The Ultimate Flying Safari: Okavango Delta - Savute/Linyanti - Livingstone

~ Text & Photos by Aireen Navarro ~

African Safaris are the epitome of adventure!!! Safaris evoke images of vast open plains, pristine wilderness, a place where animals roam freely and have their own migratory patterns unhindered by any human interventions.

Exploring Africa, specifically the southern parts, are best done flying from one game area to another area, giving you spectacular aerial views of untouched savannas, deltas, open plains, dambos, miombos, deserts, sand dunes, lakes, water holes where hundres of elephants and hippos usually congregate, herds of wild animals roaming vast open permanent and seasonal floodplains, waterways, marshlands, grasslands, mopane woodlands, riverine areas.....the list goes on and on...... If you can, go for one flying safari at least once in your life --- it's simply awesome!!!!

I can confidently vouch for this! Instead of going on long drives (self-drives), go for flying safaris. Enjoy southern Africa from the air, then when you get to your safari camp - focus on gameviewing activities and learn more about wild animal movements/behaviors. I had the chance to do this last year (May 2008), thanks to my job :)

In a span of a few days, I was able to explore Botswana's Okavango Delta before moving up to the nothern parts of the country where the Linyanti and Savute Channel are, and finally ending it in Livingstone, Zambia.

We took off from Maun onboard a Cessna Caravan (13 seater aircraft). We're cruising low and sometimes got glimpses of big game roaming around.....like an elephant bull browsing....a herd of buffalos moving towards water/food source.....even a giraffe taking refuge under a tree when the sun's at its hottest during the day....hehehe....

We first flew into the southern Okavango Delta and landed at the Chitabe Concession which borders the Moremi Game Reserve. The two safari camps in this concession which comprises 28,000 hectares is owned by the Hamman couple (Dave & Helene) who co-produced the book 'Running Wild - Dispelling the Myths of the African Wild Dog.' It's right in between two river systems in the Okavango - Gomoti on its eastern side and Santantadibe on its west.

After a few hours on the ground, we flew to the north-western part of the Okavango Delta where the Jao Concession is located. Located directly the Delta's pandhandle, gameviewing is fantastic - just imagine having 60,000 hectares of private land with very few people on it (just safari camp guests and camp staff).

Then off to the Vumbura Concession where we stayed for three days. The most unique as it's located at the northernmost of the Okavango Delta, making it the remotest safari area comprising over 6o,000 hectares with just 3 safari camps. I LOVE this concession!!!

Then too soon, our stay ended and we moved on to the heart of the Okavango Delta, flying over Chief's Island (Moremi Game Reserve) where the gameviewing is legendary and the favorite destination of wildlife photographers. Many wildlife documentaries have been filmed here. Mombo and Little Mombo Camps proudly 'lorded' over the area when we landed/took off from its airstrip.

We finally left Okavango and flew all the way up north, flying over the Linyanti Concession (Linyanti Wildlife Reserve) where the Savute Channel snakes around & through it. It comprises 125,000 hectares and is bordered by the Linyanti River (east to west) and the Caprivi Strip of Namibia. It only has 3 safari camps -- very exclusive indeed!

We had to land in Kasane for immigration formalities, before setting off to Livingstone, Zambia.

We flew over the upper Zambezi River, then flipped around Victoria Falls which sits in between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

There's no other way to view this Falls but from the air!!!

We're talking about 1,708 meters wide of thundering water --- 'Mosi-oa-Tunya or The Smoke that Thunders' indeed!!!

Off to Kenya in 2 Weeks!!!

~ by Aireen Navarro ~
(Photos lifted from Cheli & Peacock Website)

Fourteen days to go and I’m off to Kenya for 10 days!!! That's March 17-27, 2009 folks and I’m sure it’s going to be wonderful! I have been putting off my excitement to focus on my job. Otherwise, I’d end up browsing websites to get more information on the country and my usual ‘what to bring’ list. That’s trouble indeed!!! Best to focus on the job at hand, then enjoy every minute of the trip.

Looking at my itinerary, I’d be visiting 3 top safari areas in Kenya and end it with a bang at the coast :) Now that’s what I call a ‘dream itinerary.’ Get all down (and dirty???) and have a blast first, keeping eyes out for wildlife and hoping for the best to get at least one good photo out of what? ---- a hundred clicks?

First stop is at Elsa’s Kopje, located in the Meru National Park, made famous by the ‘Born Free’ film as well as George Adamson’s lions. I’m very much looking forward to staying at Kenya’s safari lodge offering a room ‘with the ultimate view.’

Second stop is off to Joy’s Camp, located within the borders of Shaba National Reserve, part of the lands of the Samburu. The camp’s built on the same spot where Joy Adamson’s tented home once stood. Ever heard of ‘Forever Free’?

From Joy’s Camp to Saruni Samburu - located just 7kms north of the Samburu National Reserve. I’m particularly keen on visiting this safari lodge, newly opened in July 2008 but have been receiving positive gameviewing reviews. After 3 nights in the northern parts of Kenya, I’ll head down to the Northern Laikipia Frontier where I’ll spend 1 night at Sabuk Lodge, perched on a cliff that overlooks the Ewaso Nyiro River – you can just imagine the pristine beauty of the wilderness spread out before you!! Hopefully I’d have a chance to go trekking with a Laikipiak Maasai as guide.

Then it’s off to the Masai Mara for me! Now, Masai Mara is a different class on its own. Known for its annual wildebeest migration which brings with it tons of predators with higher chances of seeing a ‘kill’ between end July-early October, its resident game’s also legendary. Unfortunately for me, the migration’s still in the Serengeti in Tanzania, so I’ll just have to focus on the ‘residents.’ First safari camp in the Masai Mara area is the Elephant Pepper Camp located right on the northern edge of the Masai Mara Reserve, gameviewing’s definitely going to be exciting!!!

From Elephant Pepper Camp – down to Saruni Masai Mara for more game activities and checking out its surrounding areas if it's indeed a good safari destination!

I’ll spend 2 nights in the coast with a daytrip to Manda Bay, one of the islands of Kenya’s Lamu Archipelago. Sorry folks, I won’t be staying on this island. I’ll be based at Kinondo Kwetu and Kiwayu instead, located along Kenya’s coastal waters, south of Diani. Then back to Nairobi for a quick look-see and meet up fellow Travel Consultants before departing Kenya.

Have you watched the movie ‘Out of Africa’? It was a mid-1980s movie set in Kenya, with Meryl Streep playing the role of Karen Blixen. She was so good at it she bagged a Best Actress Academy award. It romanticized and propelled Kenya as one of the most popular (if not the top -- hehehe, Botswana is its toughest competitor!!!) safari destination in Africa. I'm so lucky to be heading there in 2 weeks!!!