THE WILD SOURCE PRESENTS BOTSWANA ELEPHANT SAFARI

Transcription

1 THE WILD SOURCE th Street Golden, CO THE WILD SOURCE PRESENTS BOTSWANA ELEPHANT SAFARI

2 2 ITINERARY Day 01 Johannesburg, South Africa. City Lodge Hotel Arrive on international flight (not included in cost) into Johannesberg, South Africa. You are met at your gate and escorted through customs to the City Lodge, located within the airport, for one night accommodation. Day 02 Okavango Delta, Botswana Stanley Concession. Stanley s Camp Your safari begins with an international flight (not included in cost) from Johannesburg to Maun, Botswana where you are met and assisted with your bush flight to your first camp, Stanley s Camp, located in a private concession in the Okavango Delta. Game drives, walking and seasonal mokoro excursions are offered. Day 03 Day 04 Activities at Stanley s Camp, including a unique Living with Elephants interaction with the Grey Matters Elephant Encounter. Okavango Delta Kwando Private Concession. Lagoon Camp You are transferred by bush flight to your next camp, Lagoon Camp, located in the wildlife-rich Linyanti region of the Kwando Private Consession. Game drives, guided walks (seasonally), fishing, and boat cruises are offered. Day 05 Day 06 Day 07 Day 08 Linyanti Marshes - Lagoon Camp. Linyanti Marshes - Lagoon Camp. Linyanti Marshes - Lagoon Camp. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The Elephant Camp You are transferred by bush flight to the Kasane airport, then transferred by road to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and The Elephant Camp. Activities here include a visit to Victoria Falls, a sunset cruise, a cheetah and elephant interaction, sundowners at Batoka Gorge, and lunch at the Lookout Café. Day 09 Day 10 Victoria Falls The Elephant Camp. Transferred by road to the Victoria Falls airport where you will board your flight (not included in cost) to Johannesburg in time to connect to your international return flight. We can also arrange for an extension.

3 3 SAFARI COSTS Double cash discount Double credit card Single supp. cash discount Single supp. credit card Jan 1 Jan 5, 2016 $6,450 pp $6,708 pp $868 $905 Jan 6 Mar 31, 2016* $5,125 pp $5,330 pp $280 $292 Apr 1 Jun 14, 2016 $6,850 pp $7,124 pp $1,769 $1,843 Jun 15 Jun 30, 2016 $7,650 pp $7,956 pp $2,261 $2,356 Jul 1 Aug 31, 2016 $9,850 pp $10,244 pp $2,869 $2,988 Sep 1 Oct 31, 2016 $9,250 pp $9,620 pp $2,661 $2,772 Nov 1 Nov 14, 2016 $6,650 pp $6,916 pp $1,323 $1,379 Nov 15 Dec 20, $5,250 pp $5,460 pp $280 $ Dec 21, 2016 Jan 5, 2017 $6,995 pp $7,275 pp $980 $1,021 Cost includes internal bush flights and road transfers starting in Maun, Botswana and ending in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, accommodation, meals, drinks, laundry, park/conservation fees, and activities. *Note: The Grey Matters Elephant Encounter is not available from January 15 to February 15 Not Included Out of Pocket Costs to Consider International Air to and from Johannesburg. You also need flights from Johannesburg to Maun and from Victoria Falls to Johannesburg. Tips On safari we recommend $25 per person per day -- $10 to your guide, $5 to your tracker, and $10 to the camp staff. In city hotels $1 a bag. Lunch, dinner or drinks at City Lodge, Johannesburg, South Africa Any optional additional activities in Victoria Falls area beyond those listed as included (such as helicopter over the Falls) Zimbabwe Entry Visa (currently $30 per person) Travel Insurance is required by the camps we sell Travel Guard or you are welcome to secure your own policy. Health visit to a Travel Clinic and any medications or vaccines needed.

4 4 INTRODUCTION Northern Botswana is considered by many to be the premier safari destination. Wildlife sightings are astounding, camps are set in magical locations, service is supreme and the standard of guiding is very high. Due to the remote and wild nature of the camps you will have short flights between locations, an incredibly scenic way to change camps as you take in the scenery and can often spot wildlife below. This safari is customized to take advantage of the best opportunities for the season to observe the diverse wildlife in extremely rich habitat areas. Your camps are in private concession areas where you have access to exclusive wilderness, off-road driving, night drives, walking, and boating. These areas have a small number of guests traversing extremely large areas ensuring exclusive game viewing without the interference of hordes of other vehicles. The ability to go off-road creates opportunities for incredibly close viewing of predators. The camps selected enhance the game-viewing experience through their emphasis on top quality guides and trackers, which greatly increases your chance of finding unique wildlife sightings. The areas are beautiful with great variety of habitats and species, you will likely see between 30 and 35 different mammal species along with a spectacular array of birds and other wildlife.

5 5 CITY LODGE 1 NIGHT - JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA Based at Africa s busiest airport, City Lodge at OR Tambo Airport provides the most convenient accommodation for those who just need a night in Johannesburg between flights. There s no need to shuttle as you have the ultimate ease of travel by staying right at the Airport. City Lodge is a well known value chain in South Africa that delivers a comfortable and secure stay for a good price making it perfect as an airport pass through hotel. O.R. Tambo Airport offers a number of services from banking to a wide range of retailers, so whether it s a good book or a scrumptious meal, the airport s facilities have everything you need all in easy walking distance. The hotel boasts boardroom and conference facilities, a fitness room as well as a deck with a pool and a large commercial area with a coffee shop. The hotel also serves an excellent full English breakfast that is included. Rooms Spacious air-conditioned room with queen or twin beds Flat screen Television (MNet and DSTV) Satellite channels offering exciting sports, breaking news and great movies. En-Suite Bathroom with bath and separate shower. Tea and coffee making facilities Wireless Internet Access available in all rooms Electronic safe large enough to accommodate a laptop Desk with great lighting and plugs for easy connectivity Telephone

6 6 STANLEY S CAMP 2 NIGHTS - OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA Stanley s Camp is an 8 tent classic canvas camp nestled in the Okavango Delta. It is also a wildlife rich area that has quality game drives and walks. However, the highlight of a stay here is to do the Grey Matters elephant encounter, which surely ranks amongst the best animal encounter experiences in the world. Orphaned elephants have been raised here and they help their guardians to promote education through amazing intimate experiences. Participants are able to touch the elephants ears, trunks, and the bottom of their feet, learn about their behaviors and sounds, and take a long walk through the bush holding their trunks and behaving as part of an elephant herd.

7 7 This is a breathtaking experience, one that truly allows for connection with one of the most intelligent and soulful species on the planet. Stanley s is a small luxury camp with classic styled safari tents raised on wooden decking. The tents feature handcrafted beds dressed with fine linens and antique furniture along with oriental carpets that transport you to early 19th century Africa. Each unit offers en-suite facilities, a private balcony and a ceiling fan. Hammocks and Morris chairs on the decks are perfect for relaxation in the African sunshine. Stanley s is located in a very scenic area with a good diversity of wildlife. It shares a private concession area with its sister Baines Camp, and thus can do off road and night game drives in open vehicles, along with bush walking if requested. When water levels are high (usually June-Sept) the camp can also offer mokoro (local dugout canoe poled like a gondola).

8 8 LAGOON CAMP 3 NIGHTS - KWANDO CONCESSION, BOTSWANA The renowned Kwando concession is over half a million acres yet contains just two small camps that are 30 kilometers apart. Lagoon has built its reputation on action packed game viewing with dedicated tracking and tremendous guiding; the pursuit of wildlife sightings the priority. Here it is common to follow tracks of predators and once found, proceeding off road to follow predators on exciting hunts; this sometime being the fantastic African wild dogs. Predators are diverse with lion, wild dog, hyena, leopard and cheetah all frequently seen. Night drives can be particularly productive with lots of smaller carnivores in the area such as serval, caracal, honey badger, African wildcat, genet and civet. In areas of open grasslands and pan systems there is a plentiful variety of game with impala, red lechwe, steenbok, reedbuck, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffe, tsessebe, kudu, zebra, waterbuck, sable, and roan in the area.

9 9 Kwando Lagoon Camp was rebuilt in March 2011 and comprises 8 spaciously designed tents with views over the private lagoon formed by the ever-changing Kwando River. Each tent comprises a bedroom area with a spacious bathroom en suite. The bathroom has a double basin set in an indigenous Mukwa wood stand and a flush loo. The spacious outdoor reeded showers capture the essence of Africa that is Kwando. The tents are furnished in the best teak furniture created by Zimbabwean master craftsmen. The shady cool interiors are produced by a canvas flysheet under shade cloth, Tents are also set under massive Ebony and Marula trees with shady lawns. A small plunge pool is available to cool off during the long summer days. The resident hippos entertain our guests as they sit in the deck chairs in front of their tents. There is a wonderful communal area to relax during the mid-day including a plunge pool. From this area, one might see an elephants approach. Food is hearty and the staff provides a very welcoming atmosphere at this camp. Activities here focus on game drives and boat cruises. Their guide and tracker system providing the guest with the maximum wildlife experience.

10 10 THE ELEPHANT CAMP 2 NIGHTS - VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE Situated on a private concession within and bounded by the Masuwe River and the Zambezi Gorges, the Elephant Camp has breathtaking views of the Victoria Falls spray as well as the Batoka Gorge, which separates Zimbabwe and Zambia. The Elephant Camp is a luxurious and intimate lodge under canvas within easy reach of Victoria Falls town and all of its attractions. The camp is 15 kilometers from VFA and 10 kilometers from Victoria Falls town. This all-inclusive camp features 12 tents with private indoor-outdoor shower and bath, plunge pool, gorgefacing private decks, and private lounge. The tents are equipped with air conditioning and ceiling fans. All guests staying at the Elephant Camp will have an opportunity to meet the Wild Horizons elephants, a Zambezi river sunset cruise, a visit to the Falls, 2 shuttles to town per day, sundowners at Batoka Gorge, and lunch at the Lookout Café.

11 11 ETHICS & PHILANTHROPY We believe that lasting conservation can only succeed if local communities receive sufficient benefits for protecting the land, and that responsible tourism can be a resource for local empowerment and improvement for quality of life. From predator-livestock conflict research to school sponsorships, The Wild Source has a wide range of programs that focus on enriching the lives of the people and conserving wildlife where we operate safaris. Costs of these programs come from our bottom line and are not packaged into our proposals. The following pages highlight our efforts: NJOZI CAMP - TANZANIA The Wild Source Tanzania operates Njozi Camp, a seasonal camp that moves with the great migration around the Serengeti ecosystem. We exclusively hire local staff who enthusiastically provide the warmth and hospitality that creates a unique experience at our camp. Through empowerment of staff and competitive wages, we serve as a model for good practice in the industry. The camp supports a staff of 13 Tanzanians, including a Camp Manager and multiple chefs. It is also the first camp to employ a local wildlife biologist.

12 12 LOCAL WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST ON STAFF - TANZANIA The Wild Source is the first safari operator to create a program to develop local wildlife biologists. Wildlife research in Africa continues to be dominated by foreign researchers and it is a challenge for young local wildlife biologists to find a first opportunity. We have made the commitment to hire graduates from The College of African Wildlife Management in Arusha, Tanzania. In addition to a salary The Wild Source provides a research base using our Njozi Camp and housing/feeding the wildlife biologists. We also provide vehicle use, fuel, and the various equipment needed by the researchers. Our first wildlife biologists are Sosy Maria and Fadhil Magoye (who doubles as a guide). These young biologists are in the second year of researching the big cats of Ndutu and Serengeti. We are determining how to identify each individual in the field by utilizing spot and/or whisker patterns. Each big cat sighting is marked by recording GPS coordinates so we can determine ranges and favorite haunts for individuals. We are also studying the hunting behavior of the big cats and evaluating potential impacts of the tourism industry. We have partnered with Image Based Ecological Information System (IBEIS) on the development of a cheetah recognition software program. IBEIS is a group founded by professors from Princeton University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and University of Illinois - Chicago. This team has perfected Stripespotter software which can identify individual zebra and giraffe. Next up IBEIS wanted to test their software for identification of cheetah. The Wild Source biologists photograph each cheetah from different sides and document unique spot patterns to definitively identify individuals. Our team provides IBEIS with baseline profiles of the cheetah that we have identified. To test the program we submit a collection of random photos of cheetah contributed by our guests. The software can then be tested to see how successfully it can match photos to our known cheetah. Once the software is proven to be accurate it can be used to help researchers in the field instantly know the identity (or realize it is a cheetah never previously documented). It is believed even young cubs have definitive spot patterns on their legs so over time we may be able to trace the history and lineage of adult cheetah to when we first saw them as small cubs. Eventually tourists will be able to return home and scan their photo against a database to quickly identify the individual and receive any life history that has been recorded.

13 13 PREDATOR/LIVESTOCK CONFLICT RESEARCH Human/wildlife conflict over livestock is the biggest factor in declining African predator populations. The Wild Source s Bill Given is a leading researcher tackling this huge issue. Bill is a Research Associate of the Denver Zoo and member of the Botswana based Kalahari Research & Conservation program. Bill has been conducting research on African lions and their conflict over cattle. In phase one of our research we have been placing satellite collars on lions that are captured on cattle lands and re-located into protective game reserves/national parks. We then monitor their movements and have documented the poor results of simply moving cattle predating lions. In our second phase, we are testing a method known as conditioned taste aversion (CTA). The CTA research focuses on treating lions with a carefully constructed beef bait that contains a veterinary medication that makes the predator feel as if it has been food poisoned. The technique is tapping into a sub-conscious evolutionary defense mechanism that exists in all species, and serves to protect against the consumption of a deadly food. After surviving such an event a consumer will avoid the food just based on smell. Bill has worked with captive lions, cougars and Mexican wolves, and in all cases been able to use the CTA method to have them cease to eat a food based on smell. There is no doubt that this evolutionary defense mechanism exits. The research question is can we mimic nature well enough to use the CTA process as a viable management tool to mitigate predator conflict with livestock? If you wish to make a contribution, tax deductible donations can be made through the Denver Zoological Foundation, which is a non-profit 501-c (3) organization. The Zoo takes no overhead, so 100% of your donation goes directly to our lion research. Contact us for details so we can ensure your donation is properly ear-marked for our research.

14 14 ZAMBIA SCHOOL STUDENT SPONSORSHIP The Wild Source currently sponsors three Zambian students for their secondary education. Esnart is at Mfuwe Day Secondary School, while Jere and Matthews are fully supported at top Zambian boarding schools. We maintain these sponsorships through the non-profit, Charity Begins at Home, in conjunction with The Bushcamp Company. Much focus is on supporting Mfuwe Day, the only secondary school near South Luangwa National Park. Mfuwe Day has benefitted from construction doubling class rooms, providing dormitories and meal programs. Every guest who visits the Bushcamp Company contributes to the Luangwa Conservation and Community Fund a daily fee of $10 per person which funds antipoaching efforts inside of the national park and also finances community initiatives. While a visit to the Bushcamps results in a direct contribution, there are many ways to get involved including a visit to the school. The program has increased from 100 sponsored students to 350, and has just begun a sponsorship program for college and vocational schooling. Esnart, featured below, supports her disabled father, as well as attends school full time. Through our sponsorship, she no longer walks the 6 miles to school every day after receiving her bicycle. She also receives a lunch meal through the 700 Day Scholars feeding program. She aspires to become a math teacher.

15 15 TANZANIA GUIDE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM As a highly-respected leader in the guiding industry, The Wild Source Tanzania Managing Director Deo Magoye, wanted to serve as a mentor to promising young guides. His intern program selects recent graduates to provide them with field training and the opportunity to shadow guides of The Wild Source. Nothing beats real world experience, and to be mentored by The Wild Source guide team is an incredible opportunity. While cultivating local talent, Deo also ensures that the message of conservation continues beyond our lifetime as the next generation of guides develop an ethic of appreciation for their natural heritage. In 2015 we have three interns participating in our program - Henry, Livingstone and Robert.