Wilderness Dawning is a privately-owned safari company based in Maun, Botswana and Johannesburg, South Africa.
9 DAY SAFARI – HIGHLIGHTS OF BOTSWANA
The Best of Botswana, in One Tailor-Made Trip…
THIS 9-DAY GUIDED SAFARI RUNS FROM MAUN INTO THE KHWAI RESERVE AND MOREMI, ACROSS THE DRY CHANNELS OF SAVUTI AND THE ELEPHANT-PACKED BANKS OF THE CHOBE RIVER, BEFORE FINISHING AT THE THUNDER OF VICTORIA FALLS. NINE DAYS, THREE ECOSYSTEMS AND PROBABLY ONE VERY FULL CAMERA ROLL BY THE END OF IT.
This trip is all about diversity. You will explore the watery channels of the Okavango Delta, drive the wide plains of Savuti and Chobe, and mix lodge nights with time under canvas for a real taste of both without ever quite roughing it. Chobe is home to some of the highest elephant densities on the continent, and the camp in Khwai is built right beside a watering hole, so the wildlife comes to you.
Private departures – your own vehicle and guide throughout, minimum 2 and maximum 12 guests. Accommodation is a mix of lodge, permanent tented camp and serviced private mobile camping. The safari starts in Maun, Botswana and ends at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
DAYS 1 – 3
Maun, Khwai and the Okavango Delta
Day 1 – Maun to Thamo Telele
Arrive in Maun at any time today. There is no fixed schedule, just a 6pm welcome meeting with your guide at Thamo Telele, 25 minutes outside town. Settle into your tent among the leadwood and acacia trees, take a dip in the pool or head out for the camp’s giraffe encounter with the resident herd – there are more than twenty of them in residence here. Dinner is served under the stars at around 7pm.
Accommodation: (D) Thamo Telele
Day 2 – Into Khwai
This morning you will drive into the Khwai Reserve, on the eastern edge of the Okavango Delta and bordering Moremi Game Reserve. It is one of the best game-viewing corners of Botswana and even before you arrive you can expect a proper game drive en route, with plenty of giraffe, zebra and wildebeest along the floodplains. Home tonight is Elephant Pools, a fuss-free tented camp built right beside a watering hole. Expect near-constant elephant traffic, quite literally on your doorstep.
Accommodation: (B, L, D) Elephant Pools, Khwai Private Reserve
Day 3 – A Full Day in Moremi
Today is a full day in Moremi Game Reserve, rated among the best game-viewing areas in Africa since it was proclaimed a conservation zone in 1964. Morning game drives follow the Okavango River, and the day includes a boat trip through the clear channels and lagoons in search of kingfishers, fish eagles and pygmy geese. In the heat of the day there is plenty of time for a well-earned siesta before heading out again on an afternoon game drive.
Accommodation: (B, L, D) Elephant Pools, Khwai Private Reserve
DAYS 4 – 5
Savuti, Chobe National Park
Day 4 – Savuti, Chobe National Park
Coffee and birdsong start the day before you cross the Khwai Bridge and head east towards Chobe National Park. Botswana’s parks are unfenced and wildlife moves freely between the two, so the drive alone often reveals hippo, elephant and lion lurking in the shade. Tonight you camp close to the dry Savuti Channel, with an afternoon game drive along the old marsh fringes – prime territory for bull elephants and lion prides.
Accommodation: (B, L, D) Chobe National Park – serviced private campsite
Day 5 – Savuti
Another early start, and the chance to climb one of Savuti’s hills to see the ancient San rock paintings – a reminder that people have been drawn to this wilderness for a very long time. On morning and afternoon game drives you will continue the search for Savuti’s famously large elephant bulls and its lion prides.
Accommodation: (B, L, D) Chobe National Park – serviced private campsite
DAYS 6 – 9
Chobe River and Victoria Falls
Day 6 – Chobe River
Head north today to the Chobe River, home to spectacular concentrations of elephant, buffalo, hippo and lion. You will settle in at Chobe Noka, your home for two nights, with eight canvas tents on a private island and raised walkways winding through mahogany and mangosteen trees. The afternoon is spent close to the water, watching the wildlife come and go.
Accommodation: (B, L, D) Chobe Noka
Day 7 – Chobe River
A morning game drive along the southern bank will hopefully reveal bushbuck and puku alongside all the regulars, and in the afternoon it is time to swap four wheels for a boat. The Chobe River cruise is one of the best ways to see elephant at the water’s edge, as well as the occasional leopard or wild dog along the banks. And as the sun falls, it is the perfect time to enjoy something cold as you float along the river.
Accommodation: (B, L, D) Chobe Noka
Day 8 – Victoria Falls
Your last morning in the wild starts with an early game drive before crossing the Kazungula border into Zimbabwe. The rest of the day is yours in Victoria Falls, one of the world’s most jaw-dropping natural sights. More than a mile wide and over 100 metres high, the Falls are every bit as impressive as their reputation suggests. White-water rafting and bungee jumping are on hand for anyone not ready to slow down yet, while serene boat cruises offer something a little more sedate.
Accommodation: (B) Pioneers or Batonka Lodge
Day 9 – Departure
Enjoy a last breakfast before the journey home or, if you are not quite done, stay a little longer. Victoria Falls has plenty more to offer if you would like to extend your stay.
INCLUDED
• Use of a specially modified 4×4 vehicle.
• Professional guide.
• Meals as specified (B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner).
• Accommodation on a shared basis.
• Botswana National Parks and Game Reserves entrance fees.
• Open vehicle game drives in all National Parks and Reserves.
• Local drinks, beer and wine while camping.
EXCLUDED
• International flights.
• Gratuities and personal expenses.
• Visa fees and departure taxes.
• Victoria Falls entrance fee.
• Travel insurance (compulsory).
• Pre and post tour accommodation and transfers.
A Community, Conservation and Reserve (CCR) Fee is charged in addition to the safari rate and applies to all guests aged 6 years and older. The full amount, together with the 1.5% turnover contribution, goes directly towards conservation and community initiatives.
Vehicles have open sides, roll-down weatherproof canvas, individual bucket seats with seat belts and a fridge, and 24-hour radio, satellite or cellular contact is maintained with the operations base in Maun. Park fees and bed levies are statutory rates and are subject to change without prior notice and at the discretion of the Botswana Government. All accommodation is en-suite. Departures are operated on an exclusive-use basis.
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
Wilderness Dawning WhatsApp (+267) 7179 1225
Craig Nesbitt WhatsApp (27) 84 805 4459 & (267) 73 893 671