Luxury Mobile Tented Safari
An adventurous safari through the prime wilderness areas of Botswana: Chobe National Park, the Savute, the Khwai and the Moremi in the Okavango Delta
This is a safari for the adventurous. Travel with a small group deep into the wilderness, guided by acknowledged Botswana expert Mike Penman of Wild Lifestyles. It’s a trip for people who want to experience the essence of the wild and who like to reflect on and engage with the geographical, historical, political and wildlife issues which arise.
Tune in to the Travel Channel and watch Mike Penman and Mark Tennant in African Tightspots. The first programme - 'Lion Crawl' - will be broadcast on Monday, 20 May, 2002 at 9 pm EST. Elephants are the subject of the second programme, which follows at 10 pm EST. On 21 May, the programmes are about lion feeding and quad bikes, broadcast at 9 and 10 pm respectively.
Itinerary:
September 2001
19/20:
Light aircraft transfer from Kasane to the Serondella, in northern Chobe National Park, an ideal introduction to the bush. There are large breeding herds of elephant, roan antelope, sable and hippos, crocodile, giraffe and good general game and waterfowl. The combination of game drives and boating affords the full spectrum of game viewing. Stay 2 nights at Chobe Game Lodge.
21:
Travel to Savuti in the southern part of Chobe National Park. Savuti was once a beautiful marsh, now sadly dry, and famous for the large concentration of bull elephant around waterholes. The area is excellent for lion and cheetah, too. The Savuti has hilly outcrops where we view Bushmen rock art (paintings). Overnight at Savute Safari Lodge.
22 - 25:
Explore the Khwai in the eastern Moremi Game Reserve.
Northgate (Central Khwai) is an area of drier terrain, fed by a thin ribbon of the Khwai. The camp is situated on the edge of the Khwai River.
The Khwai River is famous for huge herds of elephant that come to drink each day, during drier conditions. Cheetah, wild dog, leopard, giraffe, roan antelope and the great raptors can be sighted. Hippo pods are another highlight. This is definitely a big game area.
In the western Khwai, the camp site is on the edge of a large pool, offering ideal conditions for collective hippo pod congregations. You wake up to the hippos returning from late foraging or you simply sit and watch the sunset while hippos prepare for their nocturnal walkabout. It also attracts all kinds of game, including the larger predators.
The Machaba River (northern Khwai) is one of the best game viewing areas of Botswana, particularly in the drier seasons when large herds of elephants (breeding & bachelor herds) push their way onto this river lifeline. This is a fantastic place for photography.
Day 7 ends on island 'fly camping', a simpler style of camping, with bedrolls & mosquito nets, and all comforts provided. A traditional bush dinner will be served before you retire to sleep under the starry sky.
The journey continues to the western Moremi, the first African reserve to be created by local citizens. This 3 825 km² reserve forms an intricate part of the Okavango Delta, comprising permanently swamped areas, seasonally swamped areas and dry land. It is probably the premier destination in Botswana, offering an incredible diversity of terrain, vegetation, wildlife and bird life.
26 - 29:
Dead Tree Island and Xakanaxa (Central Moremi)
The camps are on the edge of the permanent delta. We explore the area by vehicle, boat and by walking on the islands of the Okavango Delta. This big game area is very diverse in vegetation. On the remote islands, you will see red lechwe in abundance and, possibly, sight the rare sitatunga. Fantastic for birding and a nesting place for the African Spoonbill. Xuroro Loop and Nkwe Loop are great areas for leopard.
Bodumatau (southwestern Moremi) is a remote area rich in large game such as lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, zebra, giraffe, wild dog, hyena and many antelope species. Hippo are abundant. The camp is in a remote area, nestled amongst fever berry trees, with a great view of the lagoon (in front of camp) with its resident pod of hippo.
Mboma Island is very beautiful, with abundant palm trees and riverine vegetation. It is a good area for buffalo and a variety of wildlife, and incredible birdlife
Gcodikwe / Gobegha Islands provide access to water channels and boating activities. We view herons, storks, cormorants, ibises, egrets and many other species of water bird.
30:
Light aircraft transfer from Xakanaxa airstrip to Maun.
Price: £2575/US$3735 per person sharing
Price includes: all accommodation, food, snacks, local alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, teas & coffees; exclusive camp site fees; all camp services including laundry; the services of trained professional guides and full staff complement; game drives, mekoros; national park fees; boating activities Xakanaxa & Chobe River; light aircraft transfer from Xakanaxa to Maun.
Not included: travel to Kasane (from Victoria Falls or Johannesburg), staff gratuities.
Number of participants: minimum of 4, maximum of 8
This safari is a special offer. Similar itineraries are scheduled for 9 and 21 October, 2001 (£2775/$4025 pp sharing). For further information, detailed description of a "typical day", 2002 departures and rates, email us. Safaris can be tailor-made for private groups and families - different/additional areas, special interests (e.g. cave exploration, big game photography, desert).
Contact us
or phone (44) 20 7226 1004 for more information
