Botswana Kwando Safaris Experience

Day 1-2: Nxai Pan

Upon arrival at Maun Airport you will be met by our representative who will accompany you to your onward air transfer to your first camp. Nxai Pan camp is the only permanent camp situated within the Nxai Pan National Park. It was opened in 2009 and is proving a popular desert destination along with Tau Pan camp. Nxai pan is well known for its huge springbok population and once the rains have started, gemsbok, elephant and zebras migrate to the region; at this time zebra’s come in their thousands to drop their young at Nxai Pan. Extraordinarily large herds of giraffe’s can be seen with up to 30 in a group. Situated in the tree line the camp offers 8 purpose built desert rooms with thatched roofs and insulation so it is cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The main area consists of a dining room, lounge area and a viewing deck.
Activities include game drives in the pan, day trips to Baines’ Baobab and Khama Khama Pan, nature walks with bushmen trackers. Like the Makgadikgadi Pans to their south the Nxai Pans were once ancient slat lakes. Today they are oceans of grass dotted with “islands” of trees and small pans that fill in the rainy season. One such “island” is the home to the famous Baines Baobabs first drawn by the explorer in the 1860s and little changed to this day.

Accommodation at Nxai Pan Camp
Full Board – Activities included*

Day 3-4: Moremi Game Reserve

On this morning after breakfast and your last morning activity you will be transferred by air to Kwara Airstrip for collection by Kwando Kwara Camp. It is located in the remote northern part of the stunning Okavango Delta within the private Kwara concession. It is a more rustic style camp, the main area has a plunge pool, bar, lounge and also a hide. Just in front, towards the lagoon is the fire pit where a light breakfast is served each day before heading off on activities and stories are told after supper in the evenings. Each of the 8 tents is situated on a deck, overlooking the seasonal floodplain or the lagoon. All are en-suite with a flush toilet, double sinks and an outdoor shower. In addition each tent has a private veranda with deckchairs, the perfect place to relax and take in the magnificent views and soak up the atmosphere. There is also a honeymoon tent which boasts a free standing claw-footbath. Activities offered here are game drives, night drives, mokoro and motor boat excursions, nature walks and fishing. The amazing foresight of Chief Moremi created one of the world’s most famous reserves, conserving part of the Okavango Delta and the plains to its east. The reserve covers more than 4871 square kilometres of pristine wilderness, and the varied terrain includes savannah, winding waterways, and thick forest.
This diversity supports an incredibly wide spectrum of wildlife, ranging from large herds of buffalo, wildebeest and zebra, to the rare sitatunga and lechwe antelope, and lion, cheetah and packs of wild dog in the open grasslands. The birdlife is prolific and includes most of the 550 bird species recorded on the Botswana national bird list.

Accommodation Kwando Kwara Camp
Full Board – Activities included

Day 5-6: Linyanti

After a morning activity and breakfast you will be transferred by air to Kwando Lebala Camp.
Lebala means ‘wide open spaces’, and the elegant Lebala Camp is located in 2,320 kms2 of private unfenced wilderness area in the Kwando Reserve in the Okavango Delta’s grasslands, a giant system of swamp, grassland and bush fed by the waters of the Kwando and Linyanti Rivers, the Linyanti is renowned for its massive herds of elephants during the dry season.
Set amongst vast plains scattered with Illala Palms, Lebala Camp offers superb wildlife sightings with elephant, hippo, giraffe, lion and buffalo all plentiful. It has a swimming pool and a game viewing hide on site. The wetlands and flood plains around Lebala offer a wonderful variety of wildlife with excellent sightings of elephant, hippo, lechwe, zebra, giraffe, impala, wildebeest, kudu, tsessebe, roan, sable, buffalo and the ever present predators; wild dog, lion, cheetah and hyena. After dark, spotlights are switched on and the game drives expose the guests to nocturnal sightings of rare and elusive species such as, leopard, Selous Mongoose, small spotted genet, aardwolf, to name a few. Nocturnal bird species that are encountered include Natal Nightjar, Pennant winged Nightjar and a large variety of owls.
Alternatively : Lagoon Camp lies on the shady banks of the Kwando River. It can accommodate up to 18 guests in 8 luxury tents, one of which is a family unit. Lagoon is renowned for wild dog sightings and also the massive herds of elephant and buffalo which roam the area in the winter months. Each room has a deck with comfortable loungers, offering spectacular views over the lagoon. The thatched main area was designed to fit perfectly into the natural landscape and allow views of the river and wetlands from all areas. Just past the bar/lounge area is the plunge pool and it is a short meander to the deck where a comfortable swing chair awaits. Activities offered here are day and night game drives, guided walks, boat cruises, fishing.

Accommodation at Kwando Lebala Camp or Kwando Lagoon Camp
Full Board – Activities included

Day 7-8: Linyanti – Chobe National Park

On this morning after breakfast and your last morning activity you will be transferred by air to Kasane Airport for collection by Chobe Bakwena Lodge.
Welcome to Bakwena Lodge, an eco-luxury retreat on the banks of the Chobe River. It is located in the Chobe area and arrived at through the friendly village of Kazangula, it offers 10 rondavel style chalets, 2 of which are family units, all situated under the shady canopy of Acacia trees, each site has been selected for its river view and is surrounded by indigenous riverine bush. Built around both ecological and traditional African principles, each chalet offers laid-back luxury with its own raised deck overlooking the river. Built-in daybeds offer good opportunity to absorb the changing moods of the Chobe. Each chalet has an interior bathroom opening onto an outside garden with an outside shower.
Activities include early morning game drives and evening boat cruises along the Chobe river.
The Chobe River forms the northern boundary of the Chobe National Park, renowned for its reliable and diverse game viewing. Safaris are conducted both by boat and on land. This section of the park is best known for its elephant and hippo populations but the waters attract all manner of game including large herds of buffalo and the lions that prey on them.

Accommodation at Bakwena Lodge
Full Board – Activities included

Day 9: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

On this morning after breakfast and last morning activity (onward transfer time dependent) you will be transferred by road to Kasane Airport from where you will be transferred to Ilala Lodge where a representative of the lodge will be waiting to welcome you to your last accommodation in Africa.
The warmest of welcomes awaits you at Ilala Lodge Hotel. A gracefully distinguished ambiance; attentive yet discrete service that always comes with a smile. As morning comes, gently awake and lift your head to see the spray of the majestic Victoria Falls across the unspoiled horizon and let your soul sigh. Feel at ease in the lodge elegant and spacious rooms with African Teak furniture, soft, crisp linen, all
en-suite facilities, bathroom with separate shower, air conditioning, overhead fan, satellite TV, free WiFi and a safe. 56 rooms in total including 2 Executive Suites, 2 Standard Suites, 10 x Standard double rooms with a king-size bed in each and 42 other standard rooms that have 2 x ¾ beds in each. The view from your room looks across the lawns to the National Parks where elephant, warthog, impala or the occasional buffalo might be passing by or simply grazing on the lawn or in the tree line. Experience new tastes, indulge in unusual flavours and enjoy delectable dishes at our award winning restaurant "The Palm”.
The hotel has a tours desk where you can book all the activities. Cruise down the river and follow the route that ancient explorers took, on the luxurious Ra-Ikane, one of her kind in Victoria Falls, a small luxury cruise boat that is out-fitted to suggest, in exquisite detail, an ambiance of a bygone era. Sip chilled white wine, or Gin & Tonics whilst nibbling on canapes, as well as the sumptuous high tea, whilst you glide up to elephants feeding on the shoreline.
Known locally as ‘The Smoke that Thunders’ this spectacle is accessible from both Zambia and Zimbabwe and it is an ideal place to combine a game viewing and water sports. There is excellent fishing, a terrifying bungee jump and arguably the best commercial white water rafting in the world.

Accommodation at Ilala Lodge
Bed and Breakfast
Optional activities: cruise in the Zambezi; Victoria Falls Park excursion; adventure activities (rafting, bungee jumping, gorge zip line)

Day 10: Departure

On this day after breakfast and check out you will be transferred to Victoria Falls Airport for your onward connecting flight back home.