Great Adventure Trips

Botswana

Deluxe / Luxury Camping / Serviced Camping / Budget Camping / Victoria Falls

6 Day Botswana Classic (with upgrade option)

A small group semi - participation Camping Safari from Livingstone to Maun through Zambia and Botswana

Highlights
Chobe Game Reserve, Magkadigkadi pans, Bush walk, Maun, Moremi National Park, Okavango Delta, Khwai River Game Drive.

DAY 1: Livingstone to Chobe National Park, Botswana LD
The Botswana Classic Safari departs from Zambezi Waterfront in Livingstone. The Zambezi Waterfront is 10 km up river from Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River (phone number: +260 332 0606). Departure time at 09h00! Please note that the daily departure times are subject to change due to seasonal changes, as well as unforeseen circumstances. Your guide will confirm daily departure times the evening before.
The evening before the day of departure, there will be a meeting presented by your guide, at 7pm, at the Zambezi Waterfront . It is imperative that all clients attend this meeting so as not to miss out on any critical information.A morning departure takes you from Livingstone, Zambia and into Botswana. We'll cross the Zambezi River by ferry and make our way to Toro Camp on the Chobe River. Once we've reached the Lodge we'll set up camp and enjoy the rest of the afternoon on a sunset cruise on the Chobe River. Here we can watch elephants, hippos, lions, crocodiles and a variety of birds and more without having to reach for our binoculars - You'll be close enough for close-up photographs.
Distance: 80km Departure: 09h00
Accommodation: Toro Lodge Camping, (on the banks of the Chobe River, tents, wash rooms with hot water, swimming pool & bar)

DAY 2: Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana BLD
We need to get up early, as today is our longest drive of the safari. We'll head south to Planet Baobab and stop at the Magkadigkadi Pans to have a closer look. If the conditions allow we'll take a drive onto the Pans. After appreciating the wide-open, uninhabited spaces under the endless canopy of blue sky, we step off for our final stop of the day, Planet Baobab. The rest of the afternoon we spend with a hike to the elephant hole and relaxing at Planet Baobab's facilities.
Distance: 410 km Departure: 08h00
Accommodation: Planet Baobab camping, (tents, wash rooms with hot water and "shebeen" bar).

DAY 3: Maun and the Okavango Delta, Botswana BLD
After breakfast we head out for a Bush Walk with our local guide, learning about the history, flora and fauna of the area and use of various plants in traditional life. We then head off for Maun and onto a private concession and Mankwe lodge. Once we've set up camp - we go on a night game drive in the concession. This area lies between Moremi and Chobe and we'll have the opportunity to spot a variety of nocturnal animals.
Distance: 350 km Departure: 08h00
Accommodation: Mankwe Lodge (tents, wash rooms with hot water, swimming pool & bar)

DAY 4: Khwai River, Botswana BLD
Today we spend a full day in the bush on a game drive. Departing after breakfast we take our 4x4 and drive through the wilderness area of the Khwai region spotting a variety of game that frequent this region that borders Moremi and Chobe. Picnic-lunch will be in the wilderness area. With some luck we'll see many animal species that are at home in this area and maybe even a few members of the Big Five.
Departure: 08h00
Accommodation: Mankwe Lodge (tents, wash rooms with hot water, swimming pool & bar)

DAY 5: Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana BLD
After having explored the Khwai area we now head into the famous Moremi game reserve known as one of the most beautiful and varied reserves in Africa with an unprecedented concentration of wildlife. The full day is spent in the unspoiled nature of the Moremi Game Reserve.
Distance: 150 km Departure: 8h00
Accommodation: Mankwe Lodge (tents, wash rooms with hot water, swimming pool & bar)

Day 6: Maun, Botswana B
After our game experience, we'll head back to Maun. Here you have the option of a flight over the Delta and we'll drop you off at your Lodge or at Maun Airport for your connecting flight. You would have experienced the best Botswana has to offer at the end of a game filled safari.
Distance: 90 km Departure: 9h00

Meal Key B - Breakfast L - Lunch D - Dinner

Group size Minimum: 4, Maximum: 10

2009 Per Person Rate: US$ 1230. Local Payment: US$ 145
Upgrade price(Accommodation in Lodges and Tented camps of a 3 star standard with mainly en-suite facilities): US$ 1590 . Single supplement
US$ 102. Local Payment: US$ 145

Departure Dates 2009: April: 23*, May: 07 / 21*, June: 11 , July: 02*//30*, August: 06*/11/20*, September: 03*/17/24*, October: 01*, November: 05*/19, December: 17
* - Guaranteed Departures

Included in the price
All transport in fully kitted 4x4 safari vehicle, use of full camping equipment, game drives as mentioned, meals and activities as mentioned in itinerary, tea/coffee with the meals, camping and park entrance fees, experienced local guide.

Not included in the price
Optional scenic flight over delta, visit to Victoria Falls, travel insurance, flights, pre and post tour accommodation, all other drinks, tips and curios.

Pre and post tour accommodation and transfers can be arranged on request.
Standard Chalet, Zambezi Waterfront (Livingstone) = U$ 80 pp Sharing (BB), U$ 110 pp Single (BB)
Standard Chalet, Croc Camp (Maun)= BWP 545 pp Sharing (BB), BWP 739 pp Single(BB)
One way Airport Transfer (Zambezi Waterfront, Livingstone)= U$16 pp (based on minimum of 2 people)
One way Airport Transfer (Croc Camp, Maun)= BWP 200 pp (based on minimum of 2 people

Transport: a fully equipped Toyota Landcruiser or other appropraiate vehicles with comfortable seating, windows for game viewing and a music system. An off-road trailer is fitted with a field kitchen. All luggage is carried on the vehicle or trailer roof racks to ensure maximum comfort in the vehicle.
Accommodation: .Accommodation on our camping safaris is 2 guests per 3-person dome tents, fitted with mosquito nets. We provide sleeping mattresses.
Sleeping bags: We can provide sleeping bags. A fee of US$ 30 / Euro 25 will be charged for the whole tour.
Spending money: Clients are advised to bring enough money to cover the purchase of curios, tips, alcoholic drinks and additional entertainment. US Dollars, Pound Sterling and Botswana Pula are the most practical and convenient currencies.
Meals: All meals are organized by the guide and are prepared by him/her with the help of the group. Meals are nutritious and filling, drawing on fresh local produce where possible. We buy groceries along the way, so our clients have a say in what type of meals are eaten. Please advise us of any special dietary requirements in advance.
First Aid: Our guides are trained in basic first aid and the vehicle is equipped with a comprehensive medical aid kit. Preventative Malaria medication should be taken before the trip and throughout its duration. It is advisable to consult a doctor prior to departure.
Luggage: Maximum baggage allowance: 12 kg. Jenman Safaris stipulates this luggage allowance, as an overloaded vehicle is a danger to both the clients and the guide. This does not include photographic equipment and a small daypack. Please bring a backpack or soft barrel bag, not a suitcase. Don't bring too much clothing, as there are washing opportunities along the way. Please adhere to the allowance specified as space for luggage is limited.
Insurance:It is compulsory for all travelers to have insurance covering their personal requirements, medical expenses and personal possessions. This is to be arranged before leaving your home country.
Participation: The Botswana Classic Safari is a semi - participation camping safari. This means, that the Clients will be responsible for performing and helping with certain tasks, such as setting up and breaking down of overnight camps (tents, chairs, tables), packing and un-packing the vehicle, assisting with preparation of meals and cleaning dishes.
Visas: The onus is on the client to organize all visas required to visit Zambia, Namibia and Botswana prior to departure.

Maun
Maun is the gateway to the Okavango Delta and one of the best safari experiences you will have. Countless safari and air-charter operators have offices here, thus it is busy with people coming and going especially around the airport. The best time to go is during the winter months from May to October when there is little or no rainfall and the days are warm and cloudless. Nights can be cold though so take a jacket. November to April can be very hot, with most of the rainfall between December and February.
Maun has developed rapidly from a rural frontier town and has spread along the wide Thamalakane River. It now boasts good shopping centers, hotels and lodges as well as car and 4x4 vehicle hire. However, it still retains a rural atmosphere and local tribesmen still bring their cattle here to sell and you could see antelopes grazing the riverbanks.

Makgadikgadi Pans
The lesser-known Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is situated between Maun and Nata in Botswana. The shimmering saltpans of Makgadikgadi are the size of Switzerland and most of the time appear as a glaring, white, endless plain. When the rain comes a dramatic change takes place as the pans come to life with frantically feeding water birds and great herds of game. The best time to visit this area to coincide with the migration is from December to March or in the dry season from April to October when the pans are dry.
The park contains four main vegetation types: riverine woodland, scrubland, pure grassland and saltpans. The pans support palm groves and peculiar looking Baobab trees whose branches look more like roots, giving rise to the name 'upside down tree'. These are interspersed with short spiky yellow grass found on rises between the pans, known as 'prickley salt grass'. This grass is extremely saline resistant to the extent that salt crystals can sometimes be seen on the leaves. The interior of the reserve comprises scrub and grassland with a few 'islands' of Real Fan Palms and Camel-thorn Acacia.
From April to November game such as Springbok, Gemsbok, Wildebeest and Zebra move slowly from the pans area in the south east of the park, to the Boteti River in the west. During this migration animals accumulate in their thousands. The heavily wooded areas beside the river also contain shy antelopes like Duiker and Bushbuck.

Moremi
In the centre of the Okavango Delta is the Moremi Wildlife Reserve, a 3,000 km2 paradise. Proclaimed a wildlife reserve by the Tswana people in 1963, Moremi is undoubtedly one of the world's most pristine wilderness areas. The foresight of the local community has ensured that nature has flourished undisturbed, offering a glimpse of the divine, a veritable Garden of Eden. Moremi is a place of lily-covered wetlands, grass plains and forests, where even at the busiest time of year you're likely to be the only spectators at a most dramatic animal sighting.
Moremi consists of a network of waterways surrounding two large islands, Chiefs Island in the west and Mopane Tongue in the east. The area's diverse ecosystems, riverine woodland, flood plains, wetlands and reed beds, mopane forest and dry savannah woodland are all flourishing, broken only by the occasional jeep track. This diversity of habitats provides rich pickings for an impressive variety of animals and around 550 bird species. As Moremi is a fenced reserve, game viewing is impressive throughout the year. However, the cool dry winter months from March to September are an ideal time to visit, as the chances of seeing lion, elephant, leopard, hyena, eland, kudu, roan antelope, giraffe, zebra, impala and buffalo are excellent. On the sandy riverbanks and wetlands, sightings of hippo and crocodile are commonplace.

Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta in northern Botswana (near Maun) incorporates the Moremi Game Reserve and is a unique wildlife paradise - one of the finest in the world. It is also one of the largest inland river deltas in the world. This unsurpassed natural environment is a maze of waterways, islands and reed banks creating a perfect habitat for lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo, giraffe, hyena, wild dog, kudu, impala, roan, zebra, lechwe, hippo and crocodile, amongst others. There are approx 440 bird species in the delta and fish species are also abundant, including tiger fish, sharp-toothed catfish, barbell and bream.
Travel through the swamps and surrounding areas is generally done by open 4x4 game viewing vehicle or a peaceful meander in a 'Mokoro', a flat-bottomed dugout canoe.
The Delta is hot throughout the year with temperatures ranging from approx 14°C in January to 24°C in July. Rainfall averages 525 mm annually, but varies greatly from year to year. Water levels and flooding reach a maximum between March and July, after rains at the source and the usual 15 000 km2 can expand to approximately 22 000 km2 in high-rainfall years.
Savuti

Chobe National Park
Chobe is approx 11 000 km2 of wilderness area watered by the Chobe & Savuti Rivers and thus attracting huge concentrations of game. This includes lion and some of the highest concentration of elephant in Africa - an estimated population of around 25 000 in winter. Game viewing is renowned and in the Northern areas near Kasane, both the riverboat game viewing experience and the 4x4 vehicle option are popular.
In addition the spectacular annual summer migrations of plains game, especially Zebra, is a highlight, as well Giraffe, Warthog and numerous antelope including Sable, Roan, Oribi, Reedbuck, Lechwe and the colourful Chobe Bushbuck.
Bird watching opportunities in Chobe are ample and include some 350 species including the awesome African Fish Eagle, the rare Pell's Fishing Owl, Saddle-billed Storks, Long-toed Plovers, Pink-backed Pelicans, African Skimmers, Bradfield's Hornbills and Carmine Bee-eaters. In addition, the sunsets are spectacular.

ZAMBIA
To explore Zambia is to step back into the untamed Africa of legend. It is the real Africa with vast, unspoiled wilderness areas waiting to be discovered. The country is shaped by three great rivers, bordered by three breathtaking lakes and sheltered by big, big skies. It is a land that beckons adventurers and those who prefer to avoid the busy tourist destinations.
While thrill seekers can try the white water frenzy of the Zambezi River or the adrenaline choked bungee jump from the Victoria Falls Bridge, Zambia also offers fine wildlife safaris. It is a place for an African walking safari with great hiking trails, glorious sunsets, friendly people, ancient traditions and mystic legends, and of nature at its wildest and most exquisite.

Victoria Falls
'So lovely it must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight' said David Livingstone of the supreme Mosi-oa-Tunya ('The smoke that thunders'). This legendary traveler first saw the Falls from the Zambian side and his memory is enshrined in the nearby town of Livingstone. The views from the Zimbabwean & Zambian side are quite different, varying dramatically depending on the season and water flow.
The Falls are over a mile in length and boast the largest curtain of water in the world - over 500 million litres of water per minute casade over the falls and drop 100 m at Rainbow Falls on the Zambian side. Not surprisingly is it the seventh natural wonder of the world and fast becoming one of the top adventure destinations in the world.
The river is divided into a series of braided channels that descend in many separate falls. Below the Falls the river enters a narrow series of gorges, which represent locations successively occupied by the falls earlier in their history. Since the uplifting of the Makgadikgadi Pan area some two million years ago, the Zambezi River has been cutting through the basalt base rock, exploiting weak fissures, and forming a series of retreating gorges. Seven previous waterfalls occupied the seven gorges below the present falls, and Devil's Cataract in Zimbabwe is where the next cut back will form a new waterfall that will eventually leave the present falls lip high above the river in the gorge below.