safari experts, since 1991
Desert & delta
BOTSWANA + ZIMBABWE
Hi, hoi, hola, hallo
Safari experiences that you will not find with any other travel company. We know Africa best and will get you to the right place & time to enjoy the greatest shows on Earth!
This safari encompasses most of the ecosystems in Botswana. From the parched, desolate salt pans to the verdant Okavango Delta waterways and seasonal floodplains. You will explore the banks of the wide Chobe River and the remote Savute savannah - and you will gasp in awe at the sight of the smoke that thunders - Victoria Falls. The wildlife that thrives in these landscapes is as astonishing as it is varied.
You will be entranced and awed, but most importantly, you will go back home appreciating WATER for what it means to us all ...
Water and the lack thereof. We follow the wildlife from desolate salt pans to deep permanent lagoons and seasonal floodplains
Overview
Length: 11 days / 10 nights - but we will amend it to suit your needs
Group Size: Flexible – you tell us how many are in your party
Location: Botswana and Zimbabwe
Departure Dates: To suit you
Expert tips:
be mindful of the strict baggage weight restriction (20 kgs) for all flights with soft bags; and
prepare excess baggage arrangements for heavy camera equipment before domestic flights
Highlights:
the wonders of Victoria Falls - The Smoke That Thunders;
Big 5 + massive herds of elephants and buffaloes in Chobe;
Okavango Delta's unique ecosystem, mokoro rides, and abundant wildlife; and
vast Makgadikgadi salt pans landscapes and seasonal wildlife abundance.
Prices and dates
Lodges visited: Bayete Guest Lodge + Chobe Game Lodge + Savute Safari Lodge + Camp Moremi + Leroo La Tau
2024 Rates | |
11 Days / 10 Nights | |
JAN-MAR | |
Per person sharing | US$ 5,795 |
Per solo traveller | US$ 5,980 |
APR-MAY, NOV | |
Per person sharing | US$ 7,380 |
Per solo traveller | US$ 7,575 |
JUN-OCT | |
Per person sharing | US$ 9,010 |
Per solo traveller | US$ 12,045 |
DEC | |
Per person sharing | US$ 5,825 |
Per solo traveller | US$ 6,020 |
*Bookings of more than two singles will incur extra costs
Includes
All airport meet and greets, inter-camp air and road transfers, including 4 x charter flights
All accommodation as specified in the itinerary
All meals, snacks and local drinks as specified
All included activities and associated park fees
Laundry where specified
WiFi where available
24/7 office support
Activities
At Bayete Guest Lodge: no activities included. All activities can be booked directly at the lodge
At Chobe Game Lodge: Chobe River Safaris, Game drives, Midday eco tour
At Savute Safari Lodge: game drives
At Camp Moremi: game drives and boating (seasonal and water-level dependent)
At Leroo La Tau: game drives, boating (water level dependent) and cultural excursions
Excludes
At Bayete: lunches, dinners, drinks, activities and laundry
International flights, passport services and visa fees
Extra baggage charges
Travel & Medical Insurance
All premium brand drinks
Any activity not specified on the itinerary
Gratuities
Lodges visited: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge + Muchenje Safari Lodge + Splash Camp + Pom Pom Camp + Nxai Pan Camp
2024 Rates | |
11 Days / 10 Nights | |
Jan-Mar | |
Per person sharing | US$ 7,305 |
Per solo traveller | US$ 9,180 |
Apr-Jun | |
Per person sharing | US$ 10,680 |
Per solo traveller | US$ 14,895 |
Jul-Oct | |
Per person sharing | US$ 12,765 |
Per solo traveller | US$ 17,850 |
1-14 Nov | |
Per person sharing | US$ 10,755 |
Per solo traveller | US$ 15,140 |
15-30 Nov | |
Per person sharing | US$ 8,485 |
Per solo traveller | US$ 11,165 |
Dec | |
Per person sharing | US$ 8,195 |
Per solo traveller | US$ 10,235 |
*A festive season surcharge applies per person per night 20 Dec - 04 Jan
*Bookings of more than two singles will incur extra costs
Includes:
All airport meet and greets, inter-camp air and road transfers, including 4 x charter flights
All accommodation as specified in the itinerary
All meals, snacks and local drinks
All activities and park fees
Laundry
WiFi where available
24/7 office support
Activities:
At Victoria Falls Safari Lodge: 1 x dinner at Makuwakuwa restaurant, 1 x dinner at the Boma - dinner and drum show with courtesy return shuttle, 1 x vulture culture lunch, 1 x guided tour of the Falls, Return transfers from Victoria Falls airport, 1 x sunset cruise, Hourly courtesy shuttle to to the Rainforest and town center
At Muchenje Safari Lodge: unlimited safari activities, full day Chobe excursion including river cruise, night drives, guided safari walks, mokoro trips (water levels permitting), and village trip
At Splash Camp: day & night game drives, guided walks and seasonal boat cruises, mokoro excursions and basic fishing (seasonal & depending on water levels)
At Pom Pom Camp: day & night drives, mokoro, guided nature walking (have to be requested in advance) & bird watching. When water levels permit boating is also offered
At Nxai Pan Camp include game drives, and Bushman nature walk experience.
Excludes:
International flights, passport services and visa fees
Extra baggage charges
Travel & Medical Insurance
All premium brand drinks
Any activity not specified on the itinerary
Gratuities
1 x lunch while at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge
VICTORIA FALLS
Victoria Falls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World.It’s also an adventure centre of note. You could stay in Vic Falls for ages and enjoy a different activity every day, from bungee jumping, gorge swinging and white water rafting, to helicopter and microlight flights (a.k.a the flight of angels), sunset boat and steam train cruises, horse riding, game drives, canoe trips, and so much more. WHAT TO DO in Vic Falls: click here and scroll down to 'Things to do in Victoria Falls'.
During your stay on the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls, walk across the bridge to visit the Zambian side, which offers an exhilarating walk across the ‘Knife-edge Bridge’, a close-up view of the ‘Boiling Pot’ (a scary whirlpool at the base of the falls) and, for the really adventurous, a dip in the famous ‘Devil’s Pool‘.
Just wandering the streets of this quaint town is a memorable experience as you negotiate for souvenirs, dodge warthogs (and elephants!), hang out with locals and sample a range of restaurants and bars.
CHOBE NATIONAL PARK
The Chobe Riverfront near the town of Kasane attracts massive herds of elephants and buffaloes in the dry season, offering fantastic photographic opportunities as they bathe and drink in the late afternoon sunlight. And the remote inland Savute Marsh is the stuff of legends for its large population of lions that target buffalo herds.
Wildlife of Chobe National Park includes four of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo – only rhinos are absent), many antelope species (including the only population of puku in Botswana), zebras, giraffes and good populations of cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs, as well as a plethora of smaller species such as serval, aardwolf, pangolin, aardvark and bat-eared fox. Birding in northern Chobe can be rewarding, with over 450 species.
OKAVANGO DELTA
The Okavango Delta is a lush wilderness of papyrus, impenetrable reed beds, grassy floodplains, tree-covered islands and a complex network of water channels of varying depths, engineered and maintained by hippos and elephants.
Some areas are permanently underwater, and others only when the rejuvenated annual floodwaters arrive from Angola. This constant ebb and flow of water has created one of the most fascinating and diverse ecosystems on the planet. Unsurprisingly, the Okavango Delta is both a RAMSAR Site and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Okavango Delta wildlife includes the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino) – although rhinos are rarely seen – many antelope species, zebras, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles and good populations of cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs, as well as a plethora of smaller species such as serval, aardwolf, pangolin, aardvark and bat-eared fox. You will see more wildlife in areas that are not permanently flooded.
A bucket list activity unique to this area is gliding down the myriad of waterways on a mokoro (a traditional dugout canoe). Video: sunset mokoro. Your poler guide will expertly slide the mokoro along channels surrounded by tall papyrus and reeds, giving you a unique perspective and photographic opportunity as you silently sneak up on birds, frogs, otters and possibly even larger animals such as hippos, crocodiles and elephants. A lucky few will see the elusive and wary sitatunga antelope.
Birdwatching can be spectacular, with over 400 species, including avian jewels such as Pel’s fishing owl, slaty egret, pygmy goose, crowned and wattled cranes, Western banded snake eagle, coppery-tailed coucal and colonies of incandescent carmine bee-eaters.
THE SALT PANS
On the eastern fringes of the Kalahari lies a collection of huge fossilised salt pans – desolate flat landscapes that stretch as far as the eye can see. Surrounding the pans are expanses of grass and thorn trees, with the odd island of tall palm trees. It’s a picturesque landscape, very photogenic and seductive.
The most popular salt pans are the Makgadikgadi Pans (including Sua Pan – and its rocky Kubu Island, bedecked in massive baobab trees) and Nxai Pan (where you will find the famous and starkly stunning Baines’ Baobabs).
Wildlife viewing is seasonal and dependent on water – with some of the pans flooding after early summer rains, with peak water in January to March each year (rain-dependent), resulting in a flush of grass, flowers and flocks of greater flamingos arriving to breed. This is also when the unpredictable zebra migration arrives to take advantage of the food and water. During dry times the wildlife that moves around the area in search of sustenance includes lion, cheetah, brown and spotted hyenas, springbok, hartebeest, ostrich, elephant and smaller species like black-backed jackal, African wildcat and bat-eared fox.
Itinerary - budget option
Meet and greet at Victoria Falls airport and road transfer to Bayete Guest Lodge in the heart of Victoria Falls residential area.
Enjoy comfortable and affordable accommodation with a large teardrop swimming pool and dining boma.
Enjoy exploring Victoria Falls and Livingstone and choose between many activities on offer (see the activity list in the link). Book activities at the lodge's booking desk.
Spend two nights at Bayete Guest Lodge.
Transfer by road to Chobe Game Lodge situated on the banks of the majestic Chobe River inside Chobe National Park.
Immerse in an all-encompassing safari experience on land and water, exploring the diverse wildlife of Chobe National Park.
Spend two nights at Chobe Game Lodge.
Charter flight to Savuti Airstrip.
Arrive at Savute Safari Lodge and explore the mysteries of the plains and woodlands on daily game drives in Savute in western Chobe National Park.
Spend two nights at Savute Safari Lodge.
Transfer to Moremi Game Reserve with a charter light aircraft flight to Camp Moremi.
Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives and boat exploration (seasonal) of Xakanaxa Lagoon and surrounding channels.
Experience diverse landscapes, impressive wildlife, and the picturesque waters of Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta.
Spend two nights at Camp Moremi.
Charter flight to Leroo La Tau Airstrip and transfer to Leroo La Tau situated on the western bank of the Boteti River.
Explore Makgadikgadi Pans National Park on guided game drives and optional cultural excursions to Khumaga Village.
Witness abundant wildlife sightings along the Boteti River, including the zebra migration between December and February
Spend two nights at Leroo La Tau.
Charter flight from Leroo La Tau Airstrip to Maun Aiport.
Check-in for your departure flight from Maun Airport.
Itinerary - mid-range option
Arrive at Victoria Falls Airport and road transfer to Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.
Enjoy exploring Victoria Falls and Victoria Falls town and choose between many activities on offer (see the activity list in the link).
Recommended activities include a guided tour of the falls and a sunset cruise on the Zambezi (included)
Spend two nights at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.
Road transfer to Kasane Airport and cross over to Botswana.
Arrive at Muchenje Safari Lodge, situated in the quieter western side of Chobe National Park.
Experience personalized service, wildlife encounters, and interaction with the local Sibuya Tribe.
Spend two nights at Muchenje Safari Lodge.
Charter flight from Kasane Airport to Splash Camp Airstrip.
Arrive at Splash Camp in the heart of the Okavango Delta, offering an authentic and friendly atmosphere.
Explore the unique location with permanent water and seasonal flood plains, excellent for game viewing and activities.
Spend two nights at Splash Camp.
Charter flight to Pom Pom Airstrip and arrive at Pom Pom Camp on Pom Pom Island in the Okavango Delta.
Enjoy consistent game viewing all year round and experience the essence of an African safari.
Spend two nights at Pom Pom Camp.
Charter flight transfer to Nxai Pan Airstrip and arrive at Nxai Pan Camp in Nxai Pan National Park.
December to February - witness the zebra migration, the longest mammal migration in Africa and one of the highlights of this area.
Take a day trip to Baines' Baobabs and learn about their nomadic lifestyle from a San bushman tracker.
Spend two nights at Nxai Pan Camp.
Depart from Nxai Pan Airstrip to Maun Airport.
Check-in for your departure flight from Maun Airport.
Have you seen our other Botswana safari options?
Why us
We live here, in Africa, and have been doing this since 1991. Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early / late or a few kilometers off course and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity?
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Southern African Tourism Services Association (SATSA)
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