OVL02 - 14 Day Botswana Wild Parks Cabin Tour

An accommodated Botswana safari. Experience the vast Makgadikgadi Pans, the Okavango Delta by traditional dug-outs and the abundant wildlife of Moremi Game Reserve. Explore Chobe National Park by boat and enjoy wonderful views of Victoria Falls!

       
Mokoro boat trips in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

The Route
Johannesburg - Khama Rhino Sanctuary - Maun - Okavango Delta - Moremi Game Reserve - Makgadikgadi Pans - Chobe National Park - Livingstone (Victoria Falls)

Departures
Tours depart Johannesburg on Sunday or Wednesday at 06:30. The Livingstone Tour ends on Saturday or Tuesday at 08:00. Scheduled departure dates can be found below.

Guests
Minimum 4 - Maximum 12 

Day 1 of the tour
Departing Johannesburg at 06:30 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.

Distance/ Time:     630km, +/- 7½ hours, excluding border formalities and stops for sightseeing and lunch

Overnight:     Chalet - Khama Rhino Sanctuary (Lunch, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast)

Day 2 of the tour
We drive through the Central Kalahari to Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. Since Maun's founding in 1951 as the tribal 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'. After preparing for the delta excursion, we have a relaxing afternoon by the pool.

Distance/ Time:     450km, +/- 6½ hours, excluding stops for sightseeing

Overnight:     Lodge - Maun (Lunch, Bed & Breakfast)

Days 3-4 of the tour
We drive into the Okavango Delta to our remote tented camp in the heart of the largest inland delta in the world. This amazing environment has large numbers of red lechwe, buffalo, elephants and birds, particularly kingfishers! One of the best experiences in the Okavango Delta is to be poled along the reed lined channels in Mokoros (dugout canoes). Sit back and relax as the water gurgles tranquily under the mokoro while your skilled poler points out the fauna and flora. We return to Maun midday on day 5 for an evening restaurant meal (own expense).

Distance/ Time:     2 Hours, 4WD transfer into the Delta

Overnight:     Tented Camp - Okavango Delta (Lunch, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast)

Days 5-8 of the tour
We take open 4WD Land Rover 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 grounds, 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 and evening restauarant meal (own expense).

Distance/ Time:     150km, +/- 4 hours, excludes game drives and stops for wildlife viewing (Maun-Lodge)

Overnight:     Tented Bush Camp - Moremi (Lunch, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast) - Days 5,6,7
                      Lodge - Maun (Lunch, Bed & Breakfast) - Day 8

Day 9 of the tour
The shimmering saltpans of Makgadikgadi appear as glaring, white, endless plains. 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. We have time for an optional game flight over the Okavango before we head towards Nata to watch a magnificent sunset over the Makgadikgadi Pans.

Distance/ Time:     320km, +/- 3½ hours, excluding stops for sightseeing

Overnight:     Tented Lodge/ Chalet - Makgadikgadi Pans (Lunch, Bed & Breakfast)

Days 10-11 of the tour
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. Early morning 4WD game drive in the Chobe National Park and an afternoon game viewing "sundowner" cruise to see the mighty elephant herds to return to the Chobe River to quench their thirst.

Distance/ Time:     300km, +/- 4½ hours, excluding stops for sightseeing and 1x3 hour game drive

Overnight:     Lodge - Chobe National Park (Lunch, Bed & Breakfast)

Days 12-13 of the tour
We visit the "Mosi oa Tunya" or "the smoke that thunders" - Victoria Falls. These magnificent falls are one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Victoria Falls Bridge was commissioned by Cecil John Rhodes in 1900, and was completed by 1905, although Rhodes never lived to see it. It spans the impressive gorge and the famous adrenalin pumping Victoria Falls bungee jump is done from this bridge, with a terrifying drop of 360ft (111m). Opportunities to white water raft on the mighty Zambezi River, bungee jump, or take a "flight of angels" (own expense).

Distance/ Time:     70km, +/- 1 hour, excluding border formalities (which can take 2-4+ hours)

Overnight:     Chalet - Livingstone (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 14 of the tour
The tour ends after breakfast today. Transfers to local airports are available. 

Distance/ Time:         N/A

Please Note

• This African tour is operated as a Scheduled Tour. Departure dates can be found below.
• All cabin tours are on a twin share basis. There is a single supplement available. If a single client does not request a single supplement we will then room two single clients together and then not charge a single supplement.
• Please feel free to add on to this tour with any of the other possible tours we offer in the area.
• The accommodation specified in the itinerary is a guide only and subject to availability. Alternatives will be of a similar standard if required.
• The Euro rate is just an indication of the price at the current exchange rate, it cannot be guaranteed until a confirmed booking is made.

Important Medical Note
In May 2011 the World Heath Organisation (WHO) revised the Yellow Fever vaccination recommendations for Africa. The South African Department of Health has subsequently issued a statement that as of 01 October 2011 all travellers from Zambia going to South Africa, and travellers that have recently visited Zambia, will now require proof of a yellow fever vaccination. Previously, this was not required. All in-transit passengers between the two destinations, irrespective of the time period in transit, will also require proof of yellow fever vaccination.

Scheduled Departure Dates 2012

Dates with the ** above are the dates that the tour includes a flight into the Okavango Delta as mentioned above for Days 3-5. The cost of the tour on these dates is slightly higher.