Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve & Victoria Falls Safari Experience

Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve & Victoria Falls Safari Experience .

11 Days / 10 Nights

Spend 11 days on a lovely African safari exploring three iconic safari destinations – Okavango Delta ( Moremi Game Reserve/ Khwai Concession and Chobe National Park in Botswana – as you started off with a stay at the mighty Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. This exciting adventure is perfect for adventurous minded people and will begin in Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, where visiting Victoria Falls promises adventure activities and fun on the Zambezi River.

In Botswana, the safari portion of your journey begins in earnest and you will have the opportunity to track the Big 5 and other iconic wildlife such as wild dog, hyena, hippo, giraffe, zebra and much more. Visit the Chobe Enclave as well as the famous Okavango Delta and stay in authentic, down-to-earth tented camps where you can enjoy both land and water-based safari activities such as canoeing, game drives, tracking wildlife on foot and perhaps even a helicopter flip!

Day to Day Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Vi ctoria Falls & Explore the Beautiful Zambezi Sunset

Your journey starts when you touch down at Victoria Falls International Airport, you will start to feel the excitement building up inside you as you experience the beauty of Victoria Falls and African Bushwalker Tours driver will meet you at the arrivals hall after you have collected your baggage and will have your name on a signboard, so keep your eyes peeled and a transfer to Pioneers Camp for your check-in.

On the way to the Lodge will pass through Chinotimba Township, that’s been transformed by explorers, hunters and missionaries. A mere stroll through the streets will give you a sense of the African cultures and history that have shaped the former frontier town.

The day will be completed with a sunset dinner cruise along the Zambezi River and your choice of sundowner as you watch the natural show, as the light fades over the untouched landscape, Mosi-Oa-Tunya. Choose your seat at one of a limited number of tables. Candles and flowers set the scene for gourmet Zambezi-style cuisine, freshly prepared by an on-board chef. Enjoy sunset views from the open-sided boat while you dine, and keep your camera close by to capture the incredible view.

Destination:
– Victoria Falls

Activities Included:
– Chinotimba Township
– Zambezi Sunset Dinner Cruise

Stay At:
– Batonka Guest Lodge https://batonkaguestlodge.com/

Meal Plan & Drinks:
– Your evening meal will be a full, cooked dinner created by the chef and his team on Zambezi Sunset Dinner Cruise with non and Alcoholic drinks.

Distance Covered & Travel Time: 20km ( 30 to 45 minutes)

Wake up to a scrumptious breakfast blending European elegance with African flavors, energizing you for the day’s exciting activities. Following breakfast, your personal butler will escort you from your hotel at 09h00 to visit the famous Big Tree. Next, you will head to the Victoria Falls Rainforest for a self-guided tour of the Victoria Falls Rainforest, one of the seven natural2 wonders of the world. With a width of 1.7kms, the Falls have the capacity to push 550 000m3 of water per minute over the basalt cliff into the Zambezi River Gorge. The cliff over which the falls thunder, transforms the Zambezi from a placid river into a ferocious torrent, cutting through a series of dramatic gorges.

Add on activities:
– A helicopter ride over Victoria Falls is an incredible way to witness the power, beauty and sheer magnitude of this iconic waterfall. It’s an adventure that will create lifelong memories and leave you in awe of nature’s wonders. Should you wish to see the Falls from the air then we can arrange a 25-minute flight for you ( ideally in advance so as to avoid disappointment) and our operator of choice will collect you from the hotel at a time of your choosing for a flight. We normally recommend taking the longer 25-minute flight to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

After lunch ( own account). Finish off the day with a traditional dinner in a Boma. Live traditional entertainment will be provided creating a memorable cultural experience. Maybe you will even be brave enough to try a Mopane Worm.

Activities Include:
– Visits to the Falls, visit the famous Big Tree. When you are not out enjoying Africa’s exquisite scenery, relax around the infinity pool, enjoy a treatment at the spa or sample something from the temperature-controlled wine cellar.

Add on activities:
– a helicopter ride over Victoria Falls is an incredible way to witness the power, beauty, and sheer magnitude of this iconic waterfall. It’s an adventure that will create lifelong memories and leave you in awe of nature’s wonders. Should you wish to see the Falls from the air then we can arrange a helicopter flight for you ( ideally in advance so as to avoid disappointment) and our operator of choice will collect you from the hotel at a time of your choosing for a flight. We normally recommend taking the longer 25-minute flight to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Stay At:
– Batonka Guest Lodge
https://batonkaguestlodge.com/

Meal Plan & Drinks:
– Breakfast will be provided by the Batonka Guest Lodge. Lunch will be a nutritious and balanced meal, provided by Lookout Cafe ( own account). Your evening meal will be a full, cooked traditional dinner created by the chef and his team at Boma and Drums Centre. ( lunch and drinks not included )

Day 3: Traditional Village Tour & Transfer to Chobe National Park

Your driver guide will collect you from Lodge after breakfast, and it will be a short drive to to a local village where you will be shown all aspects of African village life. Visit an authentic rural village to experience life as it really is in rural Africa. The are few people who don’t come away from the experience feeling enriched by the time spent there. Allow approximately two hours at the village.

There will be a stop for lunch at Dusty Road Township Restaurant. Step inside this welcoming home and treat your eyes and taste buds to bright, inventive regional creations recycled with a heavy dose of African humour and ingenuity.

Depart Victoria Falls and head west, crossing the border into Botswana and arriving in Kasane- the gateway to the stunning Chobe National Park. Settle into your lodge and enjoy the lodge surroundings.

Main Destination: Chobe National Park

Activities include:
– Cultural village visits

Stay At:
– Chobe River Lodge
https://choberiverlodge.com/

Meal Plan & Drinks:
– Breakfast will be provided by the Batonka Guest Lodge. Lunch will be a nutritious and balanced traditional meal, provided by Dusty Road Township Restaurant. Your evening meal will be a full, cooked dinner created by the chef and his team at Chobe River Lodge. ( drinks not included)

Distance Covered & Travel Time: 90km ( 2 to 3 hours)

Wake up to the sounds of birds serenading outside your window as you prepare for a morning of exploration and you will have the opportunity to see the abundant of game and there are few better times to explore Botswana’s wilderness than early in the morning, as the sun is about to break over the horizon and Chobe comes to life. You will climb into an open-sided 4×4 vehicle and adventure across rugged terrain to viewing hotspots flecked across the breathtaking Botswana landscapes, where you will hope to spot hungry predators, including lions and leopards hunting for prey. Such sightings, although rare, are easier to encounter with the help of your knowledgeable guide, while elephant, impala, giraffe, zebra and other animals viewings will be abundant during your drives and you will be taken back to your lodge for lunch and siesta.

Later in the afternoon, you will enjoy sunset boat safari activity. In this way we are giving ourselves a very different angle and aspect of seeing and photographing Chobe’s wildlife and get up close with hippos, crocodiles and a mind-boggling array of water birds.

Activities Include:
– 3 to 4 hour morning game safari in Chobe National Park
– 3 to 4 hour Sunset Boat Safari on the Chobe River

Stay At:
– Chobe River Lodge
https://choberiverlodge.com/

Meal Plan & Drinks:
– Breakfast will be provided by the Chobe River Lodge. Lunch will be a nutritious and balanced meal, also provided by the Lodge. Your evening meal will be a full, cooked dinner created by the chef and his team at the Chobe River Lodge. ( drinks not included)

 

As time permits, on your last morning in Chobe you will wake up for a final early-morning safari activity. After a full breakfast you will depart for Makgadikgadi Pans – an area where dramatic rainfall provides nutrients to thousands of wildebeest and zebra during the great migration. Flamingos also flock to this area.

The Makgadikgadi Pans are one of the biggest salt pans worldwide. They are formed by two large and thousands of small pans with an area of more than 8400 km². The complete area of pan systems covers an area of more than 16000 km².

The formation of the salt pans started with the evaporation of a huge inland lake in central Botswana, which covered an area of about 60000 km². As a result of plate tectonics, the feeding rivers were cut off. As Makgadikgadi forms the lowest point, salt concentrated here and formed layers up to five meters deep. ( Please note a visit to the pans is subject to the road conditions and water levels as well as time constraints.)

Main Destination:
– Makgadikgadi Salt Pan

Activities Included:
– 3 hour morning game safari in Chobe National Park
– 3 hour Makgadikgadi Salt Pan Drive

Stay At:
– Nata Lodge
https://www.natalodge.com/

Meal Plan & Drinks:
– Breakfast will be provided by the Chobe River Lodge. Lunch will be a nutritious and balanced meal, also provided by the Nata Lodge. Your evening meal will be a full, cooked dinner created by the chef and his team at the Nata Lodge. ( drinks not included)

Distance Covered & Travel Time: 310km ( 3 to 4 hours)

Day 6: Into Maun Okavango Delta

After a leisurely breakfast, we depart Nata and drive to Maun, a bustling safari town which serves as the gateway to the Okavango Delta. The name Maun is derived from the San word “maung”, which means “the place of short reeds”. The afternoon is yours to spend at leisure, either relaxing next to the pool at the lodge or if you are keen for some excitement, why not book an optional scenic flight over the delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and truly glorious oasis.

Main Destination:
– Maun

Stay At:
– Thamalakane River Lodge
https://www.trlmaun.com/

Meal Plan & Drinks:
– Breakfast will be provided by the Nata Lodge. Lunch will be a nutritious and balanced meal, also provided by the Thamalakane River Lodge. Your evening meal will be a full, cooked dinner created by the chef and his team at the Thamalakane River Lodge. ( drinks not included)

Distance Covered & Travel Time: 301km ( 3 to 4 hours)

The sounds of the bush will wake you up as well as the smell of freshly brewed coffee. While enjoy a cup of coffee and some biscuits, your chef will prepare a delicious breakfast, to fuel you for the exciting game drive and enjoy species such as Giraffe, Zebra and Wildebeest are but a few that occur here, along with an astonishing variety of birds. For the next three nights we will be accommodated in Khwai Concession Area where the waters feed an abundance of flora and fauna, including the frequently-visiting wild dog. Hippos are often heard by night too.

We will enjoy morning game drive. Setting off for our late afternoon game drive at first light (when predator activity is most expected), we get the chance to experience one of Africa’s most natural and unspoiled wonderlands in the park with hippo, crocodile and a great variety of birds all seen in the Delta, as well as the elusive sitatunga antelope. This place is also an ornithologist’s paradise with fish eagle, kingfisher, heron, stork, egret, weaver and bee-eater all regularly seen.

On these 3 nights, we spend our time on game drives, guided bush walks in search of the wildlife of the region, with the larger mammals like elephant, giraffe and zebra being spotted on the flood plains as well as predators such as lion, leopard and wild dog.

Main Destination:
– Khwai Concession Area

Stay At:
– Magotlho Safari Lodge
https://hideawaysafrica.com/accommodation/mogotlho-khwai-river-botswana/

Activities Included:
– 3 to 4 hour morning game safari
– 3 to 4 hour afternoon game safari
– 7 to 8 hours Full day game safari
– Bird Watching
Landscape Photography
– Guided Bush Walks ( Walks are subject to availability and season)
– Half Day Mokoro Activity
– 2 to 3 hours Night game drive

Meal Plan & Drinks:
– Breakfast will be provided by the Thamalakane River Lodge. Lunch will be a nutritious and balanced meal, also provided by the lodge. Your evening meal will be a full, cooked dinner created by the chef and his team at the Magotlho Safari Lodge and Beverages included

Wake up early morning for coffee/tea, cereals, rusks and cooked breakfast. After breakfast you will board your safari vehicle and set off with your guide for your last morning safari drive as you head out of Khwai River and Journey to Maun for your overnight.

Main Destination:
– Maun

Activities Included:
– 3 hour morning game safari

Meal Plan & Drinks:
– Breakfast is enjoyed at Magotlho Safari Lodge and lunch and drinks on the way and dinner at Thamalakane River Lodge

Day 11: On Last Sunrise and Homeward bound

After a good night’s sleep you will awake to a vibrant, morning breakfast with afreshly brewed pot of hot coffee and enjoy your last breakfast, the guests checked out, followed by a road transfer to Maun Airport and connect to OR Tambo International Airport for your onwards travel arrangements.

Meal Plan & Drinks:
– Breakfast


Price person sharing the Safari USD$

Price per person in a single supplement USD$

Booking Tips

Planning your dream safari requires careful preparation to ensure a seamless and unforgettable experience. Here are some essential booking tips to help you make the most of your adventure.

Trip Information

Botswana

Climate:
– Botswana’s regional characteristics, from fertile areas in the east to waterless desert in the centre and south, and a vast delta in the north-west, make for extremes of temperatures and highly variable rainfall. Seasonal weather patterns can be unpredictable.

Time difference to GMT
+2

Plugs
3 Pin Round

Language
English, Setswana

Clothing
– Clothing should be lightweight. However, a wind/waterproof jacket, a warm fleece or sweater and thermal underwear for night time are strongly advised, as night time temperatures and early morning game drives can be very cold, especially in winter (April to August). Brightly coloured and white clothing is not suitable for game viewing.

Footwear
– Lightweight trail boots or robust trainers with good grip and sandals for relaxing in.

Luggage
-15Kg

Luggage: On tour
– The limit is one barrel bag or soft holdall (suitcases are not permitted due to transport restrictions) per person and a reasonable amount of photographic equipment. A daypack is essential for everyday use.

Tipping
African Bushwalker Tours leader
– Tipping isn’t compulsory, and we work hard to ensure that our leaders all receive a fair wage. However, you might want to recognise a leader that’s done a great job or really added to your trip by giving them a tip. We’re often asked about the recommended amount. It’s a tricky one, and down to personal preference, but we’d recommend between $30 to $40 per member per trip

For all non-included services and meals on your trip please tip independently at your discretion.

Foreign Exchange
Local currency
Botswana Pula

Recommended Currency For Exchange
– We suggest that you take your spending money is cash as US Dollars. Please note that the banks and Forex Bureaus do not accept US Dollars pre-2002. NB: you may find it useful to bring smaller denominations of US Dollars for tips.

ATM Availability
– Cash can be drawn out on credit cards from ATM’s in Kasane and Maun

Credit Card Acceptance
Limited. Some lodges may accept credit cards, however the service is very sporadic.

Travellers Cheques
Not recommended


– 2 Night Batonka Guest Lodge on bed and breakfast
– 2 Nights Chobe River Lodge on full board
– 1 Night Nata Lodge on full board
– 2 Nights Thamalakane River Lodge on Full board
– 3 Nights Magotlho Safari Lodge on full board, water,tea/coffee, soft drinks,local beer, house wine,laundry
– Transport: Air-conditioned touring vehicle, open safari vehicle.
– Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Chobe National Park Entrance fees, Khwai Concession Area Entrance fee, Victoria Falls Entrance fee, Makgadikgadi Pans Entrance fee
– Airports transfer
– Chobe National Park wildlife safari drive in open vehicle
– Khwai Concession Area or Moremi Game Reserve wildlife safari drives in open vehicles
– All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
– Guided Bush Walks
– Night Drives
Mokoro Activity
– Cultural Experiences


– Helicopter Experience

Tailor make your Tour

Exploring Cape Town, Victoria Falls & Botswana Wildlife Safari Circuit

Serengeti Northern Migration

12 Days / 11 Nights

The northern part of Tanzania is renowned for its stunning landscapes and rich wildlife experiences. This region encompasses several world-famous parks and conservation areas. Here are some luxurious sample itineraries focused on the northern circuit, combining iconic destinations with high-end accommodations and exclusive experiences.

Day to Day Itinerary
DAY 1:Karibu! Safari begins!

A representative from Aardvark Safaris Tanzania will meet and greet you as soon as you arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and take you to the Mt. Meru Hotel, for your overnight. Arusha, nestled in the shadow of majestic Mount Meru, is a dynamic, fast- growing town and a famed embarkation point for Tanzania safaris. Because of its altitude (roughly 4,600 feet above sea level), Arusha is blessed with a pleasant climate, perfect for the coffee plantations that surround it.

Staying two nights at the amazing Kichuguu Camp, built in 2017 and rated Excel- lent on TripAdvisor. You’ll love the service, the food, the surrounding wildness, the eco- friendly design. Here we will have the rare opportunity to do a night game drive, a privi- lege that few safari goers can get today. We’ll look for nocturnal mammals that few see (for example, civet, genet, African porcupine, maybe even the odd aardvark) and preda- tors during their most-active periods. Lions and leopards at night are completely differ- ent from the snoozing animals to be found in mid-day. We feel that a night drive could well be among the finest highlights of your entire safari. Kichuguu Camp
DAY 4: Driving to Lake Manyara.
This small but productive park includes the western wall of the Great Rift Valley and lies at 3,150-feet altitude. It is noted for its high elephant population and tree-climbing lions. Flamingos, pelicans, storks, and hippos inhabit the lakeshore; which is surrounded by groundwater forest, with fig, palm, tama- rind, and baobab trees hosting blue and vervet monkeys, baboons, hornbills, and much more. We may encounter bushbucks, waterbucks, giraffes (some surprisingly dark), im- pala, perhaps even a monitor lizard. Over- night: Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge

Brace yourself for a trip back into the Pleistocene! Today we’ll explore one of the world’s largest calderas,
10-11 miles in diameter and 2500 feet deep. This diverse ecosystem of forests, swamps, grasslands, and lakes supports lion, cheetah, serval, hyena, three kinds of jackal, zebra, rhino, hippo, elephant, and thousands of antelopes, including the massive eland. Because poaching is not a problem here, rare black rhinos and elephants with enormous tusks are present. It’s also a birding hotspot. Walt has recorded over 100 species of birds in a day even when most of our time has been watching big mammals! Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge.

Five full days in the fabled Serengeti, one of the most productive and important wildlife areas
in the world. With its vast rolling plains, dramatic outcrops of Precambrian rocks (kopjes), flat-topped acacias, crocodile- and hippo-inhabited rivers lined with riverine gallery forests, and huge herds of animals, the Serengeti is about the ultimate in “wild Africa.” The famous “Great Migration” of wildebeest, zebra, and oth- er grazing herbivores is one of the last mass movements of animals still taking place on earth. We could not be here at a better time of year!

There is a lot of history here—both human and animal—and you will be enriched and informed by
our guides.
We’ll spend our first night at Pamoja Tented Lodge (or equivalent) in the central Serengeti, which is noted for leopards, hippo pools, and the Maasai Kopjes. Then we’ll proceed north for three nights at Mara Mara Kati Kati Tented Camp, which should be close to the heart of the migration, and we will venture to some areas of extraordinary beauty where large predators thrive. With good luck, we hope to see the herds undertaking the treacherous crossing of the Mara River. Camping in the Serengeti surrounded by the exotic sounds of wild Africa is truly an in-tents experience!

After our final breakfast in the Serengeti, we’ll drive across the plains, ascending again into the high- lands of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a World Heritage Site dedicated to the peaceful union of pastoralism, conservation of natural resources, and responsible tourism. We will stop to visit Oldupai (or Olduvai) Gorge, world-renowned for the discoveries of early hominids made by archaeologists Mary and Louis Leakey. We will visit the wonderful museum here and, if time permits, explore the gorge where the discoveries were made.

Today we drive back to Arusha for a visit to the Cultural Heritage Center (wonderful wildlife art gallery and excellent shopping, including for precious Tanzanite jewelry), a scrumptious buffet lunch, and some time to rest and prepare for your trip home that evening or for continuation to Mkomazi National Park for those doing the extension. Day rooms or overnight at Mt. Meru Hotel., depending on your plans.

Booking Tips

  • Advance Planning: Book your safari and accommodations well in advance to ensure availability, especially during peak seasons.
  • Customizing Itineraries: Work with Aardvark Safari specialists to tailor your itinerary to your specific interests and preferences.
  • Travel Insurance: Ensure you have comprehensive insurance covering luxury travel and special activities.

Tailor make your Tour