Little Kulala Safari Report - June 2004
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The weather in June has been one which is definitely introducing the winter temperature especially in the late evening and early morning with our coldest night being 3 degrees!! The morning temperature in general was a bit kinder to us with a usual 10 degrees, but don't feel discouraged there are plenty of our guests still sleeping on our star beds looking at the stars. The temperature during the day is wonderful and comfortable ranging between 25 and 29 degrees.
Everybody is enjoying the closed vehicles on the morning to drive to Sossusvlei and the hike to Deadvlei and to conquer Big Daddy. Even with the nature drives one needs to remember to take some warm clothes along. Very exciting at the beginning of June we had the transit of Venus across the Sun and for a couple of hours in the morning everyone's noses were facing skywards looking at the sun with protective eclipse glasses, we are definitely ready for the next one.
Orion and the beautiful Saturn are not visible anymore but in the morning Venus is back in action as the morning star. Exciting constellations visible this month are Scorpio, Southern Cross and in the north we are able to see part of Orsa Major or better known as the Big Dipper.
Our little water hole has become increasingly popular with most, including daily visits from six resident ostrich; our big group of Oryx lead by an albino are coming to the water hole quite frequently and of course our faithful groups of springbok. More often in the evenings lately, we have been lucky with predator sightings including the Spotted Eagle owl, Jackals, however, our Spotted Hyaena are shy at the waterhole, we hear them most nights during their howling concerts. An unusual sighting this month was a Blacksmith Plover which found a home at our waterhole for two days.
Little Kulala is situated on a large private reserve, bordering the Namib Naukluft Park, in the heart of the Namib. The camp offers magnificent views of the famous red dunes of Sossusvlei, mountainous scenery and vast open plains.
Little Kulala has eight thatched and canvas chalets of Kulalas, each built on a wooden platform to provide maximum airflow. A popular option with outdoor enthusiasts is to sleep under the stars - mattresses are placed on private stargazing platform on top of each room.
The main lodge has a lounge, bar, dining area and plunge pool, with a view of the dunes. The verandah overlooks a waterhole. Early morning guided game drives to the spectacular dunes are through a private gate on the Tsauchab River.
Game drives and walks are also offered on the private reserve. Here, guests can enjoy incredible views, desert game and smaller desert fauna and flora. Another option, at an extra cost, is early morning ballooning, beginning at first light.
The 60-minute balloon safari offers a truly unique experience to soar silently above the magnificent sand dunes and desert - with a champagne breakfast served at your landing site.
On the edge of the oldest desert in the world, this is not a game rich area, however, whatever game we see is interesting and dramatised by the contrast between the desert and animals like Springbok, Gemsbok (Oryx) and Ostrich who manage to survive in these harsh conditions.
Night drives using spotlights often encounter small mammals such as Aardwolf, Bat Eared Fox, Hares and sometimes Spotted Hyenas
LOCATION� Kulala is 350 km south of Windhoek and can easily be reached by sedan car.
� The entrance is situated 17 km south of Sesriem on the road 826 (follow the signpost with arrows on the C36).
PRICING / CHILD POLICY
High Season: July to October
Shoulder Season: January to June & November to December
☼ Children over the age of 8 years are welcome
ACCOMMODATION
Number of units:
Eight chalets in total comprising:
� 7 x "kulalas" each with twin beds (there are 4 extra beds available for children/triples)
� 1 x family room which sleeps 5
� 4 x tour leader/guides can be accommodated in rondavels
19 guests in total can be accommodated plus tour leaders
Chalet details:� Each "kulala" is especially adapted to the unique desert conditions, built on a platform to ensure maximum airflow, thatch roof provide a cool respite from the sun
� Ceiling fans ensure a breeze at all times.
� All rooms are en-suite with shower, flush toilet and hand basin.
� Each room has a private veranda with view of the majestic dunes without seeing the neighbours.
� A private rooftop area on top of the bathroom gives guests the opportunity of spending a night under the magnificent night sky for which bedrolls are available.
CAMP DESCRIPTION� The main lodge comprises of the reception, lounge, bar, dining room and veranda.
� Thatch roofed
� There is a swimming pool with shaded area if guests want to relax
GAME VIEWING
A water hole in front of the main building gives the opportunity to see Oryx, Springbok, Bat Eared Fox, Aardwolf, Ostrich and Jackals. Some Spotted Hyenas can be heard at night.
ACTIVITIES� Nature drives into the desert in 3 x 10 seater and 1 x 6 seater 4 x 4 vehicles
� Walking Trails
� Visits to Bushman painting sites
� Visit to Sossusvlei and Sesriem
� Balloon safaris (additional cost, even if guests are on Fully Inclusive rate. Closed 15 January to 15 February)
� Horse riding safari (on request and at an additional cost)
� The Scenic sundowner tour is one of the best scenic safaris in the Namib. This exclusive tour is ended with a Champagne sundowner.
� Private vehicles can be booked at an additional cost, subject to availability.
SUGGESTED DAILY ACTIVITY SCHEDULE
Below is only a suggestion as to what may happen in camp - as daily wildlife sightings tend to throw the schedule right out of schedule.
05h00 - Wake Up
05h30 - Light breakfast is served
05h55 - Depart on Sossusvlei excursion
Full buffet brunch is served on the dunes
Return to Lodge
15h45 - Depart on afternoon activity
19h00 - Dinner at the Lodge
ELECTRICITY & WATER� Solar heating for hot water
� 220v power is available in each kulala camp 24 hours a day
� Video battery recharging facilities are available; please bring spare battery and adaptors.
DRINKS POLICY
Drinks on game drives and house-wine at dinner are included in the Fully Inclusive rate. All other drinks are excluded unless pre-arranged (for an extra cost all drinks can be included).
LAUNDRY POLICY
A daily laundry service is included in the nightly tariff.
EXTRAS PAYMENT
Payment can be affected by: Travellers' cheques, cash or Visa/MasterCard
FLYING / DRIVING TIMES
To/from Windhoek 1 hour 15 mins
To/from Swakopmund 1 hour
Self drive � 5 hours from/to Windhoek (350 Km)
Self drive � 6 hours from/to Swakopmund (380 Km)
AIRSTRIP DETAILS
Geluk Airstrip co-ordinates
S 24.40.6, E 015.48.1
Gravel surface
15 minutes from camp
GRATUITY SCHEDULE
The following is the suggested gratuity schedule only and is subject to service standards:
R 100 per guest per day. This will be divided up amongst the camp staff.
*`�*-.,_,.-*`�*-.,_,.-*�
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Makalolo Camp Zimbabwe Safari Report - June 2004
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Either we've all acclimatised to the Hwange weather or Mother Nature is saving a cold surprise for later! The winter weather has been quite bearable with minimum temperatures ranging between 3 and 12 degrees Celsius. Overall, these sunny days have boasted a comfortable average of 27 degrees Celsius and the pleasant temperatures can be attributed to the cloud cover that has been keeping the warmth in. However, after sunset, the temperatures drop quite rapidly and it is necessary to wrap up! Some guests have donned their bath robes on the morning and evening drives and have started a new fashion trend at Makalolo!
On 8 June we witnessed the transition of Venus with the sun - looking through welding helmet glass; Venus was seen as a small dot on the lower right hand side of the sun's circumference. Considering the last one was seen 1000 years ago, it was quite a highlight for our young generation!
False Mopane and Zambezi Teak appear to be the only trees resilient enough to withstand the colder temperatures and proudly display their green foliage amongst the surrounding tones of brown, tan, khaki and yellow. The abundance of dry grass carpeting the plains could be a potential fire hazard this season, which our pans seem well prepared for! The bush is brittle and thinning out gradually as awesome herds of buffalo and elephants plough and mow through the desiccated maze of moisture less vegetation. Seas of skeletal dried wild hibiscus will hopefully be eradicated in the process, as they are making the landscape look rather unkempt.
Some of our guests had the privilege of experiencing the big six all in one day, plus wild dogs and honey badgers thrown in for good measure! Our most memorable sighting of the month was that of a very relaxed rhino cow and calf captured at Little Mbiza amongst the tall golden grass in the soft light just before sunset. Foster and his guests did an approach on a male rhino whilst on a walk at Mbiza and everyone found that rather exhilarating! Leopard sightings are improving drastically and most of them have been close encounters! Most sightings have been on the way back into camp from evening game drives and have been on the road which junctions the road to our compound - obviously, this is a young male clambering around familiar territory which is being seen on a regular basis!
Wild dogs have once again hit the headlines as our resident pack of 5 has been sighted hunting and killing both impala and kudu at Ngweshla. One misty morning, we heard the cry of a young animal in front of tent 9, and upon investigation, discovered the dogs devouring the body a young kudu cow. After eating their full, they sunned themselves at the pan in front of camp for a few hours.
During an evening of dinner table conversation, our guides debated the size of honey badgers! It was very ironic that on the following morning's transfer to the airstrip, a honey badger was nearly flattened when it ran onto the road in front of the vehicle! That same evening, a pair of honey badgers was seen at Somavundla and apparently this had been the best honey badger sighting for Doug Kew. After having not seen honey badgers in our concession for some time, as well as the guides contesting whose size was more accurate, it made for fantastic first hand experience for our guests!
Lion sightings have been poor, due to the fact that our former resident pride now belongs to Linkwasha! Apparently the new male in or concession (aka Vuka) has been lingering around Little Mak. Though his spoor has been seen on the road on several occasions, he himself has been extremely elusive but Lion Research has confirmed that he is definitely in the Little Mak area. On an evening drive to Mbiza, game drive guests and guides discovered the fresh carcass of a young collared lioness. The remains were brought back to camp for research purposes and it is believed that the 18 month old lioness was killed by the eight young male cubs that are part of the pride prowling around Linkwasha, intending on forming their own coalition/s. Foster recovered the skull from this young lioness and has put it on display in our living area!
Elephant and buffalo activity have been outstanding! Elephants are congregating in large herds around various mineral licks and water holes and are still amazing our guests with their frequent visits to the swimming pool for a quick drink. Valentine awed guests on an afternoon drive with the sighting of a baby buffalo that had been born just minutes before! They witnessed the mother buffalo eating the after birth!
Some good probability sightings for the month have been as follows: 100% for elephant, giraffe, impala, black-backed jackal, springhare, wildebeest and zebra. Aardwolf 3%, bat-eared fox 13%, lesser bush baby 3%, bush buck 3%, buffalo 87%, caracal 3%, cheetah 7%, eland 27%, genet 7%, honey badger 7%, hyaena 7%, hunting dog 10%, side-striped jackal 43%, kudu 53%, leopard 20%, lion 17%, rhino 13%, roan 13% and wildcat 3%.
Red-billed francolins have topped the charts this month with their breeding behaviour! We are seeing new little clutches of chicks running around camp almost on a weekly basis! Twice during the month, the guinea fowls in front of camp have had close encounters with a Martial Eagle! One morning the guinea fowls went into a raucous flutter as a Martial swooped down onto the flustered flock and connected with a guinea fowl in mid-flight! Fortunately for the guinea fowl it was a near miss and it escaped unscathed, bar a few feathers which we retrieved for display purposes! The second time it happened, the guinea fowls had wisened up to the Martial's tactics and made for the trees! A little banded goshawk was seen drinking in the bird bath outside the dining area on a very cold winter's morning. We spotted a juvenile crowned crane waking across the plains at Ngweshla with both parents. We were rather excited with this finding because it proved that our familiar friends' nest had withstood the abundance of water during the rainy season and they had a young one to prove it!
Makalolo Plains is situated in a remote area within the vast Hwange National Park and is one of the few camps built within the Park. Hwange is legendary for its wonderful array of wildlife and massive herds of Elephant and Buffalo - especially in the dryer winter months.
There are excellent opportunities to view game from open 4x4 vehicles during the early morning and late afternoon, when game is most active. Foot safaris are also offered, and are accompanied by an armed professional guide. The camp is set in a unique location, overlooking the Samavundhla Pan - which attracts game in good concentrations.
The entire camp is raised on wooden boardwalks and platforms, giving guests excellent views over the waterhole and floodplain in front of the camp. Accommodation consists of nine large, comfortable tented rooms with en-suite shower, toilet and basin - all with hot and cold running water.
There is an outdoor shower for those who enjoy showering under the stars. The lighting in the rooms is battery powered - ensuring peace and quiet in camp. Meals are enjoyed in the separate raised dining area.
There is also a lounge, pub and plunge pool. The camp has hides overlooking the waterhole, which allow guests to enjoy close up game viewing.
Summer sees the large antelope herds migrate onto the plains, closely followed by their predators. Elephants, Buffalo, Sable, Roan, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Impala and sometimes even Gemsbok can be seen here. The area is one of the best for predators - Lion, Leopard, Wild Dog and Cheetah are regularly sighted, along with the smaller African Wild Cat, Serval, Honey Badger, Civet and Hyena. The area has a number of waterholes which attract game in large concentrations, especially during the winter months. Guests can sit at a waterhole and watch the passing parade of animals as they come to quench their thirst. For the bird watcher, Makalolo offers a wonderful range of birding, from Miombo species right through to the Kalahari species.
LOCATION
o Situated in the South Eastern section of Hwange National Park on a private concession.
PRICING
High Season: 1 July - 31 October
Low Season: 1 January - 30 June and November/December
ACCOMMODATION
There are nine tents consisting of:
Seven twin bedded tents (can be set up as double beds if required)
One honeymoon tent, and one tour leader or guest tent.
This camp can accommodate 16 guests and one tour leader or 18 guests, if all in one group, with tour leader in basic staff accommodation.
Sold to a maximum of 16 guests on a FIT basis
Tent details:
o Luxury tents raised off the ground on teak decking
o En-suite bathrooms within tents with showers
o Fans
o Tents have outside showers
o Honeymoon tent has an outside bath
o Wooden doors, and no zips
o Mosquito proof
o Gas radiator heaters in winter months
o Soaps, shampoos and insect repellents are supplied in each room
CAMP DESCRIPTION
The camp is built on a raised teak platform under thatch overlooking the Somavundhla plain, and set in a stand of teak trees.
o Telescope for on-deck viewing
o Plunge pool on raised deck
o Curio shop
o Conference facilities available on request, if group books out whole camp o Dining room, lounge and pub are thatched
o Library
o Game viewing platform
o Bunker hide in pan in front of camp
GAME VIEWING
There are Lion, large herds of Elephant, Buffalo, Hyena, Giraffe, Sable, Wildebeest, Impala, Waterbuck and Reed Buck.
The highlight here is the large open plains, where one can see large quantities of animals. Summer game viewing is excellent with Wildebeest, Zebra and Eland found in abundance on the plains. In winter the water holes are magnets for Elephant and on some days each water hole can get up to 1000 Elephants coming down to drink.
ACTIVITIES
o Game drives in 2x7-seater and 2x9-seater vehicles (wind-resistant ponchos are provided during winter months)
o Walking safaris with armed professional guide
o Bunker hide underground in front of camp next to waterholes
o Hides in the trees overlooking waterhole
SUGGESTED DAILY ACTIVITY SCHEDULE
Below is only a suggestion as to what may happen in camp - as daily wildlife sightings tend to throw the schedule right out of schedule.
summer/winter
05h00/06h00 - Wake Up
05h30/06h30 - Light breakfast
06h00/07h00 - Game drive, canoeing, boating, walk with drinks and snacks
10h30/11h00 - Brunch/lunch
- Option to rest or sit at hides
15h30/15h30 - Afternoon tea
16h00/16h00 - Game drive / walk with drinks and snacks
20h00/20h00 - Dinner under the stars or under thatch
ELECTRICITY & WATER
o Camp has 220v generator-powered electricity, power is stored in 12v batteries which power the lights and fans in the rooms
o Video camera batteries can be charged while out on a game drive
o Water for showers etc is heated by solar power
DRINKS POLICY
All drinks are included in the nightly tariff, except for imported champagne and hard to obtain drinks such as Bourbon.
LAUNDRY POLICY
Daily service, weather permitting, included in the nightly tariff.
EXTRAS PAYMENT
Curios and/or tips/gratuities will be billed to the tent number and settled on check-out. Payment can be made in cash (US$), travellers' cheques and Visa or MasterCard credit cards.
If guests wish to tip, our recommended tipping schedule is as follows:
Guides - US$5.00 per person per day
General camp staff - US$3.00 per person per day
Specialist guides (if applicable) - US$10.00 per person per day. This is the suggested gratuity schedule only and is subject to service standards.
FLYING TIMES
to/from Hwange Airport - 20 minutes
Victoria Falls to the camp's strip - 55 minutes
Makalolo to Giraffe Springs - 30 minutes
AIR STRIP DETAILS
Linkwasha airstrip is located 30 minutes' drive from camp.
Air strip co-ordinates: S19.07.93, E27.12.79
1000m long, grass strip, can take King Airs 90's, provided that they have high flotation landing gear.
HEALTH
There are a few basic health matters that require care and attention. We are obviously not medical practitioners and the following points are recommended guidelines only. Please consult your doctor and also check with your health department prior to departure for any changes in health regulations.
a) Malaria
Malaria within South Africa's borders is only prevalent in a few areas. It is encountered mainly in northern and eastern Mpumalanga, northern Kwa-Zulu Natal, and the border areas of the Northern and North West Provinces. Malaria is also common in the lower lying areas of Swaziland. It can also be found throughout Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and much of Botswana. Northern Namibia is also a malaria area. Should you be visiting these areas malaria precautions are advised.
Malaria transmission is at its highest during the warmer and wetter months of November through to April. From May through to October the risks of acquiring malaria are reduced.
The malaria parasite requires a human host in order to complete its life cycle. In most cases, our camps are situated in remote, unpopulated areas, so the chances of contracting malaria are very slim. Nonetheless, it is worth taking preventative measures.
Both chloroquine-resistant and normal strains of malaria are prevalent in Africa. Malaria is transmitted by a very small percentage of female Anopheles mosquitoes. They are only active in the early evening and throughout the night, at the times when one is usually sleeping or sitting around the campfire.
MALARIA prophylactic recommendations for southern African travellers:
Expert opinion differs regarding the best approach to malaria prophylaxis. It is important to bear in mind that malaria may be contracted despite chemoprophylaxis, especially in areas where chloroquine resistance has been reported. Please remember that the best insurance is the preventative kind: avoid being bitten by using mosquito repellents liberally. Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers/slacks in the evenings. If staying in a bungalow or tent, spray with an insecticide like DOOM to kill any mosquitoes that may have flown into your room. Mosquito coils are effective.
If you become ill on your return, while still on prophylaxis or even once you have stopped taking them, ensure that your doctor does everything to establish that your illness is not malaria.
Malaria is not a serious problem if you are sensible and take basic precautions. There have been very few cases of our guests contracting malaria during our 19 years to date, of operation.
b) Water
It is very important that you drink plenty of water especially during the warmer months. It is generally recommended that guests drink at least 2 to 3 litres (4 to 6 pints) of water per day to limit the effects of dehydration. This excludes tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages, which act as diuretics and can actually contribute to dehydration.
Generally, water throughout Southern Africa is safe to drink directly from the tap. However, bottled water is readily available, so please do not allow yourself to become dehydrated.
c) Other Health Issues
There are no other health issues that one needs to be overly concerned with.
GUESTS COMMENTS
"Thank you for making our 40th anniversary celebration so very memorable! We had the most incredible guide spottings - just unbelievable! We definitely will spread the word about how wonderful game and staff are!" BARB & JIM GIFFORD, WISCONSIN, USA
"Thank you Foster, Tendai and Shelley for a wonderful time here at Makalolo. We loved all the personal attention and friendly atmosphere here. Yay for the walking safari - right up to that big white rhino! I'm sure some of our best photographs and best memories will be from you guys here!" THE HEARD FAMILY, WASHINGTON DC, USA
"Thanks so much to all for a wonderful and heart warming experience here! It's a magical place full of very special moments. Can't think of a place I'd rather be". DENISE LANDAU, COLORADO, USA
Hakuna Mutata from all at Makalolo!
*`�*-.,_,.-*`�*-.,_,.-*�
Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
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Botswana natur pur Safari mit vacationtechnician.com
Wir Sprechen Deutsch und Scweitzer Deutsch!
11 Tage im n�rdlichen Botswana
(Participation Camping Safari)
1. Tag: Victoria Falls
Ankunft in wo sich die Teilnehmer dieser Safari (startet normalerweise an einem Mittwoch Abend) bei der Ilala Lodge treffen. Nach der Teilnehmerbegr�ssung folgt eine allgemeine Diskussion der vorliegenden Safari. Die G�ste die schon am morgen in Victoria Falls eintreffen, k�nnen den Tag ausnutzen um die vielen Ausflugsm�glichkeiten die hier geboten werden, in Anspruch zu nehmen (Tour der Victoria F�lle, Flug �ber die F�lle, Wildwasserfahrten usw). Bitte beachten das Ausfl�ge wie Wildwasserfahrten einen vollen Tag in Anspruch nehmen, und zu so einem Ausflug bitte einen weiteren Tag vorweg in Victoria Falls dazu buchen. Die �bernachtung heute mit Fr�hst�ck bei der Ilala Lodge ist im Preis miteinbegriffen.
2. & 3. Tag: Chobe National Park
Heute morgen verl��t die Safarigruppe Victoria Falls und die Reise f�hrt zu dem ber�hmten, der ca 85 km von Victoria Falls entfernt gelegen ist. Das Camp wird heute an dem Ufer des Chobe Flusses inmitten des Chobe National Parks, aufgeschlagen. Dieses ist Elefantengegend, und viele grosse Herden sind hier nicht selten. Aber auch viele Wasserv�gel und Antilopenarten wie z.B. die seltene Puku Antilope, sind hier Zuhause. Die Vegetation dieses Gebietes ist sehr vielseitig und die vielen Raubtiere, wie L�wen, Leoparden und Geparden sind nat�rlich auch hier vorzufinden.
4. & 5. Tag: Savute bis zum Chobe National Park
Die Reise f�hrt heute weiter in die einmalige Savute Landschaft, wo das Camp nicht weit entfernt des nun trockenen aufgeschlagen wird. Die grossen Antilopenherden hier, versichern eine reiche Konzentration an Raubtieren wie L�wen, Geparden, Hy�nen und selbst Wildhunden. Geniessen Sie die Wildniss Afrikas aus erster Hand, die Ihnen ausgezeichnete Fotogelegenheiten bieten kann.
6. bis 8. Tag: Moremi Wildreservat
Heute morgen velassen Sie Savuti und die Fahrt f�hrt in das ber�hmte Moremi Wildreservat in dem Herzen des . Der Kontrast zwischen der grassbewachsenen Savutilandschaft, und der des langsam fliessenden Wassers des Okavangodeltas ist enorm. Hier inmitten eines der sch�nsten Wildreservaten des s�dlichen Afrikas, wird ein privates Camp unter dem freien Himmel aufgeschlagen. Die n�chsten zwei Tage sind erf�llt von Wildbeobachtungsausfl�gen in einem offenen Safariwagen. In diesem Gebiet sind L�wenscharen, T�pfelhy�nen und Wildhunde Zuhause, und Sie erforschen von dem Safariwagen die offenen Grassl�nder, �berflutungsgebiete und den Busch auf der Suche nach diesen und vielen anderen einmaligen afrikanischen Tieren.
9. & 10. Tag: Okavango Delta
Von dem Moremi Wildreservat f�hrt die Fahrt weiter nach Maun. Von hier folgt der Flug per Kleinflugzeug in das Herz des Okavango-Deltas zu einem der Wilderness Safaris Camps in dem Mokoro-Aktivit�ten geboten werden. Hier in dem Delta verbringen die Teilnehmer die n�chsten zwei N�chte der Safari. Sie erforschen die kristallklaren papyrusums�umten Kan�le, die mit Lilien bewachsenen Lagunen und die gr�nen Inseln dieses einmaligen �kosystems. Das Transportmittel hier sind die speziellen Kanus, Mokoros genannt, die von den Banyei-Bootsm�nnern durch die Wasserlandschaften gestakt werden. Hier bietet sich die einmalige Gelegenheit die vielen kleinen, und grossen Tiere des Deltas aus unmittelbarer N�he in Ruhe zu beobachten. Mit ein wenig Gl�ck sehen Sie hier vielleicht eine scheue Sitatunga Antilope (eine vom Aussterben bedrohte Sumpfantilope), B�ffel und auch Litschi-Antilopen um nur einige zu nennen. Diese reiche Wasserlandschaft ist nat�rlich auch ein Wasservogelparadies. Abends unter dem endlosen afrikanischen Sternenhimmel k�nnen Sie in dem kleinen privaten Camp die einmalige Ruhe des Deltas geniessen, die nur von den Lauten der Nachtv�gel, wie Eulen und Nachtschwalben, oder aus der Ferne rufenden L�wen und Nilpferden, unterbrochen wird.
11. Tag: Ende der Safari
Heute, nach einem kurzen Flug �ber die wundersch�ne Landschaft des Okavangodeltas ended Ihre Safari in Maun, rechtzeitig f�r Ihren weiteren Anschlussflug.
Was ist im Preis eingebegriffen
Diese Safari ist auf einer Basis der aktiven Teilnahme, und ist daher eine echte Campingsafari und schliesst den Gebrauch einer Camping Austattung, mit Aussnahme eines Schlafsacks, ein. Sie k�nnen jedoch auch durch Wilderness Safaris entweder einen Schlafsack mieten (kostet 30.00 Euro) oder je nach Wunsch auch eine komplette Ausr�stung, bestehend aus: Schlafsack, Kopfkissen und Handtuch, mieten (Kosten betragen 40.00 Euro). Alle Mahlzeiten sind eingeschlossen, bis auf die in der Ilala Lodge, in Victoria Falls, welche auf einer �bernachtung mit Fr�hst�ck basiert ist. Zwei t�gliche Wildbeobachtungsfahrten bei allen Camps, alle Ausfl�ge und Transfers in offenen Safariwagen, Mokoros and Kleinflugzeugen; die Dienste des Rangers und Camp-personals sind im Preis eingeschlossen. Die Nationalparkgeb�hren sind auch im Preis eingeschlossen, werden jedoch separat aufgef�hrt (158 Euro pro Person � Preise unter Vorbehalt). Die verpflichtendenden Zimbabwe Tourismus Geb�hren sind auch im Preis einbegriffen.
Was ist NICHT im Preis eingebegriffen
Alle Linien- und regional Fl�ge zwischen den L�ndern des s�dlichen Afrikas und deren Flughafensteuern (falls nicht anders vereinbart); alle pers�nlichen Ausgaben; Visas und deren Geb�hren; jegliche neuen Tourismussteuern die von den jeglichen Botswana und Zimbabwe Regierungen implimentiert worden sind; jegliche Trinkgelder und alle Aktivit�ten die nicht im Reiseprogramm ausgeschrieben sind. Bitte beachten Sie das die zimbabwische Regierung zur Zeit eine weitere Ausreisesteuer von US$ 30.00 berechnet, und diese mu� in Bar bei der Ausreise gezahlt werden (die exakten Geb�hren bitte bei der Hand haben, denn es wird kein Wechselgeld ausgezahlt!). Die Eintrittsgeb�hren zu den Victoria Falls sind nicht im Preis einbegriffen.
Bitte beachten Sie folgendes:
� Optionsbuchungen k�nnen nur 21 Tage lang gehalten werden. Nachdem diese Zeitspanne verstrichen ist, ist eine Kaution von 10% des Buchungspreises zahlbar falls diese Reise fest gebucht werden soll, falls nicht, verf�llt die Optionsbuchung nach 21 Tagen.
� Eine Rechung f�r eine eventuell ausstehende Differenz der Buchungskosten wird 8 Wochen vor des ersten Reisetages angefertigt, und die Gesamtkosten der Reise m�ssen 4 Wochen vor Abreise gezahlt sein. Bitte beachten Sie das kein Gast in unsere Camps reisen darf bevor die gesamten Buchungskosten nicht in voll gezahlt worden ist.
� Unsere allgemeinen Grundbedingungen zu Buchungen sind ausf�hrlich auf der letzten Seite unserer Brosch�re beschrieben und sind auf alle Reisebuchungen zutreffend. Falls Sie eine Kopie der dieser Grundbedingungen ben�tigen, k�nnen wir diese bei Nachfrage gerne zuschicken.
� Die Beschaffung jeglicher Visas ist ihre Verantwortung. Falls Sie weiter Fragen hierzu haben sollten, bitte kontaktieren Sie uns, oder Ihre Reiseagentur zwecks weiterer Information.
� Die Gep�cksbeschr�nkung auf den Interlodge Charterfl�gen ist 12 kg pro Person, in weiche Taschen verpackt sein m�ssen (dies schliesst jegliches Handgep�ck und Kameraausstattung ein). Falls Reisende diese Beschr�nkung �berschreiten, werden erhebliche Kosten zur Verfrachtung dieses extra Gep�cks auf die G�ste zukommen, denn dieses Gep�ck wird per Privatcharterflug durch das n�rdlichen Botswana geflogen werden m�ssen.
� Bei dieser Form von aktiver Safari werden die Teilnehmer ihre eigene W�sche waschen m�ssen, jedoch Waschbecken werden hierzu zur Verf�gung gestellt.
� Alle Teilnehmer m�ssen vor Begin der Safari eine umfassende Reiseversicherung zur etwaigen Stornierung oder Reisegep�cksverlust abschliessen, die w�hrend der gesamten Reise g�ltig ist.
� Die allgemeinen Stornobedingungen der Firma Wilderness Safaris sind g�ltig, und sollten Teilnehmer einen Anschlussflug oder Flug verpassen, oder Flugversp�tungen haben sind die Stornobedingungen bei Nichteintreffen eines Gastes g�ltig. Bitte versichen Sie das Sie eine angemessene Reiseversicherung diesbez�glich vor Ihrer Abreise in Anspruch genommen haben.
*`�*-.,_,.-*`�*-.,_,.-*�
Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe - With a name like that, one would think this town would have no trouble attracting tourists. After all, Victoria Falls, the town, is cheek-by-jowl with Victoria Falls, the waterfall - a jaw-dropping, heart-stopping torrent one mile wide and 300 feet high, its constant roar audible for a mile or more, its towering cloud of spray visible from the farthest horizon. Mere words do not do justice to Victoria Falls. One must see it to appreciate it.
Makalolo Safari Report June 2004
Linkwasha Safari Report June 2004
Plan a Zimbabwe Safari with vacationtechnician.com
Where better to start to see the waterfall than Victoria Falls, the town? Until lately, the answer was "nowhere."
In the contest for falls-hungry tourists, Victoria Falls towered over its only rival, Livingstone, just across the broad Zambezi River in Zambia. Lively Vic Falls embraced everyone from backpackers to jet-setters; bungee-jumpers to golfers. Livingstone, disheveled and sedentary, had some historic cachet: it is named after the explorer David Livingstone, the first European to see the falls. But for tourists, it was an afterthought. Then Zimbabwe imploded. And the tables turned.
Suddenly, prosaic Livingstone is hot, jamming visitors into new four-star hotels and river's-edge lodges, bursting with upscale craft and souvenir shops, clubs and casinos. Victoria Falls is not. "There's just no one coming here," a disconsolate businessman said, a conclusion borne out by even a brief stroll in the deserted shopping district. Since early 2000, when squatters began occupying that nation's white-owned farms in what would become a wholesale seizure of commercial farmland, tourism in Zimbabwe has hit the skids. Things grew worse in 2002, after President Robert G. Mugabe was re-elected in balloting marred by widespread violence. It deepened further last year, as inflation roared past 600 percent and fuel shortages became pervasive.
In truth, Zimbabwe's violence and repression have largely passed by Victoria Falls. The region is so solidly in the camp of Mr. Mugabe's political opponents - and such an important source of scarce hard currency - that the government has avoided measures seen in other opposition centers, like the invasions of pro-government youth militia, which might scare tourists away.
But Zimbabwe's reputation has grown increasingly ugly, especially among tourists from members of the Commonwealth nations, mostly former British possessions. Mr. Mugabe quit the Commonwealth in December after it refused to lift its suspension of Zimbabwe in protest of the nation's human rights policies.
One hotelier in Victoria Falls, who refused to be identified for fear of retaliation, said tourist traffic from Europe and the United States has been little affected by Zimbabwe's turmoil, but that visits from commonwealth nations have all but dried up. Some tour agencies in some Commonwealth nations have removed Zimbabwe from their lists, one South African agent said, and replaced it with package trips to Zambia.
During a recent visit to the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, Mike Carter, a New Zealand appraiser on vacation with his family, emerged raincoat-clad from the falls' drenching mist and said, "We never considered coming to Victoria Falls," the town. "We wouldn't bother going 'til they sort things out." Zimbabwe's loss has been Zambia's gain. Livingstone's hotel occupancy has jumped since 2000, to 50 percent from an average of 36 percent, despite a brace of new hotels.
The contrast with Victoria Falls could hardly be more stark. Zimbabwe businessmen say average hotel occupancy runs between 20 and 30 percent, and some of the bigger four-and five-star resorts have severely pared their staff to keep from closing. The world-famous grand dame of local hostelries, the Victoria Falls Hotel, marked its centennial in June with hallways of empty rooms despite an effort to lure celebrants with a 100th-birthday package. The plight of merchants is, if anything, bleaker. Souvenir shops on the main street to Victoria Falls sometimes pass the entire day without ringing up a single sale, one vendor said. Some wholesalers and street vendors have given up and moved their operations to Zambia, prompting a government minister to denounce them as unpatriotic in a recent meeting with the town's beleaguered businessmen.
Things could change, of course: longtime residents remember that Vic Falls prospered most in the 1970's, when Zambia's economic policies drove that nation and its Livingstone tourism business close to ruin. In the meantime, merchants and hotel operators might take a tip from a tourism Web site and try to turn their bitter plight into tourism lemonade. Zimbabwe's national parks "are completely safe to visit, as they are far from the cities where the instability exists," the site says. "Game lodges are desperate for occupants, so prices are extremely competitive. And low lodge occupancy means you'll have thousands of hectares of pristine game country virtually all to yourself."
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
A stroll into the 19th Century
The room information at Kaya Mawa looked promising.
Plan a Kaya Mawa Lodge Safari with vacationtechnician.com
Learn more about Malawi here.
"Turn your watch forward one hour and back 100 years. Likoma Island is the most remote outpost of the Malawi nation so relax and enjoy your escape from what we call the mainland."
We all got up at 05h45 and made our way to Joan's room where the morning tea was going to be served but more importantly to see the sunrise over the lake. We missed it the day before! Being on the southern tip of the island Kaya Mawa is one of the few places on Lake Malawi where you can see both sunset and sunrise.
Our plans to leave for our walk to the cathedral at 07h00 fell by the wayside when we all ordered 'the full monty' for breakfast instead of the healthy fruit and toast that we had boasted about having the night before after our 3 course dinner and wine under the stars! It is a battle of wills and once one person succumbs then we all did!!! Eggs, bacon, pancakes, French toast���� the list is endless.
We left at 08h30 with Davie as our guide carrying several bottles of ice cold water.
The walk takes about 45 mins to an hour at a leisurely place through the villages and over small hills. Likoma Island is only 7kms long and 4 kms wide and has a population of around 6000 people. The southern end is fairly flat and dry while the north is hillier and densely populated. The closer you get to the main town the more people you encounter. There were plenty of children, the bolder ones wanting to hold our hands and the shy ones running away as soon as we approached!
Early on in the walk Cristof one of my traveling companions produced a packet of balloons and showed them how to make those awful whistling sounds which provided entertainment for all including the parents close by!
Davie kept up an interesting running commentary on all the schools that we passed. The landscape is dotted with large baobab trees the most interesting being one that was overtaken by a strangler fig and has totally rotted away. Only the strangler fig is there in the shape of a baobab so we all got inside which felt like a natural thing to do!!!
What struck me most about this gentle stroll was how not how friendly the locals were- everyone in Malawi is friendly-but what an unintrusive cultural experience this is. The missionary heritage of Likoma means that nearly everyone speaks English and there are enough tourists that you are not viewed as a celebrity, but not enough that anyone modifies their behaviour at all to try to get you to part with your money. It is possible to wander into a village and start up a conversation with anyone.
We stopped en route at the tiny settlement of Khuyu and made a courtesy call on Dr. Kumpalotta, the island's only traditional healer and a man revered throughout Malawi. He is a great character with matted dreadlocks tucked into a turban and it is an interesting comment on the islander's broad minded outlook that he coexists quite happily with the Anglican churchgoers who will find nothing strange in consulting both the good Doctor and the trained medical staff at the island's only hospital.
All roads (there are 2 in total for the island's one vehicle to choose from) lead to the harbour at the little village of Chipyela where a visit to St Peters Cathedral is a must. Set above a busy traditional fishing harbour and in the middle of a simple African Village, the cathedral is impressive and incongruous in equal measure-a similar effect to driving through the most desolate part of the Namib desert to find the ornate Bavarian spires of Luderitz or seeing the huge manor house at Shiwa Ng'andu rise from the bush of Northern Zambia. Built at the turn of the 19th Century by the Universities Mission to Central Africa, it is a remarkable building which measures more than 100 meters. The crucifix above the pulpit is made out of a branch of the tree under which David Livingstone's heart is buried. The choir stalls are carved out of soapstone with elaborate designs. The sun shining through the large stained glass casts a beautiful light.
At the church we were met by the delightfully eccentric Mr. Vincent who is in his late 80's and gives you a tour of the cathedral gratis although as we found out, is not averse to a small gratuity if you have enjoyed his company-which you will. He took us all the way up into the bell tower and on to the roof for a wonderful view of the island. Strolling through the sparsely vegetated grounds of the cathedral we came across a host of crimson-rumped waxbills-this very rare bird is seen occasionally on the mainland but is best seen here on the island. When we had finished in the cathedral we wandered towards the busy beach full of fishermen cleaning their nets and as if by magic Swinson, the Kaya Mawa boatman arrived to take us back to the lodge. This 20 minute ride took the best part of an hour as we stopped off at 2 gorgeous little coves en route for a swim and a cold beer.
What a morning!!!
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Kaya Mawa Lodge - Likoma Island Malawi
Likoma Island is the larger of two small islands situated in the far north of Lake Malawi, well over on the east of the Lake and very close to the Mozambique coastline. To visit the island is to step back in time. Just 17 square kilometres with one small dirt road and two vehicles, the local people survive largely by fishing, and rice and cassava farming. The island has hundreds of huge baobab trees and a number of glorious sandy beaches and rocky coves. The waters are crystal clear throughout the year and the diving and snorkelling is among the best in Lake Malawi.
Kaya Mawa Lodge is situated on the south-western tip of the Island at the head of a crescent-shaped bay, surrounded by mango trees and ancient baobabs.
Translated as �Maybe tomorrow� in the local Tonga dialect the lodge uses the stunning natural surroundings of beach, rock, island and lake to create a lodge of unique character, imagination and very special ambience. With no machinery available on the island, Kaya Mawa Lodge was built entirely by hand, in partnership with the local community. It consists of ten stone and teak-framed thatched cottages set into a granite headland. There is a honeymoon house tucked away on its own private island that is reached by boat or a wooden walkway. Each cottage faces the lake and has a 7- by 6-foot mahogany four-poster bed, a shower, a sunken stone bathtub and a loo with a view. The view from the shower in the honeymoon suite defies description. All the cottages have private terraces with direct access to the water and some can only be reached by walkways built over the lake.
The stunning setting of the lodge and the unique comfort of the rooms means that many guests choose to make relaxation their main activity but enough activities are on offer to keep guests busy. Scuba (including Padi diving courses), snorkelling, swimming, sailing and visits to the local villages are part of the experience. Day trips to Mozambique can be arranged. Access is by air or by boat.
Climate
Likoma is the driest part of Malawi and also one of the hottest.
January/February/March: Hot days with rain often on the afternoon. The whole island becomes very lush and green and the views are fantastic. The rain dampens down the dust and puts out the fires of the late dry season and provides sparkling air and wonderful vistas of the forested shores of nearby Mozambique.
April/May: Dry warm days and pleasant cool nights with light breezes.
June/July/August: Dry with warm days and cool nights and occasional strong winds.
September/October: Hot to very hot days with warm nights.
November/December: Hot to very hot days-warn nights, perhaps some early light rain.
Accommodation
Kaya Mawa�s main building is situated high on a rocky promontory overlooking the lake and has three rooms on the lower western side of the promontory. On the long sweeping beach below and to the west of the main promontory there are another two chalets. At the far end of the beach a good 10 minute walk from the main building and set high on the rocks overlooking the bay are another two chalets. There are two rooms on their own rocky outcrops to the east of the main building. The honeymoon island is a good 50 metres out into the lake depending on prevailing water levels and is accessed by boat or by swimming.
Each room has: Raised four poster mahogany bed, sunken bath, shower and loo, fans, soaps and shampoos, outside seating area, insect repellent.
Camp
On the main promontory there is a bar, dining room and rock pool.
Activities
The stunning setting of the lodge and the unique comfort of the rooms means that many guests choose to make relaxation their main activity but enough activities are on offer to keep guests busy:
-Walking or biking around the island
-Swimming and snorkelling
-Diving Courses
-Motorized Watersports - Waterskiing, tube riding and wake snaking are offered as well as fishing trips.
-Sailing Safaris - the lodge has a small wooden skip for journeys around the island.
-Excursions to Mozambique - longer trips by motor or sailing boat to the wonderful beaches of nearby Mozambique can be arranged as well as overnight trips to Nkwichi Lodge and the Manda Wilderness area.
Suggested daily activity schedule
As this is not a game destination the activity schedule each day is very flexible. Some guests like to keep active all day long, some want to do nothing but relax on the beach and most want a balance between the two. Each day we chat to our guests and find out what they want to do from the activities available and then choose the correct schedule for them.
Meal schedule
Breakfast is usually between 07h00and 08h00 and comprises fruits, cereals, juices, tea, coffee and Full English with choice of eggs.
Lunches between 12h30 and 13h30 - usually light with fresh salads, quiches, fruit etc.
Dinners are 3 courses and served around 20h00.
Meal times are totally flexible and are set around activities-not the other way around.
Electricity and water
During daylight hours the lodge has mains electricity and this changes to solar lighting in the evening. The hot water system is from wood burning boilers-this wood comes from Mozambique and is an income generating community project. The suppliers earn income and this goes towards the upkeep of reforestation woodlots.
Extras payments
Extras can be paid for in either US$, Euros, South African Rand, British Pounds or Malawi Kwacha cash. There are no credit card facilities.
Flying times
Based on a Cessna 206 or similar, the flying times to and from Likoma are approximately as follows:
Lilongwe: 60 minutes
Chelinda Lodge Nyika: 35 minutes
Mvuu Lodge: 90 minutes
Airstrip Details
12 05 South
34 44 East
Elevation:1600 feet
Length: 800 metres
Drinks
Drinks are not included in the tariff and need to be paid for on departure.
Laundry
Laundry is free of charge and can usually be delivered back the same day.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
Safari Field Reports
About The VacationTechnician Company
The VacationTechnician Company Conservation Campaign
Relaxing Ras Kutani and Spectacular Southern Tanzania from just USD 2563.00 per person sharing for this 8-day/7-night vacationtechnician.com safari.
Relax on the white coral-sand beaches of Ras Kutani, situated on the spectacular Southern Tanzanian coast just south of Dar es Salaam, before embarking on an incredible safari in the wilderness highspots of Southern Tanzania. Experience the heart of the magnificent Selous Game Reserve on game-drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles and game viewing from riverboats along the Rufiji River. From your safari camp Jongomero, located on the banks of the seasonal Jongomero River, explore the fascinating and game-rich Ruaha National Park � pure untouched Africa.
Price: From USD 2563.00 per person sharing for this 8-day/7-night safari
Highlights: WILDLIFE SAFARIS AT SELOUS SAFARI CAMP, TANZANIA
Exceptional African wilderness: The 54 000-square kilometre (20 849-square mile) Selous Game Reserve � a World Heritage Site � is one of the largest protected wilderness reserves in the world, boasting an enormous array of diverse African wildlife.
Largest protected wilderness reserve in Africa
Exceptionally diverse landscape
Largest elephant population in the world
World Heritage Site
Excellent birdwatching
Tanzania Safaris with vacationtechnician.com
INCLUDES
* Twin or single accommodation
* All meals at Ras Kutani, Selous Safari Camp and Jongomero
* Teas and coffees at Ras Kutani, Selous Safari Camp and Jongomero
* Laundry at Ras Kutani, Selous Safari Camp and Jongomero
* Scheduled transfers: Dar es Salaam International Airport to Dar es Salaam Domestic Airport and Dar es Salaam Domestic Airport to Dar es Salaam International Airport
* Scheduled domestic flights: Dar es Salaam Domestic Airport / Ras Kutani Airstrip / Siwandu Airstrip / Jongomero Airstrip / Dar es Salaam Domestic Airport
* Scheduled game activities as specified
* Tanzania National Park fees
* Domestic departure tax from Dar es Salaam Airport � currently USD 6.00 per person
* Emergency medical evacuation insurance
EXCLUDES
* Telephone calls
* Crafts shop purchases
* Gratuities and all items of a personal nature
* Meals and drinks not specified above
* Sightseeing and excursions other than those specified
* International flights to and from Dar es Salaam
* International Airport
* Visa fees (if required)
PLEASE NOTE
* vacationtechnician.com Terms and Conditions apply
* Rates are subject to two guests travelling together
* This package can only be booked 30 days in advance
* Itinerary conducted from Dar es Salaam International/Domestic Airport to Dar es Salaam International/Domestic Airport
ITINERARY
Day 1 � 2: Tanzanian Coast, South of Dar es Salaam
Upon your arrival at Dar es Salaam International Airport you will be met by a vacationtechnician representative who will transfer you by road to Dar es Salaam Domestic Airport where you connect with your charter flight to Ras Kutani airstrip. Spend two nights at Ras Kutani. Activities include snorkelling, body surfing, kayaking and guided nature walks, as well optional extras such as deep-sea fishing and horse riding.
Ras Kutani (Dar es Salaam, Southern Tanzania)
Charming beach cottages
Tranquil Indian Ocean
Pristine white beaches
Indigenous tropical forest
Exciting water activities
Day 3 � 4: Selous Game Reserve
Spend the day at leisure before transferring to Ras Kutani airstrip for your scheduled flight to Siwandu airstrip in the Selous. From here it is a short game-drive to Selous Safari Camp where you will spend two nights. Activities include guided walks, game-drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles and boating on the Rufiji River. Set on the banks of the Rufiji River in the northeastern sector of the Selous Game Reserve, Selous Safari Camp offers an exceptional Southern Tanzanian safari in one of the largest protected and untouched wilderness reserves in the world.
Teeming with African wildlife, the Selous is home to enormous herds of elephant, large journeys of giraffe, lion and leopard. In addition to game-drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles led by professional vacationtechnician Africa rangers, guests may enjoy guided bush walks which allow observation of the 2 000 species of plants, as well as game viewing from intimate riverboats.
Day 5 � 7: Ruaha National Park
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Siwandu airstrip for your scheduled flight to Jongomero airstrip. From here it is a short game-drive to Jongomero Camp where you will spend three nights. Activities include exciting game-drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles.
Jongomero (Ruaha National Park, Southern Tanzania)
Exclusive tented safari camp
Remote Ruaha National Park
Exceptional diverse game viewing
Interpretive twice-daily game-drives
Excellent birdwatching
Day 8: Dar es Salaam
Enjoy an early morning game-drive and breakfast before your transfer to the airstrip for your scheduled flight to Dar es Salaam Domestic Airport. On arrival at 14h00 you will be transferred to Dar es Salaam International Airport.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Chitabe Trails Safari Report
Dear Friends,
As the rest of Botswana's Okavango Delta experiences the inundation of an early flood and a late deluge, rising and falling with the ebb and flow of an ancient rhythm of life-giving waters, Chitabe remains but a distant goal in the timeless history of the surging waters' memory- when once the island was completely encircled by water, we await the marvels of this phenomenon again.
The climate has settled into an autumn chill- clear bright skies, with chilly evenings and mornings. The average temperatures have altered somewhat dramatically, with highs around 29 degrees and lows around 12 degrees Celsius. We huddle around the fire for early morning breakfasts, tucking into bowls of Ben's delicious hot porridge as the dawn chorus of Swamp Bou Bous, Meyer's Parrots and Starlings welcome the sunrise.
The African Marula Trees have provided a feast for our local fauna- baboons, squirrels, elephants and resident humans have been indulging in the delicious fruit, which have covered the ground below their magnificent boughs.
The bushbuck ewe that calls Chitabe Trails island home has dropped, and she and her lamb are often seen picking their delicate way through the vegetation. She has particularly beautiful markings, and her offspring is a gorgeous carbon copy of her�
At the outlying pans, Saddlebill Storks, Wattled Cranes, Spurwing, Pygmy and Egyptian geese, Pied Kingfishers and Blackwinged Stilts are delighting in the abundance of water- a birder's paradise!
A fond farewell to our migrant species of feathered friends, who have finally headed north- apart from one woodland kingfisher who seemed to have lost his compass, or enjoyed our company so much that he left a few weeks after all the rest had gone.
On our eastern boundary, the once mighty Gomoti channel has risen again from a long period of drought, risen and fallen, the water claimed by the thirsty sands of the Kalahari below. Hippo have moved into the area after a long absence, and their calls reverberate into the African night, competing with the mighty roars of the four massive Gomoti lions, as they have been named, who have also recently appeared from the Moremi area.
Our resident coalition of male lions in the Chitabe sandbelt area have developed an interesting adaptation. Previously being buffalo specialists, they would bring one down almost every week, but now since the buff have not been in the area for some time, they have begun killing giraffe on a semi-regular basis, and have even brought down the occasional juvenile elephant.
The lioness that brought her cubs into the relative safety of the camp has moved her brood off- after she introduced them to her former pride-mate and her year-old cub. We were all mesmerised by the meeting, which took place in the middle of the day right in front of the camp. Before she left, the Warrs from the UK were treated to the sight of her calling out and suckling her cubs right outside their tent!
Ebineng was out on the Gomoti when he spotted three lionesses stalking a buffalo. One completed her final charge and was able to leap onto its back. With her sisters bring up the rear, the buffalo thundered away and into the channel, sending up plumes of spray in all directions. When Ebs and his guests were again able to see clearly, the buffalo was making off on the other side of the floodplain, leaving a disappointed-looking lioness on the other side of the water!
We have had a sighting of a lactating female cheetah in the area, which would be a pretty good indicator of cubs being somewhere nearby- although we haven't seen them yet, the grasses are still very high, but just starting to turn to a tinge of autumnal dun. Later in the month they will begin to flatten and die down, affording us better viewing opportunities.
Leopard sightings have been good, and there are at least six in the area close to camp- occasionally we hear the large male who lives in the island alongside give his unmistakable rasping call, sending the baboons into a fury of shouts and roars. Relax has also spotted a lactating female in the acacia woodland, so hopefully we might spot her cub or cubs soon!
Speaking of cats, vacationtechnician clients saw a young female caracal on sunset road, which was a truly memorable experience, as they are extremely shy and hard to spot.
The Moonstone Pack of six wild dogs have been sighted several times this month- and although they are a small and raggedy pack in comparison to the larger Mogogelo pack, they are doing well, hunting impala successfully in the sweet-grass areas of mopane woodland. We are expecting a litter from them in July, when they will form a den- this should hopefully swell their numbers somewhat�
The walking season is upon us again, and we have walkers out there almost every day, soaking in the wonders of being on foot out there in our glorious wilderness. This is an experience enriched by encountering things one would not normally notice from a noisy moving vehicle- the engagement of all of the senses (including some that have no name), revelling in your body, at one with the majesties of creation that surround you. Sleeping out in the hide, serenaded by the plinking sounds of the reed frogs, listening to the whoops of hyena giggling at their own private jokes, and hippos chortling to themselves in the channels is an experience few will ever forget.
The sunsets have transformed once again into their winter splendour- the sky is like the inside of a cobalt Faberge egg as the golden orb of the sun sinks us into another star-studded African night. Listening to the chirrups of the scops owls and the warbling lament of the nightjars as we sit around the fire of an evening reminds us all what a special and wondrous place Chitabe is, and we invite you to share the joys both great and small of simply being here.
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Client Comments
Ora and Michael Singer (New York)- " Ben was and amazing, outstanding guide who was very aware of what we had and had not seen, and chose our route accordingly!"
Fred and Gill Schwab (UK)- " The friendliness, warmth and hospitality here are the very best. Staying here is like staying with friends. A big thank you to everybody."
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
TOP TEN SAFARI RECOMMENDATIONS
#1: Best all-round safari: Jacana Safari, Botswana. Excellent choice for first safari, also ideal for single travelers as there is no single supplement if you are �willing to share�. The group of no more than 8 has 100% exclusivity in all camps.
# 2: Best �Ultimate Safari� experience: Best of Southern Africa flying safari. Traveling by private dedicated aircraft between premier camps in best areas of 4 countries (Namibia, Botswana, Zambia & Zimbabwe). Excellent review by Travel Editor of New York Times who took this trip in May 2003.
#3: Best value for money: Zimbabwe fly-in safari. The Wilderness Safaris camps in Zimbabwe are being filled by savvy Africa travelers who know that it is during these times that one enjoys the finest wildlife encounters, at attractive prices.
# 4: Best �active� safari: Rhino Safari, Zimbabwe: game drives, foot safaris with best-qualified guides in Africa (Zimbabwe full pro guides); tracking rhino on foot, boating on Lake Kariba, canoeing on Lower Zambezi River, and more.
# 5: Best �new� trip for 2004: Gorilla treks in Rwanda are back!
#6: Best combination of two countries: Botswana and Namibia. Botswana has lots of opportunities for game-viewing, the incomparable Okavango Delta and it combines perfectly with Namibia�s desert and dune experience.
#7: Most unusual destination: Madagascar. Adorable lemurs, amazing people, strange spiny forests, always the unexpected. Just don�t expect everything to work 100%�
#8: Trip most likely to be a �life-changing� event: Mana Canoe Trail, Zimbabwe.
#9: Best honeymoon destination: North Island, Seychelles. No question.
#10: �Best kept secret� safari area: Mashatu Game Reserve, Tuli Block. Too many of our clients return from Mashatu with multiple leopard sightings or other fabulous game-viewing experiences for this area to remain �undiscovered� for long.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Hello Friends,
ZIMBABWE - WORTH A SECOND LOOK?
If you are at all interested in Zimbabwe, this is one Southern African country where the prices have not increased lately, so please give us a call for a quotation. We can put together a very attractive safari including Makalolo Plains (Hwange Game Reserve) and Matusadona Water Camp (on Lake Kariba), together with Victoria Falls.
On longer itineraries, the Mana Pools area can also be included - and adventurous types may wish to do the Mana Canoe Trail between Ruckomechi and Chikwenya. I have had more than one client tell me that this safari was a life-changing event.
While Zimbabwe has lately been a controversial destination due to the political situation there, the safaris are operated in very remote and very safe areas, completely isolated from any populated towns or cities. Zimbabwe has had excellent rains so far this season, which is good news for the game later on in the year. The wildlife sightings have been absolutely awesome! On a recent safari vacationtechnician clients spotted over 20 different mammal species in one game drive in Hwange National Park � including Wild Dog, Lion, and the very rare Red Hartebeest.
NEW ZAMBIA PACKAGES
Zambia's magnificent national parks are relatively unknown, but our associates Star of Africa has unveiled a series of stunning safari destinations in four of Zambia's most game-rich areas. The lodges offer a diverse choice of environments, and represent a very exciting upmarket wildlife circuit. When managing director Dave Bennett was here in Europe recently, he told me that the game-viewing at some of the camps have been extraordinarily good, with some clients experiencing as many as 5 different leopard sightings on one game drive. Dave tells me that game-viewing in the Lower Zambezi area is very similar to that of the near legendary Mana Pools area of Zimbabwe.
Two of our clients with St. Louis Zoo Travel recently traveled to the South Luangwa region of Zambia on an inspection trip, where they spent several days with Star of Africa, whom they described as 'a real winner in Zambia'. Our clients were complimentary about the level of guiding, the accommodations and the wildlife.
Here is what they had to say about Puku Ridge: "The accommodations are superb. Each unit is huge, with a sitting area, a deck overlooking the plain, sunken tub, etc. Quite reminiscent of Jao Camp in Botswana. The dining area is nicely laid out, overlooking a pool built into the side of the hill. Wildlife is all over the place." They were equally impressed with the other camps and experienced some excellent game-viewing such as observing a pack of 22 wild dogs, large herds of Black Lechwe, good views of the endemic Thornicrofts Giraffe and much else besides, including a great number and variety of birds.
Star of Africa has now introduced several package deals which include all or some of their lodges, at attractive rates. For example the 9-day 'Zambian Spice Trail' safari includes 2 nights at each of Star of Africa's luxury lodges in the Victoria Falls area (Sussi & Chuma); Lochinvar National Park (Lechwe Plains Tented Camp); Lower Zambezi National Park (Kulefu Tented Camp) and South Luangwa National Park (Chichele Lodge or Puku Ridge). Please call or e-mail for detailed itineraries and prices which start at around $3,000.00 p.p. sharing for an 8-day 'Classic Zambezi' safari which includes 3 nights in the Lower Zambezi area.
MADAGASCAR MAKING A COMEBACK
The good news from Madagascar is that it is safe to travel to the country again. A new broom sweeps clean in the form of new President Marc Ravolamanana who is reputed to be a man of great vision.
Madagascar isn't for everybody, and at times it can be a difficult place to travel due to poor roads and other minor inconveniences. However, if you can handle the fact that not everything may happen exactly as per the timing on the printed itinerary, it may just be the place for you. Just the other day I saw comedian John Cleese in a television interview situation where the reporter wanted him to be 'funny'. All Cleese wanted to do was talk about the lemurs he had seen on a recent trip to Madagascar, where he did some charitable work. Like so many before him, John Cleese was clearly totally enchanted by these amazing creatures. He went on and on about how beautiful and entertaining they were, how many different kinds there are, and how endangered many of them were due to habitat loss. One could sense that Clease would much rather be in a forest in Perinet than the television studio he found himself in...
Anybody that's been to Madagascar can relate. I am not a great 'monkey' fan, and I generally consider the few African monkey species which I have seen, especially the cheeky Vervet monkeys, to be a bit obnoxious. By contrast, Madagascar�s lemurs are stunning. It took me all of 15 seconds to fall in love with the first species of lemur I had a good look at, namely the Ringtailed Lemur, at Berenty. Following a family group of Ringtails around on a foraging expedition at Berenty, was one of my best nature experiences ever. The mothers were casting me a wary eye, and the little ones almost seemed to be 'daring' one another to get close to me, and then dart away. I was so close that I could see the particular type of flowers that they were picking, ever so daintily but very effectively, steadily moving from one shrub to another.
So take off the watch, brush up on a few words of French, and book a trip to Madagascar. You will love the lemurs! And possibly a lot of other things too - the people, the birds, the reptiles, the spiny forest, and simply being in a country that is just so 'different' in almost every way one can imagine.
NEWS FROM SOUTH AFRICA
When is the best time of the year to visit South Africa? Definitely during the South African Spring (Fall in the northern hemisphere). South Africa is a year-round destination but the far north-eastern part of the country - where the major game reserves are located - is prone to hot, humid and often rainy conditions in the summer months from December through about March.
So if you are planning a trip to South Africa, and have some flexibility with your dates, September and October are probably the two best months. The winter months of June, July & August are good too, just a bit cold and with a significant chance of rain in the Cape.
From the outset of the year, many South African venues and suppliers have either held or lowered their rates for 2004 and 2005. There are quite a few good special offers goings, the best of which is: From May through the end of September, stay for 2 nights at either Jock Safari Lodge (inside Kruger Park), Sanbona (south-western Cape) or Shamwari (Eastern Cape) and stay for 3 nights free (Room Only basis) at either Lake Pleasant in Knysna or Steenberg Hotel in Cape Town. Sanbona Game Lodge has over 7 different Rock art sites for guests to enjoy. It is also home to cheetah as well as the 'big five' mammals. There are over 165 bird species including Black and Fish Eagle. Hot air ballooning is available as an optional extra.
The Cape Grace is offering a 4 night stay for the price of 3 nights until 19 December 2004. This is an effective 25% reduction on a 4 night stay.
Great news is that Chapman's Peak on the Cape Peninsula has reopened and the views are absolutely amazing. Even better is that Wilderness Safaris are not charging an additional fee for either their Private or Scheduled Tours utilizing the improved toll road.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Botswana's Best Birding with Ken Newman
" best guides = best safaris ~ a bad guide in the best camp will ruin your safari."
This 5-night safari to the Okavango Delta Botswanaat a time of the year when all the intra-African and European migrants are in residence and breeding is at its peak. We travel with Ken Newman, one of the region's foremost bird painters and authors. We travel to two Okavango camps offering contrasting habitats and birding experiences within the Okavango Delta.
Most of the region's rarities and endemics should be seen - from Pel's Fishing Owl to the diminutive Brown Firefinch. Within the waterways, savannahs and lagoons, countless herons, ducks, jacanas, eagles, vultures, ibis, storks, plovers and all the 'LBJ's should be found. Some of the rare species include Slaty Egrets, Wattled Cranes, Coppery-tailed Coucals, Black Coucals, Thick-Billed Cuckoo, Chirping Cisticola and Lesser Jacana.
Recommended time of year to travel - early to mid November.
About Ken Newman
Ken was born in England at an early age and stayed there for another 24 years. He scraped through school mainly through good marks for his early artwork and writing abilities, his main interests outside of school being: birds eggs, butterflies and similar creepy crawlies. Adolf Hitler interrupted his wildlife studies so Ken contributed to the dictator's downfall by teaching aeroplane recognition to carefree aircraft gunners, at the time not appreciating the value of this fully-paid-for bird identification training.
Post war Britain saw Ken in the art department of a London advertising agency that he enjoyed for four years, but eventually began to feel the need for more space and opportunity.
He arrived in South Africa in 1948 with a pioneering spirit and soon had one foot on the ladder to progress drawing soap bubbles for Lever Brothers in Durban. That bubble soon burst with the monotony of the situation and Ken moved to Johannesburg in 1950 where his graphic art career continued in between breakaway safaris until 1968 when birds took over his life.
Ken's introduction to bush life was an early trip to the Kruger National Park where he discovered that no one had much interest in, or knowledge of South Africa's birds. He was to learn that Ground Hornbills were Turkey Buzzards, Lilac-breasted Rollers were Blue Jays and that Grey Herons were Blue Cranes.
In 1955, having married his late wife Elisabeth (also an artist), they set off on a seven month round Africa safari, just camping and seeking wildlife. Two years later they did it again, this time taking pictures, especially of birds, for photojournalism.
Ken decided there was a real need for a beginner's guide to the birds of South Africa, and so he started on Garden Birds of South Africa. Faced with the problem of illustrations he decided to try painting. His first picture, a portrait of a Bateleur, was shown with pride to Elisabeth with the question "Do you think I could paint birds?" Her answer, short and to the point, was "No! Not a damn!" So he started.
GARDEN BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA was launched in 1967 and stayed on the bookshop shelves for another 30 years. Others followed in quick succession. Ken's paintings and books sell both locally and overseas, and he is much involved in matters ornithological.
Ken has been with Wilderness Safaris/vacationtechnician as a specialist guide, on a casual basis, since the company's early days. His prime interest is in the birds of southern Africa, an interest shared by his wife Ursula and their three children.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
V A G A B O N D I N G >: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Excellent description of finding the Mountain Gorillas in the Bwindi National Park, Uganda. Additional information on gorilla tracking or trekking can be reviewed here:
Uganda
Bwindi Inpenetrable Forest
Gorilla Trekking Photo Primer -the lighting is very difficult under the dense forest canopy!
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Part One of this article found here.
" I�ll just go and grab your pilot, I think he�s having a fag.�
So spoke my down-to-earth air charter representative upon welcoming me back to Maun while transferring me to my next aerial roller coaster ride � yet another tiny Cessna � which would wing me northwards to Kwando Kwara Camp in a private concession north of the Moremi Game Reserve, bang smack in the middle of the Okavango Delta�s seasonal flood plains.
Indeed, my pilot � Steve, a Kiwi like 30% of all charter pilots in Maun � was having a smoke while watching the dying seconds of the Rugby World Cup Final.
He greeted me some minutes later informing me with a sly grin that Australia had just been deprived of victory via the boot of England�s Johnny Wilkinson. I moaned, in true South African fashion, that the poms would be even more insufferable than usual, completely ignoring my birth and upbringing in Cambridge.
In truth, the Rugby World Cup seemed a million miles away, as did every other intrusive accoutrement of the modern era, such as cell phones, faxes, e-mails and motorcars. Where I was headed, they meant nothing.
Forty minutes later I was being driven in an open Toyota Hilux through the dense bush by Charles and his chirpy tracker Muluki towards Kwara Camp.
Kwara is one of four camps which make up the Kwando Circuit. The circuit includes Lagoon Camp and Lebala Camp in the Kwando private game reserve further north on the edge of the Linyanti swamps and close to the Caprivi Strip, Kwara Camp in the Delta itself and Songwe Village just outside Livingstone in neighbouring Zambia. Kwara is situated north of and adjacent to the Moremi Game Reserve. It�s in the centre of the 175,000-hectare Kwara concession which fronts the permanent water of the 1,6-million hectare delta and is backed by bush and open seasonal flood plains.
The camp consists of 8 tents sleeping 16 guests and is run by the affable Peter Gordon and his bubbly wife Anita Els, both of whom do an excellent job as enthusiastic hosts at the camp.
Arrival at the camp offers some much needed respite from the sun, with the overhanging trees providing excellent shade. Welcomes are made in the lounge area, with its comfortable couches and chairs overlooking the seasonal flood plains in front of the camp. To one side is a bar where guests are invited to help themselves if no one is around to look after their needs.
Indeed, this is an attitude prevalent in all of the camps � basically make yourself at home and help yourself! It makes for a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere with no one expecting silver service waitors to fuss over their every desire. In any event, if there�s something you want that you can�t find yourself, there�s always one of the helpful camp staffers to help out.
Alongside the lounge and bar area is a roomy dining room which overlooks a small plunge pool. The pool enjoys the shelter of the shade trees as well with the result that the water is always wonderfully cool and visited regularly by the paradise flycatchers which nest overhead.
The tents are set amongst the trees to the other side of the lounge area and consist of two comfortable single beds, side tables and drawers and a small wardrobe. There is a flushing toilet and twin basins in a separate bathroom to the rear of the tent and an outside shower. A small stoep with deck chairs and tables makes the perfect place to sit, binoculars in hand, while surveying the countryside beyond the trees for animal activity.
The real activity takes place out on the early morning and late afternoon game drives and Charles and Muluki were expert at finding it. Or rather racing to it.
Our forays into the bush netted some excellent sightings, including an over-ambitious night adder trying to eat an over-inflated bullfrog, wild dog, lions bringing down a female giraffe and a young male leopard who thought he�d take on first a water monitor which was bigger than he was, and second a herd of tsessebe who looked at him as if he was taking the proverbial urine.
The lion kill was a double-edged sword. A pride of lionesses had made the kill with two small cubs at heel. When we first sighted them they were feasting happily being watched from afar by two curious, and hungry males who were not part of the pride. Later that afternoon the males attacked the pride and killed the cubs, stealing the kill for themselves. We found the cubs� pitiful little bodies that evening. I couldn�t bring myself to take pictures.
Dinners were spent discussing the days� sightings while contending with sumptuous home-cooked meals and some excellent wine.
Alternatives to the game drives are just as exciting for those who love the bush. I tried out a bush walk with Charles and we ended up tracking some lions. Little did we know that they were a mere 40 metres away in the long grass watching us with as much interest as we had in their tracks.
The bush walk brought us to the mokoro station, deep in the bush on one of the myriad small channels which eventually join the Godikwe lagoon system. A mokoro ride is an absolute must for anyone visiting the Okavango. Poled gently through the small, reed-lined channels, a mokoro gives visitors a hippo-eyed view of the swamps and is perhaps the most tranquil and relaxing way to experience the Delta.
At Kwara there is also the option of a river safari on a sort of double-decker boat with an upstairs viewing platform affording endless views of the waterways and surrounding bush. The river ride takes in several islands where marabou and yellow-billed storks nest, and where at sunset, over a few bloody marys, you can marvel as birds from every corner of the Delta come home to roost for the night.
It�s a hard life; this safari business and days melt seamlessly into one another. For the first time in a long time I felt the thrill of true relaxation and actually forgot what day it was, far from the madding crowd and intrusive cell phone.
Communication in the bush is done by radio, and certain camps have bush mail � a kind of e-mail done over radio waves, but apart from that isolation rules. For some it may be a worry, but in reality it only takes an hour for a plane to be dispatched in an emergency, and the camps all have emergency medical evacuation cover for guests in the event of something untoward happening.
After two leisurely nights at Kwara, I bade farewell to my hosts and once more enjoyed the pleasures of low flying at midday on a full tummy (brunch inevitably coincided with close encounters of a Cessna kind) for the 25-minute transfer north from Kwara to Lebala Camp, virtually on the Namibian border at the Caprivi Strip. Kwando Lebala and its sister camp, Kwando Lagoon, are situated inside the original 232,000-hectare Kwando concession.
Kwando is the brainchild of near-legendary Botswanan John Mynhardt and is run by MD and president Kevin Leo-Smith. Leo-Smith was one of founders of Phinda Resource Reserve which grew into Conservation Corporation Africa. He is very much a hands-on leader and lives in Maun with his wife, former tennis star Greer Stevens.
The terrain around Lebala is completely different to Kwara, providing an awesome contrast to the latter. Dry dusty plains give way to lush vegetation and sweeping lagoons and river systems on the edge of the Linyanti swamps which lead down towards what was the Selinda spillway. The spillway is dry, for now at least, but a season or two of good rains would more than likely change that.
Lebala Camp is a 25-minute drive from the airstrip and in the heat and dust of noon it was a trip which left me determined not to wear shorts again on open vehicles as I could feel my knees frying in the harsh glare.
Guide Spencer and tracker Silver didn�t seem to notice the heat as I tried to protect my exposed flesh with my hands but pointed out to me that anything with half a brain game-wise would be under cover of whatever shade they could find. I agreed and wondered about mad dogs and Englishmen as the temperature soared past the 40 mark.
The drive was thankfully over quick enough and soon we were enjoying cooling beers in Lebala�s shady open-air bar, trying to rehydrate desiccated flesh while enjoying the company of Lebala Camp manager Gareth Flemix.
There are eight tents at Lebala. Actually, calling them tents is a bit of an understatement. Sure, they look like tents from the outside � all khaki and blending in with the surroundings. But inside they are absolutely huge with an enormous double bedroom-cum-sitting room with two larger than average divans, a large raised deck complete with chairs and tables overlooking the dusty plain, a separate dressing area which doubles as a study, with drawers, shelves and a small wardrobe, and an equally gigantic bathroom with twin basins, the usual flushing loo and a full-size pedestal bath complemented by an outside shower.
Bigger than the average hotel suite, Lebala gets full marks for accommodation and shows just what you can achieve under canvas in the middle of nowhere.
And it is remote. But stunning nonetheless.
Within half an hour of my settling in by the plunge pool I was treated to the sight of a large breeding herd of elephants filing past not 100 metres away. Indeed, some of the experiences at Lebala will go down as legends in my personal records. For example, on my first afternoon a huge dust storm built up on the plains outside my tent. I watched from my deck as twisters pulled the dust up into the atmosphere, silently building into a huge pall which an ever-strengthening blast of hot, dry air began to drive towards the camp.
As it approached I heard wild trumpeting and Gareth�s excited yells to the rear of my tent. I went to the door and was greeted by the sight of a rampaging and obviously very upset young bull elephant charging past within a couple of metres of me, blasting on his horn for all he was worth, closely followed by Gareth madly clapping his hands and making almost as much noise.
The afternoon drive that day was amazing, with us witnessing the first, faltering steps of a newborn wildebeest and having sundowners within a couple of metres of some very garrulous hippos, who treated us to a water ballet par excellence. Darkness brought with it what seemed to be Africa�s entire population of spring hares and my first wild African rock python, which Spencer put at just short of the four-metre long mark. Our return to the camp was accompanied by the local hyena clan, who promptly chased an African wild cat through the bar as we were downing a few pre-dinner drinks.
Dawn the following day brought with it a pack of wild dogs who were also chased through camp by the hyenas. They ran over to the airstrip where they quickly caught and ate on the spot five young impala.
The dogs of Lebala are becoming legends in their own lunchtimes and have become a passion for Gareth and his head guide Steve, who have been recording their activities in minute detail for the past few years.
In spite of its remote position, Lebala is for me a large slice of paradise and one which I intend returning to regularly. It�s a marvelous place to unwind and reflect on life�s real meaning.
But sadly, all good things must end, and this portion of my Five Rivers Safari had, all too quickly, or so it seemed. A 50-minute flight in the ubiquitous Cessna back to Maun put me back on Air Botswana for the flight back to Johannesburg via Gaborone. But, in the words of the Terminator, I�ll be back. And finish what I�ve started.
When I left the first instalment of the Five Rivers Safari it was at the end of November on the hot, dusty plains of Kwando Lebala in the far north of Botswana. My return, to pick up my tour of the nine camps participating in the safari, put me in the familiar surroundings of Livingstone in Zambia but with a huge difference � rain, and lots of it had transformed this often oppressively hot and dry region into a lush and verdant wonderland.
Welcome to the green season, and the long awaited, life-bringing deluges this far-flung part of the world had needed for so long.
Songwe Village was to be my first port of call on this second half of my Five Rivers Safari, which I resumed with Nationwide Flight CE 202 from Johannesburg International to Livingstone.
I must say, Nationwide is developing into a fine airline and one South Africans can be truly proud of. I am impressed most of all with their levels of service and friendliness which put the often sour faces of their major competitors to shame. At the end of the day a trip by plane, whether short haul or international, should be a pleasurable experience, not something to endure. Nationwide seem to realise this and make the 90-odd minutes to Livingstone pass with pleasant ease.
It was sunny when I landed in Livingstone and a week or so of rains earlier in January meant that the nearby Victoria Falls were almost at peak flow, filling the air with their thrilling mist which gives them their local name � Mosi o Tunya � the smoke that thunders.
I was met by Songwe manager Dorothy Shinga and guide-cum-driver Munkombwe and began the journey to Songwe Point, which is approximately 14km out of town. However, it�s a long haul at 45-minutes due to the rough, and I do mean rough, road. Once off the main tar road it�s a spot of major bundu bashing over rock and through mud to get to the village. But it�s more than worth the trek.
As we pulled into Songwe the sun was steadily being overtaken by steely grey clouds, with the huge thunderheads forming on the horizon a sign of things to come.
Like Lebala, Kwara and Lagoon camps, Songwe is part of the Kwando family.
But it�s very different to its stable-mates.
Songwe offers participants in the Five Rivers safari a chance to get down and cultural. It�s akin to getting up close and personal with rural Africa.
Accommodation in the village is in traditional huts, simply but comfortably furnished and with the added luxury of en-suite toilets and showers. The bathrooms have no windows but low walls at the sink and shower afford the aforementioned stunning views of the gorge and the stretch of the Zambezi between rapids 10 and 13, well-known to white-water rafters.
It could so easily have been kitsch, but Songwe is anything but. In typical Kwando style the marriage of tradition, comfort and convenience is seamless and works perfectly. Sinks in the bathroom are large enamel bowls with a single, cold tap. In the early morning a large iron kettle is placed outside the door of the hut for freshening up purposes. The showers are basic but have hot and cold water and all the intricacies are there, but in a low-key, traditional way. The mirror is framed in recycled fanta cans, the enamel wear is everywhere, from the mugs for your toothbrush to the rubbish bin.
The beds are made from rustic poles and the linen is a mix of pure colonial cotton sheets and locally woven textile throws with the compulsory mosquito net � an absolute must in this malaria-ridden region.
The huts are arranged in a traditional village formation around a central area where chickens and goats roam freely. On each side are two additional huts which house double showers and huge luxurious Victorian-style baths. One set of these bathroom facilities faces sunrise over the gorge, and the other � you guessed it � sunset. The baths are positioned slightly raised to afford marvelous views as you relax and soak with a glass of something everso slightly refined from the makeshift bar in the central living area.
This is housed in its own, open hut to one side of the kitchen hut at the end of the village, close to the edge of the gorge. Here you relax on plump cushions on a built-in bench around the perimeter of the hut, which has a small fire pit at its centre. Meals are taken here, eaten off your lap or, on occasion, at a makeshift but perfectly functional table.
The idea, and it works marvelously, is to get you to relax and experience what it�s like to be part of a proper, working village.
During a stay at Songwe guests get the chance to experience a proper, traditional village dinner, eaten seated on a cushion on the floor using your fingers as cutlery. Dorothy, who runs Songwe with her husband Emanuel, explained that some guests are squeamish when it comes to eating in such an al fresco manner and that forks and knives are optional. Not for me. I dived in with both hands making short shift of the delicious shuma (pap), beef and chicken stews and assorted veggies such as spinage and pumpkin.
It�s a great experience and a refreshing change to table d�hote and a jacket and tie affair.
After dinner entertainment comes in the form of some impromptu drumming and marimba playing, singing and dancing. Guests are invited to join in with their own favourite songs, but somehow my rendition of Hotel California seemed out of place in this devine and oh-so relaxed setting.
Activities at Songwe are equally relaxed, with guests learning about the cultural heritage of the local Mukuni tribe, which has lived in this area since the 13th century, having migrated from northern Cameroon.
The village of Songwe itself is part of the greater Mukuni village and is home to about 1500 people. Guests can visit the village where there are several curio stalls offering a range of arts and crafts made by the local villagers.
You are also taken across to Mukuni itself, by ox-wagon when the weather permits, but in this sticky season the road is much more suited to the village Landrovers. Mukuni is home to a further 7000 people, all overseen by senior chief or Munokalya Patrick Siloka Mukuni. Chief Siloka has been the main man since 1985 and rules over his people with a Bedyango or Chieftainess who is equal to him in stature but from a different lineage.
During my visit to Mukuni I was taken to Lumpasa palace to meet the incumbent Bedyango, Anne Siloka, who although she shares his name is actually not related to the Chief. Chief Siloka�s lineage goes back generations. His ancestors met David Livingstone under a huge acacia tree outside Lumpasa palace.
Songwe Village is heavily involved in community development with the villagers, using tourism to inject much-needed resources into the communities via the Mukuni Environmental, Cultural and Economic Development Trust with the assistance of guests who participate in cultural activities and tours and buy curios from the stalls.
After the tour of Mukuni it was off to the Livingstone Museum to learn more about the area. Livingstone is very proud of its namesake, the inimitable Dr David, and he naturally features heavily in the exhibits, with his hat, coat, gun, box of medical instruments and medical qualifications all displayed lovingly along with in depth information about his life and contribution to the community around the falls.
Also on display are exhibits illustrating the geographical, geological, anthropological and biological histories of the region and the recent political history of Zambia. It�s a small museum, and desperately in need of funding, but it�s a start and an indication of the pride the local community has in its roots.
Then it was off on a sundowner cruise on the river with Safari par Excellence, which, at $60 per person is not bad value for money, including as it does tasty snacks and all drinks during the three-hour cruise.
The morning of my departure from Songwe was when the weather decided to mess with my itinerary, preventing my transfer by air charter. Early morning thunderstorms had given birth to flash floods, one of which emerged from the solid rock wall of the cliff-face opposite my hut with a roar of earthquake proportions heralding its approach.
The inclement weather played havoc across the region causing airports to close and flights to be cancelled and is a good illustration of how traveling in this part of the world is never cast in stone. Flexibility is an absolute must. As is patience. But in a smooth and impressively professional manner alternative arrangements were made for a road transfer to Kasane, some 70km away, where I would pick up my flight to Lianshulu Lodge in the East Caprivi area of Namibia.
It�s a strange part of the world, where international borders abound. One minute you�re in Zambia, a short boat trip across the confluence of the Chobe and Zambezi rivers and you�re in Botswana, and before you can say Jack Robinson it�s Namibia. And there, on the horizon is Angola. And in the other direction is Zimbabwe. So began a curious series of immigration posts and 20-minute transits which have made my passport rather full and interesting. Four countries in one day is not unusual here.
The flight from Kasane to Lianshulu with was smooth and thankfully interesting enough to make the 50-minute journey pass quickly. Pilot Gerd Niehaus pointed out the Chobe and Zambezi flood plains and the temporary fields and grazing which in a few short weeks time would be under water.
Lianshulu Lodge is located in the Eastern Caprivi on the Namibian side of the Kwando River. It�s situated in a small, 800-hectare private concession in the Mudumu National Park, which covers around 800 square kms. Due to the general inaccessibility of the river, Lianshulu has exclusive use of the meandering waterways and lagoons, whilst other vehicles are rarely encountered on nature drives in the park, conveying a powerful sense of remoteness.
Indeed, the only other camp in the park, Bush Lodge, is part of Lianshulu.
The lodges are owner-run by Ralph Meyer-Rust and his partner, Sharon Theron. Ralph co-owns the lodge with partners Jonathan Gibson, and Peter Koep, of legendary status in the Namibian legal profession. Bush Lodge Managers, Beverley and Flavien Daguise, also lend a hand, making sure that guests� needs are well catered for.
Lianshulu is a Lozi name meaning �the place of spring hares�.
The lodge consists of 11 very private and intimate rooms nestled on the edge of a lagoon which is part of the Kwando river system. All have views of the water and the ubiquitous hippo population which provides all-day entertainment accompanied by a cacophony of grunts.
The rooms are luxuriously appointed and are in the process of being transformed into veritable palaces with lots of cool tiles, enormous bathrooms and living space for Africa.
Sumptuous meals are taken in the main complex with its huge deck overlooking the Lianshulu lagoon and, yes, more of those marvelous hippos. In the dry season elephant compete for the water, giving game buffs some exhilarating encounters with the wild. There�s also a marvelously shady pool area which was a major drawcard for me in the often humid conditions.
Activities include the nature walks, river safaris and game drives which make up an integral part of each day, and are interspersed with marvelously impromptu bush brunches served al fresco on islands in the river. Daily itineraries are tailor-made to suit guests with Ralph at pains to make the point that life at Lianshulu is geared towards slowing down and absorbing the natural beauty of the area.
At this time of year, with everything so wet and water not in short supply, the game is more dispersed but the hues and colours of green Africa more than make up for the lack of action. And the birding is out of this world. I was quickly adding new ticks to my check-list with lesser jacana, lesser moorhen and African finfoot among the endemic species I spotted.
In addition to hosting and entertaining guests with some riveting fireside stories, Ralph is also something of an expert on the area, having worked in it as a guide and expedition leader for more than 20 years. He�s a fount of knowledge on the area�s biodiversity, political history and geographical composition. My guide, Peter Damson, a Zimbabwean from Kariba, was also extremely well-informed and knowledgeable.
So what about that history aspect? Most of us know the Caprivi as the place �ons manne� went to fight the Swapo gevaar. But the Caprivi is so much more than the 14-day war. It�s origins are long and complicated. Originally conceived by Germany in the late 1800s it was used as a political football between Britain and Germany. Control over it was gained through intense political bartering which also affected the history of neighbouring areas such as Bechuanaland (now Botswana) and Northern Rhodesia which is now Zambia. It occupies a strategic but very isolated position juxtaposed between Angola in the north, Zambia to the north-east and east, Botswana in the south and Zimbabwe in the south-east.
Lianshulu is heavily involved in community development in the area, most notably with the original creation of the Kwando thatching industry and the initial inception of Lizauli village where for a small fee of R25 guests can experience the culture and traditions of the local tribespeople, including a consultation with a dancing medicine man.
The area around Lianshulu is rich in natural history as well. The Mudumu is home to a broad range of species, from the Big Four (there are, sadly, no rhino in this part of the world) in season to impressive herds of impala and zebra.
I took the option of a nature walk with Peter, checking out the smaller and sometimes infinitely more interesting details of fauna and flora that only walking brings you into contact with.
I also had the opportunity to experience the intricacies of a cross-border transfer along the river, with guests coming in from Kwando Lagoon camp�s airstrip, an hour by boat upriver, going through the formalities of leaving Botswana and entering Namibia under a makeshift riverside immigration post run by the Botswana Defence Force. It all runs smoothly, in spite of being hundreds of kilometres away from the intricacies of �civilization� and goes a long way to making the Five Rivers Safari one of the best ways to visit several different countries on one trip.
On my second afternoon at Lianshulu I was beginning to get the feeling that the weather was following me. The heavens literally opened just as I was about to depart on a sunset river safari and put paid to any birdwatching ideas I may have had. It gave me the opportunity to spend more time in the excellent company of Ralph and Sharon and was a great illustration of how well Lianshulu copes with keeping guests happy when the weather says �izzit?�.
From Lianshulu it was a quick road trip down the trans-Caprivi highway and back into the dense bush to Susuwe Island Lodge.
Along with Impalila Island Lodge � my final destination on this marathon journey � Susuwe is part of Islands.
Located on Birre Island on a peaceful stretch of the Kwando known as Carmine corner, the lodge is surrounded by the Bwabwata National Park. It�s pristine wilderness which some may remember as the base of SADF activites in the Caprivi at Fort �Doppies�. Indeed, the remains of the camp can still be seen as you leave the park.
The contrast between its neighbours is stark. Encompassing vast flood plains and Kalahari woodlands, gone is the thick loam of Lianshulu, replaced by the distinctive white sand of the Kalahari basin whose dunes form the base for some of the elevated lookout points which made the area so important for the military.
Running the show at Susuwe is Bruce Lawson. Bruce is literally a legend of the Southern African bush, having walked from the Cape to Cairo and led overland birding safaris for many years. Birds are his speciality, which is no surprise when you learn that his dad is the Lawson of Lawson�s Birding Safaris. Time spent with Bruce on the activities at Susuwe is invaluable as you tap into his incredible wealth of knowledge and experience. During my stay I spotted the rare Arnot�s chat and some beautifully colourful violet-eared waxbills. Indeed, this is the area for rare avians, with pygmy geese also putting in several appearances.
Together with head guide-in-waiting Sean Braine, a Namibian whose home is Etosha, Bruce makes sure that a stay at Susuwe is an education in all that makes the place special.
It�s a small lodge, with six beautiful suites positioned to enjoy views over the Kwando to the flood plains. Built in a blend of wood, thatch and reed, each suite is spacious offering some of the best of life�s little luxuries such as hairdryers and private plunge pools overlooking the river. There�s something special about relaxing in a plunge pool, bloody mary in hand, and gazing into the wilds of Africa. Especially when blue waxbills and brown firefinches are pecking at a feeder full of millet not a metre away from you and swamp boubous are catching dragonflies in front of your very nose!
Meals are eaten communally at the main complex with its beautiful open lounge areas leading onto the riverine forest and river beyond. Elevated viewing platforms offer a chance to get up into the canopy of overhanging trees and afford some lovely views of the river and woodland beyond.
Speaking of meals, be warned � none of the camps on the Five Rivers Safari are geared towards those watching their weight! All of the food is outstanding with some fabulous dishes being washed down with no small amount of fine wine. If anything, there�s just too much of it. But there�s always time for siesta, if you can drag yourself away from the bush.
Elephants are no strangers to the area as Susuwe annually witnesses huge migrations of breeding herds, with often as many as 1000 animals observed at Horseshoe, an oxbow on the river a short drive from the lodge.
Susuwe is involved with the local Mayuni conservancy group in a joint venture partnership. This progressive approach to interaction between lodge guests and local tribal trusts has been of huge benefit to the community and to sustaining conservation in the area.
And so to the last outpost on this marathon trip � Impalila Island Lodge.
Another 50-minute flight took me almost back to Kasane, landing at Impalila�s airstrip from where transfer is made via a short drive and longer, and very impressive boat trip through the Kasai Channel which links the Chobe and Zambezi rivers.
Impalila Island Lodge is located in an unusual position on the borders of four neighbouring countries. At the very tip of the eastern Caprivi it is situated on Namibian soil, but across the Zambezi is Zambia, and next to it Zimbabwe and Botswana which borders the Chobe.
Built on the tip of Impalila island at a place called Kamavozu � the place of baobabs � the lodge overlooks a section of the Zambezi known as the Mambova Rapids.
Fitingly, a huge baobab dominates the entrance to the lodge. It�s one of three in the area, with the other at the rear of the main complex and a massive, 2000-year-old specimen a short nature walk away.
Owner manager Simon Parker runs Impalila with the help of his partner, Renee (accent over first e please) te Roller. Simon has been at Impalila since its inception, 9 years ago. He�s something of an expert on the area and has become a local hero to the island tribespeople, often helping them in times of need. As he points out, no lodge of this kind can function without the cooperation of the local residents and there is a huge responsibility attached to a venture of this kind. He regularly ferries the island police officers, who, curiously, do not have their own boat, and has on more than one occasion used his boats as ambulances for seriously injured local villagers, some the victims of crocodile attacks.
It�s a beautiful place and quite unique in its position so close to so many major international boundaries. And it�s very private, with the nearest major human structure Island in Africa�s new venture, Ntwala Island Lodge, still to be completed on a neighbouring island.
Eight en-suite chalets are positioned along the rapids, enveloped in dense rainforest with private decks positioned to best enjoy the swirling waters which pass almost beneath them. The sound of rushing water is everywhere and lulls you to sleep each night under the safety of your mosquito net in huge, king-sized beds.
The suites are cozy and comfortable, built in wood, thatch and reed with plump wingback chairs and ottomans the perfect place to sit and listen to the river and the sounds of this water-bound wonderland.
The majority of activities at Impalila revolve around water. Game viewing is done by boat back through the Kasai Channel to the Chobe National Park. It�s a wonderful journey into Africa and offers some great views of Chobe�s famed elephants and even big cats who target the wide river banks and the antelope they attract.
Guide Albert Muyoba has very sharp eyes and spotted some excellent things for me to photograph, including two of the biggest water monitors I have ever seen and a young bull elephant enjoying the best bath ever.
Then there�s fishing, and guide Haydn Willens who is ever-willing to share his passion for the piscine. A fly-fishing enthusiast, Durban-born Haydn, who is also a top competitive bream fisherman, taught this particular blonde the ins and outs of landing tiger fish � which the Zambezi is famed for.
He must be a good teacher because I soon posed for pics with my very first tiger, a mere tiddler at 1,5 kgs but nonetheless a fighter which took no small amount of wrestling to reel in. All fish are caught and released again, so there was no remorse at my newfound skill.
Like all of its colleagues on the Five Rivers Safari, Impalila is tip top when it comes to service. Especially when it comes to matters culinary with student chef Charl Kleu, who hails from Centurion near Pretoria, literally cooking up a storm. I wanted to bring him home with me but he wouldn�t fit in my bag. Sad, but then its an incentive to go back and visit Impalila again!
My journey home from Impalila was again indicative of the curious position of the island. By boat to the other side of the island where Namibia has a small border post. Checking out of Namibia it�s off by boat to Kasane and a riverside immigration office where you check in to Botswana. From there it�s a 20-minute journey by road to Kazungula where you check out of Botswana, nip across the river by boat or ferry and check into Zambia for the 40-minute road trip to Livingstone airport, where you finally check out of Zambia and onto the Nationwide flight home. Phew! It�s an interesting, if not exhausting series of ins and outs. Blink and you�ll miss an entire country.
My overall impression on finally coming to the end of my journey is that I have found some of the most wonderful places in Africa, and all of them literally on my doorstep. Our immediate neighbours are not so far away and more than worthy of a visit. Everyone I encountered on the way was friendly, and passionately patriotic. And they all want to see more of us. The Five Rivers Safari will certainly see to that.
Part One of this article found here.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Part 2 of this article found here
I�ve often wondered how Grace Kelly and Ava Gardner managed to beat their way through the African bush in the old Hollywood classic �Mogambo� without ever breaking out into a sweat. And (in Ava�s case, at least) in high heeled mules to boot!
I�ve just been on safari and I �perspired� considerably, but then I left the old stilettos at home (tottering can be tiresome).
Safari. It�s a wonderful word, evoking images of colonial sorts striding out into the wilds of Africa in very inappropriate clothing, sleeping in scorpion-infested tents and drinking copious amounts of gin and tonic to fend off malaria, old chap.
A lot has changed, thankfully, but the modern equivalent still offers a chance to get up close and personal with the spirit of mother Africa.
Under the cloak of the �Five Rivers Safari� you can choose between areas as diverse as the Okavango Delta, Central Kalahari, Caprivi Strip and the Upper Zambezi basin.
Safaris these days require you to pack light (sorry, Ava) with a maximum of 12kgs in a soft bag and the usual hand baggage. This is because transfers between camps are in small five or six-seater Cessnas, so bags have to be squished into tight spaces, as do passengers. Basically, if you�re not a contortionist when you leave, you sure as hell are when you return!
In my case the squishing began in Maun with vacationtechnician Air, one of several charter companies working out of the northern Botswana town. A 25-minute flight north in the blistering heat of midday with the charming Faris at the controls brought us to the first port of call - Xakanaxa Camp.
The name requires some bushman-like clicking to produce it properly, but most non-clickers like me pronounce it Kaka-naka. Run by Bob and Flo Flaxman, the camp is located on the Khwai River in an area of seasonal swamp in the Moremi Game Reserve. It�s undeniably one of the prettiest spots around, shaded by jackalberries, morulas and knob-thorns and overlooking vast expanses of reeds, which are occupied by a veritable cornucopia of birdlife.
Xakanaxa has its own resident crocodile; a small family of bushbuck and a hippo nicknamed Pavarotti which is prone to midnight strolls around camp.
The camp consists of a large reception area and small curio shop, 12 twin-bedded tents, with a communal lounge area, dining room and boma-style fireplace where guests gather after dinner to exchange stories of the day�s adventures. There is also a plunge pool set in a small pool deck with a separate lapa-cum-sala providing much-needed shade in the heat of the day.
A short walk from the main camp is Pandani�s, a satellite camp of four tents with their own lounge and dining area and separate plunge pool overlooking a small lagoon on the Khwai.
Pandani�s can be booked out in its entirety by small groups of up to eight people through vacationtechnician.com.
The tents themselves are a marvelous illustration of how camping need not mean roughing it. High twin beds swathed in percale cotton linen with log-hewn furniture offering space to unpack clothes and store essentials. Rugs on the floor lead footfalls to the en-suite bathroom. Surrounded by wooden fencing to fend off prying eyes both human and animal, the toilet, basin and shower offer the chance for guests to commune with nature.
Hot and cold running water and an inexhaustible supply of Doom, Tabard and Peaceful Sleep mean that you stay clean while bugs (and there are plenty of them) are for the most part kept at bay.
At this juncture it is probably best that I mention something which may seem obvious. Bush camps are not for those who scream at every little creepy crawly or worry about wild Africa coming too close for comfort. After dark you do not wander around � you are escorted to and from your humble abode to and from the dining room and lounge areas. There are no fences to keep small hairy things and larger, furry things out. There is only your tent canvas or lodge wall to keep you in.
Animals and goggas wander in, and out of camp with impunity. And by animals I mean everything from water monitors, snakes, monkeys and hippos to hyenas, lions, leopards and elephants.
After dark there is generally no power, meaning that light is provided by storm lamps, oil lanterns and candles. Mosquito coils keep the little biters away and the only way to keep a good flow of air through your abode is to keep flaps down or windows open. Malaria is a very real and ever-present problem and anti-malarial measures are a must, whether it be medication or spraying thoroughly each night.
Indeed, a healthy respect for and interest in bugs is probably an advantage while on safari. In the rainy season especially the lights around the dinner table at night can attract a huge range of bugs, from cicadas (press them gently and they buzz obligingly) and grasshoppers to long-horned beetles and several kinds of mantis.
At Xakanaxa the Flaxmans do everything they can to make your stay the most enjoyable it can be, and you soon settle into a nice routine. Early-morning wake-ups begin each day, with coffee, tea and biscuits and cereals at the lounge before heading off with your guide on a three-hour game drive.
The guides are all very experienced and knowledgeable about the area and its diversities. Some, like Metsi, named after the water, have had some very close encounters with the Moremi�s four-legged inhabitants.
Back at Xakanaxa generally by 10 o clock, Flo and Bob greet you and escort you to the dining room for a lavish and exceedingly filling brunch, after which the rest of the morning and early afternoon are yours to relax, catch up on some snoozing and cool off in the plunge pool. Then it�s tea-time with cakes and snacks and off on a late afternoon drive, stopping for sundowners at a suitable spot en route before returning to camp for dinner and drinks around the fire.
The meals are wonderful, with home-cooked fare lovingly prepared and presented. The wine flows and after-dinner Amarulas are the perfect way to wind down for bedtime in Utopia.
Guests have the option of taking game drives in the Moremi or boat trips into the swamps, with short forays into the reed-lined channels on the traditional mokoros. These days the mokoros are fibre-glass as opposed to hollowed out trees in an effort to protect the woodlands around the swamps.
The Moremi Game Reserve has everything but rhino. Consistent poaching has all but decimated Botswana�s rhino population and attempt to reintroduce both black and white rhino have been largely unsuccessful, except for in small pockets in the Chiefs Island area of the Mombo concession within the Moremi.
It means you don�t get to see the Big Five, but certainly the remaining four are available in abundance. In addition, sightings like red lechwe, the rare sitatunga and tsessebe more than make up for the absence of rhino.
And the birdlife is out of this world, with carmine bee-eaters, pied kingfishers, rufus-bellied herons and African fish eagles as common as mossies.
After the lush wetlands of the Delta, the 55-minute transfer from Xakanaxa via vacationtechnician air to Deception Valley Lodge in the central Kalahari area brought with it a huge contrast.
Where there had been river channels and swamp there was now an unending wilderness of parched land with its own, peculiar brand of stark beauty. Where there had been a hot, but moist climate there was now the blistering heat of an almost desert environment. The thermometer hit 42 degrees C as we landed at the Deception Valley airstrip.
Deception Valley Lodge is located on a 15,000-hectare private farm adjacent to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in central Botswana. It�s a 20-minute flight from Maun.
The lodge is owned and run by Braam and Susanne Badenhorst and is managed by Bruce and Arenell Robinson with the help of Johnny and Jackie Minaar.
This is San country and members of the local bushman tribe, the Basarawa work at Deception Valley Lodge as trackers and bush educationists, taking guests on walks into the bush and giving them a glimpse of the San way of life, using Bruce and Johnny, who act as guides, as intermediaries.
The lodge consists of five twin chalets with comfortable sitting rooms with cozy couch, coffee table and mini-bar and spacious bedrooms cooled by ceiling fans. The bathrooms have large Victorian-style baths and outdoor showers.
Connected to the main lodge building by a series of wooden walkways, the facilities are all open to the bush, again with nothing to keep the wilds of the Kalahari at bay.
At the main lodge is an open-plan dining area with a huge, sleeper wood table. Here a range of marvelous, home-cooked meals are served by Arenell and Jackie which are guaranteed to satisfy even the most grumbly tummy. There�s a cosy bar and comfortable lounge area with a selection of reference books available for guest use and outside is a braai area and fireplace where guests congregate for drinks. Upstairs is a small curio shop selling bushman artifacts and items of interest. There is also a nice pool deck with a decent-sized plunge pool, loungers and umbrellas to fend off the scorching sun.
A family of porcupines is in residence at the main lodge. Spike, Lucy and their daughter Cheeky put in nightly appearances for the guests� and guides benefit alike and the chance to get close to these strange but fascinating creatures is a highlight. But without a shadow of doubt the chance to trek into the bush with the San Bushmen is the main draw card at Deception Valley Lodge.
Two tribesmen, Xhasi and Sthibo, worked with Bruce to educate me in the ways of the Basarawa, digging up bi � a huge juicy tuber � and showing me how they scrape and gouge it, and finally crush the scrapings to drink the precious liquid it unlocks. It�s bitter to the taste but certainly life sustaining in such a harsh environment.
They also showed me the kan-nie-dood bush from which they harvest their fire sticks. These they rub together to make campfires.
The kan-nie-dood also offers up a curious poisonous grub which lives in its root system. This grub, when squashed and squeezed over arrow tips, becomes a deadly poison, helping the Bushmen to bring down steenbok and kudu.
I was also shown the San hardware shop, which comes in the form of the brandy bush. The wood of this bush becomes pliable when heated in fire and is harvested to make throwing sticks, bows, spears, digging sticks and walking sticks. Kudu sinews are used to make bowstrings. All of the above are packed into a soft skin bag and provide the San with everything they need to survive in the Kalahari.
A bit of target practice with a bushman bow soon elevated me to the ranks of honorary San as I discovered a natural ability as an archer. The few short hours spent in the bush with these incredible people was an experience I�ll never forget, and one which has shown me just how resilient the human spirit is.
Life at Deception Valley Lodge runs on the same timeframe as Xakanaxa, with early wake-up calls, morning game drives or bush walks, brunch, siesta or swim, afternoon snacks, afternoon-evening game drive and sundowners and a hearty dinner and drinks. The difference is the environment and the type of game in the area.
Aardvark, pangolin, springhares, brown hyena and huge Kalahari lions make the place truly special, as do the sightings of leopard and honey badger. Then there�s the smaller, more unusual inhabitants such as the lethal black hairy thick-tailed scorpion, huge baboon spiders and a variety of snakes and lizards.
During my stay there was a huge rainstorm, which afforded me the chance to see long-dormant bullfrogs digging their way out of hibernation and frolicking in fleeting desert puddles.
Deception Valley Lodge�s brand of home-from-home hospitality and the down-to-earth approach to life in the bush is a breath of fresh air compared to the stresses and strains of urban living, and is the perfect partner to Xakanaxa and the Okavango Delta. It�s a definite not-to-be-missed experience.
ENDNOTE:
Next article experiences lion infanticide at Kwando Kwara Camp in the northern Okavango Delta and the magic of wild dogs at Kwando Lebala Camp in the Linyanti area close to the Caprivi Strip.
About the areas:
Botswana is roughly the size of France or Texas but with population of only 1,7-million. More than 40% of the land is reserved for conservation and wilderness.
The topography of the Okavango was formed through process of erosion and deposition. Two things influence the topography � first is the flatness of the area which makes termite mounds the highest landforms. The land slopes very gradually � 1km for every 4km - to the southeast. Secondly there are very few rocks or stones.
The Okavango Delta lies within the Kalahari basin � a depression of wind-blown sands which extends from the northeastern corner of South Africa to just south of the equator in the DRC.
The underlying bedrock is volcanic sedimentary rock and the entire area is seismically active and prone to quakes.
Historically, it is thought the Okavango river extended to the sea but there are different schools of thought as to which sea it flowed into � some believed it joined the Limpopo and flowed into the Indian Ocean, others that it met the Orange River.
Flow movement was arrested due to tectonic movement which caused a series of parallel faults and a section of the earth�s crust to collapse, leading to the formation of the inland delta, as we now know it. Geographically it is known as an alluvial fan.
The Okavango River enters Botswana at Mohembo after traveling 1000km from its source. It�s channeled through what is known as the panhandle � a 15km wide swathe between two of the geological faults. There is a 6000 sq km area of permanent swamp, beyond which is a 12000 sq km area of seasonal swamp, fed by an infinite number of small channels. This becomes open grassland when floodwaters recede in the dry season.
Four rivers influence Botswana today � the Upper Zambezi, Kwando, Okavango and Limpopo.
The Central Kalahari, as its name suggests, is located roughly in the middle of the Kalahari basin. Water is scarce here, a fact learnt through hard experience by the Dorsland Trekkers in the late 1800s.
The trek party of roughly 300 boere families and their agricultural retinue reached the area hoping to find water. A mirage fooled them into thinking they had found the precious fluid and the deceit gave Deception Valley its name. Approximately half of the families perished. The descendants of the survivors still farm around the Ghanzi area.
The local inhabitants of this stretch of the Kalahari are San Bushmen of the Basarawa tribe.
Part 2 of this article found here
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
SOUL SAFARI SANGOMA� :: CHRIS STORMER
9 � 20 OCTOBER 2004
Join vacationtechnician.com for the journey of a lifetime into the rich and diverse cultures of Africa. An adventure for the soul awaits you beneath the warm African sun and delivers the opportunity to connect with the land, the people and the creatures that call this powerful continent their home.
�It is not just about dreams coming true,
but also about being true to our dreams� - Skyros
vacationtechnician.com Soul Safaris through South Africa offers an intimate look at African culture and spirituality. Our objective is for our guests to integrate and interact, rather than remain simply tourist-spectators.
Guided & facilitated by Chris Stormer, this journey offers you a wonderful opportunity to gain a new perspective on life and an increased awareness of what it means to feel fully alive. Chris, the 'Universal Foot Lady,' is a recognized world authority on natural health and healing and foot reflexology.
While enjoying a well-deserved holiday, you can also taste something totally new, while developing skills and interests that expand your personal horizons. We invite you to relax, grow, share, laugh, enlighten and truly experience an AMAZING getaway!
Sketch Itinerary:
09 Oct: Land and orientate with accommodation arranged at a tranquil guesthouse in Johannesburg.
10 Oct: Morning Tour of Soweto. See the best of the sights after which a visit the the Hartebeestpoort African craft market. Meet VASAMAZULU CREDO MUTWA, our High Sanusi, who is the highest ranking Zulu Sangoma in the land, and overnight at Naledi House, which means �House of Enlightenment�
11 Oct: Travel to White Elephant Lodge
11 � 13 Oct: Enjoy the Wisdom of Elephants Ecotherapy experience with Mandy Young � An introspective game experience with wild elephants at White Elephant Bush Camp
14 � 16 Oct: Holistic Dolphin-Swim delight with Chris Stormer in Southern Mozambique
17 & 18 Oct: Visit Milimani Game Sanctuary, a haven for distressed or injured wildlife and visit the local village, an Inyanga (herbalist) and an African cr�che
19 Oct: Return to Johannesburg for an extra-ordinary night at the theatre with AFRICAN FOOTPRINTS then overnight at your guesthouse in Johannesburg
20 Oct: Breakfast & transfer to airport for your return flight
Detailed Itinerary:
09 Oct: Johannesburg International Apt � Guesthouse
You will be met on arrival at the Johannesburg International Airport and transferred to the guesthouse in Rivonia, Johannesburg.
This evening a welcome and introductions circle will be arranged to give everybody a change to meet and connect with Chris Stormer and the vacationtechnician team of co-facilitators.
Enjoy a relaxed dinner at Chris�s home, which is near your guesthouse.
Find out more about Chris Stormer.
10 Oct: Soweto, Hartebeest Craft Market & Naledi House
A guided morning tour of Soweto, visiting some of the most interesting sites, including Credo Mutwa�s �kraal� and Madiba�s house during the struggling apartheid years. A traditional lunch at a private house included.
Afterwards we drive to the Hartebeestpoort dam Craft Market, approximately 50 minutes away to one of the biggest craft markets in Southern Africa giving you the opportunity to collect arts and craft from all the regions and tribes of Africa.
Later in the afternoon, we relax and enjoy sundowners at Naledi House, a beautiful guesthouse not far from Hartebeestpoort. Nestled between a range of mountains that have witnessed the passage of unimaginable ages and with the Hennops River flowing nearby and abundant bird life, Naledi is a lush oasis in serene, rocky surroundings.
Here you will also have the honour of meeting VASAMAZULU CREDO MUTWA, our High Sanusi, the highest ranking Zulu Sangoma in the land, who is a highly regarded healer, shaman, spiritual leader and author, well known for one of his many books, Indaba My Children
Credo Mutwa will hold you spellbound with legends, tales and anecdotes of Africa, as he shares sacred information and leads a traditional African ceremony, at his Indaba Kraal at Naledi House, which only a few privileged novices have ever experienced.
A wholesome dinner follows these inspirational proceedings.
11, 12 & 13 Oct: Naledi House � WHITE Elephant Bush Camp
After a nourishing breakfast and we travel for approximately six hours to the White Elephant Bush Camp, in the Pongola Game Reserve.
White Elephant Bush Camp offers a tranquil retreat for those seeking an authentic bush experience. Set in a shady thicket of Knobthorn trees, the Bush Camp is completely at one with nature and the landscape. We stay in spacious thatched chalets, which are stylishly yet simply decorated in African hues to complement the spectacular views of the Lebombo Mountains and Lake Jozini Traditional bush comforts, uncomplicated dining beside an open fire, moonlit night skies and flickering shadows all add to the serenity and harmony with nature.
During your stay you are invited to participate in the 3-day �Wisdom of Elephants� experience facilitated by Mandy Young.
BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE PROGRAM:
Each game drive, facilitated by Mandy Young, offers an introspective experience while observing the wild elephants, whose whereabouts is not always predictable.
The eco-therapy group sessions provide an ideal opportunity to rest fraught psyches, whilst learning more instinctual ways of just being. The sessions assist in reconnecting to one�s true spirit through the interconnectedness with other species and the earth we all share.
MEET THE PROGRAM FACILITATOR:
Mandy Young, a Theta accredited Field Guide, has been actively involved as a psychotherapist, researcher, tutor and lecturer at the University of Cape Town since 1979. She assists children, adults, teenagers and students with depressive, abuse, addictive tendancies and counsels others through grief and trauma.
For the last 7 years she has studied the African Wild Dogs at wildlife reserves throughout South Africa and Zimbabwe, and more recently she has specifically focused on mothering behavior in elephants. Mandy finds that her wilderness experiences and research provide important understandings in assisting others overcome personal difficulties and challenges.
14, 15 & 16 Oct: White Elephant to Ponta d�Ouro
After an early breakfast, we take a short trip to Mozambique, where we stay at Ponta d�Ouro, Point of Gold. Here resident pods of over a hundred dolphins can be seen frolicking in the surf.
This is where there are several opportunities to encounter these playful, curious and highly intelligent mammals on their own terms - in the Big Blue. Dolphins seem to possess an extraordinary ability to trigger an often incomprehensible healing process and just being in their presence seems to evoke a feeling of profound inner peace and joy.
During the 3-day dolphin experience, Chris takes us on a journey of "What is a Foot" in a playful and creative way. Through studying the characteristics of your own feet you will receive fascinating insights about your character, your potential and challenges.
Drum circles facilitated by our professional musician, Vaughan Harris, and a sound journey, also form part of this wonderful program. During a sound journey you simply lie down and close your eyes to be massaged and mesmerized by a variety of soothing, harmonious sounds, produced completely by Vaughan and his experienced assistant. These powerful and evocative sounds are guaranteed to create �an energized calmness�. The use of many of the world�s indigenous instruments, with a range of birdcalls and an overtone of voices, crease a personal and totally rejuvenating experience, which is cherished as one of the highlights.
Please take a look at additional details on our dolphin research, our dolphin swim programs and facilities.
17 & 18 Oct: Ponta d�Ouro to Milimani
After an early morning swim with the dolphins and a tasty brunch we travel for approximately four hours to the Milimani Wildlife Sanctuary, nestled in the Rooirante mountain range of northern Kwa-Zulu Natal. Milimani is a safe-haven for distressed or injured wildlife and depending on timing, it may be possible to witness the delivery or the release of these animals.
Here a Sangoma will share his extensive knowledge of, amongst other things, the use of trees and shrubs for medicinal purposes. Around a campfire at night Zulu traditions and rituals frequently practiced by local Sangomas are shared whilst local children sing and dance with their abundant enthusiasm.
A guided visit to the local KwaDlakuse village is an exceptional and truly humbling experience. The residents greet guests with their embracing warmth and are extremely grateful for the interest in their lives. The children of the cr�che eagerly share their inherit love of music and dance, and we love to entertain visitors with their chaotic singing, so endearing of young people. Lois, our hostess, says �I am continually seduced by the warmth and friendship of this village, and it is Milimani�s privilege to be able to share it with visitors�,
19 Oct: Milimani to JHB Guesthouse
After a scrumptious breakfast, we take about six hours to drive back to Johannesburg to spend your last night in South Africa at the Kingsway Guesthouse in Rivonia.
This vacationtechnician.com Soul Safari ends on a high note with the spectacular performance of AFRICAN FOOTPRINTS, which is Richard Loring's dream being fulfilled as South African youth, especially talented young black dancers, become empowered through theatre. His vision is a high energy, awesome song and dance of emerging talents, known as an "Explosive Stampede of Song and Dance" a truly uplifting and emotional finale to this incredible Journey of the Soul.
Dinner will be enjoyed at a restaurant at Gold Reef City before the show � own account.
20 Oct: Guesthouse to JHB International Airport
Arrangements for an airport transfer will ensure that you get to the airport in good time your return flight.
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(An optional add-on to Cape Town can be arranged for those interested to visit the �Mother City�).
�Words fail miserably to describe this experience. You owe it to yourself and the universe to take this moving journey, which explodes your senses and sets your soul soaring� - Biff Fraser, Scotland
RATE:
2,702.87 USD per person sharing.
INCLUDED:
� Two nights at the guesthouse in Johannesburg on a bed & breakfast basis
� Dinner at Chris Stormer�s house on first night of arrival
� One night at Naledi House on a dinner, bed & breakfast basis
� Morning city tour of Soweto, including lunch and excursion to the Hartebeestpoort arts & craft market
� Three nights at the White Elephant Bush Camp on a dinner, bed & brunch basis.
� Wisdom of Elephant program facilitated by Mandy Young, including 4 game drives to observe the elephants
� Three nights at Dolphin Encountours on a Dinner, Bed & Brunch basis
� Full comprehensive snorkeling course & educational code of conduct slide show regarding the dolphin encounters
� Three launches to swim with the dolphins
� Full holistic program during the dolphin package, including a facilitated drum circle and sound journey
� Two nights at Milimani Game Sanctuary on a fully inclusive basis, including all activities and game drives
� Excursion to watch the AFRICAN FOOTPRINTS dance & music show
� All transfers and transport from and to the JHB International Airport as per itinerary.
� Full itinerary guided and facilitated by CHRIS STORMER
EXCLUDED:
� International Airfare
� Items of personal nature
� Drinks
� Lunches unless otherwise stated as per itinerary
� Dinner at Gold Reef City (prior to African Footprint performance)
� Fees & gratuity to Credo Mutwa for ceremonies & storytelling events
� Visa to enter Mozambique (30 USD per person)
� All other gratuities to staff members and game personnel (optional)
� Donation the the African village (optional)
� Travel insurance & medical insurance IMPORTANT NOTICE:
DUE TO CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS AND UNFORSEEN INCREASES RATE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE .
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
13 Day / 12 Night Traditional Mobile Safari (Maun � Maun)
Highlights Nxai Pan National Park, Moremi Game Reserve and the Okavango Delta
vacationtechnician.com detailed itinerary..
Day 1 � 3: Mobile Safari in Nxai Pan National Park (Full Board)
Your safari begins in Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. Your specialist birding guide will meet you on arrival at Maun airport. Your first three nights will be spent camping in an exclusive wilderness campsite in the Nxai Pan National Park, exploring the surrounding wilderness on game drives.
Once part of the great lake that spread over most of northern Botswana, Nxai Pan National Park mainly consists of a series of fossil pans covered in short, nutritious grasses and dotted with islands of Acacia trees under which animals often retreat to rest during the heat of the day. A cluster of seven baobab trees, referred to as Baines Baobabs, form a historical landmark, which was used by early explorers.
During the summer rains (Nov � March), Nxai Pan becomes transformed to a green wonderland, abounding with larges herds of animals accompanied by their offspring. The veld flowers are spectacular at this time of year. A wealth of birdlife can be seen in the region, including the commonly sighted Black Korhaan, Kgori Bustards (the worlds heaviest flying bird), Kestrels, Falcons, Goshawks and Coursers to name a few.
Day 4: Lodge Accommodation at Tree Lodge in Maun (L,D,B&B)
After breakfast and an early morning game drive, you will return to Maun. Following a leisurely lunch, you may embark on a scenic flight, enjoying a birds eye view of the Okavango Delta. Tonight you will be staying at Tree Lodge which is situated on a private game farm on the outskirts of Maun. The lodge has ideal riverine habitat that makes for great late afternoon birding. The Thamalakane river offers the opportunity to see species like Lesser Grebe and Fulvous Ducks. The lodge has a resident pair of Giant Eagle Owls and the call of the Scops and Pearl Spotted Owls are common.
Day 5 � 12: Mobile Safari in Moremi Game Reserve and the Okavango Delta (Full Board)
The Okavango is a unique ecosystem, an inland delta situated in the middle of the largest stretch of continuous sand in the world � the Kalahari basin. This wetland lies like an oasis in an otherwise inhospitable landscape. Where land and delta meet, a mosaic of pans, grasslands, forests and lagoons provide an extremely rich and diverse habitat where a multitude of animals and birds flourish. Moremi Game Reserve is situated in the eastern corner of the Okavango Delta.
You will spend the first three nights camping in an exclusive wilderness campsite in the Xakanaxa region of the reserve, exploring this oasis on game drives. This area boasts magnificent scenery as well as a multitude of bird and animal life. This is one of the few accessible areas where wet and dry habitats meet. Take this opportunity to find Wattled Cranes, Slaty Egrets and a variety of waders in the shallow pools. The woodlands are home to Arnots Chat, Orioles and the constant calls of the Woodland Kingfishers.
Day 8: you will embark on an island adventure deep in the heart of the Okavango Delta, exploring the endless network of crystal clear waterways and secret lagoons by motor boat, and the surrounding palm fringed islands on foot. This swampland is home to the elusive Sitatunga antelope as well as a variety of spectacular bird life including the elusive Pels Fishing Owl and a host of migrant birds. You will spend two nights camping on a remote island with only the bear essentials � a true wilderness experience. The waterways are prime habitat for Lesser Jacana and Malachite Kingfishers. The dense riverine vegetation is home to the shy Purple Galinules and Greater Swamp Warbler.
Day 10 we return to dry land and make our way towards the Khwai region of the reserve, enjoying a game drive and picnic lunch en route. The Khwai River forms the eastern boundary of the Moremi Game Reserve. Vast herds of buffalo and elephant are common in the dry season with regular sightings of leopard, lion and cheetah. This area is one of the best in Botswana for raptors like Martial, Steppe and Booted Eagles.
The following three nights will be spent camping at a Khwai community private operators camp site on the border of the Moremi Game Reserve, exploring the area on game drives both during the day and at night. Exploring after dark with spotlights offers you an opportunity to experience some of the nocturnal animals that are rarely encountered during the day. You will also have the opportunity to explore the surrounding wilderness on foot and enjoy an up close and personal encounter with Botswana flora and fauna. It is important to note that night drives and guided walks are not permitted within the National Parks and Reserves. These activities are conducted outside the boundaries of the Moremi Game Reserve in the Khwai community area.
Day 13: Safari Ends
Following breakfast and an early morning game drive, you will be transferred to Maun Airport for your onward journey.
Package Price
Off-Peak Season: US$2468.00 per person sharing (No single supplement subject to booking terms and conditions)
Includes
� Airport transfers
� 1 Night lodge accommodation at Tree Lodge (L,D,B&B)
� 11 Night mobile tented safari with Game Trails on a Traditional Mobile Safari basis, including the services of a professional guide, camp manageress and full staff compliment with support vehicle, tented accommodation with shared ablution facilities, transfers and game drives in customized safari vehicles (guaranteed window seat), the use of exclusive mobile operator campsites within the national parks and reserves, all entrance and camping fees, all meals and drinks (mineral water, soft drinks, beer and wine).
� Two day motor boat excursion in the Okavango Delta
� 10% Vat
Excludes
� International and domestic flights
� Travel and medical insurance (manditory on all vacationtechnician.com safaris)
� Visas
� Drinks at Tree Lodge
2004 Scheduled Safari Dates
Arrive Maun Depart Maun Season Availability
20 November 2 December Off-Peak Seats Available
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.