Day notes
After your arrival at Maun International Airport you will be met by Mack Air for your charter flight at approximately 14h00 to the Xakanaxa airstrip in Moremi Game Reserve where you will be met by your guide. If you are staying in Maun prior to the safari, please request an airport transfer, Mack Air will liaise with your accommodation the day before to confirm the flight departure time. Spending your first three nights camping in the Xakanaxa region, . A chance to fully explore the surrounding wilderness on game drives during the day.
Overnight Moremi Camp
Charter Flight from Maun International Airport [MUB] to Moremi Camp
Charter Flight
Maun International Airport [MUB]
Moremi Camp
Expert tips:
Wildlife: from the air only the larger animals are seen easily. These include large breeding herds of African elephant that live in the mopane scrub. On the open plains large herds of buffalo and lechwe can be seen and in the waterways rafts of hippopotami are a common sight. Once you land in Xakanaxa the smaller game can be found.
Birding: a good day for raptors with African hawk-eagle, Gabar goshawk, shikra, little sparrowhawk, dark chanting goshawk, tawny eagle, lesser spotted eagle* and Steppe eagle* all inhabiting the mopane and adjacent woodlands. Other birds common along this route includes most of Botswana’s hornbills including red-billed, southern yellow-billed, African grey, Bradfield’s and the Southern ground hornbills. A large number of brood-parasites may also be seen. Diederick cuckoo*, Levaillant’s cuckoo*, Jacobin cuckoo*, great-spotted cuckoo*, African cuckoo*, common cuckoo*, shaft-tailed whydah, pin-tailed whydah, Eastern paradise whydah, greater honeyguide, and lesser honeyguide.
Accommodation: letaka tented camp
Activities: game drives and scenic flight
Day notes
DAYS 2 & 3: XAKANAXA EXPLORATION DAYS / MOREMI GAME RESERVE
Moremi lies 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.
Wildlife: Moremi is amongst the best game reserves in Africa for viewing the endangered African wild dog. Xakanaxa is home to a resident herd of several hundred buffalo whose range covers the territories of at least 4 prides of lion which may often be seen flanking the ever-moving herd. Breeding herds of elephant move between their browsing areas in the mopane forests and the freshwater of the Okavango. Red lechwe are one of the more unusual antelope species and are commonly found here.
Expert tips:
Birding: The swampy areas of Xakanaxa are home to African Rail,
Coppery-tailed Coucal, Black Coucal*, Red-chested Flufftail, African Crake*, Black Crake, Chirping Cisticola, Luapula Cisticola, Purple Swamphen, Allen’s Gallinule to name but a few. The open waters attract African Skimmer, Saddle-billed Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, Intermediate Egret, Goliath Heron, African Fish Eagle as well as the globally threatened Slaty Egret and Wattled Crane.
Day notes
Another full day exploring the Moremi.
Day notes
Following an early morning breakfast, you will game drive slowly through Moremi Game Reserve north-east towards the Khwai and Mababe Areas. On this moving day we shall do a mokoro excursion in the calmer back-waters of the Khwai and Mbudi channels as opposed to doing the mokoro in the quicker moving section of the Khwai River that runs through Mababe.
Habitat: The Manuchira Channel is known as the Khwai River at its easternmost 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 to the Mababe Private Reserve where we camp on the banks of the Khwai River before it flows out and into the Mababe Depression. We pass the magnificent Dombo Hippo Pools in the morning stopping to enjoy the scenery and the antics of the resident hippo and shall game drive through Khwai until we reach Mababe.
Depart from Moremi Camp
Overnight Mababe
Expert tips:
Wildlife: The Mababe region boasts excellent populations of both bull elephant as well as breeding herds. Lion, leopard, serval and African wildcat are common predators of the region with wild dog and cheetah being less common. Buffalo use this area seasonally with large herds moving in during the summer rains. Other ungulates include tsessebe, blue wildebeest, giraffe, kudu, sable antelope, roan antelope and impala, and even eland and oryx in the western parts.
Birding: Botswana’s national bird, the Kori Bustard, is a resident in the lower reaches of the Mababe Depression. The western
reaches are prime habitat for the uncommon Rosy-throated Longclaw. The entire length of the river is hunting domain for the BatHawk. Other interesting raptors here are Cuckoo Hawk (rare), Longcrested 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*.
Day notes
Activities here: Walking Safaris - Night Drives - Mokoro Excursions
The Khwai River meanders through the concession giving ample riverside routes to explore. We spend the following two nights camping at an exclusive campsite in the Mababe concession that has a strict max of 20 vehicles for the whole concession at any given time, exploring the river banks, Kalahari shrub to the east, cathedral mopane to the south on game drives both during the day and at night. Exploring after dark with spotlights offers you an opportunity to experience some of the nocturnal animals that are rarely encountered during the day.
We will also have the opportunity to explore the surrounding wilderness on foot (please note that this activity is seasonal based on rains and grass height, your guide will determine the safety of walking in Mababe) to enjoy an up close and personal encounter with Botswana’s flora and fauna. It is important to note that night drives and guided walks are not permitted within the national parks and reserves. These activities are conducted outside the boundaries of the Moremi Game Reserve in the Mababe Private Reserve.
Day notes
Today is a day of exploration:
The Mababe region boasts excellent populations of both bull elephant as well as breeding herds. Lion, leopard, serval and African wildcat are common predators of the region with wild dog and cheetah being less common. Buffalo use this area seasonally, with large herds moving in during the summer rains. Other ungulates include tsessebe, blue wildebeest, giraffe, kudu, sable antelope, roan antelope and impala, and even eland and oryx in the western parts.
Birding: Botswana’s national bird, the Kori Bustard, is a resident in the lower reaches of the Mababe Depression. The western
reaches are prime habitat for the uncommon Rosy-throated Longclaw. The entire length of the river is hunting domain for the BatHawk. Other interesting raptors here are Cuckoo Hawk (rare), Longcrested 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*.
Day notes
After breakfast we take a game-drive to the Khwai airstrip where you will be met by your charter flight back to Maun.
Should you be flying on to a safari lodge, you can fly directly out from Khwai Airstrip to avoid returning to Maun. Please request that the lodge’s preferred air charter company collects you from Khwai Airstrip prior to 12h00.
This marks the end of your Safari.
The Miracle River itinerary may run Khwai first then Moremi at times for operational ease. Activities are all exactly the same but do just check routing if connecting with other camps or lodges for flight routes.
NOTE: Although we make every effort to adhere to schedules and itineraries, these are subject to change subject to weather, roads, and animal movements and availability. You will be notified of any changes.
Depart from Mababe
Day notes
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 on game drives both during the day and at night. Exploring after dark with spotlights offers you an opportunity to experience some of the nocturnal animals that are rarely encountered during the day. We will also have the opportunity to explore the surrounding wilderness on foot as well as by mokoro and enjoy an up close and personal encounter with Botswana’s flora and fauna. It is important to note that night drives and guided walks are not permitted within the national parks and reserves. These activities are conducted outside the boundaries of the Moremi Game Reserve in the Khwai community area.
Habitat: we spend our time between the dry-land habitats of the lead-wood and camel-thorn woodlands and savannahs and the riverside and marshy back-waters of the Khwai. Time permiting we may visit the lagoons and waterways of Xakanaxa where the largest heronry in southern Africa exists.
Expert tips:
Wildlife: the Khwai region boasts excellent populations of both bull elephant as well as breeding herds. Lion, leopard, serval and African wildcat are common predators of the region with wild dog and cheetah being less common. Buffalo use this area seasonally with large herds moving in during the summer rains. The swampy areas in the west are home to red lechwe. Other ungulates include tsesebe, blue wildebeest, giraffe, kudu, sable antelope, roan antelope and impala.
Birding: 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*.
Accommodation: letaka tented camp
Activities: game drives, walking safari (conditions permitting), night drives and mokoro excursions
Day notes
Another full day exploring this game rich region.
Day notes
Today you will check you have packed everything. You are booked to depart during the morning on a charter flight back to Maun, where you can catch your homeward flight.
Charter Flight from Mababe to Maun International Airport [MUB]
Charter Flight
Mababe
Maun International Airport [MUB]
