COVID-19 has dramatically changed the African safari industry. Nothing has looked the same since March, and while some things are getting back to normal, we’re not quite there yet. Botswana’s coronavirus pandemic response is still ongoing.
So, we thought we’d take a moment to let you know what’s happening in Botswana when it comes to coronavirus, how we’re doing at Brave Africa, and our plans/hopes/dreams for the future.
Botswana Coronavirus Updates
As of the end of August 2020, COVID-19 cases have not yet reached 1,000 people in Botswana. There are:
701 confirmed cases
202 active cases
493 recovered cases
6 deaths
To keep case numbers so low, Botswana’s borders have been shut down for months. Beyond travel for trade and work, there has been no movement across the borders either to/from South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, or Zimbabwe.
The Botswana government has also been quick to enforce lockdowns as needed to reduce the spread and to prevent outbreaks.
Mask wearing is strictly enforced when out in public with a very steep fine for violations.
Alcohol sales have also been suspended in order to discourage large group gatherings.
Botswana Coronavirus Travel Updates
As for travel to and from Botswana during the coronavirus pandemic, as we said, borders are still closed to all non-essential travel. There are currently no commercial international flights into or out of Botswana. However, the Botswana government is in talks with leaders from other countries to determine when and how to resume flights for tourism and beyond.
Brave Africa Coronavirus Updates
So, how is the Brave Africa team doing during Botswana’s coronavirus pandemic response? They are doing as well as can be expected.
At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the Brave Africa leadership team took one simple idea to heart: if we cannot be there for each other, how can our guests expect us to be there for them? And thus, all of our choices for our staff have revolved around this idea moving forward.
Integrity is doing the right thing when it is hard to do the right thing. As we near the end of the fifth month of the country’s borders being closed to tourism travel and our fifth month of zero revenues, Brave Africa staff continue to receive income and a 30-day supply of foodstuffs. We believe that we are all in this together, and Brave Africa has not laid off or furloughed any staff due to the pandemic.
All of Brave Africa’s staff remain well and healthy. They check in with us regularly from wherever they happen to be riding out the pandemic. Most of our team have returned to their home villages to be with their families, while a few staff live in Maun.
For those in Maun, they have been coming to the office (voluntarily) to keep the vehicles, equipment, and office in top shape. They have also converted the yard around the office into a vegetable garden to supplement their groceries while we wait for tourism to reopen in Botswana.
The Brave Africa team garden at the office, where we planted rapeseed, tomatoes, coriander, parsley, green peppers, and chilies.
Botswana Nature 2020
The good news is that shutting down the borders does not change the majesty of Botswana’s wilderness. In fact, nature has put on a true show this year while tourists have not been able to visit.
After a few years of arid conditions and drought throughout the Okavango Delta, this year has resulted in spectacular floodwaters. For the first time in recent memory, the Thamalakane River, which passes through Maun (where almost every safari begins) is filled with water.
The Thamalakane River in Maun, Botswana, is filled with floodwaters.
Life-giving water in the Delta.
The return of this life-giving water, plus the absence of humans in the bush, has created an environment where wildlife and nature are both thriving. We fully believe that this could make the 2021 safari season a year to remember.
We look forward to getting back out there soon!
Hundreds of Elephant Deaths in Botswana
Unfortunately, we can’t talk about Botswana’s gorgeous wildlife without mentioning the death of elephants this year. Between May and July 2020, almost 400 elephants were found dead in Botswana.
It raised a lot of concern among conservationists worldwide and fears of poaching, poison, and more. The dead elephants were usually found close to watering holes in a very strange mass die-off that hadn’t been seen in years.
The question of what killed these elephants is still unanswered—although poaching, poisoning, and anthrax have been ruled out. But though the cause of death is still unknown, we are happy to report that no further elephants have been found dead in Botswana. Whatever happened seems to have stopped for now.
Conservationists and the Botswana government are keeping an eye on the situation, and we will update you as we have more information to share.
Botswana is home to more than 130,000 elephants—one-third of Africa’s entire population!
Planning Your Brave Africa Safari After Coronavirus
So, with all this information, should you start planning your Brave Africa safari for after the coronavirus? We know things are still up in the air, and the unexpected can still occur, but we do believe that 2021 could be a fantastic year to go on safari in Botswana.
When animals haven’t seen humans in their environment for a while, they start to relax. They go back to behaviors and actions that they may have avoided when humans were around. This means that a 2021 safari could be more of an adventure than ever before. It could be like a safari of the past where nature is truly wild and untouched.
Before you start planning your 2021 African safari after Botswana’s coronavirus pandemic response, there are a few questions you should ask yourself:
Everyone knows about Africa’s big animals. If you’ve looked into going on safari at all, you can probably name Africa’s Big Five. But can you name Africa’s Little Five, and do you know the reason behind the name?
Africa’s Little Five
What are Africa’s Little Five? No, they’re not the five smallest animals in Africa. They’re also not the opposite of the Big Five in that they are the least dangerous animals in Africa. Instead, the “Little Five” are small animals that have matching names to their bigger counterparts—elephant, buffalo, leopard, lion, and rhino.
Africa’s “Little Five” are the:
Elephant Shrew
Antlion
Rhinoceros Beetle
Buffalo Weaver
Leopard Tortoise
These must-see tiny animals are just as impressive as Africa’s big game and are remarkable in their own rights. However, we will warn you, it might be a little more challenging to spot these animals on safari, but be sure to ask your safari guide, and he’ll do his best to show you as much as possible.
Elephant Shrew
Photo by Smithsonian’s National Zoo—flickr
The elephant shrew is a tiny mammal that eats insects and earns its name from its elephant-like snout. Just 23 – 31 cm (9 – 12 inches) long, this itty-bitty shrew weighs only 680 grams (1.5 lbs). And he is arguably the cutest of Africa’s Little Five.
Elephant shrews can be found throughout Southern Africa. They can thrive in a wide range of habitats from desert to dense woodland. But while they are abundant, they are seldom seen. This little guy is difficult to spot on safari because he is exceptionally shy and swift. In fact, he can reach speeds over 28 kmph (17 mph) and leap almost a meter in a single bound.
As for their “trunks,” they are very flexible and are useful in sniffing out insects. But unlike elephants, they are not very social creatures and live only in monogamous pairs.
Antlion
Photo by Mike Keeling—flickr
The antlion is the smallest creature on the Africa Little Five list. They can be found across the globe in dry, sandy regions. But even though there are more than 2,000 different species of antlions, when they reach adulthood, they all resemble dragonflies.
However, antlions are most well known for their larvae (sometimes called doodlebugs). These fearsome-looking creatures are hairy with sickle-shaped jaws and savage temperament. They are capable predators that ambush their victims (typically ants) by lying in wait at the bottom of a crater. As for their scary-looking jaws, they are hollow, which allows them to such their prey dry.
It is the viciousness of their larvae that gives antlions their name. They are as fierce as their lion counterpart.
Rhinoceros Beetle
Photo by Kentish Plumber—flickr
The rhinoceros beetle is the next insect within Africa’s Little Five. Belonging to the scarab beetle family, these cool little guys have a self-explanatory name. Male beetles have large hooked horns that they use to fight over territory and dig for food inside rotting trees. And while they look ferocious, they are completely harmless.
Rhinoceros beetles can be found all over the world. There are more than 300 species across the globe, 60 of which can be found in Southern Africa. They can grow up to 15 cm (6 inches) in length, though in Africa, they only reach 5 cm (2 inches). However, their small size does not mean weak. In proportion to their weight, rhinoceros beetles are some of the strongest creatures in the world!
But don’t expect to spot a rhinoceros beetle on your safari. They are only active at night, rarely fly, and spend their time eating fruit, bark, sap, and vegetables.
Buffalo Weaver
Red-billed Buffalo Weaver photo by Francesco Veronesi—flickr
The only bird on Africa’s Little Five list, the buffalo weaver is a beautiful addition. There are three species, including the white-headed buffalo weaver, white-billed buffalo weaver, and the red-billed buffalo weaver. However, the type you’ll see depends on where you visit. All three species live in Eastern Africa, but Southern Africa is only home to the red-billed buffalo weaver.
The good news is that the buffalo weaver is common and easy to spot. They are highly vocal birds that live in loud, boisterous colonies. They are also fairly large, growing up to 24 cm (9.5 inches) in length. Their name comes from the intricate nests they weave from small sticks and dry grass.
You’re most likely to find a buffalo weaver in areas of dry savannah and scrubland, and living on a diet of seeds, fruit, and small insects, including scorpions.
Buffalo weaver nests
Leopard Tortoise
Photo by Brave Africa
Our favorite animal on Africa’s Little Five list is the leopard tortoise. These cool guys can be found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, though they prefer semi-arid environments such as scrubland and savannah. They graze on grass and burrow under the ground for safety and in bad weather.
Of course, they get their names from their colorful and unique shells. They have unique gold and black markings that resemble the rosette spots of a leopard. Each shell is entirely unique and exceptionally hard. They are highly resilient creatures able to climb, swim, and live up to 100 years.
You’ll most often discover leopard tortoises on the road. They are solitary creatures that grow up to 100 cm (39 inches) long, making them the fourth largest tortoise in the world.
Small Safari Animals
As we’ve said before, going on an African safari isn’t just about seeing the big game that everyone knows. From almost two-dozen different types of antelopes to wild dogs, hyena, giraffes, zebra, and more, there are always some amazing animals to see and experience.
Game Drives are the most common African safari activity. They are how you go deep into the bush to see the animals, and it is the focus of most safaris. But did you know that there are other unique African safari activities that can enrich your experience?
You do not have to spend all your time in a vehicle while on safari. You can experience the beauty, tranquility, and awe-inspiring majesty of Moremi Game Reserve, the Okavango Delta, and Chobe National Park in a variety of ways.
8 Unique African Safari Activities
In Botswana and with Brave Africa, eight amazing African safari experiences can help you enjoy the widest breadth of landscapes and wildlife possible. They will make your safari worth it!
Let’s take a look at what they are and how you can enjoy them.
1. Walking Safaris
On walking safaris, your guide will take you off the beaten path to explore the bush on foot.
Walking safaris are a back-to-basics approach to safari. You leave the car and follow your guide into the bush on foot. This way of exploring Botswana gives you a far deeper and more intimate connection with the landscape and the animals.
A walking safari is not about spotting a lot of wildlife. It’s about experiencing nature in a more personal way. During your walk, you’ll discover a new kind of peace and connection with the bush. You’ll listen to the wind as it rustles through the trees, birds calling to each other, and more that you’d never notice in a vehicle.
On a walking safari, you can also track animals through areas a vehicle could never go. Your guide will make sure you are downwind and then take you right up to a herd of elephants, a pride of lions, or an obstinacy of buffalo.
A highly qualified Level 3 guide is an expert in tracking and animal behavior. They know when and how to approach animals, where to walk, and how to handle almost any situation. On top of that, your guide is always armed on a walking safari.
This is a “just in case” measure that is available as a last resort if something goes wrong. However, neither of our Level 3 guides have ever had to fire their weapon in a combined 20 years of guiding.
How to Schedule a Walking Safari
When you book a safari with Brave Africa, we automatically include walking safaris while in Khwai. To ensure a walking safari is on your to-do list, let us know during the booking process so we can plan appropriately.
2. Mokoro Safari (Canoe Safari)
A mokoro safari is a peaceful and unique way to explore Botswana’s bush.
The most serene, sublime, and unique African safari activity is the mokoro safari—dug-out canoe safari. It is like no other experience in the bush and offers a fascinating way to explore the beauty of Botswana up close and personal.
Only available in the Okavango Delta, a traditional mokoro safari is absolutely enchanting. You’ll take a journey through reed-lined channels in a handcrafted canoe, propelled with poles and guided by local experts.
From the vantage point of the water, everything becomes larger and grander. Trees will tower overhead as you glide in relative silence through the peaceful waters. With no engine noise, you’ll be able to hear everything from the croak of the smallest frog to the grunts of hippos, bird song, and watery footsteps.
The biggest joy of a mokoro safari is how you take in the surreal and stunning beauty of the Okavango Delta. While seeing animals is possible, it’s more about the peace that you’ll enjoy.
How to Schedule a Mokoro Safari
At Brave Africa, we offer mokoro safaris in Khwai and Xakanaxa (Moremi Game Reserve). It is included in the price of your trip. All you have to do is let us know that this is something you would enjoy, and we’ll schedule your trip at a suitably scenic location.
3. Boating Safari
A boating safari takes you through the Okavango Delta via vast waterways.
Another type of water activity is the boating safari, which takes place on a motorized boat. This is a great African safari activity for exploring the vast waterways of the Okavango Delta and going where vehicles can’t.
There are over 17,000 square kilometers of pristine wilderness—including a labyrinth of channels and lagoons—in the Okavango Delta. And Boating safaris are a classic way to see as much as possible while enjoying game viewing and birding from the water.
How to Schedule a Boating Safari
Boating safaris rely on high water levels. If the water is too low, the boats cannot go out. If a boating safari is important to you, we recommend going out during green or shoulder season, when there’s more water around.
We offer boating safaris only in Xakanaxa (Moremi Game Reserve), and they are subject to weather and availability. Let the Brave Africa team know that you are interested in a boating safari when booking so we can schedule your trip accordingly.
4. Night Drives
On this particular night drive, we encountered a pride of lions enjoying a kill. The red light ensured we didn’t disrupt their vision.
Most of the time, your game drives will take place between sunrise and sunset. However, when we are in Khwai, you’ll have the opportunity to go on night drives. This unique African safari activity keeps you out after the sun has set to explore the bush in total darkness.
Equipped with a spotlight, your guide will drive around the bush and point out creatures that you’ll rarely see in the light of day. There’s an opportunity to see bushbabies, porcupines, pangolins, aardvarks, springhares, honey badgers, and more.
How to Schedule a Night Drive
Your Brave Africa guide will automatically take your car out on night drives while you’re in Khwai. However, it’s always a good idea to mention that this is something you’d enjoy while on safari so that we know to plan appropriately.
5. Khwai Village Visits
A traditional building that you can see during a Khwai Village visit.
Visiting Khwai Village is one of the highlights of going on safari in Khwai, Botswana. It’s one of the things that makes this area so unique. The local villagers actively manage and run the Khwai Concession through the Khwai Development Trust, having transformed their old hunting grounds into an area for eco-tourism.
You can go on a tour of Khwai Village to see first-hand how communities live, speak to villagers, and learn about their traditional way of life. You’ll learn a little about local bushman culture as well as basket weaving within the African community. And all proceeds from tourism in the Khwai Concession go directly to helping the local people and local projects!
How to Schedule a Khwai Village Visit
We need to communicate with the village in advance of your visit to ensure that the community is available for guest visits. When you schedule your safari with Brave Africa, mention that you would be interested in a Khwai Village visit and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.
6. Bread Making Over the Fire
Fresh bread is delicious and well worth the effort.
If one day you feel like sticking around camp for a little while, you can learn how to bake a fresh loaf of bread over the fire. Working alongside our chef, you’ll discover what it takes to transform the fire pit into a working oven. It’s a technique that’s been perfected in Africa over the years, and if we say so ourselves, it’s delicious.
How to Schedule Bread Making
If you’re feeling unwell one day or you want to plan some time off in the middle of your safari, you can ask your guide about bread making. As long as we have time to plan with our chef, and it’s not on a camp move day, we can set up a fantastic bread making experience.
7. Stargazing
On a clear night with no moon, Botswana’s night sky is a heavenly sight.
Unsurprisingly, the night sky in Botswana is spectacular. You are out in the middle of nowhere with little to no light pollution. What that means is that you can witness a dizzying array of stars. It’s an awe-inspiring sight.
On nights with little to no moon, you can stay out late to see the Milky Way really shine! Our guides can give you a lesson on stargazing with a telescope and special laser pointer. If you’ve never seen the sky in the southern hemisphere, or even if you have, stargazing in Botswana’s bush is jaw-dropping.
How to Schedule Stargazing
You can stargaze anytime while on safari with Brave Africa. Almost every night offers amazing cosmic splendor. However, if stargazing is high up on your list, your guide will take you out on the best night possible when clouds are unlikely, and the moon is dark.
8. Junior Guides
Collect stickers and check off animals throughout your safari.
Kids on safari can get bored. The good news is that, at Brave Africa, we’ve crafted a bunch of Junior Guides activities to keep your kids entertained. These unique African safari activities are kid-specific and designed to teach your kids a love of nature and animals. We want to help them discover respect for Africa and all it has to offer.
Our Junior Guides will learn:
Tracking and Survival Skills: They’ll learn how to explore and survive the African bush from our expert guides, including how to identify and follow animal tracks, understand wildlife spoors, make fire by friction, and the medicinal uses of plants.
Safari Vehicle Skills: With parent approval, your kids can sit on our guide’s lap and learn how to drive through the bush. In addition, they’ll learn how to use the vehicle radio to communicate with camp and run the spotlight at night to find animals in the dark.
Wildlife Art: If your child is an artist, they’ll love our wildlife art and drawing opportunities. Our guides will find a beautiful spot in the wild with animals nearby and then give them a chance to draw what they.
Traditional Botswana Sling Shooting: Slingshots are very valuable tools in the African bush, and they’re lots of fun for kids. Our expert guides will teach your kids all about sling shooting and give them a chance to practice their skills on cans.
Brave Africa Passport: We’ve crafted a one-of-a-kind Brave Africa passport for your kids to commemorate their entire safari experience. They’ll collect stickers for every animal, activity, and camp they experience on safari.
How to Junior Guides
If you have kids, we’ll automatically schedule your family for Junior Guides activities throughout your trip. As parents, you’ll have full control over what you’d like your kids to participate in and what you’d like to skip. We’ll work with your family throughout your safari vacation to make sure everyone leaves happy.
More Amazing Safari Experiences
Enjoy a safari from above either via helicopter or hot air balloon.
All of the unique African safari activities we mentioned above are included in the price of your Brave Africa safari. All you have to do is let us know which experiences you are interested in, and we will do our best to make it all happen.
However, there are some extra safari experiences that are available for an additional fee. Brave Africa or your travel agent can help make these possible.
Helicopter Flights: There are a few operators in the Okavango Delta that offer scenic helicopter flights so that you can witness Botswana from the air.
Hot Air Balloons: From April to September, you can go on a hot air balloon safari at darn. It’s one of the best ways to get a 360-degree birds-eye view of Botswana.
Horse Riding Safaris: Only available for experienced riders, there are a few operators who offer safaris by horseback.
Are you trying to plan your next African safari holiday for the end of 2020 or 2021? We know there are a ton of options out there, which means it can be challenging to find the right African safari package for your holiday travel.
The good news is that Brave Africa offers three incredible African safari packages that can fit almost anyone. Whether you have plenty of time to spend in the bush and want to dig deep or you just have a few days and want to make the most of your limited time, we have an African safari tour package that’s ideal for you.
Let us break down our three essential African safari holiday offerings, your customization options, and what you can expect from Brave Africa no matter what.
3 Brave Africa Safari Package Holidays
When it comes to going on an African safari holiday, we have three featured packages: Brave Adventurer, Brave Explorer, and Brave Discoverer. Each of these packages offers something a little different.
10-Day Safari Package: Brave Adventurer
If you’ve got a lot of holiday time saved up and you want to get the most out of your Botswana safari, we recommend our Brave Adventurer package. This 10-day/9-night safari holiday takes you to three different locations in Botswana’s Okavango Delta: Moremi Game Reserve, Khwai Community Trust, and Savuti (Chobe National Park).
Think of this package as a deep dive into Botswana and the many landscapes and abundant wildlife found there. You’ll spend three nights at each camp with game drives from dawn until dusk. With this African safari holiday, you won’t miss anything.
This map shows the route of our 10-day Brave Adventurer safari tour.
7-Day Safari Packages: Brave Explorer and Brave Discoverer
If you have less time to spend on holiday in Africa, we offer two shorter safari packages that are just seven days each. These packages are very similar except for where you’ll explore. Both packages will have you spend three nights in Khwai, but the second location changes between Savuti and Moremi
Brave Explorer
Our first 7-day/6-night Botswana safari holiday package, Brave Explorer, takes you to Savuti and Khwai for three nights in each location. Savuti is where the big game roams. Located in Chobe National Park, Savuti is best known for its predators, including large prides of lions. National Geographic’s Savage Kingdom is filmed here.
This map shows the route of our 7-day Brave Explorer safari tour.
Brave Discoverer
Our final 7-day/6-night Botswana safari tour package is the Brave Discoverer. It takes you to Moremi and Khwai for three nights in each location. Moremi Game Reserve is renowned for its beauty. All year long, it has spectacular wildlife and birding with leopard, cheetah, and antelope in abundance. You’ll fall in love with the riverine forests, seasonal floodplains, and serpentine channels.
This map shows the route of our 7-day Brave Discoverer safari tour.
African Safari Holidays 2020
Now that you know the three packages we offer, what makes each unique? What’s the ideal African safari holiday for you?
All-Day Game Drives
All of our African safari package holidays include all-day game drives. What does this mean?
Well, you go on safari to see Africa’s many amazing animals. On a traditional safari, you get two game drives a day: once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Each of these game drives is between three to four hours in length (6-8 hours total), and the rest of the time is spent at camp. What this means is that four to five hours a day is spent not trying to see animals.
At Brave Africa, we take you on all-day game drives instead, which means you get 12-13 hours in the bush looking for animals. This allows us to cover more ground on our day trips instead of staying around camp. It also means you get to stay at an animal sighting as long as you want.
We bring lunch and snacks with us on our all-day game drives. So you can set the schedule with your car and guide about when you want to take a break and eat. And, as for those breaks, our incredible safari guides always do their best to make sure you take your break nearby something stunning.
African Safari Holiday Destinations
When it comes to our two, 7-day safari packages, the main difference is where you’ll spend your time. Both packages will have you spend three days in Khwai Concession. That’s because Khwai is a must-visit safari location offering a wildlife-rich patchwork of lagoons, shallow flooded pans, woodlands, and grasslands. It’s a go-to location for wild dogs, elephants, lions, and more.
Khwai also offers unique safari activities. For example, you can:
As for choosing between Moremi and Savuti, if you can only visit one, that’s a difficult choice. Both are incredible destinations but very different.
Moremi Game Reserve: Moremi Game Reserve is a magical oasis. It offers crystal-clear waters, dense green forests, and pristine wilderness. It arguably is one of the best places in Africa for Big 5 wildlife viewing. It encompasses 5,000 square kilometers with amazing chances to see leopards, wild dogs, cheetah, elephants, and more.
Savuti (Chobe National Park): Chobe National Park is nicknamed “The Land of the Giants.” It’s home to Africa’s largest elephant populations. Comprised of more than 10,000 square kilometers, the area offers unique landscapes with savannas, rocky outcrops, and limited watering holes. Savuti is also known for a thriving population of predators, particularly lions.
African Mobile Safari Lodge
No matter what African safari tour package you choose with Brave Africa, you’ll get to enjoy our luxurious mobile safari lodge. This means that you’ll stay in the same tent and with the same staff for the entirety of your trip. You check-in once at the beginning, and then we move camp between locations, similar to a cruise. You enjoy your all-day game drives, and then on move day, we bring everything to the next safari destination.
As for Brave Africa’s camp, you’re not roughing it by any stretch of the imagination. Think of it as a hotel room under canvas. We have a team of 12 full-time staff that have been trained to handle everything from guiding to camp management, cooking, hospitality, housekeeping, maintenance, and more. You’ll enjoy:
A luxury tent (6m x 3m x 2.25m) with an en-suite bath and flushing toilet.
A main lodge with a bar, cozy seating area, lively fire circle, and dining area.
Gourmet cooking with multi-course meals for lunch and dinner.
Eco-conscious lodging, including no permanent structures, powerful solar panels, reduced plastic use, and more.
African Safari Holidays 2020 Deals
For a limited time, we’re offering special pricing as well as updated cancelation and reschedule policies for the 2020 safari season. Our once-in-a-lifetime pricing for any safari scheduled between June 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, is just $4,000 per person for 10-Days and $2,700 per person for 7-days. That’s up to $2,500 off per person!
As for our Book with Confidence promotion for 2020, you’ll enjoy ultimate flexibility. You can book now and pay later for a minimal deposit to hold your booking that can be rescheduled for 100% reservation credit. And you can change your trip at any time, without penalty, up to 30 days prior to departure.
African Safari Holidays 2021 Deals
If you’re not feeling comfortable enough to book an African safari holiday in 2020, we understand. The good news is that we also have a Book with Confidence promotion for 2021. This promotion is good for any safari departing from April 1, 2021, until March 31, 2022.
Reschedule (with 60 days’ notice) for any available departure date through March 31, 2022—for any reason and without penalty.
Enjoy reduced deposits to hold your booking.
Shoulder Season (April, May, June, November)
$400 for 6 nights / 7 days itinerary (per person)
$600 for 9 nights / 10 days itinerary (per person)
High Season (July, August, September, October)
$450 for 6 nights / 7 days (per person)
$650 for 9 nights / 10 days (per person)
African Safari Tour Customizations
Now, what if you’re looking for an African safari holiday that is outside the box? Do you have a big group? Would you prefer a private experience? Are you wondering if there’s anything special for a honeymoon? Do you have kids and want to know what type of safari would work best for them?
We offer group discounts for parties of six or more. And we can do our best to accommodate your special needs.
You can pay for a private safari experience, whether you just want a private car for your all-day game drives or you want a completely private safari camp.
Brave Africa was built on the idea that travelers want incredible experiences with companies whose values match their own. We believe that if we stay true to minimizing the impact on the environment and maximizing our economic and social benefits to the local community, that safari-goers who value those same things will find our product compelling and “vote with their dollars.”
To remain true to ourselves, we are taking a moment to share our stance on the Black Lives Matter movement and the protests that are happening around the world against racism and the excessive use of force by law enforcement.
We understand that this might be unpopular, and some readers might think and comment, “Brave Africa is a safari company. Stay in your lane. Do not get into politics.” However, it is because we are an African safari company in Botswana with Black employees and a Black co-founder and owner that we must make our position known.
One more thing: though corporate statements are an important step, it is a company’s actions that ultimately matter. Brave Africa has done our best to live up to our values before these important conversations ever came to their current boiling point, and we will continue to strive to be the change we want to see in the world.
Brave Africa began from community, diversity, and inclusion.
In Botswana, there is the concept known as botho, which in Setswana means that everyone is connected to the larger community as an extended family. That concept is vital to Botswana, and the idea that Brave Africa is a part of and affects the larger community compels us to be a part of the global conversation and to take action.
What you might not know is that Brave Africa was founded and is co-owned by three individuals from three different ethnicities:
Tabona Wina is Black Botswanan.
Kelly Vo is white American.
Patrick Vo is Vietnamese American.
This makes Brave Africa unique because the majority of the safari companies in Africa are owned and led by white Africans and white Europeans. We founded Brave Africa with the belief that Black Africans should be equally recognized for their talents and their contributions to building a business, that Black Africans should be given an equal opportunity to earn leadership positions and even ownership in the business built by their efforts, and that they should not be denied any of those things simply because of the color of skin they were born with.
Brave Africa believes that true strength is being able to acknowledge that we can do better.
We believe that no one is perfect. Therefore, true integrity and strength is to acknowledge our flaws and failings. Getting defensive and saying “we are not racists” shuts down any opportunity to address issues and become better. Having an honest conversation about our flaws is not to be negative, to cause division, to assign blame, or to tear people down, but we cannot pursue a better version of ourselves if we deny our flaws out of insecurity.
Brave Africa rejects racism and promotes inclusion.
First and foremost, we 100% reject racism and discrimination in all of its forms. It has no place in any aspect of our business, period.
We believe in inclusivity and equality for all individuals. We do not take into account the race, gender or gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or political affiliations of our employees or our guests. Everyone, staff, and guest is valued and is entitled to respect and compassion.
Racism has no place in how we treat our staff, and we will not accept racism from staff.
We are incredibly proud to be a Black Botswanan-owned company dedicated to equality and inclusion. We hire, keep, and elevate employees based on their merit. And we can tell you, right now, that all of our employees are incredible individuals who we are proud to have on our team. They have been trained and will continue to be trained to recognize discriminatory behavior and how to resolve such situations.
Our Brave Africa staff Christmas picture.
Racism has no place among our guests, and we will not accept racism from guests.
The beauty and wonder of African wildlife are meant to be shared with and enjoyed by everyone. We want all of our guests and staff to feel safe and comfortable while on safari. Therefore, we ask that all of our guests treat every individual, whether Brave Africa staff or other guests, with respect and compassion, and we encourage any guest or employee to reach out to us if there is ever a problem so that it can be resolved swiftly.
Brave Africa declares that Black Lives Matter.
We are not saying that Black lives are more important than other lives. However, our society as a whole, through its actions, treats Black lives as though they matter less than other lives. We, therefore, declare that their lives matter just as much as the lives of others, we recognize the pain and suffering they have endured through being seen as less than equals, and we wholeheartedly support efforts and changes that seek to elevate Black lives so that they are treated as equals.
As such, Brave Africa fully supports the peaceful protestors who are making their voices heard around the world. We stand with you. We believe in your cause. We lift our voice with yours. We are committed to being part of change. We will continue to confront bias and racism whenever and wherever we see it.
Brave Africa believes in activism and understanding.
It is not enough to speak or to write this post. We must put actions behind our words.
As part of our support, we are providing a list of resources, causes, and movements that you can join, donate to, and learn more about racism and Black Lives Matter.
Donate:
Black Visions Collective is a Minnesota-based (where George Floyd was murdered) collective committed to dismantling systems of oppression and violence.
The NAACP and NAACP Legal Defense Fund are dedicated to ensuring equal rights without discrimination based on race. They focus on enforcing civil rights at all levels.
Split your donation between 70+ bail funds for protestors across the U.S.
We encourage everyone to seek a greater understanding of racism and its impact around the globe. It is pervasive and deeply rooted, and we must hold ourselves accountable for how we facilitate it or fight it.
Brave Africa is always seeking to do and be better.
The path forward for communities around the world is to have open and honest conversations about racial injustice. We cannot be bystanders that watch and do nothing.
Talking about racism is uncomfortable, but refusing to talk about it does not mean racism does not exist. It is systemic. It is ingrained. It is powerful. Ignoring it will not make the problem go away. We must acknowledge that it is a problem and continually fight to overcome it.
We all have inherent biases and prejudices. That is what it means to be human and imperfect. However, that does not mean we should accept the status quo. We can always work to do better, to be better.
At Brave Africa, we want to be known as a kind, caring, understanding, supportive, and considerate business. The pursuit of doing and being better will never end, but we continue pursuing those ideals every day.
That is what we are trying to do right now: be better. We are using our platform as an African safari to speak out against racism, amplify Black voices, and to let our Black team members know:
We hear you.
We see you.
We support you.
We care about you.
We believe in you.
We fight for equality beside you.
While we may not have all the answers, we know the path forward is to continue with these difficult conversations so that positive change can happen. Our promise is to show compassion and empathy every single day, and when we fail, we will acknowledge the failure and will try again. We honor and celebrate our differences because that is what matters.
