BOTSWANA EXQUISITE EXPEDITION

Transcription

1 THE WILD SOURCE th Street Golden, CO THE WILD SOURCE PRESENTS BOTSWANA EXQUISITE EXPEDITION

2 2 ITINERARY Day 01 Johannesburg. City Lodge. Arrival into Johannesburg International Airport (flight not included) where you are met and assisted with your transfer to your airport hotel. Day 02 Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Kalahari Plains Camp. Flight from Johannesburg to Maun (flight not included) where you are met and assisted with transferring to your bush flight to the Kalahari Plains Camp. Activities include game drives and guided bushman walks. Day 03 Day 04 Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Kalahari Plains Camp. Okavango Delta Vumbura Concession. Little Vumbura Camp. Bush flight from Kalahari Plains Camp to Maun, then from Maun to the Vumbura Concession. Activities at Little Vumbura Camp include game drives, motorized boat and mokoro safaris, fishing and nature walks (both available seasonally). Day 05 Day 06 Day 07 Day 08 Okavango Delta Vumbura Concession. Little Vumbura Camp. Okavango Delta Vumbura Concession. Little Vumbura Camp. Okavango Delta Vumbura Concession. Little Vumbura Camp. Selinda Reserve. Selinda Camp. Bush flight from the Vumbura Concession to the Selinda Reserve. Activities here include game drives, guided bush walks and boat-based activities (when water levels permit). Day 09 Day 10 Day 11 Selinda Reserve. Selinda Camp. Selinda Reserve. Selinda Camp. Bush flight to Maun, where you will connect to your scheduled flight to Johannesburg (flight not included) and then on to your international flight (not included).

3 3 SAFARI COSTS 2016 Double cash discount Double credit card Single supp. cash discount Single supp. credit card Jan. 01 Jan. 10 $10,250 pp $10,660 pp $2,980 $3,105 Jan. 11 Mar. 19 $6,725 pp $6,994 pp $0 $0 Mar. 20 Mar. 31 $8,450 pp $8,788 pp $1,174 $1,223 Apr. 01 May 31 $9,500 pp $9,880 pp $1,226 $1,278 Jun. 01 Jun. 14 $11,500 pp $11,960 pp $1,250 $1,303 Jun. 15 Oct. 31 $13,250 pp $13,780 pp $3,635 $3,787 Nov. 01 Dec. 19 $9,850 pp $10,244 pp $1,272 $1,325 Dec. 20 Jan. 10, 2017 $10,995 pp $11,435 pp $3,122 $3,253 Cost includes internal bush flights and road transfers starting and ending in Maun, Botswana, accommodation, meals, drinks, laundry, park/conservation fees, and activities. Not Included Out of Pocket Costs to Consider International Air to and from Johannesburg. Johannesburg to Maun. You also need a roundtrip flight from 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 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 KALAHARI PLAINS CAMP 2 NIGHTS - CENTRAL KALAHARI GAME RESERVE, BOTSWANA Kalahari Plains Camp is in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. It is surrounded by an immense pan. It comprises 10 en-suite canvas tents with a sleep-out above each. Game drives concentrate around Deception Valley, Sunday Pan and Leopard Pan with full days out with a picnic lunch making it possible to reach more area. Walks with Bushman are an incredible way to learn life skills from this ancient culture. Bush walks to nearby pans are an opportunity to get more in-depth with the nature of the Kalahari. Antelope of the area include oryx, springbok, wildebeest, red hartebeest and steenbok. Predators include black-maned lion, leopard, brown hyena, blackbacked jackal, caracal and a high concentration of cheetah. The area is particularly good for observing smaller carnivores such as Cape fox, honey badger and many of the mongoose species. Over 250 bird species have been recorded to date with regionally threatened species such as the Kori bustard, lappetfaced vulture, and other arid species of Burchell s sandgrouse, crimson shrike and secretary birds.

7 7 A roll-up canvas flap leads to the en-suite bathroom. Flush toilet, twin basins with mirror, and a large walk-in shower are standard. A double-layered canvas roof covers the tent and deck. The extra layer protects well against the strong Kalahari sun. The insulated canvas walls and airflow between the tent and the roof keep the interior relatively cool. Solar energy provides power for the electricity and hot water in the camp. The main area of Kalahari Plains Camp is a long, narrow open-sided tent on an elevated wooden platform. Side panels can be rolled down to protect those inside against the elements if required. There is a dining area and well-stocked fridge at one end, and a comfortable lounge area with a seating area of chairs and low tables with a small reference library at the other. To the centre is a wood-top bar and stools, a popular meeting place for guests and guides to discuss the day's adventures and sightings. A couple of hammocks are strung up in nearby trees, and there is also a campfire, great for star-gazing with a night-cap. Meals are taken in either indoor or outdoor dining areas. A buffet breakfast is served of cereals, fruit, yoghurt and tasty, freshly made muffins. Cooked options follow including eggs made to order, beans, sausage, bacon and tomato. A hearty brunch is available upon return from the morning activity, or for those on a full day game drive, a picnic of sandwiches, fruit and biscuits is taken with you. Dinner is a group affair, eaten around a long table. A tasty onion soup accompanied by a freshly-baked bread roll is for starters, and a typical main course consists of a well-seasoned roast chicken, potato wedges, vegetables, and a simple salad. A mouth-watering dessert follows such as a custard slice. There is a good selection of beverages to compliment any meal.

8 8 LITTLE VUMBURA CAMP 4 NIGHTS - OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA Little Vumbura Camp is situated on an island in a private concession in the northern reaches of the Okavango Delta, in the same region as its sister camp, Vumbura Plains. Surrounded by water but with access to some of the best game drive area in the Okavango, Little Vumbura is a unique camp that can actually deliver fabulous game drives and outstanding on water experiences. The result is this is one of only a few camps that we can recommend as high quality for both land and water based activities. Mokoros traverse the floodplains under the guidance of experienced polers. Motor boats make their way up and down the permanent channels. Game drives in open Land Rovers allow guests to get close to animals in the savannah areas. Walks (on request) around the islands are an opportunity to enjoy Africa from a different perspective. Game viewing is excellent and consistent all year round at Little Vumbura Camp with lion, leopard, elephant, sable and buffalo along with extensive plains game providing an outstanding all-round wildlife experience in this remote corner of the Okavango Delta.

9 9 Little Vumbura is a beautiful six-roomed tented camp shaded by the canopy of an ancient Okavango Delta forest. Each tent is large and roomy and has en-suite facilities. A plunge pool and reading area overlook the floodplains and a star deck leads off the dining area. Ultimately the magical setting of being on an island makes this a unique location and one of the absolute top camps in the Okavango.

10 10 SELINDA CAMP 3 NIGHTS - SELINDA RESERVE, BOTSWANA Selinda Camp is located in the 300,000 acre Selinda Reserve in northern Botswana and is built on a wooded island on the banks of the Selinda Spillway close to where the Linyanti, Savuti and Kwando Rivers come together. The views of the open flood plains and savanna are astounding and wildlife is a constant feature of the camp. The Selinda Reserve is well known for its outstanding predator viewing as the open plains are especially good for observing the highly endangered African wild dog and cheetah. Lions and leopard are also seen with frequency and there is a good variety of antelope species including spectacular sable and roan antelope. Giraffe and elephants are regular fixtures.

11 11 Selinda Camp offers game drives throughout the day, focusing primarily on early morning and late afternoon/early evening game drives. Guests can also travel midday to enjoy a siesta at one of the game viewing hides. Most of the hides are located overlooking water. It is also possible to arrange a sleep out on an elevated platform with just a mattress and mosquito net for an unbelievable wilderness experience. This said, you will likely be hesitant to give up a night in your tent at camp. This camp is owned by famed wildlife filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert. This camp they have created, one of Botswana s most luxurious tented camps, features nine well-appointed tents with expansive views and large bathroom areas. The common areas include an art gallery, plunge pool, chilled wine cellar, and two meal areas which are under thatch and under the stars. Splendid meals are featured. This is a camp where refinement meets the wild.

12 12 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.

13 13 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.

14 14 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.

15 15 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.

16 16 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.