SOUTH AFRICA & BOTSWANA

Well described in The Elephant's Child by Rudyard Kipling, the famously 'great grey, green, greasy Limpopo River' marks the border between South Africa and its northern neighbours of Botswana and Zimbabwe, forming a great arch from its humble beginnings in the south-west to its merge with the Indian Ocean at Xai-Xai in Mozambique.

It's an enigmatic river, sometimes barely more than a dirty trickle and at other times spreading out to be several kilometres wide on the floodplains of its lower course. All along its 1750 kilometre length it is the leif blood of the surrounding areas, providing precious water for both humans and animals, especially in the west where conditions are harsh; where a birds-eye view will show a strip of green along the riverbanks contrasting with the dusty brown of the surrounding veld.

Our journey takes us upstream, from the wildlife-rich far northern Kruger to the primordial Sandstone and Baobab dominated landscapes of the Mapungubwe / Tuli Game Reserve region of South Africa and Botswana.

Wildlife is abundant in the areas we visit, including big game such as Lion, Leopard and Elephant. Smaller mammals are also plentiful, including the endearing Rock Hyrax, Klipspringer, Bat-eared Fox, African Wild Cat, Brown Hyena, Springhare and, with some luck, Aardvark or even Pangolin.

Birds to be seen include a fantastic range of savannah species, such as a variety of Shrikes, Rollers, Bee-eaters and Hornbills; forest specials such as Black-fronted Bush-Shrike, Cape Parrot, Knysna Turaco and Chorister Robin-Chat; and raptors such as Verreaux's Eagle, Martial Eagle, Bateleur and perhaps even the elusive Bat Hawk.

In addition to the fauna and flora, the landscapes are simply spectacular, and the photographic opportunities are superb. You'll need a range of lenses to make the most of what's on offer, and both amateurs and more serious photographers will find this safari immensely rewarding.

10 November to 22 November 2018 (land)

Leader: Bert Palthe

2018 Cost 4.950 euro - single room suppl. €1100

(GBP around £4.354)

Kruger Limpopo & Tuli

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