Best in Botswana
Feb 8th, 2004, 03:01 PM
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Best in Botswana
I am travelling to Botswana in July for the first time and have been told that Mombo and Jao are best but both are fully booked. Any other suggestions? Any experience with Duma Tau Camp?
Feb 8th, 2004, 03:35 PM
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We were in Botswana last september. First at Kwara camp in the delta and then at Kings pool. We finished our safaris at Singita in South Africa. My favorite was the least expensive of the three,that being Kwara Kamp in the delta. I would/will go back there in a heartbeat. Our guide was Obie a tremendous person and friend. Hope you have a good experiance in Botswana.
Feb 8th, 2004, 06:39 PM
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B_Eames,
Can you please share a little more about Kwara. In the event that I decide to go to Botswana instead of Tanzania or Zambia, I am strongly considering staying at Kwando's camps, at least at Kwando Kwara and Kwando Lagoon. Although a couple tour operators have not been too high about Kwando, I met others while on safari that raved about Kwando.
How was the game-viewing compared to Singita and King's Pool? I've been to Singita and had excellent game viewing and, of course, the food and service was also first-notch. Would I return and spend nearly $2,000 USD per night for a room...not even with someone else's money!
How hard was it to get to Kwando and then onto King's Pool? How many nights did you stay at Kwara and King's Pool? Was it an air transfer between the two camps and, if so, what company performed the transfers?
Did you book directly with the lodges or what tour operator did you deal with?
Thanks.
Can you please share a little more about Kwara. In the event that I decide to go to Botswana instead of Tanzania or Zambia, I am strongly considering staying at Kwando's camps, at least at Kwando Kwara and Kwando Lagoon. Although a couple tour operators have not been too high about Kwando, I met others while on safari that raved about Kwando.
How was the game-viewing compared to Singita and King's Pool? I've been to Singita and had excellent game viewing and, of course, the food and service was also first-notch. Would I return and spend nearly $2,000 USD per night for a room...not even with someone else's money!
How hard was it to get to Kwando and then onto King's Pool? How many nights did you stay at Kwara and King's Pool? Was it an air transfer between the two camps and, if so, what company performed the transfers?
Did you book directly with the lodges or what tour operator did you deal with?
Thanks.
Feb 8th, 2004, 07:32 PM
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hi ritzyt,
i have been to several of the wilderness camps in botswana. if i were you i would book duba plains, vumbura and duma tau. mombo is the best but if you cant go there these 3 are very good choices. the eco systems are very different as is the wildlife. duba plains will be all about the lions. theie are 3 prides within the camps driving range and they hunt the buffalo during the day so the action is great. vumbura has great general game (lions, cheetah, leopards, sable etc) and duma tau will have the huge elephant herds in july as well as possibly wild dogs. i was just in botswana and they had a pack of 20 at kings pool which is right next to dumatau and so should have a good chance to see them. jao i heard was very nice comfort wise but the wildlife isn't very dense in the area. hope this helps.
i have been to several of the wilderness camps in botswana. if i were you i would book duba plains, vumbura and duma tau. mombo is the best but if you cant go there these 3 are very good choices. the eco systems are very different as is the wildlife. duba plains will be all about the lions. theie are 3 prides within the camps driving range and they hunt the buffalo during the day so the action is great. vumbura has great general game (lions, cheetah, leopards, sable etc) and duma tau will have the huge elephant herds in july as well as possibly wild dogs. i was just in botswana and they had a pack of 20 at kings pool which is right next to dumatau and so should have a good chance to see them. jao i heard was very nice comfort wise but the wildlife isn't very dense in the area. hope this helps.
Feb 8th, 2004, 08:18 PM
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I second the recommendations about Vumbura-- diverse, fabulous wildlife in a beautiful area. And the advantage of offering both water and land activities (including night drives) in the Delta. (Mombo is land only and doesn't offer night drives) I'm hoping Duma Tau is as good as the other post-ers say...I'm going there this year. But it is in the dry Savuti/Linyanti area-- not in the Delta. Duba Plains should be another good delta choice... but the truth is, you pretty much can't go wrong with a WS camp.
For another upscale adventure in Botswana, you might want to add 3 nights at Jack's Camp (a desert camp...not for wildlife watching, but for the wilderness experience).
For another upscale adventure in Botswana, you might want to add 3 nights at Jack's Camp (a desert camp...not for wildlife watching, but for the wilderness experience).
Feb 9th, 2004, 02:14 AM
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ritzyt,
On my first trip to Africa, I was like your husband...not wanting to consider anywhere but the best. I ended up staying at Singita in the Sabi Sand, South Africa, and loved it.
However, with my hopeful third trip in the last three years approaching, I have found that more expensive does not always mean better. I now have a much more open mind and hnow that there are places out there where an excellent time can be had for half the price of neighboring lodges. Also, the last thing I want now, unlike then, is to have a more European/white South African experience than a more genuine African experience.
For Botswana, you may want to also consider Kwando (www.kwando.com). I just received a quote that includes round trip air from Johannesburg and my air and road transfers between three different camps. For nine nights, with three nights at Songwe Village in Victoria Falls, three nights at Kwando Lagoon and three nights at Kwando Kwara in the Okavango Delta, I received an excellent price of about $3,250 per person from www.safariplans.co.za. That is $500 per person less that I received from another operator, so if you shop around for whatever itinerary you ultimately decide upon, you are sure to save a significant amount.
Just have a look at www.kwando.com and let me know if you do not immediately fall in love.
On my first trip to Africa, I was like your husband...not wanting to consider anywhere but the best. I ended up staying at Singita in the Sabi Sand, South Africa, and loved it.
However, with my hopeful third trip in the last three years approaching, I have found that more expensive does not always mean better. I now have a much more open mind and hnow that there are places out there where an excellent time can be had for half the price of neighboring lodges. Also, the last thing I want now, unlike then, is to have a more European/white South African experience than a more genuine African experience.
For Botswana, you may want to also consider Kwando (www.kwando.com). I just received a quote that includes round trip air from Johannesburg and my air and road transfers between three different camps. For nine nights, with three nights at Songwe Village in Victoria Falls, three nights at Kwando Lagoon and three nights at Kwando Kwara in the Okavango Delta, I received an excellent price of about $3,250 per person from www.safariplans.co.za. That is $500 per person less that I received from another operator, so if you shop around for whatever itinerary you ultimately decide upon, you are sure to save a significant amount.
Just have a look at www.kwando.com and let me know if you do not immediately fall in love.
Feb 9th, 2004, 02:22 AM
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Hi Ritzy
We did indeed love Little Mombo when we visited but also had a wonderful experience at Little Vumbura.
I think it would be fair to say that if you choose a selection of Wilderness Safari camps that give you a good variety of environments (water, plain, bush) and experiences (drives, walks, mokoro trips) that you won't be disappointed.
Accommodation is comfortable in all though certainly only Mombo, Jao and Kings Pool offer the larger and more luxurious suites.
I've also heard good things about Kwando and I have seen more than one documentary series visit their camps and they looks perfectly nice with similar activities to those I experienced in the WS camps. The accommodation looks similar too.
I have also recently watched a documentary series by someone called Wayne Crawford - it's called On The Loose In Wildest Africa and gives an insight into a number of camps - each episode covers just one camp.
Best of luck with your choices!
Kavey
We did indeed love Little Mombo when we visited but also had a wonderful experience at Little Vumbura.
I think it would be fair to say that if you choose a selection of Wilderness Safari camps that give you a good variety of environments (water, plain, bush) and experiences (drives, walks, mokoro trips) that you won't be disappointed.
Accommodation is comfortable in all though certainly only Mombo, Jao and Kings Pool offer the larger and more luxurious suites.
I've also heard good things about Kwando and I have seen more than one documentary series visit their camps and they looks perfectly nice with similar activities to those I experienced in the WS camps. The accommodation looks similar too.
I have also recently watched a documentary series by someone called Wayne Crawford - it's called On The Loose In Wildest Africa and gives an insight into a number of camps - each episode covers just one camp.
Best of luck with your choices!
Kavey
