What to do?
 

On route to London I will be stopping over in Africa,visiting Victoria Falls for a couple of days. This will be my first(and possibly last) visit to Africa. I have travelled extensively and lived in PNG for 8yrs but never Africa. NOW is the time after many years of saving but where to go? Being a complete novice I need help. Am considering camping safari in Botswana for 10 or so days and have been told that Wilderness Safaris is the way to go. Time will be around mid Sept 2006. Any suggestions?
I am rather overwhelmed but thrilled with all the knowledge of you experiences Bot travellers
can't wait to read some suggestions.

kmo,

From Victoria Falls, you may easily connect to each Botswana or Zambia. There are many camping options in Botswana offered. Wilderness Safaris is one, as you pointed out, but then there are also other companies such as CCAfrica and Game Trails Botswana (www.gametrailsbotswana.com).

In Zambia, there are fewer camping options, but I believe that is largey becuase Zambian luxury lodges are more moderately priced than the luxury lodges in Botswana. With 10 nights in Zambia, you would be able to combine South Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi very well. Something like this, in my opinion, would be very nice:

Kasaka River Lodge or Chongwe River Camp or Chiawa Camp, Lower Zambezi (4 - 5 nights)(5 nights would qualify you for a nice "long stay" discount and you would not regret spending 5 nights in this very beautiful area)

Tafika, South Luangwa (3 nights)

Luangwa River Lodge, South Luangwa (3 nights)

Here are the websites for the lodges:

www.kasakariverlodge.com
www.chongwe-river.com
www.chiawa.com
www.remote-africa.com (Tafika)
www.luangwariverlodge.com

The average per night price for this itinerary would be about $400 per person per night sharing (high season) and is all-inclusive with 2 - 3 game activities per day.

From London, there are direct flights into Lusaka, Zambia, or you are also able to connect through Nairobi.

A safari itinerary like the one above, including internal air and road transfers, would be in the neighborhood of $5,000 per person, excluding Victoria Falls.

A more basic camping safari with one of the companies mentioned above in Botswana would likely run about $3,500 per person in high season. However, I have seen mentioned on another thread recently that all the best areas in Botswana are occupied by luxury lodges and I don't think that camping safaris are allowed in these immediate areas. There are also luxury camping safaris but these are nearly the same price as staying at luxury lodges.

Good luck.

Thanks for that info Roccco. I will start checking out. The price may be too steep for me but will investigate everything in the hope I can find something within my price range,that is why I thought camping would be the way to go. Lots of work on my part needed.
Thanks again

A more budget-oriented but still comfortable experience might be had at the Chobe Safari Lodge, with a more a la carte approach to everything - see http://www.chobesafarilodge.com. They can collect you at the Victoria Falls airport (or at a hotel in VFA) easily.

I did a camping safari in Botswana and wouldn't trade that experience for anything (Oct05). It was so much fun and I saw so many animals and amazing sights. I don't know if you have read any trip reports but here is a link to the one about my trip (the photo link is in the trip report) http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...amp;searchText

Good luck with your planning!

KMO

Do you have a budget in mind as this will help tailor advice to your circumstances.

Also, which are the experiences that you have in your mind's eye when you think of Africa? Are you most excited by animal encounters (if so, please tell us which animals thrill you most), or is it a particular type of landscape that you want to be in or perhaps you are thinking about meeting local African peoples in which case, are there any particular peoples you most want to meet - Himba, Masaai etc?