Botswana Safaris
Description Botswana Safaris
Generally Botswana contains Southern Africa’s largest area of wilderness, offering the traveler vast and remote plains with game. Its jewel is the Okavango Delta, a vast marsh land where animals and birdlife can be viewed by mokoro on foot or by vehicles.
Botswana’s safari is removed from the pressure of modern living, will relax you with the slow flow of timeless Africa and exhilarate you with the explosiveness of nature, unchanged by the heavy hand of man.
Game Drives
Morning trips are generally better if you prefer a subtle, timeless sort of experience. The sweet dusty smell of morning bush combined with the last stirrings of night creatures and a hazy red sunrise; the plodding of hippo into the river and the emergence of the daytime shift clearly demonstrate the cycle that govern the bush.
Evening drives on the other hand are generally more exciting. Things seem to happen on cue, and the low sun provides excellent photo opportunities. There will normally be so much wildlife especially during the rainy season that one may soon become blase. Big cats laze while sitting antelopes keep an eye on their intentions. Immense herds of elephants gather drinks, spray and play beside the river. Hippo plod onto the shore. Hundreds of buffalo stand grazing on the dry grass and vultures pick at the remains of the unlucky while brilliantly colored birds flit around in the late sun.
Types of safaris found in Botswana
Horse Back Safaris.
Possible the finest in Africa, last two to ten days. From four to six hours a day are spent in the saddle. Afternoons are often spent walking, swimming, fishing, or on mokoro trips. Only experienced riders are allowed, as they must be able to confidently canter along side herds of game including zebra, giraffe and antelope. Accommodation is usually in mobile tented camps.
Elephant Back Safaris.
An African elephant safari is a unique way of experiencing the bush. Guests fly to Abu’s camp to join Abu, the lead elephant, along with his family including Bennie, Cathy, Bibi, Lethaba and several youngsters for a six day safari.
Walking Safaris
Conducted by Landela Walking Safari company, is usually a 3 days walking safari away from their luxury lodges under the canvas for a real African experience. You can spend your first night and last in either Rann’s camp or Xudum. Please note that the exact itinery will depend on local conditions.
Safari Companies
Penstone Safari
This professional Safari Company based in Maun, Botswana offers exclusive mobile camping safaris for the discerning traveler with a spirit of adventure and an interest in the wilderness area. The company caters for small groups, two to twelve, who travel in comfortable Land Rovers, seating a maximum of six passengers. You are accompanied by one or two guides, depending on numbers, who give personal undivided attention to the group.
Services offered
The camp staff travels ahead of the safari with the support vehicle and set up camp so that when you arrive, after a leisurely day of game watching and picnic lunch, the camp is ready with no inconveniences to yourself. On both your safaris you are accompanied with a cook, waiter and team of experienced safari hands.
Spacious 3m x 3m walk in tent with sewn in ground sheet, large mosquito proof windows and sun roof.
Bedroll with comfortable mattress, fitted with sheets, duvet and pillow. Towels and bedside table holding tissues, insect repellent, soap, torch, thermos jug and glasses are provided. A washstand, table and mirror are placed outside each tent.
The two way radios so that communication should be done with Maun office.
A fridge on each vehicle keeps the drinks cold.
A selection of reference books on flora and fauna and other related jobs.
The Safari
Penstone safaris start from Maun, Kasane or Victoria Falls and may last from three days to a month fifteen days is perhaps the ideal. A safari is carefully planned to suite your available time and interest.
The area in which safari is included is Okavango Delta, Moremi Reserve, Chobe National Park, Nxai pan, Makgadikgadi Pans and the Central Deception valley.
Being a mobile operation they offer a flexible itinerary and depending on climatic and other conditions can move to where the game or bird life is most prolific.
Okavango and Linyanti
This is a flying safari which departs every day of the year to any of the camps in the portfolio in the Okavango and Linyanti, for any duration of time. Each safari is customized to each guest’s requirements. Guests can create their own itinerary to visit their preferred camps. Resident guides at camp will host their guests throughout their areas.
In Okavango and Linyati there are four types of camps, those offering water activities like mokoros, boating and walking; those which only offer a mixture of both land and water and experiences. Then to the north east, the Linyanti area offers a very different wildlife experience. The camps that fall into these categories are:
Okavango/land only
Chitabe, Chitabe Trails, Mombo, Mombo Trails or little Mombo.
Okavango/Water only
Kubu Queen.
Okavango/Mixed activities
Duba Plans, Jao, Kwetusani Vumbura, little Vumbura, Xakanaxa, Xigera.
Linyanti Area
DumaTau, Kings pool, Linyanti Tented camps, Savuti camp. All accommodation, all meals and activities, all park and concession fees are included in your fare as are all local drinks.
Safaris
The safaris can be started or ended in either Maun, Kasane or Victoria falls. Maun is linked daily from Johannesburg or Air Botswana’s services. Prices vary according to where you start and finish your safari. This is how a five day/four day safari would run. However these safaris can last up to 14 days.
Days 1 and 2; Oksavango Delta
On arrival in Maun, you clear customs and then meet up with a Wilderness Safaris representative. You are flown to the camp of your choice and enjoy the twice daily activities on offer at the camp.
Days 3 and 4:Oksavango Delta or Linyanti
From your camp you generally enjoy the last mornings game drive and are then flown to your next camp, where you are met by your guide and transferred to camp in open 4×4 Land Rovers.
Day 5;Safari end.
You are flown back Maun or Kasane for the end of your safari.
Wings Over Northern Botswana and Victoria Falls
This Safari explores three contrasting areas in Linyanti and Okavango and finishes with a night in Victoria Falls. All accommodation, the twice daily game activities at camps, all inter camp transfers by air and the road transfer from Kasane to Victoria Falls are included. All meals in the camps and breakfast in Victoria Falls are included. The safaris can be run in either direction for any duration to suit individual requirements.
Days 1 and 2 Okavango land activity camp
On arrival in Maun, guests are met by a Wilderness safaris representative and transferred to charter aircraft for the flight into their camp. Activities here centre on the game drives and walks in some most of Okavango’s most private areas. The choice of camp includes Chitabe Trails, Mombo, Vumbura, Duba plains, Jao or Kwetsani.
Days 3 and 4 Okavango water activity or mixed camp
Guests are flown from their camps to contrasting sectors of the Okavango to enjoy the activities on offer there. Mokoros, boating, fishing, walks and at some camps, game drives are on offer.The choice of camps includes Little Vumbura, Kubu Queens, Xakanara and Xigera.
Days 5 and 6 The Linyati or Savuti
From the Okavango, guests are flown northeast to Chobe/Linyanti water ways. This is a completely contrasting region to the Okavango Delta. Activities are enjoyed around the Savuti channels or Linyati River on boats, vehicles or from hides.
Day 7 Victoria Falls
Guests are flown from their camps to Kasane where they board vehicles for the 85km drive to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. On arrival they are checked into their hotels and if you want to sign up for the one day whitewater rafting, elephant back ride etc you need to book into the Falls for two nights.
Day 8 Safari End
The safari ends after breakfast with your transfer from your hotel or lodge to airport.
Jakana Safari
This is the quality cross country camping safari in Botswana and it was featured in the November 1995 edition of National Geographic Traveler magazine. It offers a combination of cross country drives and light aircraft transfers to enable guest access to the best areas of Northern Botswana. Accommodation varies between small permanent tented camps and pre erected tented camps, all with private facilities. Many nights are spent in private concessions far from others in superb game country. All meals are included except for lunches and dinners
Day 1-3; The Central Okavango Delta Land Experience
After arrival in Maun, you will be met by your guide or a representative and transferred by light aircraft to the heart of the Okavango Delta. The game viewing in open 4×4 is good with Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Cheetah, Wild Dog and Elephant regularly sighted. Bird life is varied and abundant.
Days 4-6; Okavango Delta Water Experience
Here the group is flown further into the Okavango Delta and transferred to our secluded Mokoro Trails camp for the next three nights. The Delta is an ever changing tapestry of forested islands and crystal clear channels which is explored by mokoro and on foot, giving guests the opportunity to experience Africa at close quarters. The Sitatunga antelope and the rare Pel’s Fishing owl may be seen, as well as smaller quantities of Elephant, Buffalo and other plain games.
Days 7- 8: The Linyanti
Depart from Okavango Delta and transfer by aircraft to Linyanti Tented Camp. Guests enjoy game drives during the day and at night, walks, boating and canoeing.
Days 9-11; Chobe National Park
This is the drive to the north to Chobe, where camps are set up in a private site along or near the banks of Chobe River. On the Chobe floodplains, Elephants can be viewed in numbers not found else where on the continent, while water birds such as egrets, herons, ducks and storks occur in profusion.
Day 12;Victoria Falls
It is a leisurely drive from Chobe River to the famous Victoria Falls. Arrival at Ilala Lodge will be around midday and you will have the rest of your afternoon at leisure to explore the rain forests along the falls, or take an optional sunset cruise up the Zambezi River. Guests wanting to enjoy whitewater rafting will have to spend an additional night in Victoria Falls.
Day 13;End of Safari
You are transferred to Victoria Falls airport for your onward flight.
The Mapone Safari - 12 Days Cross-Country
This participation camping safari explores the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve, and wildlife rich Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls. Participants are actively involved in camp chores and cooking but a camp assistant does all washing up. The emphasis is on a high quality, but participatory experience. Guests is limited to eight, and meals are exclusive, except for Victoria Falls which is on a bed and breakfast basis.
Day I; Victoria Falls
The safari normally starts in the evening. A full day is needed for white water rafting and would require an additional night in Victoria Falls prior to safari.
Day 2 - 5 Chobe National Park, including Savute
Depart from Victoria Falls to Chobe National Park which is 85kms away. This is a superb elephant country, and some safaris see more 500 in day. Antelope, including the rare puku as well as predators such as lions are abundant. Savute is the next stop and camping is done along side the now dry savute channel. Lion prides and clans of spotted hyenas are resident in the area and are frequently seen. Cheetah and wild dog are also found in the areas and large herds of ungulates gather on the open grassland.
Days 6-8 Moremi and the Eastern Okavango
After breaking camp at Savute journey by road to the eastern reaches of Okavango and the first taste for the Delta is clear waterways. There you will find Moremi campsite one of Botswana’s most scenic reserves. The Okavango consists of slow moving channels and open floodplains, a great contrast to the dry savute grasslands. Time is spent traversing the floodplains and open woodlands in search of wild dogs, leopards, lion and birds such as Meyer’s parrot and Wattled Crane.
Day 9-10; Okavango Delta
From Moremi the safari is to Maun where the segment of the safari is in complete contrast to earlier stages, as we explore papyrus fringed channels, lily covered lagoons and forested islands. Transport is by mokoro punted by Bayei boatmen or on foot. The elusive Sitatunga, Buffalo and the beautiful Red lechwe may be encountered, along with all of Okavango’s big game. Swamp Boubou, salty Egret, Pygmy Goose, Copperytailed Coucal and lesser Jacana are among the special birds one may see,. Here at the secluded campsite under a profusion of stars, one may enjoy the tranquility of the Delta night punctuated by calls of owls and nightjars and the distant grunting of a hippo.
Day 12; End of Safari
A scenic flight out of the Delta takes you back in time for your onward Flight.
The Kalahari Suricate Safari – 11days cross country
This 11 days camping covers three remote and contrasting regions; of the Makgadikgadi the remote desert environment of central Kalahari Game Reserve, and the pristine wetlands of Okavango Delta. The game viewing in this area of Botswana is at its best just after the rains and it is during the period of March and April that customized amount of schedules are offered. Accommodation here is in tents and camp hands handle the camp chores.
Days 1-4 Central Kalahari Game Reserve Deception Valley
After arrival the group will charter at around midday from Maun to Deception Valley made famous by Mark and Delia Owens in their book. ‘The Cry of the Kalahari’ hence you will meet your Guide. The pre- erected camp is set under the camel thorns on one of the numerous tree islands in the valley. Activities centre on early morning and afternoon game drives to areas of interest within the central Kalahari, such as Deception Pan. After dinner around the camp fire, park regulations permitting, to take an evening drive to search for hyena, Kalahari lions and the other nocturnal creatures of the Kalahari.
Day 5 and 6; The Makgadikgadi Pans Game Reserve.
This is the drive to Makgadikgadi pans. This area is particularly beautiful after the rains have fallen and when the pans fill up with water they often attract waterfowl in vast numbers. Large herds of gemsbok and springbok can occur and one of southern Africa’s last zebra and wildebeest migrations takes place here when they move into the area to enjoy the good grazing and ample water.
Days 7 and 8; Mokoro Trails camp-Okavango. The water experience
This is the day to drive back to Maun and then transfer by light aircraft into the Okavango Delta to the Mokoro Trails camp. Here you will be exploring the lush Okavango waterways by mokoro, in total contrast to the Kalahari. The camp is a scheduled concession area. Other activities in the area include walking on smaller islands, swimming in the crystal clear waters and bird watching. If you are lucky you may see the elusive Sitatunga antelope or peel’s fishing owl in the region.
Days 9 and 10; The Okavango. The land experience
From Mokoro Trails camp, you will be taken to a permanent game drive activities camp for the final two days of safari. There is a wide variety of game including Buffalo, Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Reedbuck, Lechwe, Impala, Zebra and Hippo. Wild Dogs are also sometimes sighted
Day 11; The End of Safari
After a final morning excursion, the group is flown back to Maun to connect an onward flight.
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