Highlights: Moremi Game Reserve, Okavango River, Okavango Delta, Mababe Depression, Savuti, Chobe National Park, Chobe River, Zambezi River, Livingstone, Victoria Falls.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Moremi
Having arrived at Maun International Airport, you will be met by one of the Letaka brothers for your road transfer to Moremi Game Reserve where our camp has been set up in the pristine bush. Once within the park we take a leisurely drive to our wilderness camp, where we settle in before heading out on a late afternoon drive. (Option to fly in to camp and view the delta beneath you either by light aircraft or helicopter, please enquire for further details on these options).
Day 2: Moremi
The morning chorus of Heuglins Robins and the various Francolins gets us off to an early start, as we continue our exploration of Moremi. Today we are in search of the Slaty Egret, Black Coucal, Striped Crake and some of the other unusual species found in this area. We return to camp for a relaxing brunch, followed by some free time to shower, siesta and do some in-camp birding. We take an afternoon boat trip to see the nesting sites and heronries on the Xakanaxa and Gadikwe lagoons, and also to look for the Great Swamp Warbler and the beautiful Malachite Kingfisher.
Day 3: Moremi
We continue our exploration of this bird rich region, heading out on the western route towards Third Bridge and beyond, in search of the many waders concentrating around the seasonal pans which have once again begun to fill. (Option to take a sight-seeing helicopter flip from the Xakanaxa airstrip). Our afternoon drive will explore regions such as Dead Tree Island and Jessie's Pools returning to camp after sunset.
Day 4: Moremi
We drive to the Khwai region on the border of the Moremi, arriving at midday. This area is particularly well known for its concentration of raptors, the most common of which are the Bateleur, Tawny Eagle, Martial Eagle, and, in the summer, Wahlberg's Eagle. A little away from the water, interesting species such as the Quail Finch can be found, while, along the river, Black Coucal and Black-bellied Korhaan are common. After sunset we search for the resident Bathawk on his crepuscular hunt returning to camp in darkness to pick up some of the nocturnal species of the area.
Day 5: Moremi
Having found most of the more common raptors, we refine our search to the wooded riverfront, where Long Crested Eagle and Black Sparrow Hawk can be found. Along the water course, we can also expect to find Long-toed Plover, Lesser Gallinule and Painted Snipe. An early morning walk with your armed guide brings another dimension to the safari and we spend some time familiarising ourselves with some of the fascinating smaller aspects of this diverse area. Once again our afternoon drive can be combined with a bit of walking depending on the group. After sunset we once again drive under cover of darkness spotting nocturnal birds and animals with a spotlight.
Day 6: Moremi to Chobe
From Khwai, we head northeast to Savuti in the Chobe National Park. We arrive in Savuti in the late afternoon, having explored the north eastern regions of the Khwai and the Mababe Depression on our journey. The drive takes us through some very different landscapes, and birds such as Bradfield's Hornbill become common. We take a sundowner drive to one of the waterholes where elephants grudgingly share the precious water resources with thousands of doves and Sandgrouse.
Day 7: Chobe
After an early morning coffee, we head out to the Savuti Marsh, where we see Chestnut-backed Finch Lark, Capped Wheatear, Kori Bustard, Secretary Bird and many others. The Dickenson's Kestrel can often be found in association with the palms in the vicinity of the marsh. Because of the concentration of birds around the water, Savuti is an ideal place for the small fast flying raptors that specialize in catching other birds. The vast Savuti Marsh has been dry since the Savuti Channel ceased flowing in 1981. An enormous change has overtaken the area. We examine these and other aspects of the area on our drive.
Day 8: Chobe
We drive from Savuti through the Goha Hills, where the Peregrine Falcon is occasionally seen. After doing battle with the sandridge, which lies between Goha and the little village of Kachikau, we come to the Chobe riverfront, arriving in the late afternoon. This area is deservedly famous for it's massive elephant population and the ever fluctuating river system which is the life-blood of birds and animals alike. An afternoon gamedrive takes us along the Chobe floodplain in search of Cuckoo Hawk, African Skimmer and Hobby Falcon.
Day 9: Chobe
It's another early start, this time in search of the Pink-throated Longclaw, Whitebrowed Coucal, Brown Firefinch and Whitebreasted Cuckoo Shrike. We have time to rest and shower in camp, before heading out again to take an afternoon boat trip on the Chobe, one of the highlights of the trip. On the boat we visit the breeding colonies of the White-fronted Bee-eater and we search for the secretive Whitebacked Night Heron.
Day 10: Chobe to Livingstone (Zambia)
After our final bush breakfast, we drive to Livingstone to take in one of nature's most awesome spectacles, the legendary Victoria Falls. There is a lot of birding to be done around this area, as we enter a true riverine habitat for the first time. This area has interesting birds we have not yet encountered, including the Taita Falcon, Collared Palm Thrush and Rock Pratincole. We spend the evening at Taita Falcon lodge which is perched on the edge of the Batoka Gorge, home to it's namesake the Taita Falcon.
Day 11: Livingstone
On our last day of birding, we focus on the Zambezi and its islands. Apart from the beauty of these islands, they hold excellent birds, including the Schalow's Lourie (Tauraco), White Crowned Plover, Pel's Fishing Owl and many others. A sunset boat cruise brings a special magic to the last evening in Zambia.
Day 12: Livingstone
After breakfast, it is time to leave our lodge and transfer to the Livingstone Airport to fly to Johannesburg and meet your connecting flight home.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Included:
- All accommodation, bedding & linen, meals, drinks (mineral water, soft drinks, beer, wine, local spirits)
- All park fees, all excursions mentioned in itinerary, charter flights
Not Included:
- Any applicable visas
- Items of a personal nature
- Excursions not included in the itinerary
- International flights
Optional Activities:
- 45 minute helicopter excursion from Xakanaxa. USD 1375 for the helicopter (seats 4)
- 20 minute helicopter excursion from Xakanaxa. USD 1056.00 for the helicopter (seats 4)
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
Botswana
Zambia
Nature & Wildlife
Wildlife Viewing
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