Botswana Northern Circuit

Delight in a fully-immersive dining experience on the tranquil and serene banks of the Zambezi River, sheltered under a twinkling canopy of stars. The riverside dining experience offers an authentic African barbecue-style dinner surrounded by the wilderness of the Zambezi National Park.

Expect an array of delicious items on the menu, with a touch of traditionally Zimbabwean flavours, all freshly prepared on open coal fires. The hotel’s extensive range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages is served by attentive waiters set to ensure an unforgettable experience. Guests often get the opportunity to dine in the company of meandering hippos, buffalo or elephants.

The Riverside Dining Experience is available to all in-house guests of Palm River Hotel and Ilala Lodge Hotel exclusively and is available throughout the year, weather conditions permitting.
Advanced reservations for the Riverside Dining Experience are essential.

Experience unparalleled refinement at the Palm River Hotel’s enchanting High Tea on the Zambezi River.
Delight your senses with a sparkling prelude of effervescent hibiscus prosecco, or embark on a journey of flavours with our artisanal brew selection including velvety cappuccinos and aromatic teas.
The experience entails a cascade of delicious treats including picturesque panna cottas, dainty sandwiches, mini macaraons and buttery scones adorned with whipped cream and glistening strawberry preserves.

Under the dappled shade of indigenous trees, and amidst the tranquillity of the flowing river, savour an exquisite experience at the Palm River Hotel.

Available between 15.30 - 17.00 daily. Advanced reservations required.
Email fnb@palmriverhotel.com or call +263 867 719 6873

Absorb the splendour of being on the mighty Zambezi River and relive the historical journey taken by David Livingstone with a cruise aboard one of the Ra-Ikane luxury boats.

A variety of cruises are offered, including breakfast, lunch and sundowner cruises, as well as private charter cruises. Each Ra-Ikane boat has its own crew, made up of a friendly and knowledgeable captain, guide and waiter to ensure that you can sit back and enjoy the ride.

Cruise along the mighty Zambezi River, upstream of the Victoria Falls. Minimum 2 & Maximum of 16 passengers. Small and easy to navigate close to the banks for enhanced bird and wildlife viewing.

- Breakfast cruises - continental breakfast, tea, coffee, juice
- Lunch cruises - cold meats, cheeses, breads, salads & drinks.
- Sunset cruises - drinks, snacks

After breakfast the drive will leave from Muchenje and drive to the Jetty on the Eastern side of the park. Our small private boat will depart at approximately 11.30 and spend 2,5 hours exploring the river. The guides know where the elephants prefer to congregate, drink and cross to Sedudu island, so they are making their way to those areas, but on the way they will explore the banks, trees and pools to show the guests the other wonderful wildlife that frequent the Chobe River. Once the boat finds a suitable crossing or drinking area, the boat rests and the guests enjoy a delicious picnic whilst witnessing the elephants gathering on the banks. Watching these magnificent animals drinking as the boat gently drifts in the currents is something awe inspiring.

The activity returns to the vehicles later and enjoys a slow drive through the park along the river back to the quieter western banks.

Although the full day out is long and dusty, the guests have an amazing opportunity to break the usual safari cycle and get to enjoy a more holistic experience within this amazing region.

Muchenje is a 5 minutes drive from the Ngoma Gate of the Chobe National Park. Game Drives use this gate to enter and explore the Western side of the Chobe River. The drives explore the river road and woodland areas that are adjacent to the river, which host a myriad of species. The Chobe flood plains provide an important food source for thousands of animals during the winter (June - November) and witnessing this prolific wildlife is a safari goers dream!

Along with the immense diversity of species of plains game, is an impressive number of predators that also rely on this prolific game activity. Game Drives along the Chobe are rarely uneventful, and during our winter months is a wildlife extravaganza!

Even if you have witnessed a thousand elephants, there is nothing like seeing them on foot. Morning walks within the Forest Reserve is wonderfully rewarding. in the early mornings, before the African heat arrives, the guides explore the river frontage and open pans within easy reach of the lodge.

An opportunity to be totally aware of what is around you and the great African outdoors.

As we have to leave the Chobe National Park at sunset, we therefore offer fascinating drives after dinner each night. Leaving the lodge at about 9pm the drives venture onto the river road in front of the lodge. Without fences between the park and forest reserve, there is the full array of species to find. But for the hour or so that the night drive is out, the smaller nocturnal animals are often enjoyed - such as porcupine, genet, civet etc.

On a 3 night stay we are able to invite our guests to visit the local village of Muchenje. Here they are introduced to Esther a local granny, who looks after her grandchildren at her homestead. A wonderful opportunity to be introduced to the real heart of Botswana, the rural community that support this peaceful and beautiful country. Esther like many women, look after the children, whilst her children work away from home. Her humble home is an authentically Motswanan, where you are welcome to see what duties are being seen to on the day you visit. Maybe the clay bricks for the new room are drying in the sun, or the older girls are doing the laundry.

The drive then stops off at the local Mabele Primary School (at break time) to visit the inaugural Pack for a Purpose project. Supporting 160 children is a big job, but Muchenje has been proud of its association and important role that it has been dedicated to for the decades that we have been operational.

Available when the flood waters arrive on the Western Floodplains - usually April - December. The mokoro trips depart from infront of Muchenje and explore the shallow channels and plains. A wonderful Botswana expereience, especially if only visiting the Chobe Region and not continuing onto the Okavango

A private and excluisive activity that is vailable for guests during their stay - particularly wonderful if you are staying a many nights and want to arrange the pace of your stay to for a slightly leisurely day - or if you arrive later at Muchenje and still want to explore the area before dinner.

Game drives are undertaken in custom designed Toyota game viewing vehicles seating no more than six guests at a time in 3 rows of 3 seats. Guests are guided by a two person team of professional guide and tracker - a special feature of the Kwando Safaris wildlife experience. The two person team enables the guide to communicate points of interest and the complex interrelations that exist throughout the natural world, while the tracker ensures no sightings or tracks are missed.

The evening/ night drives are a Kwando Safaris speciality. The drive starts in the late afternoon as the day’s heat is declining. After a leisurely pause for the traditional sundowner, and as the African day is transformed into a soft colourful evening canvas, the night drive begins. The mystery unfolds as the creatures of the night, especially the predators, are revealed by spotlight, often unexpectedly.

Due to its location in a private concession, game drives can go offroad to allow vehicles to be positioned closer to special predator sighting which enhances the photographic and game viewing experience.

Walking in Africa's wild areas is the only way to truly appreciate the natural environment. While game viewing from a vehicle allows one to see more animals as you traverse much greater distances and get much closer to animals safely, there is nothing as awe inspiring and humbling as observing wild animals on foot. Many smaller species of plants and insects, tracks and signs are all easily missed when in a vehicle. The slow pace of the walk and interpretative skills of your guide will open your eyes to a new and fascinating world.

Game walks are not hikes; they are slow comfortable strolls meant to provide you with a chance to experience the wilderness at a natural pace. Any walk can be combined with a game drive or mokoro and the length of walk can be adjusted to suit your personal desires or level of fitness.

As 4 rivers in the Kwara Private Reserve, game drives are able to go off-road and continue after sunset, providing guests with significantly better game viewing and photographic opportunities.

Mokoros are a great way to see and appreciate the delta from a different angle. This activity is seasonal at 4 Rivers due to water levels.

Guided Nature walks are offered year round unless the guides deem it unsafe at any particular time.