Escorted small group safari June 2025 - 13 nights

This is a 13 night / 14 day mobile & lodge safari (8 nights Dome en-suite tents with bucket showers, 5 nights lodges) that takes in the highlights of Botswana's Okavango Delta, Savuti and Chobe National Park, and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. We have joined with Elephant Trails Safari Co, Maun, Botswana for the mobile safari and includes 2 x vehicles, 2 x Professional Guides and camp staff who arrange all meals and camp movement during your safari.  We spend the last 4 nights in boutique lodges, chosen for their location, comfort, style and atmosphere.

During June, the vegetation is beginning to thin after the rainy season and it’s easier to spot predators. The mornings can be cool, but warms up during the day and there is a nice mix of water and land based activities.

ITINERARY

5 June 2025

Meet and greet Elephant Trails Safari Co.

You will be transferred to SEDIA HOTEL, Maun, for a 1 night stay. Maun is the gateway town to the Okavango Delta and an interesting example of life in an old frontier town. Have an afternoon to relax by the hotel swimming pool, or arrange a transfer into town looking at the curio shops and life in general. Meet for dinner in the evening. (D,B)

6 June 2025

Check-out from SEDIA HOTEL and transfer from Maun to Xakanaxa in the Moremi Game Reserve with a 30 minute charter flight, giving you the opportunity to see the Okavango Delta from the air. You will be met by ELEPHANT TRAILS SAFARI CO in their especially adapted game viewing Landcruisers and be in the heart of this expansive wilderness area. From here you will experience 3 nights fully serviced camping in a private campsite in Xakanaxa including all meals. A boating expedition is organized where you will get close to Okavango life at the water’s edge and beneath. If we are lucky we may even see an elephant cooling off in the clear waters or catch a glimpse of the shy sitatunga. There is a large variety of wildlife and birdlife in this area, and game drives will include skirting flood plains and hippo pools, or into the woodlands and vleis. In the evening we return to camp for a warm bucket shower and hearty meal while listening to the sounds of the African bush at night. Morning and evening game drives will be the norm for the week ahead (B,L,D)

9 June 2025

After enjoying your early morning breakfast and clearing your tents we start our journey to the Eastern most extremity of the Okavango Delta. The Khwai area is rich in habitat with wildlife and birdlife. The animals are attracted to the narrow ribbon of water that is the Khwai River and this provides for some spectacular wildlife viewing. Herds of elephant come to the river to drink and swim, and there is also a healthy population of plains game including kudu, impala, giraffe and zebra. We search for lion and leopard, and enjoy slow game drives, taking time to check trees and follow tracks.
Here we will spend 2 nights in a private campsite in the Moremi Game Reserve, with our days devoted to game drives, plus relaxing during siesta time (B,L,D)

11 June 2025

Today we have a 5-7 hour journey to Savuti for 3 nights camping within the national park and will be travelling through wilderness for the entire journey. This is a day that puts into perspective the sheer size of this wilderness area. Savuti lies in an ancient lake bed that is punctuated with small rocky-hills (kopjes), some of which hold ancient San rock paintings. Here we explore the Savuti grasslands and the dry river bed for the various wildlife of this timeless place, including elephant and lion population. Other mammals which have been seen include wild dog, giraffe, buffalo, leopard, etc. Savuti is a favoured area of wildlife photographers and film- makers and many well known wildlife documentaries have been filmed here. (B,L,D)

14 June 2025

Today we transfer to the airstrip for our charter flight to Kasane and stay 2 nights on the Chobe River at CHOBE BAKWENA ECO LODGE  (or similar) for a fully inclusive experience. As Bakwena Lodge is situated outside the Chobe National Park they have the advantage of river frontage and a neighbouring local village. Guests can experience visits to local schools, go on village tours, plus enjoy the abundant wildlife on game drives and sunset cruises. Along the Chobe River floodplain wildlife which can be seen include elephant, leopard, lion, buffalo, antelope, hippo, warthog, baboon, etc, plus the birdlife is prolific (B,L,D)

16 June 2025

Sit back and relax as you transfer approximately 100km to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, clearing customs at the Botswana/Zimbabwe border and paying a visa into Zimbabwe of around US$30 per person cash. This is a sealed road and transport will be a mini bus. Staying 2 nights at PIONEERS (or similar), a boutique lodge accommodation 2.5 km from the magical Victoria Falls, and situated in a peaceful residential suburb. The nostalgic era of the pioneer explorers has been perfectly blended with modern amenities and the rooms are spacious and tastefully decorated in a classic style, each with a clear and open view of the lush garden.  (B,B)

18 June 2025

Transfer to the airport for your onward journey

Cost  -  US$9,380.00 per person twin share (Single supplement cost on request)

20% deposit required to confirm your booking and the balance due 2 months prior departure

This safari is limited to 8 places (minimum 4 to go ahead)

Please call Shareen  0408 938 008 or email hello@shareennash.com for more information on this safari and the terms and conditions, thanks.

ELEPHANT TRAILS SAFARI CO, BOTSWANA

MORE INFORMATION REGARDING OUR SAFARIS

Game Viewing

We place great emphasis on game viewing on this journey. We believe it is very important to spend time observing wild animals so that we may get a better insight into their behaviour and “ what makes them tick”. Our guides are fully committed to giving guests the finest possible wildlife experience and to this end we may spend more time out there than may be the norm with other operators. We feel that since you have travelled so far to experience our part of the world with us we owe it to you to do our best in providing you with wonderful memories of a very special part of our planet. Our guides will inform you of the, ecology, biology, geography and history of the area on game drives that are as much fun as they are educational.

Our open sided 4 x 4 vehicles are fully equipped to enhance your experience. We will always try to ensure that every passenger has a window seat to maximise viewing and photographic opportunities. This also allows more space for, cameras, binoculars, etc.

Meals & Drinks

Our meals are wholesome and hearty. After a long day in the bush a fresh "home cooked " meal is very welcome indeed. We use fresh produce as much as possible, and we also bake fresh bread over the coals in camp on a daily basis

Early morning breakfast consists of a choice of tea, coffee, hot chocolate, toast, a variety of jams, cereal, oatmeal porridge and sometimes pan cakes.

Morning tea is served while we are out on safari and there is a choice of tea, coffee, hot chocolate and biscuits or cake.

Lunch is served as either a picnic on travelling days or as a hot meal in camp when we are not moving to another camp site. A typical picnic consists of fresh bread, tomatoes, onions, pickles, cold meats, tuna salad, beet salad, etc. The hot lunch in camp could vary from a stir-fry to shepherd’s pie and is usually served with fresh bread and salad. Our main meal of the day is supper. It is usually a 3 course meal and varies from soups to roast brinjal salad for starters,  casseroles to roast chicken and Barbeques for the main and melva pudding to chocolate fridge tart for desert. Vegetables and starch are also plentiful with these meals.

The only drinks that we supply as part of the package is tea, coffee, hot chocolate, fruit squash and water. Any other drinking requirements can be purchased in Maun or Kasane prior to departure or a list can be sent to us which we will purchase on behalf of the guest.

We will cater to special dietary requirements if we are informed in good time.

Accommodation

Dome en-suite tents are spacious enough to accommodate 2 persons comfortably and are tall enough to be able to stand up in. We provide a camp bed with mattress, sheets, duvet, pillow and extra blanket for the colder months, plus a lantern. Showers and toilets are en-suite - showers are bucket showers with warm water and toilets are pit latrines.

Guides & Staff

Our guides are passionate about what they do. We feel a great responsibility to show our guests this magnificent wilderness to the best of our ability. We strive to be as sensitive to the people, culture, and fauna and flora as possible. To this end we have some of the most experienced guides in the country. They are certainly one of the most important aspects of conducting a successful safari.

Our loyal and dedicated camp staff will take care of your needs in camp. They are friendly and open, so please feel free to engage them in a conversation or go see what they are cooking up in the kitchen at any time.

Daily Life in Camp

As you can, imagine, life in the wilderness starts early (5 am in summer and 6 am in winter). You will be given a wake-up call by one of the camp staff who will at the same time pour warm water into a basin by your tent.

This water can be used to brush your teeth or rinse your face or even to have a shave. After breakfast we set off on our morning game drive. If we are moving camp we request that guests have their bags packed and ready before breakfast so that the camp staff can start breaking camp. During the course of the drive we will stop for morning tea , and when we are not moving camp we return there at around midday for lunch and a siesta , departing once again after afternoon tea, at around 3 pm.

Returning to camp at sunset we will have time for a shower to freshen up before dinner (in the colder months the shower will also be available in the afternoon for those who prefer it then).

Please understand that this is just a guideline to daily activities. It is not unusual to spend more time away from camp because of wildlife viewing opportunities.

Included in the Price

-Hotel accommodation Maun, Botswana

-Services of professional guides

-Services of a support crew including chef and waiter

-Charter flight into the Okavango Delta

-All transport while on safari

-All meals (except lunch & dinner at Victoria Falls)

-Tea, coffee, fruit squash and water

-National Park entry fees

-All camping equipment

-Laundry service twice while on safari

-Charter flight Savuti to Kasane

-Lodge accommodation Kasane - Fully Inclusive - Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities, Drinks -all Local Brands (excl Spirits)

-Transfer Kasane to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

-Lodge accommodation Victoria Falls including breakfast

 Excluded from the Price

-International flights

-All passport and visa fees.

-Any drinks not listed on the included list.

-Staff and guide gratuities.

-Optional activities at Victoria Falls or in Maun.

-Compulsory travel insurance that includes a medical evacuation and repatriation plan

DO NOT FORGET

-TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

-TRAVEL INSURANCE

-ANTI-MALARIA MEDICATION

-SOME CASH (US DOLLARS ARE THE SAFEST)

- MOST IMPORTANT , COME WITH AN OPEN MIND!

 Philosophy

We are committed to providing highly memorable safaris that are safe, fun and educational. Our primary goal is to share the unique beauty of exquisite wildlife with those who are looking for the true African experience. Africa is a continent like no other and should be visited at least once in your lifetime. A safari to Africa will spiritually enlighten you and have you longing to come back time and again.