Frequently asked questions...walking safaris

• Is a walking safari safe?
• What is accommodation like?
• What kind of game can I expect to see?
• What will a safari cost me?
• Drop us a note if you need some more information...

Is a walking safari safe?

• Any safari activity is potentially hazardous and all operators indemnify themselves against responsibility for any illness, accident or loss. 

• Whilst on a walking safari one of the main objectives is to expose clients to bush conditions - this is done sensibly and within reasonable limits. The idea is never to deliberately place individuals at risk or for that matter to pose any threat to wildlife encountered. 

• Your Professional Guide regards the safety of his or her clients as a primary concern. Under all circumstances any lawful instructions issued by your guide must be strictly applied. 

• The guides are totally familiar with the areas and environment in which they operate and have both formal training and experience with game found in the area. 

• The Professional Guides and guiding standards on our recommended safaris represent amongst the finest to be found in Africa. 

What is the accommodation like on safari? 

We've attempted to provide an overview of what you can expect on the wilderness trails, backed up safaris and fixed base walking safaris. 

Standards vary in each category - generally you'll find that your expectations have been exceeded - browse our photo gallery for a taste… 

What kind of game can I expect to see on a walking safari? 

Each region has its strong points and every location has its specialities...review our destination guides…[Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana]

As a general overview:

• Matusadona: elephant, buffalo (population has diminished with Lake Kariba's rise since 1999), lion are particularly good, hippo, antelope species including waterbuck, impala, this is one of the last wild sanctuaries of the black rhino, a huge crocodile population, over 240 bird species recorded 
• Mana Pools: elephant, buffalo, hippo galore, cats are often hard to find, antelope including kudu, waterbuck, eland, zebra, large reptiles, over 300 bird species 
• Hwange: elephant and buffalo are particularly good, Hwange hosts the full spectrum of Zimbabwe's large and small mammals - wild dog are a speciality. 
• South Luangwa: elephant, buffalo, leopard are particularly good, hippos, specialities include Cookson's Wildebeest and Thornicroft's giraffe, over 400 bird species. 
• Kafue: particularly good for antelope, specialities include Defassa waterbuck and Red Lechwe, over 300 bird species 
• Okavango and Moremi: Best known as a wetland habitat, specialities include Puku and Sitatunga. 
• Chobe/Linyanti: huge elephant population, buffalo, predators, the annual zebra migration is a speciality, over 450 bird species

If you have a specific requirement then it makes sense to tell us up front and we'll offer the very best advice we can. 

• For example, if you're keen on getting a photo of leopard, Zimbabwe is recognised as having the largest population of these elusive cats but there are specific locations in the Luangwa in which you'll stand a far better chance of seeing them. 
• If you're looking for Pel's fishing owl, well we can tell you about a few secret spots… 

What will a walking safari cost me?

For starters you should work on a minimum stay of three nights in any given location - in some we'll recommend no less than five. 

• Wilderness trails tend to be the least expensive, a minimum of US$150 per person per night. 
• Similarly, lodges, tented camps and seasonal bush camps range from anything between US$175 and US$475. 
• Backed up safaris range between US$250 and US$500 - the services of a specific Professional Guide could add to this figure. 
• The only additional costs to anticipate are transfer charges, gratuities and in the case of single travellers, single supplements. 

In all cases you don't pay a premium for our services - we quote at "rack rates" (or "off the shelf" prices) - the same price paid by dealing directly with any operator we support. Similarly, if you've arranged your safari through an agent supporting us, you should pay the same rack rate.

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Last update 30 December 2006

UK Head Office
Lakemans, 4 Broad Street, Modbury, Devon, PL21 0PS
Tel: +44 1548 830059 Fax: +44 1548 831351
Mobile: +44 7812 145573 
e-mail:info@zambezi.co.uk

African Head Office
The Heights, Kariba, Zimbabwe
Tel: +263 61 2532  Fax: +263 61 2291
Cell: +263 91 343616 
e-mail: info@zambezi.com

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