Highlights

• • Khama Rhino Sanctuary - game viewing
• • Okavango Delta - mokoro trail and bush walks
• • Moremi Game Reserve - 3 day 4WD game viewing
• • Chobe National Park - 4WD game viewing and river cruise
• • Victoria Falls - adventure activities

ITINERARY

Johannesburg to Khama Rhino Sanctuary

Departing Johannesburg at 06:30am we head north into Botswana and the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. The Khama Rhino Sanctuary Trust is a community based wildlife project established in 1992 to assist in saving the vanishing rhino, restore an area formerly teeming with wildlife to its previous natural state and provide economic benefits to the local Botswana community through tourism and the sustainable use of natural resources. This reserve situated on the Kalahari sandveld, has several natural waterholes and provides prime habitat for white rhino, zebra and wildebeest.

Includes: Entrance fees to Khama Rhino Sanctuary & afternoon game drive
Overnight: Chalets - 2 twin bedrooms, with 1 bathroom shared between 2 rooms

Maun

We drive through the Kalahari to Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. Since Maun's founding in 1915 as the capital of the Batawana people, it has had a reputation as a hard-living 'Wild West' town helping the local cattle ranching and safari operations. The name Maun is derived from the San word 'maung', which translates 'the place of short reeds'.

Overnight: Lodge - twin rooms with en-suite facilities, swimming pool, restaurant & bar
Optional Activities: Scenic flight over the Okavango Delta

Okvango Delta

We drive into the Okavango Delta to our remote tented camp in the heart of the largest inland delta in the world. This amazing environment has large numbers of red lechwe, buffalo, elephant and birds, particularly kingfishers! One of the best experiences in the Okavango Delta is to be poled along the reed lined channels in a Mokoro (dug out canoe). Sit back and relax as the water gurgles tranquilly under the Mokoro while your skilled poler points out the fauna and flora. We return to Maun midday on day 5 for an evening restaurant meal (own expense).

*For the ultimate Okavango wilderness experience, you can fly into the Okavango Delta to an area of permanent water for a two night stay at a rustic lodge. Flying over the Okavango gives a different perspective of the delta. Light aircraft flights from Maun to the lodge and back are included. This itinerary is available on specific dates only. Please see the price and dates below. BTaf14

Includes: Entrance fees to the Okavango Delta, morning & afternoon game walks with local guides
Overnight: 2x Tented camping - basic ablutions with bucket shower
1x Lodge - twin rooms with en-suite facilities, swimming pool, restaurant & bar
Optional Activities: Scenic flight over the Okavango Delta (+/-USD70-90 pp depending on number of people in each aircraft)

Moremi

After a relaxing evening we take an open 4WD into Moremi Game Reserve for fantastic game viewing! Chief's Island is the largest landmass within Moremi and was the Batswana tribe's richest hunting ground, before being declared a game reserve by the tribe. We spend 3 days on game drives watching the abundant wildlife including elephant, hippo, buffalo, lion & other game, both in Moremi Game Reserve and in private concession reserves surrounding the park. On the morning of day 8 we enter the Moremi again for another full morning game drive before we return to Maun in the early afternoon.

Includes: Entrance fees to Moremi Game Reserve, morning & afternoon game drives in open 4WD vehicle
Overnight: 2x Tented camping - basic ablutions with bucket shower
1x Lodge - twin rooms with en-suite facilities, swimming pool, restaurant & bar
Optional Activities: Night game drive in open 4WD vehicle

Makgadikgadi Pans

We have time for an optional game flight over the Okavango before we head to Nata. The shimmering saltpans of Makgadikgadi appear as a glaring white, endless plain. When the rain comes a dramatic change takes place as thousands of wildebeest and zebra migrate to the sweet nutritious grasslands and clouds of flamingo feed in its algae rich waters. It is an area of low rainfall so this spectacle only lasts a short while.

Includes: Entrance fees into Makgadikgadi Pans
Overnight: Tented Lodge - twin rooms with en-suite facilities, swimming pool, restaurant & bar

Chobe National Park

The Chobe River is a stunning feature of Botswana and will be the focus of our lodge stay. The Chobe River flows lazily along the northern boundary of the Chobe National Park attracting some of the largest herds of elephant in Africa. Early morning 4WD game drive in the Chobe National Park and an afternoon game viewing "sundowner" cruise to see the mighty elephant herds return to the Chobe River to quench their thirst.

Includes: Entrance fees to Chobe National Park, morning game drive (day 11), sunset boat cruise (day 11)
Overnight: Lodge - twin rooms with en-suite facilities, swimming pool, restaurant & bar
Optional Activities: Afternoon game drive in open 4WD vehicle (on day 10)

Victoria Falls/Livingstone

We visit "Mosi oa Tunya" or "the smoke that thunders" - Victoria Falls. These magnificent falls are one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Victoria Falls Bridge was commissioned by Cecil John Rhodes in 1900, and was completed by 1905, although Rhodes never lived to see it. It spans the impressive gorge and the famous adrenalin pumping Victoria Falls bungi jump is done from this bridge, with a terrifying drop of 360ft (111m). Opportunities to white water raft on the mighty Zambezi River, bungi jump, or take a "flight of angels" (own expense).

Includes: Entrance to see the Victoria Falls
Overnight: Chalets - twin rooms with en-suite facilities, swimming pool, restaurant & bar
Optional Activities: White water rafting, sunset cruises, elephant back safaris, scenic flights & many more

Livingstone - Tour Ends

Tour ends after breakfast.

Special Interest:

Moremi is known for its big game including frequent leopard sightings. These elusive cats lead a predominantly solitary life and Moremi GR, with its varied habitats and high prey species densities, provides a perfect refuge for these beautiful creatures

Sustainable Tourism:

In Maun we visit a community project, Sibanda's Craft shop, where craftswomen manufacture unique hand-painted cotton textiles such as tablecloths, & cushion covers. The aim at Sibanda' is to generate more employment within the community, empowering women to realise their dreams and improve the quality of their lives and those of their children, through economic upliftment and self-fulfillment.

Accommodation

• Khama Rhino Sanctuary - Khama Rhino Sanctuary, 2 twin share bedrooms in each chalet with 1 bathroom shared between 2 rooms.
• Maun - Crocodile Camp, twin share bedrooms with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone.
• Okavango Delta - wilderness tented camp - for 2 nights while in the Okavango Delta we overnight in a pre-erected tented camp. The facilities are very basic but we will provide a simple bucket bush shower and a toilet tent will be provided of the "sand and bury" variety. We need to take our own water and all equipment. Wild tented camping can be very enjoyable but please remember that we leave no trace of our stay and take all rubbish away with us. OzBus supplies all the camping equipment including use of a sleeping bag & camp pillow. The dome tents we use are 2.2 x 2.2 x 1.8 metres. Tents have built-in insect nets. We supply mattresses, which are about 5 cm thick, warm and comfortable. The camp chairs have a backrest.
• Moremi - wilderness tented camp - for 2 nights while in the Moremi we overnight in a pre-erected tented camp. The facilities are basic but we will provide a simple bucket bush shower and a toilet tent will be provided of the "sand and bury" variety. We need to take our own water and all equipment. Wild tented camping can be very enjoyable but please remember that we leave no trace of our stay and take all rubbish away with us. OzBus supplies all the camping equipment including use of a sleeping bag and camp pillow. The dome tents we use are 2.2 x 2.2 x 1.8 metres. Tents have built-in insect nets. We supply camp stretchers and mattresses, which are about 5 cm thick, warm and comfortable. The camp chairs have a backrest. (or Mogothlo Lodge, twin share permanent tented lodge with en suite facilities, bordering the game reserve) Makgadikgadi Pans - Nata Lodge - twin share luxury tents with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone. (or Planet Baobab, twin share Bakaanga Huts with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone)
• Kasane - Chobe Safari Lodge, twin share rondavels with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone.
• Livingstone - Waterfront Lodge, twin share chalet with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone. (or Maramba Lodge, twin share chalet with en suite facilities)

Transport

• A local payment is required on this safari and this will be collected by the tour leader on departure. This covers a portion of the local operational costs including entrance and park fees. This ensures that a major portion of your tour price goes directly into the country you are visiting, benefiting local communities and contributing to the conservation of the area.

Participation

• An essential part of your OzBus African Safari is participation - from putting up your tent (while camping) or packing away in the morning to helping with meal preparation and cleaning up - it's all part of your adventure and when everyone puts in a little effort the trip will run smoothly. Your tour leaders will do all the meal preparation but we do ask the clients to help with the washing up. Team spirit is part of the fun!

What's Included

• 11 nights lodges / tented lodge or chalets and 2 nights tented camp
• Entrance fees
• Transport in minibus / safari truck & 4WD
• Meals as per itinerary
• Professional guide
• Okavango Delta excursion & Moremi 4WD excursion

What's Not Included

• International flights
• Sleeping bag and mat on camping trips
• Personal travel insurance
• Visas
• Items of a personal nature
• Optional excursions which are detailed on the trip page
• Restaurant meals and drinks