21 September - 2 October (other dates also available)
This 11 night safari with David Foot is about as adventurous as it gets in Botswana. A very minimal time is spent in a safari vehicle but instead you explore some of the wilder areas of Botswana by canoe, boat, on foot and on horseback. You must be a competent horse rider to join in the fun!
The safari begins with a 4 day/3 night canoe trail along the Selinda Spillway then takes you to the Royal Tree Lodge on the outskirts of Maun from where you will explore the Thamalakane and Boro Rivers and venture into the Okavango Delta by boat. Then it is out to the Makgadikgadi Pans for 5 nights on horseback.
In 2009 and 2010 the high waters flowing through northern Botswana’s Okavango Delta caused the Selinda Spillway to flow in a way that it has not done for nearly 3 decades! This remarkable event provided the unique opportunity for us to canoe this incredible water system thus replicating the safari experiences of old, camping along the banks of the river at the end of the day, wherever you find yourselves.
The distance from one end of the Canoe Trail to the other is roughly 45 km. It is a wildlife experience like no other as you witness elephant herds splashing and mudbathing along the banks; buffalo, giraffe and sable antelope amongst some of the many species that come down to drink; wild dog have been known to swim the Spillway in front of the canoes and lion and leopard can also be sighted. The Selinda also hosts some 300 bird species making it a twitcher’s paradise.
After this wilderness adventure a few nights in the luxury of the Royal Tree Lodge are very welcome and here you will spend your days bird watching on foot and by boat. You will also put in some practice on horseback before the adventure in the Pans.
The vast Makgadikgadi Pans, the remnant of a once vast inland sea offer many fascinating and magical safari moments. Combining three nights at Camp Kalahari with two nights fly camping out on the Makgadikgadi Saltpans you will ride through endless space, interact with the inhabitants of Meerkat Manor, visit giant baobabs, walk with the San Bushmen and look for rare Kalahari wildlife such as the brown hyena and the aardwolf. You do this all in the same way as many of the earliest explorers, hunters and missionaries did – on horseback – and learn about their travels as you go!
Please see attached .pdf for the 21 September 2012 departure itinerary. There are four set departures per year; cost varies depending on the length of the safari.
For 2012 the following departures are still available:
04 August - 14 August, 10 nights
21 September - 02 October, 11 nights
For more information please contact:
theteam@passagetoafrica.com
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