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12-day Botswana Birding Tour option 2 Guide: Errol de Beer With about 577 bird species - including over 500 regularly occurring - Botswana offers fantastic birding. With sites such as the Okavango Delta, the Chobe River, Lake Ngami, Makgadikgadi Pans and the Kalahari "Desert" (semi-desert), this fantastic country offers endless possibilities. Add to that the fact that this is a country the size of France with a population of only 2 million people and the end result is vast open spaces, hours of touring without seeing another soul and little to distract you from enjoying nature at its best. Day 1 Leave for Lake Ngami (90 km/1 hr), camp in the bush by the edge of the lake. (Water level very variable; the lake can dry up, or almost so, but it has had water for the last few years, and the bird life there is usually very good). Day 2 Drive to Drotsky’s (Upper Pan Handle, in Shakawe; about 6 hr drive) and camp there. Birding in the grounds and adjacent woodland. Day 3 Drotsky’s, all day boat trip, with option of short walks on mainland. Target species: the aquatic specials - Pel’s Fishing Owl, White-backed Night-Heron, Rufous-bellied Heron, Greater Swamp Warbler, Pygmy Goose, Chirping & Luapula Cisticola. From September to November, there are nesting Carmine Bee-eaters on the river’s banks near Drotsky’s. Day 4 Drotsky’s - morning walk in the bush adjacent to the camp (in early summer Trogons can sometimes be picked up; and other target species are Black-faced Babbler, Green & Brown-backed Honeybirds, Wood Owl, Barred Owl. Afternoon Boat trip. Day 5 Leave early and drive back to Maun. Spend whatever time is left in the afternoon (arrival time in Maun should be around 13h00) birding along Boteti River, near Maun. There is usually a good selection of aquatic species there (waders & ducks); and Ashy Tits, Acacia Pied Barbets and Olive-tree Warblers (in summer). Day 6 Proceed to Moremi (between 130 and 150 km/5 hrs allowing birding en route) and camp there, spending 2 nights there, either in the west side (Xakanaxa area) or the East (North Gate area). Here there is a mixture of Mopane and acacia woodland, dry and wet floodplains, river channels, lagoons and grassland. Great game, too. Day 7 Moremi Day 8 Proceed to Savuti (5 hr/around 130km), in the centre of Chobe National Park. Good for bustards, raptors, owls, larks, sandgrouse, storks. Camp there for 2 nights. Day 9 Savuti. Day 10 Carry on to the Kasane area (171 km/about 6 hr with some birding), near the extreme north of Chobe National Park and camp in one of the private campsites there or at Ihaha, the government camp just inside the park. Stay 2 nights there. Boat trip (3 hr) along Chobe River in afternoon. Day 11 In the northern Chobe/Kasane area (where there is the richest birding in the country, with several specials, like Copper Sunbird, Collared Palm Thrush, Miombo Rock Thrush, Rock Pratincole, Skimmer, Pel's Fishing Owl, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow, etc.). One can do game/birding drives in the park and/or walk in the Kasane rapids area, in the rich birding grounds of the lodges or the nearby Teak woodlands which have their own suite of bird species. Day 12 Return by tarred road to Maun via Nata (7 to 8 hours; 600 km). Camp in Maun - last day of tour. Participants leave for home next morning.
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Itinerary: Duration: 12 days Limit: 2 - 6 Date: TBA Start: Maun End: Maun Price: TBA Price_Includes: 4x4 transport a professional guide park fees meals Price_Excludes: all international flights items of a personal nature medical and travel insurance alcoholic beverages tips gifts
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© 2008-2010 Birding Ecotours · www.birdingecotours.co.za was updated January 2010 |
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