Botswana Explorations

THE GREAT WILDERNESS JOURNEY
11 nights & 12 days discovering Botswana's Great Wilderness

overview  ·  itinerary  ·  safari cost  ·  map of safari

Overview - The Great Wilderness Journey
At the turn of the century, explorers and adventurers made their way leisurely across the dusty paths of Africa, allowing the great continent to seep into their souls. Wilderness’ guided mobile safaris takes time to experience and explore Botswana’s contrasts and extremes: from the waterless and strange landscape of the Kalahari Desert to the lushly vegetated wetlands of the Okavango Delta.

Wilderness Safaris’ newly designed, spacious walk-in hexagonal meru-style tents creates a sense of connectedness to the Earth and nature, enhancing the view and the feeling of the wild and the untamed. The style of accommodation takes you back to the long-gone era of Africa’s exploration - on the ultimate Safari. Flowing linen of heavy, pure cottons, brass bucket showers and basins, separate flushing toilets and shower areas all add to the atmosphere, while luxury comforts and amenities are available, including a bush laundry service.

Exclusive experience: Many areas in which we travel are private concessions. All camps and lodges are private and for the use of Explorer Safari adventurers only. These areas are not open to the public, hence our safaris can guarantee total privacy.

Routes: To maximise guests’ travel time, a variety of travel modes that bring out the best of each area is used: flying in private charters, overland transfers and exclusive combination mokoro-boat-land transfers provide both a birds-eye view and an in-depth experience of the contrasting landscapes of Botswana.

Seasonality: We take advantage of the changing seasons so as to provide the best in wildlife viewing on an annual basis. Therefore, at Ketumetse and Linyanti Trails Camp, we enjoy three night stays at each, to fully appreciate the massive diversity of area and activity.

Itinerary
DAYS 1 & 2 - San camp, Makgadikgadi Pans
After arrival in Maun, fly by light aircraft to San Camp, situated in a private concession on the edge of the great Makgadikgadi Pans in the Kalahari Desert. The saltpans are among the largest in the world, part of a fossilised super-lake that thrived aeons ago.

Surprisingly for such a harsh, lunar-like environment, life abounds, and brown hyaena, oryx and springbok are just a few of the desert-adapted species that can be seen. Activities include up-close encounters with suricates (meerkats), one of the most fascinating and endearing animals in the world. Experience phenomenal geology, quad biking, authentic San (bushman) cultural walks and simply enjoying the wide-open spaces of this ancient lakebed.

DAYS 3 & 4 - Jacana Camp, Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta represents survival at the other extreme: abundant water, sunlight and soil combine to form a paradise bursting with life. The contrast becomes amazingly clear as we move from desert to delta, from dry sand to water world.

We fly by light aircraft charter from the arid Kalahari Desert to lush Jacana Camp, situated in a permanently flooded region of the private Jao concession of the Okavango Delta. A true water camp, it represents the essence of the Delta, with year-round mokoro safaris as well as island bush walks and, water level permitting, motorboat cruises.

DAYS 5, 6 & 7- Ketumetse Trails Camp, Okavango Delta
Transfer from the water world of Jacana Camp to the game-rich plains of Abu’s concession. This transfer itself becomes an adventure - depending on the Okavango’s flood level, a combination of mokoro, motor boat and Land Rover create a unique extended game experience.

Activities concentrate on the open herd-filled plains surrounding “lechwe world,” where the seasonal congregations of wildlife make the perfect setting for exclusive game drives, night drives and bush walks.

DAYS 8, 9 & 10- Linyanti Trails Camp, Linyanti Concession
After a light breakfast, we fly by light aircraft to the private Linyanti Concession; upon arrival driving to our private Explorer campsite, which is elegantly set up under massive African ebony and knobthorn acacia trees overlooking panoramic vistas of the Linyanti Swamps.

The landscape changes from the Okavango’s floodplains to savannah habitat with sweeping views, creating a paradise for a high diversity of wildlife and bird species. The first afternoon activity concentrates on exposure to different plains game, such as roan and sable antelope and their predators, the lion and leopard – with the endangered wild dog as an incredible bonus.

Activities include game drives in the private northern sector of the Concession, exploring a range of habitats, from riverbanks to scrub and forest, which reveal a myriad of game en route to slake their thirst from the river. The seldom seen sitatunga can also be spotted in the waterways.

There’s also a game drive to a private deck for lunch, then a siesta in hammocks and an afternoon canoe trip – all before taking an evening drive back to camp! We canoe on the Linyanti River for an amazing close-up view of the elephant herds.

To complete the experience, on the third day we enjoy a full activity to the Savuti Channel, with lunch at a private hide overlooking a waterhole. The spectacular zebra migration moves between Linyanti and the Savuti Marsh through this area, as well as an impressive diversity of mammals, including large elephant herds. This day is specifically tailored to enjoy the seasonal and migratory movements of wildlife within the Linyanti and Savuti systems.

DAY 11 - Chobe River boat cruise, Chobe National Park and Sussi & Chuma, Zambia
After a short morning drive and breakfast, we depart by light aircraft to the northern Chobe region of Chobe National Park. This area is famous for its vast herds of elephants and other unique species such as the elusive puku and Chobe bushbuck that move to the river in the hottest hours of the day. Enjoy a boat cruise in a catamaran-style shaded boat.

Leave Botswana and enter Zambia by way of the Kazangula border, a point where the four countries of Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia meet, to stay at Sussi & Chuma, in Livingstone.

DAY 12 - Transfer to Livingstone Airport
Enjoy a guided tour of the Victoria Falls, one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World. At 1708 metres wide, it is the largest curtain of water in the world and drops more than 100 metres into the sheer Zambezi Gorge.

Transfer to Livingstone Airport to bid farewell to the adventure.

NOTE: THIS ITINERARY IS AVAILABLE ON FLEXIBLE DATES AND ITINERARIES, FOR TAILOR-MADE SAFARIS FOR SMALL GROUPS UP TO EIGHT GUESTS.

Included:
All soft drinks, beer, fruit juice, mineral water and wine. Local liquors are also provided.
• All meals while on safari, including the Lodge/ hotel in Livingstone Town
• All activities while on the safari departure
• All internal charters as specified in the itinerary
• All accommodation
• All National park fees

Excluded:
• Visas
• All relevant entry and departure government stipulated fees/ taxes
• All personal purchases, including curios, premium brand liquors, telephone calls etc.
• Gratuities
• Optional extra activities
• All flights (other than specified in the safari itinerary), pre and post tours before arrival at the starting point of the safari
• Torches

Cost:
Please contact us for a detailed quote

Map of safari route:


Term and conditions: Please read our terms and conditions for more information on how to book, travel insurance, cancellation fees, baggage and other important subjects.


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