Botswana: Kalahari, Delta & Beyond

Days 1 - 3: Maun, Botswana / Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Arrive in Maun and fly to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. We drive to our camp in Deception Valley, which offers a sweeping vista of the valley floor, and we feel quite alone here in this little-visited national park. Within these remote environs animal movements are dictated by nature and the rains. We track them on extended game drives, studying the desert ecology along the way. The petrified riverbed is vibrant after brief rains, covered with nutritious grasses that attract herds from all over the enormous reserve. Predators follow these large congregations of desert wildlife with their young into the broad riverbed, creating natural drama we may be privy to observe. The famous black-maned Kalahari lion resides here as well as a healthy population of cheetahs.

Days 4 - 6: Little Vumbura Camp, Okavango Delta

After breakfast, we depart for the airstrip and fly to Little Vumbura, our tented camp in a private reserve in the Okavango Delta. We search for elephant herds here within the mopane forests, where they are often found breeding. Buffalo and other plains game frequent the wetlands, attracting a variety of predators. Inside the delta’s maze of canals and swamps, we look for wildlife by mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) and boat trips into the floodplains. Open Land Rovers take us close to animals on the savannah, where we often see lions, leopards, hyenas, elephants and sable. Island walks and night drives round out our diverse game-viewing perspectives. We also discover age-old River Bushman culture on a guided walk with a local resident, learning about fire-making, hunting, medicinal uses of plants and ingenious methods for survival in the delta, this tribe’s ancestral home. Our camp provides exceptional comfort at the end of the day, each tent with hot and cold running water, shower and flush toilet. The camp also has a plunge pool.

Days 7 - 9: Savuti Camp, Linyanti

Fly today to the Linyanti Concession, one of Botswana’s premier private reserves. Big-game viewing is superb during the green season, when a range of habitats supports a large herbivore and predator population. Day and night game drives along the Savuti Channel and Linyanti River are a highlight, and there are many hides where we can watch wildlife up close in safety, away from a vehicle. Secluded Savuti Camp features tents equipped with en suite facilities, and the camp itself has a thatched dining area, pub and plunge pool all laid out on raised wooden decks.

Days 10 & 11: Chobe National Park / Toka Leya

After a short morning drive, we fly to Chobe National Park. Chobe is famous for its massive herds of elephants in the dry season but also supports a stable population of general game species throughout the year. On a boat cruise down the Chobe River we may find crocodiles, the elusive puku and Chobe bushbuck, and up to 400 bird species this time of year. Leaving Botswana, we drive into Zambia via the Kazungula border, where Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia meet. Our destination, Toka Leya, offers contemporary luxury on the shores of the Zambezi. Each wood and canvas chalet faces west over the Zambezi for marvelous sunset views, and we frequently see and hear elephants and hippos on the banks. A guided tour of Victoria Falls is a fitting finale to our adventure.

Day 12: Livingstone / Home

After a leisurely morning, we transfer to the airport for flights home.