santharamhari

Folks,

My 2006 safari to Kwando and Phinda seems soooooooo far away(mid August)!!! Although, i am enjoying all the trip reports and pics here on fodors.......i feel the urge to do more safari planning....

Ok......my question is, is it logical to plan your next safari prior to doing your current one? or is it being obsessive? Jeez, ok.....let me get some help from you guys....i can't go anytime in April and i can't go Sept (12-20) next year........April is a vacation (which means i have to work hard in May)

My options/desires would include from this list.......in no particular order:
1.) Zambia- Kafue/South Luangwa
2.) Botswana- Selinda/chitabe/Lebala (i know Lebala doesnt combine well with the other two, but is my single fav camp in Africa!!!)
3.) Something that combines well with Londolozi (outside South Africa, though!!!)
4.) Southern Tanzania

Having listed these options.....End Sept/early October seems ideal for most of those locations?

Thanks
Hari

cary999

Well, after our safari September 2005, I waited until the first of November to seriously plan another for Sept 2006. The booking/reservation for all three safari camps I wanted was already very tight and although I got all three, they are not in the order I wanted. So as it turns out, our first camp will be MalaMala. However, now this seems to be a great opportunity to fly into Joburg then a leisurely DRIVE to Kruger, spend a 2-3 days in Kruger then DRIVE to MalaMala. Flying from then on. Comments anyone?
Oh, so, yeah, seems many safari camps are half reserved a year in advance. I may start planning our 2007 safari before we leave in 2006. Although tough to consider the last safari experiences when you haven't done it yet!!! Or, at least immediately (first of October) when we get back.
regards - tom

Lillipets

I think that planning the next safari before the leaving for the current one is perfectly sane! I'm going to Botswana this August(10 day mobile tent safari)and am already thinking about Mashatu in Botswana and Zambia for next year.
It's the best cure for the "withdrawal" I know I will have when I get home!
Lily

africnow

I don't think it is logical at all!
The only reason I am doing it is because I can't not do it

I am also travelling this summer and already planning next year's trip. Partly because I have a specific priority list and partly because the lodges do tend to get filled up early on - - at least that is what I am telling myself.

Go ahead, indulge yourself and plan away!!

bat

I am with africnow, what's logic got to do with it?

Roccco

Hari,

It makes perfect sense to plan your next safari now...will anything else bring you more peace than booking your next safari??? Didn't think so.

If any of your next safari is in South Africa, now is an ideal time to book, as the Rand is at 6.73 to $1...I realize that you are in India, but if the Rand has weakened against the dollar than probably it has also weakened against the Rupee. What this means to Americans is that someone who books now, as opposed to a couple months ago when the Rand was at R6.0/$1, it is a 12% savings...that could potentially be thousands of dollars in savings.

Also, for Zambia, it is really getting extremely popular and there are not really any new camps or lodges, so it would be wise to book far ahead to guarantee your desired dates. As you mentioned, Sept/Oct would be a great time to visit Zambia, whether South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi, Kafue, North Luangwa or elsewhere.

Good luck with your planning!

thit_cho

Since I usually try to use frequent flyer miles for my trips to Africa, I am constantly in the planning stages. I leave for my next safari in four weeks (leaving NY on June 28), but I am thinking about next year's trip (Gabon is on the top of my list -- they have classified 10% of their land as national parks, and its a great place for lowland gorillas and mandrills, but I'm also thinking about Kafue combined with eastern Angola or southern Tanzania (Mahale or Gombe, Katavi and Selous). I generally try to get to new countries or parks, and I have been to most of the major parks. But nothing wrong with early planning....

Michael

luangwablondes

Rocco
You're falling behind. There are all kinds of new lodges and camps- 2 in North Luangwa opening in the next few months. South Luangwa has several more.

jasher

Hello,

Why not? Given the popularity of some of the camps (especially in Botswana) planning 18-24 months in advance is essential if you want to have a wide choice of dates.

Personally, I have a document on my laptop which lays out itineraries for enough trips to keep me busy for the next five or six years (assuming one trip per year -- now that I'm travelling for Destiny Africa I may be able to move through them a bit faster).

I started planning this year's trip while I was actually still on my trip last year, as soon as I knew I wanted to return to Botswana.

Cheers,
Julian

Roccco

luangwablondes,

I have heard of such places but until they open up, they are just a rumour.

Mfuwe Presidential Lodge??? Unfortunately, East Africa type safari lodge seems to be on its way to South Luangwa...all the more reason to go to the more remote locations offered by Kaingo, Remote Africa (Tafika) and Bushcamp Company.

I do hope with the addition of another camp or two in North Luangwa that gamedrives will start being featured. While there is, I understand, the possibility for limited game drives, it would be great if there were some established tracks and night game drives were a reality.

One company that really excites me in Zambia is Royal Barotse Safaris (formerly known as Mutemwa, which is now merely the name of one of their camps). www.mutemwa.com

I have heard rumours of Sanctuary Lodges coming to Zambia soon, and if so, I would be most supportive of such a move, just as I am supportive of Wilderness' efforts in Kafue.

Back to South Luangwa...it is such a huge park and so little of it is currently being utilized...however, the wild dogs go somewhere in the dry season, so hopefully some of the new camps/lodges will go into virgin territory where there is definitely wildlife.

I am incredibly excited about the new developments in Zambia as I feel like it was in Zambia that I was bitten by the Africa bug.

santharamhari

Thanks everyone for all your thoughts......gosh, i thought i was going nuts for a minute!!!

Rocco, the rupee has depreciated a little bit to the dollar also recently. Yes, Zambia is very high on the list. How many days, do you recommend for the Kafue area? Luangwa area is also confusing.....but my options would be to choose from this bunch........LRL, Kaingo, Tafika, Puku ridge.

Southern Tanzania is also very intriguing......Does selous/ruaha and either Kafue or South Luangwa combine well?

confusion, galore.......atleast i'm glad to wake up to June air right now. Which means i need to wait thru June and July to get to my August safari.

Hari

Roccco

Hari,

(responded to your e-mail)