1 3 DAY ELEPHANT ROUTE LUXURY DEPARTURE

Trip Description

13 DAY ELEPHANT ROUTE LUXURY DEPARTURE

Trip Itinerary Overview:                                                                                                  

Botswana is a country that is best explored by fly-in. From the expanse of the dry Kalahari Desert to the world’s last true inland delta, the Okavango Delta, it makes sense to travel by air transfers. Unlike the landscapes of so many safari destinations, Botswana is a country where a large portion of the country and many of the main attractions are covered by water, especially in the wet season. Fly in and out to get the real deal Botswana safari tour experience.

Take in the beauty of Botswana with African Dwarf Frog Safari Tours. The Elephant Route Luxury safari has been carefully pre-costed and put together by the very experience of the co-founder of African Dwarf Frog Safari, to allow you to enjoy the full Botswana. A fly-in safari often represents the best value for any itinerary: less time travelling means more time at each destination. Landscapes of colours, shapes and patterns from above are jaw-dropping and of course, with a guided game drive transfer to your safari lodge, you're on safari the moment you touch down. Charter the entire aircraft or opt for a seat rate, which requires a diversion or two in exchange for your much discounted flight. Fly your entire route and private guided sections for a complete cross-section experience of these amazing lands. Travellers will be spending 12 days in Botswana and 2 days in Zimbabwe- Vic falls. Botswana is best explored as a fly-in safari destination. Experience the last true inland delta the way it was intended. The Okavango Delta is spectacular from above. Winding channels and wide open expanses. A big game safari from the moment you land on that gravel airstrip in the bush. It's wild and it's real. Imagine exploring the remote game lands linking the famed elephant stronghold of Moremi Game Reserve and with Botswana’s renowned Chobe National Park. Some 200,000 elephants roam this wild trans-frontier corridor. We’ll head across rich Okavango Delta’s unknown to most travellers, encountering massive herds of elephants and plenty of other wildlife including lion, rare sable antelope, African painted dog, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffe, and more. Our unique lodges add comfort to the safari. This departure was designed for luxurious travellers, staying in lodges for accommodation and also flying as a mode of transport from one destination to the other.

Trip Highlights:

Duration: 13 Nights / 14 Days

3 Nights Moremi Game Reserve – game viewing/ mokoro (dug-out canoe) excursion

2 Nights Okavango Panhandle – birding/ nature walk

3 Nights Nxai Pan – game viewing

2 Nights Chobe National Park – game viewing/ boat cruise

2 Nights Zimbabwe – Vic Falls                                                                                                                               

All inclusive: meals, activities, luxury accommodations and drinks.

Type of accommodation: lodging

Minimum: 2ppl        Maximum: 6ppl            RATE: $5,720.00ppn - (excl. tickets & VIC FALLS ARRANGEMENTS)

• NB: Luggage Soft sided duffel bag / 20kg maximum inclusive of hand luggage

Trip Daily Activity:

Day 1, 2 & 3:                        MOREMI GAME RESERVE (Khwai River Lodge)

You will be welcomed at Maun airport by African Dwarf Frog Safari’s representative. We will entertain you to lunch and then transfer to your charter plane that will fly you to Moremi airstrip where you will be met by your safari guide and we will take a slow game drive to familiarise ourselves with the area and then to Khwai River Lodge where you will be spending your first three nights of the safari. We should arrive at the lodge around sunset , just in time for your first shower. We will meet around the camp fire for a snack and refreshments.

It is in our colourful candle lit mess tent or under the starlit sky that you will enjoy your first 3 course meal that has been prepared over the fire by our Chef. After dinner we will have time to share stories around the camp fire before retiring to bed where you will fall asleep to the many interesting sounds that the bush has to offer.

The next day we spend a full day in the bush on a game drive. Departing after a full breakfast we take our safari equipped vehicle and drive through the wilderness area of the Moremi Game Reserve region, spotting a variety of game that frequent this region that borders Moremi National Park like Xakanaxa and 3^rd Bridge. Picnic- lunch will be in the wilderness area under the shade of trees. With some luck we will encounter a few of the "big five" and a host of other animals including hippo, giraffe, zebra and many species of antelope. We will return to our private camp late afternoon to enjoy the magnificent African sun set scene.

The following day will be spent with dug-out canoe activity and game drive. We will return to the lodge for lunch and after a relaxing siesta in the afternoon we will set off on our afternoon game drive. We will stop next to the river at sunset to enjoy some snacks and sun downer drink, before setting off on a night drive en route to the lodge. Luxury Accommodation [Breakfast x 3, Lunch x 3, Dinner x3]

Day 4 & 5:                OKAVANGO DELTA – LUXURY ACCOMMODATION

Today we fly by light aircraft to the water-filled paradise of the Okavango Delta .Xigera Safari Lodge is regarded as one of the best all round camps here. Xigera is our love letter to the magic of the African bush. Every aspect is handcrafted to beguile our guests’ senses and stir their souls – from the evocative interiors to one-of-a-kind encounters. Transformed by Africa's life-enhancing beauty, it is a story of remarkable renewal. Of rebirth and family legacy, and of the pioneering spirit that drives us to seek out Africa’s wild spaces. The same spirit that inspired this remarkable reimagining, perhaps a complete reinvention, of an Okavango Delta safari. This is Xigera (pronounced ‘kee-jera’), named for the Pied Kingfisher that makes its home amid the watery channels of Botswana’s Moremi Game Reserve.

Located at the edge of the lagoon, it is surrounded by the clear waterways, which flow over yellow sands and past palm–fringed islands teeming with birdlife and game. This is a photographer’s delight. It's remoteness has ensured that the innocent wildlife has not been subject to the pressure of mass tourism. The island is especially favoured by members of the antelope family, including the elusive Sitatunga whose elongated and splayed hooves enable it to walk on the unstable beds of reeds floating on the water. Indeed Xigera’s abundant wildlife and the silent waters of the Okavango combine to make your stay a rare experience. Luxury Accommodation [Breakfast x2, Lunch x 2, Dinner x2]

Day 6, 7 & 8:                                                            NXAI PAN - Lodging

After breakfast at Xigera Safari Lodge we will connect with our light air craft to our next camp set in Nxai Pan, an area known for its prolific predators including Lion and leopard. There is also an opportunity to view Cheetah and Wild dog, two of Africa’s most endangered predators.  After settling in at the camp we explore the area enjoying the game drive. We return to camp to have dinner under the stars and listen to the sounds of the night including owls, jackal, hyena and maybe a lion nearby. Luxury Accommodation [Breakfast x2, Lunch x 2, Dinner x2]

Day 9 & 10:       CHOBE NATIONAL PARK – LUXURY ACCOMMODATION

We depart to Chobe National Park known as one of the best natural wildlife and wilderness areas in Botswana. Explore the beauty of this wild wilderness and visit Botswana this season. Whether arriving by air or road, the first glimpse of the Chobe River is always breath-taking. It appears as a swathe of bright, blue ribbon, winding its way through the tiny town of Kasane and out into the Chobe National Park's wilderness. One of Africa's most beautiful rivers, the Chobe, supports a diversity and concentration of wildlife unmatched in Botswana.

Established in 1968, Chobe National Park covers approximately 11,700 sq km, encompassing floodplains, swamps and woodland. The Chobe River forms the park's northern boundary, which includes four distinct geographical areas: the Chobe Riverfront: the Ngwezumba pans; Savuté; and Linyanti. The most accessible and frequently visited of Botswana's big game country, the Chobe Riverfront, is most famous for the large herds of elephants and Cape Buffalo that converge on the riverbank to drink during the dry winter months. During this season, on an afternoon game drive, you may see hundreds of elephants at one time. The main Serondella Road sometimes becomes impassable as scores of family herds cross the main road to make their way to the river to drink, bathe and play. Driving the tracks and trails close to the riverbank, you may see as many 15 different species of animals on any one drive.

Common species include waterbuck, lechwe, puku (endemic to this area), giraffe, kudu, roan and sable, impala, warthog, bushbuck, monkeys and baboons, along with the accompanying predators such as lion, leopard, hyena and jackal, who are never far away. Take a river cruise – and you'll experience the park and wildlife from a completely different vantage point, getting up closer to hippo, crocodile and a mind-boggling array of water birds than you ever would on land. Over 460 bird species have been recorded in the park, making it one of Africa's premier venues for bird safaris. Common species include the Sacred Ibis, Egyptian Geese, the ubiquitous cormorants and darters, Spur-winged Geese, Pel's Fishing Owl, carmine Bee-eaters, most members of the kingfisher family, all the rollers, the unmistakable Fish Eagle, the Martial Eagle, and many members of the stork family. The Chobe River rises in the northern Angolan highlands and travels vast distances before reaching Botswana at Ngoma. Like the Okavango and Zambezi rivers, the Chobe's course is affected by fault lines that are extensions of the Great Rift Valley. These three mighty rivers carry more water than all other Southern Africa rivers. Camping [Lunch x 2, Breakfast x 2, Dinner x 2]

Day 11 & 12:                                     ZIMBABWE; VIC FALLS - Lodging

After our breakfast we will connect with light air Craft to Kasane. From Kasane Airport we will drive to Victoria Falls where we will spend 2 nights at The Victoria Falls Hotel. We commend you to visit the falls. The Victoria fall hotel has its own pass way to the falls. Entry fees are around US$25 per person and shall be settle directly at the gate. For almost 100 years, visiting members of the royal families, international and local statesmen, and celebrities worldwide, have preferred to stay at The Victoria Falls Hotel, where they are assured of privacy and care. An atmosphere steeped in history, combining the charm of the old with the comfort and convenience of today. It is one Hotel that can truly claim to be unique. During the late 1940s, the Solent Flying Boat service, offered by the imperial Airways became one of the more interesting ways to travel to Africa. This service flew from Southampton, England to Johannesburg, South Africa. The Solent’s landed and was serviced on a reach of the Zambezi above the Victoria Falls. This stopover became known as the “Jungle Junction” and was soon the favourite stop on the route, as all passengers disembarked and stayed at The Victoria Falls Hotel. Breakfast and dinner buffets with Makishi dancers and an indigenous choir entertaining every night. Lodging [Breakfast x 2, Lunch x 2, Dinner x2]

Optional extension (with guests own expenses)

Extend your trip by one day and visit the magnificent Victoria Falls during a day tour! Activities include:

*White Water Rafting down the Zambezi Gorge,

*Canoeing on the upper Zambezi

*Helicopter Flights over the Victoria