Gallery
NORTHERN EXCURSIONS
13 nights/14 days
Victoria Falls > Kasane/Chobe National Park > Savuti > Khwai (Moremi Game Reserve North Gate) > Xakanaxa (Moremi Game Reserve) > Maun > Okavango Delta > Tsodilo Hills > Maun
Overview
Day game drives
Guided bush walks
Boat cruises
Mokoro trip
Bird watching
Bushman walks
Explore the best destinations in Africa, with the best Mobile safari Company in Botswana, Imela Wilderness as you traverse the thick of the best destinations in Botswana guided by the most experienced guides, as they make you reminisce over the true wilderness in an unmatched manner.
Explore the mighty Victoria Falls, the home to one of the 7 natural wonders of the world,
Wildlife in their masses in Moremi, Savuti & Chobe sunset cruise, & experience a tranquil and isolated oasis as you float on a mokoro (dugout canoe), and a nature walk in search of wildlife in Okavango delta.
Daily Activity
DAY 1: VICTORA FALLS –ZAMBIA/ZIMBABWE
Arrive in Victoria Falls airport or Harry Mwanga Nkumbula airport where you will be met by Imela Wilderness guides. Please look out for the board written, “Imela Wilderness”. Our guides will be waiting to transfer you to the lodge where we will be staying. Victoria Falls is also called “Mosi-oa-Tunya,” or “the smoke that thunders” by locals due to the water roars and mist from the area.
Besides the fantastic viewing of the falls, the Victoria Falls Bridge and David Livingstone’s Statue, the destination offers a wide range of activities.
All activities in Victoria Falls and park entry fees are not included in the tour quotation.
- For those seeking adrenaline buzz there is bungee jumping from the Zambezi Bridge, gorge swing into the gorge, or fly across the gorge on your stomach like a flying fox, and white water rafting trips downstream in the gorge.
- A number of operators offer flights over the mighty falls with microlights, light aeroplanes and helicopters.
- Other activities on offer are horse-riding, elephant-riding, walking with Lions, canoeing or visiting the crocodile farm, rhino tracking. Activities can be arranged from the lodge at (own expense).
DAY 2-3: KASANE / CHOBE NATIONAL PARK
Wake up, have breakfast at the lodge and depart to Kazugula border which is 70kms from Livingstone, where we will do our customs and immigration formalities, before crossing with a ferry to Kasane, Botswana. We will be staying in a lodge for 2 nights. The town of Kasane is situated on the banks of the Chobe River in the far north east of Botswana. It is the gateway to the Chobe National Park and also to 3 other countries, being located right at the “Four Corners”.
After lunch is a siesta and you may take a swim or take a rest in your room before we leave for an afternoon game drive along the Chobe River where we will see big herds of buffalos, elephants, pods of hippos, and prides of lions. Chobe is a unique park because during dry season big herds of animals congregate along the river. You will see elephants swimming from one bank to the other, buffalos crossing to the island. Get back from a beautiful game drive freshen up and have dinner- own expense. Time of going to bed is determined by the last guest.
Wake up, have quick breakfast before departing for a morning game drive which is longer, you will also have an opportunity to observe the animals close. Chobe also boasts two antelopes rarely encountered elsewhere in Botswana – the puku and the Chobe bushbuck Both the puku and the bushbuck have a number of predators to contend with, from lion, hyena and leopard, to African wild dog.
Get back to the lodge after a beautiful drive, have brunch and after that is siesta time. At 15.00 pm we depart for a beautiful sunset boat cruise along the Chobe River. You will see a lot of animals and come close to crocodiles and pods of hippos from the boat and at times may see lions. We get back to the lodge, after sunset dinner is at 20.00pm at a local restaurant. Time of going to bed is determined by the last guest.
DAY 4 -5: SAVUTI
Savuti region is situated in the southern stretch of Botswana`s Chobe national park. Recognized as a prime game viewing area, the Savuti (also spelt Savute), covers almost 1,930 sq. miles (5,000 square km) in the south west of Chobe National Park.
It is called Savuti because a certain chief named Savute used to live there with his tribe. The famous Savuti channel stretches south from the Chobe River through to the Mababe depression. The concentration of wildlife and birdlife not to mention the open plains surrounded by the dry camel thorn trees on the Savuti marsh are a wildlife photographers dream. Savuti is famous for its big game and particularly its predators. Lion and the Spotted Hyena live in constant battle for survival. Other commonly sighted species are zebra, elephant giraffe, kudu and buffalo.
Tawny eagles can be seen soaring in the sky as we go. The drive is a bit longer from Chobe to our exclusive campsite in Savuti; however, the drive is much enjoyable as you will see lots of birds and animals on the way. The scenery is amazing and very African looking, with lots of acacia tortilis with giraffe feeding and many more including the most photographed bird, lilac breasted roller. We camp wild at an exclusive campsite for 2 nights, enjoying the activities on a day to day basis.
DAY 6-7: MOREMI KHWAI (NORTH GATE)
Wake up and have breakfast before we depart to Moremi Game Reserve. It is situated in the eastern part of the Okavango Delta, bordering the Chobe National Park on the south-western part of the Park. The Moremi Game Reserve covers almost one third of the Delta. The Okavango Delta is the largest inland river delta in the world and consists of pans, floodplains, lily covered lagoons, grasslands, forests of acacia trees, savannahs and dense Mopane Woodlands. With such a wide variety of vegetation comes diverse spectrum of wild life. Huge herds of impala and tsessebe are found in the area, while in the dry season large herds of buffalo, wildebeest, elephant and zebra flock into the reserve from the Kalahari in search of food and water. The rare sitatunga and lechwe antelope live in the papyrus banks of the waterways. Lions, cheetahs and packs of wild dogs hunt in the open grassland. The reserve is home to over 400 species of birds, including the African Fish Eagle, the Crested Crane and the Sacred Ibis.
Moremi Game Reserve is a wilderness paradise with great game viewing throughout the year. We will camp wild for 2 nights at an exclusive campsite at Khwai north Moremi Game Reserve, enjoying activities on day to day basis The magnificent Khwai river is the hub for some of the most outstanding wildlife viewing both on the Moremi and in the Khwai community area.
DAY 8–9: MOREMI XAKANAXA (THIRD BRIDGE)
We wake up to have a quick breakfast before we take a trip to Xakanaxa-Moremi game reserve. Set-aside in 1963 by the Batawana tribe, the Reserve is rated as Africa’s most beautiful game reserve. Moremi game reserve is widely considered as one of the finest wildlife reserves in Africa with a diversity of habitats combining acacia forests and Mophane woodlands with floodplains’ and lagoons, here we will be camping at an exclusive campsite. Our drives will take us to the park’s most beautiful areas such as the third bridge, Bodumatau and dead tree island. Game is plentiful and the sightings include elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion, hyena, jackal and many different antelopes including red lechwe and shy sitatunga; a web-footed antelope perfectly adapted to life in the swamps, Wild dog, whose numbers are so rapidly decreasing elsewhere, are regularly sighted in the Moremi game reserve, It is the great diversity of plant and animal life that makes Moremi so well known. The reserve contains within its boundaries approximately twenty percent of the Okavango Delta. We will camp in the Wilderness for 2 nights enjoying the activities on a day to day basis.
DAY 10 – MAUN
We will wake up to have breakfast before heading to Maun. Maun is the gateway to one of the best wildlife experiences you will ever have – a safari in the unforgettable Okavango Delta.
Maun has grown rapidly from its early days as a small, rural frontier and has now spread along the wide, Thamalakane River. It now boasts hotels and lodges as well as car and 4-wheel drive vehicle hire. However, it retains a rural atmosphere and, as befitting its role as the hub of the Delta’s safari industry, travelers pass through here on their way to the Okavango Delta.
It is the southernmost part of the Delta and boasts a river tributary of the Okavango called the Thamalakane River. It is our home and this frontier “village” certainly puts things into perspective before travelling to the wilderness. We will be staying in a lodge for 1 night on bed & breakfast basis (Lunch & dinner at own expense). After checking into the lodge that afternoon you may take a scenic flight over the Okavango delta and enjoy a scenic flight from Maun Airport over the Okavango Delta. Keep a look out for Hippos in the waterways and Elephant and Buffalo in the shade of the trees. Observe how the water channels meander their way through the Delta in ever changing paths as this Dynamic water system evolves. The vastness of this pristine wilderness is breathtaking.
DAY 11 – OKAVANGO DELTA
Wake up, and have your small bag ready packed before having breakfast. You will only need small amount of luggage for the 1 night that you will be staying in the delta. Your big bag will be left in a secure storage for safe keeping at our office to be collected when you come back from the delta. We depart to the Okavango delta, here you will meet your local mokoro pooler who will serve also as your guide. This activity is conducted by local mokoro community guides though our chef comes along. When we arrive the camp assistants will put up camps under a canopy of trees, have brunch followed by siesta time where you can swim in the delta clear waters. Tea/coffee will be served before you take a walk on the island.
Travelling by mokoro is undeniably the best way to experience the Okavango delta as you get to explore the waterways, and take nature walks where you have the opportunity to track game and get an up-close feel of this unique environment. Here bird life is spectacular and on foot you are able to have a much more intense experience of the wilderness, particularly the flora and fauna that might otherwise go unnoticed. Guides are experienced in tracking animals and are able to point out interesting sightings of various types of wildlife. We camp in the wilderness in a remote campsite for 1 night.
DAY 12 – TSODILO HILLS
Depart to Tsodilo Hills after breakfast on a 4 hour drive from Maun. We will stay in Tsodilo for 1 night visiting the different hills. The four hills form a line and are referred to by the San people as “The Male” – the largest hill which reaches a height of 410 meters above the surrounding plain; “The Female” – a smaller hill, about 300m, but has an overall area of almost three times that of The Male; and the next in size of 40m is referred to as “The Child” and lies about 2km away from The Female. Beyond these three is a much smaller unnamed knoll, located 2.2km northwest of The Child, which legend has it was The Male Hill’s first wife who was discarded when he met and married the taller Female Hill.
We will camp for one night.
DAY 13 – MAUN
We will wake up at around 6.00am for a beautiful sunrise, come back for breakfast and disassemble the camp before we depart to Maun at around 08:00am. We will arrive in Maun in the afternoon and be accommodated in a lodge for 1 night. There is provision to allow those wishing to go to town buy their necessities before departing the following day, while those remaining behind may rest by the pool side.
DAY 14 – TOUR ENDS
You will wake up and have breakfast, then be transferred to Maun airport for your flight to Johannesburg or driven back to Kasane or Gaborone to return back home or engage in other further activities.
Safari Accommodation
CAMPING NIGHTS:
8 nights camping
LODGING:
5 nights lodging
A non-participatory wild camping with en-suite facilities (8 nights) and lodging (5 nights). Imela Wilderness will provide a bucket shower with warm water off the fire. Imela wilderness (also) provides, comfortable bedroll fully equipped with linen, towels, chairs with backrests, and Tents (3× 3 m meru tents), mosquito gauze on door & windows) (large and easy to erect). Imela Wilderness chef prepare fresh meals in the camp on site.
Note; All our tours are non-participatory, meaning we have enough staff to do the camp chores while you sit and enjoy your safari
Details
Included in Your Safari
The quoted price includes all accommodation, park entry fees (except Vic Falls), excursions, transfers and border fees.
ITINERARY INCLUDES:
- Park & Reserve entry fees
- Pick up and drop off at the airport
- Use of camping equipment (mattresses or beds)
- Transport in 4X4 game viewing vehicle (game drive vehicle, trailer)
- Vehicle Fridge
- Tea/coffee and hot chocolate
- Bottled water
- Professional Guide
- 2 Game drives per day
- Chef
- Mokoro activities
- Mokoro pooler fees
- Entrance fees to the delta
- Boat Cruise in Chobe
- Lodge accommodation in Maun, Kasane/Chobe National Park & Victoria falls Zimbabwe
ITINERARY EXCLUDES:
- Scenic flight over the Okavango delta
- All adventure activities in Victoria Falls Zimbabwe
- Park Entrance fees to the falls
- Boat cruise in Okavango delta
- Staff tips
- Premium wines
- Emergency evacuation
- Curios
- Insurance
Easy Payment Options
40% Deposit to confirm booking. Balance due 6 weeks prior to arrival.
ELITE SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS
(South to North)
8 nights/9 days
MAUN > MOREMI/XAKANAXA > MOREMI/KHWAI > SAVUTI > CHOBE NATIONAL PARK/KASANE
Overview
Game Drives
Guided Walk
Boat Cruise
Photography
This safari consists of a camping trip from Maun through the northern part of Botswana. The camping part is a guided group tour which covers elite tourist destinations in the country. Explore Botswana’s top game reserves where safari highlights include Chobe’s famously large herds of elephant, game drives in predator-rich Moremi Reserve and abundance of wildlife in Savuti located within Chobe National Park.
Gallery
Daily Activity
DAY 1: MAUN
After your arrival at Maun International Airport, you will meet our representative with a signage board written “IMELA WILDERNESS”. Our guides will be waiting to transfer you to the lodge where we will be staying. Maun is the gateway to one of the best wildlife experiences you will ever have – a safari in the unforgettable Okavango Delta.
DAY 2–3: MOREMI XAKANAXA (THIRD BRIDGE)
We wake up to have a quick breakfast before we take a trip to Xakanaxa-Moremi game reserve. Our drives will take us to the park’s most beautiful areas such as the third bridge, Bodumatau and dead tree island. Game is plentiful and the sightings include elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion, hyena, jackal and many different antelopes including red lechwe and shy sitatunga; a web-footed antelope perfectly adapted to life in the swamps, Wild dog, whose numbers are so rapidly decreasing elsewhere, are regularly sighted in the Moremi game reserve, It is the great diversity of plant and animal life that makes Moremi so well known. The reserve contains within its boundaries approximately twenty percent of the Okavango Delta.
The swampy areas of Xakanaxa are home to African Rail,
Coppery-tailed Coucal, Black Coucal*, Red-chested Flufftail, African Crake*, Black Crake, Chirping Cisticola, Luapula Cisticola, Purple Swamphen, Allen’s Gallinule to name but a few. The open
waters attract African Skimmer, Saddle-billed Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, Intermediate Egret, Goliath Heron, African Fish Eagle as well as the globally threatened Slaty Egret and Wattled Crane.
We will camp in the Wilderness for 2 nights enjoying the activities on a day to day basis.
DAY 4: MOREMI KHWAI (NORTH GATE)
Wake up and have breakfast before we depart to Moremi Game Reserve-Khwai. It is situated in the eastern part of the Okavango Delta, bordering the Chobe National Park on the south-western part of the Park. The Moremi Game Reserve covers almost one third of the Delta. The Khwai River forms a boundary between the reserve and the community area. We spend the following two nights camping at an exclusive campsite in the community area, exploring the Khwai floodplains on game drives both during the day and at night. Exploring after dark with spotlights offers you an opportunity to experience some of the nocturnal animals that are rarely encountered during the day. We will also have the opportunity to explore the surrounding wilderness on foot (please note that this activity is seasonal based on rains and grass height, your guide will determine the safety of walking in Khwai) and mokoro and enjoy an up close and personal encounter with Botswana’s flora and fauna. It is important to note that night drives and guided walks are not permitted within the national parks and reserves. These activities are conducted outside the boundaries of the
Moremi Game Reserve in the Khwai community area.
The Khwai region boasts excellent populations of both bull elephant as well as breeding herds. Lion, leopard, serval and African wildcat are common predators of the region with wild dog and cheetah being less common. Buffalo use this area seasonally with large herds moving in during the summer rains. The swampy areas in the west are home to red lechwe. Other ungulates include tsesebe, blue wildebeest, giraffe, kudu, sable antelope, roan antelope and impala. Common birdlife include Mecca’s, the uncommon Rosythroated Longclaw and the Bat-Hawk. Other interesting raptors here are Cuckoo Hawk (rare), Long-crested Eagle and Black Sparrowhawk. More commonly Tawny Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Lesser-spotted Eagle, Martial Eagle, Bateleur and African Hawk-Eagle. The waterways host Africa Rail, African Crake, Greater Painted Snipe, Allen’s Gallinule, Lesser Jacana and Lesser Moorhen.
DAY 5-6: SAVUTI
Savuti region is situated in the southern stretch of Botswana`s Chobe national park. Recognized as a prime game viewing area in the south west of Chobe National Park. It is called Savuti because a certain chief named Savute used to live there with his tribe. The famous Savuti channel stretches south from the Chobe River through to the Mababe depression. The Savuti Marsh has been the stage for many of the most dramatic wildlife documentaries in Africa. The wide open country, good ungulate populations and particularly strong prides of lion and hyaena clans make for dramatic wildlife interaction and excellent viewing opportunities. The now dry Savuti Channel runs through this landscape linking the dry sand-veld, the waterholes, the hills and the grassland that was the Savuti Marsh.
The surface water that is pumped by the Government here provides a major attraction for birdlife. In the dry season thousands of dove and sandgrouse come down to drink in the mornings and are under constant surveillance by Yellow-billed Kite, Tawny Eagle and African Hawk-Eagle. Red-crested Korhaan are common in the Kalahari Apple-leaf (Lonchocarpus nelsii) veld. The marsh is the summer home for good numbers of Caspian Plover and Montague’s Harrier as well as Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark, Grey-backed Sparrowlark, Northern Black Korhaan, Rufous-naped Lark, African Pipit and Desert Cisticola. Dickenson’s Kestrel, Amur Falcon and Red-necked Falcon are found along the
perimeter of the marsh.
The concentration of wildlife and birdlife not to mention the open plains surrounded by the dry camel thorn trees on the Savuti marsh are a wildlife photographers dream. Savuti is famous for its big game and particularly its predators. Lion and the Spotted Hyena live in constant battle for survival. Other commonly sighted species are zebra, elephant giraffe, kudu and buffalo. The scenery is amazing and very African looking, with lots of acacia tortilis with giraffe feeding and many more including the most photographed bird, lilac breasted roller. We camp wild at an exclusive campsite for 2 nights, enjoying the activities on a day to day basis.
DAY 7- 8: KASANE / CHOBE NATIONAL PARK
We will leave for Chobe early to travel along the Chobe River arriving in Kasane where we will stop for a picnic lunch before taking an afternoon boat cruise. We will then spend two nights in a lodge in Kasane whilst during the day we will embark on a game drive to Chobe National Park and a boat cruise at around 1500 hrs.
We will traverse through the stunted mopane scrub of the Goha clay basin, across the sand-ridge and
through the wonderful Zambezi teak woodlands of the Chobe Forest Reserve and along the Chobe River itself. The Chobe floodplain is tens of kilometers wide and in years of exceptional rains the water stretches as far as the eye can see. While there are community areas that we pass through that are settled by local tribes, for the vast majority of the day’s drive we pass through wild country where wildlife moves un-inhibited by fences or man. Roan and sable antelope thrive in the teak woodlands where the low density of predators and lack of competition for food by other ungulates makes this prime habitat for these large ungulates. Leopard occur in these woodlands in low numbers but they are highly secretive and seldom seen. The Goha region has natural waterholes that hold water well into the dry season and herds of buffalo, Burchell’s zebra, greater kudu and elephant come down to drink.
The most unusual species are to be found in the teak (Baikea plurijuga) woodlands. This broad-leafed woodland, or miombo as it is locally known, provides good pickings for insectivorous birds that favour canopy habitat. Grey Tit-Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Paradise Flycatcher, Pallid Flycatcher, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Yellow-throated Petronia, Red-headed Weaver and Violet-backed Starling are only some of the species that move around in the “bird parties” in the canopy. Dickenson’s Kestrel, Red-necked Falcon, Peregrine Falcon and Lizard Buzzard are some of the raptors to keep an eye out for, while the diminutive White-faced Owl can often be seen roosting in the road-side vegetation. Flappet Lark, Fawn-coloured Lark, Dusky Lark, Olive-Tree Warbler and Neddicky are species more likely to be enjoyed by the birding enthusiast.
Our trip will end here and there will be a transfer available to Kasane International Airport (included in the price)
TOUR ENDS
Safari Accommodation
CAMPING NIGHTS:
5 nights camping
LODGING:
3 nights lodging
A non-participatory wild camping with en-suite facilities (5 nights) and lodging (3 nights). Imela Wilderness will provide a bucket shower with warm water off the fire. Imela wilderness (also) provides, comfortable bedroll fully equipped with linen, towels, chairs with backrests and, tents (3×3 m meru tents), mosquito gauze on door & windows); are large and easy to erect. Imela Wilderness chef prepare fresh meals in the camp on site.
Note; All our tours are non-participatory, meaning we have enough staff to do the camp chores while you sit and enjoy your safari.
Details
Included in Your Safari
The quoted price includes all accommodation, park entry fees, excursions, and transfers.
ITINERARY INCLUDES:
- Park & Reserve entry fees
- Pick up and drop off at the airport
- Use of camping equipment (mattresses)
- Transport in 4X4 game viewing vehicle (game drive vehicle, trailer)
- Vehicle Fridge
- Tea/coffee and hot chocolate
- Professional Guide
- 2 Game drives per day
- Chef
- Mokoro activities (seasonal)
- Mokoro pooler fees
- Entrance fees to the delta
- Boat Cruise in Chobe
- Lodge accommodation in Maun, Kasane/Chobe National Park
ITINERARY EXCLUDES:
- Scenic flight over the Okavango delta
- Park Entrance fees to the falls
- Boat cruise in Okavango delta
- Staff tips
- Premium wines
- Emergency evacuation
- Curios
- Insurance
- All flight tickets unless otherwise indicated
- Items of personal nature
- Any drinks at lodges or accommodation other than Imela Tented camps unless stated.
Easy Payment Options
40% Deposit to confirm booking. Balance due 6 weeks prior to departure.
ELITE SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS
(North to South)
8 nights/9 days
CHOBE NATIONAL PARK/KASANE > SAVUTI > MOREMI/KHWAI > MOREMI/XAKANAXA > MAUN
Overview
Game Drives
Guided Walk
Boat Cruise
Photography
This safari consists of a camping trip from Kasane/Chobe through the southern part of Botswana. The camping part is a guided group tour which covers elite tourist destinations in the country. Explore Botswana’s top game reserves where safari highlights include Chobe’s famously large herds of elephant, game drives in predator-rich Moremi Reserve and abundance of wildlife in Savuti located within Chobe National Park.
Gallery
DAY 1-2: KASANE/CHOBE NATIONAL PARK
After your arrival at Kasane International Airport, you will meet our representative with a signage board written “IMELA WILDERNESS”. Our guides will be waiting to transfer you to the lodge where we will be staying. The town of Kasane is situated on the banks of the Chobe River in the far north east of Botswana. It is the gateway to the Chobe National Park and also to 3 other countries, being located right at the “Four Corners”.
After lunch is a siesta and you may take a swim or take a rest in your room before we leave for an afternoon game drive along the Chobe River where we will see big herds of buffalos, elephants, pods of hippos, and prides of lions. Chobe is a unique park because during dry season big herds of animals congregate along the river. You will see elephants swimming from one bank to the other, buffalos crossing to the island. Get back from a beautiful game drive freshen up and have dinner. Time of going to bed is determined by the last guest.
Wake up, have quick breakfast before departing for a morning game drive which is longer, you will also have an opportunity to observe the animals close. Chobe also boasts two antelopes rarely encountered elsewhere in Botswana – the puku and the Chobe bushbuck Both the puku and the bushbuck have a number of predators to contend with, from lion, hyena and leopard, to African wild dog.
Get back to the lodge after a beautiful drive, have brunch and after that is siesta time. At 15.00 pm we depart for a beautiful sunset boat cruise along the Chobe River. You will see a lot of animals and come close to crocodiles and pods of hippos from the boat and at times may see lions. We get back to the lodge, after sunset dinner is at 20.00pm at a local restaurant (own expense). Time of going to bed is determined by the last guest.
DAY 3-4: SAVUTI
Savuti region is situated in the southern stretch of Botswana`s Chobe national park. Recognized as a prime game viewing area, the Savuti (also spelt Savute), covers almost 1,930 sq. miles (5,000 square km) in the south west of Chobe National Park.
Undoubtedly it is the interaction between lion and elephant that is the most interesting aspect of Savuti. The area is inhabited by a huge pride of lions with numbers fluctuating from 20-30 members. These remarkable lions have learned over the years how to hunt these massive pachyderms that are supposedly above predation. Launching their attack under darkness and
using their numbers, they manage to kill adolescent and even young adult elephant. The marsh is prime cheetah country and in the wet season it is not unusual to have the wild dog hunting here in Central Chobe. Lion and the Spotted Hyena live in constant battle for survival. Other commonly sighted species are zebra, elephant giraffe, kudu and buffalo.
The surface water that is pumped by the Government here provides a major attraction for birdlife. In the dry season thousands of dove and sandgrouse come down to drink in the mornings and are under constant surveillance by Yellow-billed Kite, Tawny Eagle and African Hawk-Eagle. Red-crested Korhaan are common in the Kalahari Apple-leaf (Lonchocarpus nelsii) veld. The marsh is the summer home for good numbers of Caspian Plover* and Montague’s Harrier* as well as Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark, Grey-backed Sparrowlark, Northern Black Korhaan, Rufous-naped Lark, African Pipit and Desert Cisticola. Dickenson’s Kestrel, Amur Falcon* and Red-necked Falcon are found along the
perimeter of the marsh.
The drive is a bit longer from Chobe to our exclusive campsite in Savuti; however, the drive is much enjoyable as you will see lots of birds and animals on the way. The scenery is amazing and very African looking, with lots of acacia tortilis with giraffe feeding and many more including the most photographed bird, lilac breasted roller. We camp wild at an exclusive campsite for 2 nights, enjoying the activities on a day to day basis.
DAY 5: MOREMI KHWAI (NORTH GATE)
Wake up and have breakfast before we depart to Moremi Game Reserve. It is situated in the eastern part of the Okavango Delta, bordering the Chobe National Park on the south-western part of the Park. The Moremi Game Reserve covers almost one third of the Delta. The Khwai River forms a boundary between the reserve and the community area. We spend the following two nights camping at an exclusive campsite in the community area, exploring the Khwai floodplains on game drives both during the day and at night. Exploring after dark with spotlights offers you an opportunity to experience some of the nocturnal animals that are rarely encountered during the day. We will also have the opportunity to explore the surrounding wilderness on foot (please note that this activity is seasonal based on rains and grass height, your guide will determine the safety of walking in Khwai) and mokoro and enjoy an up close and personal encounter with Botswana’s flora and fauna. It is important to note that night drives and guided walks are not permitted within the national parks and reserves. These activities are conducted outside the boundaries of the
Moremi Game Reserve in the Khwai community area.
The Khwai region boasts excellent populations of both bull elephant as well as breeding herds. Lion, leopard, serval and African wildcat are common predators of the region with wild dog and cheetah being less common. Buffalo use this area seasonally with large herds moving in during the summer rains. The swampy areas in the west are home to red lechwe. Other ungulates include tsesebe, blue wildebeest, giraffe, kudu, sable antelope, roan antelope and impala.
Common birdlife include Mecca’s, the uncommon Rosythroated Longclaw and the Bat-Hawk. Other interesting raptors here are Cuckoo Hawk (rare), Long-crested Eagle and Black Sparrowhawk. More commonly Tawny Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Lesser-spotted Eagle, Martial Eagle, Bateleur and African Hawk-Eagle. The waterways host Africa Rail, African Crake, Greater Painted Snipe, Allen’s Gallinule, Lesser Jacana and Lesser Moorhen.
DAY 6-7: MOREMI XAKANAXA (THIRD BRIDGE)
We wake up to have a quick breakfast before we take a trip to Xakanaxa-Moremi game reserve. Set-aside in 1963 by the Batawana tribe, the Reserve is rated as Africa’s most beautiful game reserve. Our drives will take us to the park’s most beautiful areas such as the third bridge, Bodumatau and dead tree island. Game is plentiful and the sightings include elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion, hyena, jackal and many different antelopes including red lechwe and shy sitatunga; a web-footed antelope perfectly adapted to life in the swamps, Wild dog, whose numbers are so rapidly decreasing elsewhere, are regularly sighted in the Moremi game reserve, It is the great diversity of plant and animal life that makes Moremi so well known. The reserve contains within its boundaries approximately twenty percent of the Okavango Delta.
Moremi lies on the eastern extremity of the Okavango Delta. Habitats here range from wide-open floodplains, marshes, lagoons, papyrus fringed channels, vast stands of Miscanthus and Phragmites, woodland and savannah. As a result of the extremely variable habitat the diversity of both wildlife and birdlife is excellent.
Moremi is amongst the best game reserves in Africa for viewing the endangered African wild dog. Xakanaxa is home to a resident herd of several hundred buffalo whose range covers the territories of at least 4 prides of lion which may often be seen flanking the ever moving herd. Breeding herds of elephant
move between their browsing areas in the mopane forests and the fresh water of the Okavango. Red lechwe a one of the more unusual antelope species and commonly found here.
The swampy areas of Xakanaxa are home to African Rail,
Coppery-tailed Coucal, Black Coucal*, Red-chested Flufftail, African Crake*, Black Crake, Chirping Cisticola, Luapula Cisticola, Purple Swamphen, Allen’s Gallinule to name but a few. The open
waters attract African Skimmer, Saddle-billed Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, Intermediate Egret, Goliath Heron, African Fish Eagle as well as the globally threatened Slaty Egret and Wattled Crane.
We will camp in the Wilderness for 2 nights enjoying the activities on a day to day basis.
DAY 8: MAUN
We will wake up in our camp site, have a quick breakfast and a short game drive before departing to Maun where we will be staying overnight in a lodge. Maun has grown rapidly from its early days as a small, rural frontier and has now spread along the wide, Thamalakane River. It now boasts hotels and lodges as well as car and 4-wheel drive vehicle hire. However, it retains a rural atmosphere and, as befitting its role as the hub of the Delta’s safari industry, travelers pass through here on their way to the Okavango Delta.
Our trip will end here and there will be a transfer available to Maun International Airport (included in the price)
TOUR ENDS
Safari Accommodation
CAMPING NIGHTS:
5 nights camping
LODGING:
3 nights lodging
A non-participatory wild camping with en-suite facilities (5 nights) and lodging (3 nights). Imela Wilderness will provide a bucket shower with warm water off the fire. Imela wilderness (also) provides, comfortable bedroll fully equipped with linen, towels, chairs with backrests and, tents (3×3 m meru tents), mosquito gauze on door & windows); are large and easy to erect. Imela Wilderness chef prepare fresh meals in the camp on site.
Note; All our tours are non-participatory, meaning we have enough staff to do the camp chores while you sit and enjoy your safari.
Details
Included in Your Safari
The quoted price includes all accommodation, park entry fees, excursions, transfers and border fees.
ITINERARY INCLUDES:
- Park & Reserve entry fees
- Pick up and drop off at the airport
- Use of camping equipment (mattresses)
- Transport in 4X4 game viewing vehicle (game drive vehicle, trailer)
- Vehicle Fridge
- Tea/coffee and hot chocolate
- Professional Guide
- 2 Game drives per day
- Chef
- Mokoro activities
- Mokoro pooler fees
- Entrance fees to the delta
- Boat Cruise in Chobe
- Lodge accommodation in Maun, Kasane/Chobe National Park
ITINERARY EXCLUDES:
- Scenic flight over the Okavango delta
- Park Entrance fees to the falls
- Boat cruise in Okavango delta
- Staff tips
- Premium wines
- Emergency evacuation
- Curios
- Insurance
- All flight tickets unless otherwise indicated
- Items of personal nature
- Any drinks at lodges or accommodation other than Imela Tented camps unless stated.
Easy Payment Options
40% Deposit to confirm booking. Balance due 6 weeks prior to departure.
SALTS & FALLS EXCURSIONS
15 nights/16 days
Overview
VICTORIA FALLS > CHOBE NATIONAL PARK/KASANE > SAVUTI > MOREMI/KHWAI > MOREMI/XAKANAXA > MAUN > OKAVANGO DELTA > NXAI NATIONAL PARK / BAINES BAOBABS > NATA BIRD SANCTUARY/ MAKGADIKGADI PANS > KASANE
Game Drives
Guided Walk
Boat Cruise
Photography
Experience one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world, a quintessential African sound, wilderness paradise with a great game viewing in Chobe, Savuti and Moremi. Explore one of the best places from where to view the Botswana Salt Pans – the Nata Sanctuary has a massive viewing deck ensuring the most amazing vantage points. This is an astonishing place to stop and view the wildlife when you are on your Botswana Safari. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the enormous flocks of flamingos and other water birds, including pelicans; gather on the newly formed lakes. Explore the waterways in a traditional dugout canoe (mokoro) in Okavango delta.
Gallery
Daily Activity
DAY 1: VICTORA FALLS –Zambia/Zimbabwe
Arrive in Victoria Falls airport or Harry Mwanga Nkumbula airport where you will be met by Imela Wilderness guides. Please look out for the board written, “Imela Wilderness”. Our guides will be waiting to transfer you to the lodge where we will be staying. Victoria Falls is also called “Mosi-oa-Tunya,” or “the smoke that thunders” by locals due to the water roars and mist from the area. Victoria Falls is the largest single curtain of falling water on the planet. More than twice the size of Niagara Falls, this Natural Wonder and World Heritage Site has become one of Southern Africa’s top tourist destinations. This spot on the Zambezi River, the natural border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, has been described as one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world.
Besides the fantastic viewing of the falls, the Victoria Falls Bridge and David Livingstone’s Statue, the destination offers a wide range of activities.
All activities in Victoria Falls and park entry fees are not included in the tour quotation.
- For those seeking adrenaline buzz there is bungee jumping from the Zambezi Bridge, gorge swing into the gorge, or fly across the gorge on your stomach like a flying fox, and white water rafting trips downstream in the gorge.
- A number of operators offer flights over the mighty falls with microlights, light airplanes and helicopters.
- Other activities on offer are horse-riding, elephant-riding, walking with Lions, canoeing or visiting the crocodile farm, rhino tracking. Activities can be arranged from the lodge at (own expense).
DAY 2-3: KASANE / CHOBE NATIONAL PARK
Wake up, have breakfast at the lodge and depart to Kazugula border which is 70kms from Livingstone, where we will do our customs and immigration formalities, before crossing with a ferry to Kasane Botswana. We will be staying in a lodge for 2 nights. The town of Kasane is situated on the banks of the Chobe River in the far north east of Botswana. It is the gateway to the Chobe National Park and also to 3 other countries, being located right at the “Four Corners”.
After lunch is a siesta and you may take a swim or take a rest in your room before we leave for an afternoon game drive along the Chobe River where we will see big herds of buffalos, elephants, pods of hippos, and prides of lions. Chobe is a unique park because during dry season big herds of animals congregate along the river. You will see elephants swimming from one bank to the other, buffalos crossing to the island. Get back from a beautiful game drive freshen up and have dinner- own expense. Time of going to bed is determined by the last guest.
Wake up, have quick breakfast before departing for a morning game drive which is longer, you will also have an opportunity to observe the animals close. Chobe also boasts two antelopes rarely encountered elsewhere in Botswana – the puku and the Chobe bushbuck Both the puku and the bushbuck have a number of predators to contend with, from lion, hyena and leopard, to African wild dog.
Get back to the lodge after a beautiful drive, have brunch and after that is siesta time. At 15.00 pm we depart for a beautiful sunset boat cruise along the Chobe River. You will see a lot of animals and come close to crocodiles and pods of hippos from the boat and at times may see lions. We get back to the lodge, after sunset dinner is at 20.00pm at a local restaurant (own expense). Time of going to bed is determined by the last guest.
DAY 4 -5: SAVUTI
Savuti region is situated in the southern stretch of Botswana`s Chobe national park. Recognized as a prime game viewing area, the Savuti (also spelt Savute), covers almost 1,930 sq. miles (5,000 square km) in the south west of Chobe National Park.
It is called Savuti because a certain chief named Savute used to live there with his tribe. The famous Savuti channel stretches south from the Chobe River through to the Mababe depression. The concentration of wildlife and birdlife not to mention the open plains surrounded by the dry camel thorn trees on the Savuti marsh are a wildlife photographers dream. Savuti is famous for its big game and particularly its predators. Lion and the Spotted Hyena live in constant battle for survival. Other commonly sighted species are zebra, elephant giraffe, kudu and buffalo.
Tawny eagles can be seen soaring in the sky as we go. The drive is a bit longer from Chobe to our exclusive campsite in Savuti; however, the drive is much enjoyable as you will see lots of birds and animals on the way. The scenery is amazing and very African looking, with lots of acacia tortilis with giraffe feeding and many more including the most photographed bird, lilac breasted roller. We camp wild at an exclusive campsite for 2 nights, enjoying the activities on a day to day basis.
DAY 6-7: MOREMI KHWAI (NORTH GATE)
Wake up and have breakfast before we depart to Moremi Game Reserve. It is situated in the eastern part of the Okavango Delta, bordering the Chobe National Park on the south-western part of the Park. The Moremi Game Reserve covers almost one third of the Delta. The Okavango Delta is the largest inland river delta in the world and consists of pans, floodplains, lily covered lagoons, grasslands, forests of acacia trees, savannahs and dense Mopane Woodlands. With such a wide variety of vegetation comes diverse spectrum of wild life. Huge herds of impala and tsessebe are found in the area, while in the dry season large herds of buffalo, wildebeest, elephant and zebra flock into the reserve from the Kalahari in search of food and water. The rare sitatunga and lechwe antelope live in the papyrus banks of the waterways. Lions, cheetahs and packs of wild dogs hunt in the open grassland. The reserve is home to over 400 species of birds, including the African Fish Eagle, the Crested Crane and the Sacred Ibis.
Moremi Game Reserve is a wilderness paradise with great game viewing throughout the year. We will camp wild for 2 nights at an exclusive campsite at Khwai north Moremi Game Reserve, enjoying activities on day to day basis The magnificent Khwai river is the hub for some of the most outstanding wildlife viewing both on the Moremi and in the Khwai community area.
DAY 8–9: MOREMI XAKANAXA (THIRD BRIDGE)
We wake up to have a quick breakfast before we take a trip to Xakanaxa-Moremi Game Reserve. Set-aside in 1963 by the Batawana tribe, the Reserve is rated as Africa’s most beautiful game reserve. Moremi game reserve is widely considered as one of the finest wildlife reserves in Africa with a diversity of habitats combining acacia forests and Mophane woodlands with floodplains’ and lagoons, here we will be camping at an exclusive campsite. Our drives will take us to the park’s most beautiful areas such as the third bridge, Bodumatau and dead tree island. Game is plentiful and the sightings include elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion, hyena, jackal and many different antelopes including red lechwe and shy sitatunga; a web-footed antelope perfectly adapted to life in the swamps, Wild dog, whose numbers are so rapidly decreasing elsewhere, are regularly sighted in the Moremi game reserve, It is the great diversity of plant and animal life that makes Moremi so well known. The reserve contains within its boundaries approximately twenty percent of the Okavango Delta. We will camp in the Wilderness for 2 nights enjoying the activities on a day to day basis.
DAY 10 – MAUN
We will wake up to have breakfast before heading to Maun. Maun is the gateway to one of the best wildlife experiences you will ever have – a safari in the unforgettable Okavango Delta.
Maun has grown rapidly from its early days as a small, rural frontier and has now spread along the wide, Thamalakane River. It now boasts hotels and lodges as well as car and 4-wheel drive vehicle hire. However, it retains a rural atmosphere and, as befitting its role as the hub of the Delta’s safari industry, travelers pass through here on their way to the Okavango Delta.
It is the southernmost part of the Delta and boasts a river tributary of the Okavango called the Thamalakane River. It is our home and this frontier “village” certainly puts things into perspective before travelling to the wilderness. We will be staying in a lodge for 1 night on bed & breakfast basis (Lunch & dinner at own expense). After checking into the lodge that afternoon you may take a scenic flight over the Okavango delta and enjoy a scenic flight from Maun Airport over the Okavango Delta (Own expense). Keep a look out for Hippos in the waterways and Elephant and Buffalo in the shade of the trees. Observe how the water channels meander their way through the Delta in ever changing paths as this Dynamic water system evolves. The vastness of this pristine wilderness is breathtaking.
DAY 11 – OKAVANGO DELTA
Wake up, and have your small bag ready packed before having breakfast. You will only need small amount of luggage for the 1 night that you will be staying in the delta. Your big bag will be left in a secure storage for safe keeping at our office to be collected when you come back from the delta. We depart to the Okavango delta, here you will meet your local mokoro pooler who will serve also as your guide. This activity is conducted by local mokoro community guides though our chef comes along. When we arrive the camp assistants will put up camps under a canopy of trees, have brunch followed by siesta time where you can swim in the delta clear waters. Tea/coffee will be served before you take a walk on the island.
Travelling by mokoro is undeniably the best way to experience the Okavango delta as you get to explore the waterways, and take nature walks where you have the opportunity to track game and get an up-close feel of this unique environment. Here bird life is spectacular and on foot you are able to have a much more intense experience of the wilderness, particularly the flora and fauna that might otherwise go unnoticed. Guides are experienced in tracking animals and are able to point out interesting sightings of various types of wildlife. We camp in the wilderness in a remote campsite for 1 night.
DAY 12-13: NXAI NATIONAL PARK / BAINES BAOBABS
After breakfast we return to our mokoro station where we will find our 4×4 vehicle waiting for us. We will make a stop in Maun to collect luggage which we left when going to the delta. We will depart to Nxai National Park after breakfast. When the seasonal rains come, the vast grasslands attract grazers in numbers (herds of wildebeest and herds of zebra) and consequently, these attract an impressive range of predators.
We will do a day trip to the Baines baobabs where we will also have a nice view of the salt pans. During our stay here we will take a full day to explore this beautiful wildlife area. Nxai Pans is a relatively undiscovered part of Botswana that offers some of the best wildlife viewing. We will camp for 2 nights on exclusive campsites.
DAY 14: NATA BIRD SANCTUARY/ MAKGADIKGADI PANS
After breakfast we head to The Nata bird Sanctuary which is situated on the eastern tip of the Makgadikgadi Pans. This area provides us with an opportunity to view birds and other wildlife in a truly pristine environment. Shimmering saltpans of Makgadikgadi appear as a glaring white, endless plain. When the rain comes a dramatic change takes place as thousands of wildebeest and zebra migrate to the sweet nutritious grasslands and clouds of flamingo feed in its algae rich waters. We spend an afternoon exploring this beautiful wildlife area and camp at a campsite with permanent ablution facilities for 1 night.
DAY 15: KASANE
After breakfast we head to Kasane where our tour started, arriving there we relax at the pool or go to the town to do your gift shopping.
DAY: 16 TOUR ENDS
Wake up, have breakfast we then transfer you to Kasane International Airport for your flight to Johannesburg, South Africa for your onward connections.
Safari Accommodation
CAMPING NIGHTS:
10 nights camping
LODGING:
5 nights lodging
A non-participatory wild camping with en-suite facilities (10 nights) and lodging (5 nights). Imela Wilderness will provide a bucket shower with warm water off the fire. Imela wilderness (also) provides, comfortable bedroll fully equipped with linen, towels, chairs with backrests and Tents (3×3 meru tents), mosquito gauze on door & windows) (large and easy to erect). Imela Wilderness chef prepares fresh meals in the camp on site.
Note; All our tours are non-participatory, meaning we have enough staff to do the camp chores while you sit and enjoy your safari
Details
Included in Your Safari
The quoted price includes all accommodation, park entry fees (except Vic Falls), excursions, transfers and border fees.
ITINERARY INCLUDES:
- Pick up and drop off at the airport
- Park & Reserve entry fees
- Use of camping equipment (comfortable bedroll ,pillows)
- Transport in 4X4 game viewing vehicle (open game drive vehicle, trailer)
- Fridge
- Meals
- Tea/coffee and hot chocolate
- Jug of juice
- Fruits
- First aid kit
- satellite phone
- Professional Guide
- 2 Game drives per day
- Chef
- Bird watching
- Mokoro activities
- Mokoro pooler fees
- Boat cruise in Chobe
- Bottled mineral water when camping only
- Entrance fees to the delta
- Lodge accommodation in Zimbabwe, Kasane /Chobe and Maun on bed & breakfast basis
ITINERARY EXCLUDES:
- Scenic flight over the Okavango delta
- All adventure activities in Victoria Falls Zimbabwe/Zambia
- Boat cruise in Okavango delta
- Entrance fees to the falls
- The quoted price excludes your international return flights. Excludes gratuities for guides and staff, any applicable visa fees & optional excursions.
- Premium wines and spirits (except luxury safari)
- Meals in the restaurants
- Emergency evacuation Insurance
- Curios
Please be aware that Yellow Fever certificates are required by South Africa for any travelers who have been through Zambia.
Easy Payment Options
40% Deposit to confirm booking. Balance due 6 weeks prior to departure.
