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One of our travel partners, Visions of Africa, has a wide variety of safaris, whether it be sitting with gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or hot air ballooning over the Masai Mara. So wherever you are travelling, and whoever with, you will experience some incredible moments.
One of my favorite itineraries includes Desert & Delta Safaris who were established in 1982 and they own eight premier safaris which are all managed by local citizens. These properties are located within Botswana and Namibia’s prime wildlife destinations.
Desert & Delta offer outstandingly diverse safari experiences whilst providing personalised service and attention to detail that make your experience unique and memorable.
Victoria Falls & Botswana - Itinerary
Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) - Chobe River Front - Savuti - Chobe National Park - Okavango Delta - Moremi Game Reserve
15 Days / 14 Nights
Day 1: Overnight Travel
Day 2: Ilala Lodge Hotel, Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)
Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls is one of the world’s most impressive waterfalls. It is set on the magnificent Zambezi River which creates the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. These spectacular falls can be easily visited and viewed from the Zimbabwean side. Considered to be the world’s widest waterfalls, Victoria Falls measures 1708 metres in width.
The small town of Victoria Falls, which lies adjacent to the waterfalls, serves as a great base from which to explore the attractions this area of Zimbabwe has to offer. The surrounding area provides a wide range of adrenalin-filled activities for adventure lovers. Visitors can look forward to an array of wonderful activities including scenic flights, micro lighting, white water rafting, bungee jumping, kayaking and trips to the Chobe National Park.
Overnight: Ilala Lodge Hotel
Ilala Lodge Hotel is ideally located only eight minutes away from Victoria Falls. A family run hotel, Ilala Lodge has 73 stylish, well-appointed, spacious rooms that offer the ultimate in comfort and luxury. As it is the closest hotel to the beautiful Victoria Falls, the spray makes for a perfect backdrop during your stay.
Experience a culinary journey at the award-winning Palm Restaurant at Ilala Lodge Hotel. The Palm Restaurant offers a magnificent à la carte menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Guests can choose from an extensive list of South Africa’s finest wines, cocktails and artisan gins. They offer an unrivalled al-fresco dining experience under the starlit African sky, with the sound of the Falls in the background.
Re-live the historical journey embarked by David Livingstone exploring the mighty Zambezi River aboard the Ra-Ikane fleet. Named after his instrumental guide, the boats represent the grace of a bygone era honouring the rich history of Victoria Falls and its explorers, adventurers and heroes. The Ra-Ikane offers a variety of cruises, including breakfast, lunch and sunset, as well as private charters.
Day 3: Ilala Lodge Hotel, Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)
Guided tour of the Falls
A view of the Victoria Falls is something you will never forget and the best way to see them is on a guided tour. Discover how the Falls were formed and what local customs and traditions surround them. These tours are extremely informative and end with a visit to the local art and crafts centre.
Day 4-5: Chobe Game Lodge, Chobe River Front
Chobe River Front
The Chobe River forms the northern boundary of the Chobe National Park, renowned for its diverse and abundant game viewing opportunities. This section of the park is best known for its dense concentration of wildlife, including elephant and hippo populations, but the waters attract all manner of game including large herds of buffalo and the lions that prey on them.
A visit to this area guarantees close encounters with an array of African wildlife. Visitors can look forward to some exciting activities such as driving along the game-dotted river banks in a 4WD; cruising along the river in a motorboat, spotting rare birdlife and for a unique, luxury safari experience, hire a houseboat.
Overnight: Chobe Game Lodge
Counter-balancing the wilderness are restful, air conditioned, en-suite lodgings. Graceful high arches, quarry tiled floors and barrel vaulted ceilings create an atmosphere of cool tranquillity.
Other facilities include a large swimming pool with terrace, a riverside boma area, a stylish bar with an outside terrace and an expansive deck offering magnificent views over the Chobe River. All meals are catered for in various locations throughout the lodge including the terrace, boma and riverfront deck.
The newly rebuilt and decorated standard rooms have been expanded in size and lead onto a spacious terrace facing the Chobe River. Inside the rooms are all the amenities and comforts you expect from a luxury safari lodge. The en-suite bathrooms include a large bath and separate shower, while air-conditioners and overhead fans ensure you have a comfortable stay throughout your time at Chobe Game Lodge. Interleading standard rooms are available for families on request.
Each of Chobe Game Lodge's four luxury suites has an individual plunge pool set on a private terrace with breathtaking panoramic views of the endless landscape and open plains.
Chobe Game Lodge Game Drives
Owing to the location of Chobe Game Lodge inside the Chobe National Park, early-morning game drives set off as soon as the park opens, giving you the best chance of tracking predators while they are still active. The afternoon drives depart the lodge in the late afternoon (the exact time is dependent on the season), only returning at park closure time after sunset, thus maximising the time you spend out in the park to enjoy those special sightings.
The drives follow the course of the Chobe River as your experienced guide interprets the bush signs and tracks in search of the resident wildlife. Elephant encounters are common and huge herds of buffalo abound. The ever-present impala and the majestic giraffe are both common residents, while sightings of the puku antelope are also on offer. Predators are plentiful in the northern region of the Chobe National Park, and excellent sightings of lion, wild dog and leopard are to be had.
The Chobe Game Lodge vehicles are open 4WD game viewers redesigned to make your trip comfortable and your viewing experience astonishing. Included in the fleet are several silent, CO2 emission-free electric vehicles designed to further enhance your Chobe safari.
Chobe Game Lodge Birding Experience
Birding is spectacular with Schalows turaco, barred owlet and white-browed coucal resident in the gardens as well as rosythroated longclaw, western-banded snake-eagle and hooded vulture among a few of the 450 species of the Chobe region.
Chobe Game Lodge River Safaris
No Chobe safari is complete without experiencing the beauty of the Chobe River and its incredible wildlife by boat.
The riverboats are specifically designed to ensure each passenger can take in the magnificent Chobe views in complete comfort from anywhere on the boat. Owing to the flexibility in seating arrangements and the flat deck, the boats are ideal for keen wildlife photographers, with ample space for equipment and the freedom to photograph from any angle.
Elephants line the water’s edge, hippo congregate in lagoons, hundreds of antelope and giraffe make their way to the water and sightings of predators along the river banks are common.
All of the boats at Chobe Game Lodge are solar electric solar-powered safari boats – a clean and quiet way to enjoy a boat safari and another first for tourism in Africa
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Day 6-8: Savute Safari Lodge, Savuti - Chobe National Park
Savuti - Chobe National Park
Savuti, also known as Savute, lies in the heart of Botswana’s beautiful Chobe National Park. This dynamic wilderness is a sweeping expanse of savannah brooded over by several rocky outcrops which guard a relic marsh and the dry channel that was once its lifeline.
The Savute goes through wet and dry cycles, where wild dogs hunt in the dry river channel where crocodiles swam only twenty years ago.
Visitors to this spectacular area can spot abundant wildlife including a variety of birds, elephants, antelope, lion prides, black-backed jackal, bat-eared foxes, tsessebe, kudu, hyena, cheetah Cape buffalo herds, and thousands of migrating zebra and wildebeest.
Overnight: Savute Safari Lodge
To ensure a private and relaxing environment, Savute Safari Lodge accommodates just 24 guests in 11 thatched chalets built of local timber and one family room which consists of two double bedrooms.
The chalets, which have been elegantly furnished in calm neutral tones to blend with the natural environment, feature expansive private decks, a combined bedroom and lounge area and en suite facilities.
Savute Safari Lodge offers a shaded viewing deck, an al fresco dining area and swimming pool with spectacular pool loungers – ideal for watching the varied wildlife – including the resident elephants – as they make their way to the Channel to drink, bathe and play.
Activities are organised around game drives throughout the Savute area in open 4x4 safari vehicles. Many trips will incorporate a visit to the Savute Marsh to give you a chance to see the historic presence of the Savute Channel at the marsh against a backdrop of teeming wildlife.
Savute Safari Lodge Game Drives
Activities are centered around game drives throughout the Savute area in open 4x4 safari vehicles. Many trips will incorporate a visit to the famous Savute Marsh for your chance to see the historic presence of the Savute Channel at the marsh against a teeming backdrop of wildlife.
Guests will also enjoy a visit to the ancient San rock paintings at Gubatsa Hills, a small hilly outcrop which forms a remarkable landmark in the otherwise flat landscape.
Savute lays claim to a spectacularly large summer zebra migration, which is determined by the rains but usually occurs between November and December and again between February and April when the zebras move from the rivers in the north in search of the lush grasslands and full waterholes in the southeast of the park. They are always accompanied by a myriad of predators.
Day 9-10: Camp Okavango, Okavango Delta
Okavango Delta
Situated in the northwestern corner of Botswana, the Okavango Delta is a World Heritage Site as it is the largest inland delta in the world. The magnificent Okavango River sprawls out over the dry sands of the Kalahari Desert forming this flourishing waterlogged oasis featuring countless meandering waterways and crystal clear lagoons studded with water lilies, as well as fertile floodplains and reeded islands inhabited with abundant wildlife.
The Okavango Delta stretches over 15,000 square kilometres. Visitors can enjoy a number of wonderful activities such as game viewing, fishing, bird watching or taking an authentic guided Mokoro excursion through this wetland paradise in a traditional dugout canoe. Commonly spotted animals include lion, rhino, leopard, giraffe, hippos, elephants, crocodiles and countless species of bird.
Overnight: Camp Okavango
Camp Okavango, a unique and exclusive African safari camp, is situated on the remote Nxaragha Island. This hidden treasure, in the heart of the permanent Okavango Delta, assures its guests of an unparalleled year-round water wilderness experience.
Camp Okavango’s main area comprises of a network of interconnected walkways linking up two lounge areas, a dining room, library, self-service bar and curio shop. Sweeping ramps lead to the lower level deck with two open-air fire pits and comfortable seating areas to relax and take in the natural surroundings. There is a third deck with a swimming pool and thatched lounge deck for those warm summer days.
With its open air design and elevated position, the new Camp Okavango is an eco-sensitive lodge which captures the very essence of the Okavango Delta.
To ensure a peaceful and genuine safari experience, Camp Okavango accommodates just 24 guests. There are 11 intimate Safari suites and one Family suite consisting of two bedrooms and each with an en-suite bathroom. Each of the guest suites have been built on individual raised wooden platforms and set beneath the thick Okavango Delta vegetation. The en-suite bathrooms have double vanities, double shower and a separate toilet (with a view). The sliding doors open onto a private open-air viewing deck offering beautiful views over the Okavango Delta.
Camp Okavango motorboat
Water-based activities are 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
Camp Okavango mokoro safaris
Explore the intricacies of the Okavango Delta the quiet, old-fashioned way, in the traditional mokoro (dugout canoe).
Scenic Helicopter Flips (Additional Fees Apply)
Seeing the Okavango Delta from a helicopter is a truly magnificent experience. Our partners at Helicopter Horizons will remove the doors providing uninterrupted views and close up angles of the majestic delta and its wildlife. A scenic flight is not just a must for keen photographers but an exciting opportunity to witness the remarkable Okavango Delta from above.
The flights are operated with the utmost respect and caution for the natural environment, the wildlife and travellers. Routes have been carefully marked out ensuring guests on other activities and in camp are not disturbed. The flight routes and take off areas are designed specifically to make use of pristine areas within the concession.
Day 11-13: Camp Moremi, Moremi Game Reserve
Moremi Game Reserve
Situated in the east of the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve ranks as one of the most beautiful reserves in Africa. It covers more than 4,871 square kilometres of pristine wilderness, and the varied terrain includes savannah, winding waterways, and dense forest.
This diverse ecosystem supports an incredibly wide spectrum of wildlife, ranging from large herds of buffalo, wildebeest and zebra, to the rare sitatunga and lechwe antelope, lion, cheetah and packs of wild dog in the open grasslands. The birdlife is prolific and includes most of the 550 bird species recorded on Botswana’s national bird list.
A range of luxury lodges in the reserve offers visitors the perfect base to experience this corner of paradise.
Overnight: Camp Moremi
Camp Moremi has a well-deserved legacy in the Botswana tourism industry for being able to deliver the classic African safari experience. Recently completely rebuilt, Camp Moremi is located within Botswana’s world-renowned Moremi Game Reserve, situated on the edge of the Xakanaxa Lagoon in an area known for its spectacular game-viewing opportunities
Game drives conducted in open 4x4 vehicles in the morning and late afternoons, offer excellent game viewing including frequent sightings of lion, leopard and cheetah as well as wild dog.
Alternatively, guest can explore the Xakanaxa Lagoon and surrounding Okavango channels by boating safari.
Luxury Safari Tent
Camp Moremi boasts 11 expansive, modern styled thatched safari tents and accommodates a maximum of 24 guests. All standard tents are expansive with spacious bathrooms consisting of double vanities and showers, and private decks offering views over the Moremi Game Reserve.
Subtle décor and lighting fixtures allow for a natural and warm atmosphere within each room to create a peaceful and harmonious blend with the surrounding environment.
Day 14: Overnight Travel
After your morning game activity, you will take a light air transfer to Maun Airport for your flights home.
Day 15: End of Itinerary
The most common question we are asked about safaris is: "When is the best time to travel?"
Click link to read our 'When is the best time for a safari?' blog...