8 Day Vic Falls, Chobe River and Okavango (Khwai) Safari
Countries: Zimbabwe , Botswana
Destinations: Victoria Falls , Chobe National Park , Okavango Delta
Group Size: 2
Duration (days): 8
Number of Adults: 2
Number of Children: 0
Experience the might Victoria Falls, the Zambezi and Chobe Rivers, as well as the wildlife rich Khwai Private Reserve in the Okavango Delta
Itinerary Outline
| Day | Location | Accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Victoria Falls | The Victoria Falls Hotel |
| 2 | Victoria Falls | The Victoria Falls Hotel |
| 3 | Chobe National Park | Ichingo Chobe River Lodge by Mantis |
| 4 | Chobe National Park | Ichingo Chobe River Lodge by Mantis |
| 5 | Okavango Delta | Little Sable |
| 6 | Okavango Delta | Little Sable |
| 7 | Okavango Delta | Little Sable |
| 8 | Day of Departure |
Day 1 : Victoria Falls
After landing at Victoria Falls Airport (arrival flight not included in quotation) you will be met at Victoria Falls Airport and transferred to the town of Victoria Falls to spend 2 nights on a bed and breakfast basis at The Victoria Falls Hotel. You have the remainder of the day at leisure for your choice of activities of and dinner venue.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe - Making its way back into the tourist market, Zimbabwe is able to offer some incredible wilderness and exciting wildlife, along with the wonder that is Victoria Falls.
Zimbabwe's political climate and issues have been well documented through the world's media, and it is no secret that tourist numbers to the country have dropped substantially.
However, everything which made Zimbabwe one of the most popular safari destinations is still available, with operators moving back into the world famous areas of Hwange, Mana Pools, the Lower Zambezi and Lake Kariba.
Victoria Falls thunders mightily on the Zambezi River, and the canoeing and rafting experiences are as exciting as ever.
The people of Zimbabwe have always been one of the major highlights, and it is particularly pleasing that tourists are filtering through the borders again, rewarding the patience of the fantastic guides and conservation workers who have remained dedicated to Zimbabwe's wildlife areas.
Victoria Falls
"Mosi Oa Tunya", or "The Smoke That Thunders", Victoria Falls are as magnificent on the 10th visit as they are on the 1st, and their thundering roar makes everything else seem strangely quiet once you leave them behind.
As the mighty Zambezi flows over a chasm of 1 mile wide, and 110 metres high, to violently crash on the rocks below, the resultant spray is sent tens of metres up into the air, before it lands back down in a continuous rainfall. The water then rushes through an opening of only 50 metres, as the Zambezi races further along, over churning rapids and through the deep Batoka Gorge.
While the Falls are the major drawcard, there is a thriving tourist industry developed around them, with adventure activities of all forms being available.
Tourism has been evident here ever since David Livingstone was the first European guided by the local tribes to this remarkable natural wonder.
The Victoria Falls Hotel
Feel the wonder! One of the world’s Classic five-star hotels commands prime location overlooking Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, an acclaimed Natural Wonder of the World. A proud member of Leading Hotels of the World, the Edwardian-style hotel, built in 1904, was splendidly redecorated in 2013 to combine its traditional majesty with modern sophistication. For more than 110 years The Victoria Falls Hotel has been a luxury icon in Africa.
Day 2 : Victoria Falls
Included in your stay are a guided walking tour of the spectacular waterfalls and a sunset cruise on the might Zambezi River. In addition you can partake in activities of your choice from the many cultural, wildlife, and adventure activities available.
See http://www.wildhorizons.co.za/see-and-do/victoria-falls/ for some more information on the activities available and their prices.
Victoria Falls Guided Walking Tour of Waterfalls (Zimbabwe)
It’s a truly awe-inspiring experience – the sight, the sound, the smell; the humbling feeling that here indeed is a masterpiece of nature. This tour is conducted in the morning and afternoon. You will be accompanied through the Rainforest by a qualified guide who will give a brief history of the Falls themselves as well as detailing the flora, fauna, bird & wildlife and other points of interest such as the “Big Tree” and the statue of David Livingstone. Guides are also happy to assist you with photographs whilst visiting this most spectacular of waterfalls. Raincoats are provided when needed.
Zambezi Explorer Sunset Cruise
At the end of the day, cruise upstream in the three decked Zambezi Explorer to celebrate the setting African sun, meandering through the islands, enjoying the abundant wildlife along the banks of the Zambezi River. Share in the end-of-day ritual which sees wild herds streaming to the riverbanks for their last drink. Flocks of birds skim the waterline as the sun sets. Enjoy our range of cocktails served with an accompaniment of delectable hors d’ oeuvres. Bring a camera and create your own golden memories. The cruise leaves from the Zambezi River Cruise Terminal and will take approximately 2 hours.
Day 3 : Chobe National Park
You will be transferred by road across the Botswana border to Kasane where you will be dropped off at Kasane Immigration office. You exit Botswana to be transferred by boat to the Namibian passport control office on Impalila Island. You will then be transferred by boat to Ichingo Chobe River Lodge to spend 2 nights on a fully inclusive basis. You will have a guided motor boat excursion on the river this afternoon.
Botswana
Well known as one of the great safari destinations in Africa, Botswana offers some of the most beautiful, luxurious, and active safari experiences in Africa.
A Botswanan safari can never be long enough, and never experienced often enough. Although one of the flattest countries you will ever visit, Botswana is blessed with an incredible variety of landscapes and eco-systems.
It is the very flatness of Botswana which has created some of the world's most special wilderness areas, and exploring the Kalahari, Okavango Delta and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans rewards you with memories for a lifetime.
Easily accessible from Johannesburg, and simply combined with Victoria Falls, Botswana needs to be on your safari list if you are planning a visit to Southern Africa.
As soon as you land in Maun or Kasane, you will know that you have arrived in a country which operates like nothing you have experienced before.
With the warthogs running through the streets of Kasane, and the hippos grunting in the Chobe River, your welcome to Botswana is one which tells you straight away you are in Africa's wilds.
Chobe National Park
Accessed easily via a 1.5 hour flight from Johannesburg, or a 1 hour drive from Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park is the most visited park on a Boswana safari itinerary.
With an enormous elephant population, as well as magnificent birdlife and a huge array of herbivores and aquatic animals, it is often hard to believe that Chobe National Park is for real.
The game viewing starts from the moment you land at Kasane Airport, or drive across the border from Zambia or Zimbabwe, with warthogs foraging in the streets, buffalo being habitual visitors to the town, and hippos lazing around in the river.
Ichingo Chobe River Lodge by Mantis
Arriving at Ichingo Chobe River Lodge is a breath of fresh air. You will be welcomed with warm smiles and served with heartfelt attention to every detail. The staff are the shining stars of this hidden gem on Impalila Island, Namibia.
Located on the quieter Namibian side of the Chobe River, Ichingo Chobe River Lodge offers families, couples or groups with the highest level of service accommodated in comfortable Meru Safari tents.
The guides at Ichingo Chobe River Lodge are highly knowledgeable and make every specialised excursion on the river educational and fun. Catch-and-release fishing, guided photo safaris, river safaris, and bird-watching.
Day 4 : Chobe National Park
You have the full day for the range of activities included in your stay at the lodge, with photographic river safaris, tiger fishing, guided birdwatching, and cultural visits being offered.
Day 5 : Okavango Delta
You return to Botswana through Namibia passport control and Kasane Immigration to Kasane Airport, where you will be assisted to board a light aircraft flying on a circuit in the Okavango Delta. Upon landing at Khwai airstrip near Little Sable Camp, camp guides will collect you to spend 3 nights on a fully inclusive basis. A late afternoon game viewing activity will be the precursor to dinner under the stars.
Okavango Delta
The very word "Okavango" evokes a sense of adventure and exploration, and this is exactly what the Okavango Delta is about. Often called the Okavango Swamps, this intricate maze of waterways and sandy islands is an explorer's dream, and the destination should be on the wishlist of anyone looking for a unique travel experience.
The geology of the Delta is fascinating, with its creation being attributed to tectonic plate action from thousands of years ago causing the Kavango River to flow from Angola into the Kalahari Desert as opposed to the Atlantic Ocean.
So while the vegetation is lush, and the wildlife plentiful, the waterways are actually cutting through Kalahari Desert sand, and the entire delta is an enormous oasis.
Termites are credited with the creation of the many islands around which the water slowly flows, as their mounds, common features of the landscape, are responsible for the formation of sand and foliage around them.
There is a continuous scurry of life in the Delta, from the smallest of creatures to the largest of elephants, and every twist and turn of the channels brings some new form of life into view. The Okavango Delta is truly one of nature's greatest creations.
Little Sable
As authentic as it gets
Little Sable is a firm favourite at Natural Selection providing an authentic and rich Okavango safari experience. This intimate, tented retreat is located amid the shimmering grasslands of the Khwai Private Reserve, one of the best-managed private concessions in the greater Okavango Delta. Up here, there’s something to see around every corner and a different activity to enjoy every day, from classic game drives to mokoro trips and boat safaris. And the best bit of all is that this iconic safari experience is all yours at great value. So, what are you waiting for?
Day 6 - 7 : Okavango Delta
You have these two full days to enjoy the varied and pristine habitat of the Delta and view the remarkable wildlife with day and evening game drives, and mokoro (poled canoe) excursions (water level dependent).
Day 8 - Day of Departure
After a morning activity you will be assisted on to a light aircraft flight flying on a circuit to Maun Airport in time to board the onward flight on your travel schedule (flight from Maun not included in quotation).