Arrive on SAA 210 from Washington as booked by you.
On arrival in Johannesburg you will be met and assisted through immigration and with any collection of bags and then out into the arrivals hall.
Please have the children's paperwork at hand.
This includes the original birth certificate showing both parents names, as well as passports. Please only bring the originals as any other documentation will result in you not being permitted to board in the US.
A company representative will meet you at reception at 09h15 and walk you back to the airport to Terminal B - SAA check-in counters are all in the domestic terminal.
They will take you to drop the luggage and then through security and immigration.
On arrival in Maun clear immigration and exit into the arrivals hall (there is no longer a need for tourism fees as this concept has been suspended).
In the arrivals hall you will be met by a representative from Mack Air and escorted through to departures lounge and from there directly to the apron to board a private charter departure to Khwai.
You will need to remove your shoes when going through the security scanner, so it is useful to have shoes that are easy to take off and out back on!
This departure is in a Cessna Caravan and the flight will only take about 25 minutes. You will be able to spot animals from the air which is a great way to start the safari.
On arrival at the Khwai Airstrip you will be met by your private guides and vehicles and transferred to the lodge. You are almost guaranteed to be delayed en route as you will encounter wildlife along the way!
Please be sure to have all the children's paperwork with you for ewxiting South Africa and entering Botswana.
There is a total luggage limit of only 15 kgs on the Namibian aircraft so you will need to pack carefully!
However, laundry is available and included everywhere except on the Tok Tokkie Trail. All laundry is done by hand as as a result no ladies' "smalls" are done in the camps, but washing powder is provided for guests to do their own.
All stowed luggage must be in soft-sided bags.
No hard-sided bags are permitted and ideally no hard frames or wheelie-bags at all. The preferred bags are duffel or sports bags. Mack Air will provide porters and you will not need to carry any bags at all.
If any of the group are prone to air-sickness, please take precautions timeously.
After a last game drive you will be transferred back to the airstrip to board a private charter directly to Tsigaro in the Makgadikgadi.
The time of departure will be confirmed to you at Little Machaba Camp, the night before, usually as a note on your pillow.
This departure is also in a Cessna Caravan and will take about 1hr20 in total.
On arrival at the airstrip you will be met and transferred into the vast expanse of the Makgadikadi which will have looked quite dead from the air and is surprisingly alive once on the ground!
I have outlined the Jack's Camp meerkat interaction as this applies to each of the three camps in the Uncharted Africa portfolio.
Due to room types, I have booked 2 double rooms and 3 twins. San Camp does not have triple or family accommodation. The parents of the younger children will need to split up and each share with a child when at San Camp. The room configuration is therefore as follows:
Double: Richard and Susan
Double: Chris and Katie
Twin 1: Jonathan and Alexander
Twin 2: Liz and Charlotte
Twin 3: James and Carter
After a last shortened activity, or a lie-in, check out and transfer back to the airstrip to board a private aircraft back to Maun.
The time of departure from the camp to the airstrip will be confirmed the night before, but is likely to be quite early at about 08h30. The flight to Maun will take about 55 minute s
Clear immigration formalities and board your private charter to Windhoek, Eros.
This aircraft will have catering on board. This is consists of a main course meal such as chicken or beef, a selection of cheeses, a desert and bread roll, as well as a selection of drinks.
You will be met and assisted all the way through. Fly to Eros Airport in Windhoek (about 1hr45) where you clear immigration into Namibia and then continue to the desert (a further +- 1 hr).
The three nights here will allow you to relax and enjoy the desert, as well as head out at least once if not twice into the dune belt.
Please note that on these flgihts a maximum luggage limit applies of 15 kgs in total per person.
While here you might also like to take a hot air ballon trip and as discussed, this can be looked at once in Namibia.
Little Kulala is the exclusive camp in the desert portfolio and as such they do not allow children under the age to have their own room. The rooms booked are therefore:
Double for Dick and Susan
Family room for the Wood family
Two twins for Christopher and Katie, each sharing with a son.
You are very welcome to switch the sharing/splitting up around as best suits you so that Katie and Christopher do not always split up!
After a last nature drive or a hot air balloon trip, transfer to the Tok Tokkie base camp where a light lunch will be served ahead of you departing on the walk.
The trail ends back at the base camp where you will be met and transferred to Wolwedans Dunes Lodge for a last night in luxury in, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful places in Africa.
We have assumed that at this stage Jonathan and Alexander will be comfortable in their own room, so the room configuration at Wolwedans is as follows:
Double for Susan and Dick
Double for Katie and Christopher
Twin for Jonatha and Alexander
Family room for James, Liz, Carter and Charlotte
Fly from Wolwedans to Windhoek International Airport on a Fokker F406 in and check in immediately for SA 75 back to Johannesburg departing at 12h15.
On arrival in Johannesburg at 14h05 you will be met airside again and assisted through transit to check in for SA 209 to Washington, IAD, departing at 18h35.
The time of departure will be confirmed to you, but is likely to be at about 08h15/30.
