Organized Tours

Mobile Safaris: Moving Between Camps

Abercrombie & Kent -- This top-end operator has four permanent camps in Botswana (Baines', Stanley's, Chief's, and Chobe Chilwero, all reviewed below) -- needless to say, you'll want for nothing. Sanctuary Lodges & Camps, a division of A&K, will not only handle your bookings, but will also set up an itinerary that suits you and may include visits to one or more of their five new Zambian camps.

Bush Ways Safaris -- This operator offers small and custom participation tours, themed around certain animals and best suited for more adventurous travelers who want an authentic experience. Guests stay in small dome tents and travel overland in an open Land Rover. Several itineraries are offered, taking in all parts of Botswana, including Chobe, Moremi, the delta, Makgadikgadi, and the Kalahari. Cost for the 15-day "Lion Trail" trip through northern Botswana is 1,795€ ($2,415/£1,210) per person, including food and activities. Shorter trips are also available.

Detour -- Cape-based operator Shawn Petre will arrange a variety of itineraries to suit your time frame, all of them offering very good value, like the 7-day camping trip covering Moremi, Savuti, Chobe, Kasane, and Livingstone (Vic Falls) for 1,000€ ($1,345), or 3 days of camping in the delta for $300 (£155). It's usually but not exclusively aimed at younger travelers; you can also arrange (for a fee) to be the only participants -- a very romantic way to experience the wilderness.

Mike Penman's Wild Lifestyles -- Voted one of the top 15 safari guides in the world by Condé Nast Traveler, Penman -- who has produced and facilitated a number of wildlife documentaries -- offers private (usually no more than four guests), custom-made tented safaris, aimed particularly at people with an interest in photography or filmmaking.

Orient-Express Safaris -- Orient-Express has three "minihotel" camps in Botswana: two in the delta and one in Chobe. In true Orient-Express style, it offers top-of-the-range luxury, with a reduction in rates kicking in for 4 or more nights. Four nights moving from camp to camp costs $2,380 to $3,310 (£1,227-£1,706) per person (depending on season), including everything but your ticket to Maun.

Penduka Safaris -- Based in Namibia but one of the most established mobile safari companies in Botswana, Penduka offers fully catered and serviced camping trips in campsites situated throughout most parts of the country. Its 13-day overland trip through northern Botswana costs $4,100 (£2,113) per person and takes in the Okavango Delta, various game parks, the Chobe River, the Makgadikgadi and Nxai pans, and Victoria Falls. A 6-day exploration of the Moremi is $1,700 (£876), while 8 days in central Kalahari costs $2,500 (£1,289) per person.

Uncharted Africa Safari Co. -- This is the foremost operator in Botswana's Kalahari region. Besides the luxurious "HQ" camp (Jack's Camp), you can ask for mobile expeditions into the desert, as well as trips north to the delta and Chobe, though that area is better serviced by Wilderness Safaris.

Wilderness Safaris -- This South Africa-based company, the world's first recipient of National Geographic Traveler's World Legacy Award for sustainable ecotourism, is the best all-around operator in northern Botswana, offering superb service, from silky-smooth transfers (they have their own charter air company) to exceptional standards in guiding. It also owns the most camps in the delta. The popular 11-day Jacana Safari offers a combination of cross-country drives and light aircraft transfers, providing access to the prime areas of northern Botswana (Okavango Delta, Linyanti, Chobe National Park, and Victoria Falls) with accommodations in premier and classic camps. Prices start at $7,188 (£3,705) per person sharing.

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Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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				Frommer's South Africa, 5th Edition Author: Pippa de Bruyn Pub Date: December 05, 2007 Price: $23.99				Related Titles: Frommer's Morocco, 1st Edition