I am planning a safari to Botswana and South Africa for August 07 and am told that many of the best safari camps are already booked. Our travel agent has been able to get the following places for us.
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Cat:Middle East and AfricaForum:0EEAA5DA
Cat:Middle East and AfricaForum:0EEAA5DADiscussion:0EF36426
I am planning a safari to Botswana and South Africa for August 07 and am told that many of the best safari camps are already booked. Our travel agent has been able to get the following places for us. Please let me know what you think of this itinerary:
Chobe Game Lodge (in northern Chobe Nat'l Park)-3 nights
Xugana Camp-Okavango Delta - 2 nights
Baines Camp-Okavango Delta - 2 nights
Simbambili in Sabi Sands (Kruger Nat'l Park)- 3 nights
If all the "best/most well-known" camps are already filled, if I go to the lesser known camps in the same great areas, that is, Chobe, Okavango Delta, Moremi, will the wildlife viewing be the same? I really don't care much about the fancy accommodations as we are going for the animals.
Are the guides at these better known camps better? That's what I am really concerned with.
I believe Greenlife Safaris looked after Michael Spring when he traveled to Botswana.He highly recommended them then. They have recently been mentioned again as the top personalized tour operator for Botswana arrangements.
If I can give one piece of advice it would be to do an all-encompassing safari with a company who is known to have great guides. We chose Natural Habitat Adventures (referred to us by World Wildlife Fund) and they were great!!!! The entire trip was perfectly planned and all you have to do is sign up and they mix the best safari camps so you end up with a mixed experience, seeing everything Botswana has to offer in terms of nature. I didn't have to check space at different camps. There are a lot of good companies but we returned for a second trip with Natural Habitat and it was also out of this world. We chose them for Alaska too and that was equally as good so we seem to be on a roll with them.
Forget fancy accommodation. If you want a real close to the grounfd unique experience, consider a mobile camping safari. Our small group camped in specially designated campsites (2 nights in each, 14 nights total) and we were always the only people at the site. there is a lottery system for mobile operators who pay conscession fees for designated private campsites and the sites are wonderful. We slept in tents on cots. Everything was done for us, all tent set up and tear down, all meals prepared, all dishes done. It is what is referred to as a nono-participation safari.
I went in Apr/May this year with Explore, an adventure travel company in the UK. Check their website: www.explore.co.uk The tour code is BW. Botswana is a must see. Game viewing there definitely puts South Africa in the back seat in comparison. It was a unique and awesome experience. We literally saw everything and in most instances lots of each species. Herds of elephants with as many as 200 in one group on the Chobe River...amazing. Countless herds of zebra on migration , herds of buffalo, tons of hippos, lions galore including 6 of the pride on a hunt, cheetah (5 together) and 2 leopard up-close sightings. In camp, one night 2 lions chased a leopard thru the campsite. We had visits from hippos, elephants and hyenas. And I mean close encounters.
We had the same guide throughout, and he was exceptional. The group I travelled with were all Brits (other than myself, a Canadian) and great people. Experienced travellers and human beings. Their company really added to the experience.
I had an amazing experience using Classic Africa, and they also book all the safari camps for you and mix things up so you have the best possible experience. I would highly recommend them. Also, I stayed at Djuma in Sabi Sands (next to, not actually part of Kruger...they actually can't go into Kruger), which is a relatively small reserve in relation to the Okavango at least, and was able to see a great variety of animals, from leopards, lions, elys, cape buffalo...even a rhino. It was fantastic.
Just spent three weeks in Africa, including a week in Botswana. The trip was led by an extraordinary man, Valentine Gumpo. You can contact him at valentinegumpo@yahoo.com He lives in Zimbabwe, and leads trips throughout southern Africa, continually. He is highly intelligent and very gregarious. The result is that he knows practically everyone ... which pays off for you in getting the best camps at highly competitive prices. He was even able to talk the airlines people into accommodating two of the women who went overboard shopping. Give him a try, you'll be glad you did.
Hi, I went last year and started booking late, (in May for the end of July) I used Pulse Africa. They planned the whole thing, I told them what I wanted and they did it. The places we stayed were great and everything went off perfectly. Also in pricing it with other tours, they were right in the ballpark. They are a South Africa based company so because of the time difference, I did a lot of emailing. Amy
I am just back from a fabulous trip with Grand Circle Travel "Cape Town to Cairo" with safaris in Botswana (Chobe Game Lodge is fantastic), in Kenya Amboseli Serena Lodge and in Masai Mara the Serena Lodge is beautiful. Game drives twice a day - amazing. I am no camper so I like a little more comfort. Trip took us also to SoAfrica and fabulous Egypt with a cruise on the Nile. Trip of a lifetime.
I need to give my experience with that very same person (Valentine Gumpo)
I contracted Valentine through his own company (Vals Safari) so that he arranged our trip to Zimbabwe & quite frankly I regret this decision every time I think of this trip.
You think I am exagerating?
We pay for a 12 days all included trip because we wanted to go hiking in the bush & that was quite difficult to organize.
To be fair, I should say that our first 3 day on a Canoe trip in the Zambesi were great.
Then... we arrived in Mana Pools. We had paid for vehicule, guide, food and accomodation. The car came, dropped the guide...and left.... The guide was not fully qualified to hike with his rifle in the park. So we had to hire a park scout. Apparently our guide was not given enough money to hire a scout the proper way so he hired one 'under the table'. We could only walk safely when this guy was done with his service and did not bail (which happend 2 out of 4 times). After 4 days of strolling around our $20 campsite , having still no car, wa had to hitchhike out of the park.
Rhinocamp in Matusadona was great. I would definitely recommand it.
Then we drove to Hwange. Before we could enter the park our second guide (still hired by Valentine Gumpo) told us he had no more money for food, gas or to pay the guided walks. So we had to feed the guide, Valentine's car and spend about 3 hours arranging the booking which had not been made properly. Of course we also paid for the guided walk out of our pocket since our guide was not qualified to take us in the bush.
So: No car for 4 days No food, fuel and activities for 4 other days Valentine nowhere to be reach to solve the multiple pb we were facing Guides who were not qualified to walk us in the bush (when this was our only motivation to hire a guide) = /> Somehow we did not enjoy this trip too much
This said, Valentine is always very courteous when asking you to be patient when waiting for your refound..But after 2 months, I am running out of patience
Do not take the risk to ruin your vacations, do not hire Valentine Gumpo. Seriously!!
Looking for Sept 2011. Planning to fly to Joberg, visit Zululand, Kruger, up to Vic Falls, down through Okavango/Chobe, through Namibia, and ending in Capetown. Totally on a hard core budget. Want to go where we want when we want but want a good wildlife guide and someone that will drive in certain areas like Joberg. We are ok staying at a lodge for a few nights, or whatever, but we definately want to go off-roading for sure. Again, serious budget concerns...
I have a feeling we will want to spend extra days in Botswana, which is why I am not looking into a tour...
Once you get to Vic Falls and do the activities you want, there are companies that do inexpensive transfers to Kasane, Botswana. You can find reasonably inexpensive lodging http://www.maunselfdrive4x4.com/nchobetokasanearea.htm . Nearly all of these places can hook you up with day tours into Chobe NP, primarily along the Chobe River, the late afternoon boat cruise on the river, and a mobile budget safari through Chobe, Savute, Moremi to Maun. These are top gameviewing parks. If you hook up with a few other people, you can try to rent a 4x4 equipped for camping and do it on your own. This way allows you lots of flexibility.
