Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TYPES OF SAFARI
Fly-In Safaris
If the world is your oyster, then the sheer sexiness of taking off in a little six-seater aircraft
to nip across to the next remote safari camp or designer lodge is a must. It also means
you'll be able to maximise your time and cover a selection of parks and reserves to give
yourself an idea of the fantastic variety of landscapes on offer.
The biggest temptation will be to cram too much into your itinerary, leaving you rushing
from place to place. Be advised, it's always better to give yourself at least three days in
each camp or lodge in order to really avail yourself of the various activities on offer.
While a fly-in safari is never cheap, they are all-inclusive and what you pay should cover
the cost of your flight transfers as well as meals, drinks and activities in each camp. Obvi-
ously, this all takes some planning and the earlier you can book a fly-in safari the better -
many operators advise on at least six to eight months' notice if you want to pick and
choose where you stay.
Fly-in safaris are particularly popular, and sometimes a necessity, in the delta region of
Botswana. Given the country's profile as a top-end safari destination, many tour operators
specialise in fly-in safaris or include a fly-in element in their itineraries.
Mobile Safaris
Most visitors to Botswana and Namibia will experience some sort of organised mobile sa-
fari - ranging from an all-hands-on-deck 'participation safari', where you might be expec-
ted to chip in with camp chores and supply your own sleeping bag and drinks, all the way
up to top-class, privately guided trips.
As trips at the lower end of the budget scale can vary enormously in quality it pays to
canvass opinion for good local operators. This can be done on Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree
forum (
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com
), or by chatting to other travellers on the ground.
Failing this, don't hesitate to ask lots of questions of your tour operator and make your pri-
orities and budget clear from the start.
Maun is Botswana's mobile-safari HQ, while most safaris in Namibia will need to be
booked out of Windhoek. For those booking through overseas tour operators, try to give as
much notice as possible, especially if you want to travel in the high season. This will give
you a better chance of booking the camps and lodges of your choice.
