From Jo’burg to Victoria Falls, game drive through Botswana’s finest national parks, go in search of white rhinos at Khama Sanctuary, ride a mokoro through the Okavango Delta and discover the vast salt pans of Makgadikgadi.
Trip Highlights
Included
Not Included
Itinerary
Johannesburg
Welcome to South Africa. Included transfer from Johannesburg Airport to your
pre tour accommodation where you can relax before tomorrow’s early departure. This evening you will meet your guide and the rest of the group for your pre-departure meeting at 18h00.
Overnight: Johannesburg
Marakele National Park
Johannesburg - Marakele National Park. An early morning departure from Johannesburg takes us via Pretoria, Thabazimbi and through the Limpopo Province to Marakele National Park in the heart of the Waterberg Mountains. All the large game species from Elephant and Rhino to the big cats as well as an amazing variety of birds including the largest colony of endangered Cape Vultures in the world, have settled here. We will head out on a sunset game drive in the evening before enjoying an evening meal prepared by our guide around the campfire and spending our first night in the African wilderness.
Overnight: Marakele National Park | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Khama Rhino Sanctuary
Marakele National Park - Khama Rhino Sanctuary. Our destination today is the Khama Rhino Sanctuary via the Martin’s Drift border post. The Khama Rhino Sanctuary Trust is a community based wildlife project, established in 1992 to assist in saving the vanishing white rhino, restore an area formerly teeming with wildlife to its previous natural state and provide economic benefits to the local Batswana community through tourism and the sustainable use of natural resources. We explore the sanctuary on an afternoon game drive in search of white rhinos.
Overnight: Khama Rhino Sanctuary | Breakfast, Lunch
Makgadikgadi Pans
Khama Rhino Sanctuary - Makgadikgadi Pans. Today we travel towards the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park area of Botswana. After settling into our accommodation, we take a stroll with our guide through the surrounding baobab grove. He will explain the local ecology, geology and the unique biology of the baobabs, which are in fact not trees but the largest succulents in the world.
Overnight: Makgadikgadi & Nxai Pan NP | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Maun
Makgadikgadi Pan - Maun. This morning we head off to Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. En route we travel via Nxai Pan, a fossil lake that is part of the greater Makgadikgadi system. Covered in nutritious short grasses and small islands of acacia trees, Nxai Pan attracts vast numbers of desert herbivores as well as carnivores including lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog. After our Nxai Pan excursion we continue our journey to Maun. The name Maun is derived from the San word “maung”, which means “the place of short reeds”.
Overnight: Maun | Breakfast, Lunch
Okavango Delta
Maun - Greater Moremi. After breakfast we will be picked up by our local Botswana guides and take a short drive to the mokoro station. From here, we will float in these traditional dug-out canoes through the thick vegetation of the Okavango Delta discovering a variety of birds and wildlife. Unlike other deltas, it flows into the Kalahari Desert without ever reaching the coast. After this spectacular excursion, we make our way to our camp, which is situated in the Greater Moremi area. After settling into our camp, we will enjoy dinner and embark on a night game drive in the private concession – a fantastic opportunity to spot some nocturnal animals that are more difficult to encounter during the day.
Overnight: Greater Moremi | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Greater Moremi
We have the opportunity to spend the day on game drives. In our open 4x4 vehicle we will explore the western side of the Moremi Game Reserve on morning and afternoon game drives hopefully spotting a variety of game that frequent this region. Game viewing is seasonal; depending on the time of the year you may see different species in different areas. The best time for game viewing is the end of the dry season or spring from August to November. During this season, in order for us to offer the best game viewing possible, extra driving may be required due to the animals migrating closer to the river. In the summer, birdlife can also be viewed in abundance with exceptional sightings of wildfowl and raptors.
Overnight: Greater Moremi | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Moremi Game Reserve
Today we head back into the famous Moremi Game Reserve known as one of the most beautiful and varied reserves in Africa with an unprecedented concentration of wildlife. The full day is spent in the unspoiled nature of reserve which is home to a great diversity of plant and animal life - making it a ‘must see' for a Botswana Safari. It contains - within its boundaries - approximately 20% of the Delta, and a vast range of habitats, acacia forests, floodplains, reed beds, lagoons, enduring wetland through mopane forest and dry savannah woodland.
Overnight: Greater Moremi | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Chobe National Park
Khwai River - Kasane. We have to get up early, as this will be the longest day of our safari with a full day ahead of us. We leave the camp in the Greater Moremi area and transit through the national parks of Moremi, Savuti and Chobe to Kasane, the gateway to the Chobe National Park. Keep an eye out for the wildlife in this area. Our lodge is situated on the bank of the Chobe River a short distance from its confluence with the mighty Zambezi River at Kazungula.
Overnight: Kasane | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Chobe game drive
We start the morning with an exciting game drive in the Chobe National Park, which along with many species of big game, boasts the largest concentration of elephant in Africa. We enjoy game viewing by boat on the Chobe River in the afternoon, watching elephants, hippos, crocodiles and a variety of birds without having to reach for our binoculars – you’ll be near enough for close-up photographs, as well as having the chance to witness a spectacular African sunset.
Overnight: Kasane | Breakfast, Dinner
Chobe - Victoria Falls
Kasane - Victoria Falls. Our journey takes us into Zimbabwe, home to one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the mighty Victoria Falls. In the afternoon we have a relaxing sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River, basking in the afterglow of the day. You have the rest of the day and the next day at leisure to partake in one of the many activities on offer.
Please note: For 2020 departures, we will replace the Zambezi River cruise with a tour of the Victoria Falls.
Overnight: Victoria Falls | Breakfast x 2, Lunch x 1, Dinner x 1
Victoria Falls
Your journey ends today and you will be transferred to Victoria Falls Airport in time for your departing flight.
Breakfast
Prices & Dates
Departure dates noted with a 'G' are guaranteed to operate. All other departure dates are guaranteed to run subject to a minimum of 4 travellers. This safari has a maximum group size of 12. Prices shown are per person travelling. Prices shown are per person when there are 2 persons sharing a room. The 'Single supplement' applies for single travellers who require their own room and needs to be added to the per person price.
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Hotels
The hotels listed below are ones which we frequently use on this tour. We reserve the right to substitute these hotels to ones of a similar standard.
The Safari Club, Johannesburg
African-themed Safari Club is a luxurious yet homely accommodation close to Johannesburg airport. With just 17 rooms all uniquely styled to represent a specific area on the continent it is easy to make yourself at home here. The hotel boasts a beautiful garden and serves fantastic food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The friendly bar is the perfect place to relax in the evening whilst sipping on a tasty beverage or two. The hotel is situated just a 4 minute drive from the airport - so it is the ideal place to start, or finish, your African adventure.
Serowe Hotel, Serowe
Well located in the historic town of Serowe, Serowe Hotel tastefully blends old world charm and homely atmosphere with modern conveniences. The hotel includes 15 newly appointed rooms with air conditioning and en suite facilities. The hotel also has a refreshing outdoor pool, poolside bar, pizza oven and the fantastic Heidi's Bar. The renowned Khama III museum is nearby and the lodge offers informative outings to this museum.
Planet Baobab Lodge, Makgadikgadi & Nxai Pan NP
The Planet Baobab Lodge is a unique oasis-like lodge in the heart of Botswana’s baobab capital. Guests can choose between a traditional Bakalanga hut made from mud or a traditional grass hut made in the way bushmen once did. The use of natural materials indigenous to the region mean that air-conditioning is unnecessary and only the mud huts are en suite. After a day on safari, relax with a cold drink besides the pool and feast on delicious dishes from all over Africa.
Thamalakane River Lodge, Maun
Situated on the banks of the Thamalakane River with magnificent views of the surrounding scenery, this lodge features African-inspired accommodation amidst the Botswana landscape. The spacious chalets have a unique 'skylight' wall to maximise the views. Its location on the river means that guests can watch water fowl and birds at their leisure from the public areas. The lodge's acclaimed restaurant is not too be missed with superb food and wine to match the superb surroundings.
Bedouin Bush Camp, Moremi Game Reserve
Offering a secluded and authentic African bush experience, this unfenced mobile camp is located in close proximity to Moremi Game Reserve. The camp is solar powered and provides a homely communal dining and bar area. Comfortable tents are positioned under large Acacia trees and covered with Bedouin-style fly-sheets, giving the camp a distinctive nomadic appearance. Equipped with twin beds, mosquito screening and en-suite bathrooms, you’ll be able to listen to the remarkable night sounds of the bush whilst enjoying the comforts of your safari tent.
Chobe Safari Lodge, Chobe National Park
Situated on the banks of the Chobe River, Chobe Safari Lodge is an excellent gateway to Chobe, Victoria Falls and the Zambezi Region. Rooms are spacious, with excellent facilities and private balconies. The restaurant serves a fantastic array of African and International cuisine. The Cocktail and Sedudu Bar is a great place to relax with a cocktail as the sun sets. The lodge is in Kasane, just 5 kilometres from Chobe National Park.
A'Zambezi River Lodge, Victoria Falls
A'Zambezi River Lodge features imaginative African-style architecture with sweeping curved buildings that are complimented by attractive gardens. Nestled besides the river, the lodge provides a quiet ambience for guests to enjoy nature and the facilities provided from award-wining restaurants to an outdoor pool with its own bar. The tastefully decorated rooms are well-equipped with modern conveniences from air-con to satellite TV. The hotel is minutes from Victoria Falls town (5km) and the mighty falls themselves.
In Brief
Extra Tour Info
