"Botswana Mobile Camping Safari Operator"
Botswana mobile Safari company.
Medicinal
Plants Study Tour
14
days/ 13 nights
This
is a specialized safari designed to study the medicinal properties of
plants and is suitable for anyone interested in botany, with
particular reference to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants
of the Kalahari desert and the Okavango delta.
This
trip allows the visitor the rare chance to walk with the semi-nomadic
desert dwellers, the San, as well as the Bayei and Hambukushu, the
river tribes of theOkavango Delta, who will introduce us to their
worlds, their bush skills and knowledge.
The
trip will be accompanied by leading experts in the field who will
provide up-to-date information on the plants we encounter along the
way. The expedition will be led by a formidable team consisting of
Peter Comley, professional guide of twenty five years standing and
author on field guides to the Mammals of Botswana and Namibia; Dr
Nigel Gericke, leading medicinal plant expert and author of books on
medicinal usage of plants and Dr Mark Joost van de Walle, wildlife
researcher in Botswana..
Start
and end in Maun.
Transport:
Open 4 WD, mokoro, boat, on foot, single-engined plane.
Accommodation:
camping and houseboat.
ITINERARY
DAY
1-5: MAUN TO WESTERN KALAHARI - AHA HILLS & DROTSKY’S CAVES –
CAMPING – F/B
On
arrival you will be met at the airport in Maun and transferred by road
in 4x4 vehicles to
Aha Hills, situated in the western Kalahari on the border between
Botswana and Namibia. Depending on road conditions at the time the
trip could take 8 to 10 hours. We will spend five nights in the area.
This
is where the Kung Bushmen have made their home and have adapted their
lifestyle to survive the harsh conditions of a semi-desert. We will
meet up with a small band of these semi-nomadic bushmen who will
introduce us to their world and take us on walks and share with us
their knowledge of the plants of the area. While in the area we will
also visit the relatively little known limestone caves known as
Drotsky’s Caverns.
TERRAIN:
From Maun to Aha Hills we will drive through typical western Kalahari
terrain, which consists of scrub-covered sand dunes interspersed with
clay pans and scrub and tree savannah. North-western Botswana has a
tremendous variety of plants and trees that give much denser cover
than that of the southern and central regions of the country. The
vegetation provides the San with the bulk of their diet and
traditional medicine and is made up of the plentiful tubers, roots,
berries, fruits, seeds and leaves found in the area.
WILDLIFE:
Of primary interest are the plants of the area, but with luck we might
get to see springbok, gemsbok, steenbok, duiker, kudu, black-backed
jackal, eland and other desert dwelling animals. The birdlife is
primarily dryland birds and some of the commonly seen species include
ostrich, korhaan, bustards, coursers, raptors, larks, finches, doves,
sparrow-weavers, sandgrouse, hornbills and tits.
ACTIVITIES:
Walking with the San; Identifying plants of the area; Caving; Birding.
DAY6-7:
WESTERN OKAVANGO DELTA (SEPUPA) TO TSODILO HILLS – CAMPING – F/B
We
will pack up camp and drive in a north-easterly direction to Sepupa, a
small village situated on the edge of the Okavango Delta where we will
set up a base camp for two nights and from where we will explore the
north-western reaches of the Kalahari. The trip will include a visit
to Tsodillo Hills, famous for over 3500 bushman paintings that dot the
rock faces.
TERRAIN:
The terrain remains mostly typical western Kalahari scrub and tree
savannah, but the closer we get to the Okavango Delta the more it
changes to mixed woodland. As we follow the western embankment of the
river in a northerly direction we have an occasional glimpse of the
Okavango River, on its final stretch as a single entity, with Tsodillo
Hills just barely visible on the far western horizon.
The
road to Tsodillo crosses waves of scrub covered sand dunes, between
two and five metres in height until one finally reaches the island of
four magnificently wooded rock masses of differing sizes rising above
the tree-dotted sea of the surrounding flatness of the Kalahari
Desert.
WILDLIFE:
Except for kudu, steenbok and duiker which have the ability to exist
in waterless areas one should not expect to see much else besides
cattle and goats as we travel through small villages and cattle posts.
The hills are home to an endemic brown and yellow striped gecko.
Birdlife around the hills are good and include species such as
hornbills, louries, finches, orioles, doves and many more.
DAY
8-9: OKAVANGO DELTA PANHANDLE – SERONGA – HOUSEBOAT - LODGING –
F/B
We
will set out by boat to cross the Okavango river from west to east to
the small village of Seronga. Here we will meet up with the houseboat,
which will take us deeper into the Okavango and will be our home for
the next two days.
TERRAIN:
Here the Okavango River shows little variation where, as a deep fast
flowing river, it winds its way through endless papyrus banks for
almost one hundred kilometers. There are far fewer islands in this
section than further south and generally they are no bigger than a
termite mound.
WILDLIFE:
We stand a chance of encountering
hippo, lechwe, waterbuck, bushbuck, crocodiles, elephant, otters and
leguan. The birdlife now changes to mainly water birds and include
species such as herons, egrets, kingfishers, bee-eaters, cisticolas
and crakes.
ACTIVITIES:
Exploring the channels and waterways of this watery environment by
houseboat, tender boat and on foot; Identifying plants of the area;
Birding; Fishing.
DAY
10-13: NORTH-EASTERN OKAVANGO DELTA – MOKORO TRAIL – CAMPING –
F/I
Today
we set out by mokoro in a south-easterly direction. Our mokoro polers
will pole us through the channels and flood plains of this magical
area. We will stop off on islands to explore further on foot and to
make camp at night. The actual location of the islands where we camp
will remain flexible and up to our discretion, depending on the game
movements and water levels.
We
will use light-weight tents and sleep on camp mattresses. This is a
hiking and mokoro trail and everything that we take along must fit
into the mokoros, so equipment and supplies will be relatively
limited.
TERRAIN:
As the Okavango River leaves the constricting fault lines of the
Panhandle at Seronga, it fragments and spreads out across the sandy
land into
innumerable smaller rivers, streams and islands to
create the spectacular Okavango Delta.
The upper reaches
of the Delta are permanently flooded and though the water level does
fluctuate, the seasonal difference is not enough to affect the
vegetation. This area comprises countless small palm fringed islands,
huge lagoons, narrow winding waterways and even floating islands.
WILDLIFE:
Sitatunga is the speciality of this area. Lechwe, reedbuck, waterbuck,
impala, hippo, warthog, baboon and vervet monkeys are commonly found.
So are crocodiles and leguan. This is a superb area for birding and
riverine forest birds and waterfowl are common.
DAY
7:
RETURN
B/FAST ONLY
On
the last day we make our way back to Seronga where we meet up with the
vehicles again and from where you fly to Maun by single-engined plane
in time for your return flight to Maun and onwards.
INCLUDED:
All
transfers between destinations, accommodation, meals and activities as
mentioned; all camping equipment (tents, mattresses); soft drinks
& wine; all park fees and permits; the services of a licensed
professional guide, drivers and back-up staff
EXCLUDED:
International
flights; tips and gratuities; medical, luggage and travel insurance;
items of a personal nature; laundry; beer & alcoholic beverages
(this will be made available on request and at additional cost);
visas; 10% VAT.
"Traveler's Guide to Botswana by Peter
Comley and Salome Meyer. Struik, 1994. Reviewer David Steele (Getaway
Nov. 1994) says that for the first-time visitor this beautifully
illustrated work is practically essential reading. The book is laid
out in four parts: An introduction to Botswana, Getting around
Botswana, Exploring Botswana and a Visitor's Digest. According to
Steele the meat of this work is in the Exploring Botswana section
which features the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, Makgadikgadi
and Nxai Pan National Park, the Kalahari, and Eastern Botswana and the
Tuli Block. The reviewer found the information to be accurate,
"...which is not at all surprising since (authors) Comley and
Meyer live in Botswana, guiding and conducting photographic safaris in
all of this country's major tourist areas."
All camping safari itineraries are
strictly tailor-made to suit your needs requirements and expectations.
No request
is too small or large for us to assist .For all your Botswana camping
safari needs.