POTN Safari around South/West Africa - we are baaack :-)

OK, here is some initial feedback from people following some feelers I put out last week:

(From Hedrus) My suggestion for Botswana: Go thru Caprivi and stay on the Kwando river at Nambwa community campsite. From there you travel via Katima Malilu and then over to Botswana. Start at Chobe, then Savuti and end at Moremi. Definitely Moremi. Any of camps except South Gate. Not less than 5 days. Then 5 Days or at least 3 Days Savuti (usually Lion and Elephant interaction). Then from there 3-5 days Chobe, camping at Ihaha. Your timing of year is Perfect. Keep in mind you will have to be a hardened camper, Lots and lots of dust and awful ablutions. O yes. Boat trip at Chobe can also be nice.You can easily arrange one for your group alone without going on the big sundowner ones.

(From Marcell) I agree that south gate is a no - no. I personally love xaxanaxa and kwai river camp sites. At xaxanaxa you camp literally on the swamp, there is also 1 or 2 boats that you can book to go on the okovango at sundown. just dont camp infront of the hippo paths, because they emerge at night to graze, and you dont want a hippo wandering through ur tent/camp. We saw an abundence of lion at kwai river last time round. And also look out for the notorious elephant-hunting lion pack, although i think they are usually spotted in chobe region.

(From Big Al) If you do go to Tsodilo Hills, there's a campsite at the northern turnoff to the hills called Shakawe Lodge which I can highly recommend. It's actually quite pleasant viewing the swamps away from the madness of the eastern side. The people running the place took us for a birdwatching boat trip for a whole afternoon in exchange for filling the tanks of the boat from our jerrycans.

This advice seems to reflect my initial reading about park options and I will check these ideas over the weekend via guide books. An alternative to Ihaha is staying outside the park around the town of Kasani which has plenty of options. Still not sure if we can go in for day trips and, if not, how we'd head to Moremi or Maun ... probably means head South to the Pans and then up ... but better to miss Chobe if we can't drive through, and focus on Moremi and Panhandle areas.

eenorton wrote in post #3037195
I have no problem at all with camping sites.... and agree with you about focusing on Moremi and the Panhandle if we can't drive thru Chobe...

I think it might be kind of exciting to do some camping for a few nights!

I thought we were camping?.. sounds fine to me..

sari

BeccaNH wrote in post #3036628
You're too quick for me! I didn't even realize that I had hit submit reply!

I was checking my most recent Botswana book and there aren't many camps available, but there was one that looked decent.

Audi camp is the only one that looks even resonably priced and it is near Maun. I don't know how close that is to anything.

Most of the ones that I found were well over $400 per person per night. A little out of our price range, I think! I wouldn't mind camping for a couple of nights if that's what it takes.

I'll keep looking to see if I can find anything reasonable.

Thanks for all your work on this!

Becca
I stayed at Audi camp on my last trip. It pretty decent. You can camp in the back area or stay in one of the setup tents. The tents have cement floors and two beds. They are pretty nice. The bath/toitel area is excellent. It has a very nice bar/resturant and good views of the river. All in all a 6 out of 10 rating. When you drive into Maun, your first impression is that it is much drier and dustier than you expected. But once you are on or near the river that changes. You may want to hire a boat if you want to head up-river to shoot. We stayed on an island about 4 hours by boat from Maun. It was nice, but you will see much more by driving to Moremi.

Ok, I am still unsure as to best route and so I think we must choose based on availability, i.e. if there is nothing in Chobe we can't go and same for Moremi. I think we will find one or the other has some camp space.

There does seems to be a lot of options easily available to the West along the Okavango Panhandle and at decent prices. It is thus logical to head from Ngepi Camp (treehouses) through the nearby border gates and stay somewhere like Drotski Cabins for two nights, exploring the areas along the river, and then early next morning go to Tsodilo Hills and stay for an overnight at the site there.

From there we'd ehad down all the way to Maun (there is a fuel stop or two so we will be OK) for a restock and overnight/showers/comf​ort and then which ever camp site I have been able to book.

I don't mind missing either Chobe or Moremi if we can't do both and if worse comes to the worse there are plenty of other options we can book from Maun, such as the Pans down South and Central Kalihari, each of which have their own very strong and unique attractions.

Another option is after Ngepi we travel back to the main highway and then NE via Caprivi and across the border to Kasane, with good options to stock up and refuel enroute. The we follow the route advised by Hedrus above ... but that maybe assumes we can book Savuti as long way to go to just double back again, or we head South to the Pans and across from the South up to Maun. These ideas mean we miss the panhandle and Tsodilo Hills due to time pressures.

Any specific thoughts before I make contact with Parks Office? As it will have to be by phone it seems to get the most direct information I'd rather just know what we want when I call and what our fallback options might be. If there are no specific preferences then I will just decide on the fly based on what they say.

condyk wrote in post #3044761
Any specific thoughts before I make contact with Parks Office? As it will have to be by phone it seems to get the most direct information I'd rather just know what we want when I call and what our fallback options might be. If there are no specific preferences then I will just decide on the fly based on what they say.

I'm sure that whatever you decide will be fine. For myself, I wouldn't mind getting the opportunity to see something of the Kalahari so that route sounds interesting. But since I've never seen anything of Africa, anything the group decides will be fine with me.

Same here.

Have posted the following possible route to a recommended tour operator for advice/price:

We intend entering north at Kasane and would like to stay for one night in the town in a nice cottage or lodge set up, but not pricey (mid-range), or a decent camp site (we will be ready for a good meal and showers by this time tho!)

Then 1 night at Ihaha, two nights Savuti and three nights at Xakanaka or Khwai in Moremi and then 1 night in Maun.

We are planning to arrive Kasane 08/09 around lunchtime.

We are flexible in our plans and the above just my ideas. I am looking forward to your advice and suggestions and to know whether you can book for us/charges.

Fingers crossed we get a good response and we have availability.

quick question there was a mention that I may not be old enough to drive in Africa is that still true or should I pick up an international drivers license just in case?...

Sari, I think that's a rule of the car hire company rather than a law.

From the car hire webpage:
A valid and unendorsed drivers licence must be produced by the renter / driver. Minimum age is 25 years.

I don't know how others feel about it, but I would say it wouldn't be a bad idea to have it just in case.

I wouldn't see a stint at driving being a problem off road in good conditions, but conditions are clear in the hire agreement otherwise.

Re. Beth's PM ... we will have to reflect on things a few days and then talk about it. I don't have a internet connection at the moment so sending this from the office. Should get connected in my new place in next week or so and will be easier to be in contact. Will log in from the office 'til then.

Where is A2z with his happy photo's.. i need them right now..

holland_patrick wrote in post #3071492
Where is A2z with his happy photo's.. i need them right now..

are you okay Patrick?.. out of context but I have a happy shot for ya..

condyk wrote in post #3045520
Have posted the following possible route to a recommended tour operator for advice/price:

We intend entering north at Kasane and would like to stay for one night in the town in a nice cottage or lodge set up, but not pricey (mid-range), or a decent camp site (we will be ready for a good meal and showers by this time tho!)

Then 1 night at Ihaha, two nights Savuti and three nights at Xakanaka or Khwai in Moremi and then 1 night in Maun.

We are planning to arrive Kasane 08/09 around lunchtime.

We are flexible in our plans and the above just my ideas. I am looking forward to your advice and suggestions and to know whether you can book for us/charges.

Fingers crossed we get a good response and we have availability.

Savuti is kinda dry and desolate. Also has a very agressive pride of Lions. Be sure to close all tent flaps CLOSED. These guys will try to look in on you. Lucky for us they had and Elephant kill about 3/4 mile away from camp and were too full to roam. There were 20-21 lions in that group. One night was all I wanted there. I'd save extra nights for Moremis.
Oh here's a Happy photo for you

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that's too funny Terry thanks for the shot..

sari