Journeys with Purpose (JWP07) Trekking Giants Expedition 2020

Botswana, SA & Mozambique
TBC
15 nights/16 days

3 countries
Fly in: Gaborone Airport, 11 July 2020 (Saturday). Expedition starts on 12th July 2020
Fly out: JHB on 26 July 2020 (Sunday) *AFTER 17h00
Group size: 6-12
*With Covid 19 we are waiting to see when the flights from overeas are re-opened and will then continue accordingly*

Rate: US$ 5800pp sharing (US$600 non-refundable deposit required to book a seat)

Summary

Africa. The one place on Earth where you’re guaranteed to fall in love with raw, magnetic natural beauty. It is an intoxicating mix of sights and sounds, wildlife and natural splendour that enthrals, captivates and will literally take your breath away. Trekking Giants is a 1800km adventure spanning three of Africa’s alluring countries, Botswana, South Africa and Mozambique, in search of the Big 5.

Our expedition begins at the Tuli Block, a hidden gem in the easternmost corner of Botswana. This unique, timeless corner of Africa with spectacular wildlife has been described as Botswana’s best kept secret. From Tuli, we cross into South Africa making our way to the Soutpansberg mountains in the Limpopo Province to explore the country’s highest biodiversity of flora and fauna. Brace yourself for unrivalled scenery, unspoilt nature, and a rich variety of wildlife and endemic species. This is a magical place of abundance and beauty; a place where you will also discover and connect with yourself. Thereafter, we venture into Kruger National Park to see untamed Africa from a new perspective. We will spend our time exploring through the remotest corners of the Kruger, giving you the chance to stumble upon the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and Cape buffalo) in their untouched habitat.

Our fundraising eco-adventure wraps up in Mozambique where we will be the support team to a group of experts who will be collaring elephants in Banhine National Park. Be prepared for some long bumpy African roads, amazing wildlife and breath-taking scenery. The route takes us through far-flung, traditional villages and national parks with incredible game viewing. Travelling with only a few vehicles, our group will be led by one of Africa’s most experienced adventurers and humanitarians, Carla Geyser and her Blue Sky Expeditions crew, who will provide daily briefings on the regions visited and routes and roads to be undertaken.

Do YOU have any questions? We would love to hear from you.

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Highlights

Some of the extraordinary experiences you can look forward to as part of this group of eco-travellers includes:

  • 16 days / 15 nights in Botswana, South Africa and Mozambique
  • An authentic wilderness experience reminiscent of Africa a century ago at Tuli Wilderness (Botswana)
  • A day at a school and/or seeing their community projects in the privately-owned Tuli Game Reserve (Botswana)
  • Exploring the hidden valley on top of the Soutpansberg magical mountains (South Africa)
  • Exploring through the remotest corners of the Kruger National Park (South Africa) in search of the Big Five in their untouched magnificent habitat
  • Four days collaring elephants in Banhine National Park (Mozambique)
  • Making lifelong friendships with other people from around the world who are just as passionate about making a difference in Africa as you are
  • Enjoying an exceptionally organised once-in-a-lifetime African experience where all logistical details are taken care of for you.

Frequency: Bespoke once-off expedition
Fitness Ratings: Moderate
Tour Features: Wildlife Conservation, Cultural Exchange, Youth Conservation Education, English-spoken, Fundraising for Wildlife Conservation Groups, Male/Female
Beneficiary: Elephants Alive  and Saving the Survivors
Accommodation: Mostly camping /bungalows /rooms
Price range: Mid-range
Min: 6 eco-adventurers
Max: 12 eco-adventurers

Do YOU have any questions? We would love to hear from you.

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Includes

  • Expedition leader and crew
  • Expedition vehicles
  • Fuel & toll fees
  • Basic accommodation (Mostly camping/Chalets/rooms- sharing)
  • All meals & water in itinerary
  • All camping equipment (*Except sleeping bags and pillows. Please bring your own*)
  • National Park fees & bed levies
  • Car insurance & border crossing fees for vehicles
  • US1000pp fundraising  to pay towards the Elephant Collaring
  • All activities detailed in the itinerary
  • Relocation fee of cars to get to Botswana/South Africa and Mozambique
  • Transfers to and from airports

Excludes

  • Any Flights & any necessary transfers to get to the start/finish of the expedition
  • Gratuities (*We recommend US$ 5 to 10 per guide or activity*)
  • Any visas & border costs
  • Alcoholic drinks & snacks
  • Any personal expenses
  • Comprehensive travel insurance (*Compulsory*)
  • Extra nights’ accommodation (pre/ post expedition)
  • Any extra activities not mentioned in itinerary

Itinerary

DAY DATE DAY DETAILS COMMENTS ACCOMMODATION TYPE / MEALS
1 11-Jul Saturday Gaborone Transfer from airport to B&B/Lodge Earth B&B Rooms/Chalets
PM – Brief Dinner & Breakfast + Packed lunch
2 12-Jul Sunday Gaborone – Tuli Block AM – Drive  6 1/2 hour Tuli Wilderness – Kgakala Camp Dome Tents
PM – Game Drive  / Walk All Meals
3 13-Jul Monday Tuli Block Activities – Game Drive/Walks Tuli Wilderness – Kgakala Camp Dome Tents
All Meals
4 14-Jul Tuesday Tuli Block Activities – Game Drive/Walks  / School (?) Tuli Wilderness – Kgakala Camp Dome Tents
All Meals
5 15-Jul Wednesday Tuli Block Activities – Game Drive/Walks / Bush Dinner Tuli Wilderness – Kgakala Camp Dome Tents
All Meals
6 16-Jul Thursday Tuli Block to Soutspansberg AM – Drive (Border) Leshiba wilderness – Luvhondo Rondavels
PM Game Drive/Walk All Meals
7 17-Jul Friday Soutspansberg Activities – Game Drive/Walk Leshiba wilderness – Luvhondo Rondavels
All Meals + packed lunch
8 18-Jul Saturday Soutspansberg – KNP AM – Drive (5/6 hours) Mopani Camp (KNP) OR Letaba Camp Rondavels
PM – Game Drive ( KNP) / Relax Self catering *BSE
9 19-Jul Sunday KNP – Limpopo AM – Game Drive (KNP) Covane community lodge Bush  or Lake Chalet
Drive (Border) –  ±4 hours All Meals  + packed lunch
10 20-Jul Monday Limpopo – Banhine NP  Drive (approx 400km on untarred roads) – long days drive HQ – Banhine NP (Antonio) Dome tents
All Meals
11 21-Jul Tuesday Banhine NP  Activities – collaring elephants HQ – Banhine NP (Antonio) Dome tents
All Meals
12 22-Jul Wednesday Banhine NP  Activities – collaring elephants HQ – Banhine NP (Antonio) Dome tents
All Meals
13 23-Jul Thursday Banhine NP  Activities – collaring elephants HQ – Banhine NP (Antonio) Dome tents
All Meals
14 24-Jul Friday Banhine NP  Activities – collaring elephants HQ – Banhine NP (Antonio) Dome tents
All Meals
15 25-Jul Saturday BNP – KNP/Nelspruit  Drive (Border) – Long days drive 10/11 hours Letaba  Camp / Nelspruit (TBC) Chalets / Room
Self Catering *BSE
16 26-Jul Sunday KNP – JHB  *Fly out of JHB in LATE afternoon * AFTER 5pm

 

*Please note this itinerary may change slightly but the expedition leader will keep you posted and updated. Terms and conditions apply due to availability.

DAY ONE/TWO/THREE/FOUR/FIVE – EXPEDITION DAY Gaborone to Tuli Game Reserve (Botswana)

Welcome to Botswana! Your adventure begins when you are greeted at the airport and taken to our B&B. We will do a expedition welcome and brief at Dinner.  It’s adrenaline from the word go, as we drive out to our first destination early the following morning after a quick brekkie, then we hit the road towards Tuli Game Reserve. This will be our home for the next four nights. Kgakala Trails Camp is a small and private rustic bush camp, comprised of dome tents, communal outdoor bathrooms and a main lapa area. The camp is situated on the banks of the Mohave River. The name Kgakala means ‘remote’ or ‘isolated’ in Setswana and that is exactly the feeling you will have in this charmingly wild and rustic camp.

The unfenced Kgalakala Trails Camp offers accommodation in six basic dome tents, each sleeping up to two persons on camp stretchers. There is no electricity, so lighting is provided for by gas, paraffin and solar. Shower water is heated by a donkey boiler, and the cookers and a freezer are gas-operated. Game such as Elephants, Lion, Leopard, Brown and Spotted Hyaena, Civet, Genet and African Wild Cat may possibly be seen in and around the camp. The Mohave River is a hotspot for game movements and the remoteness of the camp ensures that you will truly feel that you are deep in the wilderness.

Tuli Wilderness is home to a diverse range of wildlife and the Tuli Area boasts the world’s largest elephant population on privately-owned land (over 1800 elephants) – offering some incredible sightings and providing fantastic photographic opportunities. Our private and exclusive 24 000 acre unfenced concession borders the great Limpopo River at its southern end and the Motloutse River to the East. It encompasses riverine thickets, mopane veld, open plains and boulder-strewn sandstone ecosystems, complete with the game you would expect. The landscapes are breath-taking! We will take part in activities such as Game Drives, Bush walks and will also be doing community work and visiting a school in the area to do wildlife conservation education.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Earth B&B (Gaborone) + Kgakala Trails Camp (Tuli Block)
Type: Basic Dome tents (no electricity)

DAY SIX/SEVEN – Tuli Game Reserve to Soutpansberg (South Africa)

Today we drive across the Pont Drift border into South Africa to the Soutpansberg mountains in the Limpopo. Province. This is Mother Nature in her no-filter glory! Be prepared to be amazed. Our activities will include game drives and walks.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Luvhondo (Leshiba Wilderness)
Type: Rondavels (Round Huts)

DAY EIGHT – Soutpansberg to Kruger National Park (South Africa)

Kruger National Park, in north eastern South Africa, is one of Africa’s largest game reserves. Its high density of wild animals includes the Big 5: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos. Hundreds of other mammals make their home here, as do diverse bird species such as vultures, eagles and storks. Mountains, bush plains and tropical forests are all part of the landscape. We will spend one nights at Letaba or Mopani camp which is in the east of the park, and has some of the highest biodiversity and diverse scenery and landscape. We will spend time exploring looking for Africa’s Big 5

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner  (BSE to cater)
Accommodation: Letaba or Mopani camp
Type: Rondavels/Chalets

DAY NINE– KNP to Limpopo National Park (Mozambique)

Leaving Kruger, we head for Giriyondo Border post and enter into Mozambique via Limpopo National Park, driving through thick sand and across the dry Limpopo river bed. We will spend the night overlooking the Massingir Dam in Moçambique

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Covane community Lodge
Type: Rooms

DAY TEN/ELEVEN/TWELVE/THIRTEEN/FOURTEEN –  KNP to Banhine National Park (Mozambique)

Today we head for Banhine National Park where we will be based for five nights. The 700 000 ha Banhine National Park is situated in central southern Mozambique, midway between Pafuri in the west and Vilanculos in the east. The Park features extensive plains and flood areas, which form crystal clear lagoons that is an important passage point for migratory birds that flock there in en mass during the rainy season. This area is VERY remote and facilities are scarse.

Banhine is a critically important component of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area as it lies within the wildlife corridor between the Zinave and Limpopo National Parks. Peace Parks has started the rehabilitation and restoration project has stared with Peace Parks.

Banhine National Park was established in 1973 to conserve the giraffe and ostrich populations found there. Unfortunately, these, as well as other wildlife populations, were nearly eradicated during the war and commercial poaching activities. In July 2018, Peace Parks Foundation and Mozambique’s National Administration for Conservation Areas (ANAC) formalised their long-standing alliance in developing Banhine National Park with the signing of a formal partnership agreement. We will be working with Saving the Survivors and Elephants Alive on this elephant collaring operation.

*The animals (and vets) safety is ALWAYS a priority so we will work under their guidance. The terrain is very wild and there may be a chance that only the vets and pilots get to the elephants but we will do everything in our power to be included as much as possible.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Camp (sharing)
Type: Dome tents

DAY FIFTEEN – Banhine NP to Nelspruit

A  VERY long day’s drive leaving the park heading to Nelspruit, where we will spend our last night together before heading our own way in the morning.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch  & Dinner
Accommodation: TBC
Type: Rooms (Sharing)

DAY FIFTEEN – Nelspruit to JHB

Breakfast and then drive to JHB for those departing from the airport.

You are among friends when you are with us. Together, we are in a safe space and you have the freedom to be yourself and to explore. Whether you have never left your home country or are a seasoned solo traveller, this trip is guaranteed to offer you adventure, friends, and breathless beauty.

*Please note this itinerary may change slightly but the expedition leader will keep you posted and updated. Terms and conditions apply due to availability.

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