Isabel Ashworth in Botswana - Dec 2006
Clients often ask me what my favourite country is in Africa and it's a very difficult question to answer, but Botswana has to rate very highly as being one of the best destinations to go on safari. The volume of game and birdlife is second to none, the scenery is varied and breathtaking and the guiding is fantastic.
I went on a trip to Botswana in December 2006 hosted by Wilderness Safaris with whom we work very closely. I have sold the Wilderness product for many years but had never had the chance to see their lodges in the flesh so I was very excited at the prospect as I had heard many things about Wilderness and expectations were high. I was also joined by three other tour operators from the UK.
Our first destination was the River Club in Livingstone, Zambia. A visit to see Victoria Falls is a lovely addition to a safari in Botswana whether at the beginning or the end. The River Club is perched on the banks of the Zambezi River about 18 kilometres up stream from Victoria Falls. It consists of 10 colonial style thatched en-suite chalets which overlook the Zambezi River. The rooms are all completely open in the front, giving guests uninterrupted views of the Zambezi (gauze shutters can be pulled down at night if required). There is also a lovely infinity pool overlooking the river and the central dining and lounge area is very comfortable. The River Club is a great place to base yourself if you want to see Victoria Falls but want to be away from the hustle and bustle of Livingstone itself and the larger hotels right next to the Falls. Many activities are included in the nightly rate such as a visit to the Falls, a sundowner cruise and a visit to Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park. I thoroughly enjoyed our brief stay here and would recommend the River Club.
We also visited Tongabezi, which is next door to the River Club and Sindabezi, which is an island retreat right in the middle of the Zambezi River. Tongabezi had a slightly more rustic feel to it purely because the gardens weren't as manicured as River Club and the surrounding bush had been allowed to encroach, but the African style rooms are more enclosed so better perhaps for those who are worried about potential night time visitors! Sindabezi is the ultimate island get away. With only five en-suite tents, you really have a sense of getting away from it and the game viewing right from your tent is pretty special. Like the River Club, various extras are included in the nightly rate at both of these properties and also come highly recommended.
Our first destination in Botswana was Savuti which is a 20 minute hop by light aircraft from Livingstone. We were greeted on arrival by Matt who was our private guide for the rest of our trip - an unexpected bonus. He has been a guide for around 11 years and certainly knew his stuff and was also great company. Having a private guide really is superb - having an intimate knowledge of each camp and area they are able to expose the relevant highlights, adding continuity and depth as your journey unfolds, and effectively tailor making your experience around any special interests. Highly recommended!
Savuti is located in the Linyanti Reserve in northern Botswana between Chobe and the Okavango Delta. 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. There is a water hole in front of the camp which game frequents on a regular basis and if you are feeling brave you can venture out to the woodpile hide to get up close and personal with some four legged friends! Savuti consists of seven Meru-style tents all with a wooden verandah out the front overlooking the waterhole and an indoor and outdoor shower. All the tents are connected by raised wooden walkways and the public areas are comfy and spacious. The staff are friendly and there is a nice pool to cool off in between game drives. All game viewing is land based at Savuti but not far away in the same concession are Duma Tau and Kings Pool Camp which also offer water based excursions water levels permitting.
Our next stop was Vumbura Plains which is a stunning camp located in the heart of the Okavango Delta close to Mombo Camp. We had a fantastic sighting of a Cheetah en route to the camp from the airstrip! It is divided into two camps, again all linked by raised wooden walkways and we had some interesting encounters with Elephants as they do wander right through camp and under the walkways! This contemporary style camp consists of seven rooms in each camp which are massive and come complete with private plunge pool and tsala area. The camp had a very relaxed feel to it and the food was delicious. Game viewing in the area was fantastic both on land and out on the motor boats. The scenery is stunning and you encounter something fantastic around every corner!
We had to drag ourselves away from Vumbura Plains and continued to our next destination, Tubu Tree which was a 25 minute flight away over some lovely scenery. Whilst up in the air you can really appreciate how large the Delta is. It's fascinating to see all the game tracks through the Delta made by Elephants and Hippos. It's also a great way to enjoy a spot of game-viewing. Tubu Tree is a lovely small camp in the Jao concession consisting of five tents on raised platforms looking out over flood plains. Each tent has a private verandah and en-suite bathroom. The central public area has a small pool, a great bar built round a Sausage tree in and a well stocked library. The game viewing in this area was even better than at Vumbura! We were very lucky and saw three Leopard cubs and their mum on a night drive, a very disgruntled Hippo protecting his private pool and plenty of lovely birds amongst other wonderful sightings. The scenery is really beautiful in the area too and very different to that around Vumbura Plains. Boat trips are also possible from Tubu Tree when water levels permit.
We then headed off to Xigera which was only a 10 minute hop away by plane. Xigera consists of 10 rooms all linked by raised walkways and is mainly a water based camp. Whilst staying here you will have plenty of opportunities to go out on mokoros and motor boats, whilst game viewing in a vehicle is possible when water levels are low. Going out in a mokoro is very relaxing and provides a totally different experience to being in an open vehicle. Being down at water level you are right in amongst it and bird viewing is fantastic. We were even lucky enough to see Pels Fishing Owl!
Our final destination, in total contrast was Jack's Camp in the Makgadikgadi Pans on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. It takes around 1 hour to fly there from Maun but is well worth it. There are 10 Victorian style tents spread out on the middle of the pan in a palm grove with every amenity you could possibly need. It's a fantastic location as you really are in the middle of absolutely nowhere - a real chance to empty your mind! However, there is so much to do and three nights there is an ideal amount of time. There is an habituated gang of Meerkats who you can go walking with, enjoy fascinating bush walks with the local bushman and go quad biking out on the pans. In addition to all of this you can enjoy game drives with the opportunity to see Brown Hyaena, Aardvark and Gemsbuck. And the whole area is also full of history. The public area of the camp is a museum full of interesting artifacts. I loved it here and it's such a great contrast to a safari in the Delta.
All in all, the Wilderness properties did not disappoint - far from it in fact. Everywhere we stayed we experienced friendly and polite staff, but they were also very discreet so the atmosphere was always very relaxed and there was never too much fuss or an awkward moment which I have experienced elsewhere. All the camps are in the most stunning locations and game viewing was brilliant in all of the places we visited. Botswana thoroughly lived up to expectations, so much so that I didn't really want to come home! When you spend a week or so in the bush, away from the outside world, it's very hard to come back down to reality. But the memories will last forever!
To see our Botswana itineraries, please Click Here
