We just got our first look at our travel agent’s recommended September ’08 safari itinerary – our first one and we’re so excited. What do you experts think of this?

3 nights in Mashatu
2 nights Tubu Tree camp
3 nights in Chitabe
3 nights Selinda
2 nights in Victoria Falls

They are quoting about $8500 per person excluding inter-Africa and international air fares and other typical incidentals.

They are suggesting the Victoria Falls Hotel, which looks lovely, but what other hotels would you suggest from your experience?

For our return is it possible to make it from Vic Falls to Johannesburg for our flight home without having to stay overnight in Jo-burg?

Looking forward to your opinions.

Frank and Judy

it a good mix of camps although you would be able to save some serious money if you choose a different camp up in the linyanti area such as duma tau or savuti instead of selinda.

Thanks for the tip, we do want to cut a bit of the expense. We'll look into that.

Any other tips?

Do you need to transit in Joburg between Mashatu and Northern Botswana? or were you able to find a way to go to delta camps without?

Looks good! Those savings BigCountry mentioned look like about $300/per person per night if you switched from Selinda.

I've stayed at Vic Falls Hotel and Ilala Lodge. Vic Falls is 5 minutes closer to the falls on foot. Ilala was a lot less expensive when I was there, but more recently I think the price difference is not as great. Somebody even told me that Vic Falls Hotel was less than Ilala when they compared. Vic Falls Hotel is definitely fancier. Ilala was very nice.

Looks like there are 2-3 flights per day from Vic Falls to Joburg that depart from around noon to 3:30 pm. The flight is about 1 1/2 hours. For most night flights out of Joburg, that should be enough.

Hari: Re transit in Joburg between Mashatu and Northern Botswana? The schedule said its a charter flight to Polokwane to connect to a flight to Maun, then a charter flight to Tubu Tree.

So you do have to go to S. Africa to get back to the Delta......

I would imagine a private air transfer from Mashatu to Maun or maybe even to Tubu Tree could be worked out....that would eliminate customs and flying south to go north. In Polokwane you will have to go through customs. Not a big deal, but it would be ideal to stay in Bots.

Thanks for this logistic detail...now we know it's something to ask our TA. Appreciate the tip.

Keep the feedback coming!
Frank and Judy

The other option would be to fly on Air Bots fromn Limpopo Valley to Kasane, then onto the Delta. The Air Bots prices for that leg are pretty cheap

The camp mix/location(s) are very good but like others I agree with Bigcountry about saving some serious $$ by switching Selinda to Duma Tau. I am of course biased because I stayed at Duma Tau last year and absolutely loved it.

I was at Tubu Tree, Duma Tau, and Chitabe (as well as Duba Plains, which is not on your itinerary) in July last year. They were all fantastic, but I saw the most wildlife, both in terms of quantity and variety, at Duma Tau. I was at Chitabe Trails (now Ledibe) but the gameviewing is the same for both Chitabe camps. If you do end up going to Duma Tau and you are a person who likes to stay on the go all the time ask for Ronald as your guide. We went out early for each game drive, came back later than others, and went boating when others were napping during siesta. He even took us an impromptu night drive after dinner one evening, returning us to camp after midnight.

When researching for my trip I din't see that many threads about Duma Tau, and even fewer about Tubu Tree, so you might want click on my name and locate my trip report. Or, go to the southern Africa trip report index. The report is there also. Here are links to some of my photos.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Danastra...7ChitabeTrails

http://picasaweb.google.com/Danastra...July07TubuTree

http://picasaweb.google.com/Danastra...aJuly07DumaTau

I am just getting used to using this, it is usually my wife that does it. i thought i had sent it

Thank you all for your responses. This is a great site.

Shumba, we will look into the possibility of flying to Kasane enroute to the Delta.

Dana, yes we do need to reduce the cost. Duma Tau seems like an excellent idea. I am assuming the relative close proximity of Tubu and Chitabe camps will not mean the same kind of game sightings. If they are should we eliminate one and add a day to the other. If so any suggestions on which one to keep?

We are also considering not staying a last night in Jo-burg, instead add a night in Vic Falls. I saw in a thread that we should check through our bags. What if we just have carry ons, will that slow us down for the transfer to our international flight? How much time should we request between landing and boarding in Jo-burg?

Also, thanks for the info about Ronald, we will footnote that.

Your pictures are beautiful. We are taking a Canon S3 so I don’t think I’ll get quite the great shots you have.

Frank & Judy

We have in the last trip, checked in our bags in Maun for the international connection at JNB. However, not all bags made it until a week later! Not sure about Vic falls or Livingstone, though ...... i wouldn't spend more than 2 nights at Vic falls - if you have an extra night use it for additional gameviewing!

For September, my recommendation will be to spend more time in the Linyanti camp of your choice, if your desire is great gameviewing .... be it Selinda or the WS alternatives

Frank and Judy,
I don't believe Tubu and Chitabe will be similar at all. They were not when I was there in July. Tubu Tree has alot of water activities (at least they do in July) and Chitabe has no water activities. They terrain is quite different, as is the gameviewing. Tubu Tree, Duma Tau, and Chitabe were all very different from one another in terms of wildlife sightings. I would not eliminate any of them. But I would spend as much time in the Linyanti area, as Hari suggests, as possible.

Thanks for the compliment on the photos. I used a simple point and shoot Sony H9, always on automatic setting. I know absolutely nothing about photography. You will be surprised at the amazing photos you will take. The subject matter/the wildlife is what makes them great.

Lynn,
Your name came up in conversations with Milissa at African Adventures. She asked if we had talked with you. We commented how much we have learned from you and all the other fodorites. We really thank all of you for sharing your time and experiences.

we are thinking of taking the Mashatu out and extending Tubu Tree a day to try to get back within our budget. Any comments?

Hi there

One of the best ways to reducae your budget would be to take Mashatu out of the itinerary, why not try and add in sometime at San Camp perhaps or alternativly Kwando?

Fegsicki, Thanks. Interesting how small the Africa travel circle of participants is.

Now let me learn something from Doogle. Are you saying the Mashatu portion is costly because of the transportation to and from?

Unless it has recently changed, the Mahsatu pricing on the accommodations was a huge bargin. I wonder how long it will remain.

It's probably the expensive private charter from Mashatu to Northern Botswana? which is a long ways away ......

Mashatu is an absolute bargain in all of Africa. It would be unfortunate if you could not make it. I think it would provide a good contrast to the delta.

I am not dissing Mashatu it is a great property, but as rightly put the logistics are a nightmare, jnb to polokwane and then up then over to the delta that flight from mashatu to Maun will cost a fortune, and I do not see that they are coming back to JOhannesburg, as they would have to overnight there en route from Mashatu as it would not connect with a flight to Maun, so all those costs are addittional.It is a good value for money property but it is out of the way and if the rest of the itnerary is based from Maun then there are other options that are a little more cost efective.

I think it is a grat itinerary, the origional one but the charter from Mashatu to Tubu Tree must be very expensive if you consider that normally 3 nights at Mashatu with return flight will only cost you about $1300.00 for all three nights.

Regarding travel to and from Mashatu, I posted this last year.




The drive from Mashatu to Maun (visa versa) is approximately 10-12 hours (approx. 1000kms). You would definitely have to over night on route as this is rather a long drive.



From Mashatu to Gaborone (visa versa), it is an estimated 7-8 hours drive. The roads are tarred all the way. It’s only the first 50kms from Mashatu which is not tarred.



Unfortunately we do not have any scheduled transfers from Maun / Gaborone or any other areas in Botswana to Mashatu (visa versa). It is however, possible in a days work by private charter in the event that guests are not tight on budget.



Aircraft: Cessna 206

Passengers: 2 or 4 guests

Route: Limpopo Valley Airstrip (TLD) to Maun (MUB)

Amount: NETT US$2352.00 one way



The alternative we would recommend and of which is less expensive would be for guests to return to O. R. Tambo International Airport (formerly known as Johannesburg International), over night in Johannesburg and to connect with the following schedule:



Transfers are currently quoted as follows depending on your date of travel regarding the Airlink flights in service.



To Mashatu



SA8803 departs O. R. Tambo International Airport at 07h20 and arrives 08h20 at Polokwane Airport

SA8805 departs O. R. Tambo International Airport at 07h55 and arrives 08h55 at Polokwane Airport

SA8807 departs O. R. Tambo International Airport at 08h30 and arrives 09h30 at Polokwane Airport

SA8817 departs O. R. Tambo International Airport at 13h00 and arrives 14h00 at Polokwane Airport



From Mashatu



SA8818 departs Polokwane Airport at 14h20 and arrives 15h25 at O. R. Tambo International Airport

SA8810 departs Polokwane Airport at 14h35 and arrives 15h40 at O. R. Tambo International Airport

SA8812 departs Polokwane Airport at 15h40 and arrives 16h35 at O. R. Tambo International Airport



Airlink flight + charter hop – ZAR2250.00 per person one way (min 2pax)

Airlink flight + road transfer – ZAR1750.00 per person one way (min 2pax)



In the event that you book your Airlink flights, the connecting transfers are quoted as follows:



Charter hop (40mins) – ZAR1450.00 per person one way (min 2pax)

Road transfer (2hours) – ZAR1137.50 per vehicle one way (min 2pax)