In this issue:

Lots of big cats on inspection trip to Namibia and Botswana
Green season a great choice for Botswana
Best camps for a Green Season safari
Here is where to go on safari in Africa
Special offer for Mashatu and Pafuri
Book by Oct 31 and Enjoy One Night Free in Africa

My March 2011 inspection trip to Namibia and Botswana was really good and very productive. I always learn a ton of new stuff, even when I revisit the same spots. I have been traveling to Botswana and Namibia for more than 20 years now, but it really never gets old, in fact it gets to be more fun and more exciting all the time!

This was my 4th recent Green Season trip to the area and I return every time with renewed enthusiasm for travel to Southern Africa in their summer months from December through March.  Absolutely the best value for money, lots of wildlife with many young animals around, birds in breeding plumage and not too many other visitors (unless you include Cape Town!).  Yes it can get hot sometimes and there is a chance of an occasional thunderstorm or two but these negatives are more than off-set by the gorgeous sunsets, ideal photographic conditions (check out my pics below) and the reduced costs of international air tickets.

A selection of my photographs can be seen on Picasa at this link:

Bert's March 2011 Africa photographs

The 4-night Skeleton Coast Safari in Namibia was amazing; the area is simply otherworldly.  Stunning natural beauty, awesome geological formations, plenty of desert-adapted wildlife, a trip into the interior where we visited a small Himba village,  and walking in real quicksand - the Skeleton Coast has all of that and much more. 

I had an interesting time at Doro Nawas in Damaraland with very worthwhile outings to the San rock engraving site & the petrified forest but the game – including the desert-adapted elephants – are scarce at time of the year.  From there I went on to Desert Rhino Camp where I was extremely lucky with a cheetah and two different lion sightings, and fortunately black rhino on foot, albeit after several hours of tracking them.  This is a superb camp which I would recommend for anyone visiting Namibia.

Then it was on to Botswana. At Kalahari Plains Camp I  experienced an eye-popping  San interpretive walk, and the game-viewing was most impressive with hundreds of oryx & springbok & beautiful black-maned lions.  The best camp of the entire trip was definitely Tubu Tree where we had more than just one leopard hanging from trees, a hyena taking away a kill from a leopard right in front of us and lions wading through deep water.  With lots of other game around, often with four or five species of mammals to be seen at the same time.

Selinda was no slouch either with the near perfect cheetah sighting which - after several hours of hanging around - resulted in us witnessing a kill. Patience really paid off!  Good general game too, and a large pride of lions on arrival at Lebala airstrip.   

I left a couple of the best sightings for the last camp on the trip which was Dumatau, where our guide Ron found a pack of seven wild dogs & mating leopards to boot.  I thoroughly enjoyed a mokoro outing and a boat trip with some fishing on a tributary of the Khwai River  at Wilderness Safaris' new Banoka camp.  Also had my best views ever of an African wild cat not too far from camp, and there were quite a few elephants to be seen even though the mopane forest was quite dense.

I marveled at our guide James’ intimate knowledge of the area and the wildlife at Duba Plains, which should be renamed Duba Marsh as the vehicles were swimming all the time.  Lots of lions everywhere, climbing onto all kinds of things including woodpiles and termite hills. 

Considering a trip to Africa?   We are offering some fantastic deals for the 2011/2012 Green Season (Dec 1 2011 to the end of March 2012).  More than 40% less expensive than the high season – and just as good!  Also - no single supplement at any of the safari camps!  Please call or e-mail for more details. 

Green season a great choice for Botswana

Here is why I think why the Southern Africa summer months from December through the end of March (green or rainy season) is a good choice for a safari in Botswana:
*  Extremely competitive green season rates, about 40% lower than high season prices.
*  Short green grass conditions, attracting plains game into open areas and making for good viewing conditions, especially early in the green season (December and early January).  There may be higher grass & rank vegetation in certain areas later in the rainy season.
*  Lots of baby animals around with impala, springbok and other antelope dropping their young.  This in turn stimulates predator activity, all the way from lions down to baboons which might - and often do - grab a young impala opportunistically.

 
*  Very favorable conditions for photography, with animals in good condition, atmospheric sunsets and sunrises due to presence of clouds.
*  Several prominent species of birds in breeding plumage (such as weavers, whydahs and widow-birds) and many intra-African and Palearctic migrant bird species present, including shrikes, bee-eaters, orioles, kingfishers and various prominent birds of prey.
*  Subject to first substantial rains having fallen, chance of significant numbers of zebra, springbok and oryx  being present in the Kalahari.   Mostly springbok and oryx in Central Kalahari Game Reserve  (Kalahari Plains Camp & Tau Pan) and mostly zebra and springbok as well as giraffe at Nxai Pan Camp near the Makgadikgadi Pans.
*  All in all I would say that for photography, the green season is unbeatable.  Visitors would just have to be okay with the prospect of an occasional thunderstorm possibly cutting short or postponing a game drive or other activity.  The storms very rarely last more than a few hours; they refresh the environment and do make for some spectacular light conditions, especially at sunset. 

*  It is important to give yourself enough time in each area to take full advantage of the various activities, the array of wildlife, and to have some time to look for rare and elusive species, or to have the luxury to wait for things to develop, such as when cheetah are about to hunt, or lions are pursuing buffalo.  Hence our recommendation to spend at least 3 nights in any location, sometimes 4 would even be better.

Best camps for a Green Season safari

Not all camps are good choices for the summer months; here are a few which we would specifically recommend:

Kalahari Plains in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is at its best in the ‘rainy’ season when sporadic rainfall in the area attract large numbers of plains animals including springbok and oryx, with predators such as impressive black-maned Kalahari lions and cheetah never far behind.  A ‘must do’ excursion from camp is a San interpretive walk during which a local San guide demonstrates various survival, tracking and hunting techniques, including making fire from scratch. If you spend three nights in the area you will have sufficient time to make the trip to nearby Deception Valley, one of the most game-rich areas in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

Tubu Tree Camp is the new jewel in Wilderness Safaris’ Okavango Delta camps.  This superb small (only 5 guest tents!) classic camp is located on the edge of Hunda Island in the western part of the Okavango Delta, in a typical Okavango Delta mosaic of islands, papyrus and reed-choked waterways and lagoons and large areas of grassy floodplain as well as patches of woodland and riverine forest.  It is home to an astonishing array of mammals and birds, including signature predators such as leopard (regularly seen) and lions.  In the wooded area surrounding the airstrip as many as 5 or 6 different species of mammals are often seen at the same time. 

Dumatau is a stalwart of Wilderness Safaris’ Linyanti Concession camps.  It is a well-established tented camp right on the edge of the Linyanti River, in an eco-tone (area where various habitat types meet and merge) which makes it a haven for wildlife.  I have never visited Dumatau without some ‘action’ in or close to camp, where it is elephants passing through, leopards mating close by or once even a lion pursuing a kudu right in front of camp.  Dumatau is very good and reliable for elephant sightings, there is plenty of hippo around, and it is one of the best places for Wild dog anywhere in Botswana.

Nxai Pan Camp on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans in Nxai Pan National Park (central Botswana) is another excellent choice for a summer trip. 

The Victoria Falls Hotel is the grande dame of all the hotels in the Victoria Falls area and has the ideal location overlooking the gorge below the Falls.  Beautiful grounds, private walkway to the Falls (no more than 10 minutes walking or so), and just a short walk to the village of Victoria Falls (2 blocks), it is definitely our #1 choice for a hotel stay on the Zimbabwe side of the Falls. When the water in the Zambezi is relatively low (which is usually from about September to January), the views of the Falls from the Zambia side can be extremely disappointing. However at any time of the year the view of the Main Falls from the Zimbabwe side is fantastic.  We include an upgrade to a deluxe room at the Vic Falls Hotel at no additional cost.

Here is where to go on safari in Africa

Confused about where to go on safari?  Don’t worry, you’re not the only one.  There are dozens of safari destinations and hundreds of combinations of camps and activities.  Even so, the golden rules for a great safari remain the same:
*  Smaller is always better than bigger when it comes to group size and camp size.
*  Spend more time in fewer locations – thank me later.
*   If you have a good guide you can have a great time on safari almost anywhere, anytime.
*  You almost always get what you pay for; in the case of a good safari it is prime location, good guiding, privacy (private concessions), all-inclusive pricing and an all-round quality experience with no unpleasant surprises.
Here are a few destinations we visited recently; please call or e-mail for more information, cost estimates etc.

1)  Rift Valley Classic Safari, Kenya
More diversity than anywhere else (landscapes, culture, game-viewing); quite a bit of driving but that is part of the safari experience in Kenya - some drives can be omitted.  We would recommend using a private vehicle and Origins Safaris guide, some of the best in East Africa!  This can make it a bit pricey for just 2 persons but a fantastic experience.  Have a look at the two Kenya trip reports on our website.

2)  Southern Tanzania & Zanzibar
For a very remote and very private Africa experience, I would recommend a combination of 4 nights in the Ruaha National Park in south-central Tanzania (Jongomero or Mwagusi Camps) plus one or two  camps in the Selous Game Reserve (Sand Rivers - sublime) and Selous Safari Camp.  Perhaps three nights each or 3 and 2.  And then add a few days in Zanzibar at the end, combination of Stone Town and possibly one of the beach resorts if that appeals to you.  Otherwise 3 nights in Stone Town would be enough; you would be able to do a beach outing in addition to half day walking tour of Stone Town (must do), outing to Jozani Forest Reserve (must do if interested in seeing Red Colobus monkeys) and also Spice Tour (a bit touristy but highly entertaining and educational).  Take a look at the trip report from February 2009. 

3)  Zambia. 
Great safari location, a lot like Botswana used to be 20+ years ago.  At least most of it; some of the areas in the S. Luangwa National Park already getting a bit busy.  My recommendation would be to spend 4 to 5 nights in the Kafue regions (2 camps, either Shumba or Busanga Plains combined with either Musanza or Lufupa Bush Camp) and then to go on to S. Luangwa where I highly recommend 4 nights at Kaingo or Mwamba Bush Camp (Shenton Safaris).  Fantastic for especially people interested in phography.  Best game-viewing in Zambia.  Good night drives - and hides for eye-popping views of hippo, amongst others.  There is a detailed trip report from August 2009.

4)  Botswana
I have not changed my mind about Botswana being the very best safari destination of any.  It has just gotten quite pricey – especially from about mid-June through the end of October (high season).  Even so, you don’t have to spend weeks here to have a fantastic time on safari.  Seven nights total (mix of Okavango Delta & Linyanti and/or Moremi) is usually more than adequate – for more time on safari rather add a few days in Zambia, Zimbabwe or South Africa. And consider going in the Green Season.  It is every bit as good – even better than the dry season for photographers.

 
5)  Green Season trip:
If you are looking for the best overall value I would recommend a green season trip to Botswana specifically to combine Tubu Tree Camp, Kalahari Plains Camp (or Nxai Pan Camp if you like zebras and giraffes better than springbok and oryx) and ending with either Selinda or Dumatau, good bets for some more predators, chance of cheetah and wild dogs.  The first two weeks in December would be ideal, to take advantage of lower airfares and conditions in the Kalahari would probably be ideal with shorter grass (than later in the green season), less chance of rain in Linyanti or Selinda area.

6)  Botswana and South Africa 
For the winter months from about June through September, I would recommend a combination of Mashatu (Tuli Block of Botswana - this is what the safari experience is all about!), Pafuri (beautiful atmospheric camp in the remote far northern part of Kruger Park) and ending with 3 nights at Kings Camp or Tanda Tula, both superb camps in the Timbavati Region of Kruger National Park.  Big Five game-viewing and much else besides including great hospitality, nice rooms, possible sleep-outs, and chance to see the exceedingly rare white lions of the Timbavati.  Or omit Mashatu, add a second area in the Kruger Park (there are few better than the Sabi Sand Reserve, camps such as MalaMala, Leopard Hills, Kirkmans, Sabi Sabi) and spend a few days in Cape Town as well.

Through 20 Dec 2011 we are offering a special deal on a 6-night safari combining Pafuri Camp in far northern Kruger Park and Mashatu camp in the Tuli Block of Botswana.  This exciting trip combines two unique regions in Southern Africa:  the incredible landscapes, beauty and superb bird and animal life of the Pafuri with the game-rich Mashatu Game Reserve in south-east Botswana.  Both offer thrilling mammal viewing and ancient civilizations a in a variety of different habitats.

If you add a few days in central or southern Kruger Park, you will stand a near 100% chance of seeing the 'Big Five' mammals (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant & buffalo) and much else besides, including some of the most spectacular scenic areas - around Pafuri - to be found in South Africa. 

Mashatu is just the most fun & exciting safari destination you can imagine.  Very good game-viewing including elephant (a large relict population), eland, giraffe, zebra and kudu.  Most notably, the area is excellent for leopard and many guests enjoy multiple leopard sightings, which is a rare event almost anywhere else.  Plenty of opportunities for activities beyond game drives, such as foot safaris, mountain bike safaris and going out with a predator specialist.

Pafuri is a personal favorite of mine: very much under-traveled and reminiscent of what Kruger Park was like 30 years ago.  Really atmospheric, with accommodation consisting of beautiful tented rooms on the banks of the Levuvhu River.  There is almost always something to be seen in and around the camp itself and in addition to game drives some superb walking safaris can be done.

The  Central and Southern Kruger Park area which can be added to this itinerary offers simply the  most consistent game-viewing success of any African game reserve: hardly a day goes by on which the Big Five mammals are not sighted.