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matttrevillion
GB
Visited:
June 2017
Reviewed: Apr 21, 2018
Email matttrevillion | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful Botswana / Okavango
A truly wonderful place for wildlife, abundant photo opportunities for elephants, giraffe, hippos, leopards, lions and vast amounts of birds. We travelled from Namibia into Botswana, stayed in Linyanti for three nights then down into the Okavango for another three nights. Magnificent trips on the water via mokoros led us close to hippos, bathing elephants and several types of birds including bee-eaters, storks and kingfishers. Great guides from the camps helped, lovely sundown drives meant we saw bat eared foxes and more leopards.
We did self-drive for two weeks - the roads are a 'challenge' through Chobe and Linyanti, basically deep sand. With hindsight we would've taken some off-road lessons before we went, we had to be rescued once by a passing Botswanan Army truck! If you don't fancy long drives, book with flights betwen camps. The road into Khwai where we stayed was more gravel.
Lisa C
US
Visited:
April 2018
Reviewed: Apr 19, 2018
Email Lisa C | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Magical Trip of a Lifetime
We entered Botswana at Maun (protip: bring your own pen with you to avoid waiting in a line 10 deep for the few pens provided at customs) then flew by a 6-seater plane to our first camp, Rra Dinare in the Okavango Delta. We adored Rra Dinare...the remoteness of it, the fact that there is no perimeter fence...just beautiful. The people at Rra Dinare, like everywhere we went in Botswana, were gracious, friendly, welcoming. The game drives here were almost an embarrassment of riches and we saw the elusive leopard on 3 out of 4 drives! Our driver, Parks, was outstanding.
From Rra Dinare we flew to Chobe and stayed at Bakwena Lodge, which was a different feel. Bakwena is perimeter fenced, which means you can walk around it at night without
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a guide escort, and you drive down the street about 20 minutes to get to the closest entrance to Chobe National Park. In terms of general "vibe", Rra Dinare's remoteness had more of an immersive "we are on safari feel" at all times, than Bakwena, which is more of a "we are staying at a very nice lodge and are leaving it twice a to go on safari drives", if that makes any sense. We found that the game viewing at Chobe in early April is not as bountiful as the Okavango Delta area, but that is just in relative terms - we still saw all the usual animals at Chobe - elephants, giraffe, zebras, leopard (twice! again!),LIONS (!!), etc....but you went for longer spells on the drives between sitings. The staff at Bakwena was exceptional, and our game driver, Max, was awesome.The places we went to in Botswana had customer service nailed - gracious, helpful, friendly people at every turn. We had an amazing time.
Mahesh Waran
SG
Visited:
March 2018
Reviewed: Apr 19, 2018
Email Mahesh Waran | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
excellent
it was a great experience to be visiting the okavango delta and also do some game viewing in moremi and chobe
Abraham Tenne
IL
Visited:
March 2018
Reviewed: Mar 30, 2018
Email Abraham Tenne | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
wonderful
It was a one life time experience.
Hope to be able to do it again.
Myer Bornstein Photo Bee1
US
Visited:
May 2017
Reviewed: Mar 7, 2018
Email Myer Bornstein Photo Bee1 | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Chobe River National Park in Botswana is a Wonderful Location
CNP also supplies professional Nikon equipment for the use of the participants. To give everybody a chance photographing from the front of the boat, for the first two trips, you used the seat that you were assigned, and for each succeeding trip everybody
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moved one seat up, and of course, the front person transferred to the last position.you are able to photograph multiple species of mammals including wild dogs, elephants, hippopotamuses, Cape Buffalo, and baboons. There are multiple species of birds ranging from raptors to Passerine's along with wonderful scenery
The average day started at around 6 AM with coffee; then we will head out to the Chobe varying locations. We would photograph, and had an instructor available to help with any of problems. We would return to the dock in time to have a late breakfast. After breakfast, the group would gather in the boardroom four a lecture and/or instruction plus time to download our images from the morning’s event. There was time, for a rest before the afternoon’s trip. We would leave by 3 PM at the latest or earlier depending on the distance that we need travel on the Chobe to get to a location. Returned to the dock around 6 PM, where we went to our room freshened up before meeting for supper.
We follow the same itinerary daily, except for the last day, where we left for the morning shoot, returned, finished packing up, checking out, and being driven to the airport we would board the plane for the flight back to Johannesburg. The nicest part was at the airport actor Kasane; we could check our bags right through to our final destination plus get all of our boarding passes.
Included in the cost of the trip was everything from when you arrived in Johannesburg and until you left, excluding tips for the guides and helpers. The cost of the flight from JFK to Johannesburg range from $1000 to $1400, depending on when you booked.
The rooms Chobe Safari Large were large with two double beds side by side, mosquito netting, available, a work desk, stall shower and a large bathtub. In each room were a fan and air conditioning. Breakfast and supper were buffet style with multiple items available for your gastronomical pleasure. There were omelets and eggs cooked to order, cheeses and bread, different juices, coffee or tea. At suppertime, you could have a different soup every day, salads, stir-fry, at least 4 to 5 varieties of meat, fish, and vegetarian.
Two nights, we ate in the other dining room which was more formal with tablecloths and prepared appetizers and entrées.
Alcoholic beverages and wines were available, which you were charged separately for, and their prices were very reasonable.
We had to great captains on the boat, Kawana, and Mokamba, who knew the river, how to position the boat to obtain the best pictures and could identify flora and fauna for us.
Tim Michatz
DE
Visited:
February 2018
Reviewed: Mar 6, 2018
Email Tim Michatz | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tony Mobile Safaris is totally recomended, the guys made our trip to a very special.
I'd never thought, that we see so much wildlife, nature and meet such nice guys. Everything was very fine, we would do this Safari every time again.
Regards Tim & Celine
Catalina Tecas
CL
Visited:
January 2018
Reviewed: Feb 28, 2018
Email Catalina Tecas | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
I think there are more predators missing in the park ... the rest is great
Paula Adams
US
Visited:
December 2017
Reviewed: Feb 13, 2018
Email Paula Adams | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A life changing experience beyond expectations.
I am humbled and privileged to witness nature at work with Botswana's amazing wildlife. Highlights included seeing elephants, lions, cheetah, leopard, hyena, wild cat, hippo, several antelopes -- so many, many wonderful cherished moments with a leopard cub, and several hyena cubs,and lion cubs. The guides and lodging were spectacular; the food was delicious; the staff members were wonderful. Everything was well beyond my wildest dreams. In fact, I am returning to Botswana in June 2019. I now consider Botswana my paradise -- some people have tropical islands for their paradise, mine is the African bush and its lovely people. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
eric
KE
Visited:
January 2018
Reviewed: Jan 31, 2018
Email eric | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very few human settlements, so more nature and wildlife which roams freely. Nice weather, sunshine all year-round and cost of living is quite afordable.
deepchi1
US
Visited:
April 2017
Reviewed: Jan 13, 2018
Email deepchi1 | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Go during the dry season!
My first recommendation would be to go during the mid dry season. Too early and the vegetation is too thick and the grass is too high for optimal game viewing. Also with lots of water around, the game doesn’t concentrate at watering holes. This made for interesting tracking but less prolific game. Botswana is great. The accommodations were very nice, the guides were fantastic (pick a good company to travel with). The scenery was pure Africa. We had some cold weather because we went too early. Don’t forget to try to visit with some of the indigenous people like the Bushmen. Overall excellent experience.