Bush Camp Safaris
Mar 7th, 2004, 02:47 PM
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Bush Camp Safaris
Has anyone ever had any experiences (or heard of any) with Bush Camp Safaris in Botswana?
We are looking into a trip with them and wanted to see what kind of feedback people had. Thanks!!
We are looking into a trip with them and wanted to see what kind of feedback people had. Thanks!!
Mar 14th, 2004, 02:10 AM
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abramsdn,
Thought you may be interested in this link giving you about 100 more local Botswanan tour operators!
http://www.safari-portal.com/TourOperators.BW.d.html
Thought you may be interested in this link giving you about 100 more local Botswanan tour operators!
http://www.safari-portal.com/TourOperators.BW.d.html
Mar 14th, 2004, 07:52 AM
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I don't know if Bush Camp Safaris and Bush Camp Company are one and the same. I topped a recent thread where only one person had stayed at Bush Camp Company. I think they look like a nice set up but I've never been to Zambia and don't want to be recommending based on a website. That is not helpful at all, I agree. Liz
Mar 14th, 2004, 09:47 AM
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The Bushcamp Company is a group of game lodges in the South Luangwa that is on the expensive side, and, along with Robin Pope Safaris, is pushed by many American and European tour operators:
http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/
It consists of four different lodges. The four are as follows:
Kuyenda - http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/camp-kuyenda.htm
Chamilandu -
http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/camp-chamilandu.htm
Chindeni -
http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/camp-chindeni.htm
Bilimungwe -
http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/camp-bilimungwe.htm
The Bushcamp Company and Bush Camp Safaris in Botswana are two separate, unrelated entities. I know nothing about Bush Camp Safaris, other than their name appears on a list of local Botswanan tour operators.
Regarding the Bush Camp Company of South Luangwa, while The Bushcamp Company, along with Robin Pope Safaris, look like top notch operations, at the same time they are probably little different from Kafunta and Kaingo in terms of accomodation and gameviewing. However, due to their marketing, they are much more expensive. Both The Bushcamp Company and Robin Pope Safaris have amazing brochures, and I encourage anyone thinking about going to South Luangwa to look at the online brochure of The Bushcamp Company at their website, in order to enjoy the full beauty that the South Luangwa has to offer (Page 23 is my favorite and hopefully I will experience a similar situation without Scared To Death along on the game walk this year).
For an amazing short read, have a look at this link for an awesome little newsletter/report written by the manager of Kuyenda, one of The Bushcamp Company's camps:
http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/ba...xcitements.htm
And here are 60 interesting facts about South Luangwa and African wildlife in general, courtesy of The Bushcamp Company:
http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/did-u-know.htm
The South Luangwa Valley is THE PLACE for walking safaris, yet also first class game drives and some of the most amazing landscapes that you have ever seen (if you want to see the largest Baobab Trees and Termite Mounds you have ever seen, and natural Palm Trees growing all around in some sections, then South Luangwa is the place).
South Luangwa is also famous for its leopard population and is the only place where the Thornycroft Giraffe may be seen. Also, as you will read in the newsletter/report from Kuyenda, wild dogs also exist in the South Luangwa, as well as more hippos than you could ever imagine.
Regarding The Bushcamp Company, while I did not deal with them this year, it was for the very reason that last year the only way to deal with them was through a tour operator. Their prices are unpublished on their website, so it is pretty much open hunting season on the tourists from the tour operators.
The only published price is for an eight night safari at three of their lodges, plus a night at each the beginning and end at Mfuwe Lodge. For this eight night safari, including air from Lusaka, it is $2,640 per person sharing.
On the other hand, for a seven night safari at Kaingo (2), Mwamba (2), Puku Ridge (2) and Chichele Presidential Lodge (1), I am paying about $1,450 per person sharing, although the rack rates would have been double.
I basically get to throw in four nights at Kulefu Tented Camp (Star Of Africa) in the Lower Zambezi National Park, air transfers included, and still have a couple hundred dollars per person leftover for tips, donations, or whatever else for the same price that I would have to pay The Bushcamp Company for their eight night safari.
Lastly thank you LizF for topping this and the other thread. I am reminded why I chose to revisit South Luangwa and chose the lodges that I did. While The Bushcamp Company looks like an excellent operation, I think Star Of Africa (Puku Ridge and Chichele Presidential Lodge) still offers the very best accomodations, and Shenton Safaris (Kaingo and Mwamba) offers an excellent alternative at a fraction of the price to Robin Pope and The Bushcamp Company.
www.star-of-africa.com
www.kaingo.com
And if anybody is still with me, here is the very best and most comprehensive website about South Luangwa that I have come across, courtesy of the Zambian Tourism Board:
http://www.zambiatourism.com/travel/...s/sluangwa.htm
It was a real treat to go through The Bushcamp Company's website to see some of the amazing photographs of South Luangwa and of the walking safaris.
There will be a time and place for Botswana, but thanks to going through the South Luangwa in detail in response to this post, I am rejuvenated and look forward dearly to my upcoming return to the South Luangwa Valley.
http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/
It consists of four different lodges. The four are as follows:
Kuyenda - http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/camp-kuyenda.htm
Chamilandu -
http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/camp-chamilandu.htm
Chindeni -
http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/camp-chindeni.htm
Bilimungwe -
http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/camp-bilimungwe.htm
The Bushcamp Company and Bush Camp Safaris in Botswana are two separate, unrelated entities. I know nothing about Bush Camp Safaris, other than their name appears on a list of local Botswanan tour operators.
Regarding the Bush Camp Company of South Luangwa, while The Bushcamp Company, along with Robin Pope Safaris, look like top notch operations, at the same time they are probably little different from Kafunta and Kaingo in terms of accomodation and gameviewing. However, due to their marketing, they are much more expensive. Both The Bushcamp Company and Robin Pope Safaris have amazing brochures, and I encourage anyone thinking about going to South Luangwa to look at the online brochure of The Bushcamp Company at their website, in order to enjoy the full beauty that the South Luangwa has to offer (Page 23 is my favorite and hopefully I will experience a similar situation without Scared To Death along on the game walk this year).
For an amazing short read, have a look at this link for an awesome little newsletter/report written by the manager of Kuyenda, one of The Bushcamp Company's camps:
http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/ba...xcitements.htm
And here are 60 interesting facts about South Luangwa and African wildlife in general, courtesy of The Bushcamp Company:
http://www.thebushcampcompany.com/did-u-know.htm
The South Luangwa Valley is THE PLACE for walking safaris, yet also first class game drives and some of the most amazing landscapes that you have ever seen (if you want to see the largest Baobab Trees and Termite Mounds you have ever seen, and natural Palm Trees growing all around in some sections, then South Luangwa is the place).
South Luangwa is also famous for its leopard population and is the only place where the Thornycroft Giraffe may be seen. Also, as you will read in the newsletter/report from Kuyenda, wild dogs also exist in the South Luangwa, as well as more hippos than you could ever imagine.
Regarding The Bushcamp Company, while I did not deal with them this year, it was for the very reason that last year the only way to deal with them was through a tour operator. Their prices are unpublished on their website, so it is pretty much open hunting season on the tourists from the tour operators.
The only published price is for an eight night safari at three of their lodges, plus a night at each the beginning and end at Mfuwe Lodge. For this eight night safari, including air from Lusaka, it is $2,640 per person sharing.
On the other hand, for a seven night safari at Kaingo (2), Mwamba (2), Puku Ridge (2) and Chichele Presidential Lodge (1), I am paying about $1,450 per person sharing, although the rack rates would have been double.
I basically get to throw in four nights at Kulefu Tented Camp (Star Of Africa) in the Lower Zambezi National Park, air transfers included, and still have a couple hundred dollars per person leftover for tips, donations, or whatever else for the same price that I would have to pay The Bushcamp Company for their eight night safari.
Lastly thank you LizF for topping this and the other thread. I am reminded why I chose to revisit South Luangwa and chose the lodges that I did. While The Bushcamp Company looks like an excellent operation, I think Star Of Africa (Puku Ridge and Chichele Presidential Lodge) still offers the very best accomodations, and Shenton Safaris (Kaingo and Mwamba) offers an excellent alternative at a fraction of the price to Robin Pope and The Bushcamp Company.
www.star-of-africa.com
www.kaingo.com
And if anybody is still with me, here is the very best and most comprehensive website about South Luangwa that I have come across, courtesy of the Zambian Tourism Board:
http://www.zambiatourism.com/travel/...s/sluangwa.htm
It was a real treat to go through The Bushcamp Company's website to see some of the amazing photographs of South Luangwa and of the walking safaris.
There will be a time and place for Botswana, but thanks to going through the South Luangwa in detail in response to this post, I am rejuvenated and look forward dearly to my upcoming return to the South Luangwa Valley.
