Okavango Spirit Houseboat

EXPLORE THE PRISTINE WATERWAYS OF THE OKAVANGO DELTA BY HOUSEBOAT…

Okavango Spirit is an extraordinary houseboat experience offering eight comfy en-suite cabins, with sliding glass doors and private decks for total peace and tranquillity in one of the most remote settings in the Okavango Delta. Here you’ll be thrown into a world of beauty, comfort and total serenity. Wake up each morning on the Okavango River, African fish eagles calling, coffee in hand. Weave between islands, dotted with pods of hippo and cruising crocodile, with the ever changing riverbanks your bedrooms constant backdrop. Think spectacular sunsets and extraordinary adventures. Game viewing on tender boats, an abundance of bird and wildlife, land activities exploring the unique surrounds, elephants drinking right in front of your window. As you can imagine, this truly is a houseboat safari experience that simply can’t be missed.

Okavango Spirit operates in the “Panhandle” area of the Okavango Delta, Northern Botswana. To get on to the houseboat you will either fly directly from Maun or take a 5 hour drive around the Okavango, weaving your way through small villages before getting to Shakawe, where Okavango Spirit is moored on the pristine waters of the Okavango River. Transfers from Livingstone and Kasane via the Caprivi Strip can also be arranged.

This area is recognized as being amongst the quietest and most peaceful in the Delta, due to its remoteness. There are only a handful of permanent camps and boats operating in this wilderness area, which make it ideal for our discerning guests.

Spend your days in privacy, comfort and style. The upper deck (3 meters high), has a stunning dining area where your meals will be served, a small comfy lounge for reading and relaxing, a well-stocked bar and stunning sundeck – perfect for game viewing. You’ll end each day with an afternoon sundowner cruise on the river. The houseboat will spend its nights moored along the tranquil river banks, where you can dine under a blanket of a billion stars.

Each cabin offers guests spectacular views of the crystal clear waterway, abundant bird life and is simply ideal when it comes to spotting wildlife along the riverbanks. Enjoy the ever changing scenery from the comfort of your bedroom.

Activities

There are a hive of exciting activities to enjoy from the houseboat. Each day you will have the opportunity to get onto our smaller game viewing boats, taking you to the various activities in the area. These include bird watching, boat safaris, incredible fishing opportunities, guided walks on smaller islands and a visit to Tsodilo Hills – an absolute must see!

Tsodilo Hills is a World Heritage Site and is about 50km southwest of Shakawe, in a dry, bush-covered and softly undulating landscape. The site consists of four hills that rise abruptly, to about 400m, from the dry expanse of Bushveld. Having been inhabited for about 30,000 years, they’re one of the world’s oldest historical sites. The Hills are home to more than 4,000 San Bushman paintings – probably the most important collection of rock art in Africa.

Included in our three night package we cross the border into Namibia to do a morning game drive in Bwabwata National Park. Here, you’ll find an abundance of wildlife in the park, like elephant, buffalo and several antelope species including greater kudu, roan and sable antelope.

Wildlife

Up here, the scenery is truly breath-taking. The iconic waterways are bustling with birdlife and wildlife, and as the water weaves its way around channels dotted with islands, you’ll discover endless riverbanks of papyrus, grasslands, lagoons and backwaters covered with water-lilies and seasoned sandbanks, beautiful trees all bathed in sunlight and the big African sky, a constant back drop. On the riverbanks, keep a look out for grazing hippo or sunbathing crocodile. Animals, like kudu and buffalo make their way to the water’s edge for a drink. Ellies often drink there and play, rubbing themselves against a tree or two along the way. This is also a birders paradise. From heron, to kingfishers, bee-eaters to eagles, plovers to the Pel’s fishing-owl – you could spot up to 200 incredible bird species in one day.

All accommodation, meals, local drinks and activities are inclusive.