Botswana Wildlife Safari

Arrive in Victoria Falls. Often referred to as the adventure capital of Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls offers a variety of land, air and water-based activities in the surrounding area. For those arriving on time our Leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Victoria Falls at any time. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Victoria Falls Airport (airport code VFA), which is 20km, around 25 minutes' drive from the hotel. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your Leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. We will be staying at either the Batonka Guest Lodge or Pioneer Lodge. The two are sister properties located just over 1km from each other and are almost identical. Both are set in beautiful landscaped gardens, feature a swimming pool, spacious rooms, an expansive terrace where breakfast is taken, a bar and a stylish lounge and dining room which are both extremely comfortable. They are both exclusively reserved for residents which ensures the upmost privacy. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, perhaps you might choose from a host of adventurous activities including whitewater rafting, canoeing and cruises on the Zambezi River. Full details are listed in the 'budgeting and packing' section.

Leaving our guesthouse this morning, it's a short one-hour drive to the Kazungula land border crossing between Zimbabwe and Botswana. Once border formalities are completed, we'll continue to our campsite located on the banks of the Chobe River. Our newly built campsite is the perfect base for exploring Chobe National Park. Situated at the point where Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana meet, it's located right on the water's edge. We'll be staying in comfortable safari tents, built on fixed platforms. Each tent has a proper bed with all bedding provided. Tents also have en-suite bathrooms with a sink and flushing WC, and there is a separate dining room, bar and lounge area. This afternoon, we'll head out on a late afternoon game drive - our first safari of the trip. Chobe is the heart of elephant country and is home to approximately 120,000 of the giant creatures. Throuhout this tour, we'll travel in a customised, open-sided land cruiser. The land cruiser is ideal for game viewing but can be a bit brisk and windy - it's a good idea to bring some layers for travel days. The roads through Botswana also vary in quality, so travel days can be slow and bumpy, but the scenery and wildlife more than make up for this.

We'll maximise our time today to ensure we make the most of game drive opportunities. We head out in the morning and again in the afternoon, for the chance to spot huge trumpeting herds of elephants around the southern bank of the Chobe River, where we can also find Chobe Bushbuck and Puku Antelope. Other mammals to be seen are buffalo, kudu, eland, waterbuck, sable and roan antelope, zebra, lion, leopard, impala and reedbuck. In the river are hippo and crocodile and the waters teem with bream, barbel and tiger fish (freshwater barracuda). Our tour leader will decide on the exact running times of the day, and lunch arrangements, depending on the weather conditions and the season to ensure the best viewing. For those that wish to there is an optional afternoon boat cruise along the Chobe River, perhaps the last river where one has a fair chance to see lion, elephant, leopard or wild dog from the unique viewpoint of a boat. See the budgeting section for prices.

As we travel south today, we'll explore the interior area of Savuti with its sweeping plains, rolling grasslands and marshes which are fed by the erratic Savuti Channel. The channel ran dry in 1982, changing the lives of all wildlife on the plains as the ground baked in the African sun. It remained dry for over 20 years until 2008 when the water once again began to flow attracting animals back in high numbers. We'll have time to watch the herds that live in and around this area including lions, elephants and possibly leopards, plus an abundance of bird species including the bee-eater and kori bustards. Our campsite for this evening uses dome-type tents with private en-suite facilities added to the back of the tent. They're big enough that you can stand inside and are made from durable rip-stop canvas with sewn-in groundsheets. Each tent is equipped with sturdy camp beds, mattresses, fitted sheets, pillows, pillowcases and duvets. Other equipment used on safari includes camping basins, washstands, hot water bucket showers and water-based long-drop toilets. Safari-style fold-up chairs and large tables are provided. Our backup staff do all the cooking and cleaning as well as setting up and breaking camp.

The Pans have changed little in thousands of years and offer a place to totally lose oneself in limitless wilderness. Today, it's a vast, salt pan desert of shimmering sand, open grasslands and surreal landscapes so vast you can see the curvature of the earth. It's a harsh and sparse landscape, but one that's beautiful in its desolation. Here, perhaps more than anywhere else in the world, you'll be struck by a feeling of utter, marvellous, isolation. We will head out for morning and afternoon game drives in search desert adapted species including the black maned Kalahari lion, oryx, elephant and cheetah.

Leaving our Savuti camp behind us this morning, we'll continue over dirt roads into Moremi Game Reserve's Xakanaxa area (pronounced ka-ka-na-ka) or Khwai which is an integral part of the eastern waters of the Okavango Delta. The area is encompassed by Moremi Game Reserve and boasts some of the best game viewing in Africa. The game reserve has areas of dry lands rising between vast wetlands, and crystal-clear water channels on the edges of mopane and apple-leaf woodlands. Game viewing takes place alongside waterways and floodplains. Giraffes, zebras and wildebeests are just a few species that we might spot here, along with an astonishing variety of birds. For the next three nights, we'll be camping in Moremi where the waters feed an abundance of flora and fauna, including the frequently visiting wild dogs. Hippos are often heard by night too.

We will enjoy two game drives today. Setting off for our morning game drive at first light (when predator activity is most expected), we get the chance to experience one of Africa's most natural and unspoiled wonderlands in the park with hippo, crocodile and a great variety of birds all seen in the delta, as well as the elusive sitatunga antelope. This place is also an ornithologist's paradise with fish eagle, kingfisher, heron, stork, egret, weaver and bee-eater all regularly seen. We make our way to the banks and floodplains of the north eastern section of the Okavango Delta this morning. Returning for brunch as the day starts to heats up, the hottest part of the day is spent at leisure at our campsite, a chance of a siesta, relax reading a book or birdwatching. Our afternoon activity departs after tea, usually around 4pm, returning in the early evening. Game drives and activities vary from one day to the next, depending on sightings and animal activities, generally we drive quite far and slowly to absolutely maximize game-viewing potential, all expertly guided by our highly experienced tour leader.

The mighty Okavango is the third largest river in southern Africa. The delta area covers 16,000 square kilometres and is made up of crystal clear channels, countless fleeting lakes and ever-changing islands. The waters flows down in a south-easterly direction from the Angolan highlands, over 1000 kilometres away, taking up to six months to reach the delta area which floods on a annual cycle. Remaining in the Moremi Game Reserve, today we drive further into the delta area. This exceptional geography and topography attracts amazing wildlife to the waterways and we'll begin game viewing on our arrival. Your guide will generally spend maximum time on game drives, depending on what is seen, trying to cover as wide an area as possible. The result of this is that you will have the best chance of seeing a variety of wildlife.

This morning we take a slow drive out of Moremi, looking out for wildlife along the way and should arrive at Thamo Telele around lunch time. The magnificent Thamo Telele is set amongst a lush forest of old growth leadwood and acacia trees, around 25 minutes outside of Maun, each luxury safari-style tent is on raised wooden platforms with hardwood floors and en-suite bathrooms, all with outdoor showers and nature as the back drop. The stylish canvas tents all have twin beds, which can be converted into doubles, and air conditioning above the bed. There is a swimming pool and central main lounge and bar area, where you'll find comfy couches and locally designed wall art. Its a truly exceptional property. The afternoon is free for you to explore the lodge and its wild surroundings on self-guided walking trails. Alternatively relax by the swimming pool. There is also the option to book a giraffe experience. One of the most fascinating things about the lodge is its resident herd of 20 giraffe, which you can observe while on activities in the reserve and most enthralling get up close and personal to in the evening while they feed at the waterhole. There are naturalists on hand, who will be able to tell you all about these fascinating animals. See the budgeting section for more details. Dinner is included tonight at the lodge.

Departing after breakfast, we drive up the west side of the Okavango delta panhandle to Shakawe, where we leave our vehicle behind and board a motor launch to our houseboat. On arrival, meet our friendly crew who will be our hosts for the next two nights. After settling in, lunch is served in the top floor dining room, with panoramic windows offering a backdrop of the Okavango river basin. The accommodation is comfortable, with eight bedrooms with en-suite facilities. Each room has glass doors sliding open on to the wilderness of the remote panhandle area, while on the deck above are seating areas from which to enjoy the sunsets and listen to the birds. The boat will be for our exclusive use during our stay. Due to seasonal variations in the level and strength of the river, the houseboat itself might only be able to access limited parts of the river for much of the year, whilst we explore the river on smaller launches. However, the amount of water that falls in the catchment area can be highly variable and occasionally, conditions may allow the houseboat itself to cruise in other areas of the delta. The next couple of days are spent enjoying this spectacular setting. During our time on the river, there is a possibility of seeing a variety of wildlife. We will take an afternoon leisurely launch, we may cruise past submerging pods of hippos, while crocodiles bask in the shallows and on the riverbanks, returning to the houseboat for dinner.

This morning there is the opportunity to visit the intriguing and sacred World Heritage Site of the Tsodilo Hills. The San Bushmen community believe the hills are the site of the first creation and they painted an astonishing 4000 rock paintings across 350 sites marking the area's significance. Here, four impressive rocks jut out of the expanse of the surrounding land, and it is believed by the San Bushmen that the largest of the rocks is the 'man', the second largest the 'woman', and the smallest the 'child'. The fourth rock, which stands apart from the others, is said to be the male's first wife. Some of the paintings are thought to be over 24,000 years old, and as well as the chance to see ancient rock paintings, the hills offer vast views across the countryside below. A expert local guide will accompany us around the site, interpreting a selection of the paintings. The walking tour lasts around two hours, walking along a flat well graded path. It's possible to opt out at any stage and return to the shade of the small museum located at the entrance of the site. After a late lunch back on board the houseboat, we head out for further wildlife viewing on board our launch. For those that wish to have more time on the houseboat we will offer a morning launch as an alternative to visiting Tsodilo Hills.

This morning will be a early start to ensure enough daylight hours for the very long journey to Victoria Falls. Today's total journey time is approximately eleven hours depending on time spent at the border crossings, and will of course include comfort breaks and a lunch break. The drive takes us through north to Namibia's Caprivi Strip, before heading to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. The Caprivi Region has a colourful and interesting history, playing a central part in the Berlin Conference of 1890. Named after German Chancellor General Count Georg Leo von Caprivi di Caprara di Montecuccoli, the strip was once administered by the British before it was swapped for Zanzibar with the Germans at a time of great European political manoeuvring. A late afternoon arrival to Victoria Falls provides just enough time for a refreshing sundowner at our lodge accommodation.

Often referred to as the adventure capital of Zimbabwe, Victoria falls is most famous as being home to one of the natural wonders of the world Victoria Falls. This morning we'll visit the falls from the Zimbabwean side of the river where the Zambezi River plummets over a sheer cliff wall spanning more than 1676 meters and dropping approximately 100 metres into the abyss below. The natives named the waterfall, Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning 'the smoke that thunders' because of the plumes of water vapour that rise like smoke into the sky above the falls, accompanied by the deafening roar. After our guided tour you can take your time to further explore the network of paths and enclaves around the falls. This afternoon is free to relax, or you may choose to book a two hour game drive in Zambezi National Park in search of the big five. Alternatively, there is the option to take a scenic helicopter flight over the falls or go white water rafting in the Zambezi. All activities can be booked at your lodge directly and full prices are available in the budgeting section of the trip notes.

Our tour ends in Victoria Falls after breakfast. Depending on the schedule of your departing flight, you may choose to spend a few hours exploring the town independently. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Victoria Falls at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our guesthouse. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you need to depart from Victoria Falls airport (airport code VFA), which is 20km, 20 minutes from the hotel.