14 dagen – Botswana Wildparken

(B=breakfast, L=lunch D=dinner)
Departing Johannesburg at 06:30am we head north into Botswana and the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. The Khama Rhino Sanctuary Trust is a community based wildlife project established in 1992 to assist in saving the vanishing rhino, restore an area formerly teeming with wildlife to its previous natural state and provide economic benefits to the local Botswana community through tourism and the sustainable use of natural resources. This reserve situated on the Kalahari sandveld, has several natural
waterholes and provides prime habitat for white rhino, zebra and wildebeest.

Day 1: Breakfast is not included
Day 1: Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 1: Dinner provided tour leaders with the help of the group

Includes: Entrance fees to Khama Rhino Sanctuary & afternoon game drive
Distance/time: ±650km, 7h30 actual driving time, so with a border crossing and lunch stop we expect a total travel day of ±9h30. This is a long travel day for us to a special overnight stop.
Overnight: Khama Rhino Sanctuary, 2 twin share bedrooms in each chalet with 1 bathroom shared between 2 rooms. WiFi not available.

We drive through the Kalahari to Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. Since Maun’s founding in 1915 as the capital of the Batawana people, it has had a reputation as a hard living ‘Wild West’ town helping the local cattle ranching and safari operations. The name Maun is derived from the San word ‘maung’, which translates ‘the place of short reeds’.

Day 2: Breakfast provided tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 2: Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 2: Dinner will be an own expense meal at a local restaurant

Includes: –
Distance/time: ±520km, 6h30 actual driving time. We leave Khama relatively early to arrive in Maun midday to shop for delta supplies, so expect a travel day of ±8h00.
Optional Activities Scenic flight over the Okavango Delta (+/-USD95-120) pp depending on number of people in each aircraft)
Overnight: Island Safari Lodge,, chalet – twin share bedrooms with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone. WiFi available.

We drive into the Okavango Delta to the launch station where we board our mekoro’s and pole to our tented camp in the heart of the largest inland delta in the world. This amazing environment has large numbers of red lechwe, buffalo, elephant and birds, particularly kingfishers! One of the best experiences in the Okavango Delta is to be poled along reed-lined channels in a mokoro (dug-out canoe). Sit back and relax as the water gurgles gently under the mokoro while your skilled poler points
out the fauna and flora.

Day 3: Breakfast provided by the lodge
Day 3: Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 3: Dinner provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 4: Breakfast provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 4: Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 4: Dinner provided by tour leaders with the help of the group

Includes: Entrance fees to the Okavango Delta, morning & afternoon game walks with local guides
Distance/time: ±50km, 2h00 actual driving time to mekoro station. Mokoro ride to camp is dependent on campsite location so overall travel time for the day ±6h30.
Overnight: Wilderness tented camping – 2 nights tented camp in the Okavango. Each tent has twin camp beds with linen and an en suite chemical toilet. Shared bucket shower tent with hot water off the fire. Tents have built-in insect nets. We need to take our own water and all equipment. Wild tented camping can be very enjoyable but please remember that we
leave no trace of our stay and take all rubbish away with us. The wilderness tented camp supplies all linen blankets and pillows. The camp chairs have a backrest. You will need to bring your own towel. WiFi not available.

We take an open 4WD into Moremi Game Reserve for fantastic game viewing! Chief’s Island is the largest landmass within Moremi and was the Batswana tribe’s richest hunting ground, before being declared a game reserve by the tribe. We spend 4 days on game drives watching the abundant wildlife including elephant, hippo, buffalo, lion & other game, both in Moremi Game Reserve and in private concession reserves surrounding the park. We return to Maun midday on day 8 for an evening
restaurant meal (own expense).

Day 5: Breakfast provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 5: Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 5: Dinner will be a set meal provided by the lodge
Day 6, 7: Breakfast will be provided by the lodge
Day 6, 7: Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 6, 7: Dinner will be a set meal provided by the lodge
Day 8: Breakfast will be provided by the lodge
Day 8: Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 8: Dinner will be an own expense meal at a local restaurant

Includes: Entrance fees to Moremi Game Reserve, morning & afternoon game drives in an open 4WD vehicle.
Distance/time: ±150km, 4h00 actual driving time but it’s a rough 4×4 route, and with a mokoro ride start, lunch stop and game viewing en-route we expect a full travel day of ±10h00 subject to sunset time.
Optional Activities Scenic flight over the Okavango Delta (+/-USD95-120) pp depending on the number of people in each aircraft).
3x nights remote & private tented bush camp – exclusive tented bush camp in a private concession area, bordering Moremi Game Reserve. Twin-share permanent tented camp with en-suite facilities. WiFi not available.
1x night Maun Island Safari Lodge, chalet – twin share bedrooms with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone. Wifi available in main area only.

We have time for an optional game flight over the Okavango before we head to Nata (own expense). The shimmering saltpans of Makgadikgadi appear as a glaring white, endless plain. When the rain comes a dramatic change takes place as thousands of wildebeest and zebra migrate to the sweet nutritious grasslands and clouds of flamingo feed in its algae rich waters. It is an area of low rainfall, so this spectacle only lasts a short while. (Please note due to high rainfall in the area over the last few
years that there is water in the section of the pans we visit)

Day 9: Breakfast provided by the lodge
Day 9: Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 9: Dinner will be an own expense meal

Includes: Entrance fees into Makgadikgadi Pans
Distance/time: ±320km, 4h00 actual driving time. It’s a relatively flat, straight road so with stops and lunch the total travel for the day is ±5h00.
Overnight: Nata Lodge – twin share luxury tents with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone. (or Pelican Lodge, – Chalets with en suite facilities). WiFi not available.

The Chobe River is a stunning feature of Botswana and will be the focus of our lodge stay. The Chobe River flows lazily along the northern boundary of the Chobe National Park attracting some of the largest herds of elephant in Africa. An Early morning 4WD game drive in the Chobe National Park and an afternoon game viewing “sundowner” cruise to see the mighty elephant herds return to the Chobe River to quench their thirst.

Day 10: Breakfast provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 11: Breakfast provided by the lodge
Day 10, 11: Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group
Day 10, 11: Dinner will be an own expense meal

Includes: Entrance fees to Chobe National Park, morning game drive (day 11), sunset boat cruise (day 11)
Distance/time: ±300km, 4h00 actual driving time. We leave early and aim for a midday arrival with total travel for the day of ±4h30.
Optional Activities Afternoon game drive in an open 4WD vehicle (on day 10)
Overnight: Thebe River Safaris – twin room with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone. WiFi available

We visit “Mosi oa Tunya” or “the smoke that thunders” – Victoria Falls. These magnificent falls are one of the seven natural wonders of the world. A rich and fertile rain forest, fed by the spray or “smoke”, surrounds the falls attracting colourful birdlife. Opportunities to white water raft on the mighty Zambezi River, bungi jump, or take a “flight of angels” (own expense).

Day 12: Breakfast provided by the lodge
Day 12: Lunch will be an own expense meal
Day 12: Dinner will be an own expense meal
Day 13: Breakfast provided by the hotel
Day 13: Lunch will be an own expense meal
Day 13: Dinner will be an own expense meal

Includes: Entrance to see the Victoria Falls
Distance/time: ±70km, 1h00 actual driving time. It’s not a long way, but the border can be busy and slow, so we anticipate a total travel day of ±3h00.
Optional Activities White water rafting, sunset cruises, scenic flights & many more
Overnight: Shearwater Explorers Village, twin rooms with en-suite facilities. Swimming pool, restaurant, bar and telephone. Free WiFi available.

Tour ends after breakfast at 08:00am.

Day 14: Breakfast provided by the hotel
Day 14: NA
Day 14: NA

Includes: N/A
Distance/time: N/A
Overnight: N/A

Please note: The distance and travel times quoted above are an estimate only and subject to local road conditions
Please note: That the accommodation specified above and in the itinerary is a guide only and is subject to availability. Alternatives will be of a similar standard, and accommodation changes will be made without notice.

Sustainable Tourism: Botswanan conservation lands surrounding the national parks are leased by the government to tourism businesses for the benefit of the local communities. The lodge we use outside Moremi not only employs staff from the local
village but also contributes financially towards the community trust. The village board use that income for the betterment of the local people. The lease environmental management plan is the benefit of conservation of the region.