pigiletta

I'm planning a trip to Botswana and Victoria Falls for late June/early July and am overwhelmed at the options. (I'm finishing with a few days each in Cape Town and the Winelands, where I've been previously.) My only previous safari experience has been in Madikwe, SA. After a lot of research and back and forth with my travel agent, this is the proposed itinerary:

Pelo Camp (2 nights)
Shinde camp (2 nights)
Chobe Princess houseboat (2 nights)
Victoria Falls (2 nights)

Victoria Falls would have been a bit easier logistically to put at the beginning, but because rates in Botswana go up in July, we wanted to fit as much of Botswana in as possible before then.

I would really appreciate any feedback on the itinerary, either on the camps in particular, or the destinations. It's important to me to stay in private concessions so we can go off-road and also hopefully avoid the crowds.

Thanks!

christabir

Any time spent in Botswana is great. I am unfamiliar with those lodges, but I would increase your time on safari and just one night at VF unless you are an adrenaline junkie and plan lots of activities. One night for most of us is plenty. You're going to love the Chobe houseboat - everyone raves.

I understand the attraction to Botswana and VF but the currency exchange in S Africa is very favorable right now. It's like being half price. Botswana is quoted in USD, so no favorable exchange. There are excellent options in the private reserves around Kruger. I love your plan, I just wanted to let you know your money will go much farther in S Africa right now. Then you can also do safari at the end and it's very easy to combine with Cape Town.

pigiletta

I thought about only 1 night at VF, I'm just concerned that we're not going to get there until the afternoon on the day we arrive, and I don't want to feel rushed.

And thank you, I know that South Africa is a bargain now, but I was there recently and so would prefer to do something completely different. For the same money, I'd rather be in the more spectacular location in Botswana than in the more luxurious lodge in South Africa. But yes, I'm looking forward to getting a better value when we move on to Cape Town and the Winelands!

christabir

You don't need to stay in luxury lodges in S Africa. We've stayed at some excellent affordable lodges that we love. We don't stay at the luxury lodges, although we get great service and wildlife experiences. We even got the opportunity to do a fantastic, meaningful conservation project on our last trip. Madikwe does not compare to Kruger or even KZN.

Southern Africa is currently in a drought. Lots of disappointment at VF recently. I always feel rushed with just two nights per lodge, I try to stay three.

stokeygirl

Why did you choose those camps?
Personally, I don't like 2 night stops either- it means you don't get time to see an area properly, or if the camp offers multiple activities, to do all of them.
But your itinerary also seems very water based. Pelo is a mainly water activity camp, then Shinde is mixed water-land, then you have 2 nights on a houseboat. But perhaps that is what you asked for? But you mention off road driving- and with that itinerary you are really only going to get the chance to drive at SHinde anyway.
Personally, I would do 3 nights at Shinde, then you have time to do water and land activities there, and then I would spend 3 nights in a private concession in the Linyanti. At that time of year, the Kwando concession should be excellent with wild dogs just denning and the opportunity to follow them hunting. So I'd go to Lebala for 3 nights.
I've heard good things about the Chobe houseboats, but with only 6 nights on safari, it's not something I'd prioritise. You can also do boat trips on the Zambezi at Vic Falls.

pigiletta

That's really good feedback, thanks! I realize that it's very water based, but my thinking was that Pelo is all water and Shinde is mixed, and then the houseboat, albeit on the water, is a difference experience entirely. I felt like we got the experience in Madikwe of going on game drives and wanted something totally different, and I'm also very interested in spending time in the Okavango Delta, which is why I picked 2 camps there. But I see the logic of what you're saying - I'm going to look into switching to 2 camps for 3 nights and see what the options are. (I also think that may be more expensive, since the Chobe Princess is less expensive than the camps, so that may be an issue as well.)

stokeygirl

I did wonder if you had done it deliberately, because a previous trip had been mainly driving, but then you mentioned off road driving as important which slightly confused me. I can see that one of the unique things about Botswana is the water activities, but these are not so much about big game viewing, so I feel on a short trip like this if you focus too much on them you might be disappointed by lack of big game.

But I think Shinde is one of the best genuinely mixed camps I've been to, so a longer stay there will I think give you the chance to try the water activities and do more or less of them as you wish.

I think you're probably right, that the 3-3 split I suggested will push up costs. You could also try 2 Shinde-2 Lebala-2 Chobe Princess. I still don't like 2 night stops, but I think this is a better balance of activities.

pigiletta

Another itinerary option I've been given, which is fairly different, is 2 nights Camp Xakanaxa, 2 nights Camp Okavango, 2 nights Chobe Game Lodge. (I realize 2 of the 3 aren't private concessions, but the price actually works out quite reasonably and they all have gotten fairly good reviews.) Does that seem like a better balance?

stokeygirl

Camp Okavango is in a private concession, but they only offer walking and water activities. You will be doing all of your game drives in national parks, so no off roading and both the Chobe Riverfront and the Xakanaka areas can be busy. So I'm not such a fan of this. The thing I enjoyed most about Chobe was the boat cruises, so the houseboat appeals to me much more than a land based lodge. Otherwise, just for land based game viewing I would happily skip Chobe altogether.

uhoh_busted

My only suggestion would be to spend more nights in the camps - 3 in at least one of them if you can. I think staying on a houseboat in Chobe would be more interesting than at Chobe Game Lodge. Definitely that would make sense for 2 nights. Many tourists come through there on day trips (ha! we were among them back in 2012). We had met a couple at a lodge we stayed in outside of Vic Falls and they did 2 nights on a houseboat in Chobe and REALLY loved it, because so much of the river traffic is gone at the best times of day while you have sightings pretty much all to yourself. They ate and slept wonderfully and it was a wonderful stop between camps (we met up with them again, on the same land transfer to Hwange and Davisons' Camp in Zimbabwe, which is why we got the details about their delightful houseboat experience.)

Actually, if you could to 3 and 3 nights and skip Chobe, then take your 2 nights at Victoria Falls, you might be much more satisfied with your entire trip. Chobe is cool because there are soooooo many animals and big wide views, but personally, game drives are much better at other locations in Botswana, and the river environment is what makes Chobe unique. You will see many many more people around Chobe.

christabir

This is an interesting group of lodges, including mobile options:

http://www.footsteps-in-africa.com

pigiletta

Thanks so much for all the feedback, it's hard because I'm hearing different things from different people. I hear that Chobe is really crowded - but I also hear that if you either stay in the park (where you have time in the morning and evening without the crowds) or by certain entrances to the park, that the crowds are not an issue. I had been thinking of switching to Linyanti or another nearby area, but then you miss the river, and I hear that Chobe is spectacular and a "can't-miss" for a first Botswana safari (hopefully I'll be back!). I was actually thinking of switching to 2 3-night stays, one at Shinde and one in/near Chobe (and spend time on the river from there). As for V Falls, I actually may only stay one night there, because it doesn't seem like there are too many things to do (no bungee jumping for me!) and it may seem unpleasantly touristy, coming off of safari. If we just do a sunset cruise the evening we get there and a tour of the falls the following morning, that may be enough.

stokeygirl

The Chobe river cruises are nice, but I wouldn't say Chobe is a "can't miss". I mean, it all depends what the alternative is.

For example- Chobe river cruise or hunting with wild dogs at Lebala? I know what I'd choose.

I have heard people say the crowds aren't as bad in Chobe if you stay inside the park too- but I was there on a mobile and so we were staying at one of the private campsites, and still had a good 15-16 vehicles surrounding a tree with a leopard in it. All being inside the park means is that first thing in the morning, you are there before the crowds. But you don't avoid them completely.

You also have to look at what people are comparing it to- for those who say Chobe is "can't miss", did they also go to the Linyanti private concessions?

If you had more time, I would say include Chobe but for two nights out of only 6 on safari, I think there are better choices.

Perhaps you could swap one of your Vic Falls nights for a night in Kasane, then do the river cruise in the afternoon and transfer to the falls first thing the next day, maybe after a short morning game drive. Then you could still have two X3 night safari stops?

christabir

I just saw Baines and Stanley's have a stay 6/pay 4 through June 14. Might be an option if there's availability. I saw it on Wild Wings Safaris' website.