Upon your arrival in Kasane around noon, we will be there to extend a warm Botswana welcome. Our guide will ensure you feel at home and provide an overview of what to expect on your safari. Before setting off on an afternoon boat cruise along the Chobe River, departing from Kasane, you’ll receive a snack pack to enjoy. After the cruise, we leave Kasane and begin our journey at a game drive pace, keeping watch for wildlife and birds along the way. The first two nights will be spent camping in a pristine bush campsite near the Chobe River, where game drives will take you through the riverbanks and surrounding floodplains. As the sun sets, you’ll experience the magic of a mobile camp, unwinding with drinks around the fire before enjoying a starlit dinner and falling asleep to the enchanting sounds of the African bush.
We continue our journey south into the heart of Chobe National Park, where we will spend the next three nights camping at a remote and pristine bush campsite in the legendary Savute region. This wild and rugged landscape offers an unparalleled safari experience, where the raw beauty of the African wilderness comes to life. Known for its dynamic and unpredictable nature, Savute’s environment is shaped by the ebb and flow of the Savute Channel, a waterway that can either bring life-giving water to the region or leave it parched for years. The shifting patterns of water availability dictate the movement and behavior of wildlife, creating a setting where nature continuously reinvents itself.
On our game drives, you will explore this strikingly arid yet captivating terrain, home to an astonishing variety of wildlife. Elephants, zebras, and antelopes navigate the dry landscapes, while formidable predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas patrol their territories. Savute’s predators are particularly renowned for their fascinating hunting strategies, some of which have evolved in response to the region’s extreme conditions. One of the most extraordinary adaptations occurred during a prolonged dry period when resident lion prides learned to take down elephants—an incredible testament to nature’s resilience and adaptability.
In 2010, after nearly three decades of drought, water once again flowed into the Savute Marsh, dramatically altering the region’s delicate balance. The return of water reshaped predator-prey dynamics, influenced migration patterns, and revitalized the landscape with lush vegetation, attracting an abundance of birdlife. Yet, the mystery of Savute remains—water levels fluctuate unpredictably, and each season brings new surprises.
After an early breakfast, we break down camp and set off on our journey toward the Khwai region, traveling through breathtaking wilderness landscapes. Along the way, we pause for a bush picnic lunch, allowing you to soak in the sights and sounds of the African bush. The Khwai River, a lifeline for wildlife, marks the boundary between the Moremi Game Reserve and the Khwai Community Area, creating a diverse and game-rich environment.
For the next three nights, we will be based at a scenic campsite in the Khwai area, where game drives will take us deep into the lush floodplains. This region is renowned for its abundance of wildlife, including elephants, buffalos, leopards, wild dogs, and a variety of antelope species. The area’s open plains, winding waterways, and riverine forests provide the perfect setting for unforgettable wildlife encounters.
A highlight of your time in Khwai will be a peaceful 2½-hour mokoro excursion, a traditional dug-out canoe trip that offers a unique perspective of the delta’s intricate network of channels and lagoons. Drifting silently through the waterways, you’ll have the opportunity to spot aquatic birds, hippos, and perhaps even an elusive sitatunga antelope, all while enjoying the serene beauty of this unspoiled wilderness.
For the final two nights of our adventure, we set up camp in the scenic Xakanaxa or Third Bridge area, deep within the heart of the Moremi Game Reserve. This pristine wilderness, encompassing approximately 5,000 km² (1,930 square miles), is one of Africa’s most celebrated wildlife havens, protecting nearly a third of the vast Okavango Delta ecosystem. Here, game drives take us through an extraordinary mosaic of landscapes, from dense riverine forests and lush floodplains to winding waterways and open grasslands. Moremi is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, including large elephant herds, prides of lions, leopards, cheetahs, and packs of the highly endangered African wild dog. The area’s abundant water sources attract a variety of birdlife, from vibrant kingfishers and fish eagles to wading herons and storks. Each game drive presents new and exciting encounters, as we follow fresh animal tracks and explore the dynamic interactions of predator and prey. As the day winds down, we return to camp, where the sounds of the wilderness provide the perfect backdrop to our evenings spent under a starlit sky, reflecting on the unforgettable moments shared in this remarkable landscape.
After breakfast and a final short game drive, your guide will take you to a bush airstrip for a scenic light aircraft flight over the Okavango Delta and Chief’s Island, offering breathtaking aerial views of this unique ecosystem. You will arrive in Maun around noon, perfectly timed for onward flights to Johannesburg.
