July 15 to July 29, 2011

Aug 8 to 22, 2011

15-days

A Self-Fly Safari focused on Botswana and South Africa

This Self-Fly Safari is escorted by Louis Ashpole – a South African flight instructor and avid photographer. Louis has a wealth of information about flying in southern Africa that he is happy to share. He will brief the group about each day’s flying. He can help with radio work, assist pilots at airports paying fees, refueling, filing flight plans, etc. For those in the group who are interested, Louis will demystify all the features on your digital camera and explain how best to use them. He can help with photographic composition and lighting considerations for dynamite photographs of your safari. The group size will be no fewer than 3 aircraft and no more than 5. Louis will alternate legs, sitting right seat with the planes in the group. On the ground, at overnight destinations, game viewing and activities are lead by the lodge’s own rangers.

The route gives you a variety of environments with good game viewing experiences. First we visit the Big 5 animal area of the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Next, a flight to the Tuli Block, a dry area known for its leopard and elephant. From there we fly north to Victoria Falls (Livingstone, Zambia), followed by a stay at a luxury Namibian river lodge – a base from which to explore Botswana Chobe National Park by river. Your final destination is the Okavango Delta of Botswana.

In this itinerary you’ll have a 3-day stay in Johannesburg. You must arrive no later than the morning of July 15 so that you can begin your validation that afternoon. If your long haul flight arrival time is in the late afternoon or evening then you should plan your arrival the day before –

July 14. You may want to plan on a few extra days in Johannesburg either at the beginning (to rest up from the long haul flight) or take extra days at the end of your Self-Fly Safari. There are many things to do in the Johannesburg area such as visiting the Cradle of Humankind to learn about our earliest ancestors, and touring Soweto to hear about South Africa’s struggle through apartheid. All are worthwhile tours.

Price for this Self-Fly Safari^® is $10,600 per person sharing. Price includes all accommodations; all meals, except only Bed and Breakfast where noted; all road transfers from airports or airstrips; National Park entrance fees, where applicable; and a rental car while you are at Lanseria. It includes rental of a Cessna 182 dry for 22 hours (2 hrs per day for 11 days); Excess insurance (hull deductible); landing, parking, enroute, and approach fees, license validation fees, an ATC briefing by a working controller on local airspace; Hanks Aero briefing, courier services, flight following by Hanks Aero and Cockpit Trip Kit^© and Advance Preparations Kit^© including charts, and airfields directory.

The Cockpit Trip Kit^© is an extensive and detailed flight planning aid. Use it also in the cockpit, enroute. It contains information on the airports or strips including photographs, suggested routes to your destinations, nav logs tailored to your itinerary, alerts on significant airspace, communication and nav aid frequencies enroute, reporting points, and other notes which are useful aids for pilots who've never flown in southern Africa. Further, it details procedures for operating in Johannesburg's own airspace. We go over the entire Kit with you in our own briefings prior to your departure on safari.

The Pilot’s Advance Preparation Kit^© includes a CD with ATC, tower and pilot transmissions to familiarize you with accents and phrases used. This is transcribed. Also in the Kit are an Air law book and other preparatory material for your validation.

Not included: dual flight time with instructor for your validation (approximately $225 an hour), fuel for aircraft, which is approximately $6.00 per gallon, airfare to South Africa and return, curios, tips and drinks, items of a personal nature, and conservation or tourist levy fees charged at some of the lodges (about $1-$5 per person).

July 16, Sat. or August 9, Tues.
 Instructor’s briefing; review cross country flight planning and air law written exercise; handling check ride. You’ll get a chance to focus on some of the differences between flying in the USA and Africa. You’ll get the lay of the land and a taste of how ATC works (and sounds) in Africa’s busiest airspace. Normally you’ll use the same aircraft you’ll take on safari and get a chance to see how it handles on your cross country. Optional tours for non pilots can be arranged with Christina to do various activities such as visit the Lesedi Cultural Village, Museum Africa, Origins Center or Apartheid Museum, Soweto, Sterkfontein Caves, Cradle of Humankind, Lion Park and Botanical Garden. Hertford Hotel (Bed & breakfast, rental car)

July 18, Mon. or August 11, Thurs.
Fly the African Bush – We'll meet you early at the airport to facilitate your Self-Fly Safari departure. You'll sign out the aircraft, load it, top off the fuel tanks, and clear Immigration and Customs outbound from South Africa. Soon, you're away!

July 18 & 19, Mon. & Tues. or August 11 & 12, Thurs. & Fri.
NGALA SAFARI LODGE, KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA (north & east 207nm) Private airstrip, 2 nights - all meals, transfers, activities.

Your first leg out is to Ngala Safari Lodge located within the Kruger National Park. You’ll fly over the Drakensburg Mountains and descend the Escarpment into the famous Kruger National Park area of rolling woodland bush and grassland savanna. The variety of game is extraordinary. They're all here: leopard, cheetah, lion, rhino, hippo, elephant, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, warthog, spotted hyena, impala, and more. “Ngala” means lion and the lodge is famous for its many lion prides. Your accommodation is in thatch roofed chalets. Lovely classic safari camp with excellent meals, informed guides, and extraordinary animal viewing experiences. Game drives take place in the early morning and late afternoon into the evening. During the middle of the day, you can sit by a waterhole, relax by their pool or rest in their lounge area. www.andbeyond.com