BOTSWANA TULI WILDERNESS
The private safari camp is located within the Northern Tuli Game Reserve along the shady floodplain of the Limpopo River, 600m from the river itself, under the many massive riverine trees including the magnificent Mashatu and tall Apple-leaf trees.The lodge and reserve’ are on a pristine exclusive wildlife concession in Botswana’s wilderness. With over 1800 elephants roaming freely and many other animal species such as cheetah, African wild dog, leopard, lions and a variety of antelope species. Over the next five days we will do 4×4 game drives, walking safaris, visit eagles nest rock, the hyena den (maybe with pups) and sit under the African night sky with a roaring fire and hopefully the local pride of lions calling near camp.
MOZAMBIQUE PONTA DO OURO
Ponta do Ouro is a slipslop flip flop kind of town, meaning it has a very laid back relaxed chilled vibe with the majority of visitors arriving for scuba diving, dolphin swims, kiting, surfing or just to be lazy on the beach sipping R&R cocktails.
The quaint little town of Ponta do Ouro is situated in Southern Mozambique just 10 km from the South African border. In Ponta you will be sure to find a number of diverse ecosystems, stunning white beaches, vegetated dune forests, freshwater coastal lakes, amazing scuba diving/snorkelling and a warm turquoise Indian Ocean with loads of dolphins.
We will spend the next week maximising our chances of encountering some dolphins, sharks, whales and all other marine species. Just like most outdoor activities, weather plays a vital rol regarding the conditions and wildlife sightings. Echo Wild Africa and our partners will always follow safety for our clients first, but at the same time we will take every opportunity that we have to dive or to be on the ocean when it allows us too.
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY WITH ECHO WILD AFRICA ON SAFARI LOOK LIKE?
Most days we’ll start early, but not without a nice cup of tea/coffee and something to eat while watching the African sunrise.
For the safari and scuba combo, guests are generally up and awake by 5am. PFFFFFT sounds crazy right! But we do this for good reason and that’s to maximise your chances of spotting incredible wildlife like leopards, lions and other predators that are often more activive during these cooler periods. Africa gets hot in summer and most terrestrial and marine species are encountered during the cooler periods. Its also for us, once that sun peaks above the horizon you can feel the temperature rise drastically. We normally have the afternoon for a siesta or relaxing around the pool. For the scuba, we leave early as this is generally the calmest period of the day regarding swell size, wind and sea conditions.
Two activities are included each day. This means when on safari we can do an early morning safari drive for roughly 3-4 hours and return to the lodge for brunch, naps, pool time and a good book. Then head out before sunset for a night drive safari to see some nocturnal species we would not generally spot during the day.
When scuba diving or doing ocean safari we also typically do 2 dives per day or one dive and one snorkel depending on our clients and the weather.. More dives can be arranged if you have the energy to do three in one day, chat to us about options.
Most of our clients enjoy sitting around the lodge with binoculars in hand enoying some of the frequent visitors to the lodge area, like, elephants, antelopes, or some of the 500+ bird species having a bath in the splash pool.THE ITENERARY
DAY 1 – Arrival at the OR Thambo airport Johannesburg and depart for your hotel.
DAY 2 to 6 – Group departs for Botswana, Arrival at the lodge after border procedures
Sunset safari and dinner on the deck. For the next 5 nights we will start each day with a vehicle safari or walking safari.
DAY 7 – Transfer back to Johannesburg, overnight at hotel and transfer to Durban with local domestic flight next morning.
DAY 8 – 14 Arrival at King Shaka International Airport – road transfer to Ponta do Ouro. Check-in at the beach house. Every morning we will depart for a scuba dive, return for breakfast and dive again if weather conditions allow it. The rest of the day can be at leisure on the beach, around the pool or other activities.
DAY 15 – Depart for Durban King Shaka International Airport
TRIP INCLUDES
- Personal pre-departure meet and great by Steve, if clients are traveling from the Netherlands, an opportunity for FAQ and planning for the tour! (other nationalities can have a video call).
- All road transfers while on tour in South Africa, Botswana and Mozambique.
- Fully inclusive shared accommodation at the safari lodge in Botswana ( 4 meals per day).
- Two safari drives or one drive and one safari walk per day (10 safari activities).
- Exclusive sunset and bush dinner.
- Refreshment for transfers ( water/fruit).
- Professional FGASA wildlife and marine guide.
- All accommodation for duration of the trip (as per itinerary).
- Meals as specified in itinerary.
- Seven nights in Ponta do ouro – breakfast included.
- All dive gear unless otherwise specified.
TRIP EXCLUDES
- Visa, visa cost, border crossings, extra luggage.
- Flights international and domestic.
- Travel insurance, this is mandatory for all clients we will require proof of travel insurance before booking.
- Tipping and gratuities ( this is the culture in Southern Africa and we follow the rule of thumb) 10-20% of activity.
- Lunch on transfer days, lunch and dinner in Mozambique (self catering facilities available. On some nights we will braai (BBQ) as a group.
HIGLIGHTS YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THIS SAFARI
- Botswana, Tuli Wilderness
- Big 5 safari
- Mozambique, Ponta do Ouro
- Scuba diving, snorkelling
- Whales, dolphins, turtles, sharks and other marine species
- Unesco World Heritage Site
- Johannesburg, Durban and St Lucia
- Hippo and Crocodiles
