I am off on my first safari this Sunday and VERY excited to visit the Okavango Delta! My itinerary is:
DC to Jburg 5/10 (arrive 5/11)
Overnight Jburg, then fly to Maun, on to Sandibe 5/12
4 nights Sandibe
2 nights Baines Camp including Elephant encounter
2 nights Mapula
Back to Jburg, with a visit to the DeWildt Cheetah Sanctuary 5/21
Fly back to DC 5/21 arrive 6AM 5/22
Bill Given at the Wild Source has been tremendously helpful, informative and supportive in arranging this adventure. Since there is a lot of water in the northern areas, he arranged a backup plan of going to Savuti if Mapula is flooded, but last reports were that it should be OK.
Any last minute words of advice? I have updated my shots, have the right meds prescribed, am ready with lots of memory cards, batteries, binoculars, hat, clothes, sundries etc. etc.
I will be sure to post a complete trip report upon return. Thanks to the Fodors folks who responded to my early wide ranging questions to help me narrow down the huge array of options and especially to Bill.
Rich

Have a great time!

I'm green with envy! ( After all being green is politically correct these days).
I'm looking forward to hearing all about it.

Enjoy your trip!

Have a great trip! I'm looking forward to hearing about the elephant encounter at Baines Camp, and what you think of the Wild Source as a tour planner. Bill's contribution to this board has been really great (where's he been lately, by the way?).

Botswana is on my dream list. Someday, I hope to have a trip like yours. Enjoy every minute!

Have a wonderful time, Rich. Though, I'm sure you will.
Botswana is a remarkable place.
Be sure and take some good sunscreen...you'll definitely need it.

MDK...Bill is still around but pretty busy these days. He had a couple of weddings to attend and then is off to Tanzania sometime this month (leading a group).

I just got back from Botswana a couple of weeks ago, and it was amazing. We did two nights at Mapula as well, and had our best wildlife sitings there. The floods were getting big, but they were crossing their fingers that things would remain okay. I hope so! We really enjoyed it. Have a wonderful time, looking forward to the trip report.

Wonderful! You will LOVE Baines and your 4 night Sandibe stay!
Happy travel and safe trip!

SV

Have a fabulous trip, I'm green with envy.
And please say hi to Charlotte and Shakespeare the cheetahs at De Wildt, they are just gorgeous!

Enjoy
15 days till I depart to Botswana for my first safari!!
so hope we both have wonderful trips, and post those trip reports soon!!!

amy