TAKE AN EXTRAORDINARY SAFARI TO NAMIBIA AND HELP SAVE THE CHEETAH
Enjoy the trip of a lifetime AND help save most endangered cat in Africa? Yes.
Celebrating their new partnership with the Cheetah Conservation Fund, where research, conservation and education efforts are helping to save the endangered cheetah, Baobab Expeditions helps turn travelers into explorers who make a difference with an extraordinary safari adventure through Namibia.
HOW: Baobab will make a donation to the Fund for each participant on the safari.
TRIP DETAILS: Arriving in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, guests are met by Baobab’s excellent guides and driven north to the Frans Indongo Lodge, a charming farmhouse modeled on traditional Ovambo homesteads. A highlight of the journey comes on the second day with a full-day visit to the Fund’s International Research and Education Centre in Otjiwarongo where visitors are shown the value of sustainable practices to save the cheetah and where they are able to view this elusive animal.
The next day, the group journeys northward toward Etosha National Park, one of Africa’s largest game reserves and a great animal sanctuary with a wide diversity of wildlife and bird species. The Park is a complex of salt pans left from a lake 3 million years ago with many watering holes where game gather. Visitors have extensive game viewing here on days four and five. Accommodations for the two nights are at Andersson’s Camp and at Mushara Bush Camp.
From Etosha, the travelers make their way to the Kavango Region on the border of Angola. The broad flood plains of the Kavango River make the area considerably greener than the rest of Namibia. Five tribes live along this river, each with a traditional chief. Tonight, the travelers stay at the Hakusembe Lodge, consisting of ten spacious chalets in an eclectic blend of traditional African and modern art work. Arrival at the Lodge will be in time for a late afternoon boat cruise on the River.
The Mhango Game Park on the Okavango River is one of Namibia’s most diverse and interesting conservation areas. Two nights are spent at the Nunda Safari Lodge with plenty of time to enjoy game drives in the Game Park and a boat cruise on the river.
Moving closer to Zambia, the next stop is the Bwabwata National Park, soon to be part of the world’s largest Trans-Frontier Conservation Area that will include Namibia, Botswana, Angola and Zambia and will rehabilitate wildlife populations virtually destroyed by poaching in the past. The itinerary includes two days in Bwabwata with more game drives, guided walks, boat trips and birding. Accommodation is at the Mazambala Island Lodge, a bungalow lodge built with bricks, reeds and thatched roofs.
On Day 11, the group makes its way to Katima Mulilo, the regional capital of eastern Caprivi and from there, they cross the bridge into Zambia and the town of Livingstone and Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River. The Falls is one of the natural wonders of the world and there are other activities nearby such as bungee-jumping, white river rafting, and helicopter rides over the Falls. Accommodations are at the Zambezi Waterfront Lodge.
The journey ends in Victoria Falls on Day 12 with the option to stay on at one’s own expense. The $5,967 rate includes all accommodation, transfers, meals, safari guide and entrance fees and excusions where specified in the itinerary. The rate is based on the exchange rate between the South African Rand and the US dollar on 06/22/10. The rate is per person based on two persons sharing with a minimum of 12 guests on the tour. For more information, contact www.baobabexpeditions.com or 516 622 2279. Email is reservations@baobabexpeditions.com
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".