Botswana in Depth

Day 1: Victoria Falls

Today is an arrival day in Victoria Falls and you are met upon arrival at Victoria Falls Airport and transferred to your guesthouse. The remainder of the day is for you to enjoy at your own leisure. Nothing quite prepares you for the awesome power of Victoria Falls. At its peak it is believed that five million cubic metres of water pass over the cataracts every minute - that's a lot of water! There will time to view the falls themselves and also explore the town. For those who wish to partake in many of the activities on offer at Victoria Falls, we recommend that you arrive a couple of days earlier.

Day 2-3: Chobe National Park

(Driving time: approx 2 hours not including time at border; game drive times variable) This morning we depart early from Victoria Falls and drive to Kazungula on the Zimbabwe/Botswana border. After clearing immigration procedures we stop briefly in the town of Kasane where we can purchase any additional supplies that we may need for the trip. Please note that as this is a semi-luxury mobile camping trip, all beers, wines and soft drinks are provided when camping. We then head to our campsite which is situated inside Chobe National Park in the Serondella River Valley. The Serondella area of the Chobe Park is very different to other areas of the park. The drive to our final camp will feature plenty of wildlife viewing along the way. We spend two nights in the Serondella area of Chobe National Park which borders the Chobe River, a particularly beautiful and scenic area. Chobe National Park is named after the Chobe River, which forms the park's northern boundary. The park is 11,700 square kilometres, which makes it the third largest reserve in Botswana. Due to the size of the park, it supports a variety of different habitats and bio-diversities. The area along the Chobe River supports an abundance of animals and a bird population, which numbers over 440 at the last count. This afternoon we relax on a river cruise. The late afternoon is usually an elephant fest but there is always a lot of diversity of animals to see. Large herds of buffaloes, zebras, kudus, the rare pukus, elephants and many others feed in this area, while hippos and crocodiles inhabit the waterways, particularly in the evenings, when you may see large herds of elephant drinking at the river. Chobe is famous for its beautiful scenery and magnificent sunsets.

Meals included: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners

Day 4-5: Savuti

 (Driving time: approx 5 hours; game drive times variable) It will be an early start today as there is a five-hour drive to reach the southern reaches of Chobe National Park – the Savuti Marsh. We will 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 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 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.

Meals included: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners

Day 6-8: Moremi Game Reserve - Khwai River

(Driving time: approx 3 hours; game drive times variable) We pack up camp and travel by vehicle through to the Moremi Reserve. Our first morning in Moremi is spent getting to the camp in the Xakanaxa area of the Reserve, setting up camp and then getting acquainted with our surroundings. An afternoon game drive will be taken in the Xakanaxa area. The next two days will be spent on safari in this wonderful area. 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 are renowned for their 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

Meals included: 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners

Day 9: Okavango Delta

(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.

Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Day 10: Okavango Delta - Maun

(Driving time: approx 3 hours) The following morning is spent exploring some of the waterways 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 our relaxing morning we continue on 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.Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Day 11-12: Nxai Pan

(Driving time: approx 4 hours) This morning we depart Maun to enter into the Nxai Pan National Park. We will 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 baobabs. 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.Meals included: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners

Day 13: Maun

(Driving time: approx 4 hours) This morning we leave Nxai Pan for Maun. The tour will end upon arrival in Maun or at the airport in the mid-morning. Please do not book a flight out of Maun with a departure time prior to 2.30 pm. Additional accommodation and transfers can be pre-booked, at additional cost, if you would like to extend your stay in Maun.Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 14: Victoria Falls

This morning we leave Botswana and re-enter Zimbabwe at Kazungula border post. From Kazungula we make the short journey to the town of Victoria Falls. The tour will end upon arrival in Victoria Falls town or at the airport in the mid-morning. Please do not book a flight out of Victoria Falls with a departure time prior to 12.00pm. Additional accommodation and transfers can be pre-booked, at additional cost, if you would like to extend your stay in Victoria Falls. Meals included: 1 breakfast.