Sample Itinerary: 13 days.
Dry season itinerary: April to November.
Pick up Maun, drop off Kasane, Livingstone or Victoria Falls.
What to bring: Lots of film or digital memory! 12 v charger for camera, torch or headlamp, closed shoes for around fire at night, imported spirits, if desired, binoculars, hat and sunscreen.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Start in Maun, collecting you from the Johannesburg flight at 11.40, and driving to Nxai Pan / Baines Baobabs.
The turn off to these worthwhile sites is 138km from Maun on the Nata Rd. Baines Baobabs were painted by Thomas Baines in 1862 and have changed little since then. This area attracts large numbers of Springbok and Gemsbok drawn to the short sweet grasses that grow on the pan. Nxai Pan has recently become famous due to the award winning IMAX film by Tim Liversedge, called Roar, mostly filmed at the pumped waterhole during the dry season, where the resident lions set up to kill the Springbok and other animals drawn to the only source of water for miles around.Brown Hyena and Cheetah are sometimes seen here.
We stay here for 2 nights, before driving to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park - a well kept secret! Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is now the sister park to Nxai Pan. The Boteti River has been dry since 1982, but has some natural seeps, and has several places where National parks pump into pans in the river. In the dry season (May to November), this attracts thousands of Zebra and Wildebeeste and their predators, it is a stunning sight! The camp site at Khumaga is above the Boteti and a look position nearby provides great views of the drama’s that take place when many animals need to drink from dwindling water supplies. Normally a good place to watch lions in action, if you get up early!
Day 5: We leave Makgadikgadi early, in time to have lunch and a resupply in Maun before proceeding to the Moremi Game Reserve. Moremi seems like a paradise after the dry encountered in the Pans, and is the only Game Reserve that occurs inside the Okavango Delta. Using HATAB sites in Moremi is our first choice, some of these sites could be the Garden of Eden the scenery is so lovely! There are several different habitat types in Moremi, ideally you would stay for at least 4 or 6 nights to experience them all, especially the Khwai River area and the lagoons near Xakanaxa, 4th Bridge, Bodumatau and Xini.
Day 10: We leave Moremi and head to Savuti, a drive of around 5 to 7 hours depending on where we are staying and how much game we see on the way.
In the rainy season Savuti attracts many grazers to it's short sweet grasses, and a large number of Zebra and Wildebeeste congregate on the 'Marsh', but in the dry season Savuti is a rather sandy, dry, desolate looking place but the game viewing - especially around the 3 pumped waterholes, and some of the unusual scenery make it well worthwhile and memorable. Depending on availability we use either exclusive HATAB sites or the public camp site (with its Elephant proof ablution block!) that accommodates only up to 10 groups.
Savuti is home to the largest pride of lions I have ever seen - last August 2006 32 lions together - if lucky you can see these lions hunting at the waterholes in the dry months, and playing together early in the morning. This is not, however, guaranteed! There is also a site where a few bushman paintings can be seen after a small but steep climb.
After spending 2 nights at Savuti we drive around 170km to the Chobe River. The HATAB sites are all within a few hundred meters from the Chobe River, in the dry season you can often watch the most stunning sunsets with a backdrop of elephants and buffalo a few minutes away from our tented camp. The Chobe River attracts thousands of animals searching for water during the dry seasons. The river itself is host to a stunning array of birdlife (Yellow Billed Storks, African Spoonbills, White Faced Whistling Ducks, Egyptian Geese, Vultures, Owls and Kingfishers of various types, Secretary Birds, Dikkops, Herons, Eagles - especially Fish Eagles, in addition to many other birds), and a 3 hour boat cruise is taken to take advantage of this. If lucky you will see elephants swimming in close proximity to you, in addition to the normal pods of slumbering hippo's, lechwe, puku and numerous other animals.
Day 13: You will be transferred to have the final 2 nights in Victoria Falls, either in Zimbabwe or Zambia, where you will be able to see this amazing waterfall, and do some extra activities if desired, such as white water rafting, bungee jumping, or a flight over the falls in either fixed wing or Helicopter, this is extra!
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
*Cost per person for 13 nights is US $4,320.
*Included in Safari price:
- Professional Safari guide,
- Vehicle and staff (normally two staff),
- National Park fee’s,
- Game drives and activities as mentioned, except at Victoria Falls,
- All meals and reasonable amounts of local beer/wine. Drinking water, bedrolls and stretchers, towel.
*Not included:
- Airfares, Visa’s,
- Travel Insurance,
- items of a presonal nature,
- Tips and Gratuities,
- accomodation in Victoria Falls (Can be arranged, various options!)
*You are advised to take out Travel and Health Insurances prior to travel.
*Minimum people 4.
*Children under 12 only accepted by special arrangement, and when traveling with an exclusive group.
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
Botswana
Wildlife Viewing
Ecotourism
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