23 November 2008

Botswana Under Canvas Adventure

Botswana Under Canvas Adventure

Almost every safari experience you have ever dreamed about, comes true in Botswana. Follow the rhythms of the seasons, and whether your interests are wildlife or bird watching, or just plain getting away from it all, you too will find that you are woven into this same rhythm. Visit and explore the the Okavango, Nxai Pans, Moremi, Savute and the Chobe Game reserves.This safari offers a combination of serviced camping and lodge accommodation and a true African Safari Experience...

Botswana Wilderness Explored under Canvas...

Day 1 - 2: Maun: Nxai Mobile Camp

Day 1 – Nxai Pan:
Upon arrival in Maun you will transfer to Nxai Pan National Park. You accommodation will consist of a mobile camp.
The focal point of Nxai Pan is the water hole, situated in the midst of a large grassy plain which is dotted with a few clumps of short umbrella thorn trees. Here, and within the mopane woodland, lion, giraffe, kudu, impala, ostrich, fascinating birdlife and large numbers of springbok, together with a good population of jackal, bat-eared fox and numerous smaller creatures, are permanent residents. Once the rains have started, gemsbok, elephant and zebra migrate to the area. At that time, zebra are present in thousands and drop their young at Nxai Pan, rivalling the spectacle of the multitude of young springbok, to further enhance game-viewing opportunities. Whilst many parks are not considered to be at their best during the rains, Nxai Pan becomes a veritable Garden of Eden during the rainy season.
Day 2 – Nxai Pan:
Today you will explore the Nxai pan area. You will also visit the Baines’ Baobabs. Baines Baobabs, made famous by the explorer / painter Thomas Baine in the last century. These seven enormous Baobab trees are clustered on a small rise next to a dry pan. The Baines Baobabs have been incorporated into the Nxai Pan National Park to protect the trees for future generations.Overnight at the mobile camp at Nxai Pan.

Day 3 - 4: Moremi: Mankwe Bush Lodge

Mankwe Bush Lodge are located on the eastern border of the famous Moremi Reserve. Positioned on a slight incline within a forest area that gives a fantastic view of the local mopani bush Mankwe bush lodge offers luxury tented chalets with a rustic look and feel for that true African experience. Each chalet has also been cleverly positioned on an incline facing the setting sun, which makes sitting on your porch at dusk an ideal time to unwind.
There are seven elevated, luxury, tented chalets available, each of which sleeps two. Each chalet has an en-suite bathroom, which includes a warm shower and all commodities. A viewing platform on each chalet provides a beautiful setting from which to enjoy sunsets over the bush for as far as the eye can see.

Day 3 - Moremi:
Today you will depart from Nxai Pan and be on your way to Moremi Nationa Park. Here you will overnight at Mankwe Bush Lodge.

Day 4 – Moremi:
After an early breakfast you will start exploring the Moremi Game Reserve. You day will be filled with game viewing in this area famous for its great diversity in fauna and flora.

Day 5 - 6: Moremi: Mboma Boat Station

West of Third Bridge is a large, long island, circled by a loop road which stretches for about 50km around it. There's a spur to this at the north end, and a short cut back to Third Bridge halfway round. It's worth spending a day here, as Mboma's environments are varied and beautiful, though different from the floodplain loops nearer to Xakanaxa. I've had great sightings of cheetah on the northern side of the island, and the south is said to be a popular haunt of buffalo herds.

Day 5 – Okavango Delta:
This morning you will leave for Mboma Boat Station via Moremi Game Reserve. From Mboma you will explore the Okavango Delta flood plains by mokoro for 2 hours. After this wonderful experience you will board a motorboat and travel through the lagoons and channels on your way to the island. Sundowners will be enjoyed while travelling to your destination. Overnight at Mboma mobile camp.

Day 6 – Okavango Delta:
Today you will go on a full day excursion on the Okavango Delta with a motor boat. You will enjoy bird watching and exploring the lagoons and channels. You will also visit the Godikwe heronry breeding Island.
The delta environment has large numbers of animal populations that are otherwise rare, such as crocodile, red lechwe, sitatunga, elephant, wild dogs, buffalo, wattled crane as well as the other more common mammals and bird life

Day 7 - 8: Moremi: Mankwe Bush Lodge

Today you will leave Mboma behind and go back to Mankwe. On your way to Mankwe you will do a game Drive through to Maremi Game Reserve via the North Gate and have a picnic lunch ad Khwai River.
The Khwai River is one of the major rivers of the delta in Botswana, though it occasionally dries up, leaving a few hippo pools to await the fresh waters of the new season.

Day 9: Savute: Savuty / Linyanti Mobile Camp

Leaving Mankwe behind you will be on your way to Chobe National Park. You will explore the Savuti wilderness and overnight in a mobile camp in Savute. Savute is located southern part of the Cobe National park, where a channel, now dry, once brought an annual pulse of water to the dry land. Open spaces, several water-points for animals and palatable grasses however ensure that Savute rewards the visitor with spectacular game-viewing. Lions and hyaenas are particularly plentiful, and their troubled relationship is the subject of the film “Eternal Enemies”, a wildlife classic by Derek and Beverley Joubert. Bird-viewing in the summer months, when rain inundates the marsh, can be especially rewarding.Linanti lies to the north of Savute along the Linyanti floodplain, at the tail-end of the Chobe River. With beautiful lagoons and river-frontage, this remote and secluded area is rich in bird-life and game, although concentrations cannot rival those of the river.

Day 10: Chobe National Park: Chobe Mobile Camp

After breakfast this morning you will be on your way to the Chobe Riverfront area, famous for it’s big herds of buffalo and elephant. The Chobe National Park, which is the second largest national park in Botswana and covers 10,566 square kilometres, has one of the greatest concentrations of game found on the African continent. Its uniqueness in the abundance of wildlife and the true African nature of the region, offers a safari experience of a lifetime
A major feature of Chobe National Park is its elephant population. The Chobe elephant comprise part of what is probably the largest surviving continuous elephant population. This population covers most of northern Botswana plus northwestern Zimbabwe. The Botswana's elephant population is currently estimated at around 120,000.

Day 11: Chobe National Park: Chobe Safari Lodge

Situated in the town of Kasane, Chobe Safari Lodge overlooks the perennial and beautiful Chobe River with its Caprivi floodplains. The Lodge boasts a variety of accommodation on offer. There are luxury en-suite River Rooms, the new and highly recommended Safari Rooms, and the thatched, more traditional, rondavels. All accommodation has en-suite bathrooms, while the Safari and River rooms also offering air-conditioning.
Today you will do more game viewing on the banks of the Chobe River in Chobe National Park. In the afternoon you will go on a boat trip on the Chobe River. Overnight at Chobe Safari Lodge
Day 12: DepartAfter breakfast you will be transferred to Kasane Airport from where you will catch your flight back home.

Enjoy your Safari with Lathita Tailor-Made Travel

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