Best of Botswana 14-day Safari

DAY - 02

After an early breakfast, you depart by vehicle for Nxai Pan, a journey of about 200 km, which takes about 4 hours. Driving to Nxai Pan, you will start to get a feeling for the vastness of Botswana’s wild places.

Whilst we prepare our lunch, our camp staff who have traveled with us in a separate vehicle, erect your own private tented camp, which will be your ‘home’ for the next two days. In the afternoon, you will go on the first game viewing drive to explore Nxai Pan National Park, which consists of a fascinating series of fossil pans, interspersed with shady islands of acacia trees. Nxai Pan is the only place on your safari where you will get the chance to see springbok and oryx antelope.

After the drive you will return to the camp and enjoy a hearty dinner around an African campfire. Overnight camping accommodation in spacious 3m x 3m tents with camp beds and shared ablutions.

Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis in spacious 3m x 3m tents with camp beds and shared facilities

Location: Nxai Pan

DAY - 03

Awaken to an early morning African sunrise and after a light breakfast proceed with your exploration of Nxai Pan. You will visit some of the artificial water points, used by the wildlife to quench their thirst. Keep an eye out for some of Nxai’s more unusual game species such as bat eared fox, cheetah and hartebeest, which are sometimes seen.

Return to your tented camp for lunch and an afternoon siesta, before heading out again for your late afternoon drive. At sunset keep a special eye out for the brown hyena, which inhabits this area but is seldom seen due to its shy and nocturnal nature. Retire to camp for dinner and appreciate the spectacular Milky Way and night sky.

Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis in spacious 3m x 3m tents with camp beds and shared facilities

Location: Nxai Pan

DAY - 04

This morning we set off early back to Maun in order to catch our 40 minute charter flight to Mapula Lodge, situated in the northern parts of the world renowned Okavango Delta. Enjoy the spectacular Okavango landscapes from the air, a beautiful contrast to the dry Kalahari you have just experienced in Nxai Pan.

Arrive at the superbly comfortable Lodge, which overlooks the stunning floodplains, which you can explore by foot (with armed guide), by mokoro (dug out canoe) and safari vehicle. Being a private concession area within the Okavango, Mapula also affords you the possibility of doing night game drives. Your guide and Mapula camp management will advise you as to which activities to do, depending on the time of day.

Overnight at Mapula Lodge in a twin bedded chalet with en suite facilities on a full board basis.

Overnight: Mapula Lodge

Location: Okavango Delta

DAY - 05

Starting early, you will continue your safari activities where you left off the day before. On your armed game walk you will get closer to nature than you ever thought possible. Your mokoro trip through the crystal clear, reed and water lily lined waterways of the Okavango makes for a supremely peaceful experience, perhaps giving you the chance of sighting and floating up the unusual Sitatunga, an aquatic antelope species uniquely adapted to its watery environment. On your game drive, you will get close to Botswana’s wide variety of big game, including possible sightings of buffalo and elephant and other animal species that most typify this area. On your night drive, witness nocturnal species going about their nightly routines, a special thrill for any safari enthusiast.

Overnight: Mapula Lodge

Location: Okavango Delta

DAY - 06

This morning we leave the Mapula floodplains and head by charter aircraft on a 30-minute flight to Moremi Game Reserve, an intricate part of the Okavango Delta and world famous for its incredible game viewing and scenery. After landing in Moremi we will meet up again with our safari team who have already erected our private tent camp in the reserve. Following an afternoon siesta, we will head out on a game drive along the Khwai River and its accompanying floodplains. With game viewing being good in Moremi, we should see hippo, elephant, lion and numerous antelope species. Keep a close eye on the dense undergrowth and the towering jackal berry trees for a possible sighting of the beautiful but elusive leopard.

Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis in spacious 3m x 3m tents with camp beds and shared facilities

Location: Moremi Game Reserve

DAY - 07

Starting early, we continue to experience the best of Moremi. We will stop along some of the larger pans associated with the Khwai River and spot crocodiles sunning themselves on the sun baked fringes of the pans. Enjoy the sights of grazing red lechwe, an antelope species always found in close proximity to Moremi's waterways. See giraffe and zebra, always on the alert to the danger of lions and other predators of the Moremi.

After another satisfying day of game viewing, retire back to your tented camp and share your day’s experiences around a warm and glowing campfire. Fall asleep to the sound of lions roaring in the distance as they commence their nocturnal hunt.

Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis in spacious 3m x 3m tents with camp beds and shared facilities

Location: Moremi Game Reserve

DAY - 08

This morning we leave the scenic landscapes of Moremi and commence our 5-hour trip to Savuti, also regarded as a prime game-viewing destination. As we depart Moremi we cross the bridge over the River Khwai, its construction out of raw mopane poles making it an experience not easily forgotten. As we arrive in Savuti, the vastness of the Savuti´marsh´, a sweeping expanse of savanna looked over by seven ancient rocky outcrops and the dry channel, which was once its lifeline, appears in its awesome splendor.

In the late afternoon, we go on another game drive, exploring the marsh and the wide variety of animals, which have made it their grazing and hunting grounds. In the evening we retire back to our private camp and take dinner with the whooping laughs of hyena in the background.

Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis in spacious 3m x 3m tents with camp beds and shared facilities

Location: Savute (Chobe National Park)

DAY - 09

Again we depart early and start to explore some of the numerous waterholes dotted around the Savuti marsh. You will soon get to see why this area is famous for its numerous bull elephants, which monopolize these waterholes. Your guide will also take you around the seven rocky outcrops around the marsh and show you the Bushman paintings, which point to the ancient livelihoods of those who once used to live in the area. Back on the marsh, chances are good to see the Savuti lions, supreme predators of the area. Spectacular zebra migrations, which periodically take place on the marsh, are a sight to behold.

After a busy day’s game viewing, we return to our tented camp for dinner and to reflect on the awesome splendor that is Savuti.

Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis in spacious 3m x 3m tents with camp beds and shared facilities

Location: Savute (Chobe National Park)

DAY - 10

Our safari continues this morning towards the northern boundary of the Chobe National Park, the destination being our campsite close to the Chobe River. The drive from Savuti to Chobe takes about 3 hours and again offers interestingly contrasting scenery to that which you have seen before. In Chobe you will get to appreciate first hand what has made this area so unique – the highest concentrations of buffalo and elephant herds anywhere in Africa, spectacular sunsets and prolific birdlife. You will explore Chobe riverfront by vehicle and the river itself by boat.

Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis in spacious 3m x 3m tents with camp beds and shared facilities

Location: Chobe National Park

DAY - 11

Our exploration of Chobe continues. We take a motorized boat trip on the Chobe River, which will unveil the enormous variety of bird and animal species present in the area. Your guide will glide the boat past pods of hippo and crocodiles sunning themselves on the shores of the Chobe River. From the boat you will have the chance of seeing some of Chobe's huge elephant populations coming down to the river to drink and cool down. Your drive along the riverfront will give you excellent opportunities to see the wildlife up close and to track the spoor of Chobe's lion prides in the soft Chobe sands.

In the evening savor your last day in Botswana around a glowing campfire to the sounds of hippo grunting in the river.

Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis in spacious 3m x 3m tents with camp beds and shared facilities

Location: Chobe National Park

DAY - 12

This morning we say goodbye to Botswana and its unparalleled wildlife and conservation policies. We commence our short 2-hour drive to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, arriving in time for lunch.

Apart from an organized tour of the Falls themselves, the rest of your time here is yours and you can select from a wide variety of activities on offer to visitors in and around Victoria Falls.

Accommodation is in a charming private guesthouse with twin rooms and en suite bathrooms. Accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis only.

Overnight: Ilala Lodge

Location: Victoria Falls

DAY - 13

The day is yours and to be taken at leisure. Visit the falls again, the numerous fascinating craft markets in the middle of town or enjoy a sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi river. If you are an outdoor adventure enthusiast, arrange to go white water rafting on the Zambezi – the experience of a lifetime. Dinner at the Boma Restaurant on the outskirts of town is an unforgettable experience.

Overnight: Mariolina's Guest House

Location: Victoria Falls

DAY - 14

Today your African safari adventure ends with a transfer to Victoria Falls Airport in time to connect with your return flight.

Price

Price US$ 4865 per person sharing from April/May & November 2024

Price US$ 5115 per person sharing from June to October 2024

Prices based on 4 participants

This includes:

1. All charter flights, boat transfers, minibus transfers as per itinerary above

2. All accommodation as per itinerary above

3. All, park fees, activities, meals, drinks etc on the Botswana portion

It does not include:

1. Items of a personal nature ie film, gratuities etc

2. Drinks,lunches and dinners in Victoria Falls

3. Activities in the Falls

4. International or regional scheduled flights (JHB-Maun and Victoria Falls-JHB)