Unique African Mobile Safaris
Mobile Safaris
A Typical Day on Safari
As it is a private safari, you can enjoy the peaceful ambience of a private campsite with your travel companions and really enjoy the sights and sounds of the wilderness. Your days are spent exploring the national parks and reserves on game drives in an open safari vehicle, designed for optimal game viewing and photography in safety.
Your itinerary may include boating, mokoro excursions and guided walks depending on which areas you select to visit and your preferences.
A mobile safari is an all encompassing experience. From the moment you enter the National Parks in Botswana you are surrounded by an incredibly unspoilt wilderness area, even the transfers to the campsites are part of your safari adventure!
Activities vary but your day predominantly follows the same routine, with the exception of transfer days where you move campsites. Although it is a mobile safari the camp set up may or may not move site depending on your itinerary booked.
On a full day in camp you generally wake at sunrise and join your group around the camp fire for that first ‘essential’ cup of tea or coffee. As everyone rises and prepares for the morning activity a light breakfast is served of cereal, toast, fruit and yoghurt.
We head out as early as is permitted in the National Parks in order to be the first on the roads to track fresh spoor left from the animal’s overnight activities – we may spot fresh lion tracks walking straight past the camp or evidence of a passing herd of buffalo not far away.
Your guide assesses where would be the best area to head depending on what calls were heard during the night as well as the tracks found on the road and off you go to investigate further. Part of the unique appeal of Botswana is that the wildlife moves naturally and you are actually ‘searching’ for them, which can lead to the most amazing sightings and a great appreciation and respect for the bush.
Generally on the morning game drive or walk we stop for morning tea and head back to camp by late morning. In camp we enjoy a lunch or brunch, depending on the time, and then there is plenty of time for showers and that great safari tradition ‘siesta time’. Many people read or write in a journal and others just catch up on sleep after their early awakening! We meet together for afternoon tea and then head out on the afternoon activity, perhaps seeking a new area or returning to a great morning sighting.
Whilst camping in the National Parks we need to return to camp by sunset to conform to the park regulations, however if camping on a private area we are permitted to return after dark. In some areas such as Xakanaxa in Moremi or the Chobe River area we may include a boat cruise, check your itinerary for details, and some private areas in Botswana, we are permitted to go for guided walks, again check your itinerary for details. It is also a possibility that we may do a full day trip to a different area of the park with a picnic lunch.
On the days we move camp, the day follows a different pattern. The time we depart camp depends on the weather and the full itinerary – i.e.
how much time is allocated for each campsite and for the transfer, your guide will brief you the evening prior. Your guide combines his knowledge of the wildlife, safety and road and weather conditions when planning your activities and transfers.
Where Do We Operate Mobile Safaris
Botswana
Okavango Delta / Khwai
Okavango Delta / Moremi
Chobe Savuti Area
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Nxai Pan National Park
Makgadikgadi Pans National Park
Accommodation
The Camp and Accommodation
We provide two options for tented accommodation.
Mini Meru tents for our semi-luxury trips and spacious dome tents on our standard trips.
All tents are furnished with bedding (mattress, pillow and sheets, duvet, blankets and towels) and set up bush showers and toilets.
Semi Luxury
Mini Meru tents are en-suite with rear door access to bathroom area with bush showers and toilet.
Solar camp light in tent and bathroom and small mirror, small table and washbasin in bathroom.
Standard Explorer
Spacious 3m x 3m Explorer tents 2 insect-proof windows; small front veranda awning area with safari chairs.
Front and rear access insect-proof doors, paraffin lamp lighting and morning wash-up hand-basin.
Bush ablutions are separate and shared (maximum 6 guests sharing per bush bathroom)
Meals On Safari
All meals are prepared for you over an open fire, whetting your appetite with tantalizing aromas as we cook and offer hearty and healthy bush cuisine. Meals can either be taken at a set dining table or enjoyed in a relaxed manner around the campfire. Evenings are spent relaxing and star gazing, as the back-up crew takes care of cleaning up after dinner.
Food is always plentiful on safari and we provide a hearty, international style of bush cuisine – all prepared over an open fire.
Fruit and light snacks are always available. Tea, coffee and “tap” water is always available. Other beverages included depend on your specific itinerary inclusions, discuss upon booking what your preferences are) to bring you own or pay additional to have drinks included).
A Typical Day’s Food Offers
Breakfast – generally a light breakfast is served of cereals, toast, fruit and yoghurt with tea/coffee.
Morning Tea – tea/coffee and cake or biscuits
Lunch – generally salads, cold meats, cheese and bread with fruit, however on some mornings we may do a cooked brunch.
Afternoon Tea – tea /coffee and cake or biscuits
Sundowner – snacks
Dinner – generally a hearty meal is served combining meat and vegetables.
Examples of meals:
braai (barbeque), fillet with vegetables, chicken and vegetable stir fry, spaghetti bolognaise, beef and vegetable casserole.
Tea and coffee is served with ‘something sweet’.
Special Meal Requirements
Should you have any special meal requirements (vegetarian, lactose intolerant etc) we do need to know in advance so that the supplies can be provided accordingly.
Please note that there are no shops in the bush, so we need to bring everything with us. It is very difficult to accommodate special meal requirements without advance notice.
The very nature of a camping safari affects the type of provisions that we bring along and supplies can be seasonal, however we do guarantee that there will be a variety of healthy and flavorsome food provided throughout.
Mobile Safaris With Safari Life Africa
Children?
We are happy to take children on safari that are older than 8 years. We will consider children that are younger.
Where Do We Operate Mobile Safaris?
Safari Life Africa is able to offer a more diverse product due to the hands-on approach and experience of the Directors. Most safaris focus on the Kalahari, Moremi and Okavango areas in Botswana. These areas are very special and we wish to protect them through controlled and responsible tourism.
However, we also operate throughout the entire northern region of Botswana including Chobe National Park, the Okavango Pan Handle, Magkadikgadi and Nxai Pan areas.
Generally these safaris start in Maun, Kasane or the Victoria Falls area and you will meet your private guide at a predetermined place (airport or hotel) and travel together by road to each area.
Mobile Safaris Include:
- All camping equipment (Ensuite Mini Meru or Standard Explorer Tents – all bedding & towels included) with bush showers and toilets
- Private HATAB campsites where available, if not available at time of booking, an alternative will be offered (DWNP or other)
- All activities as stated (unless specifically marked optional)
- All camping fees as per the itinerary
- Services of a Private Guide and back-up crew
- Transport in an open Game Viewer for optimal game viewing
- All meals are prepared over an open fire and wine is included with the evening meal
- Drinks: Semi-Luxury and Standard Safaris only include selected drinks – local red and white wine, beer, ciders, soft drinks, cordiel, tea, coffee and water (additional drinks are available on request at additional cost, please send a preferred drink list)
- Road transfers between all campsites as per the itinerary (unless other modes of transport such as light aircraft transfers are specified)
Mobile Safaris Exclude:
- All National Park fees – payable per DAY, not per night
- Okavango Air Rescue compulsory Private travel and medical insurance compulsory
- Additional drinks for the Semi-Luxury and Standard Safaris are available on request at additional cost (please send a preferred drink list)
- Any optional activities, road or air transfers, pre or post nights (unless otherwise arranged to be included)
- International, regional or domestic flights
- Any visa fees
- Items of a personal nature (see suggested packing list), personal expenses and tipping
- Toiletries other than toilet paper
- Laundry
- Extras such as flash lights and batteries
- Gratuities
- Any errors and omissions