A Look at Botswana

A luxury Botswana/Mozambique Safari presented by Tim Lapage and Safari Experts

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Thu Jul 31    Airport Sun Inter Continental - Johannesburg, South Africa

Thursday - Arrive Johannesburg, South Africa. (Flight details tba)

You will be met upon arrival by our safari representative who will hand deliver your travel documents. Your driver will transport you to the Airport Sun Inter Continental Hotel, conveniently located close to the Johannesburg airport. To help you recover from the long flight, there is a complete Health Spa and Indoor Heated Pool on the top floor overlooking the Johannesburg International Airport and the Johannesburg Skyline. The decor of the hotel is elegant and understated. An emphasis is placed on tranquility, providing an opportunity to rest and relax after a long international flight.

Fri Aug 01 - Sun Aug 03    Kings Pool Camp - Linyanti Wildlife Reserve

Friday - You will be collected by your driver and transfer to the airport for check in two hours prior to your departure on Air Botswana to Maun, Botswana. Connect on to the scheduled air transfer to Kings Pool Camp. (Times tba)

Kings Pool Camp is located in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, bordering on the western boundary of Chobe National Park in Northern Botswana. The reserve consists of 125,000 hectares of unspoiled wilderness. Open grassland, riverine forest, mixed terminalia woodland and the dry Savuti Channel characterize most of the area. The camp overlooks the Kings Pool Lagoon and the Linyanti River to the north.

Accommodation is in ten tented rooms with well-appointed, private bathrooms. Each room is built on a raised deck with wonderful views onto the Kings Pool Lagoon and its wildlife. The tents have been designed to ensure that each guest is totally comfortable and private, while at the same time offering all the atmosphere of a tented camp in Africa. Each bathroom is tiled and has a shower, flush toilet and hand basin. There are outside showers as well as a private plunge pool.

The main lounge, pub and dining room are under thatch and there is an open air "Kgotla" for dining under the stars. There is a swimming pool as well as a hide on the periphery of the camp where guests can watch game safely during the midday "siesta" hours. The main area is linked to the bedrooms by a raised walkway.

The area is most noted for its very large Elephant populations, which can reach enormous densities in the winter months. Impala, Lechwe, Kudu, Zebra, Giraffe, Sitatunga, Sable, Roan, Waterbuck, Buffalo, Bushbuck and the smaller antelope are all found here. The major predators, such as Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Wild Dog and Hyena, are resident and regularly sighted. The reed and papyrus swamps are ideal for numerous and diverse species of birds, ranging from the Fish Eagle to waterfowl, cranes, storks, plovers and herons. One of the camp's highlights is the wildlife sounds: very few camps in Africa are noisier! The pre-dawn chorus of bird song starts off the morning. Hippos grunt and snort all day, Baboons bark and screech, Elephants wander through camp and trumpet, and Lions often roar around the camp at night! The private reserve borders on Chobe National Park, but the activities here are not limited to the rules and regulations of Chobe, so you can take game drives in open Land Rovers, night drives and walks. In addition, the lodge has a double-decker boat which cruises the Linyanti River, offering wonderful opportunities to view game and birds from the water when water levels allow. There are also a number of great hides in the area where guests can view wildlife peacefully.

Mon Aug 04 - Wed Aug 06    Jack's Camp - Makgadikgadi Pans - Botswana

Monday - Depart from Kings Pool on the scheduled air transfer into the Kalahari Desert to Tsigaro airstrip. Met upon arrival and transfer Jack's Camp is located deep in the Kalahari Desert on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans, the largest saltpans in the world. Their concession adjoins the Makgadikgadi National Park with its endless vistas of rolling golden grasslands. Desert palms line the horizon…. behind them are the huge saltpans of the Makgadikgadi. Ralph's father, the late Jack Bousfield, originally established Jack's Camp in the 60's.

Jack's Camp is a classic desert safari camp accommodating 18 guests in 9 large walk-in tents, each with en suite bathroom with flush toilet and shower. There is also an outdoor shower for each tent for those who like to shower under the stars. Accommodation is comfortable and in keeping with the character of the Makgadikgadi. Facilities include a mess tent for dining and a tea tent with Persian carpet cushions for socializing.

After the rains (December to April), there can be enormous herds of Wildebeest, Zebra and Springbok (with the accompanying predators) on the open grasslands. The summer rains also leave a warm shallow layer of water that entices waterfowl and flamingos. Activities are conducted in open 4x4 vehicles custom designed for this terrain and accompanied by knowledgeable guides.

Only in the dry winter months are all-purpose ATV vehicles (a four wheeler motorcycle) available, allowing guests to travel across the saltpans. game walks with Bushman trackers to observe desert wildlife (gemsbuck, suricate/meerkat, springbuck), visit to Chapman's Baobab, (the campsites of Livingstone, Selous and Baines), and morning spent with the Suricate Meerkat.

A visit to this area is essential for anyone interested in evolution, and the origins and explanation of the Okavango Delta and Botswana's big picture. It is also a complete desert experience focusing on species unique to the area such as gemsbuck, brown hyaena and springbuck, as well as the geology, archaeology and anthropology of the Kalahari and Makgadikgadi. Jack's and San Camp are the only places where guests are guaranteed to see the rare and elusive brown hyena in the whole of Africa. Many of the guides are fully qualified Zoologists/ Geologists, often working on PhD research.

Thu Aug 07 - Sun Aug 10    Mombo Camp - Okavango Delta - Botswana

Thursday - Depart from Jack's Camp on the scheduled air transfer over the Okavango Delta to Mombo Camp on the northern tip of Chief's Island. Large concentrations of wildlife occur right in front of the camp during the dry season luring the world's most professional photographers. You can see up to twelve different mammal species from the comfort of your veranda! Giant umbrella thorns and Ilala palms dot the plains to create a magnificent savannah landscape alongside Delta marshes and floodplains.

Mombo, one of the finest camps in the Delta, sleeps 18, and is one of the most sought after in the world. Each tented room is raised off the ground offering great views over the floodplains. The rooms, have a tented camp feel, but are luxuriously appointed. Your large bathrooms are en suite, featuring both indoor and outdoor showers. The main living area is under thatch and canvas. Raised walkways link bedrooms to the living area, swimming pool and bush boutique. Mombo Camp has a "kgotla" or boma for outdoor dining under the stars.

On game drives in open 4 x 4 vehicles you will explore the floodplains and savannah where you will see an abundance of elephant, buffalo and the large predators! The Mombo area is a famous site for wild dog and hyena research and white rhino have recently been reintroduced to the area. There are incredible viewing opportunities! Mombo's professional guides are very knowledgeable about the area and the game drives are highly educational and exciting.

Mon Aug 11    Airport Sun Inter Continental - Johannesburg, South Africa

Depart from Mombo on the scheduled air transfer to Maun. Depart from Maun on the scheduled Air Botswana flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. Return to the Airport Sun Inter Continental for your one night stay. This deluxe hotel has drawn its inspiration from the African continent capturing the culture and spirit of Africa through the use of simple shapes and symbolic artifacts to create an African environment in a contemporary setting.

The signature restaurant, Quills, is aptly named after the unique 18 meter long porcupine quill mobile, which spans the entire length of the restaurant. You will be treated to an entirely new taste sensation - "Aero African cuisine" - a fusion of African concepts incorporating flavors from around the world.

Tue Aug 12 - Sun Aug 17    Benguerra Lodge - Mozambique

Tuesday - Transfer to Johannesburg airport where you go to International Departures. Check in at the Pelican Air counter for you departure on Pelican to Vilanculos. Here you will clear customs and immigration - and you will board an aircraft for a short "hop" to Benguerra Island. Along the historical Mozambique Channel lies tropical Ilha de Benguerra, part of the Bazaruto National Park - an island paradise situated within the renowned Bazaruto Archipelago - and perfect for the ultimate Mozambique beach holiday.

Here too is the beautiful Benguerra Lodge, where peace and contentment penetrate the soul. Merged into a natural acacia forest bordering Benguerra Bay and encircled by silver beaches, coral reefs and turquoise seas, this up-market Lodge offers exclusivity in a tranquil setting.

At Benguerra Lodge, where lodge policies are intricately inter-related with the marine eco-system and the local population, relaxation within an African island reserve is the name of the game. While you may simply choose to recline within the shade of a beach umbrella, there are many wonderful activities to enjoy.

The Lodge offers: Snorkeling, Scuba diving, Deep sea fishing, Saltwater fly fishing, Bird watching, Dhow cruising, Island walks and cultural tours to the local village, Visits to unique freshwater lakes ...and more.

Choose to do as much…. or as little ……as you wish!

Mon Aug 18    Departure to U.S.

You will be transferred to the airstrip for your departure to Vilanculos connecting on to Pelican Air to Johannesburg. Depart this evening on your international flight back to the U.S. (Flights tba)