This morning you travel to Kruger-Mpumalanga Nelspruit Airport and fly to Livingstone, Zambia where our local guide, Mortimer provides your private transfer to your tranquil camp on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River. Later this afternoon you embark on a complimentary sunset cruise on this famous river.

The morning is yours to rest and recuperate from your long flight journey. Mortimer then transfers you to the nearby Elephant Café for interaction with some members of the resident herd followed by lunch. You are then transferred by boat down the Zambezi towards the bridge/border with Zimbabwe, where you disembark and Mortimer provides a complimentary guided viewing of the Victoria Falls before returning you to your lodge.

You arise early this morning and travel to the nearby Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park for a Rhino Walking Safari, viewing the only surviving population of white rhino in all Zambia. The remainder of the day can be enjoyed back at the lodge or perhaps you wish to enjoy some of the many experiences highlighted in our “Victoria Falls Activities Booklet”, such as the Livingstone Island & Devil’s Pool Tour or the thrilling Gorge helicopter flight. Later today you enjoy a complimentary sunset cruise on the Zambezi River.

This morning you travel to Botswana and onwards to Kasane Airport. You are again accompanied by Mortimer and the private road transfer passes through bushveld that is home to wildlife such as elephant and giraffe, sightings of which often occur during the drive. From Kasane you fly into the wild expanse of the Okavango Delta. The flight travels in a light aircraft deep into the delta floodplains and is part of a daily route that often stops at a number of bush airstrips to deliver/collect other travellers. Upon arrival you are greeted by your camp guide who provides a game drive on the way to your camp. After a late lunch and short rest, you embark on an afternoon/evening game drive.

You stay here for three nights immersed in the absolute serenity of one of the world’s last true wildernesses. After evenings backed by a chorus of night time sounds in the African bush, your days include game drives and bush walks as well as mokoro safaris and boat excursions (subject to water levels).

One of the world’s last true wildernesses, the Okavango Delta consists of some 6,000km² (2,300mi²) of permanent swamp and 12,000km² (4,600mi²) of seasonal swamp, and the resulting mosaic of channels, islands, lagoons, and forests supports a wealth of wildlife. Each year the waters flood, usually between May and September, before receding again, and the wildlife has adapted itself to these seasonal changes. Among these animals you can expect to see: elephant, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, impala, lechwe, sitatunga, reedbuck, bushbuck, hippo, crocodile and tsessebe. Predators – including lion, hyena, wild dog, leopard and cheetah – have also adapted to life in the delta, as have many smaller creatures. The range of bird life is simply staggering, with the channels and rivers home to kingfishers, pygmy geese, fish eagles, jacanas, darters and the elusive Pel’s fishing owl, plus many, many others. Set under leafy palms and towering African Ebony trees, accommodation in the Delta blends naturally into its unique surroundings, surrounded by wildlife-rich seasonal floodplains – elephants are regular visitors. The lodges are renowned for their personable and friendly service, as well as their fine cuisine served under large, thatched dining areas with sweeping views of the floodplains. Slipping into ‘Delta time’, your stay here is taken up with excellent wildlife viewing interspersed with fine dining and sunset drinks.

You now journey into the vast expanse of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert. The flight is again in a light aircraft and your destination is the Dinaka Private Reserve neighbouring the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR). Upon arriving at Dinaka’s own airstrip, you meet your camp guide and enjoy a short game drive to your camp where you are treated to lunch and then embark on your first game drive within this unique wilderness. 

Slipping into ‘Kalahari time’, your stay here includes game drives and bush walks as well as visits to the camp’s ground-level photographic hide. We also recommend taking an informative and interactive walk with one of the camp’s renowned Bushman/San guides.

The ecosystems, wildlife and landscapes in the CKGR differ greatly from those found further north in the Okavango-Chobe regions. While the density of wildlife is less, visiting the Kalahari offers sightings of animals that are rarely seen elsewhere in Botswana, such as brown hyena, aardwolf, oryx, eland, bat-eared fox, springbok and ostrich, as well as cheetah and the famed black-maned Kalahari lions. The birding is also quite special, with over 200 species to be spotted. There are two permanent camps inside the reserve and a few other camps/lodges located in adjoining private reserves, one of which is the 200km²/77mi² Dinaka Private Game Reserve on the national park’s northern border. The reserve is home to a broad range of wildlife, from oryx and springbok to predators that include lion and brown hyena. As elsewhere throughout southern Africa, staying in a private reserve like Dinaka offers greater flexibility for wildlife viewing with bush walks being allowed and game drives that can go off-road and continue after dark, whereas the camps within the reserve are not able to do so due to national park regulations. 

After an early morning game drive and a hearty brunch, we say tsamaya sentle (“goodbye and go well” in the local Setswana language) as you board your light aircraft and fly to the safari hub of Maun for your connecting flight to Johannesburg and your onward travels.