Sample Route for Self-Fly Safari®
- 2008
Fly from South
Africa to Namibia from the Fish River Canyon to the Etosha Pan, Then south
returning to South Africa.
Also, if you can afford the time, we
recommend that you make a three-night stop at
one of the destinations on your itinerary. Clients
who have done so comment that the extra night at camp allowed them a respite
from flying considerations, which otherwise can seem relentless. Every day,
they’ve commented, you are either flying or planning for a flight the following
day. Clients who have done more than one Self-Fly Safari®
have invariably scheduled at least one
three-night stop along their itinerary.
This Self-Fly Safari®
has been priced for the accommodations marked
with a large red star. Price for this Self-Fly
Safari®
is approximately $9,500.00 per person.
Exact quote will be given when booking is placed
with us subject to Rand/Dollar exchange rate and lodges chosen.
It 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 1 Cessna 182 dry for 26 hours (2 hrs
per day for 13 days); Excess insurance (hull deductible); landing, parking,
enroute, and approach fees, license validation fees, and dual flight instruction
for 1 pilot; Hanks Aero briefings; an ATC briefing by a working controller on
local airspace; flight following, 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 photograph, 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 negotiating Johannesburg's own
airspace. We go over the entire kit with you in our own briefings with you prior
to your departure on safari.
The
Advance Preparation Kit is a CD with ATC, tower and pilot transmissions
to familiarize you with accents and phrases used. This is transcribed. Also in
the Kit is an AirLaw book, an Airfields Guide and other preparatory material for
your validation.
Not included: fuel for aircraft which
is approximately $4.00 per gallon, airfare to South Africa and return, curios,
tips and drinks.
Day 1
- Arrive Johannesburg
International Airport.
Met by Hanks
Aero Adventures. You are transferred to the
*Hertford Hotel or Toadbury Hall, Lanseria, on
the outskirts of Johannesburg for 4 nights while completing pilot validations.
You'll
get an introductory briefing along with your
Cockpit Trip Kit™. You’ll
have the rest of the day to rest and look over the material.
(Bed &
breakfast, transfer)
Day 2 – ATC
briefing and tower visit; Instructor’s briefing; review cross country flight
planning and airlaw written exercise; Cross country and handling check ride.
Optional tours
can be arranged with Chris to do various activities such as visit the Cradle of
Humankind, DeWildt Cheetah Centre, Lesedi Cultural Village, Museum Africa,
Soweto, orSterkfontein Caves. Hertford Hotel or
Toadbury Hall (Bed & breakfast, rental car)
Day 3 – Paperwork
to Pretoria, Briefings.
. Lunch with us followed by an
extensive afternoon briefing.
Optional tours can be
arranged with Chris. Hertford Hotel or Toadbury
Hall (Bed & breakfast, rental car)
Day 4– Fly the African Bush –
We'll meet you early at the airport
to assist in your Self-Fly Safari departure. You'll sign out the aircraft, load
it, check the fuel, top off the tanks, and take care of all the last-minute
details. Soon, you're away!
Day 5 & 6 –
*Canon Lodge - Fish River
Canyon -
( 269 nm with one Immigration stop)
Private Airstrip - 1 night, Bed and
Breakfast, Canyon drive and transfer from airstrip.
Early morning fly west
into Namibia then south down the Canyon. Situated near the Fish River Canyon,
the Lodge consists of 20 thatched roof bungalows each having natural rock walls
and full en-suite facilities. The architectural design combines rustic natural
elements to offer a most comfortable stay. The Fish River Canyon forms part of
the privately owned Gondwana Canon Park that stretches over 520 km and offers
every visitor a unique spectacle. The Canon Lodge’s main attraction is an
awe-inspiring view of the Canyon landscape. Client can book
an additional drive and horseback riding when at
lodge. Small game area. Great fun to over-fly the canyon.
Day 7 & 8 -
SOSSUSVLEI, NAMIB NAUKLAUFT PARK –*KULALA DESERT LODGE, SOSSUSVLEI WILDERNESS
CAMP, OR MOUNTAIN LODGE (278 nm plus fuel
stop) Private airstrip - 2 night, all meals,
activities, transfers
Continue your flight west to the coast then north along the coast to Sossusvlei.
Look out for shipwrecks, seals and flamingos while flying up the coast. This is
your opportunity to experience one of nature’s amazing wonders. Here you’ll
marvel at the ever-shifting ridges of sand, reaching over 950 ft. into the
desert skies and perhaps glimpse some of the amazing varieties of wildlife
living in this desert wilderness. We suggest three camps in the area. The
Wilderness Camp
www.wilderness-safaris.com is 20 Kilometers from
Sesriem, the entrance to Sossusvlei. The
Mountain Lodge
www.ccafrica.com
and Kulala Desert Lodge
www.wilderness-safaris.com each have their own
entrance to the Park but all lodges are only able to enter the park at sunrise.
You will be taken on an early morning excursion to the dunes, have breakfast
amongst the dunes, returning at midday. The afternoon activities include drives
to see the desert scenery and unique flora and fauna of the area. These
afternoon drives are very interesting because you encounter another area of the
desert other than the dunes and you have the opportunity to search for desert
animals such as aardwolf, caracal, and gemsbok. At
Mountain Lodge as a special
afternoon treat, the lodge uses quad bikes to take you out into the desert. We
had a fantastic time. To top off the day, we went star gazing by using their
high powered computerized telescope. This was the first time I saw the rings
around Saturn! Accommodation is in suites built of stone. Each room has
an open plan bedroom with lounge area complete with
fireplace for the cold winter months. The rooms are very luxurious. Glass fronts
the rooms and sliding doors open to your own private patio. Rooms have
electricity. Sossusvlei Wilderness
is a lovely tented camp. While lying on your bed you can gaze out at the desert
through large open windows.
Kulala Desert Lodge is
also tented with an outdoor sleeping platform.
Day 9 & 10
*PALMWAG, NORTHWEST DAMARALAND, NAMIBIA.
(274nm with fuel stop)
Private airstrip, 2 nights, dinner bed & breakfast, 1
activity, transfers
Continue north along the coast and then
inland to Palmwag. This is a very simple lodge with day excursions.
A great place to search for the desert elephant, visit an area which has
the greatest concentration of rock engravings, spend the day with on a patrol
with trackers for Save the Rhino trust, visit the Ovahimba people at their
village, or do a wildlife excursions. Sometimes you do not have to search for
elephant. They are visiting the lodge.
www.wilderness-safaris.com
Or
DAMARALAND
CAMP – HUAB
RIVER, NORTHERN NAMIBIA (260nm with fuel stop)
Private
airstrip, 2 nights, all meals,
activities, transfers
Continue along the coast north to Damaraland. Damaraland Camp puts you in the
midst of a starkly beautiful rugged and remote area about 50 miles inland from
the Namibian coast.
You’ll be fetched from the
gravel airstrip by landrover and driven to the tented camp. Activities include
searching for desert elephant, black rhinoceros, oryx and other antelope that
can exist in this dry land.
Wonderful area for star gazing. This was one of my
favorite places because of the scenery and the feeling I had of being far from
everything and everyone!
www.wilderness-safaris.com
Day 11
& 12
*ONGAVA LODGE,
ETOSHA PAN, NAMIBIA -
(120 nm )Private
airstrip, 2 nights, all meals, activities
Continue flying north and then inland to the Etosha Pan.
Ongava Lodge is
located next to the Etosha National Park -- Namibia’s premier wildlife area with
elephant, lion, leopard, black rhino, antelope, and excellent bird life. The
famous Etosha Pan is in this area but game viewing centers in areas with more
water and vegetation than the stark dry Pan. Drives to the edge of Etosha Pan
and other activities are arranged by client when at lodge.
You will also have a chance to fly along the edge
of the vast salt pan.
Each of
Ongava’s ten en suite thatched chalets has a
private elevated deck which overlooks the Reserve. Night drives and nature walks
are done on the Ongava’s private game reserve but day-long trips are made in the
Etosha Park. Airstrip near lodge - Big Game viewing.
www.wilderness-safaris.com
Day 13 &
14–
Windhoek,
Namibia’s capital city (206nm)Windhoek
Airport 2 nights Bed & Breakfast, transfer
Begin your return flight to South Africa, but
first stop at Windhoek the capital of Namibia. This is a good place to stop to
see an African City. There are Museums to visit and tours of the city.
*Hotel
Heinitzburg
– Commissioned by Count von Schwerin for his fiance, Margarethe von Heinitz in
1914, Heinitzburg is now an enchanting castle hotel overlooking Windhoek. The
Hotel combines 19th century European charm with modern comforts.
What makes Heinitzburg special
is the elegant design, from four-poster beds and Italian ceramic tiles to custom
fittings and specially created, hand-made wood furnishings. Centrally located,
Hotel Heinitzburg is a two-minute drive from the city center. There are numerous
other places to stay in Windhoek. We just thought this was a fun place to be.
Day 15 & 16
*TSWALU PRIVATE DESERT RESERVE – KALAHARI DESERT, SOUTH AFRICA
(508 nm with Immigration & fuel stop)
Private airfield, 2
nights, all meals, all activities, transfers
The black tarred strip, built for corporate
jets, is just the first of many surprises to be found here in the stark,
southern fringes of the Kalahari Desert. Tswalu Lodge -- elegant and luxurious
-- lies at the heart of this arid wilderness. You'll discover a world of
antelope, black rhino, hyena, lion, cheetah, leopard, mountain zebra,
wildebeest, Cape buffalo and other creatures amidst waving grasslands, acacia
bush, sweeping sand dunes and spectacular sunsets. A most incredible experience
is seeing the meerkat colony. Sitting in a landrover, close to their burrow,
clients can watch their daily rituals of sunbathing, foraging, or playing.
You'll stay in a spacious suite, large
bed, private deck, air-conditioning for the heat, and a fireplace for the cold
desert night. Swimming pool, sundeck, library. Game drives whenever you wish.
Meals: superbly prepared and served in the elegant central lounge or, at
set-tables served in the bush. A satisfying stay. One of the few destinations
for an experience of the Kalahari Desert.
www.tswalu.com
Day 17 Return
from Tswalu to Lanseria
(302 nm
south)
1 night, Bed &
Breakfast, transfer.
We will meet you at Lanseria Airport, debrief you at
dinner and return you for a good nights sleep at
*Hyatt
Hotel
www.or Grace Hotel
www.thegrace.co.za
,
Rosebank, Johannesburg suburb.
Call home and tell them you are back in civilization!
Day 18 Repack your bags, do last minute shopping in the nearby African street market. Enjoy a late checkout from the hotel. Afternoon transfer to Johannesburg International airport for an evening flight home. Let the stories be told!