cybor

Hello again,
Thusfar my Zimb./Botswana July/Aug. 08 trip looks pretty solid despite Ziblianga's thrown in crink.

Unfortunately my latest dilemma is that my last stop at Planet Baobab is booked Although waitlisted, I'm tossing around a few rather unknown destinations.
My criteria;
* Seeing the desert and surrounds (wildlife is a bonus)
* Elimination of places and transport that are as hideously priced as the delta etc.
* Seeing real people
* 4 wheeling
* ? fly camping, if time
* Funky and interesting always considered

Anyone have any suggestions?

Here's a few that I've found but don't seem to have rec. or much info. on;
Mena a Kwena
Leroo-Lau-Tau
Motsentsela (doesn't sound too interesting)

I'm sure there's others and would love to hear about those and the above.
Thanks ahead.

cybor

forgot Edo's camp.

cybor

and there's the Tuli block area -anyone been there?

cybor

ttt

321go

cybor, have you seen the newest Bradt guide to Botswana? The author has some detailed info on Mena a Kwena and Leroo-Lau-Tau in it.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/39xf92

cybor

Hello and thank you 321.
Just looked and my Brant/Bots., it's 2003 - it was the newest version they had late last year.
The info. regarding those camps in my book seemed like it may have been second hand or taken straight from a brocure.

Does the latest addition have first hand or more up to date info. on the above?
Thanks

HariS

Hi Sherry,

The Bradt guide do have a 2007 edition. However, all the information RE camps etc etc., are much the same as their prior editions......they have only updated the pricing. As you will know, that is redundant as the prices will change from year to year!!!

cybor

<"Regarding Mashatu and the Tuli block in general.
It may be possible depending on where you start to fly either to Gabarone from Joburg or Maun another alternative would be Francistown from Kasane and arrange for land transfers to the Tuli block. Unfortunately the distance is around 500 kms from Gabarone and 300kms from Francistown.
The air services are limited and provided by Air Botswana so a question of reliabilty remains. Obviously you would only need to this once, either on the way in or out you could rely on a cross border transfer from Polokwane (ex Joburg) this can be done by land or air the cost is ZAR 1560 (approx $ 230)per person by land and ZAR 2060 (approx $300)per person by air.But the cost must be worth investigating it cannot be $3,600!"> Sniktalk

cybor

sniktalk,
If you see this, I'll be flying in from Chitabe to Maun.
I'd be curious to see if one can self drive or do a road transfer from Maun to Mashatu. It seems as though it would be a straight shot.
I'll check the pricing.

HariS

Sherry,

I don't think Mashatu is close enough to do a drive transfer from Maun...

Hari

321go

cybor, hard to tell whether the info in Bradt on the two lodges you mention is first-hand, but there was no mention at all of Meno a Kwena in the old edition; it is in the new edition.

nyama

Leroo-la-Tau -- accommodation is in tents, 4 paws on the WS scale, with a slightly better shower section. The main area includes a comfortable lounge, a large dining table, a bar and a souvenir shop - all in a large building, not open but with large windows. The lodge is located on the Boteti River with not much water left during dry season. In the riverbed below the lodge is an artificial waterhole which allows great views of elephants, zebras and gnus. Game drives are conducted only in a small area, a few kms in the riverbed and back above the river, but not in Makgadikgadi Pans Park. This game viewing area might be more restricted now with the new vet fence, however the lodge should be inside the fence (I visited LLT in 2003 and construction of the fence just began). Beside elephant, zebra, gnu I remember lion, jackal, duiker, hippo and croc. Full-day excursions to Nxai Pan (a must!) and Baines Baobabs are offered. I visited LLT in mid October, during that time I would call the area 'Death Valley' - never saw so much carcasses. After a heavy sand storm with some rain, the migration began, leaving the Boteti riverbed nearly animal-less.
I used LLT as a rest stop on my way to Jack's Camp. I was interested in the area, needed a base for a Nxai Pan excursion, and a road transfer to Jack's through whole Makgadikgadi Pans Park is definitely more impressive than a short air charter.

Meno a Kwena -- also located on the Boteti, about 25 kms north-west of Leroo-la-Tau. Looked more attractive to me in the brochure, but I dropped it in favour of LLT after learning that they don't offer game drives (that might have changed now). MAK is also inside the new vet fence.

Motsentsela Tree Lodge -- that's Maun, only 12 kms from the town centre. Good value if you have to stay in Maun, but certainly not a travel destination.

nyama

Edo's Camp -- located 25 kms north-east of Ghanzi, on one of the many farms in that area. Can't say much about this, I would put it in the same category as Grassland Safaris - more landscape and wide spaces. Oakdene Farm (Edo's) has a size of about 1,200 square kilometres!

nyama

Mashatu is more than 600 kms from Maun on the South African border, it's better to combine this with an itinerary in South Africa.

cybor

321,
Thanks, Your right and I'm confused. I think I've read so much info. that my brain has stopped functioning.
I actually have read my Brandt guide enough that it's gotten shabby. They're a good place to start.
If not too much trouble, can you tell me what they say about Mena?

Nymera,
If worth it and it's not a terrible $$ burden, I'd consider Mashatu if there are flights fairly close by at the end back to Johans.
Although not the desert, the bike trip sounds great. I think they may have cultural visits as well - true?

cybor

Seems like there aren't any road transfers or flights to Mashatu unless you go back to Joburg.

So logistically it's off my radar.

sniktawk

Cybor

Are you saying that no one will quote you for a road transfer? If so it looks like the only way to visit the Tuli is self drive or within an SA based itinerary.

321go

cybor, I'll dig it out from the enormous stack of African travel books in my living room ;-) and let you know what it says tonight.

cybor

snik,
Yes. Heresay; Apparently up until a few years ago, there were flights and road tranfers but no longer.
321,
Thanks

sniktawk

Cybor,

I have a response from Mashatu regarding transfers.

They do not offer road transfers to Maun or Gabarone a one way transfer by air from Limpopo Valley (TLD) to Maun for 2-4 people is offered for $2,532.

Hope this is of some use.