Xakanaxa Camp in March?
 

Hi, can anybody please tell me if this camp is ok in March. Do you think 2 days is enough? We would love to search for wild dogs. I tried to get the other camps that Kwando offers but not available. I have a 10 day safari booked. ANY SUGGESTIONS APPRECIATED.

I have managed to book 2 days in Lagoon camp. Anybody ever stayed in this Kwando Camp in March. I Also managed to get 2 days at Savuti Safari Lodge and 2 days at Deception Valley Lodge. thanks

I would recommend to go for 10 days to Chief's camp that time of year for the following reasons:

- better gameviewing that time of year than in most other places in Botswana. The camp is located on Chief's island (animals stay on that island which give you good gameviewing even during summertime);
- if you are staying in one camp you save some money on transfers between the camps;
- the longer you stay in the same place the more chances you get to know your guide and vice versa and you don't have to pack and unpack all the time;
- Chief's camp is still reasonably priced in March;
- I was there in March 2004 and April 2005 and had some phenomenal gameviewing.

If you don't like that idea (only one camp) ,tell me what you are interested in and I tell you which camps I would like to visit if I were you.

If you are looking for wild dogs you have to come late June-July when the dogs are usually denning - I would recommend to go to Selinda or Lebala (wide open plains so easier to follow the dogs than around Chitabe or Duma Tau f.e.).

Greetings,

Johan

Thanks for your reply Johan. I looked into getting chiefs island camps their wasn't any thing available. I think i'm going to go in June instead. I'm thinking of booking Lebala, and Lagoon Camp. I heard they have the best guides

daddog,

Just a word of warning...Kwando's high season begins officially on June 01st and rates will be at their highest (50% higher than April 01st - May 31st and Nov 01st - Nov 30th). The high season rates are more than double than the December 01st - March 31st rates.

Also, if you book a minimum of six nights at Kwando, you should qualify for a discount.

I concur with both Johan and Rocco.

Game viewing in March in the Linyanti/kwando regions are not the greatest until after the rains and the water pans around the inner mopane woodlands dry up.......if you are looking for dogs......xakanaxa, isnt the best place anyway.....top of my list would be....Lebala, Lagoon, Selinda, maybe chitabe and Kwara....

Rocco is right, June 1 is the start of the high season, so the rates are the same June 1-Oct 31....so the later you go, the more prolific the game. Wild dogs often den around Lagoon/lebala......Yes, daddog....their guides are fantastic...

It will be difficult I think to be at any of those camps in June 2006 if you haven't booked yet.

Actually I am bit surprised that quite a few camps have high occupancy rates during the wet season. I guess I was lucky to book a 12-day stay at Lebala/Kwara in December 2005 on the last spot.

This year I will be 17 days at Lebala (7 days in May and 10 in September/October). To my knowledge Kwando Safaris has excellent guides and very productive areas in wintertime.

If I was going in June for 14 days I would go the following camps if my main focus was on predators:

- Lebala (5 nights);
- Chitabe (4 nights);
- Mombo (5 nights).

Greetings,

Johan

Wow! Johan, 17 days at Lebala!!! Truly, wonderful........i would love to spend that much time there.......i couldnt think of a better place, honestly.....

But if i spent 4 nights in August, along with 3 nights at Lagoon.....how would you rate the game viewing? in terms of cheetah, dogs, leopards???......i'm sure of lions......

Cheetahs in the concession......are the only known ones, the sauvute brothers and the Mother with the two sub-adult cubs? There's got to be more in such a huge area.

Bear in mind, the huge and ever-growing hyena clans in the area might have an impact.......

Hari

Kwando Lagoon definitely has some more Cheetahs. I believe they see a large male and another female with cubs on a regular basis.
August will be a good time to visit Lagoon/Lebala. If the dogs den at the normal time the puppies will still be at the den.
Michael

Michael

Thanks Michael.

THAMK YOU EVERYONE........I THINK I WILL BRING SOME DOG TREATS MAYBE THEY WILL SNIFF THEM AND I'LL MAKE SOME NEW FRIENDS.(HA HA)

Santharamhari,

It will be very good that time of year. To have an idea what they've seen last year in August - have a look at www.eyesonafrica.net.

Steve told me he knew +/- 15 cheetahs in the Kwando area. But unlike in other camps they don't give names to the animals.

Greetings,

Johan

Thanks Johan,

Yes.........that's funny.......about the names given, like the steroid boys etc etc.......