The Okavango Delta to Victoria Falls with Nicole
A wildlife safari with a lion researcher
This safari is centered in northern Botswana, in Southern Africa. We will spend the first part of our journey in the Okavango Delta, which covers an area of 15,000 square kilometers in the heart of the Kalahari Desert.
The Okavango Delta is the largest inland delta in the world. From its origins in the highlands of Angola, this vast wetland is the home of an unparalleled diversity of wildlife. The Okavango is a wilderness of channels sided with stands of papyrus, lagoons mantled with water lilies, and palm-fringed islands. Hippos are the biggest permanent residents in the Delta. Sharing the waterways are crocodiles of up to 16 feet. On the edges of these swamps, where delta meets desert, the floodplains attract an abundance of game and birds. It is unspoiled Africa at its best. For our first few nights we will camp in Moremi National Park, which is in the heart of the Okavango. Elephants, lions, cheetah, leopard, spotted hyena, buffalo, impala, zebra, giraffe and baboons are just a few of the animals you can expect to see and Africa's "Big Five" are all present here. Moremi also boasts over 400 bird species including the lilac-breasted roller, the carmine bee-eater, the wattled crane and the saddle-billed stork. At the end of each day in the wilderness, we return to camp for a bush-cooked meal and sundowners followed by a comfortable night's sleep in accommodation prepared for you.
Bordering on the Moremi Game Reserve, our next destination is Chobe National Park. Chobe boasts a variety of vegetation - from the tropical Linyanti swamp, to the severe desert like landscape of Savuti, from lush floodplain grasslands to deep sands and woodlands. Here migrations of buffalo, zebra and wildebeest are dramatic. The Savuti channel has a very interesting history of flooding and drying. Presently the Savuti marsh is grassland where a cheetah or lion hunt is often seen in action. Finally, there is the Chobe riverfront, which is renowned for its game throughout the year. The herds of elephants are amongst the largest in Africa and over 450 bird species have been recorded in this region. Sunset over the Chobe River is truly an unforgettable experience.
We wrap up this ultimate safari in the mists of Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world and one of the world's most spectacular waterfalls. The falls are situated on the Zambezi River, on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, and are roughly 1.7 km (1 mile) wide and 128 m (420 ft) high. They are considered a remarkable spectacle because of the peculiar narrow slot-like chasm into which the water falls, so one can view the falls face-on. Your trip to see the largest curtain of water in the world will be an awesome experience.
Booking for The Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls with Nicole
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$6950
50% deposit ($3475), full payment due March 15, 2011. Single supplement $950 June 2011 12 days |
Please note Pricing is subject to currency and seasonal fluctuations.
Itinerary for The Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls with Nicole
Day 1 Welcome to Botswana! Fly to Maun, Botswana (10:10AM flight) from Johannesburg– the gateway to the Okavango Delta. You will be met at the Maun Airport by your Botswana safari guides. All meals and drinks are included during the Botswana safari. We will drive in open game drive vehicles through traditional villages before entering Moremi Game Reserve. Be assured that the guides on your safari will not only be a fountain of information, but will have your personal safety be their number one priority.
Lunch en route. We drive through Mopane woodland to reach our camp in the Xaxanaka area. The accommodation is a 2.4 x 2.4 m dome tent, furnished with comfortable mattresses. Bedding and towels are provided. We provide insect repellent, soap and a flashlight in every tent. Ablutions are shared between 3 tents/4 people. We make use of long drop toilets and warm bucket showers. Game drive all the way to our camp. There will be time to shower and freshen up before dinner under the stars. Meals are prepared on the open fire and traditional 'Dutch oven'. Overnight at our Xaxanaka private camp.
Day 2 Early morning game drive in Xaxanaka in search of the fast numbers of game that roam this well-known area. Return to camp for a delicious brunch. Then time for a siesta. In the afternoon we do some more exploration around the permanent lagoons in the area. We find a beautiful setting to w atch the sunset. A hearty bush meal awaits us back in camp. Overnight again at Xaxanaka.
Day 3 Today we do a boat excursion on the Okavango river, and have the opportunity to get close to a variety of water birds. We have a picnic lunch on an island in the delta. Back in camp for a short siesta before we go out on a late afternoon drive and sundowners. Overnight again at Xaxanaka.
Day 4 Today we rise early and head off to Khwai community area, just outside Moremi Game Reserve. Game drive all the way. Lunch in camp. Afternoon siesta.
This afternoon our game drive is combined with a night drive. This is the best time to see predators. Late dinner in camp. Overnight Khwai private camp.
Day 5 Today we do an early morning walk through the bush. On foot you see so much more and it is a thrilling experience to be one with the wilderness.
Brunch in camp followed by a well deserved siesta. Late afternoon game dr ive into the night. Late dinner under the stars in camp. Overnight Khwai private camp.
Day 6 We have an early rise. We leave the Khwai area and our route leads to Savuti in the north. Lunch en route. Game drive all the way, over a sand ridge and through the Mababe depression. Our camp is set up along the Savuti channel. Overnight at our Savuti private camp.
Day 7 Savuti is renowned for its dense population of predators, especially lion and hyena. Morning and afternoon game drives, including a visit to ancient bushmen paintings. Sundowners watching the resident bull elephants of Savuti at Pump pan. Overnight Savuti private camp.
Day 8 Today we drive through teak forests towards the famous Chobe River. This area is renowned for its elephant breeding herds, and large herds of buffalo and also sable antelope. Packed lunch on the way. Overnight Chobe private camp.
Day 9 Morning and afternoon g ame drives along the Chobe River. This is prime elephant country. Dinner under the stars. Overnight Chobe private camp.
Day 10 Early rise. Game drive on our way out of the Chobe National Park as we head for the Kazungula border where we will be transferred to Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya meaning "the smoke that thunders") is one of the most magnificent waterfalls in the world. Columns of spray over a width of nearly two kilometers can be seen from miles away as it plunges into a deep gorge over 100 meters below. A late afternoon sundowner cruise on the Zambezi River is an exciting way to see the African sunset (included). Dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow morning are also included.
Day 11 Your day is free to enjoy various options: visiting Victoria Falls National Park, flight seeing over the Falls, shopping in town, canoeing on the Zambezi, or just relaxing at the hotel.
Day 12 Fly to Johannesburg from Victoria Falls. Leave that evening on your flight home from JHB.
Please note that we begin and end the trip in Johannesburg, so there is flexibility with arrival/departure and extensions are easily organized.
Nicole Apelian received a BS in Biology from McGill University in Canada and a Masters of Science in Biology from the University of Oregon in 1993. Nicole currently leads African and South American wildlife safaris for Trackers International, and is their main travel consultant. Nicole has been an educator for many years, having taught biology at a number of different community colleges, high schools, and universities. She has also been a marine biology instructor at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and received teacher of the year for the two years she taught high school biology. As an adult educator for the Audubon Society of Portland, leading Trackers International expeditions and working at other leading conservation education programs, Nicole brings a vibrant energy and passion into her work.
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