Namibia and Botswana with South Africa

Day 1: February 27, 2009: Arrive Cape Town, South Africa
You will be met by our representative who will transfer you to your hotel.
Nights: Victoria and Alfred Hotel

Days 2 - 3: Feb. 28 - Mar. 1: Cape Town Area
We’ll explore the scenic Cape Town area, South Africa’s second most populous city. It’s known as one of the world’s most beautiful cities with its quaint waterfront areas and rugged mountainous scenery, including famous Table Mountain.

Our two full days here will include famed Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which showcases only indigenous South African flora, and a visit to a local winery. One evening dinner on your own.

We’ll photograph the ruggedly beautiful coastline and visit the Boulders Penguin Colony which is inhabited by the vulnerable African (or jackass, because of their call) penguin. These relatives of the Magellanic and Galapagos penguins of South America stand just over two feet tall and number only about 10% of the 1.5 million estimated in the early 20th Century.
Nights: Victoria and Alfred Hotel 

Days 4 - 6: Mar. 2 - 4 Sossuvlei Dunes, Namibia
A morning flight will take us to Windhoek, Namibia where we board our charter flight to Kulala Desert Lodge. This excellent lodge is located on a 21,000 hectare private wilderness area bordering on the great Namib-Naukluft National Park.

The Namib desert is one of the oldest and driest of the world’s deserts. Here, great prevailing on-shore winds have piled enormous red sand into some of the world’s largest (and most picturesque!) dunes.
We can access the most photogenic of these dunes through a private gate, allowing for early morning photography before any other visitors track the dunes. In addition, a waterhole just in front of our camp attracts local wildlife species such as gemsbok, springbok, ostrich and jackal.
Nights: Kulala Desert Lodge

Days 7 - 9: Mar. 5 - 7:  Kalahari, Botswana
We fly direct by charter aircraft to the little frontier town of Maun, the “Safari Capital of Botswana”, then by our charter to our lodge in the Kalahari Desert.

This region is one of the most remote and unpopulated on the continent, comprising some 52,800 square kilometers. In summer, when we are visiting, this area offers some of the best wildlife viewing in Botswana. Few other tours venture into this compelling ecosystem.

The grasslands and undulating vegetated dunes are covered with wildlife: springbok, gemsbok, wildebeest and large predators such as the black-maned Kalahari lions and some of the best cheetah viewing anywhere.

Other mammals we can expect are southern giraffe, steenbok, red hartebeest and meerkats. The avifauna in the reserve is equally diverse with over 220 species recorded to date. Birders will enjoy the opportunity to see a variety of arid-west endemic species such as Burchell’s Sandgrouse, Kalahari Scrub-Robin and African Wren Warbler. The vivid colors of Crimson-breasted Shrike and Violet-eared
Waxbill enliven the sometimes stark surroundings.

We have exclusive use of Kalahari Plains Lodge.
Nights: Kalahari Plains Lodge

Days 10 - 12: Mar. 8 - 10: To Northern Botswana
We fly north to the vast 125,000-hectare Linyanti Wildlife Reserve. Our camp is located near the source of the Savuti Channel, one of the lagoons within the Linyanti Swamp system.

The area is famous for its elephant herds, but other wildlife will vie for our attention: impala, wildebeest, red lechwe, Burchell’s zebra, giraffe, chacma baboon, vervet monkey and, lest we forget, the humble warthog. Predators are in abundance too: lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and spotted hyena.

We’ll do game drives as well as stalk wildlife on foot on the water along the Linyanti River. We will also have access to a number of platforms and blinds (hides) to photograph both mammals and birds.

Duma Tau lies under a shady grove of mangosteen trees, raised off the ground to overlook a large hippo-filled lagoon. The tents are spacious, under thatch with canvas walls, en-suite bathroom facilities and an outside shower. Enjoy the night sounds of Africa from the comfort of their rooms, and shower under the stars! There is a dining room, pub, lounge and swimming pool.

We have exclusive use of DumaTau.
Nights: DumaTau Camp

Days 13 - 15: Mar. 11 - 13: To Vumbura Plains
Vumbura is a luxury camp located in the extreme northern Okavango. Its concession is enormous, covering some 60,000 hectares and encompassing such a wide variety of habitat that almost every animal native to the Okavango Delta is represented here.

We’ll venture forth to explore by 4x4, walking, boat and mokoro (a type of dugout canoe). In addition to the prolific mammal populations, this area supports an almost mind-boggling number of bird species, including the African fish eagle.

As with Duma Tau, we will have exclusive use of this camp.
Nights: Vumbura Plains North & South

Day 16: Mar 14: Depart for Home
Our morning air charter will take us to Maun, where we will board our commercial flight for Johannesburg for connections home.

Most flights to the US depart in the evening, so please consult our office before making your international reservations.