Botswana Photo Shoot August 2019 - Wildlife Safari Consultants...crocodiles and amazing birdlife....

Wildlife Safari Consultants

Wildlife Safari Consultants Email: [email protected]

Tel: (02) 9939 5660 P.O.Box 6657 Frenchs Forest 2086 ATAS Accredited Agent: A10551

Botswana Photo Shoot August 2019

Tue 13 Aug This morning we are flying from Sydney to Johannesburg on Qantas flight QF63

departing at 10:55am. The flying time to Johannesburg is scheduled for 14hrs 05min.

We arrive into Johannesburg at 5.00pm and after clearing Customs & Immigration we transfer to our hotel.

The Peermont Metcourt Suites is one of four hotels within the Emperors Palace complex. The central part of the complex offers a variety of reasonably priced restaurants, a casino and retail shops. Access to this area is a few minutes’ walk from the Metcourt Suites. While the Metcourt Suites serves breakfast (which is included in your tariff), other meals will need to be taken in the central complex.

Overnight at Peermont Metcourt Suites, Johannesburg (B&B basis) Wed 14 Aug This morning we use the hotel shuttle to return to the airport for our South African

Airways 10:50am flight (SA40) to Victoria Falls. Flying time is 1hr 40min.

Arrival is at 12:30pm. After clearing Zimbabwe Customs and Immigration we will be

transferred to our hotel in Victoria Falls. Your stay at Victoria Falls will be at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. This afternoon

you have the opportunity of relaxing at the Lodge or undertaking a walking tour of the town.




Tonight we will take dinner at one of the many restaurants in Victoria Falls. Overnight at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (B&B basis) Thu 15 Aug Today we have a busy day around the Falls. This morning you have a helicopter flight

over the Falls. While it lasts only 15 minutes, during this time the pilot orbits the Falls four times, twice clockwise and twice-anticlockwise, so that all passengers get views down into the chasm and mists.

The morning has been chosen as the air is clearer and more stable for the flight. Lunch can be taken in town at one of the restaurants. After lunch we will proceed to

the National Park for a walking tour along the falls edge, with stunning views across and down the chasm.

Later in the afternoon we depart for a sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River, in the “Ra-Ikane”, an small historic vessel named after one of Livingstone’s guides.




The small and quiet Ra-Ikane will allow us to pass close to animals and birds on the islands upstream from the Falls, plus position ourselves for a great “African Sunset” over the river.

Tonight we will take dinner at one of the many restaurants in Victoria Falls.

Overnight at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (B&B basis) Fri 16 Aug This morning we depart from Victoria Falls by road and travel to the Botswana Border

near the town of Kasane. From Kasane it is just a short drive to the Chobe National Park and onwards to our lodge. We arrive in time for lunch.

Situated on an escarpment on the remote western side of the world famous Chobe

National Park and far from the hustle and bustle of Kasane, Muchenje Safari Lodge is one of only two lodges in this area providing a unique and prolific wildlife experience.

Muchenje Safari Lodge offers the most diverse safari activities to be found in the

Chobe area. Game drives are conducted in open Land Rovers with qualified professional guides. Because Muchenje is located outside of the Chobe National Park, night drives are possible and offer guests an opportunity to see some of the lesser known nocturnal creatures of Africa.

River Cruises offer guests the chance to experience game viewing on the Chobe River. Drift noiselessly past a bathing herd of elephants or enter the hippo's world of crocodiles and amazing birdlife. These are timed to avoid the congestion at Kasane.




Another option is a walking safari. Explore the intricacies of the bush studying animal behaviour, plants, insects and big game approaches. For guests seeking some traditional Botswana culture, visit an elder's home to get a glimpse into the tribal life of Botswana or the local school.

Overnight at Muchenje Safari Lodge, Chobe – Botswana (Full Board basis) Sat 17 Aug Today we will undertake a full day excursion which shall include travelling on the

Chobe River. A picnic lunch will be taken within the National Park prior to the boat trip, or on the boat. Photographing Chobe’s wildlife from water level provides amazing angles and the ability to move very close to game without disturbing them.

Overnight at Muchenje Safari Lodge, Chobe – Botswana (Full Board basis) Sun 18 Aug Today you have the option of another full day excursion, or perhaps a morning and

afternoon safari with lunch at the Lodge.




Overnight at Muchenje Safari Lodge, Chobe – Botswana (Full Board basis) Mon 19 Aug This morning after breakfast we depart from Muchenje and transfer to Kasane

Airport for our charter flight to the Okavango region of Botswana. Luggage restrictions and bag size limits apply on these flights. Flying time is 60 minutes.

The Okavango is usually thought of as swamps, but the waterways have vast tracts of flood plains and islands – this is where the best wildlife is to be found, and is where we are heading, into the Khwai Concession. The area is made up of sweeping grasslands, riparian forests and floodplains. The floodplains are flooded most of the year and there are lagoons covered in blue and white water lilies. The area also has large tracts of Mopane forests. The riverine woodland consists of Camelthorn, Knobthorn, Appleleaf and great stands of Leadwood trees.

Our stay here is four nights in order to allow us to explore the waterways, grasslands and forests. We are staying at Pangolins Khwai Camp, set up with photographers in mind. Not just another lodge, but one designed by photographers for photographers.




Vehicles are limited to four guests per vehicle, with camera mounts built into the arm rests, and as the camp is on a private reserve we are permitted to off-road at special sightings as well as undertaking night drives. With the limited numbers of vehicles on the reserve we will also not be rushed off sightings nor have to share them with large numbers of other vehicles. Mokoro (dug-out canoes) are available, depending upon the water levels in the area, which provide the opportunity of another angle of shooting. The lodge also has a range of camera equipment on site which you may borrow and try in addition to your own kit.

Overnight at Pangolin Khwai Camp. (Full Board basis) Tue 20 Aug While at Pangolin Khwai you have morning and afternoon game viewing activities and

these will vary over the three full days we have to explore the region. Images shown in this section are courtesy of the lodge and were all taken in the immediate area.

Overnight at Pangolin Khwai Camp. (Full Board basis) Wed 21 Aug Game-viewing in the Khwai Concession.

Overnight at Pangolin Khwai Camp. (Full Board basis)




Thu 22 Aug Game-viewing in the Khwai Concession.

Overnight at Pangolin Khwai Camp. (Full Board basis) Fri 23 Aug This morning we transfer to the local airstrip for our charter flight to the regional

centre of Maun (flying time is 30 minutes). At Maun we join the 2:00pm flight with SA Airlink (SA 8301) to Johannesburg. Flying time is 1hr 40 min. We are off to the far-eastern corner of Botswana and travelling via Johannesburg is the most cost-effective way of getting there.

Upon arrival at Jo’burg we transfer to our hotel for our overnight stay.

Overnight at Peermont Metcourt Suites, Johannesburg (B&B basis) Sat 24 Aug This morning we depart by road from Johannesburg and travel north to the border

with Botswana. The journey takes 5 hours, and with stops and border-crossings we will arrive at our lodge in time for lunch.

We are visiting The “Northern Tuli Game Reserve”, a hidden gem in the easternmost

corner of Botswana. This is a unique, timeless corner of Africa with spectacular wildlife, breathtaking landscapes and fascinating history.




Between Tuli’s time-sculpted kopjes and the legendary Limpopo River lies another gem: Tuli Safari Lodge. The Lodge offers varied safari adventures including game drives, bush walks, night drives and has hides (perfect for photography). The Northern Tuli Game Reserve is a true haven for wildlife. There are 48 large mammal species present in the reserve, totalling approximately twenty thousand animals, which include elephant, fifteen large herbivore species and four cat species to mention but a few. Tuli Safari Lodge must be one of the few places where elephant shrews and elephants are (almost!) guaranteed sightings, sometimes from the same spot at the same time!

(all wildlife images in the following pages supplied by the Lodge)

Your day will consist of morning and afternoon game viewing with a choice of the type of activity that suits you. Overnight at Tuli Safari Lodge, Botswana. (Full Board basis)

Sun 25 Aug There is abundant wildlife to see in Tuli : Mammals in the reserve include: aardvark

(including a resident in the lodge grounds), aardwolf, chacma baboon, bushbaby (greater, lesser & thick-tailed), bushbuck, bushpig, caracal, black-footed cat, cheetah, civet, dassie (rock & yellow-spotted), common duiker, eland, elephant, elephant shrew, bat-eared and cape fox, genet (large and small spotted), giraffe, scrub and spring hare, hippopotamus, impala, black-backed jackal, klipspringer, kudu, leopard, lion, mongoose (banded, Selous, slender & white-tailed), vervet monkey, cape clawless otter, pangolin, striped polecat, Jameson’s rock rabbit, serval, tree squirrel, steenbok,




warthog, waterbuck, African wild cat, African wild dog, blue wildebeest, Burchell’s zebra, hyaena (brown & spotted), honey-badger. Rhino and buffalo are not present in the reserve. It is likely that some of the wildlife found here you will not have previously photographed, and possibly have never seen before.

Morning and afternoon/evening game viewing at North Tuli Game Reserve. Overnight at Tuli Safari Lodge, Botswana. (Full Board basis)

Mon 26 Aug Definitely consider spending time in a hide … here are the top 10 reasons why…

The wildlife doesn’t know you’re there so you have the privilege of observing entirely natural behaviour – whether it’s comparing the cautious approach of antelope to the brazen arrival of hyena, or watching fascinating interaction between elephant herds vying for the freshest water or the best wallowing mud …

The view from a hide is a bit like a stage at a theatre, only with a cast and script

that change from moment to moment. There’s always something happening if you take the time to look …

The wildlife comes to you instead of you going in search of it and if you’re patient

you often see more than you do on a drive …

Because you are often the only people at the hide, your wildlife experience also feels very special and privileged …

You slow down and appreciate all the little creatures as well as the obvious bigger

ones we often focus on when on a game drive ….

Because you’ve slowed down you notice the smells and sounds of Africa as well as the sights …

Spending time in a hide is really peaceful – your mind can wander or rest, you can

read a book, paint a picture, write a poem or just be …




You can sleep out at one of our hides for the ultimate safari adventure – we’ll provide a spotlight so you can keep an eye on all the nocturnal activity … (please note that this option is not always available)

They are fantastic for spotting birds …

… and photography !!!!!!

( photos of some of the hides)


Tue 27 Aug This is you last full day in the bush, so the challenge will be to see those

animals/birds/landscapes/moments you haven’t, and snap those last images.


Wed 28 Aug Later this morning we depart the Reserve, cross the Border into South Africa and

drive back to Johannesburg for a restful evening after some long and image filled days.




Overnight at Peermont Metcourt Suites, Johannesburg (B&B basis) Thu 29 Aug Today is free until around 5.00pm when we need to check-in for our Qantas flight

back to Australia. You must check-out of your rooms by 10:00am, but luggage can be stored in the hotel and collected later in the day. (You can arrange a late-checkout, though this will be subject to availability and there is an additional fee) This will allow time for a guided tour of parts of Jo’burg, visit Sandton City for a little shopping, or just relaxing before the flight. (These are optional tours and not included, but can be easily arranged for you)

The Qantas flight (QF64) departs at 7:10pm. Flying time is expected to be 11 hrs 50 min.

Fri 30 Aug We arrive back into Sydney at 3:00pm.





Light Blue = Commercial Flight

Dark Blue = Charter Flight Pink = Road transfer





The cost of this tour is made up of three components:

(1) International Airfares – Between now and the time of travel all airlines will release special fares, and it is our intention to offer these as/when they become available. Our estimate is that the economy airfares (Sydney-Johannesburg Return) will total between A$1,600 (which is an instant purchase version available from time to time) or a normal fare from A$2,300 (including airline taxes and charges).

(2) Regional and Charter Airfares – this includes flights from Jo’burg-Vic Falls/Kasane-Khwai-Maun/Maun-Jo’burg. We will offer the cheapest fares available on these flights at the time you book and pay for them. It is expect that these four flights will total A$1,485.00 at their lowest levels.

(3) Tour cost. We are quoting this tour in US Dollars. The tour price will be converted from US

Dollars to Australian Dollars at the current NAB Selling Rate on the day of your final payment. Tour: US $8,950.00 per person sharing. (A single supplement applies for sole use of a room: Tour = US $3,415.00 Note: a very limited number of single rooms are available, so sharing maybe necessary)

For past clients we are offering a A$500.00 early-bird discount if you book and pay your deposit before November 1st, 2018. Note: As the number of rooms is limited we recommend booking as early as possible.

The costs of the tour includes:-

The complete tour as per the itinerary. Meals as specified The 15 minute helicopter flight over the Falls, Entry to Vic Falls National Park, and the

sunset cruise on the Ra-Ikane (including drinks and canapés) The tour cost does not include:

International Airfares – identified above in component 1. Regional & Charter Airfares – identified in component 2. Zimbabwe Visa Travel Insurance (we have special discounted offers for this tour) Any expenses of a personal nature (such as laundry, phone calls, personal tipping etc.) Any meals that are not specified as included in the itinerary…… (Note: Bed and Breakfast basis only in Johannesburg and Victoria Falls) Any drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) Any optional tours Johannesburg

Botswana Photo Shoot August 2019 - Wildlife Safari Consultants...crocodiles and amazing birdlife....

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Transcript of Botswana Photo Shoot August 2019 - Wildlife Safari Consultants...crocodiles and amazing birdlife....