Itinerary | 9 Day Okavango and Linyanti Safari - Kwando Camps | African Ubuntu Safaris

9 Day Okavango and Linyanti Safari - Kwando Camps

Countries: Botswana

Destinations: Kwando, Linyanti and Selinda , Okavango Delta

Group Size: 2

Duration (days): 9

Days of Departure: Every Day

Number of Adults: 2

Number of Children: 0

Days of Departure: Every Day

This wonderful Botswana itinerary focuses on two exceptional wildife areas. It begins in the remote Kwando Concession in the Linyanti followed by the world-renowned Okavango Delta. The camps are very comfortable and offer a very relaxed and "unstuffy" atmosphere. This safari will give you a great opportunity to see Wild Dog. 

Itinerary Outline

Day Location Accommodation
1 Kwando, Linyanti and Selinda Kwando Lebala
2 Kwando, Linyanti and Selinda Kwando Lebala
3 Kwando, Linyanti and Selinda Kwando Lagoon
4 Kwando, Linyanti and Selinda Kwando Lagoon
5 Okavango Delta Kwara
6 Okavango Delta Kwara
7 Okavango Delta Kwara
8 Okavango Delta Kwara
9 Day of Departure

Day 1 : Kwando, Linyanti and Selinda

On arrival you will be met at Maun Airport and assisted on to a light
aircraft for your flight to the Kwando Concesssion. You will be met at the airstrip and taken to Lebala Camp where you will spend 2 nights on a fully inclusive basis. 

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.

Kwando, Linyanti and Selinda

Just when you thought that lodges could not get any more remote or wild in Botswana!  In the far north of the country, bordering Namibia, you will find the Selinda Spillway, the Linyanti River and Marsh, and the Kwando River.   The Spillway is the waterway which connects the Okavango Delta with the Kwando and Linyanti Rivers, which then flow on to become the Chobe River.

The wilderness areas supported by these waters have been divided into private concessions, on which are scattered very few, very luxurious, lodges.

These are wonderful, out of the way locations, with unspoilt scenery, and excellent wildlife.

Kwando Lebala

Lebala means wide open spaces, and the camp is located in the Kwando Reserve’s 232,000 hectares of private unfenced wilderness. Here, the southerly flowing Kwando River disappears into the vast marshland to the east, outside of the Kwando Reserve. Lebala sits on the floodplains of the Kwando River and the special ecosystem is home to a wide variety of Africa’s plains game such as zebra, wildebeest, impala, giraffe, and tsessebe. The wonderful variety of wildlife also includes elephant, hippo, buffalo and the ever present predators of lion, cheetah and hyena. Lebala’s location away from the dense mopane woodland to the east of the Reserve facilitates the ease of traversing the concession looking for big game.

The camp itself is comprised of nine custom designed tents, with unique mosquito net walls, allowing an unobstructed flow of cooling breezes and stunning views. Each spacious tent has its own viewing deck, bathroom and luxurious double outside showers.

There is also one family tent which consists of an additional twin bedroom within the unit itself, ensuring that parents and young children sleep in the same tent for their peace of mind.

The main areas of the camp include a small swimming pool, a communal fire place and dining room, a curio shop, bar and lounge area complemented with a small library.

Outdoor private dinners can be organised by the poolside or by the fireplace for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries and honeymoons.

Day 2 : Kwando, Linyanti and Selinda

Enjoy morning and afternoon willdife activities. Both game drives and bush walks are on offer at Lebala Camp. 

Day 3 : Kwando, Linyanti and Selinda

This morning you will set off on a morning game drive. During the drive you will meet up with your guide from Lagoon Camp and swap vehicles before continuing to camp. This intercamp transfer takes around 4-5 hours, depending on what you see along the way. 

Kwando Lagoon

Lagoon is perched on the banks of the wild Kwando River, nestled beneath towering ebony and marula trees. The heavily forested site is home to a wide variety of birds and mammals, while elephant and hippo are normally visible from the camp. The stunning views and close proximity of wildlife all contribute to the pervading sense of calm at Lagoon.

Lagoons area in the Kwando Reserve has a well-earned reputation for big game and large herds of elephant and buffalo, especially in the winter months, when herds of up to a thousand are not uncommon. This vast concentration of game attracts the attention of large predators. The Lagoon wild dog pack regularly den close to the camp and the excellent viewing opportunities have led to Lagoons reputation as the place to see wild dog in Botswana.

Seasonally large herds of elephant drink at the river bank near to the camp in full view of the main deck, while pods of hippos are commonly seen languidly sunbathing in the water.

Lagoon accommodates up to 18 guests in nine expansive tents. Each tents private deck, living area, and bathroom all afford picturesque views over the river. Likewise, these views are also perfect to wake up to, in bed. Each tent has an ensuite bathroom with both an indoor and outdoor shower, as well as a bathtub for an enjoyable afternoon soak.

The main areas of the camp include a bar and sitting area, outdoor deck with a swing, dining area, curio shop, orientation centre, and a cosy second-level library overlooking the river.

Adjacent to the main area, is the family tent which has two entrances (one to the twin bedroom and the other to the main bedroom and living area). The family tent shares the same ensuite bathroom facilities.

Another special feature of the camp is the afternoon river cruise. The unique double deck boat allows several guests the opportunity to drift along the river while enjoying spectacular views, mammal and bird life while sipping at your sundowner of choice.

For those guests who enjoy fishing, there is ample room to throw a line in the water while the boat meanders along.

(Please note fishing is only offered in the open season March-December).

Day 4 : Kwando, Linyanti and Selinda

Today enjoy morning and afternoon wildlife activities. In addition to the usual game drives, walking safaris, boat trips and fishing are also available.  

Day 5 : Okavango Delta

After your morning activity and hearty breakfast, you'll be taken to the airstrip for your flight to Kwara in the north of the Okavango. Upon arrival at the airstip you will be met and taken to Kwara Camp where you will spend 4 nights on a fully inclusive basis. 

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.

Kwara

Overlooking a secluded lagoon in the northern Okavango Delta, Kwara offers the ultimate Delta experience. Its location allows access to the permanent waterways of the Delta as well as expansive dry land areas, admired for their quality game viewing.

Kwara offers, within the exclusive concession in which it is located, a wide variety of activities. In addition to game drives, both day and night, the camp offers mokoro trips, as well as fishing (spinning equipment is provided but fly fisherman need to bring their own equipment). Boat trips are on a double-decker boat that visits the Godikwe Lagoon in the waters of the Moremi Game Reserve, which is known for the abundant varieties of birdlife especially during nesting season.

Kwara is known for its consistent sightings of predators, including lion, cheetah, leopard and on rare occasion – white rhino! Herds of elephants also frequent the area, as well as giraffe, zebra, sitatunga, lechwe, impala and hippos.

(Please note fishing is only offered in the open season March-December).

We are pleased to announce that Kwara camp has reopened after an extensive rebuild, on 1st September 2019.

Kwara sits on the beautiful lagoon of the original site, and is a larger and more luxurious camp than its predecessor.

The décor of Kwara pays homage to the authentic African style of Kwando Safaris, and has 9 canvas tents. Each tent has a spacious deck overlooking the lagoon, an ensuite bathroom with both indoor and outdoor showers and a gorgeous bath – all of which have views out to the floodplains. There is a ceiling fan in the room and mosquito nets around the beds.

The main area of the camp, sits in the centre of the camp, has a dining area, lounge and curio shop. Kwara also has 2 small pool areas at each end of the camp providing guests with more private lounge areas. Each poolside has a small bar and pool loungers for guests to enjoy the afternoon siesta period. There is one additional pilot/guide tent of a lesser standard than the other guest tents.

Like other Kwando properties, Kwara offers a digital detox experience (no wifi, no cell phone connectivity) allowing our guests to truly enjoy and embrace the natural setting of the camp. All activities will be accompanied by a guide and tracker. However unlike other Kwando Safaris camps, all 9-seater vehicles take a maximum of 4 guests. We operate game drives (off-road and at night), walking safaris, mokoros, boat cruises, and seasonal fishing. The site is 15 minutes from the Kwara airstrip.

*The age limit for Kwara is a minimum of 18 years of age and there are no family rooms. (These are available at Splash).

*Kwara must be booked for a stay of minimum of 3 nights.

Day 6 - 8 : Okavango Delta

Spend the next three days enjoying the activities at Kwara. These include game drives, boat trips and mokoro excursions. 

Day 9 - Day of Departure

After a final activity you will be taken to the airstrip for your flight back to Maun.