choose your destination:

The Best 3x3x3 … with Mike Copeland

June 2012

Three Game Reserves, in Three Weeks, in Three Countries! Join us as we explore wild deserts, camp in wide open spaces, marvel at mystical rock paintings, view Anglo-Boer War sites, follow in Livingstone’s footsteps, wander with the Bushmen and swim with the crocodiles. Adventurous enough for you? Join famous travel writer and African expert, Mike Copeland, who will be your tour leader. Mike has published four travel guides – Cape to Cairo, Mozambique, Namibia and Botswana – and is the author of numerous magazine articles on his African travels. Mike is an explorer in the true sense of the word and touring with him will be a life enriching experience.

 

ITINERARY

Day 1: Saturday, 23 June 2012

Plan your programme to arrive late afternoon in Hopetown in the Northern Cape Province.
Here you will meet your tour leader, Mike Copeland, and the rest of the tour members.
Around the campfire Mike will tell you more about the discovery of the first diamond and the Battle of Belmont that took place during the Angolo Boer War.
O/N Thomas’ Guest Farm (camping)

Day 2: Sunday, 24 June 2012

We break up camp and first explore the historical sites on the farm. Visit the monument where 54 soldiers were buried and a cave 10 meter deep with bullet and bajonet remains dating back to 1899.
Depart for Kuruman to visit the Moffat Mission Station where Livingstone met and married his wife and started his missionary and exploration career.
O/N Camping near Kuruman. (camping)
290 kms

Day 3: Monday, 25 June 2012

Break up camp and depart for the Botswana border. Enter Botswana through the McCarthy’s Rest border post and then on to Mabuasehube Game Reserve. It forms part of the vast Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
O/N bush camp (camping)
360 kms

Day 4: Tuesday, 26 June 2012

Today we will explore a section of the six hundred and ninety five square miles that Mabuasehube Game Reserve covers. The park has huge pans and some thirty meter high sand dunes. Be on the look out for eland, gemsbok, hartebeest, wildebeest, springbok, lion and other predators like hyena and caracal.
O/N bush camp (camping)

Day 5: Wednesday, 27 June 2012

Break up camp. Today we will drive back to civilization to enjoy some luxuries. We proceed via Kang and Ghanzi and then to Grassland Safari Lodge for overnight.
O/N Grasslands Safari Lodge (camping)
540 kms

It is possible to upgrade to bungalows at an additional cost depending on availability

Day 6: Thursday, 28 June 2012

Day at leisure or optionally spend the day walking with authentic Bushmen and watch them gather food and dance. Also photograph a pack of very rare African Wild Dogs and Kalahari Lions.
O/N Grasslands Safari Lodge

Cost for optional acitivites: Pula 200.00 per person per activity

Day 7: Friday, 29 June 2012

Today we tackle the sandy track to Drotsky’s Caves. We will explore these underground caverns. The San named the caves “Gcwihaba’, which means “hyena’s hole”. In 1932 Martinus Drotsky was shown the caves and named it after himself. The caves are a very mysterious and intriguing place.
O/N Bush camp 440 kms

Day 8: Saturday, 30 June 2012

Today we will leave Botswana and cross via the remote Dobe border post into Namibia and drive, via the Dorslandtrekkers Baobab Tree, to the Khaudum Game Park. As we head for the Khaudum Game Park we leave civilisation behind and enter an isolated wilderness. It is time to deflate tyres as thick sand is negotiated on our way to Sigereti Camp our final destination for the day.
O/N Bush camp
260 kms

Day 9: Sunday, 1 July 2012

Our journey continues further north to Khaudum camp. Khaudum camp is the most northern camp of the park. Khaudum camp is located on a dune, which allows for beautiful views of the surrounding area. Pitch your tent under the shady trees and enjoy the sunset with a cold beer in your hand. The sounds of nature will fill the air after dusk and a pleasant evening around the campfire will be a perfect ending for a day in the African bush.
O/N Bush camp
100 kms

Day 10: Monday, 2 July 2012

Depart Khaudum camp and start the challenging 60 km trip towards Katere through thick sand. It is difficult to build up speed along this sandy and dusty trail as sections of deep corrugation requires careful manoeuvring. Reach Katere and join the B8 highway driving in an eastern direction towards the Caprivi. This is a tropical area, with high temperatures and high rainfall making it the wettest area in Namibia. The area is mostly made up of swamps, floodplains, wetland and woodland.
We head for our campsite.
O/N Camping in the Caprivi
185 kms

Day 11: Tuesday, 3 July 2012

Spend the day relaxing, swiming or explore the surrounding area.
O/N Camping in the Caprivi

Day 12: Wedneday, 4 July 2012

Re-enter Botswana and stay in Shakawe at the Panhandle of the Okavango Delta. Look out for Sitatunga and Pell’s Fishing Owl.
O/N Caming at Shakawe
50 kms

Day 13: Thursday, 5 July 2012

Make a day trip to Tsodilo Hills to view the wonderful selection of Bushman paintings. Tsodilo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was inscribed in 2001 due to its unique religious and spiritual significance to local peoples, as well as its unique record of human settlement over many millennia. It contains over 4,500 rock paintings in an area of approximately 10 km².
O/N Camping at Shakawe. 100 kms

Day 14: Friday, 6 July 2012

Depart from Shakawe heading in a south-eastern direction towards Maun. We spend the night, stock up and refuel in Maun. We will choose the current best riverside campsite to overnight.
O/N Camping in Maun 290 kms

Day 15: Saturday, 7 July 2012

While in Maun you are free to take a trip up the Thamalakane River or a flight over the Delta.
O/N Camping in Maun

Day 16: Sunday, 8 July 2012

Depart from Maun and drive to the Matswere gate of the mighty Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR). Established in 1961 it covers an area of 52,800 km² making it the second largest game reserve in the world. The park contains wildlife such as giraffe, brown hyena, warthog, cheetah, wild dog, leopard, lion, blue wildebeest, eland, gemsbok, kudu and red hartebeest. The land is mostly flat, and gently undulating covered with bush and grasses covering the sand dunes, and areas of larger trees. Many of the river valleys are fossilized with salt pans.
O/N Bush camp
320 kms

Day 17: Monday, 9 July 2012

Explore the northern section of the CKGR.
O/N Bush Camp
150 kms

Day 18: Tuesday, 10 July 2012

We slowly start making our way to the south of the CKGR toward Xade.
O/N Bush camping
200 kms

Day 19: Wedneday, 11 July 2012

Right down south now, we enter the Kutse section of the CKGR for more wild camping.
O/N Bush camp
200 kms

Day 20: Thursday, 12 July 2012

Today we head back to civilization and the bright lights of Gaborone. We spend the night at the friendly Mokolodi Backpackers. This will be our last night together and it is time to exchange contact numbers and e-mail addresses.
O/N Camping at a Backpacker (camping)
235 kms

Day 21: Friday, 13 July 2012

The tour officially ends as we cross the border back into South Africa. Everybody travel home in your own time.

---

Tour cost based on 10 adults:

Per adult: R8 900.00

Per child o/12: R1 920.00

Included:

~ Experienced guide with own vehicle
~ Two way radio’s for vehicles
~ Tour planning and arrangements.
~ Camping fees
~ Entrances fees at Drotsky Caves and Tsodillo Hills

Excluded:

~ transport,
~ fuel,
~ meals,
~ camping gear,
~ visa’s if required,
~ travel insurance and vehicle insurance,
~ entrance fees not specified
~ drinks,
~ cross border taxes,
~ lodge/hotel/guest house accommodation if you would like to upgrade,
~ things of a personal nature.

Note: To optimise your experience the number of participants will be limited.
          Bookings are essential.

DEADLINE FOR BOOKINGS WILL BE 15 MARCH 2012.
(50% DEPOSIT AT TIME OF BOOKING TO SECURE YOUR PLACE)

Special notes:

~ This is a self-catering trip so each person will be responsible for the preparation of own meals.

Importing of animal products into Botswana:

Red meat: 25 kg per family
Poultry: 5 kg per person
Eggs: 36 per person
Milk: 2 litres person

~ Definition of a bush camp: the camp does not have any facilities and in the Khaudum there is also not fences. You must be self-sufficient as far as food, water and ablution facilities are concerned.

~ Cross border fees:

Per entry into Botswana: short term permit: P50.00
Road safety levy: P20.00
3rd party insurance: P50.00
Per entry into Namibia: R260.00

~ Fuel and Water: For some sections of the trip you will have to be self-sufficient as far as water and fuel is concerned for 650 kms with some driving through thick sand.

~ Trailers: The Khaudum has deep soft sandy tracks. If you are inexperienced at off-road driving with a trailer it is not recommended that you bring a trailer.