Douglas Steakley
Photography Tours And Expeditions
Botswana And Zambia
May 16-30, 2018
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Mfuwe Lodge at night
Join Doug and a small group on this exciting safari to see the well known wildlife areas of Botswana and Zambia as well as visiting Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River.
Botswana is famed for its abundance and diversity of wildlife as well as its focus on conservation. The well known Okavango Delta offers flourishing greenery and proximity to wildlife with a spectacular array of mammals and birds. During our safari we will explore this area both in boats in open and comfortable safari vehicles. At the end of each adventurous day enjoy a sun downer cocktail, often in a clearing while on a game drive. A safari to Botswana offers an experience that is like no other in Africa, with smaller, luxurious lodges and easy access by chartered flights.
This tour also includes two nights in the spectacular Mfuwe Lodge in Zambia, before going on to Victoria Falls in Livingstone.
Professional photographer Doug Steakley will coach and instruct everyone on the components of successful wildlife photography. Whether you are an experienced photographer or curious beginner, your photography will improve during your stay and you will return with photographs you will be proud of and anxious to share with family and friends.
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ITINERARY
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Wednesday/Thursday, May 16/17 Flight to Lusaka, Zambia
Depart the US and fly overnight to Lusaka, Zambia
Friday, May 18 Arrive Lusaka, Zambia
Welcome to Africa! Arrive at Lusaka International Airport where you will be met and transferred to the Southern Sun Ridgeway Hotel, located in central Lusaka. The Southern Sun Ridgeway Hotel is set in attractive, landscaped gardens and offers leisure travelers an inviting atmosphere. In the evening we will have a welcome dinner and orientation. Southern Sun Ridgeway (D)
Saturday, May 19 South Luangwa, Zambia
After an early breakfast, we will transfer to the airport for our flight to Mfuwe Safari Lodge. This beautiful lodge is nestled between two picturesque lagoons in the heart of South Luangwa National Park. We will settle in and have an afternoon game drive followed by dinner. Mfuwe Lodge (BLD)
Mfuwe Lodge is nestled beneath a canopy of ebony
and mahogany trees, beside two tranquil lagoons,
where an endless stream of wildlife wanders.
Scattered along the banks are 18 thatched chalets
with covered verandas that look out over resident
hippo pools. The newly updated rooms provide
comfortable seating areas and en-suite bathrooms
with spacious walk-in showers. The airy interior of
the main lodge is an exquisite complement to its
natural surroundings. The open floor plan features
cozy sofas and chairs and African-chic ambience.
The comfortable lodge includes a lounge bar and
dining area, all located under a thatched roof
supported by palm poles. There is a spacious
wooden deck where the swimming pool is situated,
overlooking the main lagoon. This is a great
location to relax, enjoy a sundowner, and watch
the wildlife stroll by.
Sunday-Monday, May 20/21 South Luangwa, Zambia
We will have both morning and game activities for the next two days, which could be safari drives in 4x4 open vehicles or safari walks. The now famous “walking safari” originated in this park and is still one of the finest ways to experience this pristine wilderness first hand. In between game drives, walks and mouthwatering meals, you will be able to relax with a book on the library’s private deck, an ideal spot to absorb the tranquility of Africa.
The nearby Luangwa River is one of the most intact major river system in Africa and is the life blood of the South Luangwa National Park. Mfuwe Lodge includes complimentary laundry service. Mfuwe Lodge (BLD)
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Watch for hippos yawning in the local hippo pools
Sunset cruise on the Zambezi River
Tuesday/Wednesday, May 22/23 Mfuwe to Livingstone, Zambia
After a morning game drive and breakfast, we will transfer to the airstrip for our flight to Livingstone via Lusaka. Upon arrival Livingstone (Victoria Falls), we will be met and transferred to our hotel. We will check into our beautiful hotel, the Avani Victoria Falls Resort (formerly the Zambezi Sun), located within easy walking distance of Victoria Falls. The Avani Victoria Falls Resort is the only hotel in Zambia that is situated near the falls, allowing for easy and convenient access. Later in the afternoon we will meet at the Activity Center where we will be transferred by van to the jetty for a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. This cruise includes delicious hors d' oeuvres and drinks.
Please note that breakfast is included at the Avani Victoria Falls Resort, but lunch and dinner are on your own. There is an outdoor grill by the pool and an indoor restaurant.
On Tuesday morning we will meet at the Activity Center for a guided walk above the Falls. This walk can be very wet, but parkas and umbrellas are provided. The rest of the day will be at leisure, so there will be time to enjoy the swimming pool, tour the small city of Livingstone or try more adventurous pursuits such as bunji-jumping, elephant back safaris, helicopter or micro-light aircraft tours. Another nice option is to walk across the Peace Bridge into Zimbabwe and visit Victoria Falls from another perspective or continue to the elegant and luxurious old British lodge and enjoy a sundowner. Avani Victoria Falls Hotel (B)
Thursday, May 24 Chobe Bush Lodge
After breakfast we will be picked up in comfortable vans and taken upstream on the Zambezi River for a ferry border crossing into Botswana. Once across the river, we will be met and transferred to the beautiful Chobe Safari Lodge, which is situated on the banks of the Chobe River. We will arrive in time for a sunset cruise on the Chobe River, which has numerous species of birds. We will also see herds of elephants as they come from the savannah to drink, as well as cape buffalo, crocodiles, hippos and maybe a monitor lizard.
Chobe National Park is most noted for its large herds of elephants, but there are also good populations of zebra, giraffe, buffalo, antelope as well as the predators such as lions and leopards. Chobe Bush Lodge (BLD)
Situated on the banks of the magnificent Chobe River and adjoining Chobe National Park, Chobe Safari Lodge offers guests serene and relaxing accommodation in an area rich in indigenous flora and fauna. Recently renovated, the lodge offers guest stunning accommodation to match the spectacular game viewing along the Chobe River setting.
The slideshow below shows life along the Chobe River
Friday/Saturday, May 25/26 Chobe Safari Lodge, Botswana
During our stay at the Chobe Safari Lodge we will have two game viewing activities each day, either by open 4x4 vehicles or by boat, as well as the possibility of guided walks and fishing expeditions. There will also be time to enjoy the surrounding area, relax at the swimming pool on the terrace while viewing the large variety of birds and wildlife. Chobe Safari Lodge (BLD)
During our stay at the Chobe Safari Lodge we will have two game viewing activities each day, either by open 4x4 vehicles or by boat, as well as the possibility of guided walks and fishing expeditions. There will also be time to enjoy the surrounding area, relax at the swimming pool on the terrace while viewing the large variety of birds and wildlife. Chobe Safari Lodge (BLD)
Sunday, May 27 Chobe Safari Lodge to Okavango Delta, Botswana
We will have an early morning game drive and breakfast before transferring to the airstrip for our light aircraft transfer to the Pom Pom Camp in the heart of the Okavango Delta. The Pom Pom Camp is one of the most beautiful lodges in Botswana and we will have an afternoon game drive before dinner.
This camp is located on Pom Pom Island on private property at the head waters of the Xudum River system. It lies on the western boundary of the Moremi Game Reserve and offers superb Okavango scenery and a true wilderness experience. Pom Pom camp includes complimentary laundry and alcoholic beverages.
Pom Pom Camp (BLD)
Monday/Tuesday, May 28/29 Okavango Delta, Botswana
We will have both early morning and evening game drives for these two days, with opportunities to relax around the pool in the afternoons. Pom Pom Camp also offers night game drives where a spotter sits on the front of the jeep with a powerful searchlight, looking for nocturnal wildlife. (BLD) Pom Pom Camp
The slideshow below is a collection of images from the Okavango Delta
We will have an early morning game drive and breakfast before transferring to the airstrip for our light aircraft transfer to the Pom Pom Camp in the heart of the Okavango Delta. The Pom Pom Camp is one of the most beautiful lodges in Botswana and we will have an afternoon game drive before dinner.
This camp is located on Pom Pom Island on private property at the head waters of the Xudum River system. It lies on the western boundary of the Moremi Game Reserve and offers superb Okavango scenery and a true wilderness experience. Pom Pom camp includes complimentary laundry and alcoholic beverages.
Pom Pom Camp (BLD)
Monday/Tuesday, May 28/29 Okavango Delta, Botswana
We will have both early morning and evening game drives for these two days, with opportunities to relax around the pool in the afternoons. Pom Pom Camp also offers night game drives where a spotter sits on the front of the jeep with a powerful searchlight, looking for nocturnal wildlife. (BLD) Pom Pom Camp
The slideshow below is a collection of images from the Okavango Delta
Wednesday, May 30 Maun to Johannesburg and flights home
We will have an early morning game drive and come back to change and transfer to the local airstrip for our flight back to Maun. From there we will continue to Johannesburg for connecting flights back home. The Johannesburg Airport is beautiful, with good restaurants, a coffee shop and excellent shops. This is a good location to pick up gifts to take home.
We will have an early morning game drive and come back to change and transfer to the local airstrip for our flight back to Maun. From there we will continue to Johannesburg for connecting flights back home. The Johannesburg Airport is beautiful, with good restaurants, a coffee shop and excellent shops. This is a good location to pick up gifts to take home.
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A Word About Photography
While this safari is designed for photographers, non-photographers are welcome and encouraged. My experience in Africa has been that almost everyone wants to return with stunning images and improve their photographic skills. I will be available to assist with questions about photography at all levels from beginners to advanced, and I have found that everyone's photographs improve as the trip progresses.
There are several very important benefits for going on a photo safari as opposed to a “regular” safari in Africa:
~We get up early in the morning to photograph the animals while they are very active and to see the dramatic sunrises. Early morning not only offers the best light, but many animals lay down to sleep as soon as the sun rises. Dawn is a magic time to be out and about in Africa!
~We spend more time when photo opportunities present themselves. It is not unusual for us to spend an hour or so tracking a pride of lions or a leopard, waiting and taking advantage of unique opportunities as they present themselves.
Whether you are an advanced photographer or a beginner, you will appreciate the numerous and daily wildlife sightings that we will experience while on safari.
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Quality and Service
I have worked with the excellent staff at Best Safaris for many years planning safaris to Africa. Prem Sharma and Gaby Gurrola work hard to insure that our expeditions are comfortable, convenient and place us in the best locations at the best times. We realize that for many, an African safari truly is the “trip of a lifetime” and we strive to make your tour as interesting and memorable as possible. We have selected superb lodges in different types of locations, and also those which provide the upscale amenities that make everyone feel secure and welcome.
Best Safaris has an office in southern California and they are registered travel agents who will also assist us with booking international flights that are convenient and affordable. Please call 800-757-6625 and ask for Prem or Gaby.
Best Safaris can arrange extensions to other locations such as Capetown,South Africa and Namibia.
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Comments From Earlier Safaris
“My wife and I, along with other family members, enjoyed a spectacular trip of a lifetime with Doug in Botswana and Namibia in 2016. The wildlife viewing opportunities were incredible and Doug is a wonderful teacher of the fine points of photography. Everything was extremely well organized, the accommodations and food were terrific, and we all felt like we had made friends for life with Doug and his delightful wife Jackie!”
--David Hamilton
"We felt like we spent our days alternating between a dreamlike state and a fierce reality -- sometimes both at the same time. Thank you, Doug, for the trip of a lifetime. It exceeded all expectations, and the expectations were already pretty high going in."
--Nancy Huneke
"Botswana was our fifth photographic excursion we have made with Doug, and it was the best of them all. Botswana is all about protecting the animals, and it is teeming with large herds of elephants, cape buffalo, hippos, zebras and impalas, with many sightings of kudu, crocodile, ostrich, lion, leopard, and many more. Unimaginable variety of birds. The weather was perfect, the people were warm, friendly, and more than helpful, and the accommodations were first rate. A wildlife photographer's paradise."
--Furman and Harriet Sheppard
"I have enjoyed several wonderful photography adventures led by Douglas Steakley: Yellowstone In Winter, Burma, Iceland and a safari to Botswana and Victoria Falls.
I started out knowing very little about photography other than I really enjoyed the experience of picture taking and was quickly bitten by the photo bug. Doug is an excellent teacher, he is very patient with our repeated questions and with each shoot I found a new layer of learning and how to use my equipment.
These experiences around the world have provided learning challenges about the country, the people and wildlife, and they have been filled with many spontaneous moments. In Burma we met tribal Burmese women on the road and were invited to visit their village where they danced and posed for us. We were the first westerners to visit their village. In Botswana, we set out on an afternoon safari drive to see a beautiful one-year old male leopard cub waiting in a tree for his mother to return with dinner. I am looking forward to more fun, more learning and more adventures with Doug and fellow photographers."
--Susan T. Moore
"My trip to Zambia and Botswana, Africa, was both arduous and amazing. It takes a lot of energy to travel all that way, and takes time and effort to experience Africa and its wildlife, but it's worth it! We were treated to great service everywhere we went, from those who served us at our lodges, to our game drive guides. Everything was first class! The food was delicious, the accommodations were beautiful, the plane flights were on time, and the wildlife was abundant.
It was good to visit different locations in Botswana, as we saw different animals and scenery. I was amazed at the incredible variety of wildlife we witnessed, from elephants to jackals, giraffes to hippos, and lots of interesting birds and other animal groups. I learned a lot about the wildlife's way of life both by observing them and from the information given to us by our well versed guides. I also learned some new ways to use my camera, and I appreciated being able to expand my horizons in the art of photography. Thanks to Doug for his part in planning and executing our African safari! "
--Cathy Haas
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Pricing
The total price for this spectacular safari is $10,975.00 per person, double occupancy.
A single room supplement is $1890.00.
A non-refundable $2500.00 deposit is required to register.
For travel insurance please contact www.travelguard.com/bestsafaris.
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Price Includes
Meet and assist at Lusaka on arrival and all transfers to and from camps
Small aircraft flights--Lusaka>Mfuwei>Livingstone and Kasane>Pom Pom>Maun
Extra baggage allowance for photography equipment.
The weight allowance is 75 lbs. per person including camera equipment and carry on bags
Professional English-speaking tour guides and drivers
Local transportation in comfortable, air-conditioned vans
Game drives in open safari vehicles, perfect for photography and wildlife viewing
Entrance fees to all national parks and game reserves
Meals as listed per itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner). Alcoholic beverages and laundry are included Pom Pom
Luxury accommodation in spacious safari-style rooms with private baths and patios
Emergency medical evacuation from the Okavango Delta only
Sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, including drinks and hors d' oeuvres
Please pack in soft duffel bags. These are easier to fit into the small planes.
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Price Does Not Include
International airfare
Visa for Zambia-$50.00 cash
Beverages other than specified
Gratuities--plan on about $200.00 per person
All items of a personal nature
Travel insurance, which is highly recommended and available through Best Safaris
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Registration-Please send 4 items to me:
Registration Form
Liability Release Form
Copy of the signature page of your passport
Non-refundable deposit check for $2500.00
Please download and read the Terms and Conditions
Additional information about this safari will be sent well in advance of departure