A Rather Convoluted Route

So having got our "bargain flights" sorted, we then spoke with Michele about the rest of it.  We felt that we'd still like to go to Mashatu as it does sound a wonderful place and by then we'd also heard some less that inspiring comments about Zimanga - road traffic noise, doesn't give a "wild bush experience" etc and whilst I would like some amazing photos, I think the context in which they are taken is important and I want Ian to have an enjoyable experience too.  The hides aside, Zimanga is 70 sq km whereas Mashatu is 291 sq km.  Also we felt we'd like to rebook with Mashatu for having refunded us in full last year and we know how much the tourist £ is needed in Africa.

Ian then thought back to our first visit to Botswana in 2016 when we spent 3 nights at Muchenje Lodge in Chobe and especially how much we’d enjoyed the whole day trip we did on the river.  So maybe we could include a few nights in the most famous delta of them all - the Okavango Delta.

Michele asked us for an idea on budget and it turns out that travelling within Botswana is mega expensive - we already knew that their Government had a high ticket value/low tourism policy, but when we visited before didn't give the rest of the trip much thought.  So to bring the whole holiday in somewhere near to our budget we have a lot of travelling to do.

• fly Virgin overnight to Johannesburg arriving mid morning
• drive 2.5 hours north to Leeuwenhof Country Lodge in Waterberg and overnight
• drive 4 hours north to Pont Drift Border Post, cross into Botswana and continue to Mashatu Tented Camp for 6 nights
• drive back to Jo'burg in one go (6.5 hour drive) and overnight at City Airport Hotel
• fly scheduled to Maun then safari plane to Moremi for two nights at Okuti Camp
• fly safari plane onto Shinde Camp for 2 nights
• fly safari plane back to Maun, then scheduled to Jo'burg and overnight at Peech Hotel
• fly Virgin overnight to Heathrow arriving 5am

I should point out that we're not actually doing the driving but even so, OMG, that's a hell of a schedule.  Except ........................ Pont Drift Border Post has not yet reopened and we now have to fly from Jo'burg and back on safari planes at a huge additional cost.  The only other way would be a 10 hour drive to Mashatu crossing at Martins Drift and then another 10 hour drive north from there to Maun staying overnight in Francistown which initially we thought might be quite fun but Michele was concerned as it would be arranged by Mashatu and is not something her clients usually do.  Not knowing the state of the roads we were also concerned that should we be delayed for any reason; breakdown, poor roads, bandits we could miss our flight out of Maun and with only 4 nights in the Okavango every minute is precious.