Wings over Northern Botswana - 7 Days

In the heart of southern Africa, Botswana offers possibly the finest, authentic wildlife experience in the world. It is comprised largely of the Kalahari Desert, within which lies the Okavango Delta, a wonderful blue-green wetland considered by many to be Africa's most incredible wildlife and wilderness sanctuary. This dynamic waterworld contrasts with an ecosystem driven by different stimuli in the Linyanti and Selinda region in the north of the country.

With an area of almost 600 000 square kilometres, Botswana is virtually the same size as France or Texas. Situated in the centre of southern Africa, it is a landlocked country, with Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe as its immediate neighbours. Botswana lies an average of 950 metres above sea level and is more than 600 kilometres from the nearest coast. The Tropic of Capricorn bisects Botswana.

The most striking features of the country are its flatness and aridity. With the exception of the eastern part of Botswana where the great majority of Batswana live and where the summer rainfall is slightly higher, three-quarters of Botswana is technically a desert. This is what makes the Okavango Delta even more remarkable. It is a wonderful wetland within a desert, getting its waters from rain falling in central Africa, 1000km away.

Botswana is one of Africa's success stories. Prior to independence in 1966, it was one of the world's poorest countries. When we started to work in Botswana in the 1970s, very few people who lived outside Botswana had even heard of the Okavango. It was undiscovered, only visited by a few hardy adventurers. But South Africa's first democratic elections began a change in the area. Within Botswana, there were big changes, too. Diamonds were discovered in the Kalahari shortly after independence and this kick-started the economy. Sir Seretse Khama was the country's first post- independence president. He was a wonderful leader and one of the most pragmatic and far-thinking presidents any country could ever hope for. Seretse laid the foundations that Botswana needed to propel itself forward, without compromising democracy; the result is a booming economy in a stable country. On the wildlife front, Seretse's son, Ian, is one of the country's unsung conservation heroes. When he became head of the military, he positioned his troops to secure Botswana's borders from poachers. The game concentrations within the country multiplied overnight. Many people owe their jobs and careers to his actions.

The country abandoned mass tourism and focused on high quality / low volume tourism as the best way to create a sustainable industry that would employ a large percentage of its people, while still preserving the environment. Today wildlife and tourism employs about 45% of all the people who live in northern Botswana.

Day 1: Okavango Delta
After arrival in Maun, you will be met by your guide or our representative and fly by light aircraft over the shimmering water world of the Okavango Delta. The Delta encompasses life at its most fertile: abundant water, sunlight and nutrients fuse to produce a wetland paradise teeming with life.

Your camp is situated in a permanently flooded region of the Okavango Delta. A true water camp, it represents the essence of the Delta, with year-round mokoro safaris as well as island bush walks and, water level permitting, motorboat cruises.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Vumbura Plains Camps

Day 2: Okavango Delta
The camp is set in one of the wetland areas most densely populated with sitatunga and red lechwe. Wildlife concentrations depend on the water flow and volume, thus changing from season to season, but all the large animals can be found in the area including elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo. Pel's Fishing-Owl is a favourite amongst birders as well as African and Lesser Jacana.

A typical Wilderness Safaris camp has Meru-style tents. Each tent is on a wooden deck overlooking the floodplains and has an en-suite bathroom with flush toilet and shower. The bathroom is enclosed but roofless, allowing for showers by starlight. The camp has a plunge pool for cooling off from the midday sun. The main dining area is on an elevated wooden deck between two magnificent sycamore fig trees and surrounded by dense wild date palms. Downstairs, there is a cosy pub and lounge with an area perfect for an open fire under the stars.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack
Lodging: Vumbura Plains Camps

Day 3: Okavango Delta
We depart this morning by light aircraft to Moremi.
Wilderess Safaris Camps in this area are situated in private concessions. In contrast with the areas further north, this area is an fascinating mosaic of mopane and acacia bushveld, riverine forest and the perennial Delta, playing host to diverse wildlife and birds.

Accommodation is in spacious Meru-style tents which are built on elevated wooden decks amongst the trees. Each tent has twin beds, en-suite facilities and an indoor as well as an outdoor shower. The thatched dining area, pub and lounge area are built on raised decks to provide superb views across the floodplain, and a pool allows guests to cool off in the heat of the day.
Points of Interest: Moremi Game Reserve
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack
Lodging: Chitabe Lediba

Day 4: Okavango Delta
Unlike the water-inundated areas of the Okavango Delta, the habitats here vary from open grasslands, secluded island sanctuaries and papyrus-fringed channels to low sandy islands and dry land on which animals and plants flourish. Ancient floodplains, long since dried up, form permanent savannah divided by swathes of dense mopane and acacia woodland. Raised, tree-covered islands of a variety of shapes and sizes are common, ranging from a single termite mound to large landmasses. Trees such as real fan palms, sycomore figs, jackal-berry and mangosteen characterise these island communities separated by open grassland and fragrant wild sage.

This habitat is more familiar to those who dream of the Africa of nature documentaries: open grassland plains dotted with acacia trees and thickets. It is on these plains that the larger mammals move in their numbers.

The sheer numbers and diversity of mammals found in this area all year round simply defy description, from herds of buffalo to the diminutive steenbok, a pretty dwarf antelope species. Elephant, impala, spotted hyaena, lion, leopard and cheetah are all found here and even small predators like serval and side-striped jackal are occasionally seen.
Birdlife is prolific, with waterfowl like African Jacana, Pygmy-Geese, massive Goliath Heron and migrant waders in summer being particularly common.
Points of Interest: Moremi Game Reserve
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack
Lodging: Chitabe Lediba

Day 5: Chobe National Park
After a light breakfast, we fly north-eastwards to the private Linyanti Concession; after a short game drive we arrive at our camp, which is elegantly set up under African ebony and knobthorn acacia trees overlooking panoramic vistas of the Linyanti Swamps.

The landscape of the Linyanti varies from floodplains to open dry land savannah and forest with sweeping views, creating a paradise for a high diversity of wildlife and bird species. Activities include game drives in the private northern sector of the concession, exploring a range of habitats from riverbanks to scrub and forest, with a myriad of wildlife en route to slake their thirst from the river. The seldom-seen sitatunga can also be spotted in the waterways, as well as rare plains game such as roan and sable antelope and of course their predators, the lion and leopard - with the endangered wild dog as an incredible bonus.

Wilderness Safaris Luxury Camps are small and are located in the private 125 000-hectare Linyanti Wildlife Reserve which borders the western boundary of Chobe National Park in northern Botswana. They are situated close to the source of the Savute Channel on one of the many lagoons within the Linyanti Swamp system, which makes game drives along the Savute one of the highlights of a stay here.

The tents are spacious, under thatch with canvas walls, en-suite bathroom facilities and an outside shower. Guests can enjoy the night sounds of Africa from the comfort of their rooms, and shower under the stars! There is a dining room, pub, lounge, swimming pool and a special guest bathroom with a fantastic view.
Points of Interest: Linyanti Wildlife Reserve
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack
Lodging: DumaTau Camp

Day 6: Chobe National Park
The region has all the habitat diversity to make it a haven for wildlife, and is well-known for its elephant concentrations as they congregate along the waterways and lagoons during the dry winter months. General wildlife viewing is excellent year round including impala, wildebeest, red lechwe, Burchell's zebra, giraffe, Cape buffalo, chacma baboon, vervet monkey, and warthog. Predator sightings of lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and spotted hyaena are good.

Wildlife viewing is the primary activity here, either on day and night game drives or while on foot and on the water (levels permitting). Short nature walks can be taken along the Linyanti River and Savute Channel, while the camp's boat takes visitors along the waters of the Linyanti, with hippo and waterfowl alike to entrance. There are also a number of platforms and hides from which to view and photograph animals and birds. One of the best hides is right at the source of the Savute and many species of game and birdlife can usually be seen from this hide.
Points of Interest: Linyanti Wildlife Reserve
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack
Lodging: DumaTau Camp

Day 7: Okavango Delta
Board a safari flight to Maun, and bid farewell to this adventure.
Meals: Breakfast

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Wings over Northern Botswana - 7 Days