The Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park
This safari is centered in northern Botswana, in Southern Africa. We will spend the first part of our journey in the Okavango Delta, which covers an area of 15,000 square kilometers in the heart of the Kalahari Desert, travel through Savuti and finish in Chobe National park along the chobe river (note: this safari also runs from chobe to moremi)
The Okavango Delta and moremi National park
The Okavango Delta is the largest inland delta in the world. From its origins in the highlands of Angola, this vast wetland is the home of an unparalleled diversity of wildlife. The Okavango is a wilderness of channels sided with stands of papyrus, lagoons mantled with water lilies, and palm-fringed islands. Hippos are the biggest permanent residents in the Delta. Sharing the waterways are crocodiles of up to 16 feet. On the edges of these swamps, where delta meets desert, the floodplains attract an abundance of game and birds. It is unspoiled Africa at its best.
Wildlife Safari
For our first few nights we will camp in Moremi National Park, which is in the heart of the Okavango. Elephants, lions, cheetah, leopard, spotted hyena, buffalo, impala, zebra, giraffe and baboons are just a few of the animals you can expect to see and Africa's "Big Five" are all present here. Moremi also boasts over 400 bird species including the lilac-breasted roller, the carmine bee-eater, the wattled crane and the saddle-billed stork. At the end of each day in the wilderness, we return to camp for a bush-cooked meal and sundowners followed by a comfortable night's sleep in accommodation prepared for you.
Bordering on the Moremi Game Reserve, our next destination is Chobe National Park. Chobe boasts a variety of vegetation - from the tropical Linyanti swamp, to the severe desert like landscape of Savuti, from lush floodplain grasslands to deep sands and woodlands. Here migrations of buffalo, zebra and wildebeest are dramatic. The Savuti channel has a very interesting history of flooding and drying. Presently the Savuti marsh is grassland where a cheetah or lion hunt is often seen in action. Finally, there is the Chobe riverfront, which is renowned for its game throughout the year.
The herds of elephants are amongst the largest in Africa and over 450 bird species have been recorded in this region. Sunset over the Chobe River is truly an unforgettable experience.
Booking for The Okavango Delta & chobe NP
$4480-$6830 for mobile safari similar to above. Lodge or luxury safaris and safaris personally guided and escorted by Nicole Apelian or Todd Ulmer are also available.
Contact Us for dates 10 days
50% deposit due on registration, full payment due 12 weeks prior to departure. Single supplement range $750 and up. Please note Pricing is subject to currency and seasonal fluctuations. *No flights included other than one internal bush flight.
Contact Us ❘ Offline Registration
Sample Itinerary for your botswana safari
Day 1, 2 & 3 Camping in the Xakanaxa/ 3rd bridge Area of the Moremi Game Reserve & Okavango Delta
- Your safari guide will be there to welcome you on arrival at Maun Airport. We leave Maun and board a small plane to take us deep into the Delta. Spending our next three nights camping in Moremi National Park, we explore the surrounding wilderness on game drives during the day. The Moremi Game Reserve forms part of the unique ecosystem called the Okavango Delta and Moremi covers up to one third of the Okavango. The total area of the Okavango covers up to 18 000 square kilometres of which the Moremi Game Reserve is 5000 square kilometres.
Day 4 , 5 & 6 Camping in the Khwai Community Area Bordering the Moremi Game Reserve
- Following an early breakfast we pack camp and continue our journey to Khwai, stopping for a picnic lunch en-route. The Khwai River forms a boundary between the reserve and the community area. We spend the next three nights camping at a campsite in the community area, exploring the Khwai floodplains on game drives and on foot both during the day and at night. Walking in the bush with a professional guide is an exhilarating experience.
- Exploring after dark with spotlights offers you an opportunity to experience some of the nocturnal animals that are rarely encountered during the day. It is important to note that night drives are not permitted within the national parks and reserves. These activities are conducted outside the boundaries of the Moremi Game Reserve in the Khwai community area, where we will be camping.
Day 7, 8 & 9 Camping at Savuti within the Chobe National Park
- We head further north en-route to Chobe National Park, where we spend the following three nights camping in a wilderness campsite in the Savuti region, exploring the desert-like landscape of game drives. Never has there been a better time to visit Savuti than now! The water from the Savuti Channel reached the marsh for the first time in 30 years in 2010 winding its way from the North. The marsh is prime cheetah country and in the wet season it is not unusual to see wild dogs hunting here. Savuti has for the last 30 years been an extremely dry area and lately its claim to fame has been lions killing elephants and they come for the few drops of water that remain in the waterholes. The dynamics have all changed with the arrival of the water ...and the surface water is a huge attraction for local birds and predators alike.
Day 10 Game drive from Savuti to the magnificent Chobe Riverfront and enjoy a boat cruise
- Leaving this parched landscape, we continue our journey north to the contrasting Chobe region of the park. On Day 10 you will also enjoy a picnic lunch and an afternoon boat cruise on the Chobe River. Our trip ends in Kasane, where you may continue on to Victoria Falls or another destination before you fly home. We recommend either spending a night or two in Kasane at Chobe Safari Lodge or two nights in Livingstone at Taita Falcon Lodge or Victoria Falls at Ilala. For those transferring across to Zambia/Zimbabwe it is recommended that your transfer be organized to meet you at Chobe Safari Lodge at 15h30..
YOUR SAFARI INCLUDES:
- Spacious and comfortable tented accommodation, including beds, bed linen and towels, with a private en-suite bathroom.
- Services of a professional guide, safari chef and camp assistants, complete with a supply vehicle.
- Game drives and local transfers in customized safari vehicles
- Exclusive camping in private campsites within the national parks and reserves
- All entrance and camping fees within the national parks and reserves
- All meals and drinks (mineral water, soft drinks, beer, wine and G&T) whilst in camp
- 12% Value Added Tax
NOT INLUDED:
- Travel Insurance
- All flights unless otherwise indicated
- Items of personal nature
- Toiletries
- Staff gratuities
- Optional safari extensions
A Typical Day on Safari
The day starts with the rising of the sun. Your wake-up call will be between 5am and 6am - a gentle "koko" (knock knock in Setswana) at the entrance of your tent. A camp hand will be on hand to fill your wash-hand basin with steaming hot water and freshly made tea and coffee will be served around the campfire. Wake up to the warmth of the morning sun at the dawn of a new day.
A light breakfast will be served before the early morning game drive. You will enjoy tea, coffee, juice, rusks, fruit, cereal, toast and jams. The best time of day to enjoy game viewing is in the early morning and late afternoon as most animals retreat to the shadows to rest during the heat of the day.
Having spent the morning exploring the surrounding wilderness in search of Botswana's hidden treasures, you will return to camp for lunch, which includes the likes of salads, freshly baked bread, cold meats, and pickles. Just as the animals retreat to escape the heat of midday, so will you. This is your time to enjoy reading, chatting, relaxing or taking a nap.
Later in the afternoon you will head out into the wilderness once more as the animals awake from their days slumber and gather at the watering holes to quench their unforgiving thirst. As the sun sets on the horizon, one can only marvel at the sheer splendor of an African sunset and with refreshments in hand, toast to the wonder of nature.
On your return to camp, you can enjoy a hot shower under the starry night sky and gather around the warmth of the campfire to relive the day's events and excitement. Enjoy dinner served with South African wines against the magical backdrop of the African night sky.
Retreating to the comfort of your tent after enjoying a nightcap around the campfire, you can fall asleep to the calls of the African wild.
On moving days, the guide and the camp hand will pack down the camp, then travel to the next camp site and prepare the camp at the next location. When travelling between locations, the route is most commonly through the parks and reserves and is therefore an extension of your daily game drives. A picnic lunch can be enjoyed en-route.
