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(Driving time: approx 4 hours)This morning we depart Maun to enter into the Nxai Pan National Park. We spend two nights in the park and enjoy afternoon and morning safaris. Nxai Pan National Park covers an area of 2100 square kilometres and is a combination of grassland, thick bush, acacia, baobab trees, wide open spaces and dry pans that fill up during the rains. Of this, the Nxai Pan itself, an old fossil lake-bed, spans approximately forty square kilometres in size. This park is known for its large herds of springbok and for giraffe, which can be found in groups of up to thirty members. Other animals that may be sighted include blue wildebeest, eland, gemsbok, red hartebeest and greater kudu. Predators in this park include spotted hyena, jackal, cheetah, leopard, lion and the elusive brown hyena. One of the features of the park is the Baines baobab. The famous painter Sir Thomas Baines captured a clump of five baobab trees on canvas in 1862. These baobabs are unusual as it is rare to see these trees so closely situated to each other.
(Driving time: approx 4 hours)This morning we continue back to Maun and our campsite, which is located just out of town. The afternoon is spent at leisure before dinner is served in camp. The hour-long light aircraft flight from Maun over the delta is a highly recommended option to take. This flight provides a truly spectacular vulture’s-eye view of this fragile waterway. Below you, waterways, channels, islands often covered with palm trees, and hippo trails in the shallow water are clearly visible. Patterns of deep and shallow water, reeds and sandbanks, of light and shade add to this fascinating flight. Sometimes elephants can be seen clearly below you, along with the occasional giraffe, and maybe buffalo. A flight over the Delta can surely be called one of the great plane journeys of the world. Please be aware that the flight is conducted in a small aircraft – usually a 5-seater – and that particularly in the warmer months, conditions can be somewhat bumpy. If you are prone to motion sickness, a preventative tablet should be considered.
(Driving time: approx 3 hours; excursion times variable) -This morning we travel into the Okavango Delta region to reach the boating station. We begin to see several species of wildlife as we approach the life-sustaining waters of the Okavango Delta. A 'mokoro' (traditional dugout canoes) excursion is taken to explore the Delta in a unique way. The Okavango Delta, perhaps the greatest inland waterway in the world, is a remarkable contrast to the countryside of the previous few of days. The delta is an amazing combination of shallow water, deeper channels, and myriad islands spread out over hundreds of square kilometres. The area is one of tranquil beauty and there are few people who are not deeply moved by these magnificent surrounds. Your Mokoro Guide will select a suitable area to set up your camp and you can relax under a tree looking out over the river while lunch is being prepared and the camp set up. You have the afternoon to relax and look out at the beautiful scenery of the Delta. During the evening your guides will share stories around the fire while listening to the sounds of the African bush. Whilst in the Okavango Delta you are required to only take a small day pack for this excursion. The remaining luggage will be locked securely at the main campsite.
(Driving time: approx 3 hours; excursion times variable)The following morning is spent exploring some of the water ways of the Okavango Delta. The boat excursions are ideally suited for gliding over the shallow waters of the delta and through beautiful water-lily fields. We spend our time searching for the elusive sitatunga antelope, relaxing and enjoying this remarkable environment. There is a fair amount of animal movement through this area and we may have the chance to see elephant, buffalo, certain antelope - and even wild dogs (Cape hunting dogs) have been spotted. After lunch we pack up camp and travel by vehicle through to the Moremi Reserve.The Okavango is a unique ecosystem in that it is situated in the middle of the largest stretch of continuous sand in the world – the Kalahari Basin. This wetland lies like an oasis in an otherwise inhospitable landscape. The vegetation is lush, but very fragile and the wildlife is of the very best to be seen in Africa. Over the next three days we will be exploring the Khwai River which extends from the Okavango River and the Moremi Game Reserve which lies on the eastern side of the Delta and comprises almost one third of the Okavango Delta (4871kms square). Both areas renowned for it's big game. We will be 'on land' the whole time, seeking out the animals that tend to stick to the edges of the delta. In a mixture of open plains, riverine and dry woodlands and mopane forests, we hope to encounter a considerable variety of wildlife. Our game drives usually take place from sunrise until late morning and from mid to late afternoon until sunset - these are the cooler times of the day when the animals tend to be the most active. There are no guarantees - you are not visiting a zoo - but there is the definite possibility of coming across giraffe, kudu, impala, baboon, hippo and crocodile in the waterways, tsessebe, warthog, wildebeest, impala, waterbuck, spotted hyena, jackal, zebra, elephant, Cape buffalo, and hopefully lion, cheetah and even the elusive leopard. The bird life in the area is often prolific and the sunsets can be breathtaking. In the hotter hours of the day we return to our campsite for a hearty brunch and to relax for a few hours, perhaps to snooze, to chat, to write up diaries, and to generally enjoy the peace of the African bush. In the evening following our afternoon game drive, we enjoy dinner around the camp fire and listen to some of the wonderful and intriguing sounds of the African night
(Driving time: approx 5 hours; excursion times variable)It will be an early start today as there is a four-hour drive to reach the southern reaches of Chobe National Park - the Savuti Marsh. We take a packed lunch as the camp will need time to move. Located in the southwestern corner of the park, the well-known Savuti includes the shallow basin of the Mababe Depression, which is now the dry bed of an ancient lake. The marsh itself is a grassland that is the home to large numbers of different animals. For the first time in 29 years, the Savuti Channel is now flowing again, and the wildlife is thriving. Animals that can be seen in these areas are elephant (Chobe boasts one of the largest populations in Africa), all the big cats including lion, leopard and cheetah along with Cape hunting dog and grazing animals such as puku (this is their most southern limit of range), huge herds of buffalo, giraffe, hippo, sable, kudu, baboons, and many others. There are three water points that are pumped so that the animals in the area can drink. The elephants dominate the water hole but the lions in this area have adapted - they have been seen killing up to 15 year-old male elephants! It is in this area that you realize that water is the currency of life. There are often excellent photographic opportunities around the waterholes, and at night the roar of a lion or the whoop of hyena can be a wonderful addition to any safari. Our activities over the next two days will be based around the water points. They are spaced out and so there is plenty to see driving between them. The order of each day will follow on the lines of early morning drives followed by lunch, a siesta and then out for an afternoon drive in search of animal life. A wide range of wildlife can be encountered at Savuti and it is not uncommon to have elephants close to the camp.
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