JACANA FIRST CLASS CAMPING SAFARI
The modified Land Rover vehicles which are used on the Jacana Safaris in Botswana. A maximum of eight guests are comfortably seated with excellent visibility. The Jacana Safari is a high quality camping safari which includes light aircraft transfers between Chobe, Linyanti & the Okavango Delta, to enable guests access to the best areas of Northern Botswana. Accommodation consists of three small permanent tented camps and one pre-erected mobile tented camp, all with en-suite facilities. Game-viewing and bird-watching is generally excellent on this safari (with many opportunities for predators and lots of elephant). Activities consist of game drives (afternoon game drive returning to camp after dark in some areas), mokoro trips, boating and walking. Fishing can also be done in some areas.
The vehicles which are used have open sides (no windows) and large roof hatches, with excellent visibility all-round. On the Jacana Safari some of the game drives are also undertaken in totally open (no roof) vehicles.
Many nights are spent in private concessions far from others in superb game country. Light aircraft transfers between camps minimize long drives over rough terrain and allow for maximum time in the best wildlife viewing regions. Guest numbers are limited to eight, and the group is accompanied by a guide and usually a hostess throughout. A big plus for the Jacana Safari, compared with similar trips, is that except for Chobe, all the other camps on the itinerary are located in private concessions, with few other visitors. This makes it a very private, 'away-from-it-all' trip, which is how I believe Africa is best experienced.
For a photo gallery of the September 1999 Jacana Safari, please click here.
11 DAY FIRST CLASS CAMPING SAFARI
Dinner is usually al fresco on a Jacana Safari. Days 1 to 3 : The Central Okavango Delta - the land experience - Kaparota
After arrival in Maun, you will be met by your guide or our representative and transferred by light aircraft to the heart of the Okavango Delta where we stay at Kaparota Camp. The game viewing in open 4x4's is good, with Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Cheetah, Wild Dog and Elephant regularly sighted. Birdlife is varied and abundant.Days 4 to 5 : Okavango Delta - the water experience - Jacana Camp
Today the group is flown further into the Okavango Delta and transferred to our secluded Jacana Camp for the next three nights. The Delta is an ever changing tapestry of forested islands and crystal clear channels which we explore by mokoro and on foot, giving guests the opportunity to experience Africa at close quarters. The elusive Sitatunga antelope and the rare Pel's Fishing Owl may be seen, as well as smaller quantities of Elephant, Buffalo and other plains game.Days 6 and 7 : The Linyanti - Linyanti Tented Camp
We depart the Okavango Delta and transfer by aircraft to Linyanti Tented Camp. Guests enjoy the Linyanti experience on game drives during the day and at night Walks, boating and canoeing are also offered.Days 8 to 9 : Chobe National Park
This morning we fly north to Chobe, where our camp has been set up in a private site along or near the banks of the Chobe River. On the Chobe floodplains, Elephants can sometimes be viewed in numbers not found elsewhere on the continent, while water birds such as Egrets, Herons, Ducks and Storks occur in profusion.Day 10 : Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls Hotel
It is a leisurely drive from the Chobe River to the famous Victoria Falls. Arrival at Victoria Falls Hotel will be around midday, and you will have the rest of your afternoon at leisure to explore the rain forests alongside the Falls, or take an optional sunset cruise up the Zambezi River. Guests wanting to enjoy whitewater rafting will have to spend an additional night in Victoria Falls.Day 11 : End of Safari
You are transferred to the Victoria Falls airport for your onward flight.* The order of the two camps in the Okavango Delta may be awapped around on some itineraries: The Jacana Safari is also run from Victoria Falls to Maun.
SEPTEMBER 1999My wife Kathleen and I had a wonderful time on a Jacana Safari with Wilderness Safaris from Victoria Falls to Maun with guide Russel Crossey and hostess Trudi in September 1999. After the safari we visited two of Wilderness Safaris' new fly-in camps, Jao and Kwetsani, both located in a superb wildlife area in the NG25 concession, west of the northern tip of Chief's Island. We thought both Jao and Kwetsani were out of this world: Jao is probably the most stylish safari lodge we had ever seen, while the more intimate Kwetsani is a 'tree house' paradise. For the first time, we took the fabled Blue Train from Cape Town to Pretoria and the experience exceeded our wildest expectations. Although we could only spend one night at Grande Roche Estate near Paarl we made the most of it, enjoying a superb meal at Bosman's Restaurant. Another new property which we visited for the first time, Bushman's Kloof, was the surprise of the trip.
My lasting impression of the 13-day Jacana Safari will be the diversity of the trip: a tremendous variety of wildlife, birds, & scenery observed in an ever-changing landscape, and equally diverse activities: game drives, night drives, walking, boating, mokoro outings & an occasional moment or two to relax or to enjoy the superb food. This simply has to be the best full-service overland safari in Botswana! One of the most interesting facets of the safari was the transfers - by vehicle, by light aircraft, and by boat (into Jacana Camp). The 2-hr. boat trip from Xigera to Jacana Camp was one of the most interesting experiences of the entire trip for everybody.
Among the many highlights the following stand out in my mind:
Our guide Russell Crossey is so knowledgeable about every aspect of natural history - it was a pleasure to experience the wilderness in his company. We were all thrilled to have had as many opportunities for walking with him as we did, in the Baobab area. A group gains its confidence from the confidence of the guide, and Russell made us all feel very much at ease. Trudi, our hostess, took care of the 'housekeeping' details in an exemplary fashion - the food was superb and she anticipated our every need, right down to reconfirming our additional arrangements, helping me with making phone calls and so on. Her bubbly personality is perfect for the job - and we all enjoyed her company.
- The game-viewing at Chobe was phenomenal, with huge herds of elephant, buffalo and a wide variety of other game, including big groups of the rarely seen Sable and Roan antelope. We also enjoyed some good looks at Chobe's legendary fierce lions.
- The 65 decibel frogs at Linyanti Tented Camp. If ever I have heard a din in the bush, this was it! Take your earplugs, unless of course you happen to enjoy the sound of tiny reed frogs with turbo-charged vocal chords.
- The even louder Heuglin's Robins at Jacana Camp. These robins have a beautiful but very penetrating song, and they start singing at first light. To make matters worse, three of them were involved in a territorial spat of sorts, right outside our tent. We never took out our alarm clock.
- The lion sighting at Savuti Camp. I had heard much in the past about the pride of lions which are regularly seen at Savuti's waterhole, but to be so lucky as to observe one of the lionesses acting like a guard dog in front of one of the accommodation units (the camp guests were out on game drive) was amazing.
- Walking in the Baobab area. This gave us an opportunity to listen, look and even smell the wilderness away from the noise of a vehicle. There are few things as thrilling as walking in big game country: an element of excitement, even a bit of apprehension, always something new underfoot or just behind the next bush.
- The canoe outing from Linyanti Tented Camp. We had our best view ever of Wattled Crane - talk about majestic birds! They are usually so skittish but they did not seem to mind the canoe at all, and we were so close we could practically count their feathers. Magnificent. We had similar close-up views of elephant by the waterside; they were also very relaxed.
It needs to be pointed out, however, that folks who are looking for top-notch accommodation all the way through, should rather book a fly-in safari to Wilderness Safaris' permanent tented camps. The Jacana Safari is a total wilderness "experience" during which guests get a close-up look at some of the best areas of Northern Botswana, but it is still a 'camping' safari. The downside for some people might be that the accommodation in all areas (such as mobile tented camp in Chobe) is not of the same high standard. However, the advantages of traveling on this safari include an extremely knowledgeable guide throughout, as well as sharing the experience with the same group of people for the entire safari. If these two aspects do not appeal, then prospective visitors should rather consider paying more and doing a fly-in safari to the same areas.
The Jacana Safari is wonderful if one looks at it as a whole: a very diverse experience in terms of areas visited, accommodations, (everything from somewhat rustic camping through to a couple of really luxurious set-ups) activities etc. and it is a highly educational experience. Not a day goes by that one does not learn something new about the Okavango Delta, the animals, birds, plants or whatever. Having the guide along for the duration of the trip is terrific because he/she can concentrate on various aspects of the natural history depending upon how the trip develops. More time may be spent in certain areas studying the birdlife, or how the various elements in nature are interwoven, as illustrated by the way in which the Sycamore Fig is pollinated, for example. In the end, a Jacana Safari is much more than a never-ending search for 'big game' experiences, as can sometimes be the case on a fly-in safari...
As important a part of the experience is the 'togetherness' of the small group experience. In our particular instance we had two South Africans (myself and guide Russel Crossey); four Brits (hostess Trudi and guests Mike, Jane and Melanie) and three Americans (my wife Kathleen and guests Bob and Darcy). We could not have picked a better 'mix': there was laughter and jokes and light-hearted banter from day 1 non-stop. If it wasn't the birders versus the non-birders, it was cricket versus baseball, how to tell a male from a female elephant or something else... Honestly I don't think any of us on the trip had enjoyed such a 'playful' atmosphere in years. The staff at the various camps must have thought we were a bunch of loonies, the way we carried on at dinner, and that despite the fact that very little alcohol was consumed. On a fly-in trip there is a bit of the same type of 'camaraderie' at dinner-time, but it is sporadic, depending upon how much time one spends with 'new-found friends'. Usually it is a night or two and then everyone goes in a different direction. So for the group experience and everything that entails - story-telling, learning about other places from some very well-traveled people, in-depth interaction with the guide - the Jacana Safari has no equal. It is ideal for singles.
Bushmanskloof was a revelation - I think it is destined to become the Western Cape's premier game lodge. The game-viewing at Bushmanskloof was certainly better than I had anticipated (we saw eland, springbok, grey rhebuck, Cape Mountain Zebra, Black Wildebeest, Bontebok, Bat-eared Fox, and Aardwolf) but even if there were no game it would be a worthwhile place for a two or three night visit. The variety and abundance of Bushman rock art in the area is phenomenal and viewing it from close up is a stirring experience. The area and its attractions could not be more different than Botswana or, for that matter, any of the real 'bushveld' areas. Yet it is still very much 'Africa', offering a tremendously wide variety of adventure activities, including hiking, mountain biking, swimming and even abseiling on request. The guiding at Bushmanskloof was as good as any I have ever experienced. There's a young chap there (I believe he is from Zimbabwe) by the name of Andre who impressed the heck out of us. Personable, articulate, knowledgeable, the lot. They are fortunate to have him.
The Blue Train trip was flawless in every respect; I would not have wanted to miss even one minute of the 25 hour trip from Cape Town to Pretoria. The food, the service, the scenery, the compartment, wow! If you are looking for the ultimate luxury train trip, this is probably it, now that the Blue Train has been completely overhauled and refitted. The cabins are a marvel of compact luxury, the ride is smooth as silk, and the service quite impeccable.
The late afternoon we had several good friends over for dinner at Bosmans Restaurant at the Grande Roche and the food (5 course 'Flavours of the Cape' menu), was probably the single most outstanding meal I have ever enjoyed. Coconut Crusted Crayfish Tail and Samoosa for a starter; Tandoori flavored Karoo Lamb Loin, and a delicious Loin of Springbok with Pinotage flavored butter sauce were the high points for me. It certainly was not inexpensive at just over $40 per person, but it was a world class meal in every respect, with the table itself, the silver, and the superbly choreographed service contributing to a most memorable evening.
Instead of my usual long trip report, I have compiled a slide show to visually tell the story of the trip, including a few short movie clips for my website click here. The photo gallery can be viewed by pressing here.
Bert du Plessis
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