BOTSWANA: FROM DESERT TO DELTA

Transcription

1 BOTSWANA: FROM DESERT TO DELTA APRIL 12-23, This sparsely populated country offers amazingly diverse habitat from the dry thornveld and sandy grasslands of the Kalahari Desert to the incredibly lush and varied floodplains, river channels, islands and tall woodland associated with the spectacular Okavango Delta. Large herds of game, along with their predators, are still common, and the birdlife is equally prolific and varied. On this tour we focus on three distinctly different areas of this wonderful country, sampling the unique animal and birdlife associated with each. The grassy plains, dunes and thorn thickets of the Central Kalahari offer a variety of plains game Springbok, Oryx and Red Hartebeest, as well as Lion, Cheetah and the generally hard-to-see Brown Hyena. Smaller carnivores such as Aardwolf, Honey Badger and African Wildcat are also possible. Birds of the area include such colourful gems as the Crimson-breasted Boubou (Shrike) and Violet-eared Waxbill; parties of striking Pied Babblers, as well as several bustard and raptor species and also a number of endemic or near-endemic seedeaters. Little Vumbura, our next stop, is situated on the north-eastern side of the Okavango Delta system and is located within a mosaic of permanent swamp, seasonal floodplains, acacia woodlands and stands of Mopane and Kalahari Appleleaf trees. This diversity of habitats makes for great game and bird viewing, with Greater Kudu, Elephant, Giraffe, Hippopotamus, and Red Lechwe, along with predators such as Lion, Leopard and Cheetah all possible. This area also offers our best chance to see the majestic Sable Antelope with their spectacular scimitar-shaped horned, as well as the highly social (and nomadic) African Wild Dog. Birdlife is also well-represented and we will search for swamp specials such as Rosy-throated Longclaw, Black Coucal and Long-toed Lapwing as well as a variety of heron, duck, stork, starling, sunbird and dove species. Set on a small island, Jacana is a true water camp, epitomising the seclusion of the Okavango Delta. Your accommodation will be one of the five Meru-style tents looking out over the expansive surrounding waters. The main dining area is elevated on a wooden deck and surrounded by big shady trees. Downstairs, curl up on one of the cozy couches or gaze out across the waters from the viewing deck. Lazy afternoons can be spent swinging on a hammock or birding around camp, and cool evenings are spent sitting around the open fire. The traditional boma often sets the scene for outdoor dining under the stars. As a wonderland of water-based animal and bird life, Jacana begs to be explored. In addition to the large herds of Red Lechwe, this area offers Blue Wildebeest, Tsessebe, Impala and possibly a glimpse of the shy aquatic Sitatunga Antelope. Of the birds, our main quest will be the spectacular Pels Fishing-Owl a large rust-orange colored bird that frequents the treed islands in the area. Slaty Egret, Wattled Crane and Lesser Jacana plus a host of colorful bee-eaters, kingfishers and barbets are possible as we explore the area by boat, mekoro (dugout canoes), game drives, or on foot. Photographic opportunities are generally excellent on this itinerary and we will endeavor to ensure that everyone captures great images or videos. It should be understood, however, that this is a group tour and not a personal photographic one. The leader may intervene if necessary to ensure that the interests

2 Botswana: From Desert to Delta, Page 2 of all participants are addressed. As on all tours, a measure of give-and-take is needed to ensure that everyone enjoys their tour! April 12-13, Days 1-2: Travel to Maun, Botswana via Johannesburg; Transfer to Kalahari Plains. All participants will need to depart on overnight flights from various cities on April 12, which arrive in Johannesburg on April 13 in time to connect to the 11:45 a.m. departure of South African Airways Flight 8300 to Maun, which is scheduled to arrive at 1:15 p.m. (subject to change). Participants wanting to avoid the risk of misconnecting should consider arriving in Johannesburg or Maun on April 12 and spending the night at an airport-area hotel. Upon request, VENT will be happy to assist with these arrangements. After arrival in Maun we will clear customs and immigration and then transfer to our small chartered plane for our flight to the Kalahari Plains Camp in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. After settling into our accommodations, we will head out on a game drive to explore the area around our camp. With luck, a small cloud of dust will alert us to a Honey Badger industriously digging for scorpions in the seasonal pan in front of camp, or we will catch a glimpse of an Aardwolf looking like a small, long-haired hyena as it searches for the termites which form the bulk of its diet. On the drive, and over the next two days, we will search for birds such as Cape Turtle- and Namaqua doves; Crimson-breasted Boubou (Shrike) and the near-endemic Kalahari Scrub-Robin; Scaly-feathered Finch and Doublebanded Courser; as well as Red-crested, Northern Black (White-quilled) and Kori bustards. Tawny and Martial eagles and smaller raptors such as Greater Kestrels and Southern Pale Chanting- and Gabar goshawks are also possible. NIGHT (April 13): Kalahari Plains Camp April 14-15, Days 3-4: Central Kalahari Game Reserve. We have two full days to explore the varied habitat in the area. Actual activities and also the destination of game drives will be discussed between the tour leader and local guides and will be guided by the distribution of game in the area at the time of our visit as well as the interests of the participants. Typically our days will start with an early wake-up call and, after a light breakfast, we will head out on a game drive, usually getting back to camp for a late brunch around 11:00. After brunch, participants can either enjoy a siesta or sit on the deck of the lounge area scanning the area around camp for new sightings of game and birds. Alternately, we could accompany our local San (or Bushmen) guides on a walk in vicinity of the camp. These hardy hunter-gatherers are the original inhabitants of the area and have a wealth of knowledge of how and where to find food, the medicinal uses of the local plants, and also how to hunt or trap a variety of animals for food. After meeting for tea at around 15:30, we will set out on another game drive, returning to camp around sunset each evening. Early evenings are typically when the smaller carnivores such as Honey Badgers, Aardwolf and African Wild Cat become active and we will search for these and other mammals on our drives back to camp. Another mammal we will look out for on evening drives is the Springhare a strange nocturnal animal looking like a cross between a large squirrel and a small kangaroo. NIGHTS: Kalahari Plains Camp April 16, Day 5: Central Kalahari to Little Vumbura. After an earlier-than usual brunch we will leave for the airstrip for our 11:30 am flight to Maun. From there we transfer to Little Vumbura via a second small chartered plane arriving in time for an activity after afternoon tea. The camp is situated on a well-treed island and the surrounding area is home to an array of brightly-colored barbets, bee-eaters, kingfishers and starlings as well as babblers and a variety of storks, ibises and herons. After the dry Kalahari, the impact of abundant water is evident everywhere and the diversity of both mammals and birds will keep excitement levels high during the remainder of our stay. NIGHT: Little Vumbura Camp April 17-18, Days 6-7: Little Vumbura. We have two full days in the area to enjoy the incredible variety of scenery, birds and mammals that this part of the Delta has to offer. We will combine both water-based and land-based activities

3 Botswana: From Desert to Delta, Page 3 in order to try and see as much wildlife as possible during our stay. Our daily time-table will be similar to that at Kalahari Plains Camp, and again our day-to-day activities will be finalized in discussion with our guides. Over our two day stay we will visit as many of the different habitat-types as possible searching for Elephant, Greater Kudu and Sable Antelope, Leopard, Spotted Hyena and Lion in the drier parts of the concession, or enjoying the site of herds of Red Lechwe feeding on the floodplains. Aquatic habitats offer a chance of a range of kingfishers, bee-eaters, cisticolas, warblers, herons and both African and Lesser jacanas as well as raptors such as African Marsh-Harriers and the striking African Fish-Eagle. Away from the water a birding feast of shrikes, babblers, starlings, seedeaters and amazingly-colored Lilac-breasted Rollers awaits. Every activity is different, collectively combining to create an incredible experience of this special area. For most people, a highlight of any trip to the Okavango Delta is a leisurely Mokoro trip through the floodplains and we will certainly schedule such a trip during our stay. These dugout canoes are the traditional local transport in the delta and the memories of quietly gliding through the water as your poler points out the wildlife here the exquisite gem that is a Malachite Kingfisher perched up on a reed, there a tiny reed frog clinging inconspicuously to another tend to stay with you long after your return home. NIGHTS: Little Vumbura Camp April 19, Day 8: Little Vumbura to Jacana Camp. After a possibly shorter morning activity (our actual departure time will only be confirmed the day before we leave), we will take a charter flight to Jacana Camp. Again, we should arrive at our new home in time to participate in an afternoon activity. NIGHT: Jacana Camp April 20-21, Days 9-10: Jacana Camp. Over the next two days, we will explore the mosaic of aquatic and dry-land habitats around our camp, concentrating our search on those animals and birds in the area that have not yet made it onto our lists. The charismatic Pels Fishing-Owl, an icon of the Okavango Delta, will be top of the target list, but we will also look out for Sititunga a shy, swamp-dwelling antelope that occurs in the area. Activities will be planned between your leader and the local guides, again with input from the group as to any special requests regarding personal target species. Although any antelope and carnivores that we might have missed on earlier legs of the tour will be a high priority during our stay, we will also continue to enjoy sightings of many mammals and birds that are by now becoming familiar friends. Birding in and around camp is usually excellent and midday downtime offers the chance to get to grips with the colorful robin-chats; barbets; honeyguides; woodpeckers, and possibly even the odd hornbill species that is attracted to riparian forest on the island. A regular scan of the open water in front of camp could also easily produce sightings of a Spot-necked Otter pursuing fish in the lagoon. NIGHTS: Jacana Camp April 22-23, Days 11-12: Jacana Camp to Maun; Flight to Johannesburg; Departure for Home. After a shortened morning activity, we will take a charter flight to Maun, which will arrive in time for the 2:00 p.m. departure of South African Airways Flight 8301 to Johannesburg, which is scheduled to arrive at 3:40 p.m. (subject to change). This schedule allows participants to connect to various overnight flights, which will arrive at their destination on the morning of August 23 in time for homeward connections. TOUR LEADER: Geoff Lockwood along with local guides familiar with the wildlife and birds of their area Geoff Lockwood s interest and involvement with birds dates back to his early years at school and forms part of a wider interest in the biodiversity of the Southern African sub-region. After leaving school, he began a career as a bird artist, illustrator, and author. In 1981, he published Garden Birds of Southern Africa and later also contributed half the illustrations to the 5th and 6th editions of Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. Geoff is currently based at the Delta Environmental Centre in Johannesburg where he acts as part-time manager and education officer, working to instill an environmental ethos in teachers and school groups that visit the Centre. For the past 30 years he has been involved with local birding organizations and has served on the Council of the Southern African Ornithological Society now

4 Botswana: From Desert to Delta, Page 4 BirdLife South Africa, for most of that time. He travels widely in the region, presenting lectures, talks, and courses on bird identification, ecology, and behavior, and is also involved in the training of local bird guides as part of a BLSA initiative to give communities a vested interest in the conservation of their local birds. With 870 species listed within southern Africa, Geoff is amongst the region s top birders. He has led tours to many destinations in Southern and Central Africa, as well as Kenya and Israel. TOUR SIZE: This tour will be limited to 8 participants. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS: The fee for this tour is $10,795 per person in double occupancy from Maun. The fee includes all meals from dinner on Day 2 to breakfast on Day 11; all lodging as stated in the itinerary; internal charter flights; ground transportation; tipping; park entrance fees; and services of the tour leader. The tour fee does NOT include roundtrip airfare between your home and Maun; visas; entrance and departure taxes; alcoholic beverages; special gratuities; phone calls; laundry; or items of a personal nature. Rates are based upon group tariffs; if the tour does not have sufficient registration, a small party supplement may have to be charged. This tour is only available to couples or pairs sharing accommodations at all locations. However, VENT will assist with pairing singles together. It s possible of single accommodations being confirmed closer to departure depending on room availability for an additional fee (amount to be determined). REGISTRATION & DEPOSIT: To register for this tour, please contact the VENT office. The initial deposit is $500 per person. If you would like to pay your initial deposit by check, money order, or bank transfer, your tour space will be held for 10 days to allow time for the VENT office to receive your deposit and completed registration form. If you prefer to pay the initial deposit using a credit card, your deposit must be made with American Express, MasterCard or Visa at the time of registration. The VENT registration form (available from the VENT office or by download at should then be completed, signed, and returned to the VENT office. PAYMENTS: Initial tour deposits may be made by American Express, MasterCard, Visa, check, money order, or bank transfer. All other tour payments, including second deposits, interim payments, final balances, special arrangements, etc., must be made by check, money order, or bank transfer (contact the VENT office for bank transfer information). Full payment of the tour fee is due 120 days prior to the tour departure date. A second deposit of $2,000 per person will be due 180 days prior to departure and apply towards the final balance. Full payment is due 120 days prior to the tour departure date. CANCELLATION POLICY: Refunds are made according to the following schedule: If cancellation is made 180 days or more before the departure date, any monies paid less $500 is refundable. If cancellation is made between 180 and 120 days before the departure date, the total deposit to date less $1000 is refundable. If cancellation is made fewer than 120 days before the departure date, no refund is available. We strongly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance to protect yourself. If you cancel: Your refund will be: 180 days or more before departure Any monies paid less the $500 deposit Between 180 and 120 days before departure Total deposit to date less $1000 Fewer than 120 days before departure date No refund available. Upon cancellation of the transportation or travel services, where you, the customer, are not at fault and have not cancelled in violation of the terms and conditions of any of the contract for transportation or travel services, all sums paid to VENT for services not received by you will be promptly refunded by VENT to you unless you otherwise advise VENT in writing. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours is not a participant in the California Travel Consumer Restitution Fund. California law requires certain sellers of travel to have a trust account or bond. This business has a bond issued by Travelers in the amount of $50,000. CST # EXCHANGE RATE SURCHARGES: In the erratic global financial markets of today, it is difficult to predict foreign currency exchange rates over the long term or at the time of operation of a tour or cruise departure. Tour

5 Botswana: From Desert to Delta, Page 5 prices are based upon the rate of exchange at the time of itinerary publication. If exchange rates change drastically, it may be necessary to implement a surcharge. If a surcharge is necessary, every effort will be made to minimize the amount. In many cases, these additional foreign exchange rate surcharges are passed to VENT by its vendors and suppliers. \FUEL AND FUEL SURCHARGES: In the uncertain, often volatile oil market of late, it is difficult if not impossible to predict fuel costs over the long term, and more specifically, at the time of operation of this departure. Our prices are based upon the prevailing fuel rates at the time of itinerary publication. While we will do everything possible to maintain our prices, if the fuel rates increase significantly, it may be necessary to institute a fuel surcharge. TRIP CANCELLATION & MEDICAL EVACUATION INSURANCE: A brochure and application form for optional coverage for baggage, illness, and trip cancellation can be obtained through the VENT office. We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance as soon as possible to protect yourself against losses due to accidents or illness. VENT recommends Travel Insured International as our preferred insurance provider. Check with your insurance agent regarding coverage you may presently have via other insurance policies that may cover illness during your trip. Waiver for pre-existing conditions is available; however, stipulations apply, usually requiring the purchase of the insurance soon after registering. Optional expanded insurance coverage is available and includes items such as work-related cancellation, medical upgrade, and a Cancel for Any Reason clause among others. Contact Travel Insured International prior to registration for details. Not all insurance providers provide the same levels of coverage. If you purchase insurance through a company other than Travel Insured International, please be advised that rules and stipulations may be different. AIR INFORMATION: Victor Emanuel Travel is a full-service travel agency and wholly owned subsidiary of Victor Emanuel Nature Tours (VENT). Victor Emanuel Travel will be happy to make whatever air reservations you desire including stopovers in Europe, business or first class reservations, etc. from your home and return. Please feel free to call the VENT office to confirm your air arrangements. Please be sure to check with the VENT office prior to purchasing your air ticket to confirm that the tour is sufficiently subscribed to operate. VENT cannot be responsible for any air ticket penalties. BAGGAGE LIMITS: The important guidelines below must please be noted for all air transfers with Wilderness Air: Luggage, including camera equipment and hand luggage, is restricted to 20 kg (44 lb) per person. Only soft bags will be accepted no frames or rigid structures can be transported as they physically cannot fit into the aircraft. Wheels on a bag are only permissible if they are not part of a solid frame or rigid structure. A collapsible wheeled luggage frame/trolley (separate to the bag) is allowed, as long as the basic dimensions are similar to that of the bag. The maximum dimensions of the soft bags which can be accommodated are as follows: 25 cm (10 inches) wide x 30 cm (12 inches) high and 62 cm (24 inches) long. Should you require a bag, Wilderness Air does have a supply of soft canvas carry-all bags at a reasonable cost. These bags are ideal for use on light aircraft and are the correct dimensions. Please keep in mind that the baggage compartments on the light aircraft are only 25 cm high (10 inches), so the pilots must have the ability to manipulate the bag into the compartment. Anyone intending to bring along large quantities of photographic equipment will need to notify VENT well in advance and, if necessary, pay a weight surcharge for all charter flights. (See also the PHOTOGRAPHY section below.) It is important to note that the above weight restrictions are meant for your safety and that of the rest of the group and that pilots have the right to refuse to load luggage which exceeds given weight allowances. PHOTOGRAPHY: While photographic opportunities on this trip are generally very good and every effort will be made to allow participants to take great photos or videos, this is not a personal photographic tour! Keen photographers need to recognize and acknowledge the interests of all other participants and understand that the leader may intervene should photography interfere unduly with the enjoyment of the tour by other participants. As on all tours, a measure of give-and-take is needed to ensure that everyone enjoys their tour.

6 Botswana: From Desert to Delta, Page 6 CLIMATE: April marks the transition into autumn in southern Africa, and although the days are usually dry and sunny, there is a chance of cool conditions in the early mornings and evenings. Rain, in the form of thunder showers, is also possible. Expect mostly sunny and mild weather with the extremes ranging from day-time highs of around eighty eight degrees to early-morning lows of fifty seven degrees. CLOTHING: Lightweight field clothing will be sufficient in most cases. For part of the tour, we will be using opensided game viewing vehicles or boats. Participants should bring warm clothing in particular, a windbreaker for the possibly cool mornings (see CLIMATE above). Layers that can be put on (or shed) as needed are recommended. Bright colors should be avoided for fieldwear beige, grays, greens and browns are ideal for this tour. Sneakers and/or good walking shoes will suffice, as there is very little walking on this tour; hiking boots are not typically needed unless participants have ankle problems. A light raincoat or poncho is recommended in case of any rain. Dress is informal at all camps and lodges. A same-day laundry service is available at all three lodges. EQUIPMENT: You should pack a pair of binoculars that are in good condition along with a belt or day pack (good for carrying books, sunscreen, camera, etc.). Your leader will have a spotting scope, but if you have one and wish to bring it, please feel free to do so. Other items to bring should include a pocket flashlight or headlamp with sufficient batteries and spare bulbs for the trip, hat, sunscreen, moisturizing lotion and chapstick, a small quantity of insect repellent, a washcloth and soap, all of your camera needs including batteries, personal medications, an alarm clock, and a water bottle. As a precaution, it is a good idea to pack your binoculars, a change of clothing, toiletry items, medication, and travel documents in your airline carry-on bag. CURRENCY: Botswana Pula and USD cash can be used in the lodges. Visa and Master Card are widely accepted while American Express has limited use. DOCUMENTS: A passport valid for at least six months beyond your planned departure with a sufficient number of blank pages is required for United States citizens for U.S. citizens traveling to South Africa or Botswana. Non-U.S. citizens should contact their nearest consulates or embassies for instructions. INTERNET ACCESS: Lodges are located in extremely remote areas and internet access is limited or not available. HEALTH: Basic first aid facilities are found in all camps. Serious medical emergencies will, however, necessitate an emergency MEDIVAC flight and health insurance to cover such an eventuality is seriously recommended. Sanitary conditions are generally good at all stops on this tour and foodstuffs including salads, fruits, etc. are safe to eat. Camps offer filtered water which is safe to drink and can be used to refill personal water bottles. Although no vaccinations are required, it is recommended that your yellow fever, hepatitis, and tetanus protection be current. Malaria is present, including the chloroquine-resistant strain. If you are taking prescription medication or over-the-counter medicine, be sure to bring an ample supply that will allow you to get through the tour safely. Please consult your physician as necessary. Remember to pack all medication in your carry-on baggage, preferably in original containers or packaging. As airline baggage restrictions can change without warning, please check with your airline for procedures for packing medication. As standard travel precautions, you should always be up to date with tetanus shots, and strongly consider inoculations against hepatitis types A and B. In addition to your physician, a good source of general health information for travelers is the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. The CDC operates a 24-hour recorded Travelers Information Line 800-CDC-INFO ( ) or you can check their website at Canadian citizens should check the website of the Public Health Agency of Canada: (click on travel health). MISC: Electricity: 220/240 volts. Note that South Africa and Botswana use a plug socket with three round pins and that the adaptors sold in the USA for Africa do not work in these countries.

7 Botswana: From Desert to Delta, Page 7 Language: English and other local dialects Time: 7 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time SUGGESTED READING: Our website at offers an affiliated online store that carries a wide variety of items for birding and nature lovers, including over 6,000 books. A portion of the sales from the store benefits the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. You might also want to visit such other online stores as and for those out-of-print and hard-to-find titles, or which specializes in ornithology books. Birds: Allan, David. A Photographic Guide to Birds of Prey of Southern, Central and East Africa. London: New Holland Publishers, Kemp, Allan and Meg. Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands. London: New Holland Publishers, Maclean, Gordon Lindsay, John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. 6 th ed. Cape Town, This is more of a handbook, with extended information on behavior, breeding, diet etc. Newman, Kenneth. Newman s Birds of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Random House Struik Publishers, Sinclair, Ian, Phil Hockey and Warwick Tarboton. Sasol Birds of Southern Africa. 3 rd ed. Cape Town: Struik Publishers, Mammals: Apps, P. Smithers Mammals of Southern Africa a field guide. Struik Publishers Estes, Richard Despard. The Behavior Guide to African Mammals. University of California Press. Kingdon, Jonathan. The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals. Academic Press/ Russel Friedman Books. Stuart, C. and T. Field Guide to the Mammals of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik Publishers. General Social, Historical and Geographical Background: Bannister, Anthony and Peter Johnson. Okavango: Sea of Land, Land of Water. Cape Town: Struik Publishers. Marshall, Elizabeth. The Harmless People. (Revised edition). Vintage Books: October, Owens, Mark and Delia. Cry of the Kalahari. Mariner Books. Ross, Karen. Jewel of the Kalahari Okavango. Southern Book Publishers/BBC Books. RESPONSIBILITY: Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, Inc. (VENT) and/or its Agents act only as agents for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by railroad, motorcar, motorcoach, boat, or airplane and assume no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of defect in any vehicle or for any reason whatsoever, or through the acts or default of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour. VENT and its agents can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other causes. All such losses or expenses will have to be borne by the passenger, as tour rates provide for arrangements only for the time stated. The right is reserved to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by changes in air schedules. The right is reserved to cancel any tour prior

8 Botswana: From Desert to Delta, Page 8 to departure, in which case full refund will constitute full settlement to the passenger. The right is reserved to substitute leaders on any tour. When this is necessary, notification will be given to tour members. No refund will be made for any unused portion of the tour unless arrangements are made in sufficient time to avoid penalties. The prices of the tours are based on tariffs and exchange rates in effect on August 14, 2015 and are subject to adjustment in the event of any change therein. The right is reserved to decline to accept or to retain any person as a member of any tour. Baggage is at owner's risk entirely. The airlines concerned and their agents and affiliates are not to be held responsible for any act, omission, or event during the time passengers are not on board their aircraft. The passenger ticket in use by said airlines, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between the airlines and the purchaser of these tickets and/or passenger. The services of any I.A.T.A.N. carrier may be used for these tours, and transportation within the United States may be provided by any member carrier of the Airline Reporting Corporation. 716BOT EL/RS/08/20/15 P/GL/08/09/15