WildDogs

This is to help anyone who is considering a 15 day self-drive camping and lodge trip. We spent more because we stayed in lodges when we had also paid for the camping vehicle. I know it is high as Safari Drive subcontract to Karibu Safaris in Botswana who are the 'on the ground' back up people, so they'll charge a mark-up. I am certain there are cheaper ways to do it but the purpose of this is to give others considering something similar an indication.

1) For 2 people for 14 days sharing:

• Airport transfers
• Flights (British Airways and Air Botswana)
• Taxes
• Meals and drinks in lodges which were all fully-inclusive
• All accommodation including lodges and campsites (the campsites fees were P60 per night, total came to P600 which is £48 which is about $US 100).
• All activities at lodges
• A fully equipped Land Rover
• Loss damage waiver insurance
• LDW insurance
• A ‘starter’ kit of basic foods
• Daily itinerary, maps and detailed trip manual.
• Reservations including for DWNP campsites.
• In-country backup in event of breakdown etc.
• Approx.100 litres of fuel (long range diesel tanks)
• Extra fuel can (full)

Total per person £3341($US 6723)
Total £6682 ($US 13447)

Plus

2) Botswana National Park entrance fees: Botswana - P120 per person per day = P240 per couple
Vehicle entrance fees: Botswana - P10 per day (Botswana registered vehicles)
Vehicle entrance fees: Botswana - P50 per day (Foreign registered vehicles)
Total P2750 = £220 ($US 442)

3) Spending money:
Fuel and food
Travel insurance
All meals at campsites
X 3 boat trips into the Delta and on the Chobe
Souvenirs
Total per person £500 ($US 1006)
Total £1000 ($US 2012)

Total trip: £4000 ($US 8050) per person = £8000 ($US 16100)

luangwablondes

WildDogs
Have you seen scubatv's postings?
Botswana Self Drive Cost Breakdown and
BOTSWANA SELF DRIVE CAMPING TRIP JOHANNESBURG TO THIRD BRIDGE CAMP SITE, MOREMI WILDLIFE RESERVE?

WildDogs

Hi - no I had not, its dated back in 2006 and I hadn't looked that far back -they're good aren't they? V informative. Makes me feel a bit better as well as his costs don't include lodges on top of the camping (which is what we did) so it helps to provide a good benchmark to people who are considering different options. All the best, WD

HariS

pardon my ignorant question, but, what do you mean by "stayed at lodges" and then mention all the camping gear? what lodges are you referring to?

Patty

I think it would be more helpful if you separated the flight costs and as Hari mentioned listed the number of nights camping vs number of nights in lodges and which lodges.

It actually looks quite expensive to me, but I don't know how much of that is your air cost.

lifelist

Hari - you might want to check out WildDogs blog/trip report - they list when/what lodges they stayed at. I think you might be able to find a link to the report somewhere...

HariS

Thanks for mentioning that.....yes, there were a 100 links or so my apologies......i guess i better read properly (i skimmed thru it) before asking questions.....

canadian_robin

Hello WildDogs! I loved your trip report - so helpful! My husband and I have just booked a trip to Botswana in August 2008 with Safari Drive. It was very reassuring to find someone who has traveled with them and had a positive experience (on the whole). Our itinerary is actually very similar to yours - Motsentsela, 3 nights Nxai Pan, 3 nights xakanaxa campsite, 2 nights north gate campsite, 2 nights savuti campsite, two nights Ihaha and then 2 nights on the Ichobezi houseboat on the Chobe - recommended in the Bradt Guide. I wish I had seen your report before we booked - I would have added a night at one of the luxury camps (either Xakanaxa or Savuti) if I had - sounds like a hot shower may hold certain appeal half way through the trip - I just couldn't figure out how we would keep our food supply cold for the night or two that we would be at the lodge - now I know - thanks to your report - although you don't seem to have had much luck with your battery recharging system!! A couple of questions if I may - I notice in one of your pictures that Ed is cooking over a one burner stove (with the blue propane tank) and yet it is not mentioned in your supply list. Did you rent that separately? Also, you mention that you bought an extra jerry can of gasoline - did you use it in the end? Did you have an email address where I could direct a few more questions? Many thanks! Robin

amolkarnik

I am not WildDogs and I dont wish to take the spotlight away from her, but I have done the same trip using the very same vehicle.

The blue propane tank is supplied with the vehicle and comes in handy to prepare a quick meal or tea/coffee. We were supplied a tank full of diesel and the Landrover had 2 steel containers on the roof, albeit empty. We filled them up at our cost and had to use the lot (40 odd litres) just after we left Savuti. I think its worthwhile carrying the extra diesel as game drives do take up lots of fuel and there is absolutely nowhere to buy diesel between Maun and Kasane.

luangwablondes

canadian_robin
For your trip, you should be able pick up firewood as you go along. I used to carry propane, but now it is just firestarter cubes and firewood. Cuts down weight and space used. I learned not to carry a lot of unnecessary stuff. The only time it was a bit inconvienent was at tea time. Most hire companies include the tank though.

For your trip, if you have long range tanks and have rented a diesel instead of petrol, that should be enough fuel. Diesel has superior fuel consuption and great low end torque for driving through deep sand. You can always request a couple extra jerry cans.

Get yourself a map capable Garmin gps, order the digital maps off www.Tracks4Africa.com. They are cheap, and you can download to your pc and plan the whole trip. The T4A maps are the best on the market for this particular trip. Has all the tracks you will want to go gameviewing on, campsites, places for supplies and fuel, your other accomodations,and more.

WildDogs

Hello Canadian Robin, that's terrific, thank you. Everyone here has got loads of experience, luangwablondes in particular helped me with my trip planning, so any questions you've got can go up here no problem and you'll benefit more by getting a collective response and more than just my thoughts(remember, I'm a Moonraker, not an Expert) and by sharing them in this forum they'll help other people as well - no one will mind and there's no such thing as a daft question. Otherwise I think my email address is on the back of the trip report document. amolkarnik is right, and yes they did supply it (their supplies were more comprehensive than the list!) - I think in the end we did end up using some of that final can of fuel but by no means all, but more than anything it gave us peace of mind. I'm dead excited for you. All the best, WD

canadian_robin

Thank you amolkarnik, luangwablondes and WD for your replies - so helpful. I am very thankful that I have discovered this forum through WildDogs trip report. Sorry - didn't mean to offend anyone by suggesting that only WildDogs could answer my questions - was just a bit shy about posting my "daft" questions on this public forum. Thanks for the gps tip - fortunatley my husband uses a gps for work (he is a bilogy professor) but I will direct him to the website.
Not sure if the vehicle that Safari Drive supplies is diesel or not. So they supply the blue propane tank and there is a burner that attaches to it? We do plan to collect firewood as we go but I am looking forward to having the burner so that we may prepare a quick cup of tea in the morning. According to Bradt you can't bring firewood into the parks - is this true? I know WDs mention buying wood and taking it into the Moremi. Did any of you see my question posted separately about the veterinary fences? So many questions.....

luangwablondes

canadian_robin

its Ok to ask daft questions. Others learn and can enjoy them too. Like to answer yours. Why would anyone bring wood to a forest? Also, I think I read the reason has to do with something about importing insects or plants or ???? not indigienous(sp) to the area.

The vet fences are there to stop introduction of hoof and mouth to places further south. With Zimbabwe running out of money, Generally,they are no longer treating for the disease and many others. Cattle is of major importance to Botswana. Their economy is not well diversified as South Africa or perhaps your country. Admittedly they go overboard, but to pick and choose what products are safe and not is a bit much, so they got it nailed to which animals mostly. I don't drink that milk, so I never paid any attention to it. But you can buy it in the major towns, so plan your meals and just empty the cooler by the time you make the move from Kasane. There is a vet fence on the way south very close to Kasane on the way to Nata. So hopefully you have Nxai Pan scheduled at the beginning of the safari, then on the Moremi, Savute, and Chobe.

Frig/freezer problems are not as common as it may seem. Mostly the real problems are keeping it cold because of constant opening and closing of the thing. So plan what you need, open it quickly and close it. Set on the lowest temp when driving, and when parked at the end of the day, turn up to just below 0 degree C., The rest of the world is not using F. I've traveled up and down Southern and Eastern Africa. Once I got used to the concept, my food stayed frozen and I had a plan for beer and soda.

amolkarnik

Another think canadian_robin - You'll find Safari Drive advising you to turn the freezer off at night to avoid draining the battery and thats a valid concern. However, we found that our steaks had thawed from turning the freezer off at night. We used to leave it on all night and the battery wasnt affected. I certainly didnt want to be eating meat that had thawed once.

We had to throw out some meat on our way to Ihaha from Savuti, but I dont recall such a check on our way from Kasane to Nata. Perhaps we just got lucky.

canadian_robin

Thanks for the info - I am sure I would have followed the advice and turned off the freezer - I certainly don't want to be eating meat that is constantly being thawed and frozen.

canadian_robin

Luangwablondes - I did reply to your message about the wood, but my answer doen't seem to have been posted. I am still new to this forum so I must have sent it to goodness knows where! My apologies!

The reason that I thought we would have to bring wood into Moremi and Chobe is because I am used to the national parks here in Canada, where removing any wood from the forests - to burn or for any other purpose - is strictly prohibited. Campers are subject to huge fines if they collect and burn wood in a national park. You either bring your own wood or buy some at the park gates. Even finding a stick on which to roast a marshmellow is a no no! Robin

luangwablondes

canadian_robin
I understand 100% what you are saying. I'm from the states. Same problem. Environmentalists screwed us. We pay to clear the forests of dry wood by the millions of dollars each year, but can't use a stick of it ourselves. Don't want to put the firefighters out of a job, do we?

In Africa, there are some great hard woods to burn. In Bots, mopane has lots of stored energy and is lying all over on the ground, courtesy of all the ellies. You can find what you need and not use an axe, if you aren't too particular. Burns a long time and makes great coals to cook with. Hence the fire starter cubes or logs. Collect a bit too much the 1st night, and then you figure out what you need everyday. You can just leave what you don't use at the campsite for the next group and pick up more later in the PM. There seems always be someone who needs more or is too lazy to get their own.

A word of caution. Snakes and scorpions are once in a blue moon found under these pieces of wood. So be careful. I never had a real problem, but I've heard stories.

canadian_robin

So ...Amolkarnik or Lungwablondes (Hi neighbour - I didn't realize you were from the States - you seem to be such an expert on everything Africa, I assumed you were from there - silly me!)....we will be cooking over a tank (the blue one) of diesel as opposed to propane? Do they supply the burner that fits on top of the tank? Does it just screw on?

luangwablondes

The blue bottles are usually by the SA manufacturer Cadac. www.cadac.co.za It's LP gas and has the attachments you are familiar with at home. For your safari, the screw on burner should be included, but that is why you ask for detail on what is included in your kitted out vehicle from the rental company. You may want to request something extra, like jerry cans.

canadian_robin

Thanks! I will have a look at the cadac website and ask Safari Drive if the burner is included. Robin