psupilot

Hi everyone.

My wife and I have been on the verge of booking a safari trip for the last few weeks. We did a trip to the Mara last year, and stayed at a fantastic camp (Kicheche Bush). Vacation in May and considered many things: China, potentially Australia, a transatlantic cruise (we've done lots), even relaxing in Hawaii...or Safari in Botswana.

I've got a quote and we've been very close to pulling the trigger, but my wife is slightly skittish about the cost of this Botswana one (in the grand scheme of things, we probably have a good rate considering it's Botswana - around $11,000 for a stay from Sat-Sat, including Vic Falls for a night, Splash Camp and Linyanti Expeditions.

I need some quick help. Is Botswana different enough to where it would be easy to justify a high cost trip on Safari for 2 years in a row? Recommendations? As a background, we are contemplating kids, so we're likely to do something that can't be as easily done with children. Hence why Safari or China are the leading choices right now.

I appreciate any quick help you folks may have.

Gardyloo

Welcome to Fodor's!

I dunno. Apples and Toyotas? How long do you have? Where would you go in China and for how long?

The only safari experience I've had in Botswana was around Chobe NP, and honestly I'd rate virtually all my safari experiences in South Africa (several around Kruger NP, Addo Elephant NP and Madikwe) as superior, but that just might be my luck. We were quite underwhelmed by Victoria Falls, BTW. I'd definitely check out what the mist/visibility picture will be like in May; sometimes the falls are invisible due to the spray. Just my view, but for that kind of budget you could have a cracking couple of weeks in South Africa, including some safari nights in a place like the Sabi Sand reserve, tour the Panorama Route (near Kruger, google it) and/or the Garden route (ditto) as well as a few days in wonderful Cape Town. Just sayin'.

amyb

What are you hoping to see in Botswana that you didn't in the Mara? What are you hoping to see in China?

I've been to China, did the usual tourist route (Beijing, Xi'An, Chengdu, Shanghai) plus volunteered at a panda research facility. If I took the pandas out of it, it was a pretty ordinary vacation. I ticked the box and got China done. I've been on five safaris now in 3 countries and every single one is different, special in its own way. When given the choice of where to "splurge" for a milestone birthday next year, I chose Zambia, no Vic Falls. It's a location that commands a higher price and I can justify it with an ends-in-zero birthday. Botswana would have been my runner-up destination if I hadn't come up with such a good itinerary.

I don't know where you're flying from but "just" 7 days for me wouldn't be enough. If I'm flying 24+ hours to get there, I'm staying longer than a week. Personal preference though.

Heimdall

Botswana is a high end safari destination. I've been to Chobe NP, but would love to have included Okavango Delta in my trip. Perhaps you could combine Botswana and South Africa, or take Amy's suggestion of just South Africa. I agree with Amy about 7 days not being enough, and "a few days in wonderful Cape Town". With Cape Town and the Garden Route you could even see the Marine Big 5:
https://www.getaway.co.za/adventures...-marine-big-5/

My daughter and SIL drove their Land Rover from Cairo to Cape Town, visiting game parks in Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa, and their favourite game park was Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa, which is outside the malaria zone. Since then they have been back to KTP a few more times

Ian

I have to agree with all. That cost + all of that travel for only one week? We are spending that on 3 weeks of Kruger self-driving plus 3 nights in eSwatini, 2 of them at all-inclusive Mkhaya. And that's our all in price - flights, SUV rental, acc, food, malaria meds - everything. We leave this Saturday. On our last Kruger trek 2 years ago, we both agreed that 2 weeks wasn't enough.