In this issue:

Green Season specials for Botswana
Best of South Africa fly-in safari for 40% less
Mashatu a fun, exciting safari destination
Malawi in pictures
Malawi – a personal point of view
Pafuri not just for the birds

Two Green Season specials for Botswana

Kwando Safaris and Desert & Delta Safaris are both offering attractive Green Season prices for Botswana fly-in safaris, through 30 March 2009.

The Kwando ‘Five Rivers’ program includes several Okavango Delta and Kwando/Linyanti area camps, as well as properties in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Namibia’s Caprivi Strip and Impalila Island Lodge, one of the best Tiger fishing destinations in the world.

This safari makes an ideal combination with Cape Town, which is at its best in the summer months from about November through March/April.  The Cape is in a winter rainfall area, so it is dry with little chance of rain during this time of the year.  The 5 rivers area is a summer rainfall season, but several of the camps are either in or on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, where summer rainfall rarely exceeds 3 to 4 inches  per month.   Kwando offers a quality safari experience at an excellent price, for the December to March period.

Here are some of the possible highlights of a 5 Rivers Safari:

• The Victoria Falls from Zambia

• The world renowned Chobe elephant experience from a boat

• Visiting Namibia’s enigmatic Caprivi Strip

• Big game of the Kwando Linyanti system

• The unique beauty of the Okavango Delta

• Zebra and Wildebeest migration in the Kalahari Desert

The price of a 6-night 5 Rivers safari (2 nights each at three different camps in the Okavango Delta, Kwando-Linyanti and Kalahari area, starts at $2,650.00  per person sharing from and back to Maun and includes full board accommodation, twice daily activities and all inter-camp transfers by light aircraft. This is based on a safari including the Kalahari, Okavango Delta and Kwando-Linyanti areas.
Desert and Delta is offering several 6-night packages including camps such as Camp Okavango, Savute Safari Lodge, Chobe Game Lodge, Xugana Island Camp, Leroo La Tau and Camp Moremi, starting at $2,460.00 p.p. sharing, from Maun to Kasane. 
Desert & Delta have been around since the 1980's and they are a reliable, high-quality safari operator, offering particularly good value for money. The company is known for its friendly & competent staff. The accommodations at the various Delta & Desert camps are superb. The food is excellent and the chefs and staff provide delicious and well-prepared meals. Of course the best part of a Delta and Desert Safari is the game drives. The guides are and trackers have a well-deserved reputation for being totally dedicated to keeping the guests happy.  All guides are local Batswana, recruited from nearby villages and some have “worked through the ranks” from trainee level right through to fully qualified guides.
I have just returned from a trip inspection to several of these camps and at each camp my expectations were met and exceeded.  The two outstanding properties were definitely Leroo La Tau on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, and Savute Safari Lodge.  However Camp Okavango and Camp Moremi were also impressive – I am just a little concerned about the number of vehicles operating in the Xaxanaxa area.  My Botswana trip report can be found on my blog at http://bostonat55.blogspot.com/

Best of South Africa fly-in safari for 40% less

Over the last few months, the South African currency – the Rand – has dropped in value by as much as 40% relative to the US Dollar. This means that you can currently go on safari in South Africa for about half the price of a comparable trip elsewhere in Africa.  
To make the most of this temporary price decrease, which we think will just last for a few months at best, we have put together a ‘Best of South Africa’ fly-in safari which includes a few days in Cape Town, and several days on safari in two different parts of Kruger Park.
Our ‘Best of South Africa’ safari package consists of various modules, some or all of which may be combined for a safari of up to 2 weeks in duration.

The modules include the following:
*  4-night Pafuri Camp safari, from and back to Johannesburg (from US$1,775.00 p.p. sharing, full board & activities)

*  5-night Cape Town extension, inclusive of 3 nights at the 4-star Victoria & Alfred Hotel and 2 nights at Aquila,  a 4 star property in a malaria free area (about 2.5 hrs drive out of Cape Town) which offers big 5 game viewing.  From US$1,615.00 p.p. including transfers.  

*  4-night Kruger Park safari including 2 nights at Djuma Bush Lodge and 2 nights at Thornybush Main Lodge, on full board basis including activities, from  US$1,430.00 p.p. sharing. 

The cost of intra-African scheduled flights is extra; please e-mail or call for a detailed itinerary.

Mashatu a fun, exciting safari destination

Over the last few years, I have heard many good things about Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana’s Tuli Block.  Good game-viewing, lots of leopards, lots of elephant, many adventure options.  Nice rooms, great food. 
On a recent (November) inspection trip, I found all of those to be true, and more. The camp lived up to its reputation in every respect, starting with ‘lots of leopards’.  A morning drive with our guide Mr. Fish was uneventful to start, until he found a leopard.  It wasn’t easy.  In fact, finding the leopard was a ‘guide book’ demonstration on what it takes to find an elusive wild animal.  Mr. Fish saw some leopard tracks along the road, for starters.  He could obviously tell that the spoor was fresh, as he got out of the car to take a closer look to ascertain in which direction the animal had been traveling.  He then got back in the vehicle, drove around a corner, and then proceeded through a dry riverbed.  For some reason, Mr. Fish then turned around, his decision having been triggered by the alarm call of some francolins.  Nearing a particular bushy area for the second time, all of could see three or so guinea fowl loudly proclaiming and literally staring into the bush.  They might as well have had a sign saying ‘leopard here’. Just then, there was a loud growl from the bush and a leopard strode out purposefully.  Voila, how to find a leopard!  In the clear daylight, we could see it was a powerfully built large male leopard, with a collar.  Shortly afterward a female leopard darted across the dry river bed.
That afternoon, we took a nap, enjoyed high tea, and met up with the trails guide and his two trailists from Belgium, Trudi and Dario.  We left Main Camp at about 1600, for a 2 hr+ mountain bike safari.  It was an interesting experience, as well as good exercise, often a scarce commodity on safari.  Our guide discussed various aspects of the ecology such as the Shepherd Tree & all the animals which utilize it.  The biking was not too difficult as we rode mostly along elephant paths which follow the contour line.  Here and there we had to negotiate sandy and rocky places, occasionally small hills & downhill stretches, as well as some forests.  The trip ended at Pitsane Camp site, where we inspected the Mashatu Walking Trail camp.  It consisted of very comfortable ‘standup’ tents with substantial beds, an outdoor shower with plenty of hot water on demand and a ‘short drop’ toilet just a few meters from camp.  The trails camp obtains fresh food and supplies from Main Camp every day.  A Mashatu Walking Trail Safari is a good idea for people who want to extend their stay in the area for a few days, do some walking and get out of the vehicle.  I would recommend doing one day (of the walking safari) as a bike safari, to add even more diversity to the experience.

Malawi in pictures
By Jason Duplessis

	The hills and mountains of Malawi at the Lujeri Tea Estate
The most common use of a bicycle in Malawi, the transportation of goods
	Driving through the market of a small Malawian town
A school near Mvuu camp, in the local village of Njobvu, proud of their new soccer uniforms.
The amazing crystal clear waters of Lake Malawi, from the view of a chalet on Mumbo Island.

"The Warm Heart of Africa" or "The Cultural Safari"
By Lyndon Duplessis

I had no idea what to expect as I prepared for my first trip to Malawi.  I had been told the difference between a safari and a cultural safari but you really have to experience it for yourself to fully understand.  On the trips that I have taken before to areas such as Botswana and Zimbabwe, contact with the locals is rare.  The camps are mostly isolated from civilization and game watching is their focus.  In Malawi the people are the focus and they are friendly and plentiful.  In fact if there is one thing that you will have no trouble finding in Malawi.  Whether it be a small rural path or an endless stretch of freeway between towns.  No matter how long you travel there will always be people.  Most are walking on the side of the road, some with bicycles stacked with more goods than you would think a bicycle could hold.  The cities such as Lilongwe, and especially in the market districts, are bustling.  As I traveled through this beautiful country I was just so amazed at all the people, at first I would think to myself as we turn into some small back road how there could not possibly be more people, at least not on this nondescript little road, only to be proven wrong time after time.  I came to the conclusion that if there is a road in Malawi, people will be on it.  They do not call Malawi "the warm heart of Africa" for nothing.  Out of all those people I do believe it would have been quite a chore to have to find anyone that wasn't happy to stop whatever they were doing to pose for a picture.
The country itself is spectacular.  The view from the Zomba Plateau is breathtaking.  Birding in this area is fantastic.  The Lujeri Tea Estate was the first place I visited in Malawi and wound up being one of my favorites.  Set at the base of the Mulanji Mountains the entire area is a green paradise.  If you happen to head this way be sure to take a dip in the Mbiya Pools and the Blue Lagoon.  The water comes from the mountains so it is quite cool but after some nice hikes around the area I could not think of anything more refreshing.  If Malawi is considered "the warm heart of Africa" Lake Malawi must be the warm heart of Malawi.  I spent two nights on Mumbo Island and had an absolute blast.  Like a mini Carribbean vacation without the saltwater.  Activities include snorkeling, kayaking, nature trails, sunset cruises and plain old relaxation. 
Although it is not the main attraction, there is game to be seen in Malawi.  Mvuu Wilderness lodge in the Liwonde National Park attracts a large population of elephant who love to bathe in the waters of the Shire River.  A short drive to Njobvu Cultural Village and some time spent there will help you get a feel for what everyday life is like for a Malawian.  If you are really gung-ho about it you can even spend a night in the village.  Malawi is a very special place and a great destination for something out of the ordinary.

Pafuri camp not just for the birds

Kathleen and I had the opportunity to spend a couple of nights at Wilderness Safaris’  Pafuri Camp recently, on a November trip to South Africa.  This stunning camp consists of a series of luxury tented rooms all along the northern bank of the Levuvhu River, with good views over the water.  For the duration of our visit, there was practically always some game in and around camp:  several solitary buffalo bulls wading in the river, nyala and bushbuck up close, as well as some baboons and warthog.  Predictably, the birdlife was excellent as Pafuri is arguably one of the top 5 birding destinations in all of Southern Africa. From our room, it was a fairly long walk to the expansive central dining/lounge complex and deck.  But no matter, the excellent catering more than made the slight trek worthwhile. 
Game drives were on the quiet side as far as big game was concerned, but fascinating nonetheless.  Over the course of two days we saw the very rare Pangolin twice – both sightings better than we had ever seen before, particularly the first time when the animal was in perfect light late afternoon.  It stared at the vehicle for several seconds before it moved off into the bush.  We also saw Sharpe’s Grysbok, some genet, a few elephant and of course dozens of that most handsome of antelope species, the Nyala.  Kudu was also plentiful.
A definite highlight was a visit to the incredibly beautiful Lanner Gorge, with some stupendous views over the Levuvhu River from a high viewpoint.  I also thoroughly enjoyed an outing to the Fever Tree forest, driving through  an unbelievable number of Fever trees stretching for what seems like several kilometers in the floodplain of the Levuvhu River, almost all the way to where it joins up with the Limpopo Valley at the notorious Crooks’ Corner.  There, we had sundowners overlooking a peaceful scene complete with three hippos in the water, and several crocodiles on the banks of the river.  Our young & energetic Guide Callum never tired of searching for stuff to show us, and he was especially good on birds.
On our last day at Pafuri, I spent the morning in the room, and caught up on my running, doing about four miles on the boardwalk, which stretches almost an entire mile from end to end (room 1 to 20).   That afternoon, Kathleen and I went out for a last walk with Callum and Warren, in search of rackettailed roller.  We didn’t find them but saw numerous other excellent birds including broadbilled roller.  Walking through a beautiful forest of fever trees, with large open areas of buffalo grass in between, we came upon an impressive herd of buffalo of about 200 plus moving across the floodplain.  It was a fitting end to a very enjoyable trip.