Wildlife & Wilderness of Botswana
Tour Overview
Journey into the wilds of Botswana. Glide along the Okavango Delta in traditional mokoro canoes helmed by local polers and admire a billion stars from the otherworldly and eerily silent Makgadikgadi Pans. Search for the emblematic wildlife of Africa on the Savuti Marsh and Moremi Reserve and take to the Chobe River, home to the highest concentration of elephants anywhere. Finally discover why Dr David Livingstone, upon seeing Victoria Falls, declared ‘scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight. ...more ...less
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Depart London
Location: Maun
Depart London
Day 2 : Arrive in Maun
Location: Maun
Accommodation Name: Audi Camp or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Those on the group flight arrive in Maun and transfer (30 mins) to our campsite located on the banks of the Thamalakane River. The campsite has hot showers, bar, swimming pool, and the restaurant is known for its good food and ambience. Those not on the group flight can arrive any time.
Day 3 : Morning game walk; sunset dug-out canoe trip on the Okavango Delta
Location: Okavango Delta
Accommodation Name: Okavango Delta Wild Camp
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We pack minimal gear for 2 nights into a smaller bag (bag provided), before a 4x4 transfer into the Okavango Delta. At the 'polers' station' we meet a new team of local staff from a nearby village who will look after us during our stay in the delta. With them we travel in mokoros deep into the Okavango Delta. We have lunch at our campsite on the banks of the river, and in the late afternoon we head out on our first game walk. We return to camp before sunset and enjoy our first meal in the African bush.
Day 4 : Return to Maun; free afternoon
Location: Okavango Delta
Accommodation Name: Okavango Delta Wild Camp
Meals Included: Breakfast
We get up early this morning for a game walk with a guide from the poling team. There are never any guarantees with wildlife, but there is the chance of seeing elephant, buffalo, and other smaller game. We return to camp for a well deserved brunch and some time to relax. In the afternoon we take a short mokoro trip on the river to view the sunset before returning to camp.
Day 5
Location: Maun
Accommodation Name: Audi Camp or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning we board our mokoros for the trip back to the polers' station. We meet our vehicle and transfer back into Maun for the night where we will purchase supplies for the days ahead. The afternoon is free to relax by the pool or take an optional scenic flight over the Delta.
Day 6
Location: Makgadikgadi Salt Pan
Accommodation Name: Makgadikgadi Pan wild camp or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
After a relaxed breakfast we head east to the vast Makgadikgadi Salt Pan. Depending on the season or if the pans are wet, we will camp wild on the pan or one of the campsites nearby. The Makgadikgadi Salt Pan covers an area over 16,000 square kilometres and forms the bed of an ancient lake - now dried up. The sunsets on the pan are truly spectacular.
Day 7
Location: Victoria Falls
Accommodation Name: Premier Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
A long drive north before crossing into Zimbabwe to the town of Victoria Falls situated minutes from the waterfalls of the same name. At the Kasangula border we complete the border formalities and continue to our accommodation for the next two nights. The falls themselves are over 1,700m wide and 100m tall making them the largest waterfalls in the world and are one of Africa’s most famous highlights. We will have the opportunity to find out more about the various activities on offer available for tomorrow.
Day 8
Location: Victoria Falls
Accommodation Name: Premier Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today is a free day to partake in one of the many optional activities on offer ranging from white water rafting to flights over the falls and various others.
Day 9
Location: Chobe National Park
Accommodation Name: Thebe River Camp or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning there is an opportunity to view Victoria Falls themselves from the Zimbabwean side. From here we drive back to Botswana. A short drive from the border to the town of Kasane where we camp on the banks of the Thebe River, a tributary of the mighty Zambezi. The afternoon is free, with an option to view game on the famous Chobe Waterfront by taking an exciting river cruise on the Chobe River. This is widely regarded as one of the best game cruises in Africa with a very good chance of seeing the elephant herds coming down to the river to drink before the sun sets.
Day 10
Location: Chobe National Park
Accommodation Name: Zwei-Zwei or Savuti Wild Camp
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We take an early morning game drive back to the Chobe Waterfront area. Chobe is famous for its large population of elephants, but is also home to plenty of other exciting game including lion and wild dog. After exploring the Northern end of this huge park, we head south into remote and rugged terrain, passing in and out of the national park, before finally reaching the Savuti area at the southern edge of Chobe National Park. The Savuti Marsh, often dry, is fed by the Savuti river channel which alternately flows and then dries up for years at a time. Recent flooding has given this area new life. This area is also home to plenty of game, but is especially well known for its lions, and the large numbers of elephant that walk enormous distances to find fodder.
Day 11
Location: Savuti Marsh
Accommodation Name: Zwei-Zwei or Savuti Wild Camp
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We take morning and afternoon game drives on the Savuti Marsh. There is a good chance to see lion, cheetah and hyena that follow the seasonal zebra migration through this area. Large secretary birds and kori bustards are often seen strutting around the Savuti marsh and small red-billed francolins provide a noisy morning wake up call.
Day 12
Location: Moremi Game Reserve
Accommodation Name: Moremi Wild Camp
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breaking camp we drive all the way to Moremi Game Reserve. We pass through a variety of habitats including the Mbabe depression, Mopani forest and past great Acacia trees before arriving at Khwai village and the North Gate entrance of Moremi Game Reserve. Moremi National Park is the jewel in Botswana's wildlife crown. Protecting much of the northern part of the Okavango Delta, it is made up of waterways, marshes, islands and open grasslands.
Day 13
Location: Moremi Game Reserve
Accommodation Name: Moremi Wild Camp
Meals Included: Breakfast
We'll go on morning and afternoon game drives through this beautiful protected area, trying to find the large variety of animals that live here. Despite its wet reputation, there is plenty of dry land in Moremi, which allows our game drives to cover significant distances while spotting game in the sometimes dense vegetation. As well as elephant and lion, Moremi is a good place to spot leopard and cheetah, and the red lechwe, a water dwelling antelope, often seen grazing amongst the lilies.
Day 14
Location: Maun
Accommodation Name: Audi Camp or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
We go on a final game drive through the park this morning before travelling back to Maun, and back to our riverside campsite. We can enjoy the swimming pool before our last dinner at the campsite restaurant.
What's Included
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Meals
All breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 7 dinners are included.
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Accommodation
All accommodation is included, with 11 nights full-service camping and 2 nights in a hotel, lodge, or chalet at Victoria Falls.
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Transport and Activities
All transport and listed activities are included.
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Tour Leader
A tour leader will be present throughout the trip.
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Flights
Flights from London are included if booking includes flights.
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Camping Equipment
All camping equipment is provided except for sleeping bags and pillows.
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Drinking Water
Safe drinking water is provided throughout the trip.
What's Not Included
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Visas or Vaccinations
Visas or vaccinations are not included.
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Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is not included.
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Single Accommodation
Single accommodation is available on request but not included.
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Bottled Water
Bottled water is not included; safe drinking water is provided, but if you prefer bottled water, it will be at your own expense.
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Optional Activities
Optional activities such as white-water rafting, flights over Victoria Falls, and scenic flights over the delta are not included.
Food
All breakfasts, seven lunches and seven dinners included.
Breakfast: Cereals, coffee and toast and the occasional fried breakfast/brunch.
Lunch: Cheese, cold meats, salads, bread or rolls.
Dinner: Potjies (stew), braais (barbecue), stir-fries, etc.
The trip leaders do all the shopping and meal planning for each group. They will always try to obtain fresh produce wherever possible. Each tour has one cool box for meat and fresh produce only and one cool box for cold drinks. We supply squash, tea or coffee with meals. All other beverages will be at your own expense.
On some days where early morning game drives are included, lunch may be substituted for a large brunch on return from the game drive – this is customary. We will always ensure the number of meals detailed in the trip notes are provided.
The water provided on this trip is safe, clean drinking water, normally from boreholes. You can buy bottled water if you prefer, but we encourage you to make use of the safe drinking water provided as this helps diminish plastic consumption.
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Accommodation
Camping in the African wilderness is a bucket list experience for many adventure travellers and Botswana is a fantastic destination for this. When we stay at public campsites, we have access to excellent facilities; however, the nights spent wild camping are the real highpoint. Our stays in Moremi Game Reserve and Savuti Marsh are both at private campsites in beautiful locations where we won’t see or hear anyone else. What we will hear though, and possibly see, is the wildlife. On this trip, we spend 11 nights full-service camping and two nights normally in a hotel, lodge or chalet at the Victoria Falls. We sleep in spacious, two-person tents fitted with mattress-topped camp beds. For the wild camping nights, there is a bush shower and toilet, while dinner is taken around our campfire. Wild camping in the Okavango Delta The highlight stay on this trip for many is our two nights of wild camping in the Okavango Delta. Our neighbours, which you’ll likely hear shuffling around at night, include hippos, elephants and lions, while our away-from-it-all location normally allows us to see a night sky illuminated with stars. Worth knowing All camping equipment is provided except for sleeping bags and pillows. ...more ...less
Mode of Transport
Transportation includes 4x4 transfers into the Okavango Delta, mokoro (traditional canoe) trips, and game drives in safari vehicles. The tour also involves long drives, including a drive north to Victoria Falls and a return to Botswana. The journey is designed to offer diverse experiences, from river cruises to rugged terrain exploration. ...more ...less
Check out our Q&As
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What kind of wildlife can I expect to see during the tour?
During the tour, you have good chances of seeing Africa's emblematic wildlife such as elephants, lions, and buffalos, as well as some lesser-known species. In the Okavango Delta, you might hear hippos, elephants, and lions at night. The Savuti Marsh is known for its lions and large numbers of elephants, and Moremi Game Reserve is a good place to spot elephants, lions, leopards, and cheetahs. ...more ...less
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What is the accommodation like during the tour?
The tour includes 11 nights of full-service camping and two nights in a hotel, lodge, or chalet at Victoria Falls. The camping includes stays at public campsites with excellent facilities and private campsites in Moremi Game Reserve and Savuti Marsh. Wild camping in the Okavango Delta is a highlight, with bush showers and toilets, and dinner around a campfire. Tents are spacious, two-person units with mattress-topped camp beds. ...more ...less
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What should I bring for the camping nights?
All camping equipment is provided except for sleeping bags and pillows. It is recommended to bring your own sleeping bag and pillow for the camping nights.
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Are there any optional activities available during the tour?
Yes, there are several optional activities available during the tour. At Victoria Falls, you can participate in activities such as white-water rafting and flights over the falls. In Maun, you have the option to take a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta. Additionally, in Kasane, you can opt for a game cruise on the Chobe River. ...more ...less
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What kind of meals are provided during the tour?
All breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 7 dinners are included. Breakfast typically includes cereals, coffee, toast, and occasionally a fried breakfast or brunch. Lunch consists of cheese, cold meats, salads, and bread or rolls. Dinner features dishes like stews, barbecues, and stir-fries. Special dietary requirements can be accommodated with at least two weeks' notice. ...more ...less
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What is the level of physical activity required for this tour?
The tour includes various activities such as game viewing by foot, by safari vehicle, and by boat. There are also game walks in the Okavango Delta and game drives in Chobe National Park, Savuti Marsh, and Moremi Game Reserve. While the tour involves some physical activity, it is generally suitable for most fitness levels.
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What are the highlights of the tour?
The highlights of the tour include gliding along the Okavango Delta waterways in Mokoro canoes, wild camping in the wetlands, experiencing the silent beauty of the Makgadikgadi Pan, game viewing by foot, safari vehicle, and boat, and visiting the mighty Victoria Falls.
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
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Free Date Changes
CTS demo white label allows you to make 20 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 0 days before the start of the tour.
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Low Deposit
CTS demo white label requires a minimum deposit of 55% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 30 days before departure.
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Terms and Conditions
Wildlife & Wilderness of Botswana
14 Days Starting and ending in Maun, Botswana
Visiting: Maun, Okavango Delta, Makgadikgadi Salt Pan, Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, Savuti Marsh, Moremi Game Reserve ...more ...less
Tour operator:
Tour code:
WZT
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
4 - 12
Age range:
16-99
Special diets catered:
Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements
