Botswana Eco Tours

Phenyo was an amazing guide a tracker a great leader / guide really upbeat happy and positive an unbelievable knowledge of all animals and birds how lucky we were to have him as our guide

This trip was hands down the best trip I’ve ever been on. From the very first day to the last day, I had the time of my life and I’m already itching to go back. During our kickstart meeting on day one, I knew we were in for a treat when we first met Sim. He engaged with the group and made it so much more comfortable being in a room full of strangers. We had a lot of rain during our time in Cape Town which forced a few plans to change, like not being able to go up Table Mountain. Sim changed our whole day around to make sure we made the best out of it and despite not going up the mountain, we had the most perfect time in the city and thoroughly enjoyed everything we had to do. In my opinion, it’s made me want to go back to experience it when it’s not raining! The game drives during the trip were brilliant too. We had the most knowledgeable guides and respectful too, not one of them crossed any boundaries with animals, especially a time when everyone was trying to follow a leopard in and there had to be at least 20 jeeps closing in, our guide, Neil (in the Delta), chose to forget about it because the poor cub would’ve been terrified and I really respected him for it. I have never felt more at peace with myself than I did during this trip. It healed something in me that I didn’t know was broken and I owe it not only to the trip itself but the trip managers, Sim and Often. Often, the Namibia trip manager, was outstanding and he always made sure everyone was feeling included. I was the youngest in the group and I never felt less than the others in the group. I will cherish the bond I created with Often in the short 7 days we were together. I wasn’t feeling too great mentally during my time in Namibia (he didn’t know that) but he helped me immensely without knowing, by just including me in conversation and making me feel welcomed. I hope he knows how great he is. Sim is a brilliant trip manager. He always went above and beyond to make sure we were enjoying our time. He joined in on activities where possible and made sure we were all comfortable. I’ve really grown to love him a lot and I will always hold him close to my heart. He has truly become like a brother to me. He uplifts everyone who is around. If you’re having a bad day, Sim will surely make it better. He creates deep and personal connections with each traveller on his trips and that is all anyone can ask for in a trip manager. He always remained professional when the time came and worked so hard to run the perfect trip (too hard sometimes). I’m unsure if i can do another contiki because Nothing! could beat this one.

A safari trip in Africa is THE bucket list adventure that we all dream about, and boy does Contiki make that dream come true. This trip traverses the incredible landscapes of four different countries, showcasing the individual gems that make each just as special as the last. From the depths of the overnight camps in Chobe National Park, Botswana and the peaks of the sandy dunes of Sossusvlei, Namibia to the thrilling sunrise game drives of Kruger National Park, South Africa and mesmerising helicopter rides over Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe. This trip is all about NATURE. You’ll never feel more grounded, more connected to the natural world. Contiki has curated the trip of all trips with this one. The highest of standards are kept across the board whether it’s the accomodation, food, activities or guides. Nothing has been overlooked and no matter your TM, they will ensure this is THE trip of a lifetime. Special shoutout to my TMs Sim & Often, two incredibly special humans that live and breath Contiki, so if you’re lucky enough to be on their trip, you’re in for a treat. Exploring every nook and cranny of Southern Africa that will only ever leave you awe inspired (and wanting more of course). There are way too many highlights of this trip to name them all, but one thing is a given, you will never thank yourself more than when you have booked this trip. Truly life changing. You won’t regret it.

This tour was everything I dreamt of and more. KK our tour guide/driver/organiser was just fantastic. How he drove through the flooded national parks without getting bogged I’ll never know. He was so knowledgeable about the animals and birds we saw and never became impatient at our questions and how long we stopped to see the animals and birds. The sighting of the cheetah and two cubs found by KK before any other safari vehicles arrived was extraordinary. I also really enjoyed the travelling to and from the national parks watching the daily life of the Botswanian people. It’s a challenging trip as you are in a safari vehicle for hours at a time but if you really want to immerse yourself into wildlife viewing you couldn’t ask for more.

The Explore web page opens up with a statement “An adventure holiday company you can trust.” and this holiday proved that. Due to the extreme rain before we arrived the tour itinerary had to be changed. The new itinerary was just as good and our plans changed on a daily basis due to circumstances and events. Thankyou Explore, you gave me the opportunity to have a holiday of a lifetime. Thankyou fellow travellers, your company was amazing and we had so much fun and many laughs on the trip. Thankyou Bibi, as a tour guide you were brilliant, sorting unexpected events on a daily basis whilst ensuring we had an amazing wildlife experience. At our final group meal we sat around the table and discussed the holiday. Non of expected a holiday like we had just experienced and agreed our trip had been a proper adventure from start to finish! My holiday summary. Proper adventure! So much fun! Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!

We had an amazing time on this trip and it far exceeded my expectations. We saw lions, giraffes, elephants, jackals, zebras, ostriches, impala and countless other animals and birds. Our guide, KK, was excellent, patient and with a wonderful sense of humour. We marveled at his ability to spot animals and his ability to get close to them without scaring them. The camping support teams were excellent at cooking and setting up the camps. If you are considering this trip t is important to understand before going what the trip is like. We travelled in April which is at the end of the wet season and hence were impacted by rain on many days. In fact, because of flooding our itinerary was changed to include 3 nights at Kwalape Lodge because the camp planned for the first two nights was under water and we had to go to Nxai Pan instead of Moremi (which was too wet). You will spend many hours in a vehicle bouncing around on roads that run from excellent to terrible. The bush roads can be very bad whether it rains or not. The tarred roads often have potholes, and you will have to slow down for animals on the road both domestic and wild. Sometimes my body felt like it was still vibrating even after I was out of the vehicle. The camping experience is a step up from ordinary camping since the crew sets up your tents with bedding and cots. The food provided while camping was excellent - I still think about an apple cake the cook baked for our afternoon snack. For the evening meal they always provided a starter (usually soup), a main course with vegetables and a dessert. That being said, it is camping and if it rains you may have to use the outdoor toilet (ensuite to your tent) in the rain since there is no tarp over the toilet. The lodges we stayed in were great. In particular, we liked Batonka Lodge in Victoria Falls. It had a lovely outdoor covered patio with lot so comfortable seating. The meals at Batonka Lodge were also very good. Kwalape Lodge was ok - much better than camping - but it felt dark due to the thick bush it was surrounded by. Thamos Telele was very luxurious, but I did find the "captive" animals a bit disconcerting after having seen so many animals in the wild. The houseboat cabins were quite cramped, but we spent our time on the boat upstairs in the lounge/dining area looking out at the view. I really felt relaxed on the houseboat. In summary, I recommend this trip very highly for people who have a good sense of humor and can appreciate seeing the beautiful Botswana landscape and amazing animals while perhaps putting up with some physical discomfort.