Small group safari September - 13 nights

This is a 10 night (8 nights Dome tents with outdoor bucket showers and toilets, 2 nights hotel) that takes in the highlights of Botswana's Okavango Delta, Savuti and Chobe National Park.  Elephant Trails Safari Co, Maun, Botswana run this safari and includes vehicles,  Professional Guides and camp staff who arrange all meals and camp movement during your safari. 

These dates have been selected as this is summer, is dry and peak season for wildlife. The days are warm and this safari is for those who would like to spend more days in each camp site to ensure maximum time is spent in the bush.  

ITINERARY

September

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 a few days free 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  (DBB)

September

Check-out from SEDIA HOTEL and drive from Maun to Xakanaxa in the Moremi Game Reserve with ELEPHANT TRAILS SAFARI CO in their especially adapted game viewing Landcruisers. From here you will experience 2 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 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)

September

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, cooling down during the warmer months. There is also a healthy population of plains game including kudu, impala, giraffe and zebra. We search for cats and enjoy slow game drives, taking time to check trees and follow tracks.
Here we will spend 2 nights in a private campsite, with our days devoted to game drives. As we are not within the Game Reserve, you have an opportunity to night drive and also relax / catch up with your diaries during siesta time (B,L,D)

September

 Today we have a 5-7 hour journey to Savuti for 2 nights camping within the national park and will be travelling through wilderness area 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 marsh and the 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)

September

Today's journey takes us out of the ancient lake bed and Kalahari basin, through the teak forests that make up the north eastern part of Botswana. This is our longest driving day and we will follow in the footsteps of famous missionary and explorer Dr David Livingstone. We pass through some villages that are recorded by him in his books about his travels. The Chobe River floodplain is a wonderful site after a long driving day. Spend 2 nights camping at a private campsite within the national park and game drive along the river searching for elephant, leopard, lion, buffalo, antelope, hippo, warthog, baboon, etc, plus enjoy the sights and sounds of the African birdlife (B,L,D)

September

Sit back and relax as you transfer approximately 100km to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. This is a sealed road and transport will be a mini bus. You will need to clear customs at the Botswana/Zimbabwe border, paying a visa into Zimbabwe of around US$30 per person. Overnight in a comfortable hotel and arrange to view the mighty Victoria Falls. There are also optional activities including white water rafting, helicopter flights or even bungee jumping. The restaurant dinner that evening is the responsibility of the guest.

Monday 30th September

End of safari

Cost  -  US$TBC

This safari is limited to 12 places (minimum 6 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

 Bow 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. The toilet and shower facilities are separate.

Toilets are enclosed pit latrines, and showers are enclosed bucket showers with warm water.

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

-Services of professional guides

-Services of a support crew including chef and waiter

-All transport while on safari

-All meals on the mobile safari

-Tea, coffee, fruit squash and water

-National Park entry fees

-All camping equipment

-Laundry service twice while on safari

 Excluded from the Price

-All flights, international and domestic.

-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.