Wilderness Safaris Explorations

THE GREEN DESERT EXPEDITION

An Adventurer Exploration - 7 night / 8-day

Tour code: MX – Makgadikgadi Pans National Park to Xigera Mokoro Trails
Serviced camping in private concession areas and National Park campsites.

PRICE: US$ 1,995.00 per person sharing
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: US$ 130.00 per person

THIS SAFARI IS SPECIFICALLY ENGINEERED TO MAXIMISE AMAZING GAME SIGHTINGS IN THE SPORADIC RAINS OF DESERT SPECIES, FROM DECEMBER TO MID-MARCH; ALSO ENJOYING ISLAND CAMPING ON REMOTE OKAVANGO DELTA ISLANDS.

Experience a nostalgic camping safari that recreates a sense of pure adventure reminiscent of the times of the great African explorers.

The style and essence of Wilderness Safaris’ Adventurer Safari takes you back to the long-gone days of Africa’s exploration – the ultimate safari. Our newly designed, spacious Pioneer dome tents allow you to feel more connected and open to the Earth and nature, accentuating the feeling of the wild and untamed.. Pure cotton linen bedrolls (with down duvets) on GI stretchers, teak bedside table with silver lantern and mini luggage benches add to the atmosphere. Shared separate toilet and shower ‘bathrooms’ with old-style tin bucket showers and basins and all amenities create simple serviced comfort.

Guides: The entire safari is guided and hosted by professional guides, who share their in-depth knowledge to present a seamless safari experience.

Exclusive experience: To ensure total privacy and exclusivity, most areas in which we travel are private concessions in pristine, prime game locations. All camps are private and for the use of Adventurer Safari guests only.

Routes: This expedition is specifically designed to enjoy the Kalahari Desert at its most productive season, when it receives low sporadic rains. The little water creates an incredibly prolific wildlife viewing period with concentrations of desert species and their young in the fertile, ancient river valleys of Deception Valley and the Makgadigadi Pans National Park. The route takes the time to explore the contrasts of three major ecosystems: the Makgadigadi “moonscape” saltpans, Deception Valley in the Kalahari Desert, and ending in the fertile green islands of the Okavango Delta and its crystal clear waterways.

Transfers: To maximise guests’ travel time, a variety of transport modes that bring out the best of each area is used: flying in private charters, overland transfers and exclusive combination mokoro-boat-land transfers provide both a bird’s-eye view and an in-depth experience of the contrasting landscapes of Botswana.

ITINERARY

DAY 1 & 2 – Njuca Hills, Makgadikgadi Pans
We depart early this morning for Njuca Hills, on the edge of the great Makgadikgadi Pans in the Kalahari Desert. The saltpans are among the largest in the world, part of a super-lake fossilised aeons ago. The Adventurer campsite is beautifully positioned under shady trees on rare hills with a superb view of the surrounding plains.

Surprisingly for such a harsh, lunar-like environment, life abounds, and brown hyaena, oryx and springbok are just a few of the desert-adapted species that can be seen Activities include game drives, concentrating on the opportunistic birthings of desert animals and the diverse array of birds, including flamingos. In addition, the seasonal wildebeest and zebra movements provide great sightings at this time. Experience the phenomenal geology and simply enjoy the wide-open spaces of this ancient lakebed and surrounding grassy plains.

DAY 3, 4 & 5 - Deception Valley, Central Kalahari Game Reserve
After an early breakfast, we depart overland to our pre-erected private Adventurer campsite in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

This ancient riverbed, flanked by petrified dune lands, is very appealing after brief rains, as it is covered with nutritious grasses that attract herds from all over this enormous reserve. These large congregations of desert wildlife with their young are followed by predators into the broad riverbed, all of which makes for outstanding viewing.

On Day 4 we enjoy a full day game viewing activity (with picnic lunch) to the wildlife productive Pipers Pans area of the Kalahari.

DAY 6 & 7 - Xigera Mokoro Trails, Okavango Delta
After a light breakfast we depart overland to Maun, flying by light aircraft in the afternoon to the water-filled paradise of the private Xigera area, within the Moremi Game Reserve. Xigera is the ultimate Delta experience, with serene waters flowing through innumerable channels around remote islands and a profusion of plant and animal life.

There is no better way to experience the Okavango than to travel through it by mokoro, walking and camping out on some of its green islands – all essential elements of the Xigera Mokoro Trails experience.

Activities include mokoro and walking safaris, which enable up-close encounters with the excellent diversity of birdlife (including Pel’s Fishing Owl), frogs and a myriad wildlife species, some specially adapted to water, such as the rare sitatunga and the familiar red lechwe.

DAY 8 - Charter flight to Maun
After an early game activity and breakfast, we fly to Maun, where the safari ends.

DEPARTURE DATES

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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