amycyma

hi all
i am being offered a free upgrade from Sauvuti to Kings Pool for 3 nights.
has anyone ever been to both and can offer an opinion??
or how about anyone who has been to either, tell me what you liked about them.
thanks
Amy

amycyma

just forgot to mention, the only ting i care about is game viewing not the type of accommodation
amy

atravelynn

Until someone who has stayed at one or both chimes in, I've stayed at Duma Tau near both of them but not at Savuti or Kings Pool.

Glad to see you are spending 3 nights, whichever.

I asked an insect exterminator who works for Botswana safari camps what his favorte camps were since he see them all. He had two favorites and Savuti was one of them. It has a "woodpile" where you can watch elephants so I'd check if your time of travel is peak ele time in Savuti or in Linyanti. With the areas being so close geographically, it may be hard to answer that question.

Kings Pool is the 6-paw or premier camp vs. the classic 5-paw of Savuti, so the whole expereince will be fancier at Kings Pool, even though that is not an issue for you.

One thing I recall from my upgrade to a 6-paw is that at that level they will make you a CD of all your photos so you have a backup. I think there was a small charge. That happened to be valuable for me due to a strange set of circumstances.

The photos I've seen taken from the hides at Kings Pool are remarkable, especially the elephants. So again if at the time you are traveling, the eles are there in the largest numbers, I'd take the upgrade.

Since I've never been to either, I'd base it all on guessing where the elephants will be and I'd stay where the elephants are thought to be.

safaridude

I stayed at Kings Pool and was lucky enough to drive very far down to the Savuti area once (but did not reach camp). Kings Pool overlooks the Linyanti swamp on one side and the interior mixed woodland/mopane woodland on the other side. The Savuti area is in the middle of the woodland, although as the Savuti channel has begun to flow again, it may look very different now.

From a game viewing perspective, it's really splitting hairs. Both areas regularly produce sightings of all the big cats and wild dogs; more elephants than you really need (especially during the dry season); and a chance at seeing sable and roan (again, the dry season). I would say because of the swamp, you have a better chance of seeing hippos, crocs, and possibly sitatunga at Kings Pool.

amycyma

thanks Lynn and safaridude
let me be more specific about my trip
i am going to be in Botswana from the end of may till early june
specifically in that area early June
the other camps i am going to are chitabe lediba, Kwetsani, and Camp Kalahari.
so which will offer a better chance of seeming animals i have not had extensive sightings before-
and i originally chose Savuti because of the hide, but the info on Kings Pool notes that there are 2 hides, one at water level(underground) and one is near a water area.

if it comes down to splitting hairs, maybe i can get some other deal from them, hey i asked for mombo, but doubt that there is any room, and if they have cancellations, there is probably a wait list for those willing to pay their prices.
thanks for the input
amy

napamatt_2

Amy

I've stayed at Savuti, Duma Tau and Kings Pool twice.

Best accomodations are at Kings Pool, though Savuti's upgrade puts it very close.

There is no longer a woodpile hide at Savuti, my TA just got back from there and says he was catching fish from the deck. The techtonic plate movement believed to be responsible for the drying up of the channel in the early 80's (see "The Disappearing River" by the Joubert's) has now reversed itself apparently and the channel flows well to the east of Savuti camp. Right now there is no vegetation next to the river, so amazing shots of all kinds of animals crossing the water can be seen. In June the water will have dropped some, but there will still be some around.

Kings Pool in June may still be too close to the wet season for the game to be appearing from the mopane, so though I like the camp, I don't think it would be on my choice of destinations for my next Bots trip.

I would take Savuti in a heartbeat unless offered Mombo. IMO a June upgrade to KP is no upgrade at all. I'd be inclined to ask your TA about the effect of all the new water in Bots and just how Savuti has totally changed. If they can't answer beyond what's in the brochure come back with more questions.

mgts

Amy
IMO I would look at the type of luxury you want. Game viwing is really the luck of the draw.
Most important is that you are in Africa.

napamatt_2

Mgts

I tend to agree, but there are definitely camps in Botswana where your chances of a good game experience are significantly greater depending on when you visit, and Kings Pool is one of them.

BTW, the woodpile hide is now an island in the river. But I believe Savuti have a new hide similar to the set up at Kings Pool.

amycyma

napamatt
you are THE person i was waiting for.
but i am a bit confused i think by your last post- are you responding to mgts or to me?

i think you are saying STAY with Savuti, rather than upgrade to Kings Pool (I really don't care at all about luxury)
then i think i should try to get something ELSE from my TO.
i truly appreciate everyones responses
amy

safarichuck

Allthough we normally try and visit different camps each time we viist Botswana, we will be returning to Savuti for the third time in less than two years this May. I have never been disappointed and I would urge you to visit because now that the Savuti ecosystem is in transition, the game viewing is even more exciting. Go to the Wilderness website and read the camp news from Savuti to see what I mean.
Cheers-Chuck

napamatt_2

Amy

Yes stick with Savuti, it's maybe the best option in Botswana right now. Check out the accomodation pictures for Savuti and you won't be disappointed.

http://www.eyesonafrica.net/african-...-camp-imgs.htm

Also the first image shows the old dry channel, imagine that covered in water.

Matt

amycyma

Matt and all
many thanks for the info and the website.
i will stick with Savuti. It was my gut feeling from the beginning that i liked this camp, so why let them tempt me with things i don't care about just to feel that i am getting "a deal".
I was told Mombo is not an upgrade possibility ( not at all surprised). I will still see if i can get some other options or a discount instead.
amy