Best of Botswana in 12 Nights
The 12 night Best of Botswana is truly a diverse and exciting Botswana safari. The areas the safari covers are diverse and colourful. It starts off by exploring the Makgadikgadi Pans and Kalahari Bush, where you experience the surreal world of salt pans, baobab trees, meerkats and vast blue skies. From here the safari continues into some of the best of Botswana’s wilderness areas, the Okavango Delta. In sharp contrast to the Kalahari, the Okavango Delta is a lush, green African paradise interrupted only by crystal clear water ways and an abundance of game. The safari then moves to the Savuti area, famed for its excellent elephant & lion sightings, and more recently for the resurgence of the Savuti Channel itself - which now flows strong, after 30 years of being bone dry. The safari then steps up a gear and allows guests the rich experience of the Selinda Canoe Safari, one the best wilderness experiences Botswana has to offer. To end possibly the best ten nights of wilderness exploration you have experienced, the itinerary culminates with two nights at Victoria Falls, one of the seven wonders of the world for some recollection & reflection.
Day 01 Johannesburg to Camp Kalahari
This morning you board your flight in Johannesburg for Maun, Botswana. Here you will be met and transferred by light aircraft into Kalahari that fringes the Makgadikgadi Pans.
On landing at the airstrip you will be met and transferred to the Camp Kalahari where you spend the first (3) nights of your Best of Botswana safari on a fully inclusive basis.
Day 02 - 03 Camp Kalahari
Days spent at Camp Kalahari on guided activities, including visits to the salt pans, observing a habituated meerkat colony and more.
Day 04 Camp Kalahari to Camp Okavango
This morning after an activity and breakfast you will be transferred by light aircraft (via Maun) into the Okavango Delta.
You will land at Camp Okavango arriving in time for lunch and the afternoon safari activity. Here you spend (2) nights on a fully inclusive basis.
Day 05 Camp Okavango
Enjoy the safari activities on offer at Camp Okavango, which include boating, mokoro excursions, guided walks and game drives. Safaris are conducted in the early morning and late afternoons, and with the selection of activities on offer, your safari guide will suggest what will be best to do when.
Day 06 Camp Okavango to Savute Safari Lodge
After your morning safari and breakfast at Camp Okavango, you will board a light aircraft for your transfer to the Savuti area.
On arrival you will be met and transferred to the Savute Safari Lodge in time for lunch and the afternoon game drive.
Day 07 Savute Safari Lodge
Time spent at Savute Safari Lodge enjoying the morning and afternoon game drive safaris. Game drives are conducted in the early morning and late afternoon. The Savuti area is renowned for some excellent elephant sightings as well as lion and other predators.
Day 08 Savute Safari Lodge to start of Selinda Spillway Canoe Safari
After the morning safari and breakfast, you will be transferred by light aircraft to the Selinda Airstrip. Here you will be met by your guide and transferred with packed lunches to the start of the Selinda Canoe Safari on the Selinda Spillway. After a safety briefing the first afternoon is a short paddle to the fly camp that will have been set up by the support team.
Day 09 - 10 Selinda Spillway Canoe Safari
The Selinda Canoe safari is a rich wilderness experience in which guests get to experience best of Botswana’s wilderness areas from the silence of a canoe as it glides down the channel. The paddling itself is sedate, and the “camping” experience is luxurious. A support team of 4 staff go ahead of the group each day on their own canoes to set up lunch stops and camp sites, while an experienced safari guiude remains with the guests.
The tents are complete with soft mattresses, bedding & hot water bottles and the cuisine is of a very high standard. A new dimension to game viewing is experienced from the canoes and easy walking safaris in the early morning are also an option.
Day 11 Selinda Canoe Safari to Victoria Falls
On completing the short and final stretch of the Selinda Spillway, you are transferred to the Selinda Airstrip where you board a light aircraft for a transfer to Kasane Airport. Here you will be met and transferred by road across the border to Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls.
Here you check into the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge for the last (2) nights of your Best of Botswana safari that are spend on a bed and breakfast basis. This afternoon you will be taken on a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River above the falls, which includes a selection of drinks & snacks.
Day 12 Victoria Falls Safari Lodge
This morning you will be taken on a guided tour of the Victoria Falls. The tour starts at Livingstone’s statue and Devil’s Cataract and proceeds through the rainforest to Danger Point. The total walk is about 3kms with many spectacular view points along the way. Raincoats are available for hire at additional cost. From the falls you get an insight into real African rural life, with a visit to a rural primary school at Monde Village, as well meeting some of the local people. The tour ends at about lunch time at the hotel. This afternoon is at your leisure, and this evening a Boma Dinner (included in the rate) is enjoyed on the lodge premises.
Day 13 Victoria Falls to Johannesburg
This morning you will be transferred by road to the Victoria Falls Airport where you board your flight back to Johannesburg, so ending your 12 night Best of Botswana safari.
Safari Cost:
May - June 2012
U$ 7340 .00 per person sharing
July - Oct 2012
U$ 8275 .00 per person sharing
** The 3 night Canoe Safari portion of the Best of Botswana departs on certain dates. The rest if the itinerary therefore needs to work around these departure dates. We can change the order of the Best of Botswana around to suit these dates.
Canoe Safari Departure Dates for 2012
18 - 21 May 2012 01 - 04 August 2012
23 - 26 May 2012 06 - 09 August 2012
28 - 31 May 2012 11 - 14 August 2012
02 - 05 June 2012 16 - 19 August 2012
07 - 10 June 2012 21 - 24 August 2012
12 - 15 June 2012 26 - 29 August 2012
17 - 20 June 2012 01 - 04 September 2012
22 - 25 June 2012 06 - 09 September 2012
27 - 30 June 2012 11 - 14 September 2012
02 - 05 July 2012 16 - 19 September 2012
07 - 10 July 2012 21 - 24 September 2012
12 - 15 July 2012 26 - 29 September 2012
17 - 20 July 2012 01 - 04 October 2012
22 - 25 July 2012 06 - 09 October 2012
27 - 30 July 2012
Safari Price Includes:
09 nights accommodation luxury en-suite accommodation
03 nights “camping” accommodation (Selinda Canoe Trail)
Twice daily guided safari activities at all Botswana lodges, which could include boating, game drives, game walks, cultural visit & mokoro excursions
Park & concession fees where necessary
All light aircraft transfers as per itinerary
All road & airport transfers as per itinerary
The services of professional guides, camp staff & canoe safari support team
Activities in Victoria Falls as per itinerary
All meals in Botswana and breakfasts & one dinner at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge
All local beverages in Botswana
All Canoeing & camping equipment for the Selinda Canoe Trail
Commercial Flights:
JNB - Maun one way excl taxes (Air Botswana)
Victoria Falls - JNB one way excl taxes (British Airways L class)
Safari Prices Excludes:
Airport taxes
Premium imports (cellar wines & champagne etc..)
Personal items & gratuities
Visas if required
Drinks & meals not specified in Victoria Falls
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