Chiefs camp in September
 

We love to go on safari in the dry season so far we have been several times in south africa and are now planning Botswana for 2008. I have read contradictory info for Chiefs camp for the beginning of September: some say it is just perfect others say: too much wate and no value for money in that period. What do the fodorites think? Thanks! Ivee

If wildlife is your priority I wouldn't go to Chief's camp these days for the following reasons:

- overpriced;
- emphasis is too much on the camp itself;
- early September can be too early to go;
- game drives start quite late in the morning so you lose a lot of good light.

If you want to see the different predators, there are better places in Botswana.

Till early 2005 it used to be the best deal in Botswana in the green season but since then lots of things changed (for the worse).


Johan

Yes, and they have internet in camp - Totally against what one goes to Botswana for!

I agree with Skimmer and HariS.
Thomas

thank you!

Skimmer

what are the places you recommend for beginning/first half of september?

Hari

I fully agree internet is a reason for me NOT to go.

Open to any suggestions for some high quality but not over the top addresses!

ivee,

Do you have any criteria for your trip? i.e., photography or specific interests etc etc?

Hari

we love all animals but are less interested in birds. Photography: yes but also just the pleasure of the sighting (we made too many photos on our past trip in SA already!!!)

linyanti area: Lagoon/lebala/Duma Tau/Savute

Delta:Chitabe/DubaPlains/Kwara/Little Vumbura.

Hari

we are still planning our safari (the planning was interrupted because of work uncertainties but now we are sure to go) in the meantime camps are rather full of course for this period, we are now working on 3 times 3 nights in one of the two combinations. What do you think?? Thank you!!

1) Selinda, Little Kwara and Nxabega

2) Lebala Little Kwara and Nxabega

Alternatives being considered for availability reasons: Chitabe and Duma Tau

Period between 2 and 11 september 2008.

Ivee

Dear Ivee

I am amazed to hear what these people have had to say about Chiefs, are you sure you do not all work for Wilderness or Kwando?

The game viewing at Chiefs is proberbly the best in Botswana, as Chiefs and Mombo are the only two lodges on that concession and Mombo is known to have the BEST game viewing, how can anyone say that Chiefs will have bad game viewing. People need to give a little bit of an unbiast answer. I was in fact at Chiefs in September, the camp and new tents are outstanding, I do understand it is hidiously expensive, but no more so than Mombo which now only Richard Branson can afford!! The camps you are suggesting are great, but so is Stanelys and Baines which are not as expensive and the elephant interaction activity at Stanleys is wonderful, each camp has its own beauty and depending on your budget take all the points into consideration. I must be honest they are suggesting a whole trip with Wilderness I would suggest you break it as their camps all look similar to me, so mix it up amongst all the operators there

Doogle,

Speaking for myself, i don't belong to the travel trade in any shape or form (nor do i have any desire to get into it!). Don't work for any of the operators, either!!!

Now, perhaps you could make a short report of your sightings with pictures from your stay at these fabulous camps for the benefit of the forums??? that would be highly considerate of you .....

Elephant interaction??? hope you enjoyed it!!!

How do you put pictures and things on here, as I will be happy to do that for you.

the elephant interaction was outstanding it is not the same as the one in Victoria Falls where they really are like well trined elephants and you can ride on them, which I did not do as I felt so sorry for the ellies it was like inhabiting their world and learning about them at close range which was really nice to understand them a little better!

Doogle,

Kodakgallery is the easiest and most widely used mode of uploading pics over on this site.

www.kodakgallery.com create an account and upload.
It gives you easy directions to use it.

Doogle,

Here is a thread that gets into the how-to's of Kodak. Though it is entitled "for dummies" no insult is intended.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35071333

Internet or not, Chiefs Camp is a tremendous experience, especially when complemented with a visit to Baines Camp (both being Sanctuary Lodges properties).

While I am sure September would be great, I had a fabulous time there last November (and this does offer much discounted shoulder season pricing).

Here are some photos I captured while spending 5 days split between Chiefs and Baines Camp. May as well include my week split between Kwando's Lebala/Little Kwara/Lagoon camps, as well, during the same trip. Both Sanctuary and Kwando proved to be top notch, Sanctuary catering to the more luxury category and Kwando, more than nice enough, but with its focus firmly on the gameviewing. In closing, before someone else says it, I disclose that I may be considered in "the industry" but my photos do not lie.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/rocco/main/chiefs_camp

http://www.kodakgallery.com/rocco/main/baines_camp

http://www.kodakgallery.com/rocco/main/lebala

http://www.kodakgallery.com/rocco/ma...yanti_bushcamp

(Seems that I did not get to a Kodak Gallery album for Little Kwara and Lagoon, but both were fantastic...I did include one for Linyanti Bushcamp, an African Bushcamps property, which I found to be very charming with excellent hosting, delicious food, impeccable guiding and beautiful landscapes).

No offece taken I proberbly do need Kodak for dummies, I will go and upload my myriad of pics, i have enough of them!

I will be trying that thread too, asI never seemed to do it rightly. But concerning photos , perhaps this is a ridiculous question, but if you have a really spectacular photo that could be used by a magazine or so, do you have to protect your photo by a copywright?
Out of all the hundreds of photos we made there is one (only one, I dont want to sound it like boasting - and it is not because I am such a great photographer it was just the situation) of which everybody has said :it has to be published? Is such a thing worthwile? Ivee

Talking about these Sanctuary Camps, why do I see so little mention here of Stanley's? Is that considered far inferior to Baines? Just curious since I spent two nights there (Stanley's) last month and had a good experience.

What is the "insider" take on Stanley's as opposed to Chief's and Baines?

ivee,

Legally, your photograph is automatically protected by copyright. You don't have to take any special steps to gain that protection. You took the photo; it is legally your property. If displaying the photo on the internet, it's probably wise to put a copyright watermark on it, but it's still possible for somebody who wants it badly enough to steal it. I don't bother with watermarks but my wife does.

There's not much commercial value in low resolution web images. People can steal them for re-use on the web or to make small reproductions, but for decent quality reproduction (glossy magazine or brochure), the original pic should be at least 6 megapixels and 3000 pixels or more on the longest side. The bigger, the better. That's what my stock library tells me, anyway, so if I gave them anything smaller they would politely tell me to stop wasting their time.

John

"There's not much commercial value in low resolution web images..."

Serious companies certainly will contact you if they are interested in one of your pictures. The problem are all those travel outfits and sites who don't want to spend too much money into the development of their own websites.

I was quite surprised one day when I found one of my pictures on the website of some of the better outfitters in Nairobi... and this didn't happen only once.

Yes, your pictures are legally protected, but ask your lawyer how much it will cost to enforce this legal right in a foreign country...