Botswana - Featured Trips

Leave behind all reflections of modern life and journey back to the true essence of Africa. A mobile safari allows you to get up close and personal to the miracle of nature. Fall asleep to the calls of the wild and wake up to the warmth & light of the African sun. It is a misconception however that camping safaris into the African bush mean bad food, dirty clothes and daily discomfort. This luxury mobile safari offers access into some of the most remote wilderness areas and at the same time offer comfortable accommodation, good food and personal service.

The Northern Hightlights Mobile Safari visits the Moremi Game Reserve, Okavango Delta and in Chobe National Park both Savuti and Chobe River Front. Maximum group size of 12 people per safari. Extensions in Chobe and/or Livingstone can be arranged.

On arrival at Maun airport you will be met by our representative for your 30 minutes charter flight to the Xakanaxa airstrip in Moremi Game Reserve. Here you will be met by your guide and spend time in the Xakanaxa region on morning and afternoon game drives.

From the air only the larger animals are easily seen, including large breeding herds of elephant, buffalo and lechwe. In the waterways, pods of hippopotamus are a common sight. Overnight at Private Mobile Tented Camp on FB basis, including beverages.

You will spend these two days on game drives and boat safaris in the Moremi Game reserve on the eastern extremity of the Okavango Delta. Habitats here range from wide-open floodplains, marshes, lagoons, papyrus fringed channels, vast stands of Miscanthus and Phragmites, woodland and savannah. As a result of the extremely variable habitat the diversity of both wildlife and birdlife is excellent.

It is one of the best places in Africa to spot the endangered African wild dog. The Xakanaxa area is home to a resident herd of several 100 buffalos whose range covers the territories of at least 4 prides of lion, which can be seen flanking the ever moving herd. Breeding herds of elephant move between their browsing areas in the mopane forests and the fresh water of the Okavango. Red lechwe are one of the more unusual antelope species and commonly found here, while the rare Sitatunga antelope may be spotted from a motor boat along the waterways of the Xakanaxa Lagoon. Overnight at Private Mobile Tented Camp on FB basis, including beverages.

Following an early morning breakfast you take a slow drive through Moremi Game Reserve north-east towards the Khwai Community Area (3-4 hrs drive). The Manuchira Channel is known as the Khwai River at its eastern most extremity. The day's journey follows this water course, with the track weaving from the riverside and floodplains into the mopane veld and the woodlands that make Khwai one of the most scenic areas of the Okavango. We pass the magnificent Dombo Hippo Pools in the morning stopping to enjoy the scenery and the antics of the resident hippo.

The western mopane veld is home to mostly breeding herds of elephant whilst the eastern reaches of Khwai is home to some impressive old bulls. The mature bulls revel in the cool waters of the Khwai and are far more approachable while drinking and bathing than the breeding herds. The river has an unusually high density of hippo as well as some huge crocodile. Leopard, cheetah, serval and lion are common predators along this route and both Xakanaxa as well as Khwai are included in the home ranges of 2 different packs of wild dog. General game includes giraffe, Burchell's zebra, tessebe and red lechwe with roan and sable antelope being less common residents. Overnight at Private Mobile Tented Camp on FB basis, including beverages.

These two days are spend on day & night game drives and walking safaris (conditions permitting). The Khwai River forms a boundary between the reserve and the community area. We spend the following two nights camping at an exclusive campsite in the community area, exploring the Khwai floodplains.

The night drives with spotlights offer you an opportunity to experience some of the nocturnal animals that are rarely encountered during the day. You will also have the opportunity to explore the surrounding wilderness on foot and enjoy an up close and personal encounter with Botswana's flora and fauna. These activities are conducted outside the Park boundaries in the Khwai community area.

The Khwai region is truly one of Botswana birding Mecca's. The western reaches are prime habitat for the uncommon Rosy-throated Longclaw. The entire length of the river is hunting domain for the Bat-Hawk. Other interesting raptors here are Cuckoo Hawk (rare), Long-crested Eagle and Black Sparrowhawk. More commonly Tawny Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Lesser-spotted Eagle, Martial Eagle, Bateleur and African Hawk-Eagle. The waterways host Africa Rail, African Crake, Greater Painted Snipe, Allen's Gallinule, Lesser Jacana and Lesser Moorhen. Overnight at Private Mobile Tented Camp on FB basis, including beverages.

You head further north en-route to Chobe National Park to the Savuti region. On this fascinating day's drive (4-5 hrs) you will see evidence of the Paleo-Lake Makgadikgadi that dried up some 10,000 years ago. The most challenging part of the trip is crossing the Magwikwe Sandridge that formed the shoreline for this massive inland sea. The old lake bed is now the Mababe Depression and its dense clay floor results in high protein feed for wildlife and hence the area teams with game after the rains. During the raining season the depression is impassable due to the 'cotton soil' and alternative routes must be used. Overnight at Private Mobile Tented Camp on FB basis, including beverages.

While on game drives and San Bushman painting walks you will notice that unlike the vast majority of the country, Savuti is not totally flat. The large outcrops of volcanic rock reach up out of the Kalahari sands, towering over the endless savannah. These hills provide habitat for a completely different array of small wildlife, birds and plants. The wide open country, good ungulate populations and particularly strong prides of lion and hyena clans make excellent wildlife viewing.

Undoubtedly it is the interaction between lion and elephant that is the most interesting aspect of Savuti. The area is inhabited by a huge pride of lions with numbers fluctuating between 20-30 members. These remarkable lions have over the years learned how to hunt these massive pachyderms that are supposedly above predation. Launching their attack under darkness and using their numbers, they manage to kill adolescent and even young adult elephant.

The marsh is prime cheetah country and in the wet season it is not unusual to have the wild dog hunting here in Savuti. Overnight at Private Mobile Tented Camp on FB basis, including beverages.

On your final day you will leave Savuti to travel the Chobe River (approx 5 hrs drive), taking you through the stunted mopane scrub of the Goha clay basin, across the sand-ridge and through the wonderful Zambezi teak woodlands of the Chobe Forest Reserve and along the Chobe River itself. The Chobe floodplain is 10s km wide and in years of exceptional rains the water stretches as far as the eye can see.

You will have lunch in Kasane before taking a leisurely afternoon boat cruise to end your safari on a high. You can extend your safari by spending a couple of nights in Kasane or Livingstone.

Regular departures from March to November.
Safaris run Maun to Kasane or Kasane to Maun.
Please contact us for specific departure dates and availability.

Children of 14 yrs and older are welcome.

£2,550 per person sharing (max 12 people)
£2,995 per person sharing (window seats only - max 7 people)
One single supplement free place per safari - please contact us for further details.

Terms and Conditions apply. Price is subject to availability and subject to change due to currency fluctuation.

En-suite tented accommodation, including bedlinen and towels
All meals & drinks on mobile safari (mineral water, soft drinks, beer, wine and G&T)
All safari activities as in itinerary above
Professional guide, safari chef and camp assistants
Camping fees for private campsites
All park and reserve fees

All flights unless indicated otherwise
Items of personal nature and toiletries
Gratuities
Optional safari extensions
Drinks at lodges
Travel Insurance