retiredatlast

Has anyone ever used any of these tour companies to Botswana? I'm trying to decide whether to use them. They seem to have some good deals.

sandi

You don't mention when you'd be traveling and what any of these companies are offering - number of days, camps, cost, etc.

RuthieC

We've just booked a holiday with CCAfrica, built around their Bountiful Botswana special offer. However 6 days didn't seem nearly long enough so we've extended by 1 night at each camp. So we have 3 nights at Nxabega, 3 nights at Savute and 3 nights at Sandibe. We're also going to the Falls for a couple of nights at the end.

We're not going until June so I can't tell you anything about CC Africa's arrangements on the ground yet. However thay've been really helpful so far and always very prompt to answer any queries. Also this seemed a really good deal and the pictures of the camps on their website look great.

Anyone got any ideas on how to move June to some time next week - I'm so excited i don't think I can wait the 4 months before we go!

Roccco

Ruthie,

That 6 night CCAfrica offer does look tempting. Did they prorate the same great rates for your extension???

9 nights is exactly what I am looking for in my next trip. Currently I am tossing around the idea of either this trip, which I believe, if prorated, would cost about $2,390 per person for the ground package. I believe your package is for Sandibe (3), Savute (3) and Nxabega (3).

There is also another CCAfrica offer for six nights in Botswana for just a little bit more ($1,638 pp). For this pakcage the game reserves are Nxabega (2), Camp Okavango (2) and Camp Moremi (2). Prorated to 9 nights, this would be $2,457 pp. By the time I add in a r/t flight from JNB-Maun, I am probably looking at about $2,850 pp.

For Botswana, these are both great prices and I love the fact that all the transfers from Maun are included.

Alternately, I am considering a 9 night Zambia package that would take me to 3 nights in Livingstone (Victoria Falls) at the Stanley and Livingstone, four nights at Kaingo in South Luangwa and two nights at Mwamba in South Luangwa. I think with transfers between Lusaka-Mfuwe-Victoria Falls-Lusaka, the package would cost me about $4,750 pp. The ground package portion is really cheap, but by the time I add in the flights, it really is no less expensive than the CCAfrica Botswana packages would cost.

Since I went to South Luangwa last year, and these Botswana packages are ultimately the same price, I think I am definitely leaning towards Botswana.

Thanks for sharing that CCAfrica deal. I had seen it before but had long since forgotten about it.

Roccco

Correction...the South Luangwa/Victoria Falls package would not cost $4,750 pp but around $2,000 pp.

I can get six nights in South Luangwa (split between Kaingo's two camps) for only $720 pp.

For Victoria Falls, I can likely get the Luxury Link three night all inclusive package for $450 pp.

Unfortunately the air would be about $830 pp., but even so, to have a 9 night all inclusive safari package for only $2,000 pp, including 3 nights at the highly esteemed Stanley and Livingstone and six nights in the amazingly beautiful South Luangwa, is an amazing deal. In the end, it works out to under $225 per person per day.

RuthieC

Roccco,

Our total package price is $2501 for the 9 nights safari plus 2 nights at Zambezi Sun. We thought about staying at the Royal Livingstone instead, but our budget couldn't stretch to this. So we opted for a cheaper option.

CCAfrica have arranged our tour to start at Maun and end at Livingstone. We're flying from the UK with BA so we've booked our flights JNB to Maun and Livingstone to JNB along with our international flights - BA have great discounts on these connections.

Zambia is definately on our list to do. We went to a travel show in the UK a few days ago and got talking to one of the guys from Robin Pope Safaris. It sounds fabulous and even more remote than Botswana.

We spent a couple of weeks in Tanzania last year on the "Southern Circuit". We stayed at some of the Foxes lodges properties which I can thoroughly recommend, especially the Ruaha River Camp. It's in a wonderful setting and so remote that you go out the whole day and don't see anyone else. So if you haven't been there yet, you should definately put it on your list.

uhoh_busted

Ruthie that sounds lovely. We're doing the 6 night version in May. I considered stretching it like you've done, but we also wanted to spend some time in Cape Town and the South African wine country. While we may get back to this part of the world again (seems to be fairly a good gamble that we will want to) I think this will work well for us.

hlphillips2

Retiredatlast, we haven't used CCAfrica in Botswana specifically, but used them for an East Africa trip. Every detail was perfect and well thought out, and we never had to worry about finding out next ride or flight. While we were in Tanzania we met several South Africans, one of whom works for CCAfrica and has visited most of the camps. She noted that the CCAfrica lodges in Botswana are superb as is the service (she might be a bit biased, but she was also honest about some other S.A. lodging that was fantastic and not owned by her company). A lot of CCA's staff rotate to different lodges around the continent for stints of 6 months of so, which keeps the service fairly consistent at all lodges and gives them an idea of what other properties offer. We came across a few folks who were "based" in Zimbabwe or Phinda, but who were in Tanzania for a short time.

We will definitely be using CCA again when we visit Botswana and India.

retiredatlast

Thanks for the feedback. I haven't decided when to go and was just looking for affirmation of the quality and reliability of their service. When IS the best time to go to Botswana? When is the rainy season?

sandi

retiredatlast -

The rainy season in Botswana is called the Green Season and can run from Dec - Mar/April, but between Oct-March it's often Hot with Warm nights - it's actually summertime.

The period April-May is Warm with Cool nights; Jun-July is dry with Cold nights; Aug-Sept is Hot & Dry.

There are aften special deals during Green Season, but don't forget the single supplement if traveling alone. And then, I believe around Nov to mid-Dec the rates go down a bit.

Otherwise, you've got to figure beteen $400-$500/nt person which includes flight to/fr camps in the Delta area, your 3-meals daily and game drives.

retiredatlast

I asked ccafrica about the single supplement and they told me there wasn't any. Adventure Travel Africa told me the same thing. Surprising, huh? They said it's built into the (very reasonable) price.