Special Interest Safaris
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full itineraries and departure dates
Adventure:
Zimbabwe /
Botswana - 2003 Africa Safari Challenge
Premier Collection
11 days, US $4,195 - US $4,595
Great value hands on all inclusive camping, lodge adventure safari with air
transfers
Visit: 2 countries! Zimbabwe and Botswana. Includes Mana Pools, Matusadona, Chobe
and Victoria Falls
Highlights: hands on adventure, all inclusive, transfers by air, camping,
lodges, Mana Pools canoeing, professionally guided hikes and walks, game drives and
tracking on foot, excellent wildlife and birding, elephant back safari, rafting, village
visit, mountain biking, tour of Victoria Falls, Chobe River boat cruise
Botswana - Images of a Timeless Land
Spring 2004 group departure with
professional photographer Ron Lucas
Premier / Platinum Collection
12 days, US $6,995 per person
Visit: Johannesburg, Victoria Falls, Savute / Linyanti, the Okavango
Delta and Moremi
Highlights: all
inclusive, exclusive tented camps and lodges, transfers by air with 55 pound luggage limit
(twice what most safaris offer), services of professional photographer Ron Lucas, private
day and night wildlife viewing from open sided 4x4 vehicles with a maximum of 4 guests +
tour leader and guide per vehicle, optional sleep out, professionally guided walks on
request, Okavango Delta excursions in traditional dug out mokoros or by boat on request,
excellent wildlife and birding, Chobe River boat cruise, private guided tour of Victoria
Falls.
Botswana -
Images of a Timeless Land
Autumn 2004 group departure with
professional photographer Michael Poliza
Premier / Platinum Collection
12 days, US $TBA per person
Visit: Johannesburg, Victoria Falls, Savute / Linyanti, the Okavango
Delta and Moremi
Highlights: all
inclusive, exclusive tented camps and lodges, transfers by air with 55 pound luggage limit
(twice what most safaris offer), services of professional photographer Michael Poliza,
private day and night wildlife viewing from open sided 4x4 vehicles with a maximum of 4
guests + tour leader and guide per vehicle, optional sleep out, professionally guided
walks on request, Okavango Delta excursions in traditional dug out mokoros or by boat on
request, excellent wildlife and birding, Chobe River boat cruise, private guided tour of
Victoria Falls.
and...
Specialist Safaris
For 2004, Ultimate Africa will offer a
series of special interest safaris throughout southern and central Africa. Some of these
trips will be set departure safaris, which individuals can book onto. Groups can copy
these ideas for their own itineraries. The safaris will be led by top specialists in their
respective fields.
Here are some of the proposed itineraries,
with prices and dates. All internal flights from the start / end points are included. A
lot of these itineraries are scheduled for 2004 but we can run most safaris on a private
basis anytime for 2 or more people.
Please email our office for further
information about any of these safaris:
The Art of Tracking with Brian
Worsely
A fantastic and experienced
walking guide leads this 7 day safari. This safari is for guests who enjoy the thrill of
being far from a vehicle, tracking many of Africa's large, furry and occasionally
dangerous animals. Explore the exclusive areas of Hwange, Matusadona and Mana Pools
National Parks. These are some of Africa's finest walking areas and Brian is licensed to
carry firearms within the parks for guest's safety. The emphasis is to stalk big game on
foot to learn the finer art of tracking animals, identifying their spoor and to learn more
about their behavior. No scheduled dates, tailor-made to suit individual requirements and
dates. Rates are valid from January through December 2004. Price varies according to the
season. Victoria Falls to Victoria Falls 6 nights / 7 days. US $3,310 per person based on
4 guests.
Botswana's Best Birding with Ken
Newman
A 5 night safari to the Okavango Delta at a time of the year when all the
intra-African and European migrants are in residence and breeding is at its peak. Travel
with Ken Newman, one of the region's foremost bird painters and authors. Travel to two
Okavango camps offering contrasting habitats and birding experiences within the Okavango
Delta. Most of the region's rarities and endemics should be seen - from Pel's Fishing Owl
to the diminutive Brown Firefinch. Within the waterways, savannahs and lagoons, countless
herons, ducks, jacanas, eagles, vultures, ibis, storks, plovers and all the 'LBJ's' should
be found. Some of the rare species include Slaty Egrets, Wattled Cranes, Coppery-tailed
Coucals, Black Coucals, Thick-Billed Cuckoo, Chirping Cisticola and Lesser Jacana.
November 7-12, 2004. Maun to Maun 5 nights / 6 days. US$3,295 per person based on 4
guests.
Conservation at Work with Ian
Michler
This safari will appeal to anyone who wants to learn about the history of
conservation and wildlife management in Southern Africa. Conservation and wildlife
management ideologies, efforts and problems are becoming more and more crucial. It is a
topic, which is not really covered on safaris, yet all that it embraces is so vital for
the future of the wildlife areas and for the planet as a whole. Ian Michler will guide
this trip. Ian is a well renowned specialist guide, who has recently been involved with
journalism, most of which has been on or involving conservation and wildlife management as
a major theme. Topics that may be covered during the safari could amongst others include
Protecting Fragile Eco Systems, Save the Rhino Trust, Animal Relocation, The State of the
Planet and Community Conservation. This safari will start in Namibia. You will travel
south to Sossusvlei for two nights. After Sossusvlei continue north to Damaraland and then
onto Etosha. Two nights will be spent at one of the lodges in or adjoining Etosha Game
Reserve. From Etosha travel by light aircraft to Botswana. Five nights will be spent in
Botswana, staying at both an Okavango and a Linyanti based camp. May 11 - 23, 2004.
Windhoek to Maun 12 nights / 13 days. US $4,375 per person based on 4 guests.
Cycling and Walking in the Cape
Mountains and Winelands
Parties of 2 or more guests may depart on any date. Each trip will be
tailor-made to suit each party. The aim is to walk and cycle in the winelands and
mountains of the Cape. Three nights is optimum for guests to enjoy the outdoors, the
exercise, the ambience, the fine food, wine and hospitality of the Cape! Guests will be
accommodated at Auberge Le Quartier Francais. Cape Town to Cape Town 3 nights / 4 days. US
$950 per person based on 2 guests.
Wildlife Photographic Safari with Lex
Hes
This 4 night safari travels to the Okavango and the Linyanti region of
Botswana. Guests will stay at two of Botswana's great game viewing camps at a time of year
when there will be very short and bright green grass to enhance photographs. You will
focus your lenses on the incredible variety of wildlife and flora of the Okavango and
Linyanti regions. Lex will teach participants all he knows about photography with
theoretical and practical lectures. The workshop will be an intense experience and
participants will learn new techniques to help them take better photographs. Guests with
more time on their hands can then extend to other camps to practice their new skills.
January 8-12, 2004. Maun to Maun 4 nights / 5 days. US $2,645 per person based on 4
guests.
Digital Photographic Workshop with
Michael Poliza
Michael is one of the few wildlife photographers who have successfully
mastered digital photography. Many photographers have traveled with him and learnt more
about photography in 5 days than they learnt in the last 10 years. Michael travels with
the most advanced digital equipment and a laptop computer that he uses to assist in
teaching practical methods to his fellow travelers. He downloads the photos to the laptop
for instantaneous feedback. This allows his guests the opportunity to immediately make
changes to their techniques to get the best photos on their safari. Michael is usually
based in Cape Town and is available to join photographers on their safaris. He adds
enormous value and fun to a safari. Safaris will be custom-made to suit individual
interests and budgets. November 9 - 14, 2004. Maun to Maun 5 nights / 6 days. US $3,905
per person based on 4 guests.
Learning about Wildlife with Lex Hes
Join us for a real learning experience in the wilderness of Botswana. Not
only will you be seeing and experiencing great wildlife in some of the best wilderness
areas that Africa has to offer but, at the same time you will also be getting an in-depth
educational experience that will give you an understanding of how these eco systems
actually work. You'll be learning about the flood cycles in the Okavango Delta and how
these effect the vegetation types that occur there; the different behavioral patterns of
the animals that live in this area; the medicinal values of some of the plants;
identifying animals by their spoor; how zebra form harems and why lions commit infanticide
together with a host of other interesting facts, anecdotes and information. Lex Hes, the
trip leader, has a business that specializes in the training of natural history guides.
Lex has guided in all of the Southern African countries and is renowned as one of the best
and most popular natural history guides because of his easy going nature and wealth of
knowledge. The itinerary will include three nights in a camp in the heart of the Okavango
Delta, followed by two nights in the Linyanti region. A visit to an African wilderness
area is an endless learning experience and this trip will be no different. November 9-14,
2004. Maun to Maun 5 nights / 6 days. US $3,630 per person based on 4 guests.
Malawi Ultimate Birding Safari with
Ian Davidson
Since 1987 we have done many Malawi birding safaris. Our record number of
species for a 2-week trip is 425 and our experience has helped us pick the very best
birding itinerary possible. This 15 day safari travels to many different habitats in
Malawi. Being a small country with a huge variety of habitats from pristine miombo
woodland to montane forest and grassland, swamp, rainforest and mature riverine, the
country has a species list of over 620, many of which cannot be seen south of the Zambezi.
Start the safari in the capital of Lilongwe where you spend two nights; included is a
full-day excursion to the Dzalanyama Forest Reserve. Continue north to the Viphiya Plateau
for one night where you visit the expanses of miombo woodlands. The Vwasa Marsh Game
Reserve is the next destination and activities here include walks and game drives.
Continue to the Nyika Plateau for three nights, scenically one of Malawi's most
spectacular wild areas. Here the days are spent walking, on game drives or relaxing at
your camp. Making your way southwards to the lake and spend two nights on the lakeshore
and the on to Blantyre, where accommodation has been arranged for two nights. The trip
continues southwards to the Zomba Plateau where you will spend one night in a hotel
perched on the steep edge of the Zomba Mountain. Move on to Liwonde National Park on the
banks of the Shire River for a two-night stay. In this park the habitat is varied and
includes the river, lagoons and marshes, and open savannah country, woodland and hills.
Return to Lilongwe where the safari ends. This trip will be guided by Ian Davidson, a
superb field guide who has a number of very successful Malawi trips under his belt. While
his primary interest is birds, he has extensive knowledge in the entomological, botanical
and general zoological fields and has written over 40 scientific papers on entomological
and bird-related subjects. October 24 - November 7, 2004. Lilongwe to Lilongwe 14 nights /
15 days. Minimum 6 and maximum 8 guests. US $3,500 per person.
Namibia's Best Birding Safari with
Peter Steyn
This 9 day safari travels to many of the different habitats in Namibia at
a time of year when the migrants are resident and when guests should see as many of the
Namibian birds as possible. Start the safari in the southern Namib region at Sossusvlei
before travelling north to Swakopmund. Here you will have three nights of Namib Desert
birding and nature viewing (including a boat trip out to sea). Travel up to Etosha for two
nights, ending the safari in Windhoek. You will focus on many of the Namibian endemics.
March 16-24, 2004. Windhoek to Windhoek 8 nights / 9 days. US $5,595 per person based on 4
guests.
The Greatest Shoal on Earth - Sardine
Run and Ultimate Diving with Debbie Smith
This 4 night safari, known as the "Greatest Shoal on Earth"
featured recently in National Geographic. The "Sardine Run", as it is known
locally, takes place on a massive scale on the eastern coast line of South Africa. This is
the convergence zone for both deep and shallow water predators, feasting on sardines on
their annual range extension from the cooler Cape waters. Specialist guide Debbie Smith
qualified as an Open Water diver in June 1986. Since then she has completed numerous
diving related courses and has done in excess of 1,300 dives. Debbie has been involved in
extensive studies on shark behavior and also teaches Shark Awareness courses. She turned
professional in 1996 and has vast diving experience in the Aliwal Shoal, Southern
Mozambique, Rocktail Bay and Seychelles regions. Participants can expect to see dolphins,
sharks, gannets, seals and sardines as they move northwards along the coast. Many other
species of fish, bird and mammal will also be encountered. Viewing is done from boats and
is open to limited divers and non-divers to experience this amazing natural event. Viewing
this phenomenon is both awe inspiring and educational and revolves around how the whole
diverse marine system works, looking at the interdependencies between species and their
hunting and socialization techniques. Never before has so much marine interaction been
seen in such a short space of time. June 17-21, 2004. Durban to Durban 4 nights / 5 days.
Cost to be advised.
Ultimate Mana Pools Walking and / or
Canoeing Safari with Garth Thompson
This safari takes place in what is probably Africa's finest walking and
big game area with one of Africa's finest guides. Garth has been guiding in the Mana Pools
area for the past 17 years. A safari with Garth in the Zambezi Valley is one of the best
one can do in Africa. There are no set dates but this safari can run anytime from May to
October each year for private parties of up to 7 guests. There are a number of ways we can
run this safari and the choice will depend on each group, their levels of fitness and the
standard of accommodation they require. We can vary the accommodation from a pure camping
safari where you camp out on the banks of the Zambezi, to a permanent tented camp safari
where you walk out each day from Ruckomechi or Chikwenya camps. May to the end of October
2004. Victoria Falls to Victoria Falls 3 nights / 4 days. US $2,685 per person based on 6
guests. |
