Practical info...
Groups...
Minimum: 2 / Maximum: 8.
Accommodation
Upmarket safari camps with en-suite bathrooms.
Transport...
To maximize guests' travel time, a variety of transport modes that bring out the best of each area are used: flying in private charters and overland transfers in custom made 4x4 provide both a bird's-eye view and an in-depth experience of the contrasting landscapes of Botswana.
Meals...
Enjoy three meals a day of delicious cuisine, served with local wines and other drinks (beers, fruit juice, etc.).
Comfort...
You can expect luxury and excellent levels of comfort.
Difficulty...
This trip is accessible to most people (12 years and older)
Conditions...
What is included...
Light aircraft transfers, road transfers, all mentioned activities, full board, drinks and wine during meals, park fees, and professional guides.
What is not included...
International flights, personal expenses, tips, airport taxes, visas, breakfast on the first day.
Day by day
Days 1-2: Chitabe Camp - Okavango
After arriving in Maun (Botswana), we fly by light aircraft to the heart of the Okavango Delta, to the Chitabe Camp within the Moremi Game Reserve. This is the only way to reach the area! Chitabe is situated on one of the most beautiful islands of the Okavango Delta, known for its high biodiversity. Here you find swamps, canals, acacia and mopane forests, savannah – and more. Chitabe offers eight spacious safari tents with en-suite bathrooms. Each is elevated on a wooden platform under the forest canopy!
Activities include game drives and guided walking safaris.
Days 3-5: Xigera Camp - Okavango
We fly by light aircraft to the water-filled paradise of the private Xigera area, also within the Moremi Game Reserve. Xigera is the ultimate Okavango Delta experience: serene waters flow through innumerable channels around remote islands which teem with a profusion of plant and animal life. We spend three days in this luxurious camp on stilts which offers a scenic view of the lagoon.
Available activities are: short mokoro (canoe) excursions in the Delta; 4x4 safaris; and motorized boat cruises which enable up-close encounters with the excellent diversity of birdlife (including Pel's Fishing Owl), frogs and a myriad of game species. Some of these are specially adapted to water, such as the rare sitatunga and the more common red lechwe. Walks vary in length and duration through the seasons, and as more islands become flooded during the peak flood months of June, July and August, they will be shorter.
Note:
An alternative option is available from May to October:
For those willing to leave luxury and comfort behind them (just for two days!) how about a memorable mokoro safari? There is no better way of experiencing the Okavango than by travelling through it by mokoro, walking and camping out on a vegetated island. These are all essential elements of the Xigera Mokoro Trails Experience. You will be exposed to the permanently-flooded inner Delta, serene waterways and islands of trees and bush. Our guest tents are smaller here than the rest of the safari, with a gauze main frame to enhance the views. Space is limited in the mokoros so bedrolls are on the ground (not on a stretcher) and our light comes from battery-powered lamps.
Days 6-7: Duba Plains - Okavang...
Today we transfer by light aircraft from Xigera to Duba Plains Camp (Okavango). Duba Plains is one of the most remote and intimate camps of the Okavango. It is located in the north of the Delta in a private concession and accommodates a maximum of 12 people. This area is well-known for its exceptional fauna which includes huge buffalo herds and possibly the highest density of lions in all of Africa! Main activities include game drives and guided walks.
Day 8: Impalila Island Lodge - Namibia...
Today we transfer by light aircraft form Duba Plains to Kasane and by car and by boat to Impalila Island Lodge (Namibia). The lodge is situated where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe meet! The island is located at the confluence of the Zambezi and Chobe Rivers and is a luxurious place accommodating no more than 16 people. It is truly magical! The Chobe River is famous for its huge pods of hippopotami and its no less impressive herds of elephant and buffalo which are attracted to the water during the dry period. In the late afternoon, we take a boat cruise on the river which ends with an African sunset.
Days 9-10: Tongabezi Lodge - Zambia (Victoria Falls)
Leaving beautiful Impalila, we transfer by minibus to the Tongabezi Lodge in Zambia. We stay for two nights at this sumptuous lodge, located upstream of Victoria Falls.
The many activities available (all included in the tour) include: canoe trips, boat cruises, walking, 4x4 game drives, a visit to the mighty Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls...
Discover Livingstone Island, the place from where Dr Livingstone first viewed the Mosi-oa-Tunya (The Smoke That Thunders). Your visit begins with a thrilling ride through the channels of the Zambezi in our twin-engine boats. Then you will be taken on a guided exploration of the island: learning about its long history from ancient times when it was a sacrificial site, to the present day as a protected World Heritage Site.
Other possible activities (at your own expense) are: white water rafting on the Zambezi; bungee jumping from the bridge above the Falls; a helicopter flight over the Falls; and a safari on the back of an elephant.
Day 11 : Last day...
Last morning at your own leisure before being transferred to Livingstone airport.
Note:
The duration of this trip and the choice of camps are easely customised.