Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe - Opinions Please
Feb 2nd, 2007, 06:41 AM
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Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe - Opinions Please
My fiance and her mother are planing a safari to Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe leaving on October 23rd. The trip is described below. Your opinions on this trip, the accomodations, and the optional trips are appreciated. Also is this a good time to go; it seems this is just past high season, dry season but should still be a good time to go. Thanks in advance.
DAY 1 Fly overnight from U.S. to London
You depart from Washington DC – Dulles Airport on a nonstop, overnight flight to London’s Heathrow Airport.
DAY 2 Arrive London/Overnight Flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. After the overnight flight, you’ll arrive in Johannesburg the morning of Day 3.
DAY 3 Discover Johannesburg/Optional Soweto Tour. Upon arrival in Johannesburg, you’ll be met at the airport and then transferred to your hotel. You’ll have a day here to relax after your flight, or choose an optional tour to Soweto to begin your African experiences. Your tour visits the Regina Mundi—Queen of the World—the Catholic Church that served as sanctuary for many during the Uprising, as well as the Hector Peterson Memorial. Pick up is at 2:00 p.m., the tour departure time. The tour will return to the hotel at 6:00 p.m.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Garden Court Johannesburg Airport
DAY 4 Fly from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls/Transfer to Chobe National Park. This morning, we’ll transfer to British Airways for our flight to Victoria Falls, arriving early afternoon. We meet our Trip Leader at the Victoria Falls airport, and we drive across the border to our lodge in Botswana. After a briefing on our upcoming explorations, we dine at the lodge this evening.
Accommodations: Baobab Safari Lodge or similar
DAY 5 Wildlife Viewing at Chobe National Park. The next two days are devoted to seeking out game in Chobe National Park. You will quickly become accustomed to the pace of most of our safari days. After our morning game viewing, we will spend siesta time quietly during the heat of the day, followed by teatime in the late afternoon. Next we head out for our afternoon game drive. In the evenings, just before sunset, we gather to soak in the magnificent views of the golden sun sinking behind a nearby watering hole. We then sit down to enjoy dinner together by candlelight.
Accommodations: Baobab Safari Lodge or similar
DAY 6 Explore Chobe National Park. Our safari schedule in Chobe today features a full day game drive in the Chobe National Park. We will be out in our vehicles during lunchtime, so we will take along a picnic lunch. Dinner tonight is a traditional South African braai, similar to our barbecue but more closely connected to the outdoor life, culture and laid-back lifestyle of South Africans.
Accommodations: Baobab Safari Lodge or similar
DAY 7 Fly to Namibia via Kasane/Sunset Cruise on the Kwando River. Early this morning, we board a minibus that takes us to Kasane, Botswana. From here, we catch a short light aircraft flight to the Kwando airstrip near our Namibia lodge, our home for the next three nights. Our lodge is located on the banks of the Kwando River that separates Namibia from Botswana. We stay on a private concession in Mudumu National Park, on the banks of the Kwando River. We then board pontoon boats for a cruise of the Kwando River. We’ll return to the lodge for dinner.
Accommodations: Lianshulu Bush Lodge or similar
DAY 8 Explore Mudumu National Park/Enjoy Sunset Cruise on Kwando River. We spend today in typical safari fashion as we explore Mudumu National Park. We rise early and depart on a game drive. We then return to our Lodge, where we enjoy a brunch. Take the afternoon to relax during our siesta time before afternoon tea. We depart on another sunset river excursion. Dinner tonight will be at the lodge.
Accommodations: Lianshulu Bush Lodge or similar
DAY 9 Visit Local Lizuli Village/Enjoy Game Drive. After breakfast, we enjoy a game drive en route to a local Lizauli village, where we have the opportunity to see firsthand what life is like in an East Caprivian community. We have the opportunity to walk around with our village host or on our own. Also, we may visit a local school depending on the day of the week and the time of the year. We then enjoy a game drive back to our lodge for lunch. After lunch, perhaps you’ll take some time to relax and do some bird watching from one of the lodge’s decks, which overlook the Kwando River and its floodplains. We then enjoy a sunset cruise and take dinner at our lodge.
Accommodations: Lianshulu Bush Lodge or similar
DAY 10 Fly to Okavango Delta via Kwando, Botswana. After a leisurely breakfast, we transfer to the Kwando airstrip for our light aircraft flight to our camp in Botswana. Our lodge is a tented camp adjacent to the border of the Moremi National Park in the northern region of the Delta. Upon arrival, we enjoy a game drive en route to our camp where we’ll have a briefing about the lodge and the surrounding area. Afterwards you are free to relax until dinner.
Accommodations: Wilderness Tented Camp
DAY 11 Explore Okavango Delta/Moremi Area. We devote the next two days to in-depth exploration of the Okavango Delta. Each morning, we split into groups and choose from a variety of options for exploring the area: a guided game walk in the neighboring savannahs, a mokoro (canoe) ride, or a game drive. Eagle-eyed boatmen/guides pole these traditional dugout canoes through the wetlands landscape. Each canoe seats only two travelers, so you glide quietly along as your guide points out the diverse bird life and the fascinating plants that shelter the area’s wildlife. We return to the lodge in time for lunch, and enjoy our afternoon tea before departing on our choice of activity, returning to the lodge after sundown.
Accommodations: Wilderness Tented Camp
DAY 12 Explore Okavango Delta. Today we continue to explore the Okavango Delta. We’ll again split into groups and explore the area by mokoro on the Delta, go for a game walk, or choose a game drive in the neighboring savannahs. Our afternoon options include a game drive or mokoro trip.
Accommodations: Wilderness Tented Camp
DAY 13 Fly to Hwange National Park Area/Enjoy Game Drives. This morning, after an early breakfast, we fly by light aircraft from the Okavango Delta to Kasane Airport. From here, we board a minibus that takes us to Victoria Falls, the departure point for our flight to Hwange, Zimbabwe’s largest park. Our lodge here is located on a private concession and offers unrestricted views of a watering hole, the broad, savannah grasslands, and acacia woodlands. We reach the lodge in the afternoon. After the sun sets, we enjoy a night game drive back to camp, just in time for dinner.
Accommodations: Linkwasha Tented Camp or similar
DAY 14 Wildlife Viewing in Hwange National Park/Game Walk. This morning we have the opportunity to enjoy a game walk with one of our professional guides. We return to camp for brunch and then have the option of enjoying game viewing from a platform built over a frequently trafficked watering hole, and attending a talk on Hwange’s history, geology and geography. We’ll take afternoon tea at the platform or back in camp. We journey into the bush once again for our afternoon game drive before returning to our camp after sundown.
Accommodations: Linkwasha Tented Camp or similar
DAY 15 Ngamo School & Village Visit/Game Viewing/Sunset Drumming and Farewell Dinner. Early this morning after breakfast we head for the nearby village of Ngamo. Our first stop is the village's elementary school. A short walk down the path brings us to the village and its extended family. Here we visit a home and communal kitchen to discover the daily lives of these warm, friendly people. We return to our camp for lunch and a siesta until teatime later in the afternoon. Before teatime on these afternoons, we have the opportunity to watch game from the safety of our lodge’s hide. From here, we get an up-close view of the wildlife as numerous species come to drink. Enjoy tea there, or return to the lodge. As on previous days, we enjoy a game drive in the afternoon and return to our camp after sunset. Our farewell evening is a special one. We are first treated to the captivating rhythms of an African drum circle. Drum circles are communal events, regardless of experience, and you will be encouraged — and tempted! — to join in with your travel mates. A farewell dinner follows the drumming session.
Accommodations: Linkwasha Tented Camp or similar
DAY 16 Fly to Victoria Falls. Join us this morning for an elective early morning game drive. After brunch we drive to the airstrip and fly to Victoria Falls. You will have some time to unwind after your flight before we visit Victoria Falls. On our guided tour, we explore walking trails and lookout points — each with different views. There are five main cataracts, including the most dramatic, the Main Falls and Devil’s Cataract. This evening, join us for a discussion about Dr. David Livingstone, the famous 19th-century missionary and explorer who was the first European to document Victoria Falls. We dine at the lodge this evening.
Accommodations: Ilala Lodge
DAY 17 Choice of Optional Activities in Victoria Falls Area. If you like, you can join an orientation walk of the town of Victoria Falls later this morning. The balance of the day is at leisure, with a variety of optional activities to choose from. There are numerous modes of transportation for all levels of adventure here. The pace varies greatly, from riding an elephant to white water rafting. Horseback riding may be your way of exploring this area, or maybe you’ll opt for a helicopter ride to get a view over the falls. Your lunch today will bring you to the home of a Victoria Falls family—and you’ll help select the food at the local market. Your hosts will pick you up at your lodge about noon and bring you to their home in the Chinotimba Township in Victoria Falls. You’ll stop first at the authentic market nearby—you won’t see any tourists here, only the locals—where your host will guide you among the fresh fruits and vegetables on display. (Your host will pay for the purchases.) Then it’s off to your host’s home, where you’ll be able to help in the kitchen, if you like. You’ll share in a simple, traditional meal that will illuminate local life as no other experience can. After the meal, you’ll be brought back to your lodge. This evening, we enjoy dinner on the patio.
Accommodations: Ilala Lodge
Optional Tours
Zambezi Helicopter Company
The Elephant Company
Livingstone Museum Tour
Sunset Cruise
African Spectacular Dance Performance
DAY 18 Fly to Johannesburg/Depart for U.S. or Begin Trip Extension to Cape Town & the Cape of Good Hope. After a full breakfast, the morning is at leisure. From Victoria Falls we connect to our flight to Johannesburg for your flight returning home to the U.S. You will have ample time to dine on your own at the airport before boarding your flight. For the utmost in comfort, the Premier Lounge is an executive lounge open to any passenger, no matter what your airline or ticket class. The lounge has showers as well as internet access, fax, TV, refreshments, reading materials, and other complimentary facilities. All lounges have smoking and non-smoking areas. The cost of the lounge is approximately ZAR140.00 = USD 23 per person, paid directly to the Premier lounge. You will stop in London before continuing on to the U.S.
DAY 19 Arrive in London/Connect to U.S. flights. Fly home to the U.S.
DAY 1 Fly overnight from U.S. to London
You depart from Washington DC – Dulles Airport on a nonstop, overnight flight to London’s Heathrow Airport.
DAY 2 Arrive London/Overnight Flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. After the overnight flight, you’ll arrive in Johannesburg the morning of Day 3.
DAY 3 Discover Johannesburg/Optional Soweto Tour. Upon arrival in Johannesburg, you’ll be met at the airport and then transferred to your hotel. You’ll have a day here to relax after your flight, or choose an optional tour to Soweto to begin your African experiences. Your tour visits the Regina Mundi—Queen of the World—the Catholic Church that served as sanctuary for many during the Uprising, as well as the Hector Peterson Memorial. Pick up is at 2:00 p.m., the tour departure time. The tour will return to the hotel at 6:00 p.m.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Garden Court Johannesburg Airport
DAY 4 Fly from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls/Transfer to Chobe National Park. This morning, we’ll transfer to British Airways for our flight to Victoria Falls, arriving early afternoon. We meet our Trip Leader at the Victoria Falls airport, and we drive across the border to our lodge in Botswana. After a briefing on our upcoming explorations, we dine at the lodge this evening.
Accommodations: Baobab Safari Lodge or similar
DAY 5 Wildlife Viewing at Chobe National Park. The next two days are devoted to seeking out game in Chobe National Park. You will quickly become accustomed to the pace of most of our safari days. After our morning game viewing, we will spend siesta time quietly during the heat of the day, followed by teatime in the late afternoon. Next we head out for our afternoon game drive. In the evenings, just before sunset, we gather to soak in the magnificent views of the golden sun sinking behind a nearby watering hole. We then sit down to enjoy dinner together by candlelight.
Accommodations: Baobab Safari Lodge or similar
DAY 6 Explore Chobe National Park. Our safari schedule in Chobe today features a full day game drive in the Chobe National Park. We will be out in our vehicles during lunchtime, so we will take along a picnic lunch. Dinner tonight is a traditional South African braai, similar to our barbecue but more closely connected to the outdoor life, culture and laid-back lifestyle of South Africans.
Accommodations: Baobab Safari Lodge or similar
DAY 7 Fly to Namibia via Kasane/Sunset Cruise on the Kwando River. Early this morning, we board a minibus that takes us to Kasane, Botswana. From here, we catch a short light aircraft flight to the Kwando airstrip near our Namibia lodge, our home for the next three nights. Our lodge is located on the banks of the Kwando River that separates Namibia from Botswana. We stay on a private concession in Mudumu National Park, on the banks of the Kwando River. We then board pontoon boats for a cruise of the Kwando River. We’ll return to the lodge for dinner.
Accommodations: Lianshulu Bush Lodge or similar
DAY 8 Explore Mudumu National Park/Enjoy Sunset Cruise on Kwando River. We spend today in typical safari fashion as we explore Mudumu National Park. We rise early and depart on a game drive. We then return to our Lodge, where we enjoy a brunch. Take the afternoon to relax during our siesta time before afternoon tea. We depart on another sunset river excursion. Dinner tonight will be at the lodge.
Accommodations: Lianshulu Bush Lodge or similar
DAY 9 Visit Local Lizuli Village/Enjoy Game Drive. After breakfast, we enjoy a game drive en route to a local Lizauli village, where we have the opportunity to see firsthand what life is like in an East Caprivian community. We have the opportunity to walk around with our village host or on our own. Also, we may visit a local school depending on the day of the week and the time of the year. We then enjoy a game drive back to our lodge for lunch. After lunch, perhaps you’ll take some time to relax and do some bird watching from one of the lodge’s decks, which overlook the Kwando River and its floodplains. We then enjoy a sunset cruise and take dinner at our lodge.
Accommodations: Lianshulu Bush Lodge or similar
DAY 10 Fly to Okavango Delta via Kwando, Botswana. After a leisurely breakfast, we transfer to the Kwando airstrip for our light aircraft flight to our camp in Botswana. Our lodge is a tented camp adjacent to the border of the Moremi National Park in the northern region of the Delta. Upon arrival, we enjoy a game drive en route to our camp where we’ll have a briefing about the lodge and the surrounding area. Afterwards you are free to relax until dinner.
Accommodations: Wilderness Tented Camp
DAY 11 Explore Okavango Delta/Moremi Area. We devote the next two days to in-depth exploration of the Okavango Delta. Each morning, we split into groups and choose from a variety of options for exploring the area: a guided game walk in the neighboring savannahs, a mokoro (canoe) ride, or a game drive. Eagle-eyed boatmen/guides pole these traditional dugout canoes through the wetlands landscape. Each canoe seats only two travelers, so you glide quietly along as your guide points out the diverse bird life and the fascinating plants that shelter the area’s wildlife. We return to the lodge in time for lunch, and enjoy our afternoon tea before departing on our choice of activity, returning to the lodge after sundown.
Accommodations: Wilderness Tented Camp
DAY 12 Explore Okavango Delta. Today we continue to explore the Okavango Delta. We’ll again split into groups and explore the area by mokoro on the Delta, go for a game walk, or choose a game drive in the neighboring savannahs. Our afternoon options include a game drive or mokoro trip.
Accommodations: Wilderness Tented Camp
DAY 13 Fly to Hwange National Park Area/Enjoy Game Drives. This morning, after an early breakfast, we fly by light aircraft from the Okavango Delta to Kasane Airport. From here, we board a minibus that takes us to Victoria Falls, the departure point for our flight to Hwange, Zimbabwe’s largest park. Our lodge here is located on a private concession and offers unrestricted views of a watering hole, the broad, savannah grasslands, and acacia woodlands. We reach the lodge in the afternoon. After the sun sets, we enjoy a night game drive back to camp, just in time for dinner.
Accommodations: Linkwasha Tented Camp or similar
DAY 14 Wildlife Viewing in Hwange National Park/Game Walk. This morning we have the opportunity to enjoy a game walk with one of our professional guides. We return to camp for brunch and then have the option of enjoying game viewing from a platform built over a frequently trafficked watering hole, and attending a talk on Hwange’s history, geology and geography. We’ll take afternoon tea at the platform or back in camp. We journey into the bush once again for our afternoon game drive before returning to our camp after sundown.
Accommodations: Linkwasha Tented Camp or similar
DAY 15 Ngamo School & Village Visit/Game Viewing/Sunset Drumming and Farewell Dinner. Early this morning after breakfast we head for the nearby village of Ngamo. Our first stop is the village's elementary school. A short walk down the path brings us to the village and its extended family. Here we visit a home and communal kitchen to discover the daily lives of these warm, friendly people. We return to our camp for lunch and a siesta until teatime later in the afternoon. Before teatime on these afternoons, we have the opportunity to watch game from the safety of our lodge’s hide. From here, we get an up-close view of the wildlife as numerous species come to drink. Enjoy tea there, or return to the lodge. As on previous days, we enjoy a game drive in the afternoon and return to our camp after sunset. Our farewell evening is a special one. We are first treated to the captivating rhythms of an African drum circle. Drum circles are communal events, regardless of experience, and you will be encouraged — and tempted! — to join in with your travel mates. A farewell dinner follows the drumming session.
Accommodations: Linkwasha Tented Camp or similar
DAY 16 Fly to Victoria Falls. Join us this morning for an elective early morning game drive. After brunch we drive to the airstrip and fly to Victoria Falls. You will have some time to unwind after your flight before we visit Victoria Falls. On our guided tour, we explore walking trails and lookout points — each with different views. There are five main cataracts, including the most dramatic, the Main Falls and Devil’s Cataract. This evening, join us for a discussion about Dr. David Livingstone, the famous 19th-century missionary and explorer who was the first European to document Victoria Falls. We dine at the lodge this evening.
Accommodations: Ilala Lodge
DAY 17 Choice of Optional Activities in Victoria Falls Area. If you like, you can join an orientation walk of the town of Victoria Falls later this morning. The balance of the day is at leisure, with a variety of optional activities to choose from. There are numerous modes of transportation for all levels of adventure here. The pace varies greatly, from riding an elephant to white water rafting. Horseback riding may be your way of exploring this area, or maybe you’ll opt for a helicopter ride to get a view over the falls. Your lunch today will bring you to the home of a Victoria Falls family—and you’ll help select the food at the local market. Your hosts will pick you up at your lodge about noon and bring you to their home in the Chinotimba Township in Victoria Falls. You’ll stop first at the authentic market nearby—you won’t see any tourists here, only the locals—where your host will guide you among the fresh fruits and vegetables on display. (Your host will pay for the purchases.) Then it’s off to your host’s home, where you’ll be able to help in the kitchen, if you like. You’ll share in a simple, traditional meal that will illuminate local life as no other experience can. After the meal, you’ll be brought back to your lodge. This evening, we enjoy dinner on the patio.
Accommodations: Ilala Lodge
Optional Tours
Zambezi Helicopter Company
The Elephant Company
Livingstone Museum Tour
Sunset Cruise
African Spectacular Dance Performance
DAY 18 Fly to Johannesburg/Depart for U.S. or Begin Trip Extension to Cape Town & the Cape of Good Hope. After a full breakfast, the morning is at leisure. From Victoria Falls we connect to our flight to Johannesburg for your flight returning home to the U.S. You will have ample time to dine on your own at the airport before boarding your flight. For the utmost in comfort, the Premier Lounge is an executive lounge open to any passenger, no matter what your airline or ticket class. The lounge has showers as well as internet access, fax, TV, refreshments, reading materials, and other complimentary facilities. All lounges have smoking and non-smoking areas. The cost of the lounge is approximately ZAR140.00 = USD 23 per person, paid directly to the Premier lounge. You will stop in London before continuing on to the U.S.
DAY 19 Arrive in London/Connect to U.S. flights. Fly home to the U.S.
Feb 2nd, 2007, 08:08 AM
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Hello,
It sounds like me like your fiancee and her mum are going the OAT tour.
Generally OAT's tours offer good value if you don't mind a primarily senior crowd. The one thing that has always puzzled me about this particular tour is the random excursion to Namibia -- it's effectively across the river from the area you just were in Chobe, and the game viewing there is not very good. It seems like a waste of time and just a device to 'tick off' one more country. Those nights would be better spent in Botswana, IMO...
Cheers,
Julian
It sounds like me like your fiancee and her mum are going the OAT tour.
Generally OAT's tours offer good value if you don't mind a primarily senior crowd. The one thing that has always puzzled me about this particular tour is the random excursion to Namibia -- it's effectively across the river from the area you just were in Chobe, and the game viewing there is not very good. It seems like a waste of time and just a device to 'tick off' one more country. Those nights would be better spent in Botswana, IMO...
Cheers,
Julian
Feb 2nd, 2007, 08:27 AM
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This is the OAT Ultimate Africa Tour. Jayne's mom went on the OAT Tanzania tour last year and wanted to use the same tour company this year. Do you believe the game viewing on the other portions (Non-Namibia) of the trip will provide good game viewing opportunties?
Thanks again.
Bob
Thanks again.
Bob
Feb 2nd, 2007, 09:30 AM
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I did the OAT tour in 2005. And I agree with Julian about the Namibia portion as far as game viewing goes. Lianshula is a beautiful lodge and the sundowners there were on a boat - lots of hippo viewing. My favorite camp was the Wilderness Tented Camp even though it was the most rustic. The crew there were enthusiastic and if Lesh is still there - he was a great guide and teacher. Linkwasha in Hwange really had the best game viewing, the guides acted like they were on a mission - looking for rhino became mission impossible but we learned what to look for (I have since forgotten) Our OAT tour guide was the best. Our group was ecletic in tastes and temperment yet he kept everyone happy and things running smoothly.
Feb 2nd, 2007, 09:53 AM
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Hello,
As VeeR says, the game-viewing on the other portions of the trip should be very good. It may be best to view the Namibia portionas more of an R&R stop than a game-viewing one. With realistic expectations, you shouldn't be disappointed.
VeeR, I've always been curious as to whether the Wilderness Tented Camp used by OAT is the former Kaparota vintage camp (Wilderness Safaris). Is that the case?
Cheers,
Julian
As VeeR says, the game-viewing on the other portions of the trip should be very good. It may be best to view the Namibia portionas more of an R&R stop than a game-viewing one. With realistic expectations, you shouldn't be disappointed.
VeeR, I've always been curious as to whether the Wilderness Tented Camp used by OAT is the former Kaparota vintage camp (Wilderness Safaris). Is that the case?
Cheers,
Julian
Feb 2nd, 2007, 10:17 AM
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The positives IMO:
-It is not rushed. Three nights at the various parks is good.
-The first afternoon has an optional tour so you can recover from jet lag as needed or do an activity. It is also nice that the pickup is not until 2 pm. Most flights arrive in the early morning, so you’d have to time to relax before the 2 pm tour. Having a room upon arrival is important, so you’re not stuck in a lobby until the normal afternoon check-in. I’d be interested in knowing when you must decide on the Soweto tour—before leaving home or after arrival in Johannesburg. Soweto is a good choice for the afternoon of your arrival day.
-The all day outing with a picnic lunch in Chobe is a bonus. More game viewing time. I loved Chobe and saw huge elephant herds. Chobe is sometimes criticized for being crowded, but that did not diminish my enjoyment of the park.
-Whatever Wilderness camp you visit in Botswana will be great. They have an excellent reputation. I am assuming that Wilderness refers to the management company. I also wondered if the camp would be Kaparota, which is the camp used for group trips. The write up & photos in the Wilderness catalog of Kaparota looks good.
-Linkwasha is a wonderful camp and I enjoyed 3 nights there. Other camps in the area should offer similar experiences. The pans where the animals drink at sundown and the night drives were excellent.
The negatives IMO:
- The Namibia time could be better spent elsewhere from a game viewing perspective from what I’ve read. I have no first hand Caprivi Strip experience. I’d prefer more time in Botswana, but then the trip's cost would increase.
-Walking safaris are a big attraction of Hwange, but I saw none mentioned.
Strong suggestion:
I see Sunset cruise as an option. If it refers to a sunset cruise on the Chobe River, that should not be missed. I know there are cruises on the Kwando River too, but the Chobe River has spectacular wildlife viewing from the river as the animals come to drink. I want to return to Chobe to do several sunset cruises.
OAT is a sound company that has a reputation for value. Should be a nice trip.
October will be hot, but a good time for wildlife. See this chart
http://www.africa-adventure.com/dsp_besttime.html
-It is not rushed. Three nights at the various parks is good.
-The first afternoon has an optional tour so you can recover from jet lag as needed or do an activity. It is also nice that the pickup is not until 2 pm. Most flights arrive in the early morning, so you’d have to time to relax before the 2 pm tour. Having a room upon arrival is important, so you’re not stuck in a lobby until the normal afternoon check-in. I’d be interested in knowing when you must decide on the Soweto tour—before leaving home or after arrival in Johannesburg. Soweto is a good choice for the afternoon of your arrival day.
-The all day outing with a picnic lunch in Chobe is a bonus. More game viewing time. I loved Chobe and saw huge elephant herds. Chobe is sometimes criticized for being crowded, but that did not diminish my enjoyment of the park.
-Whatever Wilderness camp you visit in Botswana will be great. They have an excellent reputation. I am assuming that Wilderness refers to the management company. I also wondered if the camp would be Kaparota, which is the camp used for group trips. The write up & photos in the Wilderness catalog of Kaparota looks good.
-Linkwasha is a wonderful camp and I enjoyed 3 nights there. Other camps in the area should offer similar experiences. The pans where the animals drink at sundown and the night drives were excellent.
The negatives IMO:
- The Namibia time could be better spent elsewhere from a game viewing perspective from what I’ve read. I have no first hand Caprivi Strip experience. I’d prefer more time in Botswana, but then the trip's cost would increase.
-Walking safaris are a big attraction of Hwange, but I saw none mentioned.
Strong suggestion:
I see Sunset cruise as an option. If it refers to a sunset cruise on the Chobe River, that should not be missed. I know there are cruises on the Kwando River too, but the Chobe River has spectacular wildlife viewing from the river as the animals come to drink. I want to return to Chobe to do several sunset cruises.
OAT is a sound company that has a reputation for value. Should be a nice trip.
October will be hot, but a good time for wildlife. See this chart
http://www.africa-adventure.com/dsp_besttime.html
Feb 2nd, 2007, 10:20 AM
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Hi....My husband & I are planning this same trip with OAT in 2008 to celebrate our 45th anniversary. Even though it is a long way off, we are sooo excited about it. Please keep in touch so we will know how it turned out. We have heard nothing but great things about OAT.
Nancy [email protected]
Nancy [email protected]
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Feb 2nd, 2007, 10:45 AM
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Wilderness Tented Camp was a Wilderness Safaris camp. I'm not sure if it is on the same site as Kaparota Camp - everything was brand new - could still smell the sawdust. The water level wasn't right for mokoro trips in June.
I believe the sunset cruise that is mentioned in the OAT itinerary refers to Victoria Falls - we weren't offered a cruise on the Chobe. The all day drive and picnic lunch were great - there was actually a reststop/picnic area with restrooms!
As beautiful as the lodge was in Namibia it was the low point of my trip. But it could have been a combo of factors - I was traveling alone and I think culture shock had set in plus it was Larium day which seemed to put me in a blue funk. Oh yeah - and the bellowing hippos all night long right under my deck. Take earplugs!
I'll be meeting up with with some of the folks from Wilderness Tented Camp next month (next month!!!!!!) so will ask about the other camp.
I believe the sunset cruise that is mentioned in the OAT itinerary refers to Victoria Falls - we weren't offered a cruise on the Chobe. The all day drive and picnic lunch were great - there was actually a reststop/picnic area with restrooms!
As beautiful as the lodge was in Namibia it was the low point of my trip. But it could have been a combo of factors - I was traveling alone and I think culture shock had set in plus it was Larium day which seemed to put me in a blue funk. Oh yeah - and the bellowing hippos all night long right under my deck. Take earplugs!
I'll be meeting up with with some of the folks from Wilderness Tented Camp next month (next month!!!!!!) so will ask about the other camp.
Feb 2nd, 2007, 06:01 PM
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Bobcaat,
I strongly also recommend more time in Botswana. Kwando safaris is a fantastic company operating some fabulous camps with the emphasis on game viewing. Check out www.kwando.co.za
they have a complete list of agents you can choose from depending on which part of the world you live in.
They have delta and Linyanti area camps and they also have a lodge in Livingstone, Zambia where you can go to see Vic falls......
Do a search in the search box for "Kwando" and you will find millions of hours worth of information and trip reports....
Good luck,
Hari
I strongly also recommend more time in Botswana. Kwando safaris is a fantastic company operating some fabulous camps with the emphasis on game viewing. Check out www.kwando.co.za
they have a complete list of agents you can choose from depending on which part of the world you live in.
They have delta and Linyanti area camps and they also have a lodge in Livingstone, Zambia where you can go to see Vic falls......
Do a search in the search box for "Kwando" and you will find millions of hours worth of information and trip reports....
Good luck,
Hari
Jul 26th, 2007, 09:53 PM
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Hi Bob,
Found your post from February 2007. Since you aren't leaving until October it gave me an excuse to dig out my notes and relive my OAT Ultimate Africa trip.
We took this trip in late April 2005 and loved it and found Lianshulu well-worth visiting. Will share a few days including the stay at Lianshulu to give you an idea of what you might expect.
April 25 Baobab Safari Lodge
Up at 5:00 a.m. before the 5:30 drummer beat his way up the path with his wake-up rhythms. Breakfast at 6:00 and into the big open 4WD LandRovers at 6:30 for our first game drive in Chobe National Park. We saw buffalo, a wounded hyena, impala, wart hogs, elephants, sable antelope, francolins, eagles, rollers, ground hornbills and (yum!) vultures feeding on a buffalo carcass.
We stopped on a hilltop for tea, coffee and cookies at 10:30 before returning to our vehicle and the lodge for lunch and then a rest during the heat of midday.
After tea we left the lodge to visit the village of Mabele. It was quite primitive despite the fact that they have piped-in water and electricity to the village. About 900 people live there but it seemed much smaller. The women in the village weave handsome baskets from palm fronds. They demonstrated weaving techniques and of course were happy to offer baskets for sale.
I snuck away from the weaving demo for a few minutes to take pictures of a few village children. One of the little girls wrote her name and address on a piece of paper and gave it to me. When we got back to the lodge I mailed her one of my Seattle postcards and will send her a copy of her picture.
We watched a village man as he pounded a cow's head into a bloody pulp with a sledge hammer to prepare it for cooking. Ick! Personally, I prefer Adolph's Tenderizer.
After the village visit we drove through the bush to the riverside where we sipped our sundowners. The liquor flows freely. We 4-wheeled in the dark of night through heavy brush and up a steep hill (almost as good as an amusement park ride.) We were about 100 feet from our lodge when a herd of elephants charged across the "road" in front of us.
A perfectly wonderful day!
April 26 Baobab Safari Lodge
To breakfast at 6:30 - omelettes cooked to order on the patio - cheese, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms. Good! Looks like I'm cured of my overseas aversion to eggs.
After breakfast we left for an all day game drive in Chobe. We saw TONS of elephants, impala, giraffes, hippos, sable antelope, water buffalo, puka(?), crocodiles as well as many birds.
Back to the lodge to shower off the dust before the braai - barbecue African style - chicken, kebabs of corn and sausage, baked vegetables, stuffed squash, polenta. And, of course all the wine we could drink after all the cocktails we could drink. Dessert was pumpkin "pie".
After dinner we were entertained by the lodge staff with music, dance and stories. Very entertaining.
A day so exciting that I relived it over and over all night resulting in little sleep.
Okay, "nuff" for now
Found your post from February 2007. Since you aren't leaving until October it gave me an excuse to dig out my notes and relive my OAT Ultimate Africa trip.
We took this trip in late April 2005 and loved it and found Lianshulu well-worth visiting. Will share a few days including the stay at Lianshulu to give you an idea of what you might expect.
April 25 Baobab Safari Lodge
Up at 5:00 a.m. before the 5:30 drummer beat his way up the path with his wake-up rhythms. Breakfast at 6:00 and into the big open 4WD LandRovers at 6:30 for our first game drive in Chobe National Park. We saw buffalo, a wounded hyena, impala, wart hogs, elephants, sable antelope, francolins, eagles, rollers, ground hornbills and (yum!) vultures feeding on a buffalo carcass.
We stopped on a hilltop for tea, coffee and cookies at 10:30 before returning to our vehicle and the lodge for lunch and then a rest during the heat of midday.
After tea we left the lodge to visit the village of Mabele. It was quite primitive despite the fact that they have piped-in water and electricity to the village. About 900 people live there but it seemed much smaller. The women in the village weave handsome baskets from palm fronds. They demonstrated weaving techniques and of course were happy to offer baskets for sale.
I snuck away from the weaving demo for a few minutes to take pictures of a few village children. One of the little girls wrote her name and address on a piece of paper and gave it to me. When we got back to the lodge I mailed her one of my Seattle postcards and will send her a copy of her picture.
We watched a village man as he pounded a cow's head into a bloody pulp with a sledge hammer to prepare it for cooking. Ick! Personally, I prefer Adolph's Tenderizer.
After the village visit we drove through the bush to the riverside where we sipped our sundowners. The liquor flows freely. We 4-wheeled in the dark of night through heavy brush and up a steep hill (almost as good as an amusement park ride.) We were about 100 feet from our lodge when a herd of elephants charged across the "road" in front of us.
A perfectly wonderful day!
April 26 Baobab Safari Lodge
To breakfast at 6:30 - omelettes cooked to order on the patio - cheese, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms. Good! Looks like I'm cured of my overseas aversion to eggs.
After breakfast we left for an all day game drive in Chobe. We saw TONS of elephants, impala, giraffes, hippos, sable antelope, water buffalo, puka(?), crocodiles as well as many birds.
Back to the lodge to shower off the dust before the braai - barbecue African style - chicken, kebabs of corn and sausage, baked vegetables, stuffed squash, polenta. And, of course all the wine we could drink after all the cocktails we could drink. Dessert was pumpkin "pie".
After dinner we were entertained by the lodge staff with music, dance and stories. Very entertaining.
A day so exciting that I relived it over and over all night resulting in little sleep.
Okay, "nuff" for now
Aug 17th, 2007, 05:10 AM
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Hi
we just came back from Botswana, our full trip report is available online at http://wilddogsandenglishmen.wordpress.com and downloadable as a PDF.
We went to Namibia a few years ago. To compare and contrast is difficult: Namibia has much better infrastructure (roads etc) so is easier. Campsites have fences and have better facilities. But its busier. And because the country is covered in fences, the Game are restricted really to Etosha. Botswana is far more rugged and therefore much more challenging, but is a far more 'wilderness' experience, and the Game is astonishing. We hope you find the info on our blog about Botswana useful.
Best wishes
WD
we just came back from Botswana, our full trip report is available online at http://wilddogsandenglishmen.wordpress.com and downloadable as a PDF.
We went to Namibia a few years ago. To compare and contrast is difficult: Namibia has much better infrastructure (roads etc) so is easier. Campsites have fences and have better facilities. But its busier. And because the country is covered in fences, the Game are restricted really to Etosha. Botswana is far more rugged and therefore much more challenging, but is a far more 'wilderness' experience, and the Game is astonishing. We hope you find the info on our blog about Botswana useful.
Best wishes
WD
