Walking SafarisA five-day walking safari in Botswana's Selinda ReserveSelinda Reserve is a pristine wilderness area between the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park and well known for its hippo-killing lions, cheetah and wild dog. A special area along the Selinda Spillway - a water course linking the Okavango Delta to the Linyanti Swamps - has been set aside for walking safaris. The walks follow time-worn trails, through riparian forest and open plains. Guests begin their safari at one of the permanent camps (Selinda or Zibalianja), spend 2 days walking and end at the other permanent camp. The walking nights are spent at Mokoba and Tshwene trails camps. Over the last 12 years of operating our Selinda Walking Trails have continued to grow in popularity. The demand for a safari that delivers more than the usual game drive is increasing amongst our clients and in order to accomodate this we have had to change the way that we operate our Walking Trails starting from March 1st 2008. We believe these changes will enhance the experience and, most of all, make the booking of a walking safari that much easier. Please note that these changes will not effect those bookings we are already holding, but will only apply to new bookings.
Essentially The Selinda Walking Trails will be designed to operate as a "stand alone" camp. This means that it is no longer required to book a night at one of our permanent camps on either end of the Trail. However, depending on availability, guests are welcome to book a night or more at the end of the safari at any of our camps. In order for this to work effectively and still deliver the experience that our Trails are renown for, the following conditions have to apply: - Each Walking Trail has a set departure date and will be a fixed 3 night/4 day safari. The number of departure dates is quite extensive with up to 9 departures a month, so slotting it into an itinerary is relatively simple. The Trails season remains March 1st to Novemebr 30th.
- Each Trail is booked & paid for in its entirety i.e. 3 nights at the pppn rate that applies for Selinda Walking Trails. Guests may elect to depart the Trail early, say after two nights, but will be required to pay for the full 3-night package. An exception is made for those guests who hold a reservation for the 3rd night at one of our permanent camps.
- Guests should start the Trail on the set departure date i.e. it is not encouraged to join the safari halfway through.
- The FIT capacity of each Trail has been increased to 6 persons maximum all sharing. There are only 3 twin/double tents available, so private guides and tour leaders who may be accompanying the safari will need to be accommodated in one of these tents and will attract a surcharge equal to our single supplement rate.
- The recommended itinerary is as follows:
- (Day 1) - arrive on The Selinda Reserve by light aircraft where guests are met at the Selinda airstrip. From there, guests can elect to be driven to their first overnight Trails camp by vehicle or to start exploring Africa on foot straight away i.e walk to camp. This will depend to some extent on arrival times. The first night is spent in one of our two Trails Camps (Mokoba or Tshwene).
- (Day 2) - After an early breakfast, depart on foot for a destination determined by the guide, returning to camp some 4-5 hours later in time for a hearty lunch. Siesta & afternoon tea is followed by a quiet walk to explore new areas close to camp. After dinner a night drive is on offer.
- (Day 3) - After breakfast set out on foot in the general direction of the second Trails camp, again arriving in time for lunch. The rest of the day's activities are at the discretion of the guests and guide.
- (Day 4) - After breakfast either depart by foot for one of our permanent camps if staying there, or a vehicle transfer to catch a light aircraft transfer to the next destination.
Note the set departure dates below for Selinda Walking Safaris - 2008. Dates listed are the date the safari starts and where there is still availability.
March - 03 / 07 / 10 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 24 / 28
April - 01 / 04 / 08 / 11 / 16 / 19 / 23 / 26
May - 01 / 05 / 08 / 19 / 23 / 27 / 30
June - 03 / 06 / 10 / 13 / 17 / 20 / 24 / 27
July - 01 / 04 / 08 / 12 / 15 / 20 / 24 / 28 / 31
August - 04 / 07 / 11 / 14 / 18 / 21 / 29
September - 01 / 05 / 08 / 12 / 15 / 19 / 22 / 26 / 29
October - 03 / 06 / 10 / 13 / 18 / 21 / 25 / 28
November - 02 / 05 / 09 / 12 / 17 / 20 / 24 / 27
| Linyanti offers a pristine wilderness environment and, as such, is known for its rewarding walking trails. You follow the game on foot, accompanied by a professional guide and a tracker. The luggage is moved each day while you are out walking. A wild, yet truly memorable safari experience. |  |
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| Meals | Fully Inclusive | | Accommodation | 3 nights comfortable game lodge, 2 nights trail camps with proper beds, adjacent flush toilets and solar lighting | | Departure Dates | On request between March and November | | Transport | Light aircraft transfers to base camp | | Price Includes | Meals and accommodation as shown above, safari flight from Maun, services of a walking guide and other game activities on safari | | Price Excludes | International flights to Maun, visas, items of a personal nature, meals not specified | | Minimum Number | 2 | | Climate | Sub-tropical climate with hot, rainy summers and warm, sunny & dry winters | | Best time to go | Suitable from March to end November - closed from December to February | | Health Requirements | Anti-Malarial precautions essential | | Combines well with | Other Botswanan itineraries, Victoria Falls Explorer Livingstone Explorer | | Other Ideas | The Linyanti walking safari can begin or end in Kasane for an extra $65 pp. Extra nights can be easily added. | | Notes | 12kg luggage restriction, $20 departure tax payable locally. Daily flights into Johannesburg with SAA or BA, from £560pp including taxes, then connecting flights to Maun with Air Botswana |
Itinerary:
Day 1:
Light aircraft and land transfer from Maun* to Selinda Camp on the banks of the eastern Selinda Spillway. Along the Spillway is a private wildlife reserve where only a maximum of 12 guests can experience some of Africa's finest wildlife. You spend two nights in this shaded tented safari camp, with its splendid views over open floodplains dotted with palm islands. See Selinda Camp link
Accommodation is in well-appointed double or twin ‘East African’ safari tents under thatched canopies. Each tent has fully integrated en suite facilities. The upper deck of the thatched main building, which houses the dining, lounge, and reading areas, provides panoramic views across the flood plains. There is a small pool.
Activities include early morning and afternoon/evening game drives in 4x4 Landcruisers, occasional bush dinners, boating and fishing on the lagoon (subject to water levels). You could expect to see elephant, lion, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, kudu, impala, hippo, hyena, sable, wilddog and lechwe. Night drives produce an abundance of nocturnal species. The birdlife and vegetation is at its best in summer (October to April).
Day 2:
Set off for Mokoba trails camp, a distance of approximately 8 kilometres, and enjoy the skills and bushlore of a traditional bushman tracker. After a sumptuous lunch, there is a walk in the vicinity of camp followed by a spotlit night drive in big game country.
Trails camps accommodate no more than 4 people in twin mini-Meru safari tents with fly sheet. You will find solar lighting, hot bucket showers, flush toilets and the daily laundry service.
Day 3:
Walk to Tshwene trails camp in the morning - your armed guide and tracker will introduce the smaller creatures, and stalk you up on the big game. Afternoon walk and evening game drive.
Day 4:
Walk to Zibalianja, an intimate tented camp on a palm island on the edge of the northern Linyanti Swamps. The camp takes its name from that of the nearby lagoon. There are magnificent, panoramic views of open floodplains dotted with palms.
See Zibaliannja link
The camp accommodates a maximum of six in twin-bed Meru style safari tents on raised wooden platforms. Each has a modern en suite bathroom. Activities include early morning and afternoon/evening game drives, occasional bush dinners, boating and fishing in the lagoon (water levels permitting).
Specialist guiding delivers elephant, lion, cheetah, possibly a leopard, zebra, wildebeest, hippo, hyena, sable, wilddog, lechwe, plains game and an abundance of nocturnal species. The birdlife is unbelievable and the vegetation varied.
Day 5:
After an early morning game drive and breakfast, you depart for the airstrip and the light aircraft transfer to Maun*.
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