LionQueen
You said: <b>this is a dream trip, and I only get one time to go through this thing called life...so make it count!</b>

You're absolutely right so just hold on to that when you're thinking about it.

As for costs, no-one should be belittling other peoples' choices on how to spend their money. Some people spend more in a year than I do on a holiday on make-up and toiletries or shoes and handbags and you know what, I do not get it at all, heck I can get perfectly good versions for a fraction of what they pay, but you know what, their choices, their purchases are their choice. Good for them!

Mohammed,

LuangwaBlondes had some good posts on economic travel in Zambia too.

Here are my hints, none of which I've done personally.

Mashatu in Botswana appears to be an excellent bargain. It is in the southern part. On my medium-length list.

Otherwise, mobiles. The only mobile I've done was through Wilderness. It was outstanding, but no longer operates. However, Wilderness does do numerous other mobiles.
http://www.wilderness-safaris.com/

Here are the 2 mobiles I want to do some day.

Uncharted Africa, the San and Jack’s people.

http://www.unchartedafrica.com/page.php?p_id=21

14 Day Classic Mobile Safari to Botswana by Africa Adventure
http://www.africa-adventure.com/prog...otswana11.html

I think CCAFrica has mobiles.

Some other mobiles you might want to consider are through Natural Habitat. I’ve done 3 trips with them, though none to Africa. These trips aren't cheap, but are less than spending that many nights at 5-paw camps.

Secluded Botswana
http://www.nathab.com/destinations/i...=trip_overview

Expedition Botswana
http://www.nathab.com/destinations/i...=trip_overview

A couple people have gone with Masson.
http://www.masson-safaris.com/safaris.htm and

Somebody went with this co.
http://www.gametrailsbotswana.com/.

Fodorite Sundowner’s trip looked wonderful with Shoot the Light
http://www.shootthelight.com/.

Wilderness Travel in California does Botswana camping too.

Good luck on an inexpensive option and coming up the the $$ for the more expensive options.

Here's another one that is a reasonable price. http://www.uyaphi.com/safaris/bots/authenticsafari.htm

It's camping safari, but if that's what it takes to be able to afford Bots, then I'll do it.

Shane

Shane,

The uyahphi safari one looks very interesting. Unlike some of the others that hit the desert, this one does not. That uyahphi site has some good general info.

Good point, Lynn.

That's just great...I'm seeing trip #4 in the works now. LOL ;-)

For those who prefer a lodge safari, there are still less expensive lodges in Botswana, compared to A&amp;K, WS &amp; Co.

Mapula Lodge (www.mapulalodge.com) in NG12, Gunn's Camp (www.gunnscamp.com), Delta Camp &amp; Oddballs (www.lodgesofbotswana.com) in NG27B and community-based Santawani Lodge (www.santawanilodge.com) in NG33.

If you don't have problems to stay with hunting outfitters who have a second leg in photo tourism: Mankwe Bush Lodge (www.mankwe.com) in NG43, Ivory Camp &amp; Qorokwe Camp (www.skysafaris.co.za) in NG32 (same concession as Baines' and Stainley's), Mababe Camp (www.skysafaris.co.za) in NG41, and Kukama Camp (www.skysafaris.co.za) in CT2.

Makgadikgadi Camp (www.makgadikgadicamp.com) is located right between Jack's and San, so there is no reason to go with Uncharted/WS to see Chapman's Baobab and the meerkats.

nyama - what do the letter/number designations mean in your post?

Momlitz, these letters/numbers are the designations of the concession areas. State land in Botswana is divided into areas called Controlled Hunting Areas, CHA, or more commonly, concessions. The letters are abbreviations for the district, for instance NG stands for Ngamiland and CT for Central. Thus CHA-NG12 means concession no. 12 in Ngamiland.

James Weis has a good map of the NG concessions on his website, http://www.eyesonafrica.net/african-...ngo-safari.htm. NG12 is located west of NG23/24/16, that's the area where Gudigwa is located. NG41 &amp; 43 are north-east of NG34, while CT2 is south of Chobe National Park near the Zimbabwean border.

Nyama,

Thanks for the links.....good to know of these options. Especially since in a year or two the Botswana prices may just sky rocket some more!!!

Hari

Hi &quot;atravelynn&quot; and &quot;nyama&quot; - thanks for all those great pointers. I will certainly do the research and hopefully make it to Bots some day soon.

Hari - isn't it funny - we have such excellent Wildlife here in Sri Lanka. Elephants galore - over 350 species of birds, and Yala NP is probably the best place in the world today to see leopards - still prices here are probably below US$ 100 per pax/day! Tourism here is dead, everyone scared off by a couple of LTTE bombs, but the fact is Sri Lanka is still much safer for a tourist than almost any other destination! I posted some leopard and other pics from a safari I did last month at http://www.abidally.com/mp/Yala do have a look.

Regards
Mohammed

Hi Mohammed,

Thanks for the link...nice pics from Yala. Hopefully, i make it there soon.....How far is Yala NP from Colombo? I had read in our papers recently, that the SL team had to delay their return from Barbados due to some LTTE violence, disrupting airline services to Colombo.

Rgds,
Hari

thanks, nyama. now this and other postings make more sense.

Some good options, Nyama.

I'd love to go to Sri Lanka. Thanks for reminding us about it Mohamed.

Going 2 Africa. Maybe we'll meet up on a Botswana mobile for your Trip #4.

I'm doing a 10-day/9-night Mobile Safari in Botswana in September through CCAfrica. Cost about $3300US.

Mohammed -
quick question for you regarding Yala (Sri Lanka wasn't on my radar for my fall trip, but after you mentioned it I spent the afternoon reading about it/looking at prices, and wow!!) - it looks like weather wise, early November really wouldn't be a good time to go, as there may still be heavy rains?
Thanks,
Linda

Combo, Which one? Do you have a link?

Combo,

IS that a private mobile or group mobile trip with lots of ppl? My eyes lit up at those Bots prices......

Hari

Lynn, remember to combine India safari with that Sri Lanka leopard trip....

Hari

It's a group mobile with set departure dates throughout the year. It's called the Botswana Explorer Pioneer Safari on CCAfrica's website. I figure I may as well go the &quot;roughing it&quot; way while I am young and can handle it. There are actually much less expensive mobile safaris available, but I wanted to stay with someone reputable like CCAfrica.

Nothing to contribute right now, but just wanted to say there's a lot of good information on this thread, and thanks for that.....