TOUR SUMMARY:

ITINERARY:

Day 1:
Maun, Botswana
On arrival at Maun Airport you will be met by a company representative who will present you with your accommodation vouchers and assist you with the collection of your rental vehicle. Start your adventure by travelling to your luxurious, secluded lodge on the outskirts of Maun.

Accommodation: Motsentsela Tree Lodge, Maun
Motsentsela Tree Lodge is situated on a small game farm on the outskirts of Maun – the perfect place to start or end your safari holiday in Botswana. When it comes to places to stay in Maun, why stay at a hotel in Maun when you can stay at a hotel at home. The “Tree Lodge” as it is affectionately known is without doubt the best and most interesting accommodation in Maun.

Day 2 & Day 3
Central Kalahari
Depart from Maun and continue approximately 120km due south, adjoining the Central Kalahari Game Reserve to Deception Valley.

This fossil valley was first brought to the world's attention in 1985, by the book Cry of the Kalahari written by Mark and Delia Owens, who lived on the pan for seven years studying the brown hyena that live here. The Kalahari is not a true desert though, but rather an arid savannah wilderness - its broad largely featureless plains are clad by sweet grasses and by patches of camelthorn, blackthorn and other acacias. These great forbidding places also manage to sustain their wildlife populations, a surprisingly rich diversity of animals - among them springbok and gemsbok, blue wildebeest, eland, red hartebeest - that are superbly adapted to the bone-dry conditions. Many of them extract water from such unlikely sources as the dew-covered night-time plants, from the deep roots of succulents or the moisture-laden wild cucumber and tsamma melon. Others - carnivores such as lion, leopard, hyena and wild dog - slake their thirst on the blood of their prey. The Kalahari also has its indigenous human presence; it is home to the last of the "traditional" Bushman communities, descendants of the once-dominant semi-nomadic hunter-gatherer inhabitants of the thirstlands.

Spend two nights here and enjoy the inclusive activities carried out in the lodge surrounds. These include guided bushman walks allowing guests to learn about unique hunting & survival skills, afternoon & night drives.

Accommodation: Deception Valley Lodge
Deception Valley is an ideally situated lodge overlooking the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. The main lodge is a thatched construction housing a lounge, bar & dining area.

Accommodation is in private chalets designed to offer comfort without losing the rustic feel of the African bush. Each unit has en-suite facilities, bedroom and lounge, and is raised on a wooden deck to give spectacular views. The emphasis is on exploring the unique flora and fauna of this area, large game is not as abundant here as in the northern areas of Botswana, but the Kalahari offers an amazingly varied and delicate ecosystem which is home to many uniquely adapted animal and bird species.

Day 4 & Day 5
Moremi Game Reserve, 3rd Bridge Area
You have a long drive today, back to Maun and onwards north into the wildlife haven of Moremi Game Reserve. The first stretch of road from Maun is tar, after which your 4x4 driving skills will definitely come into play as the roads turn to sandy tracks through this stunningly beautiful Park. Enjoy the drive from South Gate to the Xakanaxa area of Moremi, this area provides habitat for a wide range of species including lion, leopard, wild dog, elephant and buffalo! An afternoon arrival at the lodge will give you time to relax around the bar or swimming pool before enjoying a three course dinner this evening in the traditional thatch dining area, overlooking Xakanaxa Lagoon.

The following morning, take an early game drive with a professional Camp Moremi guide to explore this amazing area. Enjoy the variation in the local environment, from expansive, open floodplains and shallow lakes to dense Mopane woodland. Return to camp for brunch and relax during the heat of the day before setting out again this afternoon for another game drive.

Accommodation: Camp Moremi
Camp Moremi is situated on the gorgeous Xakanaxa Lagoon in the eastern extremity of the Okavango Delta, within the Moremi Game Reserve. Here, where the life-giving waters of the Okavango meet up with the vast Kalahari, ancient Mopane forests, open grassland, seasonal floodplains and riverine habitats have formed, creating one of the most magnificent and welcoming animal sanctuaries in all Africa.

Day 6 & Day 7
Okavango Delta
This morning you will leave your hire vehicle at Camp Moremi and transfer by small motor boat through the papyrus lined channels and open lagoons to Camp Okavango, located on a remote island in the depths of the pristine Okavango Delta. Your boat transfer will take approximately 3 hours and your guide will point out highlights of this unique area during your journey. You will arrive at Camp Okavango in time for brunch, followed by a siesta and a late afternoon activity. Activities here take the form of mokoro (dug out canoe) excursions in the shallow waters surrounding the island, motor boat cruises through the nearby channels and game walks on the surrounding islands.

Enjoy dinner in the thatched dining room overlooking the lush gardens, and perhaps listen for grazing hippos later in the evening while enjoying the ambiance of after dinner drinks around the campfire. The following morning, rise early for a light breakfast before setting off in a motor boat to one of the surrounding islands where you will explore the area on foot with your guide. Walking in Africa is an exhilarating experience and the perfect way to learn about the unique ecosystem that supports such a wide variety of flora & fauna.

You will walk in small groups and your guide will explain fascinating facts about animal behaviour, vegetation and culture as you walk.

Accommodation: Camp Okavango
Accommodation here is in raised en-suite Meru style tents. There is also a luxurious honeymoon suite with a sunken bath and private lounge

Day 8 & Day 9
Moremi Game Reserve - North Bridge - Khwai Area
Today you will transfer back to Camp Moremi by motor boat and enjoy brunch before continuing your drive through Moremi to Khwai River. This should take approximately 3 hours; afternoon arrival at the lodge in time for afternoon tea and a late afternoon game drive with a lodge guide.

Bird and animal sightings are excellent and you will marvel at the difference in habitat from Xakanaxa and the Okavango islands. Hippo, Elephant and other big game animals can be seen from the lodge and grounds, all other species that occur in this area can be spotted and observed during the game drives and guided game walks. Bird watching is excellent - a paradise for any professional or amateur ornithologist.

Night drives are also available in this area and you may have the opportunity to see nocturnal creatures such as genet, porcupine and honey badger. Relax in this magnificent area for two nights and enjoy many game viewing opportunities with your guide.

Accommodation: Khwai River Lodge
Accommodation is in luxurious, en-suite rooms with your own viewing platform overlooking the Khwai River. The central complex, where the swimming pool is located, comprises of an under-cover room, a lounge area with a cosy fireplace and a library with VHS and monitor multi-system equipment, slide projector and screen.

Khwai River Lodge is one of the oldest Botswana safari lodges. It is located 8 km’s northwest of the north gate of the Moremi Wildlife Reserve. The camp is set under a canopy of aged indigenous Leadwood and Fig trees, overlooking the Khwai River flood plain.  The Khwai River at Moremi is part of the Okavango's complex delta system, with the Lodge standing on the banks surrounded by nature and the calls of the wild.

Day 10 & Day 11
Chobe National Park - Savuti Area
Continue your drive northwards today and into the Chobe National Park, famous for the large herds of elephant and equally large variety of wildlife. Your lodge is located on the edge of the dry Savuti channel. This fascinating area used to be a lush Eden with water flowing from the Linyanti in the north, via the Savuti channel to the Savuti marsh and providing habitat for huge pods of hippo. The Savuti channel has periodically dried up throughout history, and no water has flowed here since the early 1980's, tectonic movement is probably responsible for this sporadic flow. The wildlife here remains amazingly varied and enormous herds of migrating zebra may be seen during April/ May in addition to all the species found in the Moremi Reserve. Enjoy early morning and late afternoon guided game drives through this area.

Accommodation: Savute Safari Lodge
Savute Safari Lodge peers out from ancient Camelthorn trees on the banks of the Savute channel - known for its large concentration of Elephant and large Lion prides.

The chalets are contemporary furnished twin-bedded luxury wood, thatch and glass safari suites; ideal for the hot and dry conditions. Double volume suites with their spacious interior and large, glass sliding doors set Savute Safari Lodge apart from typical safari accommodation. Large private viewing decks and en-suite facilities, with walk in showers combine to make Savute Safari Lodge an unforgettable experience.

The lounge, library and cocktail bar are situated in the exquisite thatch and timber main building, where an upstairs viewing deck allows Savuti's enchanting sunsets to mesmerize guests. A large fireplace downstairs is equally inviting on winter nights, while the delicious aroma of dinner and the prospect of candlelit dining beckons the elegant dining room.

Day 12
Chobe National Park - Chobe River
Continue your drive today through Chobe National Park and up to Kasane and the Chobe River front. The wildlife roams in profusion and diversity. The elephant population, estimated to number in excess of 35 000, is the largest single concentration in Africa surviving within the confines of a proclaimed National Park. During the harsh dry season, the herds migrate south to north and congregate along the perennial Chobe River and fertile floodplains. The sight is spectacular and unforgettable - red winter sunsets, elephant, and buffalo in their thousands. The quality of timeless Africa is real and very strong and the vistas are of an era almost bygone in time. Other major species such as lion, square-lipped rhino, wild dog, sable and roan antelope are encountered in this area.

Arrangements will be made for your rental vehicle to be returned in Kasane.

Accommodation: Chobe Game Lodge
This is the only lodge situated on the river front within the Chobe National Park borders. The lodge offers fantastic views across the river and excellent game viewing opportunities on guided game drives and motor boat cruises. Enjoy a boat cruise this afternoon, and marvel at the colours as the sun sets to the chorus of a local hippo pod.

Day 13 & Day 14
Livingstone, Zambia (Victoria Falls)
Enjoy an early morning game drive today and experience the drier interior areas of Chobe as well as the river frontage. After breakfast, depart on an organised road & ferry transfer to the town of Livingstone on the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls. This journey should take around 2 hours. Take this afternoon and the following day to relax and to visit the Falls, you will also have the opportunity to partake in some of the many optional activities available including boat cruises, helicopter and fixed wing aircraft flights, rafting or fishing.

Accommodation: Royal Livingstone Hotel
Architecturally, the buildings take their cue from African resonances. The Royal Livingstone Hotel stretches luxuriously along the banks of the Zambezi River. The Hotel consists of a series of 17 colonial-style buildings, with deep verandas, set amidst indigenous trees and plants. The main hotel is a sequence of thatch-roofed buildings, most African in their influence, and incorporates the lounge, restaurant and bar. A classic swimming pool visually links the waters of the river with the terraces of the hotel, with a sweeping timber deck planted in the swirling water of the Zambezi.

Day 15
Depart today from Livingstone; you will be transferred from the Hotel to either Livingstone Airport or Victoria Falls Airport in time to connect with your onward flight.

	Enquiry - Form
Your Name:
Your Email *:	* required
Alternative Email address *: or repeat your 1st Email address *:	* required
Phone:	Fax:
Your Country:
Date of departure:
Number of travellers:	Adults:   Children (under 12):
Additional comments:
Interested in our newsletter?	Please select ... Add my address to your newsletter Remove me from your newsletter
	Reload security code Security code :
Send this form: Important:	We promise you a maximum respond time of 24h on working days. If you do not get an answer from us within this time we might not have received your message or there was an error with the email address you provided. Alternatively you can send us an email to Enquiry@NewAfricanFrontiers.com or please feel free to use our other contact options..

Our safaris are merely suggested itineraries and therefore can be tailor-made to suit your specific needs: Routes can be amended according to your preference Accommodation can be changed to suit your style and budget Accommodation meal basis can be booked according to your requirements Extra nights can be added depending on your arrival and departure flight times and the pace that you want to travel