Botswana's
Best Birding Safari
Birding in Botswana - 10 days / 9 nights
(No scheduled departures - Booked on request year-round)
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This
is a seven-day safari in the Okavango at a time of year when all the
intra-African and European migrants are in the region and breeding
is at its peak. The safari visits Mombo Camp, Xigera Camp, and the Linyanti region to the north for three contrasting
habitats and birding experiences within the best areas of Botswana. Most of the
region's rarities, endemics or near endemics should be seen - from the
Pel's Fishing Owl to the diminutive Brown Firefinch. Within the waterways,
savannahs and lagoons, countless herons, ducks, jacanas, eagles, vultures,
ibis, storks, plovers and all the "LBJ's" should be found.
Some of the rare specials include Slaty Egrets, Wattled Cranes, Copperytailed
Coucals, Black Coucals, Thickbilled Cuckoo, Chirping Cisticola and Lesser
Jacana. The Linyanti region is renowned for its high concentration of raptors and also for the nesting colonies of Carmine Bee-eaters.
DAYS 1 - 3; (3 nights)
Scheduled arrival at Maun Airport. Upon arrival, a safari
representative will meet and transfer you by light aircraft to Xigera
Camp where accommodation has been reserved for three nights.
XIGERA CAMP, OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA
 Jump
to Xigera
Camp
Basis: Inclusive of all meals, game activities, laundry and local drinks.
Xigera Camp (pronounced KEE-jera)
is situated in the heart of the Okavango on Paradise Island, within
the Moremi Game
Reserve. Xigera is a superb,
luxury-tented camp, located in an area that is surrounded by permanent
water.
The camp takes a maximum of twenty guests in superb
and comfortably furnished tented rooms. En-suite bathrooms have
showers and flush toilets and there is an additional outdoor shower. Each room
is raised off the ground offering superb views of the floodplain to the
east of camp and its attractive waterhole. Each guest's room has a view
directly onto this floodplain. The dining and pub area is under thatch
overlooking the river that flows past the front of camp.
The rooms are built within a shady
grove and overlook a floodplain and waterhole which is often teeming
with Red Lechwe and other animals. Meals are enjoyed in the dining
room overlooking the main river, which, along with the pub and lounge
area, is under thatch. Raised walkways connect the rooms to the dining
area. There is also a plunge pool. Complimentary laundry services are provided. There are
3 honeymoon-style rooms and 7 twin rooms.
Activities focus
mainly on mokoro and boating rides through the quiet waterways, as well
as walking safaris. Many guests are lucky enough to get good views of
the elusive Sitatunga antelope. Game drives are also offered if water
levels are low enough. Birding in the area is excellent, with Pels Fishing
Owl, Slaty Egret and Wattled Crane amongst the many species of birds
regularly sighted. Xigera has exclusive rights to this area, providing
a tranquil and private setting for its guests.
It also has a unique feature:
the footbridge in front of camp is the only way predators can cross from
island to island without having to swim. A "long-jump pit" has
been built with soft sand, which each animal is forced to walk over when
they use the bridge. Every evening the sand is raked smooth. Each morning
guests are able to read the "newspaper" and see what animals
have walked through camp. Almost every night Lion, Hyena and Leopard
stroll through camp! |
DAYS 4 - 6; (3 nights)
After the morning game activity and brunch you depart Xigera Camp and transfer
by light aircraft to the Mombo Camp, where accommodation has been reserved
for three nights.
MOMBO CAMP, OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA
Jump
to Mombo
Camp
Basis: Inclusive of all meals, game activities, laundry and local drinks.
Mombo Camp and Little Mombo are situated on Mombo Island, adjoining the
northern tip of Chief's Island, and are within the Moremi Game Reserve
in northern Botswana. The camp offers abundant big game, arguably the
best in Botswana. The highlight here is the concentrations of plains
game and all the predators - including the big cats! Leopard sightings
are particularly good.
Mombo is built under the shade of some large shady
trees and overlooks a wonderful floodplain that teems with game. Mombo and Little Mombo
camps jointly accommodate a total of 24 guests, but they are divided
into two camps - a smaller 6 bedded and an 18 bedded. Both camps are
raised off the ground. The guest's rooms and the walkways that connect
the rooms to the living areas, are up to 2m off the ground, allowing
game to wander freely through the camp - but at the same time allowing
for guest safety.
Facilities at Mombo Camp and Little Mombo include 9
and 3 large guest rooms respectively. These are superbly furnished, large
luxury tents. All rooms are built in the same style. The canvas rooms
are spacious and well appointed and have en-suite facilities under canvas
and an additional outdoor shower for those who enjoy a shower under the
stars. The dining room, pub and living area overlook the open plain in
front of the camp and there is a plunge pool for relaxing in the heat
of the day.
Activities at Mombo include morning and afternoon game drives
in open 4x4 Land Rovers. The game viewingand birding in the area is excellent, and
guests could see Lion, Leopard, large herds of Buffalo, Cheetah, Wild
Dog, Elephant, Hyena, Giraffe, Wildebeest and Zebra. Access into this
private area is only by aircraft. For birds, Mombo offers a multitude of possibilities due it its diverse habitats, with a large variety of water birds, raptors, see-eaters, owls, etc. |
DAYS 7 - 9; (3 nights)
After the morning game activity and brunch you depart Mombo Camp and transfer
by light aircraft to the DumaTau Camp, where accommodation has been reserved
for three nights.
DUMTAU CAMP, LINYANTI CONCESSION, BOTSWANA
Jump
to DumaTau
Camp
Basis: Inclusive of all meals, game activities, laundry and local drinks.
DumaTau is built under cool mangosteen trees overlooking
an enormous lagoon. It is located just east of the source of the Savuti
Channel and several kilometres west of Kings Pool Camp. The camp falls within the 125,000 hectare Linyanti Wildlife Reserve
and lies along the bank of the Linyanti River. Directly across this river
to the north is the Caprivi Strip - part of the country of Namibia. The
camp is also within driving distance of the Savuti Channel and game drives
to the channel are highly recommended - we have seen some of the most
amazing predator interactions anywhere by driving through the Savuti channel.
DumaTau is owned and operated by Wilderness Safaris.
Accommodation is in ten
luxurious, raised, tented rooms under thatch with en-suite facilities
including hot and cold running water, flush toilets and shower.
Each room has an additional outdoor open air shower for those who prefer
to be closer to nature. There is a dining room, pub, lounge, a plunge
pool and a guest "loo" with a fantastic
view. Complimentary laundry services are provided.
DumaTau offers day and night
game drives along the Linyanti River and within the Savuti Channel as
well as short nature walks. The camp's boat allows guests access to the
waterways to observe the Hippos at close range (water levels permitting).
There are a number of hides in the area which give guests the opportunity
to observe and photograph animals close up in their natural environment
without disturbance.
Elephants are one of the area's biggest attractions,
especially in the dry winter months, along with the Red Lechwe, Zebra,
Wildebeest, Impala, Waterbuck, Sable, Roan Antelope, Eland, Giraffe, Baboon,
Monkey, Warthog, Crocodile and Buffalo. Then there are the predators:
Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Wild Dog and Hyena - as well as the smaller predators
like African Wild Cat and Caracal. Because night drives are allowed within
the Linyanti, many nocturnal animals like Bush babies, Spring Hare, Aardwolf,
Serval, Genet and Pangolin can regularly be seen. The Savuti
Channel - just to the west of camp, is renowned for its predators - especially
Lions and Hyenas. Cheetahs are also commonly seen in the channel as it
provides a perfect open-grassland hunting ground for these cats to chase
down their favorite prey - Impala.
Birding is outstanding
here - from the Okavango "specials", such as Slaty Egret, Whiterumped
Babblers and Wattled Cranes, to the Bushveld species. Kori Bustards and
Ostrich are regularly seen on forays into the Savuti Channel. |
DAY 10
After the morning game activity and brunch you depart DumaTau Camp and transfer
by light aircraft to Maun Airport, where the safari ends.
NOTE 1: THIS
ITINERARY HAS NO SCHEDULED DEPARTURES; IT IS AVAILABLE ON FLEXIBLE DATES AND WITH TAILOR-MADE ITINERARIES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND SMALL GROUPS.
NOTE 2: PRIVATE GUIDES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO LEAD THIS SAFARI AT ADDITIONAL COST
WHAT IS INCLUDED
Accommodation on a per person sharing basis, all meals and drinks (except premium brands), national park fees, laundry, activities and all internal charters on a seat rate basis.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Flights (other than specified in the detailed safari itinerary), visas, compulsory insurance, all personal purchases (including curios, spirit liquors, telephone calls etc.), gratuities, optional extra activities and all travel
arrangements before or after the safari.
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