www.wildlifeworldwide.com As well as superlative wildlife viewing, Botswana has some of Africa’s most luxurious safari lodges exemplifying ‘Safari Chic’, and many are now detailed in glossy coffee-table books worldwide. Of course with exclusive accommodation comes exclusive cost so special savings, though rare, are to be capitalised upon. Tailor-made natural history specialists Wildlife Worldwide have new reduced rates for certain Okavango Delta, Moremi and Linyanti lodges and camps valid from December 2005 to March 2006, coinciding with Botswana’s ‘Green’ season.
Though traditionally thought of as a low season the ‘Green’ is when many animals give birth, migrant bird species are in residence en masse and predator activity is high.
Lush growth of vibrant green vegetation contrasts with afternoon thunderclouds and though some rain may fall it just adds to the atmosphere.
Wildlife Worldwide’s 11-day Wings over Botswana holiday flexibly combines lodges in three areas to provide a balanced appreciation of the habitat.
After international arrival a mixture of light-aircraft and motor-launches transfer guest to the Okavango Delta, where the Okavango River ends its journey at tectonic fault line and seeps into the sands of the Kalahari Desert. Xigera camp, on Paradise Island is one of the ‘water camp’ accommodation options, where a sand-box records the nocturnal passage of leopards over the footbridge and a bar furniture has, in the past, bravely born bears the scars of inquisition by Hyenas.
Activities include naturalist-guided ‘mokoro’ (canoe) and motor-launch safaris through the Delta. The 3000 square kilometres of north-eastern Okavango designated Moremi Game Reserve, is considered one of the finest in Africa
. Here, guests may stay at Chitabe Camp located on one of the Delta’s most scenic islands surrounded by ancient Ebony, leadwood and sausage trees.
Guided activities include walking safaris together with day and night 4-wd game drives. The final focus of the tour is the Linyanti Reserve – 125,000 hectares of prime wildlife habitat bordered to the north by the Linyanti River and in the east by Chobe National Park.
The Savuti Channel, dry since 1980, is a key feature of the reserve and the grasslands, acacia woodlands and mopane forests sustain large elephant herds in the winter months.
Savuti Camp is sited in an isolated area on the banks of the Channel and is recommended as a ‘dry’ contrast to the Delta habitats. The area is renowned for large numbers of predators with endangered Wild Dog, Leopard and Lion high on the list! In the evening guests are required to undertake an escort to and from their accommodation to avoid any rather too intimate wildlife encounters. Activities include morning and evening 4-wd game-drives in open vehicles. The tour concludes after morning game-viewing with an air-transfer to Maun airport for onward flight connections homeward. |