Luxury Accommodation
Professional Safari Guide
Pilot Manga
Throughout your trip you will be accompanied by Naturalist and Guide, Pilatwe Manga. Known throughout Botswana as ‘Pilot’ due to the similarity in his name to Pilate (as in the biblical Pontius Pilate) you will be shown this beautiful country by someone who is a born and bred ‘Motswana’ (the name given to citizens of Botswana) and is a genuine local.
Pilot was born in a small village, Shorobe, on the edge of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. He spent his early life in the bush and on a remote cattle post attending Shorobe Primary School. Shopping trips with his parents would entail travel to Maun by Mokoro (a traditional dug-out canoe). Pilot could not attend high school, due to the death of his Father, leaving Pilot to look after the family. His upbringing in the Okavango Delta led him to working with the founder of Wilderness Safaris and was the first local guide to be employed by Wilderness, and to this day, Pilot is still friends with the founder of Wilderness Safaris.
Pilot has spent many years working as a guide in Botswana, mainly as an Explorer guide for Wilderness Safaris, travelling on land throughout the country and guiding his guests in all the country’s National Parks and private areas. This job also took Pilot to the regional safari destinations of Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. His greatest claim to fame is to have visited Canada for a Polar Bear Safari and to this day is still the only time he has left the African continent.
Pilot is an extremely resourceful man and is fun to be around during a safari where he likes to give his guests outstanding wildlife experiences and service that is second to none. An accomplished vehicle Mechanic, Chef and guide there is no-one better to be with to show you this fabulous country, Botswana.
About the Safari
DAY 1
Pilot will pick you up from your accommodation or from your arrival flight and depart Maun for your first campsite to arrive before sunset. On the way you have a good chance of seeing wildlife including Elephant, Impala, Warthog and more.
DAY 2
An early morning wake-up call will be followed by a light breakfast of toast and cereal. As soon as you are ready you will head out on your first game drive around this amazing area where the abundance of game is astonishing. Arriving back in camp some hours later, the time depending on what you’ve seen. After Lunch you will have a siesta and head back out after tea in mid-afternoon. Returning to camp sometime after dark you will have Dinner and enjoy the campfire and perhaps a few stories.
DAY 3
You will be woken again early in the morning for a light breakfast before your morning activity and return for lunch some hours later. After Lunch you can relax and enjoy a siesta until tea. After tea you will head out on your afternoon activity with the possibility of a night drive after dinner.
DAY 4
Your early morning wake-up call will now be familiar and after your morning activity you will have lunch and then head on to your next destination in Khwai. The drive between areas is about 2 hours and when you arrive your camp will be set-up. Once you are settled in your new camp, you will have some tea and head out on your afternoon Game Drive, returning to camp for Dinner.
DAY 5
You will be woken again early in the morning for a light breakfast before your morning activity and return for lunch some hours later. Here it may be possible, at the discretion of the guide with safety in mind, to do a walking safari. After Lunch you can relax and enjoy a siesta until tea. After tea you will head out on your afternoon activity with the possibility of a night drive after dinner.
DAY 6
You will be woken again early in the morning for a light breakfast before your morning activity and return for lunch some hours later and it may be possible to do a dug-out canoe safari here, depending on water levels. After Lunch you can relax and enjoy a siesta until tea. After tea you will head out on your afternoon activity with the possibility of a night drive after dinner.
DAY 7
After your early breakfast will be followed by a slow game drive out of the area and then you will head back to Maun to arrive in time for your onward connections.
Inclusions
Standard Mobile Safari: all accommodation, twice daily game drives, all meals, park fees, all drinks including soft drinks, water, wine, local beers and gin and tonic.
Luxury Mobile Safari: charter flight from Maun to your first location, all accommodation, twice daily game drives, all meals, park fees, all drinks including soft drinks, water, wine, local beers and gin and tonic.
Wildlife
The wildlife in Botswana's National Parks is hugely abundant and below is a taster of what you might see on our Mobile Safaris. The full list would be far too numerous and why ruin the surprise? Join Pilot on safari and find out for yourself as every day is different.