Family Botswana and Zambia Safari Adventure

Over View

Join us on a journey through one of the last untouched wilderness in Africa visiting Botswana and Zambia. Starting at the majestic Victoria Falls, explore the game parks and reserves of Moremi in search of spectacular and varied wildlife, stay on board a private houseboat in the tranquil oasis of the Okavango Delta and visit Chobe National Park, especially famous for elephant, lion and cheetah.

Moremi Game Reserve – The big wildlife of Africa in a huge unspoilt wilderness.

Okavango Delta Panhandle – Two nights on a houseboat exploring the Okavango Delta.

Chobe National Park – Look for the huge herds of elephants in the park

Itinerary

Day 1 Join trip in Livingstone

Arrive in Livingston. Often referred to as the adventure capital of Zambia, Livingstone offers a variety of land, air and water-based activities in the surrounding area.

For those arriving on time our Leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Livingstone at any time. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you’ll need to arrive into Livingstone’s Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International airport (airport code LVI), which is 8km, around 15 minutes drive from the hotel. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your Leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up.

If your flight arrives earlier in the day, perhaps you might choose from a host of adventurous activities including whitewater rafting, canoeing and cruises on the Zambezi River. Full details are listed in the budgeting and packing section.

Day 2 See the wonder of Victoria Falls and optional rafting

Visit one of the natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls, known locally as The Smoke that Thunders. The Zambezi River plummets over a sheer cliff wall spanning more than 1,600m and drops approximately 100m into the abyss below. Like David Livingstone before us, we become aware of the falls long before we see it. Plumes of water vapour rise like smoke into the sky creating small clouds, all accompanied by a deafening roar.

This afternoon is left free to take advantage of the many activities that Victoria Falls offers including an optional half day game drive into Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park to search for white rhino, trying out whitewater rafting on the Zambezi, enjoying a scenic helicopter flight over the falls or perhaps experiencing a cultural village trip. Alternatively you may want to take advantage of the more sedate attractions such as the National Museum or the Railway Museum (or to give it its full title, The Zambezi Sawmills Locomotive Sheds National Monument!)

Day 3 Boat across Zambezi, drive to Kasane in Botswana. Afternoon Game drive

Leaving our lodge this morning, we take a local boat across the Zambezi River and base ourselves just outside the Serondela area of the Chobe National Park. During our stay in Kasane, there will be time to enjoy a late afternoon game drive into Chobe National Park.

Day 4 Morning game drive with afternoon boat cruise

The northern Chobe area of Serondela is the heart of elephant country. Up to 35,000 elephants live here, the largest number in any African park. On our game drive this morning we hope to watch huge herds in and around the great Chobe River, which also teems with hippo and crocodile as well as a variety of fish including the tiger fish (freshwater barracuda). This afternoon our mode of transport switches to a boat as we take to the water and view the wildlife from a different perspective. The Chobe River is one of the Zambezi’s main tributaries, and home to an abundance of wildlife. The area is also famed for its beautiful scenery and magnificent red and gold sunsets.

Day 5 Travel to our houseboat via the Caprivi Strip

Taking advantage of an early start this morning, we head west via the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, to reach our houseboat on the waters of the Okavango River where we arrive in the mid afternoon. The mighty Okavango is the third largest river in Africa and its delta area covers 16,000 square kilometres of crystal clear channels, a myriad of ephemeral lakes and ever changing islands. The river flows south east from the Angolan highlands over 1,000 km away, taking up to 6 months to reach the delta area which floods on an annual cycle.

Day 6 Game safari in the Okavango Delta

During our time on the river, there will be an excellent possibility of seeing game as we cruise past submerging pods of hippos, while crocodiles bask in the shallows and on the riverbanks. Birdlife in the area is prolific and local fishermen are often seen aboard their traditional dugout canoes, known locally as mokoros. We include a boat trip to experience the areas of the Delta that are harder to reach, cruising into channels where hippos and crocodiles are usually sighted. We return to our houseboat in the golden light of the late afternoon where we can enjoy a traditional ‘sundowner’. This is a home away from home where you can enjoy the surroundings of this part of Africa.

Day 7 Visit Tsodilo Hills and drive to Maun

Leaving our houseboat this morning, we make our way to the intriguing Tsodilo Hills. The San Bushmen believe that this was the site of the first creation and so it is considered a holy and sacred place. The area has an astonishing 3,500 rock paintings over 350 different sites which all celebrate this event. There are four mountains that jut out of the expanse of the surrounding land and the San Bushmen believe that the bigger rock, the male, has a wife and child, but that he left his wife for a younger wife who now lingers in the background. After our visit here we drive to the town of Maun, located on the southern reaches of the Okavango Delta and the gateway to the Moremi Game Reserve.

Day 8 Drive into the Moremi Game Reserve

We drive into the Moremi Game Reserve and to our camp. Tucked into the north-eastern sector of the Okavango Delta, Moremi is thought to be the country’s most beautiful game area and is rated as one of Africa’s greatest wildlife sanctuaries. It covers an enormous wilderness area composed of permanent swamps, islands, forest and dry land. Exceptional though the geography of the Delta may be, it is the amazing wildlife of the waterways that draws many visitors and we plan to do a late game drive this afternoon before our first night’s camping experience.

Day 9 Game drives in Moremi

With a number of game drives planned for today, we get the chance to experience one of Africa’s most natural and unspoiled wonderlands in the park with hippo, crocodile and a great variety of birds all seen in the Delta, as well as the elusive sitatunga antelope. This place is an ornithologist’s paradise with fish eagle, kingfisher, heron, stork, egret, weaver and bee-eater all regularly seen.

Day 10 View game on the flood plains

We spend our time on game drives in search of the wildlife of the region, with the larger mammals like elephant, giraffe and zebra being spotted on the flood plains as well as predators such as lion, leopard and wild dog.

Day 11 Drive back to Maun with evening cultural show

We take a leisurely drive back to Maun with the afternoon free for optional activities or just to relax at our hotel. Tonight allows for a cultural evening where we can sample hand made crafts directly from budding artisans, enjoy folklore stories from a local storyteller around a crackling fire and meet local children as part of a grassroots project that builds life skills.

Day 12 Trip ends in Maun

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Maun.

There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Maun at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you need to depart from Maun International airport (airport code MUB), which is 10km, 15 minutes from the hotel.