15 days in Botswana

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  PLANET BAOBAB

  Meeting with our representative and road transfer to Planet Baobab, the journey will take 2h30. Planet Baobab is located 10 km from the town of Gweta. Grand tea at the lodge. Nature walk: enjoy the primitive man's stone tool sites as well as the guided walks of Planet Baobab, introducing you to the fauna and flora of the Kalahari desert. A visit to Planet Baobab and the Kalahari Surf Club offers cultural understanding, insights into the history of primitive man, and ecologically responsible access to the mysterious beauty of the Makgadikgadi. It is also the funkiest desert oasis where you can enjoy a blazing Botswana sunset with a campfire in the heart of the bush. Return to Planet Baobab for dinner and overnight stay. Planet Baobab is a traditional village of Kalanga and Bushmen-style mud huts, shaded by giant baobabs with an average age of 4,000 years. Planet Baobab offers an affordable Makgadikgadi experience, allowing guests to learn more about the culture and traditions of Botswana, as well as the intriguing geological origins of the Makgadikgadi Pans.

• day 2

  DAY AT NXAI PAN

  5:30 am: Early departure for breakfast and lunch. Return in the late afternoon, dinner and overnight at Planet Baobab. Nxai Pan is the water point, located just two kilometers from the entrance gate, in the middle of a large grassy plain dotted with a few umbrella thorn bushes. Here, and in the mopane forest, lion, giraffe, kudu, impala, ostrich, fascinating birdlife, and a large number of springboks, as well as a good population of jackals, bat-eared foxes, and many smaller creatures, are permanent residents. Once the rains have started, gemsboks, elephants, and zebras migrate to the area. At this time, zebras are present by the thousands and give birth to their young at Nxai Pan, rivaling the spectacle of the multitude of young springboks, further enhancing the viewing opportunities.

• day 3

  Night under the stars at Ntwetwe

  Breakfast at the lodge. Departure for the village of Gweta, where you will have the opportunity to meet the traditional healer, discover the traditional cattle post, and visit a local school. Lunch in Gweta. Return to the lodge. At 2 p.m., departure for the Ntwetwe Pan Expedition: you will leave with your guide to the edge of the Pan, then continue by 4x4 bikes to the sleeping site. You will spend time with the habituated meerkats. Your guide will organize, with your help, an outdoor barbecue dinner. Night under the stars. The Ntwetwe Pans and Sua Pan, as well as many smaller pans, form the Makgadikgadi Pans system. The basins are the remains of the ancient great Lake Makgadikgadi: 80,000 square kilometers in area and up to 30 meters deep; it was the largest inland sea in Africa. During the rainy season, this vast area of salt marshes, dotted with low grassy islands, becomes the destination for migrating zebra herds. It has an unspoiled beauty, unique in Africa. If the pans are dry, they will take you for a walk and introduce you to the nature, the formation of the pans, the archaeology, the geology, and the zoology of the region: "Go where no one has ever dared to venture before - far across the unexplored wild expanses of the vast and empty salt pans" (alternatively, you will only reach the edge of the pans).

• day 4

  MAUN

  Quick breakfast. Departure from Planet Baobab around 09:00. Short stop at the lodge. 10:30: on-time departure for Maun, about 2h30 drive. Arrival at Maun airport around 13:00. Overnight in Maun or at Etsa 6, located on the way to Shakawe.

• day 5

  SHAKAWE

  4/5h drive. Arrival at Shakawe River Lodge in the late afternoon, then lunch. You can relax at the lodge or try the boat cruise. Dinner and overnight stay. Shakawe River Lodge is a luxurious private lodge, located on the banks of the Okavango River, in northwestern Botswana. It boasts an elegant lodge and a luxurious river escape, set in the natural surroundings of the beautiful main Okavango River. Shakawe River Lodge has ten luxurious, air-conditioned suites, including three double suites with king size beds and seven twin suites. The honeymoon suite, built further from the main lodge, also features an outdoor shower and a private deck with a comfortable daybed. Main activities: fishing, bird watching, and a day trip to the Tsodilo Hills.

• day 6

  EXCURSION TO TSODILO / SHAKAWE

  After breakfast, you will depart for a full-day excursion to Tsodilo Hills, with a driver-guide for lunch. Tsodilo Hills is about a 1-hour drive from Shakawe River Lodge. A San guide (bushman guide) will be waiting for you at the gate and will take you up the hill, explaining the history of the hills as well as the cultural significance of the bushmen paintings. Your lunch will be served on the hill. After lunch, guests complete the excursion and return to the lodge. Usually, guests return to the lodge around 3:30pm/4:30pm. Dinner and overnight at Shakawe River Lodge.

• day 7

  MANKWE / MOREMI GAME RESERVE

  You will leave for Mankwe Bush Lodges after breakfast, via Maun. Arrival around 12 o'clock, then a 2-hour drive to the Mankwe Bush camp. The Mankwe Bush Lodge offers elevated tented chalets to reveal a magnificent view of the mopani below. Each chalet has its own bathroom and shower with hot water, as well as a private platform where guests can relax. The chalets are set apart from each other and offer a peaceful setting, surrounded by a canopy of natural forest. Night safari, dinner, and overnight stay.

• day 8

  Day at the Moremi Game Reserve

  Early breakfast. You will then leave for the Moremi Reserve for a full day safari with a complete lunch. The Moremi Game Reserve has the most diverse habitat and animal populations in Botswana. The landscape is made up of a stunning combination of forests, lagoons, floodplains, and islands. The large mopane forests and extensive floodplains, lined with majestic palm trees, make Moremi one of the most picturesque wildlife reserves. The combination of habitats makes Moremi the ideal place to combine typical savannah game viewing with leisure. Return to Mankwe, dinner and overnight stay.

• day 9

  XOBEGA ISLAND - OKAVANGO DELTA

  After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Boat Station Ex Game Drive in Moremi. Arrival at the Mboma Island camp, then transfer by boat to the Xobega Island camp. All meals and house drinks are included at the camp. The experience offers an authentic immersion in the wilderness of the Okavango Delta in Botswana, without sacrificing the comfort of a camp bed with linen. Camping on the island provides a true sense of isolation in the heart of this vast, unspoiled nature. Relax at the camp, a drink in hand, while the crew prepares and serves delicious "bush cuisine" dinners, served on a candlelit table under a starry sky. Then, settle into your comfortable and spacious dome tent for a peaceful night's sleep. Accommodation is in spacious dome tents equipped with camp beds and full linens. Shower tents and separate toilets are available throughout the campsite. Boats take you from the boat station to the islands, and mokoro (traditional wooden canoe) excursions with experienced guides allow you to enjoy the serenity of the Okavango Delta. All meals and activities are included. The Xobega Island camp is a true paradise in the heart of the wonderful water world that is the Okavango Delta. Located in the immediate vicinity of the Moremi Reserve, Xobega (or Gcobega) Island is ideally placed and easily accessible for self-driving 4x4 travelers, as well as for guests arriving at the Xakanaxa airstrip. Xobega has 10 bright Meru-style canvas tents, equipped with twin beds and open-air en-suite bathrooms. Everything in this camp is environmentally friendly, from the exclusive use of solar energy to bucket showers and chemical toilets. It is basic but charming, designed for enthusiastic and happy campers, and perhaps less suitable for elderly people. Guests arrive on the wooded island by boat and are welcomed into this authentic safari. Hippos dominate the waters around the island, lions can be heard from across the water, and a Pel's fishing owl settles in the trees. A paradise for bird lovers in a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is a wild African experience. Activities at Xobega are as follows: there are no walking safaris on the island, but mokoro excursions are offered in the lagoons at the boat station. Morning and afternoon boat cruises around the delta islands and through hippo-populated channels. Birdwatching from the camp and the boat – Pel's owls are known to nest on Xobega Island, offering birdwatching enthusiasts a unique experience. Guests can enjoy chilled refreshments at the best time of day during the boat safari, or a stop on an island to admire the sunset. Mokoro safaris – optional at the boat station during transfers to and from Xobega Island. Photography – whether by boat or on the island, always keep a camera handy, especially if you are passionate about birdwatching.

• day 10

  XOBEGA ISLAND CAMP - OKAVANGO DELTA

  Full day at the camp. 2 activities, dinner and night.

• day 11

  KASANE / CHOBE

  After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Xakanaxa airstrip in Moremi for a charter flight to Kasane. Arrival in Kasane, transfer to Chobe Safari or Chobe Bush Lodge. Lunch. 3:00 pm: departure for a "Sunset" boat cruise, an opportunity to observe game coming to drink at the river: elephants, crocodiles, buffalo, etc. Dinner and overnight at the lodge. Chobe National Park covers an area of about 11,000 square kilometers. It takes its name from the Chobe River. The park is located in a unique corner, bordering 4 countries: Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, and Angola. It is known for its great variety of habitats that are home to the largest concentration of game in the southern African subcontinent, as well as the largest number of elephants in the world.

• day 12

  CHOBE NATIONAL PARK

  Breakfast at the lodge, then departure at 9am for a full day of private tour in Chobe, with a packed lunch. Return in the late afternoon, dinner and overnight stay.

• day 13

  VICTORIA FALLS

  Early morning departure. You will be picked up at 7:20 am for the transfer to Victoria Falls. The journey takes about 1h30 with border formalities. Arrival at Victoria Falls with a visit to the falls. Usually 2 hours. Lunch. Dinner. You can decide to try a different cuisine away from your hotel, for example the traditional Boma restaurant. Night at the hotel Elephant Hills, located 4 km from the city on a small hill, offers panoramic views of the Zambezi River and views from Victoria Falls. This luxury hotel is decorated with an ethnic essence of Zimbabwe and can even boast an impressive miniature replica of Victoria Falls at its center. The rooms are spacious, each with its own balcony and views of the gardens or the surroundings.

• day 14

  VICTORIA FALLS

  After breakfast, you will have a free day to choose some of your favorite activities, such as a walk with the lions. Victoria Falls never lacks activities: rafting, bungee jumping, visit to Livingstone Island, swimming in the Devil's Pool, etc. Return to the lodge. In the afternoon, try another activity, such as a sunset boat cruise, a helicopter flight over the falls, an elephant-back safari, or a walk to the town of Victoria Falls. Overnight at the lodge.

• day 15

  VICTORIA FALLS / JHB

  After breakfast, transfer to Victoria Falls airport for an international flight to JHB.

• day 16

  NOTES

  The cost includes: 2 nights at Planet Baobab, dinner and breakfast included 1 night on the Pans with all meals, quad bikes 1 day excursion to Nxai Pan 1 night in Maun Road transfers Maun/Shakawe/Maun/Makwe Lodge Bush 2 nights in a lodge on the Shakawe river, dinners and breakfast included 1 excursion to Tsodilo Hills with packed lunch 2 nights at Makwe Bush, dinner and breakfast included 2 nights on Mboma Island, all meals included 2 nights at Xobega Island camp Water activities and walks on Xobega Island Road/boat transfers from Mankwe and return to the airstrip Charter flight to Kasane 2 nights in Kasane with dinners and breakfasts 1 boat cruise on the Chobe river 1 full day excursion to Chobe with lunch included Road transfer to Victoria Falls 2 nights at Elephant Hills in guest rooms 1 visit to Victoria Falls The cost does not include: Visa if required in Zambia from $50 to $100 US (depending on nationality) Rainforest entrance fees ($30 US) Other meals not included in Chobe and Victoria Falls Other tours Tips