Letaka Safaris - Botswana's premier mobile safaris
Letaka Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 50-100 employees (Founded in 2000)
- Member Of:
- HATAB, BOGA & BTO
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $420 to $1,415 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
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Email Kate Boydell | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The perfect blend of roughing it and refinement
The trip was outstanding. Most important: the guiding. The owners of Letaka are funny, intelligent, encyclopedic in their knowledge (especially of birds), and skilled at creating a coherent social group in a short period of time. The wildlife was spectacular. And the G&T's on the mud-spattered hood of the jeep at dusk, made me feel like a lady explorer of the 1930's. The rudimentary tents and cots provided just enough comfort by night, the meals were amazing, cooked over the campfire but rivaling restaurant fare. We wanted raw experience deep in nature under canvas, but not separated from it by platforms, fences and guards. But we didn't want to spend half out time pitching/striking camp, washing and cleaning. So having lovely camp hands to do those tasks was the right balance for us. Could not recommend this outfit more highly.
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Email Don B. | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An excellent adventure, lots of great mammals and birds, guide and support staff were the best.
My Letaka 6 night mobile safari was part of a 3week trip to Southern Africa. I needed to keep costs down, which is a bit tricky in Botswana, but Geraldine at Letaka was really good about working with me on that. The Letaka mobile safari was great. We saw dogs, lions, leopard, lots of elephants, many other mammals and a long list of birds. (Also a couple of good reptiles.) It's warm and a bit rainy in January so the logistics got a little challenging for the staff but they pulled it off very well. The trip exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend Letaka.
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Email Tanya S. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The best company to travel to Botswana with!
I first traveled to Botswana with Letaka Safaris in 2009 and was immediately hooked. This July/August will mark my fifth trip with them. These trips with Letaka are the gold standard that I measure all other vacations against and I'll keep coming back as none truly compare. If you are going to Africa to see the wildlife, you cannot do better than Botswana and if you are going to Botswana to see the wildlife, you cannot do better than Letaka Safaris.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Photographic Safari
Letaka Safaris organised a private trip for my wife and I in January/February 2014. Areas included Okavango, Savuti and The Central Kalahari Game Reserve. The trip was geared toward natural history photography. Activities included game drives, guided walks, excursions with San Bushmen and helicopter flights. All communications were via e-mail. Replies were prompt and comprehensive. The Lataka team is obviously familiar with arranging complex itineraries. There were no misunderstandings. We even requested itinerary changes during the trip in order to take advantage of certain situations. These were handled without fuss or bother. Our guide was Nkosi. A gentleman and all round good guy. He created numerous good photo opportunities, a number of excellent ones and one exceptional opportunity. Food and accommodation was the best we have encountered on a mobile safari. Support staff were a real pleasure to be with. Vehicles were highly capable, adequately comfortable and well equipped. To provide support for long lenses I recommend a combination of Really Right Stuff Safari Rigs with monopods, Manfrotto Super Clamps and an extra large bean bag. Although vehicles are equipped with inverters, there is probably benefit in taking a back up solar charging system if you have several devices. Bruton products worked well for us. Overall, it was an outstanding trip and excellent value for money. If you only have one chance at such a trip, I thoroughly recommend Letaka Safaris.
Trip of a lifetime; exceeded my expectations
Information on line, on web site, through e mail exchanges thorough, prompt and helpful . Service was amazing. Beyond expectations in all aspects. The safari tour itself was exhilarating, informative, professional; the areas selected were wonderful, teeming with plants, animals, birds and wonderful smells and sounds. I did not expect such a comfortable and seamless adventure. I felt very safe and well-looked-after. My guide, Lucas, was extremely attentive to each and every one of us, and encyclopedic in his knowledge. Appreciated the Eco-friendly touches, the animal and bird lists provided, the tremendous respect for the animals. Even learned some constellations. We were most fortunate to see leopards 3 times, including cubs, and wild dogs on no less than 5 separate occasions !
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The best Mobile Safari company we have been with.
We have used Letaka Safaris many times now and we will keep going back for more. The Guides and Camp crews are excellent and well trained. The accommodation is comfortable and spacious especially with their new tents and the food makes the trips worth while.
Email Tessa Prior | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Best Safari Ever
A last minute idea with a group of friends turned into the best safari we have ever had. We flew to Xaxanaka taking great photos over the Delta as we went, and camped about an hour away. Every day's drive was a treat. We saw lion, leopard, wild dog, all the antelopes and elephants and giraffe you could want and the most amazing birds. Our guide brought everything to life so well, it was just amazing. There is something so magical about the Okavango - around every corner there is a vista so beautiful it could have been drawn by Disney. Our camp staff cooked us up fabulous food in their underground tool box ovens, provided us bucket showers when we needed, and were just fun to be with. We saw hardly anyone else on our trip and felt completely privileged to be there. Absolutely can't wait to go back.
Email Sue McDonald | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The experience our teenager will remember
Letaka Safaris exceeded our expectations. I believe they delivered on a safari with local staff well trained to meet our standards and hopes. It was nice not to have someone supervising staff but know that they were each competent and confident with their duties to deliver the exceptional holiday we had.
Pat our guide gave us more than just a guided tour, he provided a challenge to our sons birding knowledge and photographic training. We were in Botswanna with the local people learning about their country and their wildlife, which I must say was amazing over 200 species of birds spotted and a dozen leopards. If we ever can we will return.
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Email Rick | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Fabulous Mobile Tented Camp Experience with Letaka Safaris
I recently returned from a 10-day mobile tented camp safari in the “bush” of Botswana supplied by Letaka Safaris headquartered in Maun.
Short Version: Fabulous!
Below are details for readers considering participating in a similar adventure. As a senior citizen travel enthusiast with some minor physical limitations I try to share as much information as possible to help you decide if you can participate in a similar experience.
Itinerary: Our official safari started at the airport in Maun, Botswana, with a short flight on a small (10-seater) prop plane to the Xakanaxa airstrip where our guide, “Shaka,” met us with our safari vehicle pulling a trailer to accommodate the luggage for the 7 of us (maximum number per safari with Letaka). The trailer was used every third day as we moved to a new campsite. Our first camp was in the Moremi Game Reserve. We stayed for 3 nights giving us a full two days of game drives in that area. We subsequently stayed 3 nights in the Khwai Community area followed by 3 nights in the Savuti area of Chobe National Park. We concluded our safari with a drive to Kasane, Botswana and a private cruise (just the 7 of us and a guide), for about 2 hours, on the Chobe River.
Because of the long flights and the 6-hour time differential, I chose to leave the USA 3 days before the safari began. The first night was spent on the plane from Washington, DC to Amsterdam. I spent the second night in Johannesburg (at the Sunrock Guest House –review posted) because of a late arrival time from Amsterdam. The next day I flew to Maun, Botswana and spent the third night at Cresta Riley’s Hotel (review posted). This itinerary provided sufficient time to reduce the jet lag so that I had no problems sleeping while on the safari.
Similarly, after the safari, I spent one night in Kasane at the Chobe Bush Lodge (review posted) before transferring to the Avani Victoria Falls Resort (review posted) in Livingstone, Zambia. I spent two nights at the Avani to provide ample viewing time to see the falls before heading home via a 40 hour flight and layover itinerary.
I strongly recommend spending the time and money on the front end of your trip to minimize the discomfort of jet lag. I’ve been on many trips where everyone on the tour bus on day one was asleep!
Accommodations: The tent accommodations on safari were very comfortable (I was traveling solo, so I had a tent to myself). The “ensuite” bathroom area constructed at the rear of each tent was pleasant and comfortable to use. The “long drop” toilets didn’t appear to be problem for any in the group. Daily hot showers provided by the camp staff were enjoyable. The tents had large permanently screened windows that can be left open or covered with a zipped flap as you prefer. The interior had a floor and the bathroom ground area was covered by a water-permeable tarp. In addition, there was a mat for the sitting area and entrance to the tent. A battery powered array of LED bulbs provided sufficient light for normal tent activities, but you still need a headlamp and flashlights (torches) for other camp activities. In June and July, winter in Botswana, the sun sets before dinner and doesn’t rise until after breakfast, so portable and functional personal lighting is a must. Towels were provided, but not washcloths. A clothesline inside the tent was available to hang the towels to dry during the day. Warm water to wash in the morning was provided in a portable wash basin outside each tent. The warm water arrived along with the 5:30am wake up! Once in your tent for the night, you do not venture out again until the fires and lanterns are lit and you get your wake-up call in the morning. Outside our tents, hanging above the portable standing wash basins, was a device with a mirror and pockets to hold toothbrushes, toothpaste and other sundries needed for personal hygiene. A hot water bottle for our bed each evening was very welcome as the temperature dropped into the 40’s (Fahrenheit) during the night. Beds were comfortable and warm. A table was placed in the tent to act as a nightstand or otherwise as needed.
At our first camp, in the Moremi Game Reserve, we had hippos feeding and making noise very close to our tents throughout the night. At the other two camps, at different times, there were fresh tracks of lion, hyena and elephant through our camp. We also heard the territorial warning roar of the local dominant male lion and many other animal sounds during the night. One afternoon, during our “siesta,” an elephant walked past no more than 15 feet behind our tents. These experiences were what I went on the safari for in the first place, so I was perfectly happy and secure. But, you must consider your personal comfort level with the proximity of wild animals to the camps if you are considering doing a similar “bush” safari anywhere in Africa. NOTE: The pictures on the Letaka Safaris web site accurately show the tent accommodations, the safari vehicles and general camp facilities.
FOOD: All meals were cooked over an open fire, but do not be misled. The camp cook performed amazing feats with that cook fire. We had fresh baked breads and cakes and our meals were all wonderful. Breakfast was served at 6 am and consisted of hot drinks, porridge, cereals, toast and the “famous” rusks that are written about in virtually all descriptions of tours to Africa. The rusks are hard biscuits that are meant to be dipped in your coffee (or tea) before biting. We had a mid-morning break in the bush during our game drives which provided hot drinks, biscuits and rusks. Delightful! Lunch usually had a hot item and several other cold items such as salads. The food is very American/European in style with hamburgers and chili being two specific lunch entrees. At 3:30 pm, we had coffee and/or other hot and cold drinks and a cake or pastry to tide us over until dinner. After our snack, we began our afternoon game drive and returned to camp around 7 pm (after dark) for pre-dinner drinks around a campfire followed by a 3-course dinner with starter, entrée and a fabulous dessert. Entrees were restaurant quality beef, chicken or pork dishes with very nice sides including a starch and one or more vegetables or salad. The cook (Alec) went out of his way to always prepare a vegetarian alternative for the one vegetarian in our group. Many of us sampled and enjoyed the vegetarian offerings. Unlimited beer and wine and spirits were available for lunch and dinner. In fact, we had a large battery-powered cooler in the safari vehicle that was always stocked with soft drinks and beer. We also were given a water bottle that we kept filled with filtered water to drink on game drives and in our tents.
Transportation/Game Viewing: The safari vehicle, a modified completely open, except for a canvas roof, Toyota Land Cruiser with snorkel to allow crossing deeper water, was our only transportation from the time of pickup at the Xakanaxa airstrip until drop off in Kasane. We rode in 4-wheel drive mode the entire time until just before reaching Kasane. There are no roads! We traveled on two-track paths defined by multiple passages of similarly equipped vehicles. Sometimes, in pursuit of better viewing or in search of animals we went totally “off road.” Game viewing in this manner, while exhilarating, requires effort as you are constantly bouncing and tipping as well as sometimes dodging branches. If you have back or other physical issues, you should carefully evaluate your ability to participate in this kind of safari. The seats were comfortable, but you must be able to climb to enter the vehicle. Seating positions in vehicle were rotated to give everyone a chance to experience each of the positions. Blankets for each passenger were a welcome addition at the beginning of each morning game drive and at the end of each afternoon game drive. While the temperatures only got down to the 40s F, riding in an open vehicle is very chilly – bring a warm layer, like a fleece jacket, and good wind-breaking layer for over top. A warm hat, like a ski hat, and ear coverings would be smart additions, too if you go on safari during the winter months in the Southern Hemisphere.
We were extremely successful in our game viewing endeavors. We saw multiple prides of lions, a male and female lion on a fresh kill, a female leopard by herself, a female leopard with a cub feeding on a dead giraffe, two packs of African wild dogs, a cheetah and literally hundreds of elephants (some not happy with our proximity and they let us know), many hippos, lots of giraffes, zebras and wildebeests as well as many species of antelope including eland, tsessebe, red lechwe, impala, waterbuck and kudu. We saw too many bird species to mention them all, but we did see lilac breasted rollers, hornbills, eagles, kingfishers etc. All this success was due to one person – Shaka, our guide.
Our Guide: I was simply amazed at Shaka’a ability to find his way around all the different terrains we traversed at the three camp locations and always get us back to camp in time for meals. His ability to find animals was uncanny. Even though all the guides in the area cooperate and communicate with each other via radio as to the location of game, most often Shaka was the first to find the exciting game. Shaka went out of his way to be sure all of us were comfortable, happy and had everything we needed. He even sacrificed his personal warm hat to one of the guests for the chilly morning and evening game drives. Shaka is by far the best guide I’ve experienced during my three trips to Africa. And, I assume, based on posted evaluations and the amount of detailed planning needed to provide the best possible experience by Letaka Safaris, that their other guides are very good as well.
Other Experiences: Each day we were welcomed back from our morning game drive with the camp team waving and shouting and were met with iced tea and a cold wash cloth to clean our faces and hands. We were always sent off on our game drives and transfers to the next camp site with warm cheers and smiling faces from the camp team. The camp team consisted of 3 staff members including a cook (Alec), a waiter (KayKay) and a driver (Mor). All participated in many varied activities to support the camp in addition to their designated roles.
After lunch, we had “siesta” time until 3:30 pm. Naps, showers and reviewing pictures and videos taken during the morning game drive were common activities.
A special treat for me was a 2-hour game viewing adventure in a mokoro on the Khwai River. While present-day mokoros are no longer made from “dug out” logs, the fiberglass replicas currently in use provide a truly authentic experience. Propulsion for these boats is provided by a guide using a long pole to push us along the river. At one point, we silently slipped through gaps in the reeds, to avoid the attention of a male hippo in a large pool. The group went ashore briefly for a coffee/tea and rusk break. Fortunately, during our return we came upon a herd of elephants of varied ages and sizes drinking and playing. We sat silently in the boats watching this fascinating activity for many minutes.
Summary: If you are physically able, have the interest in an extended game-viewing experience and possess the necessary resources to book a mobile tented safari, then I highly recommend that you do so. And, I doubt that you can do any better than booking with Letaka Safaris.
CH
Email Frank von Arx | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent staff, food, nice tent. Would add hooks for clothes + towels, handkerchiefs, goblets
KB over the top: extremely knowledgeable, experienced in names, sounds, situations ,songs, cries, shapes, etc. of all living creatures, friendly, efficient, good companion, confortable to answer "I don't know" to some questions and consult the book, exact feeling + initiative to move elsewhere w/out waiting for guest's asking.
A quack being sorted out: we requested expressly 3 days walking to our agency, but found there was only one rifle for 3 parties wanting to walk, so we walked only for 1 day. KB informed us that our agency never expressly asked for 3 days: We are waiting explanations from agency.