BOTSWANA AND CAPE TOWN PACKAGES

Cape Town - and for that matter the entire Southwestern Cape - is fabulous in summer (November through March) and February and March are arguably two of the best months of the year to be there. Northern Botswana offers very good value in the Green Season: rainfall is sporadic, and maximum temperatures in the early summer are well below those of October or November. Personally, I have been to Botswana twice in February and have enjoyed both times immensely, with rain only falling once (on arrival in Maun). All the other days were terrific, with moderate temperatures and nice, cool evenings.

Our associates Wilderness Safaris have just introduced several special Green Season packages which includes flights from Cape Town to Maun; ordinarily the air would cost about $440.00 p.p. from and back to Johannesburg, not including the cost of the flights from Cape Town. The savings over a similar package (not including air) is in the region of $500.00 p.p.

The special offers are valid from 01 December 2004 to 19 December 2004 and then again from 10 January 2005 to 20 March 2005 i.e. excluding Christmas, New Year and Easter. The specials are only applicable for visitors using the Cape Town / Maun / Cape Town Air Botswana flights. Please note that the costs of the scheduled flights are included in the package price.

You can include any of the following Wilderness Safaris camps (subject to availability):

• In the Okavango Delta: Vumbura, Little Vumbura, Xigera, Kwetsani, Jacana and Tubu Tree
• In the Linyanti Concession: DumaTau, Savuti and Kings Pool

Please note that these packages are only available for a minimum of a three night stay and we are unable to offer a three night 'Linyanti only' package, the Linyanti camps can only be included as part of a six or nine night package. Kings Pool (Premier Camp) has been costed at the same rates as DumaTau and Savuti. All prices are based on a booking of a minimum of two guests.

Here are the specifics for a 9-night Botswana package (there are also 3 and 6 night packages):

Cape Town / Botswana Packages

C4 – 9 nights Okavango and Okavango and Linyanti

Day 01
Depart Cape Town on your scheduled Air Botswana flight.

On arrival in Maun you will be met by a Wilderness Safaris Representative and assisted in connecting with your light aircraft transfer to camp. Should you have time available before your flight, you will be hosted in the Okavango Wilderness Safaris guest lounge.

Light aircraft transfer to Chitabe Camp to spend 3 nights in twin tented accommodation inclusive of all meals, local drinks (excluding premium export brands) and twice daily activities.

Chitabe is a luxurious 8-roomed, tented camp built on one of the most beautiful islands in the Okavango Delta, in a private area that is bordered on three sides by the Moremi Game Reserve. The area is surrounded by waterways and lagoons that harbours a wonderful variety of wildlife. Accommodation consists of eight spacious East African style tents that are built on elevated wooden decks, beneath the lush tree canopy. Each tented room has en-suite facilities with flush toilets, and a shower and basin with hot and cold running water. The thatched dining area, lounge and pub are also raised on decks overlooking the surrounding flood plains. A pool allows guests to cool off from the heat of the day. Activities consist of day and night game drives in open 4x4 vehicles accompanied by an experienced guide. Shorter nature walks are sometimes offered. Wildlife viewing is good, and includes Buffalo, Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Reedbuck, Lechwe, Impala, Zebra and Hippo. Wild dogs are also sometimes sighted. Night drives can be very rewarding with good sightings of the rarer nocturnal animals. Access into this area is by aircraft.

Day 04
After the morning activity and brunch, you will be driven to the airstrip for your light aircraft transfer to Vumbura to spend 3 nights in twin tented accommodation inclusive of all meals, local drinks (excluding premium export brands) and twice daily activities.

Vumbura (pronounced Vuumbera) is an 8-roomed tented camp situated to the north of Mombo, in a private concession bordering the Moremi Game Reserve in the extreme north of the Okavango Delta. Vumbura offers both water and land activities. Mekoros (dug-out canoes) traverse the flood plains under the guidance of polers from the BaYei tribe, who have been using mekoros as their traditional form of transport for hundreds of years. Boats take guests onto the larger and deeper areas of water (water levels permitting). Open 4x4 Land Rovers allow close proximity to animals in the savannah areas. This is possibly the only area in the Okavango where one can see Red Lechwe from a mokoro in the morning and then a Sable antelope from a vehicle in the afternoon. Add in Lion, Leopard, Elephant and Buffalo along with all the plains animals and one has an excellent all round wildlife experience in a remote corner of the Okavango. Walks on the islands give guests the opportunity to enjoy Africa from a different perspective. Each of the 8 tented rooms has en-suite facilities with hot and cold running water, a shower, flush toilet and an outdoor shower under the stars. The main dining, lounge and pub area is tucked beneath a canopy of indigenous trees with a view across the floodplain. The camp has a plunge pool. Access into this area is only by aircraft and then by vehicle to camp. If the waters are high in winter, we may have to access the camp from the airstrip by mekoros or boat.

Day 07
After the morning activity and brunch, you will be driven to the airstrip for your light aircraft transfer to Savuti Camp to spend 3 nights in twin tented accommodation inclusive of all meals, local drinks (excluding premium export brands) and twice daily activities.

Savuti Camp is situated in the Linyanti Reserve along the Savuti Channel in northern Botswana. The camp is built about 17 kilometres ‘downstream’ from the source of the Savuti. The channel stopped flowing in 1980 and what was a Hippo-filled river, is now wide, open grasslands. Savuti Camp is a comfortable camp providing accommodation in 7 large walk-in tented rooms with en-suite facilities. Five of the bathrooms are within the tents and two tents have bathrooms with wonderful open fronts facing onto the Savuti Channel. Each room is raised off the ground on wooden decks. The camp has a thatched dining area, pub and plunge pool, all on raised wooden decks. There is also a curio shop and a boma area. There is a waterhole close to camp and this attracts large numbers of animals that guests can view from the camp. Activities include game drives in open 4x4 Land Rovers, hides, night drives and walks with an armed guide. Wildlife in the area includes all of Botswana's big animals and is one of the best areas in the country to see predators. There are also good concentrations of plains animals in the area.

Day 10
After the morning activity and brunch, you will be driven to the airstrip for your light aircraft transfer to Maun. On arrival in Maun, connect with your return Air Botswana flight to Cape Town.

Price US$ 3,950.00 per person sharing

WHAT IS INCLUDED
All scheduled flights and their departure taxes; all air transfers in Botswana as specified; all accommodation on a shared basis; all meals, twice daily game activities at safari lodges and camps; all excursions and transfers by vehicle, mokoro and boat as shown; services of the lodge guides and staff; park fees; Botswana accommodation taxes and all drinks except premium wines and champagnes plus premium spirits and liqueurs.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
All items of a personal nature; cancellation, baggage, emergency evacuation or medical insurance; visa and their respective fees; all other drinks; any new Botswana Government taxes; gratuities to staff; any meals, activities and excursions which are not specified.

Price from and back to CAPE TOWN for other packages:

C-3: 6-nights Okavango Delta & Linyanti: $2,934.00 p.p. sharing
C-2: 6 nights Okavango Delta (2 camps): $2,934.00 p.p. sharing
C-1: 3 nights Okavango Delta: $1,914.00 p.p. sharing

Bert or Kathleen Duplessis
Fish Eagle Safaris
11152 Westheimer #150
Houston, TX 77042
Tel 800 513-5222
Tel 713 467-5222
Fax 713 467-3208
Website: www.fisheaglesafaris.com
E-mail: exafrica@aol.com
E-mail: jduplessis@houston.rr.com

Fish Eagle Safaris
11152 Westheimer #150
Houston, TX 77042
Tel 1-800-513-5222 (USA and Canada)
Tel 713-467-5222 (from outside North America)
Fax 713/467-3208
E-mail: info@fisheaglesafaris.com