Duration:
13
Days
Group size:
Single supplement:
Destinations:
Departs From:
Ends In:
Travel Styles:
Booking validity:
–
Best Months to Visit
Upon arrival into Kasane, after completing immigration and customs formalities, collect your baggage and proceed to the Arrivals Hall. Here you will connect with your scheduled charter flight to Savute Elephant Lodge, where you will stay for three nights.
Time permitting, arrive in time for lunch and an afternoon activity.
Location:
LocationSavuti – Chobe National Park
Accommodation:
Accommodation Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana
Type:
Accommodation Type Safari Lodge
Drinks Basis:
Drinks Basis All Local Brands (Spirits, Wine and Beers)
Room Basis:
Room Basis Fully Inclusive – Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
Enjoy two full days of game viewing activities at Savute Elephant Lodge.
Early morning and late afternoon game drives take you out and among Africa’s largest populations of elephants. Big cats are on the prowl, from leopards to lions. Depending on the season you will also experience the great migrations such as zebra and antelope. Rare sightings might include the endangered wild dog, rock-climbing klipspringers and the elegant roan antelope.
Savute is a bird-lovers’ paradise, particularly in the summer months from December to March. Over 250 species populate the area, ranging from vast flocks of gregarious queleas to giant kori bustards and an array of majestic raptors.
You can also visit the ancient San rock paintings. These works by Bushmen are thought to be more than 1,500 years old—beautiful images of elephant, giraffe, sable and eland antelope. Normally these types of painting might be found hidden in caves, but here, unusually, they are out in the wide, open landscape. No-one knows what materials the bushmen used, but the paint is thought to be a mixture of snake venom, blood and plant juices. After viewing these paintings, continue to the amazing baobab grove—a cathedral-like cluster of 13 giant trees that rival the Bushmen’s paintings in age. Stand among these towering columns at sunset, as the evening light bathes them in a russet glow and wonder at this ancient land.
After dinner, gather round the campfire and exchange your day’s adventures, much as villagers do throughout Botswana. Flames flicker and lamps glow as drinks are served; a choir sings traditional songs and invites you to a buffet of African specialties. Settle into your seat as lodge guides local Motswana tales of the bush and musicians strike up traditional songs. The evening often ends with everyone on their feet, dancing to rhythms handed down through generations.
The open skies around Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge make it the perfect place to experience the vast, dark dome of the African night sky. “A jewel box” is how one of our guides describes it, and certainly it is a wealth of riches from the Milky Way to Orion and Venus. Discover how Bushmen used the stars to locate the true south. And, using a powerful telescope, gaze on constellations that visitors from the northern hemisphere may never have seen before, including the Southern Cross.
Location:
LocationSavuti – Chobe National Park
Accommodation:
Accommodation Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana
Type:
Accommodation Type Safari Lodge
Drinks Basis:
Drinks Basis All Local Brands (Spirits, Wine and Beers)
Room Basis:
Room Basis Fully Inclusive – Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
After breakfast and a morning activity (time permitting), you will be transferred by a camp vehicle to the airstrip for your scheduled charter flight to Eagle Island Lodge, where you will stay for three nights.
Time permitting, enjoy lunch and an afternoon activity.
Belmond Eagle Island Lodge brings timeless luxury to the Botswana wetlands. High-ceilinged tented rooms flood with light; each has a plunge pool and oversized bed with views of the Delta. Get closer to the wildlife of this UNESCO World Heritage Site—silently glide past hippos in a traditional canoe as fish eagles soar overhead.
Location:
LocationMoremi Game Reserve
Accommodation:
Accommodation Eagle Island Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana
Type:
Accommodation Type Safari Lodge
Drinks Basis:
Drinks Basis All Drinks (excl Premium Brands)
Room Basis:
Room Basis Fully Inclusive – Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
Enjoy two full days of game viewing activities at Eagle Island Lodge.
Belmond Eagle Island Lodge is the ultimate Okavango Delta water- experience-focused safari lodge, unveiling a sleek new look after an almost total rebuild. Eagle Island Lodge is one of Botswana’s original safari lodges, perched on a private island encircled by some of the deepest stretches of the Okavango Delta, one of the world’s largest inland water systems and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Helicopter safaris—signature experience
Helicopter flights over Botswana are one of life’s big bucket list adventures. Experience the Okavango Delta like never before! spot remote, inaccessible lakes and islands as well as an abundance of wildlife from the sky. (Surcharge applies.)
Horse Riding/helicopter safari
This exhilarating safari begins at first light with a 10- minute helicopter flight to where the horses are based, before you saddle up for a guided horseback ride through the grassy floodplains and palm-lined islands of the delta. Move quietly past leopard, cheetah, wild dog, elephant, buffalo, hippo and zebra who are used to the horses being in the area as they go about their daily business. (Surcharge applies; horse riding experience is essential for advanced riders.)
Motorized boating and barge cruises
Being out in the open water is what distinguishes a delta experience from other safaris. Okavango Delta from other safari experiences! These trips allow you to cover more unexplored ground, plunging deeper into the landscape and allowing visitors to spot a greater range of wildlife. Embark on a sunset barge cruise for mesmerizing views whilst sipping a sundowner. (Not available in the dry season, usually November to March.)
Walking safari
Let our experienced guides envelop you in nature. Spot amazing sights close-up: From an insect, to animal tracks and big game droppings, Admire the swarming termite mounds. These small, unexpected aspects of delta life often make the biggest most long lasting impression.
Mokoro canoe safari
Glide silently on a traditional dugout canoe, a traditional mode of transport used by locals for centuries, as you traverse shallow, clear waters past brilliant waterlilies and papyrus grasses, reaching areas inaccessible by boat. Glimpse brightly coloured frogs, kingfishers, dragonflies or elephants feasting on the reeds.
Bird watching
Many people come to the lodge from all over the globe purely to spot the magnificent variety of birds. Over 400 land and aquatic species make for unrivaled viewing, including the rare Pel’s fishing owl, endangered wattled crane and the majestic African fish eagle.
Fishing
The delta’s channels are rich with tilapia, and spotted and silver catfish inhabit the lazy pools. African pike, infamous fighters, are a favourite snare. If you have never fished before, this is the ultimate place to start. (Catch and release fishing only.)
Village life
Visit neighboring Nxhoga village on the island of Xaxaba for an insight into the Motswana way of life. Learn about the mud, reed and can huts, basket weaving and the fishing industry. Meet elders, engage with children, browse the small market, churches and bakery. There is a chance that your Belmond guide hails from Nxhoga and will explain how the community has adapted ancient traditions to suit modern times. (Accessible by boat/mokoro in wet months, and by game-viewing vehicle in dry months.)
Location:
LocationMoremi Game Reserve
Accommodation:
Accommodation Eagle Island Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana
Type:
Accommodation Type Safari Lodge
Drinks Basis:
Drinks Basis All Drinks (excl Premium Brands)
Room Basis:
Room Basis Fully Inclusive – Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
After breakfast and a morning activity (time permitting), you will be transferred by a camp vehicle to the airstrip for your scheduled charter flight to Maun. Here you will connect with your scheduled charter flight to Jao Camp, where you will stay for three nights.
Time permitting, enjoy lunch and an afternoon activity.
In the heart of the Okavango, luxurious Jao is set among islands fringed with riverine forests and vast, floodplains with prolific wildlife. The camp (rebuilt in 2019) comprises a main area elevated into the tree canopy, two exclusive villas and five twins all with private plunge pools, lounge and dining areas, and en-suite bathrooms, including indoor and outdoor showers. The two Jao Villas, accommodating four people each in two identical guest rooms, share a main area, and also have an exclusive vehicle, guide, chef and butler.
Location:
LocationOkavango Delta
Accommodation:
Accommodation Wilderness Jao
Type:
Accommodation Type Safari Lodge
Drinks Basis:
Drinks Basis All Drinks (excl Premium Brands)
Room Basis:
Room Basis Fully Inclusive – Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
Enjoy two full days of game viewing activities at Jao Camp.
Jao’s position, amongst waterways and lagoons, yet close to dry Kalahari woodland, means you can enjoy both water and land experiences, depending on the time of year. There is no better way of viewing the Delta and its wildlife than by traditional mokoro (dugout canoe). At Jao we have a number of these – as well as two glass-bottomed mekoro for an entirely out of this world experience!
Morning and afternoon game drives are offered in open 4×4 Land Rovers each accommodating a maximum of seven people allowing each guest a window seat. A 45-minute boat ride from Jao Camp, you can enjoy a full-day game drive, along with a picnic, on wildlife-rich Hunda Island. Night drives with spotlights allow you to find those nocturnal animals you wouldn’t see during the day.
A raised hide located about 20 minutes from camp is a great place to watch the comings and goings of wildlife. The hide can also be used for sleep-outs for a maximum of four people at a time. The hide is equipped with a long-drop toilet.
Tucked under magnificent African ebony trees overlooking lush waterways, the Jao Spa is an enchanting setting where you can rest and feel utterly restored. Here, we offer a full menu of therapies from facials to manicures, and a range of massage options.
Fishing with a limited supply of basic equipment (spinner rods and a small range of lures) is on offer seasonally on a catch-and-release basis.
Location:
LocationOkavango Delta
Accommodation:
Accommodation Wilderness Jao
Type:
Accommodation Type Safari Lodge
Drinks Basis:
Drinks Basis All Drinks (excl Premium Brands)
Room Basis:
Room Basis Fully Inclusive – Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
After breakfast and a morning activity (time permitting), you will be transferred by a camp vehicle to the airstrip for your scheduled charter flight to Maun. Here you will connect with your scheduled charter flight to Jack’s Camp, where you will stay for three nights.
Time permitting, enjoy lunch and an afternoon activity.
Jack’s Camp is located in Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, the remnants of an enormous super-lake that used to cover most of Southern Africa. Jack Bousfield himself described the area as the “savage beauty of a forgotten Africa”, and truly, the Makgadikgadi is like nowhere on earth. It’s a landscape of space and remoteness, and the spectacular, otherworldly vistas, unique desert wildlife, and old-world glamour of Jack’s Camp all come together to create an experience that is unlike any other on the continent.
Jack’s is one of Africa’s most iconic camps and has reopened in 2021, refreshed and reinvigorated, yet still retaining the very stylish old world glamor we all know and love. Enjoy the ultimate in space and exclusivity; the camp is one of just three in a one million-acre private wildlife reserve. There’s an impressive choice of extraordinary activities to be enjoyed including quad biking, bushman walks, classic desert game drives, meerkat visits and horse rides.
After an early morning desert exploration, retreat back to the sanctuary of camp to sit back and relax in the elegant Persian tea tent. The camp has one of the most comprehensive collections of ancient artefacts in Botswana, collected and curated by the Bousfield family over decades. Indulge in a lazy afternoon in your private plunge pool overlooking the Makgadikgadi pans, watching the world go by. Keep your eyes peeled for the year-round desert wildlife: brown hyena, oryx, Kalahari lion and, after dark, aardvark, porcupine, honey badger and bat eared fox.
Location:
LocationMakgadikgadi Salt Pans
Accommodation:
Accommodation Jack’s Camp
Type:
Accommodation Type Safari Lodge
Drinks Basis:
Drinks Basis All Drinks (excl Premium Brands)
Room Basis:
Room Basis Fully Inclusive – Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
Enjoy two full days of game viewing activities at Jack’s Camp.
One of the most original and exciting camps in Africa, the safari experience at Jack’s is unique. Here the living desert is constantly full of surprises. At first sight, the lunar-like salt pans appear devoid of life, but in the hands of the of the knowledgeable camp guides the story of the Makgadikgadi begins to unfold. Throughout your stay you will find an impressive choice of extraordinary activities and desert culture experiences to enjoy in and around camp.
• Get up close and personal with our habituated meerkats.
• Discover the secrets of the pans with the Zu/’hoasi Bushmen on a fascinating bush walk.
• Take game drives and night drives in custom built 4x4s to spot the unique desert wildlife that inhabits the pans, like the elusive brown hyena or Kalahari lion.
• Visit the Makgadikgadi National Park or the site of Chapman’s Baobab.
• Go on an thrilling helicopter flip
• Take a morning hike for scenic vistas or hunt for stone tools in the crusty salt flats of the enormous Sowa Pan.
• Embark on an adventurous horseback safari (for all levels of riders; additional charge applies, but one two-hour safari is included if staying for three nights or longer). Multi-day riding safaris are also available for experienced riders – please contact us for more information.
• After an afternoon exploring the Kalahari desert, enjoy a refreshing sundowner while watching the sun set over the pans.
Dry Season (16th April – 31st October)
• Take an exhilarating quad bike across the salt-crusted pans.
• Lie out on the pans just before night fall and watch the planetarium of stars unfold above you.
Green Season (10 January – 31 March)
• Witness the second largest migration of zebra and wildebeest in Africa (and it’s also the last remaining one in Southern Africa).
In Camp
• Sleep inside a tent that’s a designated Natural History Museum.
• Relax on your private veranda with a sparkling plunge pool and breath taking views of the Makgadikgadi pans.
• Treat yourself to a wellness therapy on your private deck.
• Spend time looking at the fascinating Natural History Cabinets, dripping with artifacts from this ancient landscape as well as telling stories from around the world.
• Relax in the new larger mess tent, enjoying the well-stocked drinks chest and antique pool table.
• Soak up the sun at the swimming pool pavilion, the only one of its kind in Africa.
• Enjoy sweet treats in the Persian tea tent.
• Grab a book from the large collection in the library and find a quiet spot to read.
Wildlife
The desert is never a place of abundance. But we’ve spent many years here (not quite as many as Jack, but a good number!) and it still surprises us. The Makgadikgadi is full of elusive species and desert-adapted animals and the perfect complement to Botswana’s traditionally game-rich areas, like the Khwai Private Reserve and the Okavango Delta.
The brown hyena is a symbol of what’s to come in the Makgadikgadi. There are only 8000 of these special hunters left in the world, and there aren’t many other places you’ll encounter one. Other carnivores that know how to eke out their survival here include aardwolves and bat-eared foxes, honey badgers and black-maned Kalahari lion. Then there’s aardvark, gemsbok, springbok and black-backed jackals to look out for on game drives, and perhaps even an elephant or two. And last, but definitely not least, the meerkats. We’ve been busy pioneering a meerkat habituation project with some of the world’s pre-eminent researchers. The cheeky creatures are still very wild, but they do enjoy coming to say hello.
Location:
LocationMakgadikgadi Salt Pans
Accommodation:
Accommodation Jack’s Camp
Type:
Accommodation Type Safari Lodge
Drinks Basis:
Drinks Basis All Drinks (excl Premium Brands)
Room Basis:
Room Basis Fully Inclusive – Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
At a time determined the night before, you will be transferred by a camp vehicle to the airstrip for your scheduled charter flight to Maun for your departure flight.
Return home, taking with you the sights, sounds, and memories of an incredible African adventure!
Location:
LocationMakgadikgadi Salt Pans
Accommodation:
Accommodation Jack’s Camp
Type:
Accommodation Type Safari Lodge
Room Basis:
Room Basis B&B: Bed and Breakfast
Price Includes:
Price Excludes:
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