12 Day Delta and Wildlife Adventure
Countries: Zimbabwe , Botswana , Namibia
Destinations: Victoria Falls , Makgadikgadi Salt Pans , Okavango Delta , Maun , Kavango-Zambezi Region (formerly Caprivi) , Chobe National Park
Group Size: 16
Duration (days): 12
Number of Adults: 16
Number of Children: 0
Explore the untouched natural beauty and wildlife of Botswana on this very comfortable Lodge Tour. Starting with the natural wonder of Victoria Falls and a breath taking sunset at Makgadikgadi pans. Enjoy big game viewing in open 4x4 vehicles in Moremi Game Reserve before boating, walking and mokoros in the pristine Okavango Delta. Continue with an overnight on the banks of the Zambezi River and end your tour with game viewing along the Chobe river. An incredible tour of the natural wonders of Botswana!
Itinerary Outline
| Day | Location | Accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Victoria Falls | Cresta Sprayview |
| 2 | Victoria Falls | Cresta Sprayview |
| 3 | Makgadikgadi Salt Pans | Nata Lodge |
| 4 | Okavango Delta | Shokomoka Safari Lodge |
| 5 | Okavango Delta | Shokomoka Safari Lodge |
| 6 | Maun | Cresta Riley |
| 7 | Okavango Delta | Swamp Stop |
| 8 | Okavango Delta | Swamp Stop |
| 9 | Kavango-Zambezi Region (formerly Caprivi) | Zambezi Mubala Lodge |
| 10 | Chobe National Park | Chobe Safari Lodge |
| 11 | Chobe National Park | Chobe Safari Lodge |
| 12 | Day of Departure |
Day 1 - 2 : Victoria Falls
The tour starts at 15h00 on Day 1 with a pre departure meeting in the foyer of Sprayview Hotel. Time is free to view Victoria Falls – without doubt one of the greatest and most spectacular sights in Africa. Time is spent at leisure to browse the local markets and to experience the many optional activities on offer in the adrenalin capital of Africa including helicopter flights over the Falls and to visit the Falls (own expense).
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.
Cresta Sprayview
Cresta Sprayview is just 1.4 km from the Victoria Falls Rain Forest entrance. When the Falls are in full flood, the spray from this majestic wonder is visible from the hotel, rising like a column of smoke. It is locally referred to as “Mosi-oa-Tunya” or the “Smoke that Thunders”. Set on eight acres of manicured grounds, the accommodation offers a tranquil oasis from which to enjoy all Victoria Falls has to offer. Alfresco dining and the large swimming pool make the hotel a relaxing retreat for families, international travellers and honeymooners.
Day 3 : Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
Departing after breakfast, we travel through Botswana to the Nata area. Late afternoon we visit the Makgadikgadi Pans for a truly unforgettable sunset over what remains of an ancient 6500km2 lake.
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.
Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
Pronounced "Makgadikgadi," these salt pans in the centre of Botswana are the remnants of the largest lake in Africa, which dried up thousands of years ago. The shimmering white, deadly landscape adds to Botswana's adventurous reputation, with only the bravest of early explorers having the courage to try and cross the seemingly endless wasteland.
We are fortunate nowadays to explore these pans from the comfort of a 4x4, and the luxury of lodges with swimming pools and shaded tents. However, even with these amenities, the Makgadikgadi Pans evoke a sense of adventure in travellers. Including the salt pans in a Botswana safari adds to the remarkable variety of your holiday, and to the beauty of your photo album.
Nata Lodge
Nata Lodge is an oasis set among the Mokolwane palms on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. It is ideally situated close to the entrance to the Nata Sanctuary and is the junction to the Okavango, Chobe and Francistown areas.
The lodge offers 22 luxury air conditioned thatched chalets built on stilts and set in rustic African style, with en suite bathrooms including indoor baths and outdoor showers.
10 luxury safari tents are built on raised wooden platforms which are nestled under the lodges many marula trees. These tents feature en suite bathrooms and include all the amenities offered in any of the lodge’s chalets.
The camping site provides full ablution facilities with hot and cold showers as well as central electrical power banks.
Guest areas include a restaurant, swimming pool, gift shop and a bar/lounge area.
The shady tree canopy surrounding the lodge is a hive of activity, with a bird feeding area and active water feature providing the bird watcher with the opportunity of viewing a variety of species from the comfort of the pool deck, open bar or restaurant.
The Nata River delta feeds the Sua Pan in the Nata sanctuary and forms the breeding ground for a host of water birds including pelicans and flamingo in their thousands, transforming the shore line into a pink haze blending into the western sky.
For keen bird watchers and naturalists, Nata Lodge offers open vehicle excursions into the Nata Sanctuary. Mammal species in the sanctuary include antelope such as springbok, as well as springhares, jackals and foxes.
However the main attraction is the abundance of bird life. Around 165 bird species, including king-fishers, eagles, ostriches, pelicans, spoonbills and both greater and lesser flamingos, have been recorded.
Day 4 - 5 : Okavango Delta
A 3 hour drive takes us to Maun, the gateway to the Okavango delta and Moremi game reserve. We change from our overland vehicle into open 4×4 vehicles and proceed to our accommodation situated at the edge of Moremi game reserve. Moremi is lush and varied, shallow flooded pans, plains and forests. It is one of Africa’s finest areas for wildlife, with particularly high game densities including all major naturally occurring herbivore and carnivore species in the region and over 400 species of birds. Days are spent enjoying morning and afternoon game drives in the private concession and inside Moremi.
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.
Shokomoka Safari Lodge
Shokomoka Adventure Hotel is a gem of a bush lodge located on the Gomoti River at the eastern end of the Okavango Delta, very close to Moremi Game Reserve.
The adventure lodge has a real bush feeling and low impact on nature and at the same time it is comfortable, tastefully decorated and has a high attention to detail.
Day 6 : Maun
A 2 hour transfer takes us back to Maun. The afternoon is free for an optional 1 hr scenic flight over the vast Okavango Delta (own expense).
Maun
Botswana’s tourism capital lies on the southern fringes of the Okavango Delta, and still, despite recent modernisations, carries the feeling of a dusty, frontier town. For many tourists, Maun is the point of entry into the Delta, and often into Botswana, with direct flights from both Johannesburg and Gaborone.
Maun is the administrative centre of Ngamiland District, which is home to a fascinating variety of ethnic groups: the Hambukushu, Basubiya and Bayei – all of central African origins, who know the Okavango intimately, having expertly exploited and utilised its abundant resources for centuries. There are also the Banoka – the River Bushmen, who are the Okavango’s original inhabitants, the Bakgalagadi, and the Baherero, who originate from Namibia, and whose women can be seen wearing brightly coloured victorian style dresses as they stroll along the town roads, or sit outside their traditional rondavels.
Frequently, the ‘people’ side of the Okavango is overlooked, with tourists merely using Maun as a transit point to embark for the Delta. However, exploring the traditional villages along the western fringes of the Delta, in the panhandle area, is worth the time and effort, and for many tourists, becomes a real highlight of their travels in Botswana.
The dramatic surge in the numbers of tourists coming to Botswana in the 1980s brought equally dramatic changes to Maun. Safari companies abound, and their signposts dot the sandy parking lots. Modern malls, shops, hotels and guesthouses have sprung up everywhere; and now virtually any food item – from champagne, French cheeses, and chocolates down to commonplace necessities – can be purchased.
Today you can enjoy wilderness and wildlife by day and watch high tech DvDs by night, or walk into old government offices straight out of the colonial era.
Meanwhile, the timeless Thamalakane River meanders lazily through the town, setting the scene and mood for what lies ahead.
Cresta Riley
There are so many wildlife adventures to embark on once you enter Maun, and the Okavango Delta beyond, that its essential to have a well-established, comfortable base from which to explore. That is Cresta Rileys. The first hotel established in Maun and a landmark since the early 1900s, Cresta Riley’s has a long history of serving travellers who seek authentic African experiences as well as modern comforts.
Day 7 - 8 : Okavango Delta
Driving round the pan handle we traverse to the north west of the Okavango Delta. We arrive at Swamp Stop and our lodge on the edge of the Okavango Delta. The following day we travel by boat 30 minutes into the delta. We do mokoro & boat excursions in the back channels of the Nxamasire area of the delta. Game walks are also done on the smaller islands in the area subject to the water levels of the delta.
Swamp Stop
Our iconic and authentic Safari camps, set dramatically on the Okavango River are the ultimate gateway for adventure travelers seeking to experience the best of the Okavango at an affordable price. Accessible by road and air we pride in offering the full suite of Wilderness Experiences unique to the Okavango.
Discover the soul and spirit of the Okavango with us and enjoy classic Okavango experiences including Makoro Trips, day boating and birding adventures, island walks, and sunset cruises where guests experience the incredible wilderness of the Okavango.
With over 30 years of owning and running Okavango Safari camps we have the depth of experience and local knowledge to guide you as you experience the iconic river ways and islands of this world heritage jewel.
Day 9 : Kavango-Zambezi Region (formerly Caprivi)
Departing the Delta we cross into Namibia and continue to the Eastern side of the Caprivi Strip. We arrive at our lodge overlooking the flood plains of the Zambezi River.
Namibia
Out-of-this-world landscapes and panoramas make Namibia a photographer's dream destination. While not as much of a wildlife destination as other countries, Namibia makes up for this with phenomenal scenery, cultures and activities.
Namibia is a desolate and largely uninhabitable country, well-known mainly for its deserts and coastline. However, there is far more to the destination.
Namibia is home to some fascinating people, and in the right season, can provide you with some of the best game viewing on the continent.
When travelling Namibia, the distances are vast, and often you will go without seeing another vehicle, or person, for hours.
Around every bend of the road awaits another breathtaking landscape, with wide open spaces and incredible colours giving you photo opportunities at all times of day.
Below are a few of the popular areas frequented by travellers to Namibia, and they are places which will remain in your memories forever:
Kavango-Zambezi Region (formerly Caprivi)
In the north east of Namibia, bordering Angola, Botswana and Zambia, the Caprivi region is a mosaic of woodlands, rivertine forests, swamps and rivers and home to an abundance of game and birds. Community campsites and joint venture lodges are set in amazing places.
The wildlife is protected by several reserves: Mamili, Bwabwata, Lizauli and Mudumu. There are no fences, therefore the animals roam freely across the borders of Namibia's neighbouring countries, Botswana and Zambia.
Caprivi land based activities include exciting game drives and walking safaris, while the tranquil waterways are ideal for game viewing by boat, canoeing and tiger fishing. Birdwatchers will have a wonderful time spotting more than 400 species of bird..
Zambezi Mubala Lodge
Along the edge of the mighty Zambezi River, lies the water sanctuary of Zambezi Mubala Lodge & Camp. A bird-lover’s dream, this lodge is home to one of the largest colonies of Carmine Bee-eaters, that live along the banks of the majestic Zambezi. Birds are often joined by the occasional hippo or crocodile, baking in the shallow waters along the banks. Guests can relax and watch the colours of life sail along the steady current of the river.
Day 10 : Chobe National Park
Crossing back into Botswana we overnight on the banks of the Chobe River. Chobe is famous for its beautiful scenery, magnificent sunsets and abundance of wildlife and birdlife. The afternoon of arrival is free for an optional game drive.
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.
Chobe Safari Lodge
Chobe Safari Lodge is situated in Kasane on the banks of the Chobe River and shares a border with Chobe National Park. It is the oldest lodge in Chobe and was established in 1959. Right on our doorstep is the meeting of four African countries: Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Chobe Safari Lodge therefore offers an excellent getaway location to Chobe, Victoria Falls or Caprivi.
Day 11 : Chobe National Park
Today we relax on a morning game drive and a sunset game-viewing cruise on the Chobe River.
Day 12 - Day of Departure
Tour ends after breakfast with transfer to Kasane or Victoria Falls airport for onward flight.