Heatherlea Birdwatching Holidays

Heatherlea - 20 years of outstanding Wildlife holidays

A 5 star rated Wildlife experience - Scottish Tourist Board

Birdwatching & Wildlife Holidays in Scotland and Worldwide

This short holiday in Botswana is a fabulous birding and big game safari with eight nights in high quality lodges and luxury tented camps which are amongst the finest in the country. Experienced guide Dave Pullan will be organising everything to maximise your bird and animal list. There are two scheduled game activities per day, including game viewing by boat in the Chobe National Park, one of the highlights of the holiday. Expect an impressive list of birds and big game. The perfect short safari in warm weather just before Christmas!

We fly from London to Johannesburg, then transfer by air to Botswana. Our safari begins after a flight to Leroo La Tau,in the Kalahari,  on the boundary of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. The Park stretches away from the riverbank to an interior of scrubland and mineral-rich grassland. In the mid 1980s the flood waters of the Okavango Delta started to decline, but in 2009 record rainfall resulted in the Boteti River flowing again and it is present here once more. Leroo La Tau is built on cliffs above this changing riverbed environment, offering a raised vantage point which ensures unsurpassed views of the river and the National Park. The surrounding area features abundant Lion, Zebra and Wildebeest, plus Chobe Bushbuck, Leopard, Cheetah, Brown and Spotted Hyena, Impala, Kudu, Jackal, Porcupine, Genet and Caracal, to name but some. There is also the possibility of White Rhino and Ostrich.

In the magnificent Okavango Delta we stay in high quality and extremely comfortable camps beginning with Camp Moremi, one of Botswana’s finest safari lodges. Game drives in open 4x4 vehicles, both in the morning and late afternoons, offer frequent sightings of Lion, Leopard and Cheetah. Zebra, Elephant, Buffalo, Hippo and Crocodile are also found, and outstanding birding includes African Paradise Flycatcher, Woodland and Malachite Kingfishers, Pel’s Fishing Owl, African Fish Eagle, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Little, Carmine and Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters, Plum-coloured Starling, Long-crested Eagle, Openbill Stork, Hammerkop, and Giant Eagle Owl.

Our next top quality lodge is Savute Safari Lodge, on the banks of the Savute channel. Savute is ideal for watching game at the waterhole, and we again enjoy open 4x4 game drives in the area, including the famous Savute Marsh.

Next we fly to the Chobe National Park, and the iconic Game Lodge, another premier wildlife venue. This lodge offers real luxury, and its river-facing rooms have private terraces. The area is renowned for large numbers of game, especially large Lion prides, and safaris should produce Giraffe, Zebra, Buffalo, Wild Dog, Wildebeest, Cheetah, Jackal, Kudu, Spotted Hyena, and possibly Leopard. Birdlife includes Lilac-breasted Roller, Giant Kingfisher, White-headed Vulture, Spur-winged Goose, Saddlebill Stork, Pink-backed Pelican, Pink-throated Longclaw, Wattled Plover and Goliath Heron. The holiday ends with transfers back to Jo’burg and overnight flight back to London.

Big game includes Lion, Elephant, Cheetah, Leopard and Wild Dog, and for a taste of the birdlife, African Fish Eagle, African Skimmer, Bat Hawk, Brown Firefinch, Carmine Bee-eater, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Long-crested Eagle, Pel's Fishing Owl, Pink-backed Pelican, Rosy-throated Longclaw, Purple-banded Sunbird, Pygmy Goose, Red-winged  and Rock Pratincole, Secretary Bird, Wattled Crane, Western Banded Snake-Eagle, Wood Owl and Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, amongst many, many more – ask for our Extra Pack to see the details!

Itinerary

Day 1       Friday 30 November
Fly London - Johannesburg arriving early morning on Saturday, and transfer by air to Maun in Botswana, before flying to Camp Leroo La Tau.

Days 2 - 4      Saturday 1 December - Monday 3 December
LEROO LA TAU - KALAHARI
Leroo La Tau is situated on the western bank of the Boteti River, northwest of Khumaga Village and about 140 kilometres southeast of Maun. The eastern bank of the Boteti River forms the boundary of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. The Boteti River is the main outflow of the Okavango Delta, collecting the water that flows past Maun, and stretching about 250 kilometres southeast to Lake Xau on the extreme south western edge of the great Makgadikgadi salt pans. 

Leroo La Tau Lodge is built on cliffs over 10 metres above this changing riverbed environment, offering a raised vantage point which ensures unsurpassed views of the river and the National Park to the east. We stay in thatched and glass fronted suites with en-suite bathrooms, each one raised on a wooden platform. Leroo La Tau translates as ‘lion’s paw’, but although the surrounding area features abundant Lion, Zebra and  WWWW  Wildebeest, it also boasts Chobe Bushbuck, Leopard, Cheetah, Brown and Spotted Hyena, Impala, Kudu, Jackal, Porcupine, Genet and Caracal, to name but some. In addition, there is also the possibility of seeing Ostrich or rare White Rhinoceros as we enjoy four game drives here.  

Days 4 - 6, Monday 3 December - Wednesday 5 December
Botswana’s magnificent Okavango Delta is a maze of lagoons, lakes and hidden channels covering an area of over 16,000 square km in flood and shrinking to less than 9,000 square km in the dry season. Trapped in the parched Kalahari sands the fresh water oasis attracts wildlife that depends on the permanent waters of this unique wilderness.
 

CAMP MOREMI
Camp Moremi is situated on the beautiful Xakanaxa Lagoon in the heart of the Okavango Delta, within the Moremi Game Reserve. Xakanaxa is renowned as one of the best game viewing areas in Botswana. Shaded by giant ebony trees, the magnificent Moremi Tree Lodge is an elegant elevated thatch and timber structure consisting of a main lounge, wildlife reference library, dining room and cocktail bar. The large sun deck affords an unsurpassed view of Xakanaxa Lagoon. A raised deck swimming pool, covered boma and elevated observation platform assures Camp Moremi of its status as one of Botswana’s finest safari lodge. Camp Moremi accommodates only 22 guests in East African-style safari tents, individually situated on raised teak platforms. Each guest unit has its own private bathroom situated adjacent to the tent and located on the raised platform. Activities at Camp Moremi include tracking big game on morning and afternoon game drives by open 4x4 safari vehicle, excellent birding possibly including Carmine and Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters, Red-billed and Yellow-billed Oxpeckers, Openbill Stork, Hammerkop and Wahlberg's Eagle. Endangered Wattled Cranes and endemic Slaty Egret can be found in the area, the surrounding mopani forest is home to Southern Black Tit and Giant Eagle Owl, and Black-collared and Crested Barbets are along the river. We explore the rivers, and the Xakanaka Lagoon and surrounding Okavango channels by powerboat. Mammals will include Red Lechwe and large herds of Elephant, Southern Impala, Wildebeest, Buffalo, Burchell's Zebra, Greater Kudu and Waterbuck. Sitatunga is also present, but is very shy and not encountered frequently. African Wild Dogs are endangered, but we have a chance of seeing them and other predators, such as Cheetah, Leopard, Spotted Hyena, and our first Lion prides.

Days 6 - 8, Wednesday 5 December - Friday 7 December

SAVUTE SAFARI LODGE - PLAINS, GAME & MARSHES
Scheduled charter flight to Savuti in the south western region of Chobe National Park, where we spend two nights at Savute Safari Lodge. Accommodation is in twin bedded chalets with private en-suite facilities on a full board basis.

Savute Safari Lodge peers out from ancient camelthorn trees on the banks of the now dry Savute channel, part of the dynamic Savute ecosystem renowned for its large concentration of Elephant and large Lion prides. The lounge, library and cocktail bar are situated in the exquisite thatch and timber main building, while in front there is a viewing deck ideal for watching game at the water hole. The lodge has a swimming pool on a raised wooden teak deck overlooking the channel, and guests can often watch game while swimming! Savute Safari Lodge accommodates just 24 people in contemporary furnished twin-bedded luxury wood, thatch and glass safari suites, ideal for the hot and dry conditions. Large private viewing decks and en-suite facilities, with walk in showers combine to make Savute Safari Lodge an unforgettable experience. Safari sightings should include Giraffe, Lion, Zebra, Buffalo, Wild Dog, Wildebeest, Cheetah, Jackal, Kudu, Spotted Hyena, and possibly Leopard. The game drives are in open 4x4 safari vehicles around the whole Savute area, including the Savute Marsh and a visit to the ancient San rock paintings at Gubatsa Hills. We should see Crimson-breasted Shrike, sunbirds, barbets, Long-tailed Shrike, Black-breasted Snake Eagle, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Tawny Eagle and various weavers and waxbills during our stay in this incredibly atmospheric place

Days 8 - 10, Friday 7 December - Sunday 9 December
CHOBE GAME LODGE - LAND AND WATER BASED
Flight to Kasane and transfer to Chobe Game Lodge, where we spend two nights in a twin bedded rooms with private en-suite facilities on a full board basis.

This is the only permanent game lodge situated within the Chobe National Park. Game drives are conducted in open sided 4X4 vehicles ensuring maximum visibility, while game viewing on the Chobe River is conducted by small, shallow draft and highly manoeuvrable boats piloted by expert boatmen. This may be one of the highlights of the holiday! Other facilities include a large swimming pool with terrace, a riverside boma area where traditional dancers perform, an internet office for those needing to keep in touch, and a bar with an outside terrace overlooking the Chobe River. Chobe also has a reference library with lounge and terrace. Meals are catered for at the terrace restaurant overlooking the Chobe River. All 46 rooms at the lodge are river facing and are air conditioned with overhead fans, complimentary mini bar and en-suite bathrooms, each with tea and coffee making facilities. All rooms have their own private terrace.

The area is renowned for its large herds of Elephant, and we may also see Hippo, Sable Antelope and Puku. Amongst the birds are Lilac-breasted Roller, Carmine Bee-eater, Giant Kingfisher, African Skimmer, White-headed Vulture, Spur-winged Goose, Saddlebill Stork, Pink-backed Pelican, Pink-throated Longclaw, Wattled Plover and Goliath Heron.

Days 10- 11, Sunday 9 December - Monday 10 December
DEPARTURE
Morning activity at Chobe Game Lodge before our road transfer to Kasane Airport where we catch our Air Botswana flight to Johannesburg. We have an evening flight to London, arriving on Monday morning. 

Price excludes:

Insurance, activities other than those above, your personal tips and other personal expenses.