|
Secluded Botswana
$9,895 per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement: $1,795.
Trip Overview
Botswana offers an experience of Africa as it used to be. Far away from tourist crowds, find the wonders that drew adventurers to the continent decades ago. Vast herds of elephants still roam the acacia-studded savannah. Antelope, giraffes and buffalo thrive in the wetlands of the Okavango Delta and at watering holes that sustain life on the dry plains. Lions laze beneath mopane trees, an icon of a wildness vanishing too quickly in the contemporary world. Classic tented safari camps offer luxuries reminiscent of a nostalgic era in the African bush. It’s all still here, in secluded Botswana.
Trip Itinerary
Please note that the dates below do not include travel time to and from the destination. We suggest consulting our tour operator, Natural Habitat Adventures, to discuss the best flight options for your travels.
Friday, September 9: Livingstone, Zambia
Begin your exploration of southern Africa in Livingstone, along the banks of the Zambezi River. Accommodations, replete with Edwardian ambience, overlook the vital waterway, where hippos may entertain you on the banks. Settle in, enjoying the views from this stunning lodge, and join the group for an orientation dinner this evening. The River Club (D)
Saturday, September 10: Livingstone / Vicoria Falls
Join the group for a guided tour of Victoria Falls, the world’s most astounding cataract. The profuse spray has created a rain forest, with a walkway to explore.Later, take in a different view with a sunset cruise. The River Club (B,L,D)
Sunday – Tuesday, September 11 – 13: Chobe
By road and ferry, journey to Botswana’s Chobe National Park, known for its vast elephant herds – a population that exceeds 70,000. On the boat cruise down the Chobe River, 500 elephants are sometimes seen in a single day. Water birds abound, including herons and storks, as well as hippos and crocodiles.
This afternoon, drive to the private reserve of Linyanti. Its tree-dotted plains are home to lions, leopards, cheetahs, spotted hyenas and wild dogs as well as tremendous elephant herds. You’ll encounter wildlife in amazing proximity on drives, guided walks, canoe trips and boat excursions on the Linyanti River.
Spend the evenings relaxing at the private camp, which offers well-appointed tented accommodations evocative of an earlier age. Through the thorny acacia branches you’ll see more stars than you ever dreamed of, scattered across an impossibly black sky. Linyanti Discoverer Camp (B,L,D daily)
Wednesday & Thursday, September 14 & 15: Savuti Camp, Linyanti
This morning drive to your next camp. The previously dry Savuti Channel is once again a hippo-filled stream, surrounded by open grassland that’s home to all the big predators and plains animals, including sable and roan antelope. The waterway in front of the camp draws large numbers of wildlife, especially in the dry winter months. Many lions frequent the area as well as elephants in great numbers. The private verandahs, nearly at eye-level, allow you to watch them from just feet away. DumaTau Camp (B,L,D daily)
Friday & Saturday, September 16 & 17: Jacana Camp
Fly to a camp in the heart of the Okavango Delta. Where the river meets the Kalahari Desert, a green oasis sprawls amid the sands and dry savannah. The maze of canals and lagoons sustains a profusion of wildlife, and you’ll explore the constantly shifting marsh by mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe. Islands and wetlands among the channels are home to many rare birds; you may observe wattled cranes, Pel’s fishing owls, jacanas, rails, crakes and moorhens. You may also see antelope and red lechwe browsing in the grasses. Jacana Camp (B,L,D daily)
Sunday – Tuesday, September 18 – 20: Tubu Tree Camp
Travel by boat or safari vehicle to Tubu Tree Camp on the edge of the Moremi Game Reserve. On drives in open 4x4 vehicles you may encounter lions, leopards and cheetahs as well as a host of hoofed mammals. Night drives reveal nocturnal species such as the civet cat and caracal, plus large predators that hunt at night. Short safari walks (where safe) reveal the subtleties of the ecosystems that can only be experienced on foot. Tubu Tree Camp (B,L,D daily)
Tuesday, September 21: Maun / Home
Depart by air for Maun, where you’ll connect with flights home or extensions to Namibia or Cape Town. (B,L)
Optional Extension
Several customized pre- and post-tour extensions are available in conjunction with this tour. They include:
Cape Town, South Africa
Spend a suggested four days exploring what's widely regarded as the world's most beautiful city. Flanked by the pristine coastline of the South Atlantic, Cape Town boasts one of Africa's most colorful regions, replete with garden walkways, mountain vistas and rolling vineyards.
Cederberg Mountains
Stay at an ecological oasis that unites luxury and nature with a place of discovery and refuge. Starting in July, the veld comes alive with spring flowers, revealing the colors of thousands of beautiful species. Walk, bike or 4x4 to find any of the area’s 35 mammal species and 150 bird species. The reserve is rich in Bushman rock art, and activities include sunset nature drives, early morning rock art excursions, nature hikes, mountain biking, canoeing, swimming, fly-fishing and archery. We recommend three days.
Rocktail Bay
Situated in a World Heritage Site within South Africa's Maputaland Coastal Forest Reserve, Rocktail Bay offers the chance to experience a side of southern Africa that most tourists miss – the unspoiled Indian Ocean coast and its incredible natural beauty and abundant wildlife. The beach here, rivaled by few on Earth, is reason alone for a visit. While Rocktail isn't traditional big game country, it is home to an array of fascinating wildlife, including massive leatherback and loggerhead turtles, a variety of whales and dolphins, interesting antelope species, hippos and many species of rare and endangered birds. A five-day stay is suggested.
Skeleton Coast Safari
Namibia's famed Skeleton Coast is one of our planet's most remote and beautiful places. For most of the past decade, access to this private area has been heavily restricted; however, in April 2000, a special 12-bed luxury tented camp opened, and we can now offer four-and five-day fly-in safaris to this spectacular area. It is wild, desolate and uninhabited – and stunningly beautiful. Here, the cool ocean air meets the warmth of the desert and nearly every morning mists cover the coastline, bringing life-sustaining moisture to the desert's fauna and flora. A four- or five-day extension is ideal.
South Africa Safari Camps
Spend five days in the province of Mpumalanga and its famous Kruger National Park – a true wildlife haven. The private reserves adjacent to Kruger provide the best wildlife encounters while maintaining the intimate atmosphere and wonderful comfort that we demand for our safaris. Sharing an unfenced border with Kruger, these private game reserves allow wildlife to move freely among one of the largest continuous wildilfe areas on the continent. The camp provides varying levels of luxury, all offering the highest level of service and wildlife viewing.
Please inquire about rates.
