DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1 & 2: Njuca Hills, Makgadikgadi Pans We depart in the morning for Njuca Hills by road, on the edge of the great Makgadikgadi Pans in the Kalahari Desert. The saltpans are among the largest in the world, part of a fossilised super-lake that existed aeons ago. The Adventurer campsite is beautifully positioned under shady trees on rare hills with a superb view of the surrounding plains.

Surprisingly for such a harsh, lunar-like environment, life abounds, and brown hyaena, oryx and springbok are just a few of the desert-adapted species that can be seen. Activities include game drives, concentrating on the opportunistic birthing time of desert animals from the erratic rains and the diverse array of birds, possibly including flamingos. In addition, the seasonal wildebeest and zebra movements, if found, provide amazing sightings at this time. Experience the phenomenal geology and simply enjoy the wide-open spaces of this ancient lakebed and surrounding grassy plains.

Day 3, 4 & 5: Deception Valley, Central Kalahari Game Reserve After an early breakfast, we depart overland to our private Adventurer campsite in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve with lunch en route.

This prehistoric riverbed, flanked by petrified dune lands, is very appealing after brief rains, as it is covered with nutritious grasses that attract herds from all over the enormous reserve. These large congregations of desert wildlife with their young are followed by predators into the broad riverbed, all of which makes for outstanding viewing.

On Day 4 or 5 we enjoy a full-day wildlife viewing activity (with picnic lunch), taking in the game-rich Pipers Pans area of the Kalahari.

Day 6 & 7: Xigera Camp, Okavango Delta After a light breakfast we depart overland to Maun, flying by light aircraft in the afternoon to the water-filled paradise of the private Xigera area, within the Moremi Game Reserve. Xigera is the ultimate Delta experience, with serene waters flowing through innumerable channels around remote islands and a profusion of plant and animal life.

Xigera Camp is a luxury tented camp situated in the heart of the Okavango Delta. It has something for everyone, in an area where there are no other Moremi camps and where permanent water all year round allows one to enjoy a variety of activities. Enjoy a true Delta experience while you sit back in a mokoro (dugout canoe) and silently glide through the tranquil Okavango waterways or watch the sunset and birds gliding home to roost from a motorboat on the Xigera Lagoon. And for the more adventurous we can track animals on foot.

Nestled in a magnificent riverine forest, Xigera consists of 10 luxuriously furnished tented rooms with en-suite facilities and outdoor shower. Each room is raised off the ground on a wooden deck offering superb views of the seasonal floodplain and waterhole. Meals and drinks are enjoyed under the thatch of the raised lounge, pub and dining area overlooking a permanently flowing channel. A traditional boma offers alternative dining under the African stars. Wooden walkways wind through the forest connecting the rooms to the main area. There is a plunge pool for cooling off and relaxation. Birding in the area is excellent, with Pel’s Fishing Owl, Slaty Egret, Wattled Crane, African Skimmers and a host of eagles, vultures, raptors and kingfishers to be found. The area has the highest density of the rare sitatunga antelope found anywhere in the Okavango Delta.

Day 8: Charter flight to Maun After an early morning activity and breakfast, we fly to Maun, where the safari ends.

NOTE: PRIVATE ITINERARIES FOR TAILOR-MADE TRIPS FOR SMALL GROUPS CAN BE ARRANGED.

2006 Departures approximately every week

Itinerary in Brief

Days 1 & 2 Fly from Maun to Xigera Mokoro Trails, MoremiGame Reserve
Days 3 & 4 Fly to Lechwe Island Camp, Kwai, Okavango Delta
Day 5 Drive to Savuti Marsh, Chobe National Park
Days 6 & 7 Drive to Linyanti Trails Camp, Linyanti
Day 8 Fly to Chobe, River Boat Cruise and road transfer to Natural Mystic Lodge, Zambia
Day 9 Guided tour of the Victoria Falls and transfer to Livingstone Airport

DETAILED ITINERARY Day 1 & 2: Xigera Mokoro Trails, Okavango Delta

After arrival in Maun, we fly by light aircraft to the water-filled paradise of the private Xigera area, within the Moremi Game Reserve. Xigera is the ultimate Delta experience, with serene waters flowing through innumerable channels around remote islands and a profusion of plant and animal life.

There is no better way to experience the Okavango than to travel through it by mokoro, walking and camping out on a vegetated island – all essential elements of the Xigera Mokoro Trails experience. The experience is aimed at exposing the permanently flooded inner Delta, in the serene waterways and on the islands of trees and bush. Our tents are smaller here than the rest of the safari, with a gauze main frame, thus enhancing the views. Key to the experience is mobility, so bedrolls are on the ground and a battery-powered lamp provides light.

Activities include mokoro and walking safaris, which enable up-close encounters with the excellent diversity of birdlife (including Pel’s Fishing Owl), frogs and a myriad of game species, some specially adapted to water, such as the rare sitatunga and the familiar red lechwe. Walking activities vary in length and duration through the seasons, especially in the months when the Okavango is at peak flood where they become shorter (June, July and August) as more islands become flooded.

Day 3 & 4: Lechwe Island Camp, North-eastern Okavango Delta
Fly by light aircraft charter from Xigera Mokoro Trails directly to the north-eastern corner of the Okavango Delta, to our pre-erected Adventurer camp set up on a wooded island under shade trees, situated close to the game viewing areas.

Activities concentrate on the open herbivore-inhabited plains surrounding the camp, where seasonal congregations of wildlife (especially in the late afternoons) make the perfect setting for game drives, night drives and bush walks on the concession.

Day 5: Savute Marsh, Chobe National Park
Departing early from camp, we travel north and east through the private concession and Chobe National Park, stopping en route for game sightings through parts of the area and lunch. This drive gives the perfect introduction to the varying habitats of a dry and flat northern Botswana, from the sump of Lake Makgadigadi at Mababe Depression to the open savannah of the Savute Marsh with its granite hillocks.

We arrive at our Adventurer campsite in the mid-afternoon, in time for a short sunset game drive on the open and dry, scenic Savute Marsh.

Day 6 & 7: Linyanti Trails Camp, Linyanti Concession
We leave early, heading towards the Linyanti region. This can be an all-day game drive, with lunch en route at a shady place in the Savuti Channel. This game/ transfer drive is specifically designed to gain an intimate view of the “Stolen River”. If the guide believes the wildlife better in the vicinity of the trails camp as the permanent waters are there, we will head directly there and embark on an afternoon game drive to begin our search.

On our second day, we depart on an early morning activity in the north-eastern corner of the Linyanti, enjoying a myriad of changing landscapes, from riverine to savannah habitat with sweeping views. Lunch is at an area, with a sweeping view of the Linyanti waterways. After a siesta in hammocks, there is the possibility of an afternoon canoe trip, before returning to camp at dusk. (This activity is not always possible, depending on whether there are hippo pods moving in and out of the areas in which we canoe.)

Day 8: Chobe River boat cruise & Natural Mystic Lodge, Zambia
After a short morning drive and breakfast, we depart by light aircraft to the northern Chobe region of Chobe National Park. This area is famous for its vast herds of elephants and other unique species such as the elusive puku and Chobe bushbuck that move to the river in the hottest hours of the day - even more so in the dry season. Enjoy a lunch served during the boat cruise on the catamaran-style shaded boat.

We leave Botswana and enter Zambia by way of the Kazangula border, a point where the four countries of Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe meet, to stay at the Natural Mystic Lodge, arriving in the late afternoon.

Natural Mystic Lodge is located 20km from Livingstone - the "Adventure Capital" of Zambia – 30km from the spectacular Victoria Falls, and 50km from the Kazangula border between Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

All 10 en-suite thatched chalets have a view of the Zambezi River. The chalets are built into a natural setting, and have a traditional African feel to them, while providing the necessary comfort, privacy and safety guests require. The area surrounding the lodge is covered in a dense Mopane forest combined with deciduous savannah grassland. Nature's sounds of birdlife, frogs, baboons, monkeys and hippo create a mystical mood, while free-roaming elephants are frequent visitors to the grounds.

Day 9: Guided tour of the Victoria Falls; transfer to Livingstone Airport
Enjoy a guided tour of the Victoria Falls, one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World. At 1708 metres wide, it is the largest curtain of water in the world and drops more than 100 metres into the sheer Zambezi Gorge.

After the Victoria Falls visit we transfer directly to Livingstone Airport and bid farewell to the adventure.

NOTE: THIS ITINERARY IS AVAILABLE ON FLEXIBLE DATES AND ITINERARIES, FOR TAILOR-MADE TRIPS FOR SMALL GROUPS
 

Maun - Maun

2006 Departures: 26 Mar, 11 Apr, 1 May, 29 May, 10 Jun, 24 Jun, 14 Jul
22 Jul, 7 Aug, 11 Aug, 12 Sep, 8 Oct, 3 Nov, 21 Nov

 Itinerary in brief

Days 1& 2 Drive to San Camp, Makgadikgadi Pans
Days 3 & 4 Drive to Nxai Pan, Nxai Pan National Park
Days 5 & 6 Drive/ fly to Xigera Mokoro Trails, Moremi Game Reserve
Day 7 Fly to Maun

DETAILED ITINERARY 

Day 1 & 2: San Camp, Makgadikgadi Pans After arrival in Maun, we fly by light aircraft to San Camp, situated in a private concession on the edge of the great Makgadikgadi Pans in the Kalahari Desert. The saltpans are among the largest in the world, part of a super-lake fossilised aeons ago.

Surprisingly for such a harsh, lunar-like environment, life abounds, and brown hyaena, oryx and springbok are just a few of the desert-adapted species that can be seen. Activities include up-close encounters with suricates (meerkats), one of the most endearing animals in the world. Experience phenomenal geology, quad biking, authentic San (bushman) cultural walks and fascinating Stone Age archaeological artefacts – or simply enjoy the wide-open spaces of this ancient lakebed.

Day 3 & 4: Nxai Pan, Nxai Pan National Park After an early breakfast, we depart overland to our pre-erected private Adventurer campsite in the Nxai Pan National Park, stopping for lunch en route at the famous Baines Baobabs, which Thomas Baines painted on his exploratory expedition in the late 19th century.

These pans are fossilised, covered with short nutritious grasses and stunted acacia trees, creating wildlife-rich areas surrounded by vegetated dune savannahs. Extensive game drives explore the surrounding pans, with an excellent chance of seeing spectacular dry-season predator-and-prey interaction at the waterholes.

Day 5 & 6: Xigera Mokoro Trails, Okavango Delta After arrival in Maun by road, we fly by light aircraft to the water-filled paradise of the private Xigera area, within the Moremi Game Reserve. Xigera is the ultimate Delta experience, with serene waters flowing through innumerable channels around remote islands and a profusion of plant and animal life.

There is no better way to experience the Okavango than to travel through it by mokoro, walking and camping out on a vegetated island – all essential elements of the Xigera Mokoro Trails experience. The experience is aimed at exposing the permanently flooded inner Delta, in the serene waterways and on the islands of trees and bush. Our tents are smaller here than the rest of the safari, with a gauze main frame, thus enhancing the views. Key to the experience is mobility, so bedrolls are on the ground and a battery-powered lamp provides light.

Activities include mokoro and walking safaris, which enable up-close encounters with the excellent diversity of birdlife (including Pel’s Fishing Owl), frogs and a myriad of game species, some specially adapted to water, such as the rare sitatunga and the familiar red lechwe. Walking activities vary in length and duration through the seasons, especially in the months when the Okavango is at peak flood where they become shorter (June, July and August) as more islands become flooded.

Day 7: Charter flight to Maun After an early game activity and breakfast, we fly to Maun, where the safari ends.

NOTE: THIS SAFARI IS FLEXIBLE WITH REGARD TO DATES AND ITINERARIES FOR TAILOR-MADE TRIPS FOR SMALL GROUPS.

DETAILED ITINERARY 

Day 1 & 2: San Camp, Makgadikgadi Pans

After arrival in Maun, you will be met by your guide or our representative and fly by light aircraft to San Camp, situated in a private concession on the edge of the great Makgadikgadi Pans in the Kalahari Desert. The saltpans are among the largest in the world, part of a fossilised super-lake that thrived aeons ago.

Surprisingly for such a harsh, lunar-like environment, life abounds, and brown hyaena, oryx and springbok are just a few of the desert-adapted species that can be seen. Activities include up-close encounters with suricates (meerkats), one of the most fascinating and endearing animals in the world. Experience phenomenal geology, quad biking, and authentic San (bushman) cultural walks, or simply enjoy the wide-open spaces of this ancient lakebed.

Day 3 & 4: Jacana Camp, Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta represents survival at the other extreme: abundant water, sunlight and soil combine to form a paradise bursting with life. The contrast becomes amazingly clear as we move from desert to delta, from dry sand to water world, on a light aircraft charter from San to Jacana Camp.

Lush Jacana Camp is situated in a permanently flooded region of the private Jao concession of the Okavango Delta. A true water camp, it represents the essence of the Delta, with year-round mokoro safaris as well as island bush walks and, water level permitting, motorboat cruises.

A true water camp, it represents the essence of the Delta, with year-round mokoro safaris as well as island bush walks and, water level permitting, motorboat cruises. In fact, when the flood levels are at their peak we are able to motorboat from the airstrip to the lodge, a truly surreal camp arrival!

Jacana Camp is set in one of the wetland areas most densely populated with sitatunga and red lechwe. Wildlife concentrations depend on the water flow and volume, thus changing from season to season, but all the large animals can be found in the area including elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo. Pel’s Fishing Owl is a favourite amongst birders as well as Greater and Lesser Jacanas.

Jacana Camp has 5 meru-style tents. Each tent is on a wooden deck overlooking the floodplains and has an en-suite bathroom with flush toilet and shower. The bathroom is enclosed but roofless, allowing for showers by starlight. The camp has a plunge pool for cooling off from the midday sun. The main dining area is on an elevated wooden deck between two magnificent sycamore fig trees and surrounded by dense wild date palms. Downstairs, there is a cosy pub and lounge with an area perfect for an open fire under the stars.

Day 5, 6 & 7: Ketumetse Trails Camp, North-eastern Okavango Delta

We depart this morning by aircraft to Ketumetse Trails Camp, set in a private concession in the game-productive areas of the Okavango’s seasonally flooded region.

Our Discoverer campsite has been erected prior to our arrival in the wildlife-rich seasonal plains region under shade trees, affording great views in cool comfort.

Activities concentrate on the open herbivore-inhabited plains flanked by palm trees and forest surrounding the camp, where seasonal congregations of wildlife (especially in the late afternoons) make the perfect setting for game drives, night drives and bush walks on the concession.

Day 8, 9 & 10: Linyanti Trails Camp, Linyanti Concession

After a light breakfast, we drive to the private Linyanti Concession; upon arrival driving to our private Discoverer campsite, which is elegantly set up under African ebony and knobthorn acacia trees overlooking panoramic vistas of the Linyanti Swamps.

The landscape varies from the floodplains of the Linyanti to savannah habitat with sweeping views, creating a paradise for a high diversity of wildlife and bird species. Activities include game drives in the private northern sector of the concession, exploring a range of habitats, from riverbanks to scrub and forest, which reveal a myriad of wildlife en route to slake their thirst from the river. The seldom-seen sitatunga can also be spotted in the waterways, as well as rare plains game, such as roan and sable antelope and of course their predators, the lion and leopard – with the endangered wild dog as an incredible bonus.

There’s also a game drive to a private area for lunch, then a siesta in hammocks and the possibility of an afternoon canoe trip, before returning to camp at dusk. (This activity is not always possible, as it is dependent on whether there are hippo pods moving in and out of the areas in which we canoe.)

To complete the experience, in the rain season and on the third day we can possibly enjoy a full-day activity to the Savute Channel, with lunch at a scenic setting under a shade tree. The spectacular but seasonal (rain dependant) zebra migration moves between Linyanti and the Savute Marsh between end November and March, the area also boasting an impressive diversity of mammals, including large elephant herds. When undertaken and during the correct season, this day is specifically tailored to enjoy the seasonal and migratory movements of wildlife, although sighting the zebra migration is not guaranteed.

Day 11: Chobe River boat cruise, Chobe National Park and Sussi Lodge, Zambia

After a short morning drive and breakfast, we depart by light aircraft to the northern Chobe region of Chobe National Park. This area is famous for its vast herds of elephants in the dry season and other unique species such as the elusive puku and Chobe bushbuck that move to the river in the hottest hours of the day. Enjoy a lunch on the boat cruise in a catamaran-style shaded boat.

We leave Botswana and enter Zambia by way of the Kazangula border, a point where the four countries of Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia meet, arriving in the late afternoon at Sussi Lodge, in Livingstone.

Guest accommodation at Sussi Lodge consists of 10 luxury tree-houses built into the living canopy of giant ebony trees lining the riverbank. Each unit has a mini bar, en-suite bathroom, mosquito nets, overhead fan and a private view of the Zambezi from its own deck among the branches. The main lodge building features a raised bar/lounge deck, open-air dining area, swimming pool and lawns down to the water’s edge.

Day 12: Victoria Falls, Transfer to Livingstone Airport

The grand finale is a guided tour of the Victoria Falls, one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World. At 1708 metres wide, it is the largest curtain of water in the world and drops more than 100 metres into the sheer Zambezi Gorge.

Transfer to Livingstone Airport immediately after the tour of the Victoria Falls and bid farewell to the adventure.

NOTE: THIS ITINERARY IS AVAILABLE ON FLEXIBLE DATES AND ITINERARIES, FOR TAILOR-MADE SAFARIS FOR SMALL GROUPS UP TO EIGHT GUESTS.

Routes: To maximise guests’ travel time, a variety of travel modes that bring out the best of each area is used: flying in private charters, overland transfers and exclusive combination mokoro-boat-land transfers provide both a birds-eye view and an in-depth experience of the contrasting landscapes of Botswana.

Exclusive experience: Many areas in which we travel are private concessions. All camps and lodges are private and for the use of Discoverer Exploration travellers only. These areas are not open to the public, hence our safaris can guarantee total privacy.

Guides: The entire safari is guided and hosted by professional trained guides, who share their in-depth knowledge to present a seamless safari experience.

Seasonality: We take advantage of the changing seasons so as to provide the best in wildlife viewing on an annual basis. Therefore, at Ketumetse and Linyanti Trails Camp, we enjoy three night stays at each, to fully appreciate the massive diversity of area and activity.

 Day 1 & 2: San Camp, Makgadikgadi Pans After arrival in Maun, we fly by light aircraft to San Camp, situated in a private concession on the edge of the great Makgadikgadi Pans in the Kalahari Desert. The saltpans are among the largest in the world, part of a super-lake fossilised aeons ago.

Surprisingly for such a harsh, lunar-like environment, life abounds, and brown hyaena, oryx and springbok are just a few of the desert-adapted species that can be seen. Activities include up-close encounters with suricates (meerkats), one of the most endearing animals in the world. Experience phenomenal geology, quad biking, authentic San (bushman) cultural walks and fascinating Stone Age archaeological artefacts – or simply enjoy the wide-open spaces of this ancient lakebed.

Day 3 & 4: Nxai Pan, Nxai Pan National Park After an early breakfast, we depart overland to our pre-erected private Adventurer campsite in the Nxai Pan National Park, stopping for lunch en route at the famous Baines Baobabs, which Thomas Baines painted on his exploratory expedition in the late 19th century.

These pans are fossilised, covered with short nutritious grasses and stunted acacia trees, creating wildlife-rich areas surrounded by vegetated dune savannahs. Extensive game drives explore the surrounding pans, with an excellent chance of seeing spectacular dry-season predator-and-prey interaction at the waterholes.

Day 5 & 6: Xigera Mokoro Trails, Okavango Delta After arrival in Maun by road, we fly by light aircraft to the water-filled paradise of the private Xigera area, within the Moremi Game Reserve. Xigera is the ultimate Delta experience, with serene waters flowing through innumerable channels around remote islands and a profusion of plant and animal life.

There is no better way to experience the Okavango than to travel through it by mokoro, walking and camping out on a vegetated island – all essential elements of the Xigera Mokoro Trails experience. The experience is aimed at exposing the permanently flooded inner delta, in the serene waterways and on the islands of trees and bush. Our tents are smaller here than the rest of the safari, with a gauze main frame, thus enhancing the views. Key to the experience is mobility, so bedrolls are on the ground and a battery-powered lamp provides light.

Activities include mokoro and walking safaris, which enable up-close encounters with the excellent diversity of birdlife (including Pel’s Fishing Owl), frogs and a myriad of game species, some specially adapted to water, such as the rare sitatunga and the familiar red lechwe. Walking activities vary in length and duration through the seasons, especially in the months when the Okavango is at peak flood where they become shorter (June, July and August) as more islands become flooded.

Day 7 & 8: Lechwe Island Camp, North-eastern Okavango Delta Fly by light aircraft charter from Xigera Mokoro Trails directly to the north-eastern corner of the Okavango Delta, to our pre-erected Adventurer camp set up on a wooded island under shade trees, situated close to the game viewing areas.

Activities concentrate on the open herbivore-inhabited plains surrounding the camp, where seasonal congregations of wildlife (especially in the late afternoons) make the perfect setting for game drives, night drives and bush walks on the concession.

Day 9: Savute Marsh, Chobe National Park Departing early from camp, we travel north and east through the private concession and Chobe National Park, stopping en route for game sightings through parts of the area and lunch. This drive gives the perfect introduction to the varying habitats of a dry and flat northern Botswana, from the sump of Lake Makgadigadi at Mababe Depression to the open savannah of the Savute Marsh with its granite hillocks.

We arrive at our Adventurer campsite in the mid-afternoon, in time for a short sunset game drive on the open and dry yet scenic Savute Marsh.

Day 10 & 11: Linyanti Trails Camp, Linyanti Concession We leave early, heading towards the Linyanti region. This can be an all-day game drive, with lunch en route at a shady place in the Savuti Channel. This game/ transfer drive is specifically designed to gain an intimate view of the “Stolen River”. If the guide believes the wildlife better in the vicinity of the trails camp, as the permanent waters are there, we will head directly there and embark on an afternoon game drive to begin our search.

On our second day, we depart on an early morning activity in the north-eastern corner of the Linyanti, enjoying a myriad of changing landscapes, from riverine to savannah habitat with sweeping views. Lunch is at an area, with a sweeping view of the Linyanti waterways. After a siesta in hammocks, there is the possibility of an afternoon canoe trip, before returning to camp at dusk. (This activity is not always possible, depending on whether there are hippo pods moving in and out of the areas in which we canoe.)

Day 12: Chobe River boat cruise & Natural Mystic Lodge, Zambia After a short morning drive and breakfast, we depart by light aircraft to the northern Chobe region of Chobe National Park. This area is famous for its vast herds of elephants and other unique species such as the elusive puku and Chobe bushbuck that move to the river in the hottest hours of the day. Enjoy a lunch served during the boat cruise on the catamaran-style shaded boat.

We leave Botswana and enter Zambia by way of the Kazangula border, a point where the four countries of Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe meet, to stay at the Natural Mystic Lodge, arriving in the late afternoon.

Natural Mystic Lodge is located 20km from Livingstone - the "Adventure Capital" of Zambia – 30km from the spectacular Victoria Falls, and 50km from the Kazangula border between Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

All 10 en-suite thatched chalets have a view of the Zambezi River. The chalets are built into a natural setting, and have a traditional African feel to them, while providing the necessary comfort, privacy and safety guests require. The area surrounding the lodge is covered in a dense Mopane forest combined with deciduous savannah grassland. Nature's sounds of birdlife, frogs, baboons, monkeys and hippo create a mystical mood, while free-roaming elephants are frequent visitors to the grounds.

Day 13: Guided tour of the Victoria Falls; transfer to Livingstone Airport Enjoy a guided tour of the Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. At 1708 metres wide, it is the largest curtain of water in the world and drops more than 100 metres into the sheer Zambezi Gorge.

After the Victoria Falls visit we transfer directly to Livingstone Airport and bid farewell to the adventure.

NOTE: THIS ITINERARY IS AVAILABLE ON FLEXIBLE DATES AND ITINERARIES, FOR TAILOR-MADE TRIPS FOR SMALL GROUPS