Moonstroll Vantage Expeditions
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2016)
- Member Of:
- HATAB, BOGA & BTO
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $250 to $400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Mark Cowne | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Moonstroll were incredibly helpful and professional
My wife, son and I recently undertook a 15-day safari with Moonstroll. We can only recommend them and their safari team highly.
We are from Southern Africa and have spend a substantial amount of time in the bush and were looking for a real 'back to nature' camping experience in the wilds.
Moonstroll certainly delivered.
The trip was all undertaken in an open game viewing vehicle which was possibly not the most comfortable vehicle to travel hundreds of kilometers on the main roads to get to our destination but was truly excellent when we arrived at the various locations and reserves. At one point, traveling through the Makgadikgadi reserve we became quite bogged down in very soft sand and were very grateful that we did have a good, off-road focussed, 4x4 to pull us out.
Our trip started with a drive of almost 250 km to the Makgadikgadi Pans to the East of Maun. Most of it on tar roads but the last 50 km on sand tracks. We spent one night in the amazing moonscape of the dry salt pans. The annual rains were just starting and within months the pans will fill and the flamingoes return.
The following day we left early and drove to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. A very long and laborious drive of over 14 hours on bumpy, difficult sand roads through the Makgadikgadi game reserve. Unfortunately, we arrived too late to make the gate and had to camp outside the reserve. There was an immense thunderstorm. The following morning we traveled on to our actual campsite (a further 3 hours) where we spent that night. The next day we left and drove back many hours to Maun where we overnighted on our way to the Makoro camp in the swamp.
Whilst in Maun we requested a meeting with the owner of Moonstroll as our itinerary driving times were far in excess of those that were shown in our itinerary. We felt that, whilst it was wonderful to see such a lot of Botswana, we were spending most of our trip in transfers rather than in the bush. We still had the Mokoro night then 2 nights at Chobe, 2 nights at Khwai, 2 nights at Savuti and 2 nights at Moremi. We realized that, based on our experience so far we would drive a whole day to get somewhere and arrive late at night followed by a day of game driving (excellent) stay that night and leave again early the next day. It was all travel. So, we requested they change the campsite bookings (not easy for them) to give us 4 nights Savuti and 4 nights Khwai.
It was the right decision. Moonstroll made it happen and we are grateful that they did.
The balance of our trip was far more relaxed. It gave us time to be in the bush and photograph the birds and animals we came to see.
The Mokoro island night was fun and elephants came and visited us in our tented camp.
Khwai was possibly the highlight as the rains had started and the river and flood plains already filling. The animal and bird diversity and density were incredible.
Savuti was incredible in its own, drier, rockier way too.
We highly commend Ben, our amazing guide and super bird identifier, and his team, Gothata (a fabulous chef), Kennedy and Gaeti (our camp builders and helpers). Monametsi, the company owner, was great and did everything possible to accommodate our every need. They were all fantastic. We would not hesitate to go with them again. In fact, we will . . . . .
FR
Email Jennifer Jones | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Moonstroll went above and beyond to create our perfect family safari experience.
This is a small local company that managed to combine being very professional with great communication from Monametsi, with a very personal and customised approach.
We were a group of two families travelling together with teenage kids and we all had a wonderful, authentic bush experience. We were looked after by an amazing team who setup the very comfortable tents and cooked fabulous meals over a campfire. ( Somewhow Gothata managed to cook fresh bread each day and even managed to whip up a chocolate cake for my daughter's birthday!)
We had Ben as our guide who was incredibly knowledgeable about everything from birds and insects to the big five. He had great tracking skills and managed to find everything from a huge pack of lions and hyena fighting over a kill to a wild dog den with puppies, cheetah, leopard etc.
He also went above and beyond to adapt to our needs, including finding medication for one of our party and collecting one of our party a day late after her flights were delayed from Europe.
I highly recommend this company if you want to experience camping in the wilds of Botswana.
US
Email Gus Vargas | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Botswana Camping Safari at its Best!
Moonstroll did an incredible job handling our safari from start to finish. Everything that they promised in their summary of services and inclusions was delivered, without exception. All activities, including the mokoro guide and excursion/camping in the Okavango Delta and the Chobe river cruise are included in your up front safari price. No gimmicks, no add-ons. No surprises. Monametsi, the manager, took care of all of the park entrance fees and camping permits, etc. They provide the safari vehicle and trailer, the camping and cooking gear, food, fuel, etc. All you have to do is show up with your clothes, toiletries, camera and a great attitude. They take care of all of the camping set up and take down, meal preparation, cleaning, etc. We loved it.
We did our safari in a Toyota Land Cruiser with an attached trailer for gear. The staff that took great care of us included the professional guide/driver (20 years experience as a guide), the bush chef, and two assistants. All of our camp sites were primitive. It was just our family and our crew and the wildlife around us. The only way you know that you are in a camp site is maybe a small sign nailed to a tree. That's it. And contrary to the general perception out there, it was safe. You will hear the animals and they will come by or through your camp area here and there. We had elephants shaking the palm trees to get at the palm nuts on many nights. The other visitors included a pack of hyenas and some honey badgers. And in the Okavango, we even had a couple of hippos come right up next to our camp area one early morning as they engaged in a very loud shouting contest to establish dominance. Some nights we heard the distinct roar of a male lion in the area. It is an incredible experience. You are perfectly safe inside your tent at night. During the day, you stay within the perimeter of your camp area.
The tents are the more heavy duty Tentco 2-person stand-up tents. They add on an extension with three sides in the rear of the tent that is staked down where you have a porta potty and a shower. The staff will provide warm water for the shower and for your camp sink. These guys were great. The food was excellent. Our chef even made us fresh bread rolls every day along with amazing deserts. Each person will get a cot, blankets, and a pillow. The assistants will clean your tent and make your beds every day.
We went on the 14-day Wetlands and Kalahari safari. This was at an amazing price and well within a family budget for a family of 4 considering all of the areas we covered and all of the activities that are included in the price, especially if you consider how expensive safaris can be in Botswana. Your safari price includes everything except discretionary tips. There are no additional costs and no surprises. The trip included a couple of stays in a B&B in Maun at the beginning of our trip and after the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) for a rest day. The itinerary is as follows; 3 nights CKGR (not to be missed), 1 night at Okavango Delta on an island (includes mokoro excursion (to get to the island) and bush walks on the islands, 2 nights Moremi Game Reserve, 2 nights Khwai Conservancy, 2 nights Chobe N.P.-Savuti, 2 nights Chobe N.P.-Ihaha. You will do a game drive in the morning, rest for lunch, then another game drive in the late afternoon evening.
The professional guide was amazing, Tshenolo. He had this ability to follow tracks in the road and spot cats from very long distances. He would listen to distress signals from other birds and animals and then scan the area. The wildlife that we saw was off the charts. We had 5 separate sightings of leopard up close and feeding, 3 of those sightings just us (no other vehicles). So many lions and prides, even sighting of 5 lions on top of a dead elephant on its side in the middle of a shallow river. There were so many other incredible sightings including packs of hyena, wild dogs, several cheetahs in Kalahari, caracal, you name it. And Botswana is probably the best place to see large herds of elephants. In Chobe at the Ihaha area, on one evening game drive we saw over 500 in the river valley below. It was incredible with over 1,000 plains game such as zebra, impala, wildebeest, red lechwe. Then the large flocks of birds (pelicans, egrets, giant storks, cormorants, ibis, spoonbills, guinea fowl, francolins, and many colorful smaller birds as well). On the other side of the river road in the bush were herds and groups of giraffe, kudu, baboons, Vervet monkeys, etc. We will never forget it.
We just can't say enough as to how amazing this trip was and the great service we received from the crew. Moonstroll may be a smaller company, but they are A-1 in terms of their operation. We booked this trip in late 2019 before the covid lock down in March, 2020. Moonstroll worked with us and gave us two years to do the trip. They honored our agreement without any price increases. I have no reservations in recommending this safari company and am highly recommending them to my friends and family.
US
Email Julia | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An Extraordinary Budget Safari in the Botswana Wilderness
The mobile safari took us to amazing places: the reed and papyrus channels of the Okavango Delta, 2 different areas in Moremi National Park, as well as Savuti and northern Chobe park. Each place had its own distinctive beauty, and each place was full of wild animals and an astonishing number of birds. Our guide, Ben, was a great animal tracker, and an engaging teacher. We enjoyed learning about termite mounds, and elephant and lion habits, among many other things.
All the details of driving and setting up/taking down camp were done for us by a 3 person team. We slept in a spacious tent, and there was an enclosure attached to the tent which provided a toilet and shower. Beds were clean and comfortable, but lacked a top sheet; fussy sleepers may wish to bring a sleeping bag liner. Meals were generous, and reminded me of the days of summer camp. We felt we had excellent value for money.
The owner, Monametsi, was helpful and always available. The safari lived up to the promises of the itinerary. We fell in love with Botswana and with Moonstroll, and hope to return.
CA
Email Crystal Trieu | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible safari adventure with wonderful and professional local experts
In short, my partner and I had the most amazing time in Botswana, all thanks to Moonstroll for coordinating and taking us on the coolest safari adventure!
In more detail..
The overall experience with Moonstroll Vantage Expeditions was great. I initially had no idea how quickly safaris booked up in Botswana (especially if your dates are only marginally flexible), so I had a difficult time finding a multi-day safari adventure within our budget. When I came across Moonstroll, I reached out with my dates and received a very quick response, with a super-detailed quote which highlighted the inclusions of the safari. Monametsi (owner of Moonstroll) was very professional throughout the entire planning process. He was responsive and very helpful by email leading up to the tour. When we landed in Botswana, him and his colleague Lucky personally met us at the Maun airport and took us to our accommodation. Similar to what a few others have noted, I was initially skeptical of the process of wire-transferring money for payment of the safari (as there were limited reviews on this company) - but after having spent the 5 days on safari with Moonstroll, I can comfortably say that they are an awesome company; a local one too, with a very small team. Do note that your safari will be subcontracted out to other local experts, selected by Monametsi, who take you on your safari.
For our private 5 day (4 night) camping trip, we had a team of three gentlemen who made the trip a superb one. Our safari guide and driver, Thuso, was amazing at spotting wildlife and an excellent driver. He could maneuver the safari vehicle safely through rough terrain, follow lion tracks, and lookout for animals all the same time!! He was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of all the parks we visited; his expertise led us to seeing some rare animals, including a group of lion cubs, a leopard with its kill in a tree, and two lionesses hunting. The next team member included Russell, our chef, who cooked up the most delicious meals for the group each day. I think back and remember one of our lunches where he baked an entire quiche - over a fire (so impressive)!!! Apart from being very tasty, we also note that the preparation of the food was also very sanitary especially considering we were camping for five days. Finally, our trip would also not have been as lovely without Gaety, who was the camp assistant. He helped with setting up our campsites and was there to support the other two guys throughout the trip.
For anyone wondering about what to expect when camping, here are a few quick notes:
- all campsites are in the wilderness areas of the game parks; they are therefore not part of large public campsites so you actually feel like you are in the wilderness and there aren't others around you. It is very peaceful and you never know who your animal neighbours will be! On two separate nights, we saw hyenas wander onto our site (we saw them through the mesh of our tent when the moonlight was bright) - it was so cool (but also a bit terrifying)
- the team will collect water from the entrance to the game park prior to setting up camp each day for cooking, showers, etc
- a shower will be set up by the team (one of the pressure/valve showers used for camping - that hang above you from a tree) with a metal frame + tarp for privacy
- a hole is dugout for a toilet - a portable chair that has a toilet seat goes over the hole - similar to the shower, a tarp is raised for privacy
- cots and mattress pads are provided in your tent so you do not have to sleep directly on the ground
The entire experience was fantastic! I would be happy to answer any other questions if anyone is wondering more about joining this safari, as I know I had tons when I was researching.
Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend Moonstroll Vantage Expeditions. They were the perfect team for us to share our first safari experience with and it was nice being able to support a small local organization.
Email Ian Wilson | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic Experience!
Despite some early hiccups at the start of our safari, we found our tour with Moonstroll a truly wonderful experience. Monametsi, our main tour contact was fantastic, the tour was well organised and was a nice mix of wilderness camping and B&B/Lodges but mainly concentrating on the wilderness camps which we found a fantastic experience. He was also a fantastic help in tracking down and collecting my luggage after it didn't arrive on our arrival at Maun airport. The tour could not have functioned properly without three other people, Soks in our support vehicle worked tirelessly throughout our trip setting up the camps each night also going for trips to get water, our Chef TD who worked his magic with some truly wonderful food prepared on just a campfire and our fantastic guide Ben who's knowledge of the wildlife and each location was second to none. We would have no hesitation in using Moonstroll again for future trips and anyone looking to use them we suggest you ask for Soks, TD and Ben as together they make a fantastic team.
BE
Email Dirk | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
once in a lifetime safari
I was investigating for more than 3 years how to organize a family Botswana Safari trip and chose in summer 2018 to put my trust in Moonstroll Vantage Expeditions. We wanted to offer our 2 kids (after finishing their university studies) a unique experience before flying out of the family nest. And what a unique experience it became!
The trajectory that we chose (after many interactions with Monametsi) was Maun - Makgadikgadi - Maun - Chiefs Island - Khwai - Savuti - Chobe riverside - Kasana (+ transfer to Victoria Falls). Monametsi quickly understood that we wanted to combine a variety of 'off the beaten track ecological experiences' with a private Safari experience and sufficient comfort. The trip formula we agreed on was to combine the private experience of camping in nature parks (1 night Makgadikgadi, 2 nights Chiefs Island, 1 night at Savoti, 2 nights at Chove rivers side) intermitting with a bit more comfort at affordable B&B lodges along our way (2 times 1 night at Maun, 2 nights in a container lodge at Khwai). The campfire dinners of the cook that joined us during our trip were also much appreciated. The cook really made the best out of the limited supplies he had available - ... - even succeeded in cooking a birthday cake for my daughters' 23rd birthday.
Monametsi chose to involve Teenage as a freelance guide for our family trip. He had quickly understood that we wanted to get accompanied by a guide with strong ecological experience (our son is a Biologist) who could also share with us all he has learned about the fragile balances in the wildlife and nature in general.
As a guide, Teenage was a fantastic match with the profile we had been looking for. He is an experienced guide, driven by nature preservation and he left no effort to match our expectations. Teenage really pushed himself each time up-to the end of the day to maximize our satisfaction. We also appreciate he joined our dinners, telling us about Botswana history, how satisfied he is with the recent evolution of his country etc.
As our trip really went in crescendo all along our trip we have been joking with Teenage about 'his challenge for the next day to surprise us even more'. And yes indeed, each day again we were really amazed. In taking up our challenge, Teenage systematically checked with the other tour-guides that crossed our path and made sure that we always were on the right spot at the right moment. His maneuvring skills were truly exceptional - we were always positioned in the optimal shooting position to take the best photo's - even if other jeeps would make it more difficult. With my 'big mama' lens (500mm mounted on a D850 camera) I now have a set of fantastic photo's from very closeby.
Some highlights of our Safari
- day 1 at Makgadikgadi: a cadaver of a giraffe with vultures, jackals & marabu feeding on it ... awesome as first impression during our trip
- day 2 at Chiefs Island: Elefant sights during our mokoro trip & crossing our path during a late Safari walk, one elephant shaking a coconut tree
- day 3 at Chiefs Island: traces of a hypo sleeping at & lions passing our camp + an unforgettable Safari walk with locals, and late evening mokoro
- day 4 arriving at Khwai: our only leopard sight; Teenage maneuvered our jeep through the bush so that we could follow it at just a few feet
- day 5 at Khwai: a barking hypo at just 5m from the jeep, and our first 2 hyena during a night safari
- day 6 starting the day at Khwai with 2 lions hunting for impala, ..., arriving at Savuti with a close sight of lions with pups (3 of 2 wks; 4 of 2 mths)
- day 7: we failed to find (the only 2) Cheetah or other lions in Savuti, and spend rest of the day crossing the landscape towards Chobe
- day 8: a Hyena as the first sight of the day, followed by lions mating along our path to a Chobe river cruise
- day 9: on our path moving out of Chobe park, still enjoyend some last lions
All along during our Safari, next to 23 lions - 1 leopard - 3 hyena - between 5 or 10 jackals - too many to count hypo pools, crocodile, vultures and marabu, sea eagles (on with a cath) many other bird types like spoon birds etc. We also passed many big herds of buffalo, elephants, zebra, gnu, .... and much more I here forget to mention here. We only seem to have missed cheetah, wild dog and rhino (these do not reside in this region) on our trip.
What an experience we received. As the locals were singing at Chiefs Island: 'we will never forget'
Teenage, many thanks for making this a trip of a lifetime!
(ps for others planning to go on this route : if you plan to take the same itinerary, I would recommend taking a day more at Makgadikgadi (combine with NXai pan ?) and at least one or 2 days extra at Savuti + to also travel from west to east to make sure the wildlife sightings improve as you move further on your safari ...)
DE
Email Rike | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simply perfect
We just returned from a wonderful safari with Moonstroll Vantage Expeditions.
We booked the 14-day Kalahari & Wetlands tour. Even though this is a tour for a small group, it was possible to adapt the program according to our wishes. In the end, we had almost the full duration of the tour as private tour which was very nice.
The communication with Monametsi (and also the guide during the tour) was very good. In the months before the safari we were in contact by e-mail and phone. On the time of booking I requested - if possible - to book quiet campsites, preferably not the public ones. We indeed stayed on very beautiful campsites, most of them very secluded and private (BOGA sites). When we arrived in Maun, Monametsi came to our hotel to meet and he came again and introduced the guide to us the night before we left for our safari.
Our impression was that Moonstroll is a reliable, trustworthy and very friendly company.
We had an amazing experience with our guide OK, the cook DT and camp assistent Paku.
The car and camping equipment was all in very good order. The cooking was amazing, varying and very tasty: soups, pizza, fresh muffins, beef fillet (Botswana has wonderful meat), stews, filled meat pies, but also lots of fresh salads and vegetables etc. - and all prepared on a wood fire. Also, everything was prepared very hygienically and clean - we did not experience any health problems.
The game drives were amazing. Our guide OK went above and beyond to show us as much as possible. I would strongly recommend to stay at least 2 nights at each campsite. We did and had wonderful and very extensive game drives. We saw a cheetah kill a springbok and then call her 3 cubs to eat. We saw leopards three times, many, many times lions (also with cubs, once attacking a hippo on land), had wonderful sightings of elephants, buffalo, giraffes, many different antilopes etc. Since we indicated that we are also interested in birds, OK also always took the time to show us birds. We could always stop and take as much time as we wanted to watch.
OK is a very experienced guide (23 years of guiding), he knows all the beautiful spots and many other guides. This also increases the chance of sightings and beautiful views. He always considered which angle (light) would be good for photography and tried to stop such that our position would be optimal. Also, he is a very responsible guide who truly loves and respects nature. He can answer any question about wildlife. We felt like being inside a documentary film, something we never expected before.
Besides the wonderful trip that we had, we are happy that our money went directly to a local operator and local people.
All in all, I can fully and whole-heartedly recommend Moonstroll Vantage Expeditions.
Email Tariq Rasool | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good value, great service!
We stayed in Botswana on 29 November 2017 and under took a two day tour of the Okavango Delta with Moonstroll vantage expeditions.
Our facilitator, Monametsi, was fantastic. His responsiveness and attentiveness was exceptional.
He catered to our needs and did everything he could to make sure that our trip ran smoothly.
We thought that the price was fair, the food was extremely tasty and and the company was all class. Would highly recommend.
US
Email Cherry | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Moonstroll provided an Extraordinary safari experience while being attentive to all our needs.
Dear Monometsi and Ben,
Just wanted to write to express my deepest thanks for the fantastic 10-day Okavanga Delta Safari you provided to me, my daughter, son-in-law, and 6 year old grand twins.
It was a marvelous adventure to camp comfortably, eat wonderful meals by Enoch, and travel around your beautiful Botswana seeing extraordinary wildlife.
Ben was the best guide, teacher, driver and friend. The little boys just loved him and would say to us after the tour many times, “I loved Ben”. He was patient with us, was so knowledgeable, was funny, a good storyteller, let us watch animals for as long as we wanted, and always made us feel safe even when the lion roared in the night. My favorite siting was finding the leopard mom and cubs asleep under her antelope stash tree so early that morning, just as Ben said she would be there.
We saw totals of 43 lions, 5 cheetahs, 5 leopards, roans, a sable, ostrich, wild dogs, hyenas, beautiful birds, crocs and hundreds of Cape buffalo, hippos, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and of course a favorite, the Guinea fowl!
Thank you for providing us the opportunity to learn about your world. Thank you for finding us rooms on that arrival day after our lodge reservation had been cancelled and driving us to dinner.
I will certainly recommend Moonstroll safaris. I wish you all the success you deserve.
