Victoria Falls Botswana Safari – 2 nights Victoria Falls | 2 nights Savute Game Reserve | 3 nights Okavango Delta | 2 nights Moremi Game Reserve
Overview
Jo contacted me on behalf of a group of 4 travellers (2 couples) who would be travelling together. They had already visited the Kruger and had a good idea of what they wanted this safari to look like. We had a few emails and calls before I put together a proposed itinerary and quote for them to look through. Once they had decided that this was the winning option, we had to adjust things a bit to ensure the trip worked within their date range. The trip ended up being everything they had hoped it would be.
Trip Highlights
- Game Drives
- Motorboat safari
- Zambezi Sunset Cruise
- Mokoro safari
- Guided nature walk
- Victoria Falls
Itinerary
Upon arrival at Victoria Falls Airport you head into the arrivals hall where you will meet up with a representative. He will transfer you to Ilala Lodge for your two night stay.
Victoria Falls has so much to offer in the way of activities. The package includes a dinner cruise on the Malachite.
Should you wish to book any other activities please chat to the tour desk at Ilala Lodge.
This morning you enjoy breakfast at your hotel before you are met by your driver and transferred to the Kazungula Border where you enter Botswana.
You then continue to the Kasane Airport for your short shuttle flight to Savute. Upon arrival at the airstrip in the Savuti area you are collected by a representative from the lodge and transferred to Savute Safari Lodge.
You have two days to explore this diverse area. Activities at Savute Safari Lodge are centred around game drives throughout the Savute area in open 4×4 safari vehicles. Many trips incorporate a visit to the famous Savute Marsh for your chance to see the historic presence of the Savute Channel at the marsh against a teeming backdrop of wildlife.
Guests can also enjoy a visit to the ancient San rock paintings at Gubatsa Hills, a small hilly outcrop that forms a remarkable landmark in the otherwise flat landscape.
Enjoy your final morning game activity in the Savute Game Reserve before you are transferred to the airstrip. You board your short shuttle flight and head further into the wilderness to your lodge in the Okavango Delta. . Upon arrival at the airstrip in the Okavango Delta, you are collected and transferred to your lodge for a 3 night stay.
You have 3 nights on safari in this remote wilderness. You have time to relax and also time to enjoy all that is offered by Xugana Island Lodge.
View wildlife from game drive vehicles, mokoros, motorboats and even on foot. You can be assured of some excellent game viewing.
This morning you say goodbye to Camp Xugana and you are transferred to the airstrip for your flight to Camp Moremi.
Moremi Game Reserve is situated in the central and eastern areas of the Okavango Delta, and includes permanent dry land such as Chief’s Island and the peninsula known as Mopane Tongue. This means that areas of dry woodland and savannah lie next to picturesque floodplains and lagoons. This makes for spectacular game viewing and bird watching.
Enjoy your last two nights on safari in this wildlife paradise. Game activities include a choice of morning and afternoon game drives throughout the many different ecosystems that the Moremi Game Reserve has to offer.
This morning you say goodbye to Botswana. You are transferred to the airstrip for your flight to Maun.
Upon arrival at Maun airport you check in for your flight to Johannesburg.
Ilala Lodge
Ilala Lodge offers distinguished yet affordable accommodation in a gracious and secluded ambiance. The decor evokes a bygone era of adventure and the quest of discovery in Africa. This small hotel is ideally situated and is the closest to the Victoria Falls as well as the town centre. The Victoria Falls National Park borders the front of property and wild animals often graze on the hotel lawns with the spray of the falls in the background.
Ilala Lodge offers 32 standard rooms and 2 deluxe suites. The rooms are all spacious with railway sleeper teak furnishings and patio doors leading onto either open lawn or a balcony where you are afforded a view of the spray of the falls from the upper level rooms. All standard rooms at Ilala Lodge have got 2 x ¾ beds, an ensuite bathroom, air-conditioning and an overhead fan. The deluxe suites have a king-size bed and have room for a child’s bed.
The in-house Palm Restaurant is recognised as one of the finest at the Falls. Relax around the swimming pool or enjoy a drink at the open-air bar.
Savute Safari Lodge
Savuti Safari Lodge is located overlooking the Savuti Channel. The channel feeds the Savuti Marsh from the Linyanti River. To ensure a private and relaxing environment, Savuti Safari Lodge accommodates just twenty four guests in eleven thatched chalets built of local timber and one family room which consists of two double bedrooms.
The chalets, which have been elegantly furnished in calm neutral tones to blend with the natural environment, feature expansive private decks, a combined bedroom and lounge area and en suite facilities.
Sink into one of the numerous comfortable leather, wood or wicker sofas in the lounge – and library – or sip a cocktail in the stylish bar. All these facilities are situated in a beautiful two-storey thatch-and-timber main building. Savute Safari Lodge offers a shaded viewing deck, an al fresco dining area and swimming pool with spectacular pool loungers – ideal for watching the varied wildlife – including the resident Elephants – as they make their way to the Channel to drink, bathe and play.
Xugana Island Lodge
Xugana Lagoon is widely recognised as the most spectacular permanent water site in the entire Okavango Delta, which itself is Africa’s largest and most awe-inspiring oasis. The Okavango River rises in the highlands of Angola yet never reaches the sea; instead its immense waters empty over the sands of the Kalahari, where the great thirst of the desert is quenched in a wilderness of freshwater lagoons, channels and islands.
Xugana Island Lodge is situated on a private concession and takes full advantage of this magnificent site. An expansive deck and al fresco dining area overlooks the vast, pristine body of water that makes up the permanent Okavango Delta.
The lounge, bar and dining areas are set back under the Ebony and African Mangosteen tree canopy in open-sided thatched structures, and the swimming pool, located within the mature gardens in the centre of the island, is a perfect place to relax.
The lodge accommodates only sixteen guests in large, raised, reed and thatch lagoon-facing chalets, with en-suite facilities and private viewing decks optimally placed on the shaded fringe of the island.
Camp Moremi
Camp Moremi has a well-deserved legacy in the Botswana tourism industry for being able to deliver the classic African safari experience. Completely rebuilt in 2018 as a modern luxury safari lodge, Camp Moremi is located within the world-renowned Moremi Game Reserve.
It boasts 12 expansive, modern styled thatched safari tents, including one family room, and accommodates a maximum of twenty-four guests. The family room which includes two separate bedrooms and bathrooms connects through interleading doors. All standard tents are expansive with spacious bathrooms consisting of double vanities and showers, and private decks offering views over the Moremi Game Reserve. Subtle décor and lighting fixtures allow for a natural and warm atmosphere within each room to create a peaceful and harmonious blend with the surrounding environment.
Camp Moremi’s communal areas include a sunken bar, masterfully built around a large termite mound and ebony tree, an expansive lounge area with a beautiful brass and soft finishes, leading towards an extended library and private deck. These areas, including the elevated dining area, connects by boardwalk to the fireplace in front of the camp. In addition, an open-air boma and secluded swimming pool complement the public area facilities.
The “Malachite” is one of the Zambezi River’s crowning gems. On the upper deck, guests are offered a glass of sparkling wine to sip as they settle into the plush cushioned furniture and relax before the journey along the Zambezi River begins. You enjoy dinner on board
As you approach the Falls and hear the water pounding and witness the vapour rising, you quickly understand why local tribesman called the Falls “Mosi-oa-Tunya” (the smoke that thunders). The great columns of spray rising from the tumultuous falls can be seen from 80 kilometres away on a clear day. If you are lucky enough to be there at full moon, a “moonbow” can be seen in the spray instead of the usual daylight rainbow. Because the Victoria Falls fall into a chasm, rather than falling down an escarpment, it is possible to walk along the opposite side of the chasm, at the same height as the top of the Falls. From the unique walking trails the magnificence and glory of the Falls are head on and only about 60 metres (200 feet) away. The spray falls on the trails like soft rain, feeding the lush vegetation
White Water Rafting on the Zambezi River is acclaimed as the best one day white water rafting trip available in the world. There are different options for rafting depending on the time of year and the level of water in the river.
Activities at Savute Safari Lodge are centred around game drives throughout the Savute area in open 4×4 safari vehicles. Many trips will incorporate a visit to the famous Savute Marsh for your chance to see the historic presence of the Savute Channel at the marsh against a teeming backdrop of wildlife.
Guests can also enjoy a visit to the ancient San rock paintings at Gubatsa Hills, a small hilly outcrop which forms a remarkable landmark in the otherwise flat landscape.
Savute lays claim to a spectacularly large summer zebra migration, which is determined by the rains but usually occurs between November and December and again between February and April when the zebras move from the rivers in the north in search of the lush grasslands and full waterholes in the southeast of the park. They are always accompanied by a myriad of predators.
Your daily routine is usually as follows: after an early morning wakeup call, a light continental breakfast is served in the dining room before leaving for your morning activity (approximately 3-4 hours). On return brunch is served at the shaded dining deck and then it is time to relax until afternoon tea is served. After tea you will depart for your afternoon activity (approximately 3 hours). You arrive back at the lodge after your game drive and enjoy a sumptuous dinner served at the dining deck.
Xugana Island Lodge is in a private concession offering a range of activities giving you the chance to experience a true Okavango Delta safari. All activities are conducted by experienced professional guides. Explore the crystal-clear waterways by mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) or motorboat for the chance to enjoy the magnificent variety of bird, plant and reptile species found in the area.
Your experienced guide will also take you on a guided nature walk on surrounding islands in the concession, giving you the chance to experience nature up close and personal.
Day and night game drives are also available within the private concession for a chance to search for the prolific wildlife found in the area.
Catch and release fishing for bream and tiger fish is also offered as an added activity at the lodge (season dependent).
Scenic Helicopter Flights (Additional Fees Apply) – Seeing the Okavango Delta from a helicopter is a truly magnificent experience. Xugana Island lodge has partnered with Helicopter Horizons. A scenic flight is not just a must for keen photographers but an exciting opportunity to witness the remarkable Okavango Delta from above.
The flights are operated with the utmost respect and caution for the natural environment, the wildlife and travellers. Routes have been carefully marked out ensuring guests on other activities and in camp are not disturbed. The flight routes and take off areas are designed specifically to make use of pristine areas within the concession.
Guest activities include a choice of morning and afternoon game drives throughout the many different ecosystems that the Moremi Game Reserve has to offer or the possibility to explore the Xakanaxa Lagoon and its surrounding channels by boat. This blend of activities allows for access to incredible landscapes, impressive wildlife as well as the opportunity to enjoy the picturesque waters of the Okavango Delta.
The team of experienced Professional guides will introduce you to a whole new world of wildlife; watch a Leopard stretched out lazily in the branches of a Mopane tree, herds of Elephant grazing under a canopy of green or a pride of Lions camouflaged in the long grass. Moremi Game Reserve’s incredible wetlands support a vast number of antelope, including Impala, Kudu and Waterbuck. Birdlife is prolific and the majestic Fish Eagle and vivid Malachite Kingfisher are frequently seen and even the rare Pel’s Fishing Owl makes an occasional appearance, to the delight of guides and guests alike.
Bettenridge Group, USA, 15th October 2021
Our travel advisor was Tammy and I highly recommend her services. She helped us plan a dream Africa Safari through Botswana and it was fabulous. She was patient throughout the entire booking process and helped guide us through the Covid requirements. It all turned out great. Desert and Delta camps are who she booked and we loved every one of them. Tammy should be your agent to book YOUR dream vacation to Africa.