Viewing 18 posts - 1 through 18 (of 18 total)
  • Botswana & Namibia – any Advice/Experience??
  • uphilla
    Free Member

    Hi, wonder if anyone has done a trip to these countries – Botswana in particular. My wife is planning a to visit next year is reading “The Rough Guide”, but welcome advice and comments from anyone who has been. Specially wanting to see the animals…thanks!!

    WorldClassAccident
    Free Member

    Mate went to Namibia a couple of years ago. Flew over and rented a jacked up Golf. Set off with a map and some common sense. Had an amazing time and saw beautiful scenery. Probably less animals than an organised tour though. Take lots of pens, paper and little things like that to give away to the local kids.

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    A good few years back we spent a couple of months travelling from SA, through Namibia and Botswana in a small group. You’ll have a great time!

    In Botswana the main thing to consider for animals is the time of year – I cant remember off the top of my head when this is but when there’s lots of water and food the animals are quiet dispersed which is bad for finding them. In reality when in or near the reserves hardly an hour will go past without you bumping into something.

    I’d recommend camping if you’re travelling in a group. There’s nothing like the sound of a hippo wandering past your tent in the middle of the night followed by the sound of lions roaring!

    On our trip Namibia had a kind of NZ adventure feel to it – dune bashing, bungee jumping, cheap beer etc. Still the scenery was fab.

    In comparison to other parts of Africa it feels pretty safe – but obviously common sense is required. The general population are poor – but far from the worst in the world (eg basic health care etc) and we found them friendly and helpful.

    One of the best ever trips for us – cant wait to go back.

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    allthepies
    Free Member

    Visited both countries in 1994, Okavango Delta is a must in Botswana! Namibia is stunning and home to the second largest canyon in the world (Fish River Canyon) as well as the highest sand dunes anywhere. Great camping in Namibia also + superb beer as it was a former German colony (still lots of visible influence) and brew to German purity laws.

    Loved both countries!

    Scamper
    Free Member

    Namibia recently was polled favourite travelling destination in Wanderlust magazine.

    It is without doubt a fantastic country and for us knocked socks off what we experienced of south africa. Overlanding is one way to do it, either cheaply or expensive. Our guilty pleasure was hot air ballooning aver Skeleton coast at dawn – for well under £100.

    allthepies
    Free Member

    Scamper – I think I’ve got that last pic also! Dune 45 I think.

    Scamper
    Free Member

    Nah, Dune 45 was next to that one!

    Admiralable
    Free Member

    Best place to see Animals in Bots is up in the North of the country. If you get the chance to try White Water rafting on the Zambezi. Great fun.

    fatmax
    Full Member

    Go. We went to Botswana on honeymoon (before Zim and SA) and it was perhaps the best week or so of my life. Apart from the obvious honeymoon activities…spent 2-3 days in three different parts of the Okavango – safari on foot seeing elephant and lion at (very) close quarters, jeep safari seeing wild dogs, a pack of lions making a kill, leopard, and then at the last camp (drier part of the delta) in a lodge over looking a small watering hole where you could often see more than 20 elephants, and lions came into the camp looking for water. Just amazing. All the wildlife was in the ‘wild’ – no reserves, fences, gates etc, and hardly any other jeeps about. i’ve heard nothing but good things about namibia too. go, go, go. i’ve now got two young kids and its a huge wish/desire of mine to take them to the okavango so they can see it for themselves.

    uphilla
    Free Member

    Wow, thanks – I am getting excited now!

    TonyL
    Free Member

    I used to run a safri camp in Botswana in the Okavango and was the forestry officer for Ngamiland for a couple of years so know the area pretty well. Okavango is the place to go for wildlife, go for a walking/dugout safari much better than any of the ones where you get driven around. Camp I used to run was called Oddballs its still going and is well worth considering not cheap but good value if that makes sense.

    Let me know if you have any specific questions and I’ll try and help.

    Stunning part of the world well worth going to.

    bravohotel9er
    Free Member

    1) Don’t offer to play them at beach rugby, they will hurt you.
    2) Some very pretty blondes in Windhoek, make sure the aforementioned rugby fanatics aren’t involved with them before seeking to chat them up!

    ETA: and your wife doesn’t spot you, obviously! 😛

    BillMC
    Full Member

    Nice people in Botswana. Have a pint in the President Hotel, Gaborone. There’s lots more to the country than the delta and the animals.

    knottinbotswana
    Free Member

    Sitting next to the river in Maun having my breakfast…

    BillMC, definitely true about seeing more than the delta, can be interesting to find a bar with attached butchery and braai (BBQ) facilities – very vibrant!

    Some good stuff at Tsodilo Hills and Domboshaba: cave paintings and ancient cultures.

    Botswana and Namibia are often referred to as “Africa for beginners” because they are quite safe (in terms of not being mugged, stabbed/shot and left for dead) and little corruption. They are, however, wild countries with an awful lot to see.

    A lot depends how you are planning to travel and your budget: hired 4×4 with rooftop tent, backpacking, charter flights, hotels/lodges and so on. Distances are long but public transport is pretty good – my 60+ year old mother loves it!

    And, if you can’t keep off a bike there is Mashatu.

    If you can give some indication of timing, travel, accommodation and budget I might be able to give you more ideas.

    uphilla
    Free Member

    Thanks for the offers of help – will certainly come back to you – what is the best time of year to go??

    TonyL
    Free Member

    knottin what you doing out there? I used to live in Maun is the Duck In still there?

    knottinbotswana
    Free Member

    In previous years it seems that December-February were the best times for the Delta, as it dried out (reference Nature’s Great Events) and wildlife moved between waterholes. The last couple of years it hasn’t dried out, so the plains animals have moved away to some extent, typically to Moremi, Savuti and Chobe.

    +1 for the mokoro trails on the cheap: Old Bridge Backpackers took my kids (6-13yrs), wife and sisters on a day trip (motor boat from Maun to the Delta, mokoro and walking) and the reports came back that it was great: zebra, elephant, giraffe, etc. Alternatives Okavango River Lodge and Afrotrek. There are also independent operators (typically with an A4 laser-printed logo on the door of a borrowed Land Cruiser!) who can knock up a tour on-the-spot – may not be quite as polished, but the guide still has to be qualified (for what that’s worth…)

    Read Lonely Planet, Bradt, etc. for advice and use Google for other tour operators (high-end: Wilderness Safaris, Beyond, Sanctuary, Orient Express).

    As above, it really does depend on your budget: expensive camps have excellent guides, prime locations and a fantastic experience. At the same time I have seen some unique sights doing it on the cheap, or even getting paid for it!

    As per previous: PM or drop a message here with questions.

    tonyl: Came to Bots 10 years ago and kind of got stuck. Civil engineer supervising civils/building projects. Family is in Francistown, been in Maun on a contract for 2 years and just picked up a new one at Toteng operating out of Maun.
    Duck Inn: along the airport road? Has been known as Bull and Bush, Buck and Hunter and now boarded up.

    knottinbotswana
    Free Member

    Bumpity-bump

    Just came across this simple page, which seems to explain the seasonal variations quite well.

Viewing 18 posts - 1 through 18 (of 18 total)

The topic ‘Botswana & Namibia – any Advice/Experience??’ is closed to new replies.

New deal added to Members Discounts