Pat2003

We would like to visit Botswana in April, 2004 but have no interest in South Africa. Is there any other way to get to Botswana?

thit_cho

The easiest way is to transfer in Johannesburg, but for more money, I'm sure you could fly into into Harare -> Victoria Falls then overland into Botswana, or into Windhoek and then to Botswana. Just because you fly into Johannesburg doesn't mean you have to stay -- I arrived in the morning and caught a flight a couple of hours later to Maun.

Kavey

Ditto.

There don't seem to be any direct flights from European hubs into Gaberone.

Given that you are therefore going to need to change anyway you might as well opt for the most cost effective/ convenient route - the advantage of going via Johannesburg is that there are more regular flights from there into Botswana than you might have from, say, Namibia's Windhoek airport or even from Harare.

sandi

JNB is the hub-city for Southern Africa travel, and it's easiest and more cost effective to fly into here than say Harare. Depending on time you arrive,you can probably least same day for Botswana (Maun); it not you overnight at the the airport hotel and go out next morning.

And even if going thru Harare, there are no non-stops form the States, so you'd have to transfer somewhere in Europe.

So, fly into JNB and then go from there.

Roccco

Pat2003,

(related to your flame of Sandi on her "Today" show posting)

What a thankless *&*%$$. I guess people have short memories but those who are going to be trolls, should really do a search first to see if they are flaming someone that has actually offered them help in the past.

I would say that someone that sits up at night worrying whether or not they should drive through the highways of Gary, Indiana, is actually the one with too much time on their hands. Good thing Lewis & Clark and so many before them didn't have the same worries.

sandi

Roccco - Thank you!

I, like you, feel these boards are here to impart information, help and assistance - apparently Pat2003 seems to have forgotten that I responded to her original question - that JNB is the best (and fastest) route. Even if one has to land at the hub in SA, then a short flight to Maun; or an alternative via Harare (though there aren't as many flights and one has to route thru Europe).

Interesting that my post re the Today Show indicated still another routing - and an even longer one. Maybe the Today gang is hoping for more frequent flyer miles!

Roccco

Sandi,

You're welcome!

I am VERY strongly considering Botswana right now, especially Kwando's camps. While at first I was hesitant about Botswana, thinking that it would be a lot easier to fly directly into Kiliminjaro for a Tanzania trip, after more research, I am finding that going to Botswana is really not much longer, if at all.

It is nearly impossible for me to find a flight that goes from Amsterdam directly into Kiliminjaro. Maybe my dates just don't work out, but I am finding myself having to fly into Nairobi and then having a lengthy layover. Flights to Johannesburg, on the other hand, are so plentiful that I can fly into Johannesburg (yes, Pat, that is in South Africa...yikes!!!) and then get a flight shortly afterward into Maun.

I think I can close the deal for Kwando Kwara (3), Kwando Lagoon (4) and Kwando Songwe Village in Victoria Falls (2) for about $3,350 pp and that would include my air from and to Johannesburg. That is only a little more than I would spend in South Luangwa due to the expensive transfers in Zambia.

Thank you Sandi and every other Fodorite that needs to "get a life" out there!

RuthieC

Sandi, Kavey, Roccco and everyone else who regularlys posts on here.

I just want to say a big thank you to all of you. I'm a keen reader of any fodor entry that has any vague connection with the word safari. It was reading all your entries before our trip to Tanzania lat year that gave us the confidence to book via local operators rather than one of the big UK tour operators. And I reckon we've saved a lot of money doing it that way as well as getting great service and a great holiday.

Guess I need to get a life as well ..........all my mates think i can pick the word 'safari' out of any conversation in a 3 mile radius.

Also, on the subject of TV programmes (well someone was on that subject on one of the threads I've been looking at today!) did anyone see the programme on Discovery last night about Tigers being introduced into Phinda. I have mixed views on this so would be interested to hear what other fodorites think.

Kavey

Ruthie,
I have recorded that programme so haven't watched it yet but did see an interview with the guy on some news bulletin - he said that they are not aiming to introduce tigers to Africa, since it was never their native habitat but simply to create a demonstration of repopulation techniques that they hope will serve as an example in Asia itself.
Does that tally with what was said on the programme?

RuthieC

I think it was somewhere between the two. I don't think the intent is to introduce tiger's to Africa permanently, but I do think they plan to breed them in the reserve to try and protect / increase the world population. So this means that maybe in a few years we'll be able to stay places where you can see the big 6 in the same region, even if not the same park!

sandi

RuthieC & Kavey -

The program you speak of was shown in the States maybe two-months ago. And while they started the program in the Phinda area, due to massive rains shortly after starting, they moved the young tigers to a reserve area further inland and drier.

And as Ruthie mentions, it is more a breeding program so as to reintroduce the (any) newly bred tigers back to their usual Asian habitat.

It was amazing to see these two young tigers (brother & sister) original bred in captivity having to be taught how to hunt, what food (other animals) looked like and what they were for (eating). In other words, "how to be tigers." The breeding, however, with not be between these sibling tigers, but thru in-vitro with other tiger sperm.

A must see - it would be interesting to hear some follow-up in a few years as to the progress and/or success of the program.