Botswana Birding

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About Us:

Letaka Safaris -Helicopter Delta Explorer – Blue Sky Wildlife

Letaka Safaris – Tent Daylight – Blue Sky Wildlife

Letaka Safaris – Lioness – Blue Sky Wildlife

Grant Reed – Letaka Safaris – Wattled Crane- Blue Sky Wildlife

Grant Reed – Letaka Safaris – Tour 1 – Wilddog – Northern Highlights – Blue Sky Wildlife

Grant Reed – Letaka Safaris – Tour 1 – Northern Highlights – Cape Buffalo – Blue Sky Wildlife

Grant Reed – Letaka Safaris – Tour – Dinner – Blue Sky Wildlife

Letaka Safaris is a citizen-owned safari company which is based in the wild wetlands of the Okavango Delta. We have been operating safaris in Botswana since October 2000 when we started off as a small two-man operation which has grown to become one of the most successful mobile safari companies in Botswana. The founding directors, known locally as the Letaka brothers, have over 40 years of combined guiding experience and have been guiding mobile tented safaris in Botswana since the mid-90’s.

Letaka Safaris has also been featured in the Nat Geo Wild series Safari Brothers with 6 episodes already shown in the USA. #safaribrothers!

Why do a Mobile Safari?

Mobile safaris allow you to see Africa through the eyes of the early explorers. Our camps are set up in exclusive wilderness sites that are far from the madding crowd and allow you to enjoy nature’s intimacy in an idyllic setting. Mobile tented safaris allow you to explore the vast wildlife areas with the same group and the same guide throughout your journey thus ensuring continuity and camaraderie not found in a fly-in, fly-out lodge holiday.

When our advance team arrives to set up camp for you, it is in the pristine wilderness where there is no sign of the hand of man, and when we leave it is only footprints that offer a short reminder that you were ever there. As such, the wildlife is not scared by your presence but treats this as any other part of their territory. Our tents are not elevated on decks above the animals, presiding over the wilderness, but rather totally immersed in it.

Letaka Safaris are passionate about birding which is why we are recognised as the leading Botswana birding safari operator. Our birding safaris are all led by professional birding guides who use our many years of experience to ensure that you get the best out of your birding holiday. From our base in the Okavango Delta our regular bird-watching safaris explore Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique.

Mobile safaris in Botswana are without a doubt the best way to experience one of Africa’s last unspoilt wilderness areas, so pack your bags and book that flight!

Tours:

Miracle Rivers Tour

Botswana 7 Days

Starting From USD 2,615 / per person

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Northern Highlights Tour – Northbound

5based on 1 review

Botswana 10 Days

Starting From USD 3,445 / per person

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The Three Rivers Safari

5based on 1 review

Botswana 11 Days

Starting From USD 4,815 / per person

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Northern Wings

Botswana 12 Days

Starting From USD 4,655 / per person

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Livingstone Birding Trail Tour

Botswana 17 Days

Starting From USD 7,250 / per person

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Blooming Desert Tour

Botswana 10 Days

Starting From USD 4,720 / per person

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Wildlife:

Lion

This for many African travellers is the “must see” mammal. With a massive Africa-wide population decrease there is no better time than now and no better place to see lion than Botswana.

Bat Eared Fox

This extraordinary canid belongs to a taxonomic group all of its own because they are so highly specialized. Found only in the very dry regions of southern and eastern Africa, these foxes specialize in feeding on insects which they locate with their ridiculously large ears.

Black Lechwe

The black lechwe occurs only in the Bangweulu swamps of northern Zambia and their herds that number in the thousands are a real feature in this birding paradise. As with all lechwe they are well adapted to aquatic environments and rely on the swampy terrain for safety.

Wattled Crane

The iconic wattled crane is one of several globally threatened birds to occur in the wetlands of the Okavango and Bangweulu. Their elaborate courtship dance on the open floodplains is nothing short of spectacular. The survival of this bird goes hand in hand with the conservation of these wetlands.

Luapula Cisticola

This understated little beauty is an abundant but often overlooked species mostly due to people’s fear of trying to identify the little brown birds! It occurs only in large wetlands in south-central Africa and the Okavango and Bangweulu swamps are excellent places to see this bird.

Coppery-tailed Coucal

The Okavango Delta is the easiest place to see this large, heavy bodied coucal. As with most coucals, it spends its days foraging in the dense undergrowth feeding on a huge variety of small vertibrates and invertibrates. It is despised by most other birds for its chick eating habits.

African Elephant

Of all the African animals it is the elephant that most people find truly remarkable. It is not only the enormity of the animal but also the social interaction and the parallel with human behaviour and social structures that people find so fascinating.

Cape Buffalo

Cape buffalo occur throughout savannah Africa and are in many areas the preferred food for lions. However they are also one of the most dangerous animals for any predator to hunt and referred to by many as “black death”. The epic battles between lion and buffalo are nothing short of spectacular.

Leopard

This is without doubt Africa’s most successful predator occurring in almost every habitat type and able to adapt to almost any diet. However there are few better places to see this highly elusive cat than northern Botswana. Despite their abundance, finding these kings of camouflage can be a real challenge!

African Wild Dog

Also know as a Painted Wolf, this is one of Africa’s most endangered and remarkable predators. With an attempt to kill ratio that puts lion, leopard and cheetah all to shame, they take the crown as hunters or hunting dogs of the African savannah. Threatened by shrinking habitat and encroaching humans, the future of this species is unsure.

Conservation:

Letaka Safaris has partnered with Okavango Guiding School to offer nature guide training courses in the Okavango Delta for international tourists not wanting to pursue a career in guiding but rather to gain a deeper understanding of Africa’s ecology and to learn the primal skills of tracking and survival. These courses focus on conservation through education and offer the African visitor the chance to train alongside career safari guides.

Okavango Guiding School sponsors one young aspiring individual from local communities to train free of charge on each of these courses. By bringing career opportunities to the communities, we create conservation ambassadors that in turn help to reduce poaching and increase the awareness of the need to conserve from within the communities.

Reviews:

Amazing safari with Letaka

Northern Highlights Tour – Northbound

Roger Wilson6 May 2018

Tours

Wildlife

Guides

Conservation

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Value

Not long back from Letaksa's 10 day Northern highlights safari NH5 starting in May. This rates as one of the two best trips we have ever been on, up there with the Galapagos, although the two are, of course, somewhat different despite being wildlife based. Back to the Safari, we were fortunate that with only three of us we had more room to spread out in the vehicle. Our guide, Matambo, was second to none with his tracking skills finding us some unforgettable moments. Every day we said over dinner "How can he beat today?" The next day he did, with everything from a leopardess with her cub to lions, with just about everything else in between. On our last morning, just after sunrise, we watched four lions, which Matambo found the previous evening after everyone else had given up, eating their wildebeest kill. A great way to finish and we would vote him Guide of the Year if we could! I have to say, however, that we spent quite a bit of time "off track" which, whilst exhilarating and getting results, does need some effort as it can be a bumpy ride, as well as dodging branches and bushes. That said we wouldn't have had it any other way! The camp organisation was second to none. Always welcomed back with iced tea and a cold flannel to wipe away the dust. The tents were comfortable with an enclosed "bathroom area" with shower, plus comfortable beds. Good food, different every day, with breakfast, lunch and dinner served at the camp. All cooked on an open fire or bush oven including bread and cakes, my wife was impressed! With morning coffee/tea whilst out in the bush, and afternoon tea before heading off on the afternoon drive, we didn't go hungry! We are certainly glad that we picked a mobile safari with Letaka, as opposed to staying in a lodge. We were closer to the action with early starts and late finishes each day increasing the number of animal sightings. The sounds at night were great too with all sorts of game quite close. Daytime included an elephant alongside our tent picking up seed pods during an afternoon siesta. Thanks to all at Letaka for making this trip very special. If you are looking for a safari then look no further!

Fantastic Safari with Letaka

The Three Rivers Safari

Rick Hildenbrand24 Jan 0820

Tours

Wildlife

Guides

Conservation

Location

Value

Everything was better than advertised.

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