This is an 11 night, 12 day safari course and is designed to enable people to understand the importance of the collaboration between local communities and any wildlife conservation effort. The course develops an appreciation and understanding of the basic ecological, political and economic issues pertinent to the Okavango Delta. This knowledge should enable students to appreciate the fragile relationship that exists between people living within wilderness locations and the wildlife that surrounds them. The course describes the potential conflicts that arise and mitigation efforts that can be used to reduce any conflict, with local case studies given as examples. We discuss and visit local success stories to allow students to meet with and understand local perceptions of wildlife and the potential benefit they can gain from Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) operations.
The course is based out of our exclusive camp on the banks of the Okavango River, where we have excellent access to the channels and floodplains of the Delta and to unspoilt Acacia woodlands that cover the surrounding area. You will also spend time in Seronge, a village on the edge of the Okavango Delta and in a private concession or Moremi Game Reserve in the heart of the Okavango Delta, famous for its high densities of herbivores and carnivores and stunning scenery.
The course is ideal for GAP year and undergraduate students who wish to increase their understanding,
indepth knowledge and appreciation of African ecology.
This 11 night course costs $1680. This price includes all tuition and activities, transport within Botswana and 3 hearty meals a day with unlimited tea, coffee and water. A pay bar is available for soft and alcoholic drinks. Travel to and from Botswana, insurance and other personal costs are not included.
For full details of the course syllabus and itinerary, please see the bottom of this page. Further details of the destinations visited during the course are also available - locations.
The course can be taken as part of a specially designed and booked safari or as one of our pre-arranged departure dates.
People and Nature - 12 day Safari Course
Course Objectives
· To gain an in-depth understanding of the baseline ecology of the Okavango Delta and the current management and conservation
issues that are pertinent within this region.
· Appreciate the role that local communities play within wildlife management and conservation.
· Learn how ecotourism has helped to conserve Botswana’s wilderness - how have local people benefited.
· Learn how CBNRMs can be successful and where and why they fail.
· To understand how and where conflict between people and nature arises - learn which mitigation techniques work best.
Course Destinations
·Pan Handle Wilderness Camp
·Seronga Community
·Moremi Game Reserve or private concession in the Delta
Itinerary - Day / Destination / Activities / lectures
1 Pan Handle Wilderness Camp
pm: arrive in camp after drive from Maun
2 Pan Handle Wilderness Camp
am: introductory lectures on the ecology of the Okavango Delta
pm: terrestrial ecology lectures and afternoon bush & bird walk
3 Pan Handle Wilderness Camp
am: land-use management policy in northern Botswana - the role of communities and the Government
pm: aquatic ecology, with an afternoon mokoro ride
4 Pan Handle Wilderness Camp
am: human-wildlife conflict, cause, effect and mitigation measures - examples from across Botswana
pm: human-wildlife conflict - meeting the communities that have to live with elephants that raid their crops along the pan handle - learn how to try and mitigate the conflict.
5 Seronga
am: drive from camp to boat station and take boat ride down the Okavango River to Seronga. Take the opportunity to learn about crocodile research.
pm: introductory meetings with community and tour of the village
6 Seronga
am: morning lectures - a background to CBNRMs, examples from the Seronga community.
pm: afternoon mokoro ride and camping on a nearby island to experience Seronga’s community based safari
7 Seronga
am: morning mokoro ride back to Seronga
pm: CBNRMs continued - how they can work and where they fail - the Seronga experience
8 Pan Handle wilderness camp
am: dep. Seronga by boat ride back up to the Pan Handle Camp
pm: group discussions back in the Pan Handle Camp - communities / conservation / conflict and economics - wrapping the topics up.
9 Moremi
am: drive to Maun for lunch and re-supply
pm: introductory drive in Moremi Game Reserve to set up camp.
10 Moremi
am: morning game drive - discuss different ecological topics from predator / prey relationships - herd social structure - resource competition for both herbivores and carnivores - immigration/ emigration and density distribution patterns - sexual strategies and social structure. All topics of conversation and discussion are inspired by what we see on each game drive, but the focus of each drive is to learn more about the specifics of the Delta's ecology.
pm: after lunch talk by local wildlife researcher Harriet Bartlam, about herbivore ecology and conservation in the Delta, followed by afternoon game drive and continuation of mornings discussions
11 Moremi
am: morning game drive - continuation of the general ecology discussions
pm: after lunch talk by local wildlife researcher Dr Casper Bonyongo, about Buffalo ecology and conservation in the Delta, followed by afternoon game drive and continuation of mornings discussions
12Moremi
dept. Moremi and travel to Maun airport
Summary: 11 night / 12 day safari
4 nights in pan handle wilderness camp
3 nights in Seronga
1 night in pan handle wilderness camp
3 nights in Moremi Game Reserve or private concession in the Delta
