Experience a taste of the best of Botswana and Victoria Falls has to offer, on this grand 9 day itinerary. Explore the most remote and untouched wildlife areas in Botswana. Behold the thundering majesty of the famed Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Your begins with the famed Chobe National Park where elephants wander dreamily into camp and hippo slumber as you float down the river on a sunset cruise. The Okavango Delta is a magical setting where land blurs with water. Be captivated by a maze of sparkling lagoons, meandering channels and overgrown islands teeming with wildlife. Your adventure ends with the sight of the magnificent flume of water vapour that hangs above the mighty Victoria Falls.
Best of Botswana and Victoria Falls – BBS9
Itinerary
Day 1 – Okavango Delta
On arrival at Maun Airport, a Mackair representative will meet and assist you to your shared flight aircraft flight to Camp Okavango. The flying time is approximately 25 minutes and subject to multiple pick-ups and drop-offs.
Camp Okavango, is situated on the remote Nxaragha Island, in the heart of the Okavango Delta. This ensures guests a year-round water wilderness experience. The Lethaka main building houses a cocktail bar, lounge and dining room, while the expansive open-air patio caters for al fresco meals and evenings around a blazing fire. Shaded hammocks, a delightful sun-deck and plunge pool provide relief during the hot midday hours. An elevated observation platform affords guests stunning views of the expansive floodplains. The camp accommodations re in exclusive East African-style safari tents, individually sited on raised teak platforms with en-suite ablution facilities and private sun decks. The remainder of the day will be at your leisure to enjoy the game viewing activities on offer.
Meals included: Lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Camp Okavango
Day 2 – Okavango Delta
Your day is at leisure to enjoy the game viewing activities conducted by experienced professional guides who will expertly navigate guests through the many meandering, reed-lined waterways. Roam the vast expanses of water from the comfort of a modern motorboat or explore the intricacies of the Okavango Delta the quiet old-fashioned way, in the traditional mokoro (dugout canoe).
For those wanting to get a little closer to nature, guided bush walks are conducted on a number of the nearby islands, offering an opportunity to track some of the larger land-based species that inhabit this water wilderness. Birding opportunities are outstanding and anglers may put their skill against bream and tiger fish. Camp Okavango is a water-based camp and game-drive activities, using safari vehicles, are not possible.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Camp Okavango
Day 3 – Moremi Game Reserve
Time permitting you will enjoy an early morning game viewing activity. After breakfast a camp representative will transfer you to the airstrip for your light aircraft flight to Camp Moremi. The flying time is approximately 15 minutes and subject to multiple pick-ups and drop-offs. On arrival at the airstrip a camp representative will meet and transfer you to the camp.
Camp Moremi is situated on the Xakanaxa Lagoon in the heart of the Okavango Delta, in the Moremi Game Reserve. Xakanaxa is known as one of the best game-viewing areas in Botswana. Shaded by giant ebony trees, the magnificent Moremi Tree Lodge is an elegant, elevated thatch-and-timber structure. It consists of a main lounge, a wildlife reference library, a dining room and a stylish cocktail bar. The large sun deck affords guests a great view of the Xakanaxa Lagoon. A raised-deck swimming pool, covered boma and elevated observation platform assure Camp Moremi of its status as one of Botswana’s finest safari lodges with 22 beautifully furnished East African-style safari tents with private facilities.
The remainder of the day will be at your leisure to enjoy the game viewing activities on offer. In late afternoon, take a guided game drive in open 4×4 vehicles in hopes of sightings of lion, leopard and cheetah as well and/or wild dog.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Camp Moremi
Day 4 – Moremi Game Reserve
Your day is at leisure to enjoy the game viewing activities on offer. Explore the Delta by setting out on morning and late afternoon guided game drives in open 4×4 vehicles, where there are frequent sightings of lion, leopard and cheetah as well as wild dog, or explore the Xaxanaka Lagoon and surrounding Okavango channels by motorboat
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Camp Moremi
Day 5 – Chobe National Park
Time permitting you will enjoy an early morning game viewing activity. After breakfast a camp representative will transfer you to the airstrip for your flight to Kasane Airport. The flying time is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes and subject to multiple pick-ups and drop-offs. On arrival at the Airport a representative will meet and transfer you to Chobe Game Lodge. The transfer time is approximately 30 minutes.
Situated in the remote and unspoilt northern extremity of the Chobe National Park in Botswana, overlooking the Chobe River and the Caprivi floodplains, Chobe Game Lodge is tastefully decorated with hand crafted Rhodesian teak furniture and walls decorated with original African carvings and paintings. The lodge exudes luxury, and all rooms are river-facing with private terraces granting you access to exquisite views. Enjoy delectable cuisine in the lodge’s restaurant which is set within the tranquil garden.
The remainder of the day will be at your leisure to enjoy the game viewing activities on offer. Alternatively, you can view game from the elevated boardwalk around the lodge that is designed to showcase the neighboring rivers, islands and floodplains.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Chobe Game Lodge
Day 6 – Chobe National Park
Your day is at leisure to enjoy the game viewing activities on offer. Take advantage of the area’s natural wealth and embark on game drives conducted in open sided 4X4 vehicles or view game on highly maneuverable boats piloted by expert boatmen on the Chobe River, or join guides as they offer star gazing presentations, garden and river walks as well as walking safaris in the nearby Kasane forests.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Chobe Game Lodge
Day 7 – Victoria Falls
Time permitting you will enjoy an early morning game viewing activity. After breakfast a representative will transfer you to Kasane Border where you will change vehicles for your onward transfer to Ilala Lodge in Victoria Falls. The transfer time is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Ilala Lodge offers distinguished accommodation in a gracious and secluded ambiance. The decor evokes a bygone era of adventure and the quest of discovery in Africa. The hotel is ideally situated and is the closest to the Victoria Falls as well as the town centre. The National Park borders the front of the property and wild animals often graze on the hotel lawns with the spray of the falls in the background.
Check in time at the lodge is at 14:00. You may leave your luggage with the concierge until your room is ready for occupation. All rooms have en-suite bathroom with separate shower, air conditioning, overhead fan and satellite TV. You will be served early morning tea / coffee and fruit basket. The rooms are spacious with teak furnishings and patio doors leading onto either open lawn or a balcony where you are afforded a view of the spray of the falls. The remainder of the day will be at your leisure.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodations: Ilala Lodge
Day 8 – Victoria Falls
Your day is at leisure to enjoy a variety of optional activities available at an additional cost. The Ra-Ikane, the only one of its kind in Victoria Falls, is a small luxury cruise boat that is outfitted to suggest the elegant ambiance of a bygone era. The vessel was built to replicate the ‘Ma-Robert’, Dr David Livingstone’s boat. This cruise boat is exclusive, personalised and designed to complement your stay.
Opt to take a 2 hour guided tour of the Victoria Falls to learn about the history from an experienced local guide, or you can opt to walk to the town and explore what it has to offer on your own or view the spectacular falls from the air with either a short, or extended, flight over the Victoria Falls and Batoka Gorges.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodations: Ilala Lodge
Day 9 – Departure
Time permitting you will enjoy an early morning activity. After breakfast a representative will transfer you to Victoria Falls Airport for your onward journey.
Meals included: Breakfast
Botswana Notes
Luggage
As you will be travelling in vehicles and aircraft with limited space, luggage is required to be packed in a soft bag. No hard suitcases are allowed and oversized bags may not be carried on your lap. An additional seat can be booked for extra luggage, subject to availability.
The weight restriction in each region is as follows:
- Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique: Maximum of 20kg (44 lbs) which includes hand luggage.
Flights:
- Check-in is 1½ hours prior for domestic and 3 hours prior for international departures.
- Scheduled regional and inter-lodge flights may involve multiple stops before reaching final destination. Flights are operated as “shuttle transfers” and therefore departure times may vary up to 1 hour. Times are subject to change without notice.
- In the event of bad weather airlines reserve the right to drop guests off at the nearest serviceable airstrip which may mean a road transfer for guests to get to their final destination. Any costs resulting from such diversions would be for your own account.
- Shuttle inter-lodge flights from the Okavango Delta to areas like Savute, Chobe and Kasane (Botswana) may depart very early in the morning which means you will miss your morning game drive. Regrettably, this is beyond our control as flights are scheduled to meet onward road transfers and connecting flights out of Victoria Falls and Livingstone.
- Aircraft used on inter-lodge flights are small and interior space limited. For the sake of your own comfort, please advise us at time of booking if you are particularly bulky or tall and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Laundry
Most lodges, camps and hotels do their best to deliver a same day laundry service in Botswana, weather permitting. Dry cleaning can be arranged at most hotels but is not available at lodges. At the lodges soap suds are generally provided in your room for delicate items. Please be mindful that, due to culture and customs in many of the areas in which we operate, some lodges/camps do not wash undergarments.
