English
DeutschThere are few wildlife experiences in the world like a week spent in the Botswanan wilderness. This classic itinerary offers a lodge and luxury camping combination safari. The lodges are beautiful, comfortable & make for a great adventure safari though the world famous parks.
11 Day Tour from Maun Botswana to Victoria Falls from US$4,322pp sharing double occupancy.
Single supplement add US$1,250.-
It is possible to add more nights in Victoria Falls or a stay in Cape Town.
Departure Dates:
Guaranteed Departures: June 8, 2024; August 3, 2024
Non guaranteed, minimum 4 guests booked: June 29, July 13, Aug 17, Aug 24, Sep 21, Oct 12, Oct 26, Nov 16, 2024
DEPARTS: MAUN on Saturday at 14:00pm (depending where you fly into such as Johannesburg, Cape Town or Victoria Falls, we can add the flight to Maun).
ENDS: VICTORIA FALLS on Tuesday @ ±08:00am
Highlights
* Okavango delta – mokoro excursion
* Moremi Game Reserve – game drives
* Savuti – game drives
* Chobe National Park – game drive and river cruise
TRIP DETAILS:
Overnight The accommodation throughout this classic journey is of 3+ star style and are chosen not only for their service and comfort level but also for their wonderful locations and local wildlife viewing opportunities. All rooms have private en suite facilities. For the 4 nights in Mababe and Chobe NP we stay in mini meru tents. Each tent has twin camp beds with linen and en suite chemical toilet and bucket shower with hot water off the fire.
Meals 10 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners are included. All of which are provided by the lodges, or mobile camp at which we are staying, except 2 lunches provided by the guides. Due to travel arrangements or game viewing activities, the included lunches will be picnic lunches. Where meals are not included there will be an opportunity to buy a meal en route or at the restaurant in the evening.
Transport for the entire safari you travel in a purpose built 4WD Land Cruiser with 12 forward facing seats and trailer for luggage. It has a solid roof and back which provides protection from the sun, and dust. The Land Cruiser has 12 individual seats in 4 rows of 3 seats but this tour is limited to a maximum of 8 clients so that everyone has a “window” seat.
Non participation: this is an adventure tour, and as such please expect to get involved. Where there are porters, they’ll help you, otherwise you’ll need to carry your own bag. Included meals are all lodge or camp provided. If you have a particular interest, please let your safari leader know, and he/she will endeavour to make your journey more rewarding.
Day 1 MAUN [lodge – – -]
This safari starts at the hotel in Maun where we have an evening meal at a local restaurant (own expense).
Day 1: Dinner will be an own expense meal at a local restaurant
Includes: no meals
Overnight: Sedia Hotel – standard twin rooms with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone. Wifi available in public areas only.
Sedia Hotel is managed by local citizens and employs 69 locals, of which more than half are women. The hotel supports various Maun based organisations through an impact fund, for example Sedie Junior Secondary School. The hotel also has a glass recycling project, and all its waste is separated according to type of waste for recycling purposes. The restaurant serves local Botswana beef, and Okavango bream.
Day 2 – 3 OKAVANGO DELTA [lodge B – -]
The Okavango Delta is an extraordinary wilderness environment that needs no introduction. A vast wetland paradise in the center of the Kalahari Desert, fed by rivers from Angolan highlands and seasonal rains. It is an ever changing kaleidoscope of waterways, reed beds, islands and dry land that grows and shrinks each season like a living creature itself, supporting a breathtaking range of wildlife. Hippos, elephants, lions and buffalo, the shy Sitatunga antelope and the abundant birdlife – a truly amazing wildlife experience.
We drive around the Okavango through small villages, skirting the extremes of the flood to Etsha, where we follow thick sands tracks into the Okavango Delta panhandle. Your room overlooks a beautiful lagoon and you’ll enjoy a morning mokoro excursion and a sunset motorboat cruise.
Day 2-3: Breakfast will be provided by the lodge
Day 2-3: Lunch will be own expense at the lodge
Day 2-3: Dinner will be own expense at the lodge
Includes: Concession entry Okavango Delta and mokoro excursion.
Distance/time: ±310km, 5h00 actual driving time, as we skirt the Okavango the road can be very potholed, so we expect a travel day of ±6h00.
Optional Activities: Helicopter flight over the Delta (own expense).
Overnight: 2 nights Okavango Delta, Guma Lagoon – twin en-suite canvas chalets. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant. Wifi available.
Day 4 – 5 MOREMI / MABABE [serviced camp – meru tents BLD]
Moremi Game Reserve is the jewel of Botswana and arguably one of the best wildlife viewing destinations in Africa. Moremi’s wide variety of habitats makes it a birdwatchers paradise.
Surrounding Moremi is a vast wilderness consisting of open grasslands and forest and abundant wildlife and our camp is set on a concession bordering the east of the reserve. Our days are spent on open 4WD game drives in Moremi GR and on the wildlife concession along the Mababe River watching the abundant wildlife including elephant, hippo, buffalo, lion & other game, both in Moremi Game Reserve and in the private concession reserves adjoining the park.
Day 4: Breakfast provided by the lodge
Day 4: Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 5: Breakfast provided by the tented camp
Day 5: Lunch provided by the tented camp
Day 4-5: Dinner will be a set meal provided by the tented camp
Includes: Entrance fee to Moremi Game Reserve, morning & afternoon game drives in an open 4WD vehicle.
Distance/time: day 4: ±420km, 7h00 actual driving time but it’s a rough 4×4 route, and with a lunch stop we expect a full travel day of ±9h00 subject to sunset time.
Overnight: Serviced Camping, meru tents – twin camp beds with linen and en suite chemical toilet and bucket shower with hot water off the fire. A towel will be provided. No Wifi.
Day 6 – 7 SAVUTI [serviced camp – meru tents BLD]
We head north from Moremi to the renowned Savuti section of the Chobe National Park. This is an excellent area for big predators with frequent sightings of lion and leopard, elephant and plains game. We spend our time on game drives through the dramatic open plains dotted with Acacia, and along the Savuti channel where we hope to see the lions and hyenas that make Savuti an outstanding wildlife destination. We overnight in our serviced tented camp. After dinner in our dining tent, fall asleep to the sounds of the African bush.
Day 6: Breakfast provided by the lodge
Day 6: Lunch provided by the mobile camp
Day 6: Dinner provided by tour mobile camp
Day 7: Breakfast provided by the mobile camp
Day 7: Lunch provided by the mobile camp
Day 7: Dinner provided by tour mobile camp
Includes: Entrance fees, morning and afternoon game drives in open 4WD game viewing vehicle.
Distance/time: ±150km, which involves game drive and transit so we expect a long travel day of ±08h00.
Day 8 – 9 CHOBE NATIONAL PARK [lodge B – -]
Our next destination is Chobe National Park. We depart Savuti and head north through the remote wilderness of Botswana to the small town of Kasane and our lodge on the banks of the Chobe River. The following day we explore the national park on a morning game drive and spend the rest of the day on the river, enjoying lunch on our cruise boat with spectacular wildlife viewing. This is possibly the most satisfying and relaxing game viewing activity in Southern Africa. We get close to the herds of elephants, and have amazing sightings of crocodile, hippo, fish eagle and many more. As the sun sets we head out of the park with some amazing wildlife and sunset photographs.
Day 8: Breakfast provided by the mobile camp
Day 8: Lunch will be an own expense meal
Day 8: Dinner will be an own expense meal at a local restaurant
Day 9: Breakfast provided by the lodge
Day 9: Lunch will be an own expense meal
Day 9: Dinner will be an own expense meal at a local restaurant
Includes: Entrance Fees, game drive & Chobe River Boat Cruise.
Distance/time: ±220km, again it’s part game drive and part transit travel, so we expect a long travel day of ±06h30.
Overnight: Chobe Safari Lodge – twin rooms with en-suite facilities, swimming pool, restaurant & bar. Wifi available.
Chobe Safari & Bush Lodge is Motswana owned and all 260+ staff are employed from the local community. The lodge supports the local community as far as possible in, employment, purchasing food locally, and assisting in looking after 31 children from Kachilauw Primary School, a school for special needs children.
We leave Botswana behind and cross into Zimbabwe and make our way to Victoria Falls. The mighty Zambezi River thunders 100m over the gorge creating a magnificent spectacle. The spray from the waterfall sustains a rainforest surrounding the falls which is abundant with birdlife and protected in a National Park. We explore the Victoria Falls on foot with a local guide bringing the Falls to life with tales of the explorers of these ancient lands.
Day 10: Breakfast will be provided by the lodge
Day 10: Lunch is an own expense meal
Day 10: Dinner is an own expense meal at a local restaurant
Includes: Entrance fees to Victoria Falls.
Distance/time: ±85km, 1h30 actual driving time. It’s not a long way, but the border can be busy and slow so we anticipate a total travel day of ±3h00.
Optional Activities Sunset cruises, scenic flights & many more.
Overnight: PheZulu Guest Lodge, twin rooms with en-suite facilities. Swimming pool, restaurant, bar and telephone. Wifi available.
Bayete & Phezulu Guest Lodges are 100% Zimbabwean owned. The lodges catch rainwater in tanks for use and grey water is used in the gardens. Food is sourced locally as far possible & all waste is recycled. The lodges support Children in the Wilderness, Greenline Africa and are part of Green Tourism.
Day 11 VICTORIA FALLS – TOUR ENDS [- B – -]
There is time for one of the many optional adventure activities (own expense) before the tour ends.
Day 11: Breakfast provided by the lodge
Day 11: Lunch will be an own expense meal
Day 11: Dinner own expense
Includes: N/A
Distance/time: N/A
Overnight: N/A
Please Note: The distance and travel times quoted above are an estimate only, and subject to local road conditions and animal sightings!
Special Interest: Botswana is considered Southern Africa’s premier game viewing destination. The remote wilderness, limited access for visitors and abundant game make for an exceptional wildlife safari.
Sustainable Tourism: A Botswana guide travels with us through the National Parks. This ensures employment for local people and direct benefits for the community from tourism. The local guides are highly knowledgeable so please ask plenty of questions, you’ll be amazed at what you can learn.
In a nutshell
- A true African experience – wild and free!
- All inclusive trip with cultural experience, adventure and wildlife.
- Victoria Falls, Moremi Game Reserve, Savuti & Chobe National Park
Why travel with our Safaris
We understand that there are several options available to you when choosing your African safari. We also know that you want to make the most informed decision about your safari, what you get, what’s included and what you see and experience. So these are just a few of the qualities and facts:
- Small groups – by travelling with a maximum of 8 people, you can witness Africa and have first-hand contact with this amazing continent and its people without being a negative influence. This has been a key factor in our continued success. Our trips appeal to a wide demographic of traveller. Our clients range in age from 25 to 65+ with the average being 45. The range of travellers gives a variety of perspectives which adds to the experience of each safari.
- 2 tour guides – group leaders are the key to any safari. On our safari you will travel with 2 qualified and registered field guides (Field Guides Association of SA). Two guides as crew, not a guide and a driver, means interesting trips with maximum knowledge and information. Our guides have a passion for Africa, her people and wildlife, and they love nothing more than sharing their knowledge with you.
- Guaranteed departures – departure dates on each itinerary shown as bold are guaranteed departure dates. All other departures operate with a minimum of 4 clients.
- All-inclusive price – when we travel ourselves, we always feel that if we’re in a country we should find and see the best it has to offer. So when planning the routes, we ensure that each trip provides the best inclusions and experiences. For example, if you go to Botswana – you have to visit the national parks in an open 4WD – it is the essence of the Botswana wilderness. If you tour Zambia, then you must visit South Luangwa NP and do a game walk with a local scout. When booking our Safari there are no hidden costs. All of the entrance fees are included, and a wide range of activities, and most meals. We have included many highlights in our tours, so that you will see and experience the highlights without having to pay extra when you get there. So when you decide on which safari company to book with, look carefully at what you’re actually getting. You may only visit a place once, make sure you get the most out of it.
- Safety – our fleet of vehicles are custom built to ensure comfortable and safe touring. Each is constructed, by an authorised passenger vehicle builder, to the latest safety requirements, with a safety shell, and every seat has a lap belt. This gives you peace of mind when travelling with our Safaris on the often demanding African roads.
- – Our commitment to sustainable & responsible tourism is reflected in our low impact travel style where all we take is photographs and all we leave is our footprints. Being an African company, we have the grassroots contacts to make a real difference in the lives of the people whose lands we visit. On each itinerary in the brochure you’ll find this symbol which highlights just one of the sustainable travel initiatives that we support.
- Solo Travellers – Due to the group size and the lodge room allocations, if you are travelling on your own there is a price supplement.
- Experience – we have more than 28 years’ experience planning tours throughout Southern Africa. As such, our itineraries and routes have been perfected over many years ensuring that your tour will run smoothly. We visit the highlights of Southern Africa but ensure that you do not follow the well-trodden tourist track. All of us have extensive travel experience in Africa, and throughout the world. Being adventure travellers ourselves, we know how to plan trips that give you a broad experience of the countries that you will visit.
- Based in Africa – probably the most important part of our safari is that we are an African company with offices in South Africa and Botswana. We live in Africa, we travel in Africa and it is our passion for this amazing continent that makes us your best travel option.
- Age Policy – On all scheduled tours, we accept children 12-17 with accompanying adult. We have no upper age limit. Clients older than 65 years of age at the time of travel require a medical certificate stating the client is fit and healthy to join an adventure travel group tour. We have many clients over 65 years of age, who are perfectly capable of enjoying every aspect of our tour, both accommodated and camping.
