Botswana Migration Routes Safari

Migration Routes Safari photo gallery

click image to enlarge

photo: D Allen©

photo: M Myers©

photo: M Myers©

photo: D Allen©

photo: M Myers©

Migration Routes Safari

A 9 night / 10 day Adventurer Exploration.

Adventurer Explorations combine unique mobile camps with a variety of other locations and accommodation, to provide an intimate, insightful encounter with the country or region.

For the Adventurer Explorations, we utilise a spacious walk-in dome tent. The comfortable interior has canvas bedrolls, crisp cotton sheets and duvets set out on GI stretchers, complemented with old-fashioned tin finishes, recreating a sense of simple style under canvas. Shared toilets and bucket shower enclosures open to the sky and inviting dining areas offer an atmosphere of understated, serviced camping.

These camps are erected prior to our guests' arrival. This, coupled with the wildlife-rich areas visited and the easy mobility of the camps, allow us to explore the most remote areas of the subcontinent.

Adventurer camping features lively campfires, camps lit by hurricane lanterns and a range of exciting and diverse activities, creating a pure wilderness camping experience with a warm atmosphere and camaraderie. High standards in mobile safaris are to be found on Adventurer Explorations, as comfort and experience are redefined

This exciting route takes the time to explore the changing areas, stunning beauty and continually moving game of northern Botswana: from camping and walking on islands in the jewel of the Kalahari, the Okavango Delta, to the game-rich savannah of the dry Savute Marsh and the seasonal elephant herds at our water-blessed Linyanti concession. The shift in animal numbers between dry and wet season makes for an adaptable itinerary. This safari also provides the unique opportunity to follow the amazing seasonal annual zebra migration between Linyanti and Savute (from December to May), documented by Dereck and Beverly Joubert in their famous documentary "The Stolen River."

Itinery

Day 1: Shackletons, Zambia

After arrival in Livingstone you will be met by a representative and transferred directly for a guided tour of the Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. At 1708 metres wide, it is the largest curtain of water in the world and drops more than 100 metres into the sheer Zambezi Gorge.

This evening, we will stay at Shackletons, situated in south-western Zambia on the Upper Zambezi River near the village of Mwandi (meaning 'a place of plenty fish'). Shackletons provides access to 130km of the Upper Zambezi River, named 'God's Highway' by David Livingstone. The lodge and its environs is home to approximately 300 bird species, offers an excellent cultural experience at Mwandi village and also is a prime fly, spin and lure fishing destination. Accommodating 12 guests in comfortable, thatched and en-suite chalets with private teak decks overlooking the Zambezi River; coupled with fabulous cuisine and friendly service this creates a relaxing and invigorating stay.

Each room is equipped with 2 three-quarter beds, ceiling fan, safe box, mosquito net, en-suite bathroom (with shower, hand basin and flushing toilet) and plug points. The main area features a swimming pool, lounge and open dining area, with the riverside bar and sundowner deck providing unparalleled vistas of the mighty Zambezi River.

Days 2, 3 & 4: Chobe River boat cruise & Linyanti Trails Camp, Linyanti/ Chobe

After a full breakfast, we leave Zambia and enter the Chobe National Park in Botswana by way of the Kazungula border, a point where the four countries of Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe meet.

The Chobe National Park is famous for its vast herds of elephants and unique species such as the elusive puku and Chobe bushbuck that move to the river during the hottest hours of the day - even more so in the dry season. Enjoy a light lunch served during the boat cruise on the catamaran-style shaded boat, after which we depart by aircraft in the late afternoon for the Linyanti region, from the airstrip game driving to our pre-erected Adventurer campsite. The north-eastern corner of the Linyanti is famed for its myriad of changing landscapes with sweeping views, from riverine to savannah and from forest to plains.

On one of our full days, we depart on an early morning activity. Lunch is enjoyed at a scenic spot with a sweeping view of the Linyanti waterways. After a siesta in hammocks, there is the possibility of an afternoon canoe trip, before returning to camp at dusk. (The canoe activity is not always possible, depending on local hippo movements within the area that we canoe.)

The Linyanti region's life-giving perennial waters attract herds of wildlife that walk well-worn game paths to slake their thirst in the dry season. Predators follow in their footsteps and, coupled with the area's diversity of habitat, make for exciting game viewing.

Days 5, 6 & 7: Lechwe Island Camp, north-eastern Okavango Delta

We travel west into private concessions, stopping en route for game sightings through parts of the area. This long but interesting drive gives the perfect introduction to the varying habitats of a dry and flat northern Botswana, from the open savannah of the Savuti Channel, known as the "Stolen River", to lagoons with a plethora of wildlife to the geographically interesting Selinda Spillway (Great Rift Valley fault line). This can be a full-day game / transfer drive, with lunch en route at a shady place in the Savute Channel.

We arrive at our pre-erected Adventurer campsite in the mid-afternoon, in time for a short sunset game drive.

Lechwe Island Camp is located in the south-western sector of the Selinda private concession, in a seasonally flooded portion of the Okavango Delta where it joins into the Selinda Spillway. The campsite is situated on a wooded island overlooking a floodplain area, the channel in front of camp alternately flooded or dry, depending on the season.

Activities concentrate around the bushy and wooded islands, open plains and the seasonally flooded channels surrounding the camp. In this area local populations of plains game allow for game drives by day and night. Experiences are magnified on nature walks, where the guide is able to delve into interesting topics such as tracking, medicinal (and traditional) uses of plants and a full array of smaller invertebrates and other species not usually noticed from a vehicle. Canoeing is also seasonally offered.

Days 8 & 9: Xigera Mokoro Trails, Okavango Delta

We fly by light aircraft to the water-filled paradise of the private Xigera area, within the Moremi Game Reserve. Xigera is the ultimate Delta experience, with serene waters flowing through innumerable channels around remote islands and a profusion of plant and animal life.

There is no better way to experience the Okavango than to travel through it by mokoro, walking and camping out on a vegetated island - all essential elements of the Xigera Mokoro Trails experience. The experience is aimed at exposing the permanently flooded inner Delta, in the serene waterways and on the islands of trees and bush. Our guest tents are lighter here than the rest of the safari, with a gauze main frame, thus enhancing the views. Due to its remote location on an island, equipment is aimed at necessary comforts with "disco" stretcher-styled beds.

Activities include mokoro and walking safaris on inner remote islands, which enable up-close encounters with an excellent diversity of birdlife (including Pel's Fishing-Owl), frogs and a myriad of game species, some specially adapted to water, such as the rare sitatunga and the familiar red lechwe. Walking activities vary in length and duration through the seasons, especially in the months when the Okavango is at peak flood (June, July and August) where they become shorter as more islands become flooded.

Day 10: Transfer to Maun Airport

Bid farewell to the adventure as we transfer by light aircraft to Maun Airport.

End of Safari

This Exploration has the following unique features:

• Flexible seasonally changing itinerary to exploit wildlife movements - notably the uncommon, seasonal zebra migration between Linyanti and Savute (December to end March).
• Specifically tailored to enjoy varied species of the Okavango Delta (both permanently and seasonally flooded), Linyanti savannah and Chobe, in areas mainly exclusive to Wilderness Safaris guests.
• Activities are diverse: air-, land- and water-based.
• Additional features include off-road access to prime sightings (in private areas), island walking in Moremi Game Reserve, Linyanti hammock lunch, between December and May, possible excursion through the Savute Channel to Linyanti(game dependent), and Chobe River lunch cruise.
• Specific focus on cross-country transfers to showcase the vast wilderness and its denizens; travel by land when the journey is enhanced; otherwise by air.

Safari Notes

International air connection onto the safari: If arrival is planned for the day of the safari's departure, please ensure that this arrival is with the earliest possible flight from Johannesburg. Arrival on a later flight may necessitate additional road or air transfers (as departure for the first camp/lodge will already have taken place), subject to extra cost.

International air connections leaving the safari:

Please ensure that your departure flight is booked for after 13h00 from Maun. For earlier international departure flights, an additional transfer will be required to arrive for this connection. Extra transfers and flights are subject to extra cost.

Bilingual safari dates: This service aims to facilitate a greater level of experience for guests that do not speak English fluently. These safaris will be led by a guide; however there may be a translator to assist the guide. Please note on all bilingual safari dates that the guide or translator's home language is English. This additional free service does not guarantee the level of fluency and depending on group dynamics a varying amount of the foreign language will be spoken.  

Flashlights/ torches: Please ensure that a minimum 2-D cell flashlight is brought on safari, with spare batteries. Head lamps are also useful. Flashlights are not provided on the safari, so please do ensure you bring your own.

Camera battery charging facilities: Please note that a 12V cigarette lighter adaptor will be required (that is compatible with camera make) on this safari for charging batteries while on game drive or transfer drives. No 110/ 240V outlets are available, except at the Shackletons in Zambia.

Dietary requirements and special occasions: Due to remote locality of Adventurer camps, please ensure that full dietary requirements and special occasions are advised at the time of your booking confirmation

• We will gladly arrange tailor-made departures, subject to the availability of space.
• Each departure is guaranteed for a minimum of 2 confirmed guests and operates with a maximum of 8 guests per safari.
• Please note that all scheduled Exploration safaris operate with a minimum of two guests. Should all other bookings on an Exploration cancel or that there is only a single guest booked, we will convert the booking to an FIT package, which is in all likelihood subject to a higher price.
• Included is accommodation on a per person sharing basis, all meals and drinks (except premium brands), national park fees, laundry, activities and all internal charters on a seat rate basis.
• Excluded are flights (other than specified in the detailed safari itinerary), visas, compulsory insurance, all relevant entry and departure government taxes, all personal purchases (including curios, spirit liquors, telephone calls etc.), gratuities, optional extra activities and all travel arrangements before or after the safari.
• Age Limits – Children from the age of 12 are welcome on all scheduled departures. For groups with children under 12, we will create a private tailor-made safari, on request and based on a different cost. For guests over the age of 75, a certified medical certificate of full health must be provided.
• Our service provides reserve the right, due to situations beyond our control, to substitute a lodge or location with another of comparable quality.
• If a guest is willing to share and we can match with another guest of the same gender, the single supplement will not be charged. However, if there is no suitable match, the single supplement surcharge will apply. No triple rooms are accepted.