Luxury Safari – Botswana & Vic Falls
$ 8745
/ per person
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LUXURY SAFARI IN BOTSWANA AND VICTORIA FALLS
Okavango Delta, Botswana & Vic Falls, Zimbabwe
11 Days / 10 Nights
1 January – 31 December 2022
Experience Botswana on a luxury African safari that will spoil you with big five sightings in the Okavango Delta, Chobe and Savute, ending at the Victoria Falls.
Explore the Okavango Delta by mokoro or motorised boat cruises (seasonal)*, on foot or on game drive. A maze of sparkling lagoons, meandering channels and overgrown islands teeming with wildlife, Botswana’s Okavango Delta lies like a sparkling jewel at the heart of the Kalahari Desert. Known as “the river that never finds the sea”, crystal clear channels spread over the thirstlands of the Kalahari with their papyrus-fringed banks and fertile floating islands. Adapted for a life in and out of water, the elegant red lechwe and shy sitatunga are found in this watery wilderness. Lion, cheetah, leopard and African wild dog share the floodplains with large herds of elephant and buffalo.
Victoria Falls presents a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River, forming the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was described by the Kololo tribe living in the area in the 1800s as ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ – ‘The Smoke that Thunders’. In more modern terms Victoria Falls is known as the greatest curtain of falling water in the world. Columns of spray can be seen from miles away as, at the height of the rainy season, more than five hundred million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge, over a width of nearly two kilometres, into a gorge over one hundred meters below.
INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE:
- Flights – OR Tambo to Maun and Livingston to OR Tambo.
- 4 Local flights between reserve and lodges.
- All transfers.
- 10 Nights’ accommodation in 4 different luxury lodges.
- All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and selected beverages.
- 2 Game drives per day.
- Full day Mokoro trip on the Delta
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Destination
Tour Plan
1
DAY 1-2: OKAVANGO DELTA:
On arrival at Maun Airport you will be warmly welcomed by an &Beyond representative, who will assist you onto your light aircraft flight to the camp or lodge of your choice in the Okavango Delta.
The Okavango Delta is the world’s largest inland delta and is often referred to as a miracle of nature. A maze of sparkling lagoons, meandering channels and overgrown islands teeming with wildlife, Botswana’s Okavango Delta lies like a sparkling jewel at the heart of the Kalahari Desert. Known as the river that never finds the sea, the Delta’s crystal-clear channels spread over the thirstlands of the Kalahari with their papyrus-fringed banks and fertile floating islands. Guided dugout canoe (mokoro) trips take you into the heart of the delta and provide excellent up-close game viewing and bird watching.
Adapted for a life in and out of water, the elegant red lechwe and shy sitatunga are found in this watery wilderness. Lion, cheetah, leopard and African wild dog share the floodplains with large herds of elephant and buffalo. Hippo inhabit the deeper channels and lagoons, while honey badgers may be seen in broad daylight. Tall termite mounds are homes for families of dwarf and banded mongoose.
This remarkable region is a Wetland of International Importance (RAMSAR site) due to its unique ecosystem. In terms of pristine beauty, remote location and rich diversity of animal and bird life, the Okavango Delta is unbeatable.
2
DAY 3-4 MOREMI GAME RESERVE :
After breakfast in the Okavango Delta, you will board a light aircraft flight to the camp or lodge of your choice in the Moremi Game Reserve.
Spreading across the magnificent Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve boasts the most diverse habitat and animal populations in Botswana. The landscape comprises a stunning combination of forests, lagoons, floodplains and islands. Tall mopane woodlands and spreading floodplains fringed with majestic palms make Moremi one of Africa’s most scenic wildlife areas. The combination of habitats makes Moremi the ideal place to combine typical savanna game viewing with leisurely cruises along lagoons and channels and rich bird watching.
Dense riverine forests are home to shy leopard and deep lagoons are inhabited by hippo, while the semi-aquatic red lechwe and sitatunga antelope can be seen wading the shallows. Buffalo, giraffe, lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena and jackal can all be spotted on the floodplains and among the Moremi’s drier areas. A birdwatcher’s paradise, the rich and diverse habitat of the reserve is home to a surprising diversity of birds, with almost 500 species, from water birds to forest dwellers. The area is also well known for regular sightings of the endangered African wild dog.
3
Day 5-6 SELINDA RESERVE:
After breakfast, yet another short flight will take you to the camp or lodge of your choice in the Selinda Reserve.
The Selinda Reserve is a 320 000 acre (129 500 hectare) private wildlife sanctuary in northern Botswana. The famous Selinda Spillway, which links the Okavango Delta to the Linyanti and Kwando wetlands and rivers, meanders through the area. Abundant wildlife is attracted to the vast floodplains and grasslands along the river, with large numbers of elephant and vast herds of buffalo congregating around the Zibadianja Lagoon in the dry winters. Predator viewing is exceptional, including lion, leopard, wild dog and cheetah.
Due to its remoteness, the Linyanti is a gorgeous, unspoiled region of waterways and lagoons, riverine forests, huge trees and palm tree islands. Game viewing is superlative in both the wet and dry season and the birding is exceptional.
Stretch, yawn and listen to the morning chorus of birdcalls before easing into a new day. Hop into the vehicle like a seasoned safari veteran and set out in search of the perfect sighting. Hear nothing but the grass swish-swishing against your trouser leg as you walk through the tranquil bush. Crouch down around a fresh animal track as your guide deciphers the clues it has to offer. If the water levels allow, glide along the river on a tranquil canoe safari. Back at camp, let the aches and pains of the day melt away under the expert care of the camp masseuse. In the evening, warm your toes around a blazing campfire and join in stories of the day’s adventures.
4
DAY 7-8 CHOBE NATIONAL PARK :
Enjoy your last game drive, bush walk or canoe trip before returning to the airstrip, where you will hop abroad a light aircraft for a flight to Kasane Airport. A vehicle will be waiting to take you to the camp or lodge of your choice in Chobe National Park.
Located in the north of Botswana, with the Chobe River forming the country’s northern border, Chobe National Park is flanked in the south west by the Okavango Delta and the Moremi Game Reserve. Towards the south of the Chobe River lie flat floodplains that form a broad sweep of open grassland and woodland. A myriad pans and waterholes dot the plains.
The Chobe River and its floodplains provide an irresistible attraction for wildlife, which congregates there during the dry season. Vast herds of elephant abound, with between 500 and 5 000 elephant frequently seen on the floodplains. Watching the elephant families drink and bathe in the river is an unforgettable sight, all the more impressive when herds of buffalo, rafts of hippo and gigantic Nile crocodile are part of the scene. Lion and spotted hyena are frequently seen on the floodplains, where red lechwe, puku, zebra, sable and roan come out to graze.
5
Day 9-10 VICTORIA FALLS :
Indulge in an early morning game drive and breakfast before being driven to Victoria Falls in neighbouring Zimbabwe, clearing customs and immigration en route.
One of the world’s greatest natural spectacles, Victoria Falls is a massive curtain of water that tumbles over steep cliffs into the sheer drop of Batoka Falls. Shrouded in legend, romance and myth, long before the Scottish missionary and explorer, Dr David Livingstone ‘discovered’ the Falls in 1855, the local Batonga people had named them Mosi-oa-Tunya, ‘the smoke that thunders’.
Apart from its exceptional scenery, Victoria Falls boast a rich historical heritage that includes the landmark Victoria Falls Bridge, commission by Cecil John Rhodes as part of his dream of building a railway across Africa from Cape Town to Cairo.
6
DAY 11: DEPARTURE:
Today, the little town of Victoria Falls claims the title of Adrenaline Capital of Africa, combining its spectacular scenery with a seemingly endless variety of adventure sports from bungee jumping to canoeing and white water rafting.
Tour Location
Gallery
Okavango Delta and the majestic Victoria Falls
