Botswana wildlife safari & Victoria Falls

Please enquire about our FAMILY-FRIENDLY AND GROUP SAFARIS.

Price includes:

• Airport meet and greet

• Road transfer from Maun Airport to Sango Safari Camp

• 3 nights at Sango Safari Camp including full board meals and local drinks + daily activities

• Light aircraft flight from Khwai Airstrip to Kasane Airport

• Meet and greet at Kasane airport and road transfer to Chobe Bakwena Lodge

• 2 nights at Chobe Bakwena - including full board meals and local drinks, and two activities per day.

• 2 nights at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge in a waterhole-facing room including breakfasts, 1 x dinner and 1 x lunch at Makuwakuwa restaurant, dinner and drum show at the boma restaurant, guided tour of Victoria Falls, Sunset cruise on the Zambezi and an hourly courtesy shuttle to Victoria Falls Rainforest and town centre from Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.

• All park fees and entrance fees

• Laundry, except at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge

Price excludes:

• International flights

• Airport departure tax (if required)

• Visas or tourism levies if required to enter Botswana and Zimbabwe

• Excess baggage charges

• Laundry at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge

• Premier drinks at Sango

• Spirits, premium whiskeys and premium wines at Bakwena

• Non-local brand drinks at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge

• 1 x lunch in Victoria falls

• Travel and medical insurance (essential on all safaris)

• Optional safari extension

• Any activities not specified in the itinerary

• All charges of a personal nature

• Any other charges not indicated in the inclusions

• Tips and gratuities

You will be met at Maun International Airport by an Africa Geographic representative and transferred by vehicle (ask about flight options) to Sango Safari Camp in Khwai Community Concession. This 3-4 hour transfer by dirt road skirts the southern concessions of the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park, and you can expect wildlife encounters along the way.

The Khwai Community Concession is a wildlife-rich gem on the fringes of the Okavango Delta – sandwiched between Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park. This unfenced paradise is one of the best places in Botswana to see predators such as painted wolf (African wild dog), leopard and lion.

The Khwai River, which flows through the concession, is usually a narrow channel in the dry season that animals can step across, although in some areas it spreads out to form marshy wetlands. The water channels have good populations of hippo, crocodile, waterbuck and lechwe, and the dry woodlands away from the river host good populations of sable and roan antelope, zebra, impala, giraffe, buffalo and other species. As is the case with most of northern Botswana, elephant can be found everywhere, and lion, leopard and hyena are commonly seen. Painted wolves often den in the area during the winter months and can then be seen with pups.

Khwai is a good story for community empowerment as the entire concession is owned by the local community, and leased to safari camps.

Your time in Khwai will be taken up by morning and evening game drives, in search of wildlife encounters and the daily drama as the wildlife battles it out for survival in this raw, primal ecosystem.

Another fantastic way to explore this haven is by mokoro, a dugout canoe favoured by the local people to navigate the winding waterways of the Khwai channel and the Okavango Delta. Mokoro activities are dependent on water levels. Video: Mokoro

Between game drives, you can choose to go for a bushwalk, or relax at the lodge pool, or catch up on some sleep in your room. Meals are delicious, and the chef is likely to surprise you with a variety of delectable offerings. Expect cakes and pastries for mid-afternoon tea, and don't forget to save space for the snacks and drinks on the game drives and early morning coffee with rusks.

Days two and three will be all about getting out there and searching for exciting and interesting wildlife experiences with your guide - by game drive vehicle, mokoro or on foot. Of course nothing in Africa is scripted, and every day will produce something different - perhaps a hunting leopard, fighting hippos or a fish eagle that has caught a barbel (catfish). Or perhaps you will hit the jackpot and encounter painted wolves (African wild dogs) with pups. Your guides know the area well, and will work hard to meet your expectations; but of course nature makes the final call about what you get to see. Expect early-morning wake-ups, afternoon snoozes back in camp and evening drinks around the crackling fire, followed by dinner and bed.

You will make the most of your last morning in Khwai with an early morning game drive or bush walk followed by another delicious breakfast and check-out. You will then be transferred to the nearby Khwai airstrip for a short scenic flight to the town of Kasane on the Chobe River, and gateway to Chobe National Park. You will be met in Kasane by an Africa Geographic representative, for the short road transfer to Bakwena Lodge on the Chobe River.

Later that afternoon you will climb aboard a 24-seater motorboat for a sunset cruise on the river. Time stands still as you drift past herds of elephant coming down to drink, pods of honking hippo and islands of water birds. Salute the setting sun with your gin & tonic as another magnificent day in Africa comes to an end.

Today you will be woken up for an early breakfast and coffee, before leaving on a game drive in Chobe National Park, with packed lunch.

Your game drive will wind along the Chobe River, with forays into the nearby bushveld and teak woodlands. The river attracts massive herds of elephant and buffalo in the dry season, offering fantastic photographic opportunities as they bathe and drink in the river.

Wildlife includes four of the Big 5 - lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo – only rhino being absent. Also expect to see many antelope species (including the only population of puku in Botswana), zebra, giraffe and good populations of cheetah, hyena and painted wolf (African wild dog), and a plethora of smaller species such as serval, aardwolf, pangolin, aardvark and bat-eared fox.

Birding in Chobe can be rewarding, with over 450 species (with seasonal variation). Look out for slaty egret, Bradfield's hornbill, wattled crane, pennant-winged nightjar, broad-tailed paradise whydah, collared palm-thrush, miombo rock-thrush, Allen’s gallinule, lesser jacana, rock pratincole, Schalow’s turaco, racket-tailed roller and rosy-throated longclaw.

There will be time for early risers for one last activity – possibly a short walk or cycle to a local village, to learn about local culture. This will be followed by breakfast, check out and a 90-minute road transfer to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.

Your Victoria Falls adventure will kick-off today with a guided tour of the Falls, followed by a sunset cruise on the tranquil waters upstream of the Falls, and finally dinner at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.

Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River is one of Africa's most iconic destinations and deservedly on many bucket lists. That awe-inspiring vertical drop of 108m into the gorge below and the mist spray curtain during full flood that can be seen and heard from afar make for a truly unforgettable experience. The local name for the Falls is 'Mosi-oa-Tunya', which means 'the smoke that thunders'. Just wandering the streets of this quaint town is a special experience as you negotiate for souvenirs, dodge warthogs (and elephants!), hang out with locals and sample a range of restaurants and bars.

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 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 down the Zambezi River, and so much more.

WHAT TO DO in Vic Falls

After a leisurely breakfast overlooking the waterhole at your lodge, you will have the full day to enjoy the many sights and experiences of Africa’s adventure capital. Activities are for your own account, but booking them at your lodge will ensure a 5% discount. Lunch at your lodge is included in your package. Also included in your package is dinner and entertainment that night at The Boma Restaurant. The Boma is not just another ethnic restaurant, it is a unique cultural experience. You will be invited to take part in a hand washing ceremony before sampling traditional beer and snacks, as a prelude to dinner. The eat-as-much-as-you-can buffet food is excellent and varied, including venison, traditional Zimbabwean dishes, and even mopane worms! There are plenty of plant-based options as well.

Your dining is accompanied by entertainment from traditional Shangaan dancers, storytellers and other entertainers. You may even have your face painted, learn how to drum and be encouraged onto the busy dance-floor to show off your moves. This fantastic cultural cuisine experience starts at 7:00pm and goes on till late…

After a leisurely breakfast overlooking the waterhole at your lodge, you will have time for one more activity (for your own account, but booking at your lodge will ensure a 5% discount) before your transfer to Victoria Falls International Airport and your onward plans.