While on safari in Botswana, the story always comes back to water. On this classic Botswana safari, you’ll begin by exploring the Savute Channel. The Savuti Channel has a fascinating history of flooding and drying up independently of good rainy seasons and flood levels elsewhere – a mystery that has intrigued geologists and other researchers for many years. Here, the annual Zebra migration is closely followed by many Lion prides. Then, move on to the Okavango Delta, home to the greatest concentration of big game in the country. Explore the delta by vehicle or by boat during the day, and sleep under the roof of your luxury tent (or opt for the “sleep under the stars”option!) by night. End your Botswana adventure across the delta at Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge. Here, enjoy a front row seat to the most exceptional wildlife sightings (both day and night) combined with some of the most innovative architectural design in Southern Africa.
Your journey starts at the Savute Elephant Lodge, overlooking the winding waterways of the Savute Channel ideal for watching the varied wildlife – including the resident Elephants – as they make their way to the Channel to drink, bathe and play. Your next stop is Sable Alley in the Khwai Private Reserve, a sophisticated camp overlooking a pretty lagoon and then ending at Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge, overlooking golden-grassed floodplains inhabited by a staggering variety of wildlife, framed by lush palm islands and the spires of giant termite mounds. A channel of clear, cool waters runs directly in front of the property, offering unrestricted views over the shimmering beauty of the Delta.
Highlights
- Explore the Okavango Delta on game drives
- Watch herds of elephants coming down for a drink
- Soak in the stars as you dine in an open air boma
- See San rock art
- Glide down the Okavango Delta channels by mokoro (canoe)
- Bush walks with your ranger to explore the wilderness on foot
- Track predators and visit conservation projects
Itinerary
DAY 1 – CLASSIC BOTSWANA SAFARI
Chobe National Park Game Drive
Welcome to Africa! Transfer from Maun to Chobe National Park, famous for massive herds of elephant and all around spectacular wildlife. Stretching from the Linyanti River all the way to Savute Marsh, the winding waterways of the Savute Channel have pumped life into the western section of Chobe National Park for many thousands of generations. After lunch, set out on an early evening game drive.
DAY 2
Game Drive and Zebra Migration
Today the Botswana safari continues! After an early cup of coffee, set out with a guide to explore Chobe National Park by game drive in an open 4×4 safari vehicle. This morning, visit the Savute Marsh where you can fully appreciate the massive Savute Channel and learn about the ecological mystery around the water levels here. Return to camp for lunch and a restful afternoon head out for an afternoon game drive, catching the Zebra Migration if the timing is right. Savute boasts the second-largest summer Zebra migration in Africa; its timing is determined by the rains, but usually occurs between November and December and again between February and April, when the Zebras move from the rivers in the north in search of the rain-ripe grasslands and full waterholes in the southwest of the park. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.
DAY 3
San Rock Art
Today, visit some of the most well preserved ancient San Rock Art in Africa. Drive to Gubatsa Hills, a small hilly outcrop which forms a prominent landmark in the otherwise flat landscape, where you guide will educate you on the history and meaning of these paintings. Dinner and overnight in camp.
DAY 4
Kwhai Private Reserve Game Drive
After breakfast, transfer to the Kwhai Private Reserve. Arrive at Sable Alley Camp in time for lunch, and enjoy the private concession area that plays host to a breathtaking mosaic of open floodplains, waterways, marshlands, dry acacia and mopane woodland, riverine forest and open grasslands, the area is famed for its incredible numbers and diversity of wildlife, in particular predators. After lunch, set out for an extended game drive, ending with sundowners before heading back to camp for dinner and overnight.
DAY 5
Bush Breakfast and Leopard Tracking
This morning, set out on a morning game drive around camp. End the morning adventure with a hot breakfast served out in the bush. After a restful afternoon in camp, set out with a specialist guide to track leopard. Learn more about these elusive creatures as you follow their tracks. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.
DAY 6
KPR Ranger Tracking Experience
Today get ready for an amazing experience; a morning game drive followed by an afternoon experience where you will spend time tracking predators, capturing data, patrolling and visiting conservation projects. After observing these magnificent creatures, enjoy a sundowner in the bush before heading back to camp.
DAY 7
Okavango Delta Day and Night Game Drive
This morning, fly to Sandibe Safari Lodge, where your guide will pick you up at the airstrip and on the way to camp enjoy your first game drive in Botswana. Situated on a beautiful island in a private concession in the northern reaches of the Okavango Delta, enjoy great game viewing right from camp. After high tea, head out for an early evening game drive, stopping for sundowner cocktails. Take a moment to appreciate the pristine wilderness as the sky turns fire orange before nightfall. Return to camp in the dark, using a spotlight to see nocturnal creatures as they emerge for the evening.
DAY 8
Okavango Delta Game Drive, Mokoro Safari and Bush Walk
This morning, head out for an early morning game drive. After lunch and an afternoon rest, hop into a traditional wooden canoe, called a Mokoro, for a Botswana safari game experience on the water. As you glide silently through the waterways, watch elephant drink, birds fishing for their dinner and perhaps even catch a glimpse of a predator on the banks. After high tea, experience the thrill of walking in the bush. Accompanied by an armed guide, walk slowly from camp, learning more about tracking the wildlife and big game that surrounds camp. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.
DAY 9
Scenic Helicopter Flight over the Delta
This morning, enjoy a scenic helicopter flight over the Delta’s patchwork landscape of islands, plains and lagoons. With many of the Delta’s most remote areas not reachable in any other way, an aerial perspective is the ideal way to gaze onto the vast Delta and its meandering labyrinth of crystal-clear channels. The incredible diversity and amount of wildlife encountered in the Delta becomes clear from above. Soar above pods of hippo sleeping the day away in the depths of a lagoon, watch a herd of elephants slowly amble along open grasslands or marvel at the fleet moves of red lechwe antelope as they leap through a fringe of papyrus reeds in the shallows. Return to camp for a relaxing last evening in the bush.
DAY 10
Safari in Botswana – Travel home
Today you will enjoy a last morning game drive, and then you will then transfer to the local airstrip for your shared charter flight to Maun. On arrival in Maun, you will connect with your flight to Johannesburg, where you will complete your Botswana safari with us and connect with your flight home.