Compare Zakouma Chad Photo Safari by Want Expeditions vs Bhutan Tour with day hikes by Himalayan Glacier Adventure
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 10 days | 6 days |
| Price From | $ 9,499 | $ 2,060 |
| Price Per Day | $ 950 | $ 343 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | N/A | |
| Cities and Attractions | N/A |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
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| Description |
If you think you've see the best of what Africa has to offer for wildlife safaris, think again.. Think ZAKOUMA in Chad. Starting a little over a year ago in January 2015, Africa Parks opened Zakouma up to to visitation, and with only 112 guests admitted per year, we are very excited that WANT Expeditions is one of the select companies Africa Park's is working with to bring groups into Zakouma. Zakouma has the four out of the big five, including buffalo, lion, leopard and elephant, and its elephant herd is one of the largest left in Africa. If you're a bird lover, this trip has your name on it too! On of the rarest birds in Africa, The Black-Breasted Barbet, can be found here, and you're guaranteed to add many new species to your bird list. |
Bhutan Tour with Day Hikes combines the cultural and natural grandeur of Bhutan in the shortest possible time. The tour begins in the scenic Paro Valley with a hike to the famous Tiger’s Nest (Taktsang) monastery. After visiting Thimphu, a unique capital city that has a blend of traditional and modern touch, we drive across the picturesque Dochu La Pass into the subtropical valleys of Punakha. Our Bhutan tour also includes three more hikes: to Wangditse Gompa, Lungchutse Monastery and to Khamsum Yulley Namgyel Chorten. During the day hikes, we get to experience breath-taking view of Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga and other famous Himalayan peaks including the sacred Jumolhari and Mount Jichu Drake in Bhutan. |
Day 1: N’Djamena
Accommodation: Hilton Hotel
Today is dedicated to arrivals into the capital of Chad, N'Djamena. Upon arrival and clearing customs, you will be picked up and transferred to our hotel. Our first official activity will commence at 19:00 for our Welcome Orientation and Dinner, but for those itching to explore the city, every Sunday the city's residents gather at a dusty, but exciting horse racing track located near the presidential palace. This is an exciting opportunity to spend some time with the locals and experience another side of Chad.
Day 2: Zakouma National Park
Accommodation: Camp Nomade
Our first introduction to Zakouma's wildlife starts this evening with a night drive in open safari vehicles. Night drives are exciting for catching larger predators, like leopard, in the midst of a hunt, but its also the best way to see many of the smaller predators, such as serval. Other likely sightings include; honey badger, civet, genet, wild cat, caracal, sand fox and jackal, and with a little luck, we might see striped hyena.
Zakouma was created in 1963, it was Chad's first national park, and has an area of almost 3,000 square kilometres (1,200 sq mi). It is home to 66 species of mammals, and a bird list topping almost 400 species, many of which are rare and/or endangered.
Day 3: Zakouma National Park
Accommodation: Camp Nomade
What makes Zakouma so spectacular is not just the array of animals, but the size of the herds. It's not unusual to see 10-20 Kordofan giraffes at a time, and their numbers inside the park comprise over 50 percent of the entire African population. Same goes for large colonies of beautiful northern carmine bee-eaters, but the real draw is Zakouma's mega herd of elephants, which we will search for both on land and by aerial safari.
Day 4: Zakouma National Park
Accommodation: Camp Nomade
Our activities over the next three days will be determined by wildlife movements, but our schedule will be packed with walking safaris, driving safaris, night drives, and perhaps most excitingly aerial safari. Aerial safaris give us the opportunity to cover greater distances in the park, and are one of the best ways to observe the mega herds of elephant, buffalo and giraffe. With an aerial safari, we will also be able to stay overnight in a different part of the park, and have the opportunity to interact with some of the most remote tribes in all of Africa. Accommodation will be in dome tents.
Day 5: Zakouma National Park
Accommodation: Camp Nomade
Day 6: Zakouma National Park
Accommodation: Camp Nomade
Day 7: Zakouma National Park
Accommodation: Camp Nomade
The park itself has been under pressure for years from civil war and subsequent poaching. One of the biggest goals of reopening Zakouma is to the bridge the gap between visitors and locals. Saturday is market day, and it is a great opportunity for us to interact with the nomadic people that live in and around the park. The market primarily consists of livestock, but smaller vendors set up shop to sell smaller, but extremely important staples like salt and cell phone chargers. Our visit is great for community support and interaction.
Day 8: Zakouma National Park
Accommodation: Camp Nomade
Resume safari activities.
Day 9: N’Djamena
Accommodation: Hotel
After one last breakfast in our beautiful camp, we'll pack our belongings and set off back for N’Djamena and a relaxing afternoon so we can plan and prep for our upcoming travels. We'll enjoy a nice Farewell dinner, and discuss our experiences as one of the select few that have the opportunity to visit this incredible place!
Day 10: Departure
Depending on your departure time, you will be transferred to the airport for your ongoing flights. We recommend combining this trip with our Ethiopian Photo expedition. Safe travels!
Day 1: Arrival and sightseeing in Paro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Tashi Namgay Resort)
Maximum Altitude: 2,250m/7,382ft
As our flight nears Bhutan, we can enjoy amazing views of the Himalayas including the sacred Jumolhari and Jichu Drake peaks. At the airport, we will be greeted by a representative from Himalayan Glacier who will take us to our hotel. Today, we will visit Rinpung Dzong which was built in 1646 and now houses the district Monastic Body and government administrative offices of Paro Dzongkhag. We will also visit Kichu Lhakhang, the oldest temple in the country and Drugyal Dzong, built in 1646 to commemorate Bhutan’s victory over Tibetan invaders during the 1600s. Overnight in Paro.
Day 2: Paro to Thimphu, Hike to Taktsang Monastery
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Namgay Heritage)
Hiking: 4-5 hrs Travel Distance: 54 km Driving: 1 hour
Maximum Altitude: 3,180m/10,434ft
After breakfast, we hike for around 4 -5 hours to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery, which is Bhutan’s most famous monastery situated at 3,180 meters. Guru Rinpoche (spiritual master) is said to have flown on the back of a tigress to meditate in a cave where Taktsang Monastery now stands. Lunch will be served in the Cafeteria Restaurant, located about halfway up on the mountain. The monastery is perched on the edge of a steep cliff, about 900 meters above Paro Valley. After having explored the monastery, we hike down to the valley floor and leave for Thimphu. Overnight in Thimphu.
Day 3: Hike to Wangditse Gompa followed by sightseeing in Thimphu
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Namgay Heritage)
Maximum Altitude: 2,320m/7,612ft
In the morning, we drive to BBS Tower and then hike for 1 hour to Wangditse Gompa on leveled trail with great view of Tashichho Dzong. From here, we also get an amazing view of the Samtenling Palace, home to the fourth King and Dorje Drak meditation retreat on the hillside above. After touring the Gompa, we return to Thimphu. On the way, visit the mini Zoo to see the Takin, national animal of Bhutan. After lunch, we visit the King’s Memorial Chorten (built in memory of the third King of Bhutan who reigned from 1952-1972), the nunnery temple, the National Library (which houses ancient manuscripts) and the National Institute of Traditional Medicine. We may also visit the Textile Museum, the Handicraft Emporium, the traditional paper factory and the majestic Tashichho Dzong. In the evening, we enjoy strolling in the streets of Thimphu and observe the local lifestyle. Overnight in Thimphu.
Day 4: Thimphu to Punakha, Hike to Lungchutse Monastery
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Kichu Resort)
Hiking: 2 hrs Travel Distance: 76 km Driving: 2-3 hrs
Maximum Altitude: 3,100m/10,171ft
After breakfast, we drive to Dochula pass (3,100 meters), where on a clear day we can get spectacular views of the Himalayas. We will begin 2 hours hike to Lungchutse Monastery from 108 chortens. The trail passes through rhododendron forests. Walking along the high ridges dotted with colorful Buddhist prayer flags offers us stunning views of Himalayas, plus incredible vistas into the valleys below the pass. Hike back to Dochu La Pass. After lunch, drive downhill through the rhododendron, fir and hemlock forests. On the way, we stop at Metshina Village and take a 20-minute walk through the rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang, which is a fertility temple dedicated to the Divine Madman or Lama Drukpa Kuenley. Overnight in Punakha.
Day 5: Punakha to Paro, Hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Tashi Namgay Resort)
Hiking: 2 hrs Travel Distance: 130 km Driving: 4 hrs
Maximum Altitude: 2,250m/7,382ft
At dawn, we drive 12 km north of Punakha and begin our 2-hour hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten. It is located on a beautiful hillock called Ngezergang and contains elaborate paintings dedicated to the old sect of Buddhism. We hike further towards Punakha. On the way back, we visit the Punakha Dzong which was built in 1637. It is also the second oldest and the second largest Dzong in Bhutan. In the afternoon, we drive to Paro and spend the night there.
Day 6: Final Departure
Meals: Breakfast
Today we bid farewell to the tiny Himalayan Kingdom and her friendly people. Druk Air generally departs in the early morning to avoid adverse weather conditions. Therefore, after breakfast, we will be taken to the airport in the morning for final departure.
