MOPANE PARTICIPATION CAMPING SAFARI
A typical campsite on a Mopane participation camping safari. The Mopane Safaris are wonderful, but they are not for everyone: you have to help with camp chores such as cooking, pitching tents and collecting fire-wood (on the way back to camp after game drives), and facilities are not luxurious. You sleep in a sleeping bag on a foam mattress, and the toilet is a rather basic portable bush toilet. You do have a hot bush shower available every day, though, and wholesome, fresh ingredients for meals. The safari appeals to the younger, somewhat more adventurous traveler, but we have many older persons, single persons and honeymoon couples taking it too. By and large, I'd say the trip is ideal for someone who does not mind a bit of dust but who really wants to get out into the bush. At night in the unfenced camp sites you *know* that you are in Africa! Although it is not a luxury trip, it is still a good quality trip with a very small group (many similar safaris have 10 or more participants in a similar-size vehicle) and an excellent guide, together with a camp hand.
What the safari lacks in luxury, it makes up for in experience: you get really close to the bush, see few other people, and get a first hand look at some of the most spectacular parts of Botswana, including Chobe, Savuti, the Moremi and the Okavango Delta. The vehicle - a modified Landrover with excellent visibility - is first class with ample seating, the guides amongst the best in the business. Age limit 15 minimum, 65 max.
11 DAY NORTHERN BOTSWANA PARTICIPATION CAMPING SAFARIDay 1 : Victoria Falls
The safari normally starts on a Wednesday evening when guests meet at the Ilala Lodge for a pre-safari briefing with their guide. Those arriving earlier in the day may enjoy a variety of optional activities in the Falls. A full day is needed for white water rafting, and would require an additional night in Victoria Falls.Days 2 and 3 : Chobe National Park
We depart Victoria Falls mid-morning for Botswana's Chobe National Park some 85 kms away. Camp is set up along or near the banks of the Chobe River within the park. This is superb Elephant and big game country. Antelope, including the rare Puku, as well as predators such as Lion and Leopard, abound in this region. Water birds are also abundant.
The two-person tents used on the Mopane and other participation camping safaris are easy to put up and take down, as long as you don't lose the poles. Days 4 and 5 : Savute\Chobe National Park
Savute is our next stop, and we camp in the vicinity of the now dry Savute Marsh. The area is famous for large numbers of Bull Elephants that congregate around the waterholes, as well as the Lion prides and clans of Spotted Hyenas that are resident in the area and are frequently seen. Cheetah and Wild Dog are also found in the area, and large herds of plains game gather on the open grasslands. Photographic opportunities are exceptional. Several award-winning documentaries, including "Eternal Enemies" and "Patterns in the Grass", have been filmed in this area.Days 6 to 8 : Moremi Game Reserve:
After breaking camp at Savute we travel by road to the eastern reaches of the Okavango and our first taste of the Delta's crystal clear waterways. Our private campsite is in Moremi, one of Botswana's most scenic parks. The Okavango is made up of many slow-moving waterways that contrast with the dry Savute grasslands. Time is spent traversing the woodlands in search of Wild Dog, Leopard, Lion and colourful birds such as Meyer's Parrot and Wattled Crane.Days 9 to 10 : Okavango Delta
From Moremi we drive to Maun where there will be time to enjoy a shower, lunch and relax in our guest lounge before flying into the heart of the Okavango Delta to our Mopane Mokoro Camp where we will spend the next two nights. This segment of the safari is in complete contrast to the rest of the safari, as we explore papyrus-fringed channels, lily-covered lagoons and forested islands. Transport is by mokoro (dug-out canoe) punted by BaYei boatmen. All of the Okavango's big game including Buffalo and the beautiful Red Lechwe are frequently encountered. There is a possibility of spotting the elusive antelope, the Sitatunga. Swamp Boubou, Slaty Egret, Pygmy Goose, Copperytailed Coucal and Lesser Jacana are among the special birds one may encounter. African Fish Eagles and waterbirds are plentiful. Here, at our secluded private campsite under a profusion of stars, one may enjoy the tranquillity of the Delta night punctuated by the calls of Owls and Nightjars and the distant grunting of a Hippo and roars of Lion.Day 11 : End of Safari
Today a scenic flight out of the Delta takes you back to Maun for your onward flight.The Mopane Safari is also run from Maun to Victoria Falls.
By Bert du Plessis of Fish Eagle SafarisIn May 1997 I checked out this safari first-hand, signing up for the cross- country Mopane Safari with Wilderness Safaris from Victoria Falls to Maun. It was a family vacation for my wife and I, our two boys aged 12 and 13 and our Houston neighbors, the Woods, with their two boys who were then 13 and 15. To keep costs within reasonable limits, we opted for a participation safari, which means you pitch your own tent (it's quite easy after you've done it once or twice), help with the cooking and collect some fire-wood at the end of game drives.
On a game drive in the Moremi Wildlife Reserve (North Bridge area) it is not unusual to encounter elephant. This area is also known for its leopard, which is often seen towards evening. The 12-day Mopane Safaris are operated between Victoria Falls and Maun, in either direction. On the first day we drove from Victoria Falls to Chobe, picking up supplies in Kasane along the way. For the first few days we camped near the banks of the Chobe River, enjoying good views of elephant, buffalo and the very localized puku antelope. Our best sighting in Chobe was of a group of more than 100 elephants swimming to an island in the Chobe River. It was an amazing sight: they were almost totally submerged with only the tips of their trunks visible, and the cows were propping up the little ones along the way, so you'd see a youngster bob up every now and then. A real 'National Geographic' moment! Amongst the birding highlights were close- up views of Whitecrowned Plover, a breeding colony of Whitefronted Bee-eaters and several Pied Kingfishers. Lasting impressions of the Chobe stay were of big blue skies, quiet and peaceful evenings. I also finally found a bird which had eluded me for years, the Bronzewinged Courser. On our last night there a pride of lions roared all around our campsites, the sound cutting right through our tents and causing a few tense moments. Some groups actually have lions walk right through the camp sites, and this is why many people opt for a camping trip like the Mopane: it gets you very close to nature. The game drives in Chobe were rather too uneventful for our liking, but things would improve shortly.
Our next campsite was in Savute, on the banks of the now bone-dry Savute Channel. It was a long drive from Chobe - some 6 hours - and some exceptionally cold weather kept us hunkered down in the vehicle pretty much all the way. We did manage to spot a rare bird, the Threebanded Courser, for which there are only a handful of confirmed sightings in Botswana. En route to Savute we stopped at a local village to purchase some of the intricately woven reed baskets. We would not have as good an opportunity to buy quality baskets at good prices again. In Savute, we experienced excellent game- viewing, coming across a big pride of lions, with 6 lionesses, two of which had young ones. The Satara pride is known for the huge size and fierceness of the females, as well as for being habituated to vehicles, as they have 'starred' in several wildlife documentaries. Our Savuti campsite did not make a great first impression, but it turned out to be okay, with quite a bit of wildlife in and around the camp. The Bradfield's Hornbills were very entertaining and very obliging for photography, but the best bird sighting was undoubtedly a pair of Barred Owl.
A morning game drive on the Savuti 'Marsh' (the dry stumps of drowned trees being the only clue that this was a marsh not too long ago) produced sightings of tsessebe, zebra, blue wildebeest, ostrich and many Kori bustards. We also spotted a cheetah, and even though it was rather distant, it was nevertheless a good find. Another game drive along the Savuti Channel resulted in a close encounter with an elephant, our camera motor drives working over-time as the animal stopped, wheeled and trundled off. In this same area there were some huge baobab trees which were rather easier to frame... Many of our photographs, by the way, were somewhat 'washed out' due to the very bright, almost harsh light. It is best to take the majority of one's photographs in the softer morning and late afternoon light.
By May 30 we were on our way to Moremi. Heidi Dednam, our very capable guide, amazed us all with her ability to guide the heavily-laden vehicle and trailer through some thick sand with hardly a hiccup. There was not much to be seen along the way - it was just cold. At a coffee stop by a waterhole we notched up several more bird species for our trip list, including Burchell's Sandgrouse, Blackcheeked Waxbill, Yellowthroated Sparrow and Crimson Boubou.
On the way to Moremi we drove through an area which we all fondly recall as 'Giraffic Park' - there were giraffes *everywhere*! Near North Gate, outside the reserve, we came across a dead elephant 'guarded' by a female lion. Later that afternoon we saw them again; the elephant still very much dead, just smellier and this time there were three lions in attendance. In the Moremi area, we entered a water-rich habitat for the first time so it was no surprise to find red lechwe and common reedbuck. The Moremi site, where we pitched our tents on the banks of the Khwai River more or less opposite Tsaro Camp, was our favorite campsite by far.
The first day in the Moremi area was a bit slow, but by the time we headed out to Maun three days later we had seen a tremendous variety of wildlife, including our first view of Honey Badger - which we saw on two consecutive days. One day we drove to a beautiful area (aptly named 'Paradise') near Xakanaxa for a picnic. It was an idyllic spot and even though there wasn't much in the way of mammals, we had a lovely time. The bird of the day was certainly the rare and endangered Wattled Crane, which are relatively common in this area. That evening, back in camp, we heard the sound made by buffalo in distress, followed by lion growling in what struck me as a contented fashion.
The next morning, we happened upon the scene of the previous night's ruckus: yet another dead buffalo more or less surrounded by sleepy, well-fed lions. There were two young males and two female lions, and later that day one of the males flipped the buffalo from one side to the other, with much pulling, clawing and rippling of muscles. The performance vividly demonstrated the awesome power of the 'King of the Jungle'.
Our last few days were spent in the heart of the Okavango Delta at Zepa Trails Camp. Its large, comfortable walk-in tents complete with private bathrooms were quite luxurious compared with the mobile tents, and we were glad that this came at the end of the trip. The activities centered mainly around mokoro trips in a spectacularly beautiful water environment, gliding past papyrus groves, reedbeds and densely overgrown islands. Our Bayei polers knew the area well and soon found us a magnificent Pel's Fishing Owl, as well as the elusive Sitatunga, the next day. The new Mokoro Trails Camp is Jacana, which is even better appointed than Zepa.
Overall, the safari met our every expectation with a very accomplished and knowledgeable guide (Heidi Dednam), good camp sites, good fresh food and first-class equipment. The four boys had the time of their lives, perched on top of the modified Land Rover during game drives. We would have liked to have seen leopard and wild dogs, but we'll just have to return for those, some other time. Although we had a few unexpectedly slow days, the game-viewing was more than adequate both in terms of variety and numbers of animals seen. The birdlife was excellent and we notched up more than 150 species.
The most notable thing was the almost complete absence of other visitors. We were there out of season, so naturally that made a difference, but it was still very much a 'thrill' to discover a lion kill and observe it all by ourselves for several hours, before even one other vehicle came from a nearby camp. The most vehicles we had in one spot (at the big pride of lions in Savuti) at one time was three. In the campsites we were invariably the only group. To me, that is what makes Botswana special and worth the extra cost: it is not overrun with other visitors.
The Mopane Safaris are wonderful, but they are not for everyone: you have to help with camp chores such as cooking, pitching tents and collecting fire-wood (on the way back to camp after game drives), and facilities are not luxurious. You sleep in a sleeping bag on a foam mattress, and the toilet is a rather basic portable bush toilet. You do have a hot bush shower available every day, though, and wholesome, fresh ingredients for meals. Long drives between the various areas (Chobe to Savuti; Savuti to Moremi and Moremi to Maun) take up quite a bit of time and can be arduous, cold in winter. However, the price of the safari reflects this, and it is much less expensive than a full-service trip of approximately the same duration.
The safari appeals to the younger, somewhat more adventurous traveler, but we have many older persons (please note age limit 12 minimum, 65 maximum), single persons and honeymoon couples taking it too. By and large, I'd say the trip is ideal for someone who does not mind a bit of dust but who really wants to get out into the bush. At night in the unfenced camp sites you *know* that you are in Africa! Although it is not a luxury trip, it is still a good quality trip with a very small group (many similar safaris have 10 or more participants in a similar-size vehicle) and an excellent guide, together with a camp hand.
What the safari lacks in luxury, it makes up for in experience: you get really 'up close and personal' with the wilderness, see few other people, and get a first hand look at some of the most spectacular parts of Botswana, including Chobe, Savuti, the Moremi and the Okavango Delta. The vehicle - a modified Landrover with excellent visibility - is first class with ample seating, and the guides amongst the best in the business.
For departure dates and rates, please click through to: http://www.wilderness-safaris.com/safmop.htm#ratesdates
To order a brochure, newsletter or 'Frequently Asked Questions' about selecting an African safari destination, send an e-mail message to info@fisheaglesafaris.com with your name, address and telephone number, or call 1-800-513-5222 (713-467-5222 if you're calling from outside North America)
We can also be reached by fax at 713-467-3208. To send us a request for further information, simply complete the response form.
Fly-In
Safaris
Information Request Form /
Client Testimonials / Home
>