Botswana Deals
Dec 22nd, 2009, 02:41 PM
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Botswana Deals
http://www.travelandleisure.com/deal...3-luxury-camps
Travel and Leisure offering stay 4 get 1 free at Orient Express Lodges
Travel and Leisure offering stay 4 get 1 free at Orient Express Lodges
Dec 22nd, 2009, 05:39 PM
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Hey Matt,
It gets better than that (for price)...
Orient Express has been selling their three Botswana lodges on Luxury Link since 2004. Some US based tour operators and travel agents won't sell Orient Express lodges because of their participation on Luxury Link. In fact, I won't book my clients on Orient Express unless it is a last minute booking. The reason is not because they don't have good camps (they ARE good) but because I have no way of offering my clients a price guarantee with OE. Orient Express always drops their prices 3-4 month prior to the travel date and dumps the inventory on Luxury Link.
It would be very frustrating for a client confirmed at full price to find these auction prices after they commit/deposit so I am more inclined to offer properties that price protect (i.e. - properties that will lower the price for confirmed clients if the property chooses to drop their prices later through any distribution channel). Many cruise lines and even luxury tour operators like A&K now offer price protection as a condition of booking.
Orient Express even had auctions available during the entire 2009 high season (July-October). Anyone that paid full price for an OE safari in 2009 (based on their published rates) overpaid by almost 100% (50% off "rack"). I have been monitoring Luxury Link all year and they have always had a 50% off sale running for a booking window of 0-120 days.
OE is still doing it now. The latest deal is about 55% off their web site price for travel through March 31, 2010. Based on historical activity, I would expect the April-June auctions to appear in January or February.
Luxury Link DOES work and I have lost clients to this web site before. My recomendation for anyone wishing to travel with Orient Express is to wait until the last minute to book or get a written guarantee that they will match their best Luxury Link price running during the auction window before your safari.
http://www.luxurylink.com/luxury-hot...afaris?clid=31
Craig Beal
It gets better than that (for price)...
Orient Express has been selling their three Botswana lodges on Luxury Link since 2004. Some US based tour operators and travel agents won't sell Orient Express lodges because of their participation on Luxury Link. In fact, I won't book my clients on Orient Express unless it is a last minute booking. The reason is not because they don't have good camps (they ARE good) but because I have no way of offering my clients a price guarantee with OE. Orient Express always drops their prices 3-4 month prior to the travel date and dumps the inventory on Luxury Link.
It would be very frustrating for a client confirmed at full price to find these auction prices after they commit/deposit so I am more inclined to offer properties that price protect (i.e. - properties that will lower the price for confirmed clients if the property chooses to drop their prices later through any distribution channel). Many cruise lines and even luxury tour operators like A&K now offer price protection as a condition of booking.
Orient Express even had auctions available during the entire 2009 high season (July-October). Anyone that paid full price for an OE safari in 2009 (based on their published rates) overpaid by almost 100% (50% off "rack"). I have been monitoring Luxury Link all year and they have always had a 50% off sale running for a booking window of 0-120 days.
OE is still doing it now. The latest deal is about 55% off their web site price for travel through March 31, 2010. Based on historical activity, I would expect the April-June auctions to appear in January or February.
Luxury Link DOES work and I have lost clients to this web site before. My recomendation for anyone wishing to travel with Orient Express is to wait until the last minute to book or get a written guarantee that they will match their best Luxury Link price running during the auction window before your safari.
http://www.luxurylink.com/luxury-hot...afaris?clid=31
Craig Beal
Dec 22nd, 2009, 05:44 PM
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Hi Napamatt,
I read somewhere (in a newsletter) that WS have the 6 for 7 offer through June 2010. The better deal yet, maybe their Zim camps priced at shoulder season price through High Season 2010.
Anyways, if you do end up at Eagle Island camp - there is an ex-tracker who is guiding from there - Rock is his name. Recommend him very highly.
Hari
I read somewhere (in a newsletter) that WS have the 6 for 7 offer through June 2010. The better deal yet, maybe their Zim camps priced at shoulder season price through High Season 2010.
Anyways, if you do end up at Eagle Island camp - there is an ex-tracker who is guiding from there - Rock is his name. Recommend him very highly.
Hari
Dec 22nd, 2009, 06:17 PM
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Hari,
Like you said, the Wilderness 2010 deal in Zimbabwe is really good. Of course, my definition of "really good" would be to measure the price relative to 2007 or 2008. It is actually low season price for ALL of 2010.
Also, if you book six nights (3 at Ruckomechi and 3 at Little Makalolo) you get the six night flying discount as well. I have found you can save an additional approximately $400 per person to start or end at Harare and fly to HRE from Ruckomechi or to Ruckomechi from HRE. This minimizes charter flying and cost.
Craig Beal
Like you said, the Wilderness 2010 deal in Zimbabwe is really good. Of course, my definition of "really good" would be to measure the price relative to 2007 or 2008. It is actually low season price for ALL of 2010.
Also, if you book six nights (3 at Ruckomechi and 3 at Little Makalolo) you get the six night flying discount as well. I have found you can save an additional approximately $400 per person to start or end at Harare and fly to HRE from Ruckomechi or to Ruckomechi from HRE. This minimizes charter flying and cost.
Craig Beal
Dec 22nd, 2009, 07:10 PM
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Craig,
Would you know what their pricing is for the Linkwasha camps? I think they call it Davidson's camp? Thanks......
Either way, it does sound like a good pricing..... If I were to take them up on the offer, I would be unlikely to split between the two parks.
What I'm more likely to do, though - go to Duma Tau in June. I just have to see those sub-adult Lions!!!!!
Hari
Would you know what their pricing is for the Linkwasha camps? I think they call it Davidson's camp? Thanks......
Either way, it does sound like a good pricing..... If I were to take them up on the offer, I would be unlikely to split between the two parks.
What I'm more likely to do, though - go to Duma Tau in June. I just have to see those sub-adult Lions!!!!!
Hari
Dec 22nd, 2009, 07:16 PM
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Hari,
The RSP (recommended sell price) at Linkwasha for 2010 is $450 per person per night. You can actually road transfer to camp from Victoria Falls quite easily. I do think a visit to Zimbabwe would not be complete without Mana Pools - especially July through October.
Duma Tau - low season goes through June 15. Good luck with flights when World Cup starts! You may have to fly into Zim/Zam via Nairobi on Kenya Airways.
Craig Beal
The RSP (recommended sell price) at Linkwasha for 2010 is $450 per person per night. You can actually road transfer to camp from Victoria Falls quite easily. I do think a visit to Zimbabwe would not be complete without Mana Pools - especially July through October.
Duma Tau - low season goes through June 15. Good luck with flights when World Cup starts! You may have to fly into Zim/Zam via Nairobi on Kenya Airways.
Craig Beal
Dec 22nd, 2009, 09:29 PM
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Re Orient Express Khwai River Lodge. We spent four nights there in Sep of 2005. It was ok. The morning game drive took about 20 minutes to drive over into the Moremi Reserve. The Lodge is on private property, not in Moremi. Sightings there were so-so, they could not drive off-road. The afternoon game drive stayed on the Lodge side of the river on private property. With very good sightings of elephant and hippo.
Khwai River Lodge huts, about 10(?) and facility are very nice, luxurious. Staff and guide was good. But after KRL we went to MalaMala and we quickly forgot about KRL
. KRL was ok, but there are much much better safari camps in Botswana.
Merry Christmas - tom
Khwai River Lodge huts, about 10(?) and facility are very nice, luxurious. Staff and guide was good. But after KRL we went to MalaMala and we quickly forgot about KRL
. KRL was ok, but there are much much better safari camps in Botswana.Merry Christmas - tom
Dec 23rd, 2009, 03:30 AM
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Welcome back from your exile, Craig. (lets not forget you still owe me an apology)
Hari, Davison's is a different camp from Linkwasha. Davison's is closer to Mbiza Vlei where Linkwasha is further down towards towards Ngomo Vlei.
In my opinion, Davison's is a little out of the way, as is little Makalalo. Makalolo is nicely situated to to be within easy driving distance of all the good Vleis. The same with Linkwasha in its concession.
You have to remember that Southern Hwange is different compared to normal game drive area in Botswana and Kenya. To reach the open plains or 'Vleis', you have to drive through heavily wooded, dense areas, sometimes for up to 15-20 minutes.
I will send you some Google Earth co-ordinates this over the next couple of days.
Hari, Davison's is a different camp from Linkwasha. Davison's is closer to Mbiza Vlei where Linkwasha is further down towards towards Ngomo Vlei.
In my opinion, Davison's is a little out of the way, as is little Makalalo. Makalolo is nicely situated to to be within easy driving distance of all the good Vleis. The same with Linkwasha in its concession.
You have to remember that Southern Hwange is different compared to normal game drive area in Botswana and Kenya. To reach the open plains or 'Vleis', you have to drive through heavily wooded, dense areas, sometimes for up to 15-20 minutes.
I will send you some Google Earth co-ordinates this over the next couple of days.
Dec 23rd, 2009, 04:51 AM
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lbj2 - thanks for the reminder and the additional information on Hwange. I have actually been out of excile since mid-November but just pretty quiet on the forums.
I callled your office two months ago and could not reach you. I hope you are having a happy holiday!
Craig Beal
I callled your office two months ago and could not reach you. I hope you are having a happy holiday!
Craig Beal
Dec 23rd, 2009, 05:15 AM
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I am mainly at client sites, though did receive your email, thank you. I thought you were setting the record straight on the forums, though this is not the thread to do it in.....
Guess best to let by gones be just just that. New year and all.
Happy Holidays...
Guess best to let by gones be just just that. New year and all.
Happy Holidays...
Dec 23rd, 2009, 12:39 PM
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There are lots of good specials this year (2010). I'm saving my pennies to go to Zim/Zam (Kafue, Mana Pools and Hwange) this year - we were planning for 2011, but I think the prices will go up then! Thanks for the updates and for the good feedback on Luxury Link - there are some outstanding offerings there right now.
Dec 23rd, 2009, 01:36 PM
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Christabir,
If you want to save some bucks and avoid early wake-ups, the routing is very important. I would start with the Kafue by arriving in Lusaka from Joahnnesburg. Wilderness Safaris is offering free baloon safaris in the Kafue in August through October next year on top of the discounted campe space.
From Kafue, fly to Livingstone and road transfer to Vic Falls. Spend one night at Vic Falls and then you can start your Zimbabwe safari at Little Makalolo. After three nights, charter to Mana Pools for three nights at Ruckomechi. From there, you can charter to Harare and back to Jo'burg commercial air from there.
You could also cross the Zambezi and road transfer back to Lusaka from Lower Zambezi National Park. Then you would fly home from Lusaka. This may save some money versus the charter to Harare.
Craig Beal
If you want to save some bucks and avoid early wake-ups, the routing is very important. I would start with the Kafue by arriving in Lusaka from Joahnnesburg. Wilderness Safaris is offering free baloon safaris in the Kafue in August through October next year on top of the discounted campe space.
From Kafue, fly to Livingstone and road transfer to Vic Falls. Spend one night at Vic Falls and then you can start your Zimbabwe safari at Little Makalolo. After three nights, charter to Mana Pools for three nights at Ruckomechi. From there, you can charter to Harare and back to Jo'burg commercial air from there.
You could also cross the Zambezi and road transfer back to Lusaka from Lower Zambezi National Park. Then you would fly home from Lusaka. This may save some money versus the charter to Harare.
Craig Beal
Dec 23rd, 2009, 01:45 PM
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Craig -
BA flies from LHR to Lusaka so we'd start there. Haven't gotten that far yet to really start the details. BA flies to Harare, too. We are considering the Kafue Rivers and Plains tour (any feedback on that?) and then 6 nights at LM and Ruckomechi. But the pennies are still not piling up fast enough (wasting a few on Christmas and a quick trip to Iceland to see the Northern Lights - really cheap right now). We'll see where our pennines are in March and decide for sure. Want to go to Brazil (the Pantanal), too!!! Can't spend all our vacations in Southern Africa, but these deals are really great...........
BA flies from LHR to Lusaka so we'd start there. Haven't gotten that far yet to really start the details. BA flies to Harare, too. We are considering the Kafue Rivers and Plains tour (any feedback on that?) and then 6 nights at LM and Ruckomechi. But the pennies are still not piling up fast enough (wasting a few on Christmas and a quick trip to Iceland to see the Northern Lights - really cheap right now). We'll see where our pennines are in March and decide for sure. Want to go to Brazil (the Pantanal), too!!! Can't spend all our vacations in Southern Africa, but these deals are really great...........
Dec 23rd, 2009, 02:10 PM
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Sorry Christa - I figured you were coming from the USA! The BA flight into LUN and out of HRE would be perfect.
Matt Bracken (sitting 20 yards away from as I type this) went on this exact trip (Kafue Rivers and Plains) in October 2008. He would love to share his thoughts with you. He also worked for Wilderness Safaris in the Kafue in August-October 2006. The only part he did not enjoy was the flies in October. But, September would be MUCH better.
Matt does not use Fodors anymore. With very little effort you can find his email address through my profile but I can't give it away on a forum because I am a travel agent and he has a commercial email address. That would be soliciting!
Craig Beal
Matt Bracken (sitting 20 yards away from as I type this) went on this exact trip (Kafue Rivers and Plains) in October 2008. He would love to share his thoughts with you. He also worked for Wilderness Safaris in the Kafue in August-October 2006. The only part he did not enjoy was the flies in October. But, September would be MUCH better.
Matt does not use Fodors anymore. With very little effort you can find his email address through my profile but I can't give it away on a forum because I am a travel agent and he has a commercial email address. That would be soliciting!
Craig Beal
Dec 24th, 2009, 01:23 AM
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Christabir- it sounds like you are considering all the same options that I did. I started off looking at the Kafue R&P trip, combined with South Luangwa. Then both Ruckomechi and LM were suggested to me and I ended up with 3 nights at Ruckomechi plus a slightly longer South Luangwa leg than I'd originally intended. Kafue will have to wait for another trip! Have you read rickmck's trip report on Kafue R&P?
Anyway, I thought the R&P trip looked like the best option around for visiting Kafue and would easily combine with Ruckomechi and LM. You can start/finish the R&P trip in either Lusaka or Livingstone, so if you started in Lusaka and finished in Livingstone, you could then road transfer to LM, fly to Ruckomechi, then boat/road transfer back to Lusaka. I'm from the UK also and wouldn't consider going near Harare with that itinerary.
Anyway, I thought the R&P trip looked like the best option around for visiting Kafue and would easily combine with Ruckomechi and LM. You can start/finish the R&P trip in either Lusaka or Livingstone, so if you started in Lusaka and finished in Livingstone, you could then road transfer to LM, fly to Ruckomechi, then boat/road transfer back to Lusaka. I'm from the UK also and wouldn't consider going near Harare with that itinerary.
