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Botswana Camping Safari
Duration: 16 days
Starts: Johannesburg
Ends: Johannesburg
Rates from: ZAR 20313
per person
Countries Visited:
Botswana
Transport: Vehicle 4 x 4
Vehicles
Safari cook: Not
Included
A 16-day overland camping safari exploring the
wilderness paradise of
Botswana.
Almost a quarter of Botswana is devoted to wildlife
sanctuaries - and these
unspoiled wilderness
areas offer some of the
finest game viewing in
Africa.
On this tour you will
experience the
Makgadikgadi Salt Pans,
Okavango Delta, Moremi,
Savuti, Chobe and
Victoria Falls. Whether
your main interest is as
a traveller,
photographer,
birdwatcher or
naturalist, you are sure
to enjoy your time in
this natural paradise.
Note: The tour also runs
in the reverse
direction, departing
from Maun.
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Set out from
Johannesburg
Departing from
Johannesburg in the
early morning, you set
off for the Botswana
border. On completion of
customs and immigration
formalities you head for
Nata Lodge, an
oasis-like camp on the
edge of the impressive
Sowa salt pan.
You spend your evening
getting to know your new
travelling companions
and familiarising
yourself with tour
procedures over a
catered meal at the
lodge (own expense).
Tonight you will be
camping.
Day 2: Explore the Makgadikgadi Pans
Meals: FB
After a leisurely
breakfast you go on an
initial excursion in 4x4
vehicles, returning to
the lodge for a welcome
swim and a bite to eat.
Relax for a few hours
during the heat of the
day before paking up
camp and heading out to
the Makgadikgadi Pans.
These spectacular
depressions are known to
attract unique birdlife
and a variety of desert
animals. You spend the
afternoon exploring this
area, keeping an eye out
for springbok, gemsbok
and other wildlife
species. Tonight you
camp in 'wild-style',
taking in the isolation
and serenity of the
star-studded night.
Day 3: Visit a Local Village Near Maun
Meals: FB
After some leisurely
time to explore a little
more, you leave the pans
and drive in the
direction of Maun. Your
next camp is situated on
the banks of the Boteti
River, and offers you
the opportunity to shake
off the Makgadikgadi
dust under a warm
shower.
In the afternoon you
take a walk to a village
for an rare window into
the lives of the local
people and how they cope
in these harsh
conditions. Tonight you
enjoy a traditional "braai"
(barbecue) before
camping for the night.
Days 4-7: Experience the Okavango Delta
Meals: FB
The Okavango is a
massive river, whose
waters stretch out into
the Kalahari sands,
creating one of the
world's only true inland
deltas and a unique
ecosystem that supports
a huge variety of animal
and plant life.
You travel either by
light aircraft or on
sandy tracks to the
heart of the Okavango
Delta, and then continue
by mokoro to your remote
camp. There you spend 3
nights in true
wilderness, exploring
the area on foot and by
mokoro - the traditional
aquatic mode of
transport. There will be
ample time to relax and
appreciate the
remoteness and serenity
of the area.
You have the opportunity to go on a scenic
game-flight over the
delta on either day 4 or
7 (own expense). Late on
day 7 you return to the
camp to freshen up
before enjoying a
catered meal.
Days 8-12: Explore the Moremi, Savuti & Chobe
Meals: FB
You pop back into Maun
in the morning to stock
up with supplies. Then,
perched high on the
well-equipped vehicle,
you head north into the
wilderness, passing
remote villages along
the way.
The next 5 days are
spent in Botswana's game
reserves, starting with
Moremi. This part of
your tour is fairly
flexible, making the
most of your game
viewing experiences.
The first night is spent
camping near the
well-known 3rd Bridge;
drifting off to sleep to
the sounds of the wild.
You then head on north
via Xakanaxa to camp
near North Gate. This
area is excellent for
game-viewing and you
spend your time here on
afternoon and morning
drives along the wetland
areas. Moving on up to
Savuti, an area which
offers a multitude of
game-drive options, you
stay in a very active
campsite (keep the food
well hidden from the
roving elephant and
prowling hyenas).
Finally you enter Chobe,
famous for its large
herds of elephant which
gather on the flood
plains. You spend the
morning exploring the
banks of the Chobe River
where you may be lucky
enough to see the Puku
antelope, found
exclusively on the Chobe
flats. You then cross
the border to spend the
night in comfort at the
Victoria Falls.
Days 13-14: Visit Victoria Falls
Meals: HB
Awaking in the
'Adventure Capital of
Africa' you begin your
time here exploring the
falls, known by the
locals as 'Mosi o Tunya
', 'The smoke that
Thunders'.
After admiring this
wonder of the world,
various other places and
activites await such as
a tribal village, the
Big Tree, the curio
market and a crocodile
farm. Other popular
options include an
aircraft flip over
Victoria Falls or a boat
trip on the Zambezi
River, white water
rafting, bungee jumping,
or an elephant-back
safari (please note
these are extra
expenses).
You spend 3 nights at
Victoria Falls, giving
you plenty of time to
explore at leisure. On 2
of the nights you eat
out in local restaurants
(own expense).
Day 15: Return to Botswana
Meals: HB
You return to Botswana
and complete the
triangle back to Nata.
You set up camp for the
last time and spend your
evening enjoying good
conversation around the
camp fire (dinner own
expense).
Day 16: End Your Journey in Johannesburg
Transfer back to the bus
to arrive in
Johannesburg in the
early evening, where
your tour comes to an
end (all meals own
expense).
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