rocks! Besides the guide, Ahmo Travel's vehicles are definitely an advantage.

​The car had everything we needed - outlets, refrigerator, water, wet wipes, etc. Even compared to other safari vehicles in Serengeti, Ahmo Travel's vehicle was so pretty and distinctive in color, shape, even the tires.

[Jungmin] Having a group chat where we could ask questions or get help during emergencies was reassuring and great. No matter how much travel experience you have, you never know what might happen locally.

💬 Who would you recommend Africa to?

[Jieun] I highly recommend it to people who feel jaded by famous tourist destinations! If you love animals and have romantic dreams about Serengeti, you absolutely must go.

[Jungmin] When I told people I was going to Africa, reactions were split between "sounds fun" vs "looks dangerous." I'd definitely recommend it to people who think it sounds fun, and to those who think it looks dangerous, I'd tell them that Africa is not as dangerous as we think it is. I'd especially recommend it to newlyweds!

💬 Overall trip evaluation

[Jieun] It was a trip that fulfilled my romantic dreams of Africa. Thanks to Ahmo Travel for lowering the barriers to Africa , I was able to complete the trip successfully!

[Jungmin] I usually don't revisit places I've been to, but I definitely want to go back to Africa and I'm sure I will go back. It seems like a great travel destination to enjoy with lovers, friends, and family alike.

[Jungmin] I usually don't revisit places I've been to, but I definitely want to go back to Africa and I'm sure I will go back. It seems like a great travel destination to enjoy with lovers, friends, and family alike.

👉 Ahmo Travel is a travel agency specializing in 1:1 customized Africa travel plans! We provide optimal coordination from luxury hotels to budget-friendly accommodations based on travelers' schedules and budgets, so feel free to contact us and we can propose a customized plan for you.