35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Moremi Game Reserve by Chris
The Moremi experience is really out there in the wild. With roads only navigable with a real 4x4 vehicle, you fully immerse yourself into the hands of nature.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
An unhindered drive into old school bush alive with vibrant tranquility and long sunset horizons.
I drove in unguided with a 4x4 with the complete feeling of discovery and calmness as a privileged part of nature in Nxai Pan. Once inside, there is really nothing beyond the ablution block in the camp to signify man's comforts and trespass upon the wild. Respect for the environment means a novel observational experience like you might have seen 50 years ago, in that there are no tarred roads or fences around hutted camps.
As a photographer, you have unique accessibility to clear fields of view, especially by the water holes, where a sensible proximity to elephants is possible. This increases the feeling of being part of nature and builds a great sense of regard. The open areas allowed me to track a Lion walking for more than a mile and get an awesome sequence of shots.
The camp ground is literally a space for tents and vehicles, with the provision of a water supply and toilet/shower facilities. Walking amongst the trees there reveals many other often overlooked species, particularly birds and insects, heightened with the exciting reality that you are in wild country without a perimeter to keep animals out.
This part of Botswana really does offer some fantastic sunset scenes with long shadows and deep colours as the dust dances in the air.
A thoroughly recommendable trip with a difference, impossible to match in South Africa.
Review about Namib-Naukluft National Park by ninoximages
Wildlife: Not a great diversity of game, or big numbers, but seeing Gemsbok, Ostrich and Sprinbok in stunning desert scenery was a major highlight.
Scenic beauty: Absolutely unique – wonderful mix of dunefields, rocky outcrops and dry riverbeds with massive acacias. The freedom to move between selected campsites on a self-drive safari was great.
Bush vibe: This park had more of a wilderness vibe that a bush vibe.
Birding: Birding around some of the waterholes (e.g. Ganab) was excellent in the mornings – Sand Grouse and very large groups of Ostrich in these areas.
Fantastic Okavango-style wilderness with fewer tourists
I visited Mudumu NP several times between August-September in 2002 as part of a larger self-drive safari through Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. We found Mudumu to be relatively small but with many rewards in terms of scenery, large numbers of Elephant, good viewings of small groups of other game (Kudu, Buffalo, Baboons etc) and excellent bird watching. A huge plus for our group was that there were relatively few tourists – meaning the park could be explored in a leisurely fashion. The landscape is certainly very Okavango-like with numerous small waterways and the beautiful Kwando River, as well as many vegetated anthills. At the time we visited the road network into the northern section of the park was poorly-developed. This wasn’t a major problem as most of the action was along the river. The weather was perfect for safaris in July-August. One discomfort was the presence of tsetse fly in parts of the park. Overall, a very rewarding place to visit if you are prepared to go a little off the track.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Botswana by Chris
Botswana remains quite untouched like other more accessible parts of Africa. The Okovango really is special and unique and the true old school safari takes you into another sense of time. Large elephant herds are common and the concentration of game generally surpasses those seen in other parts of Southern Africa.
East Africa is special in its own way, but is spoilt by higher costs and mandatory chaperoning.
Review about Namibia by ninoximages
Wildlife: Seeing huge herds of Elephant (over 300 strong) on the move through open grassland was a real highlight. At the time we visited there were only small groups of other game, but these were very rewarding viewings.
Scenic beauty: Beautiful grassland, ant mounds, the clear Kwando River and sunsets are all to be highly recommended.
Bush vibe: Highly recommended on this basis. The camping along the river really puts you amongst the game. A lot of the best viewing is right from the camping areas. The relative lack of tourists also creates a real bush vibe.
Birding: Great bird watching in general – numerous species (possibly due to such a diversity of habitats in a small area). Highlights from our trip include different species of bee-eaters, Malachite Kingfishers, Fish Eagles, Bateleur Eagles and many types of waterbirds.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Tarangire National Park by Bob Gunderson
Great diversity of animal and bird life.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Serengeti National Park by Bob Gunderson
The Serengeti should rate high in everyone's safari agenda. Its vastness and and animal population make it one of my favorite safari destinations.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Katavi is a place to consider for experienced safari goers who want a wilderness experience.
Katavi National Park presents a bit of a mixed bag. It is remote and therefore expensive to get to. Its remoteness does provide a better safari/bush experience but its very remoteness means fewer roads which force the few vehicles and visitors on them. But, it is a world away from the traffic in the Ngorongoro Crater and therefore will provide a truer safari experience for those seeking it.
I have some difficulty recommending Katavi for a first time safari. It is better suited to a repeat visitor who might know more of what to expect from the safari experience. We were there in August and experienced lots of tsetse flies and reports of blazing heat later in the fall. However, I do not wish to imply that all was negative. In what was our third trip to Africa that included visits to nine parks we saw the largest herds of Cape Buffalo, more Hippos and more Crocodiles in Katavi than in any park we visited. We also we fortunate to see herds Roan Antelope, wonderful Lion prides and some fantastic birding.
Much of the safari experience is dependent on the quality of the accommodations and the expertise of the guides. Chada Katavi was a first-rate camp with excellent food, hospitality and accommodations. Even if the camp Elephants were not always cooperative it was a blast to see one about 75 yards away when in the shower.
The Nomad guides were first rate. They have enormous knowledge, are pleasant and go out of there way to make the safari experience as rich as possible. The ability to go on a short walking safari was a big plus. Nomad Tanzania and Chada Katavi get the highest possible recommendations.
Selinda Game Reserve 5-Stars
The staff at Selinda Game Reserve is accommodating, charming, and truly proud to be there. We enjoyed our time with them almost as much as seeing the wildlife. Our guides were the best that we experienced in Botswana, and we were incredibly lucky with the diversity of animals that we were able to encounter.
Additionally, the facilities at the camp with fantastic.
We highly recommend Selinda Game Reserve.