Heavenly Botswana

Welcome to Botswana! Your safari begins with a flight in a light aircraft from Maun to the Kalahari and a transfer to your accommodation for the first two nights. Gham Dhao Lodge is situated in an 11,000-hectare private game reserve on the northern border of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana. The Kalahari Desert, located in the interior plateau of Southern Africa, is a gently undulating, semi-arid sandy savannah. This area is home to a wide variety of species, including predators such as lion, leopard, and brown hyena and antelopes such as gemsbok, blue wildebeest, greater kudu and eland. Classically African in style with a relaxed, informal ambience, Gham Dhao Lodge offers a selection of activities that allow the discerning visitor a rare chance to experience the Kalahari as it should be. Take part in morning and afternoon/night game drives in open vehicles or head out on foot into the bush with the resident San People – one of the earth’s oldest civilisations that have survived the harsh and arid conditions of the Kalahari. Overnight at Gham Dhao Lodge.

Depending on time, you can enjoy one last drive or walk in the Kalahari before breakfast. You will then get a transfer to the airstrip to catch your flight to the Okavango Delta. During this flight, you can enjoy breathtaking views over one of the largest inland deltas in the world, which is situated in the middle of a desert. Dukes Camp is pitched on an island along the shores of a permanent lagoon, all but hidden amid the boughs of indigenous leadwood and ebony trees. This diverse habitat can sustain a diversity of wildlife, from healthy populations of herbivores to leopards, lions, African wild dogs and smaller carnivores including serval and caracal. In fact, this corner of the Okavango Delta is said to have some of the highest concentrations of lions in the Delta. You spend your time on game drives in the concession or heading down crystal-clear channels on a traditional mokoro (dugout canoe) safari with expert guides who will introduce you to the remarkable fauna and flora of the Delta. Overnight at Dukes Camp.

In the morning, after breakfast, you board a light aircraft for your flight to the Khwai region. Little Sable is located in the Khwai Private Reserve, a 200,000-hectare area of pristine wilderness in the Greater Okavango Delta region. The reserve is bordered by Moremi to the south, Savuti to the north, and the Khwai Community Reserve to the east – in other words, in the middle of some of the most famous and iconic game-viewing areas on the continent! Khwai also has an excellent reputation for the rarer species of the African savannah, including wild dogs, serval cats, honey badgers, and the elusive pangolin. The Delta landscape is truly iconic: vast floodplains and sprawling grasslands meet patches of forested enclaves, and through it all runs an intricate network of channels and lily-filled waterways. Over the next three days, you head out on game drives and water-based safaris (water level permitting) with experienced guides or take a time out and head down to one of the ground-level hides for truly up-close-and-personal encounters with the wildlife. Overnight at Little Sable Camp.

Awake to the early calls of the bush and (time-dependant) head out on a last morning activity before breakfast. Board your final light aircraft flight to Kasane. On a clear day, you will have endless views overlooking the Savuti, Linyanti, and Chobe floodplains. On a hilltop at the edge of Chobe National Park lies Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero, where you will stay for the next two nights. Called the land of giants, Chobe is home to the largest concentration of elephants in Africa, with numbers in excess of 40,000. During the dry season, these large herds, as well as vast herds of buffalo and general game, congregate on the fertile flood plains along the Chobe River to drink. With this large number of animals come the predators and regular sightings of crocodiles, lions, leopards, and African wild dogs. You explore this region on game drives in an open-view safari vehicle. Alternatively, take to the water on a sundowner cruise and a special photographic safari, allowing you to capture the magnificent fauna and flora of the Chobe River. Observe the animals as they come to the Chobe River to quench their thirst and enjoy captivating sunsets with a drink in hand. Between activities, enjoy delicious meals with a view of the Chobe River, relax by the pool, or indulge in the spa area (for an additional fee).

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before you are transferred across the border to Zimbabwe. Your destination is Victoria Falls, also known as ‘Mosi oa Tunya’, which means the ‘smoke that thunders’. Nestled on the mighty Zambezi River banks within the Zambezi National Park, Victoria Falls River Lodge offers wonderful wildlife viewing opportunities. The park is best known for its herds of sable, elephant, giraffe, zebra, and buffalo, together with lions and leopards. Take part in two daily game activities: a morning/afternoon game drive in the Zambezi National Park and a sunrise/sunset river cruise. You can also catch the shuttle transfer to town and explore the rainforest at the mighty falls (entrance fees to the rainforest are not included) and stroll through the souvenir market before heading back to the lodge in the afternoon. Further activities such as scenic flights, bungee jumping or white-water rafting are available but not included in your package. Overnight for two nights at the Victoria Falls River Lodge.

After breakfast, your fly-in safari comes to an end, and you will be transferred to Victoria Falls Airport for your flight back home. Alternatively, if this adventure has awakened your appetite to explore more of Africa, please let us know, and we will be delighted to assist you further.