Family Safari Holiday In Namibia, Botswana & Zambia

Arrive Maun and check-in to hotel. Maun is a dusty frontier town on the southern reaches of the Okavango Delta and the gateway to what is sometimes called, “the Pearl of Africa” and from where we start our adventures.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Swimming available

The mighty Okavango is the third largest river in Africa and its delta area covers 16,000 square kilometres of crystal clear channels, a myriad of ephemeral lakes and ever changing islands, surviving in the Kalahari Desert. The river flows south east from the Angolan highlands over 1,000 km away, taking up to 6 months to reach the delta area which floods on an annual cycle. We drive into the Delta to our camp at Xaxanaka in Moremi Game Reserve. Exceptional though the geography of the Delta may be, it is the amazing wildlife of the waterways that draws us and we plan to do a late game drive this afternoon before our first night’s camping experience.

Overnight Basic Camping (C) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Returning to the park, we’ll experience one of Africa’s most natural and unspoiled wonderlands. Hippo, crocodile, red lechwe and a great variety of birds have made their home in the Delta. As well as the elusive sitatunga that has elongated hooves allow it to walk on the marshy ground without sinking. Bird lovers may spot fish eagle, jacana, kingfisher, heron, stork, egret, weaver and bee-eater. It is an ornithologist’s paradise. Tucked into the north-eastern sector of the Okavango Delta, Moremi is thought to be the country’s most beautiful game land and is rated as one of Africa’s greatest wildlife sanctuaries. It covers an enormous wilderness area composed of permanent swamps, islands, forest and dry land. More bird life and larger mammals may be spotted on the flood plains, like elephant, giraffe and zebra, as well as predators like lion, leopard and wild dog. We will spend our time here with game drives to see the wildlife of the region

Overnight Basic Camping (C) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will continue our exploration of this area with early morning and late afternoon game drives, and relaxing around the camp area.

Overnight Basic Camping (C) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we travel to the Delta’s “Panhandle” via Maun. Taking advantage of an early start this morning we head south and north west to reach the edge of the Kalahari and our houseboat on the waters of the Okavango River. During our time on the river, on the houseboat’s launches, there may be a good possibility of seeing game and we may cruise past submerging pods of hippos, while crocodiles bask in the shallows and on the riverbanks. Birdlife in the area is also prolific and you may care to try your hand at fishing! Local fishermen are often seen aboard their traditional dugout canoes, known locally as mokoros. We include one boat trip to experience the splendours of the Delta and you have the option of taking a further boat trip. The golden light of late afternoon will also be enjoyed with a traditional ‘sundowner’. This is a home away from home where you are encouraged to enjoy the surrounds of this part of Africa.

Overnight Houseboat (U) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

From our base on the houseboat there’s the opportunity for an optional land excursion to the intriguing and profound Tsodilo Hills. The San Bushmen believe that this was the site of the first Creation and as a result it is considered a holy and sacred place. They painted an astonishing 3500 rock paintings here to celebrate this over 350 different sites. There are four rocks that jut out of the expanse of the surrounding land and the San Bushmen believe that the bigger rock, the “male”, has a “wife” and “child”, but that he left his “wife” for a younger “wife” who now lingers in the background. Those who leave do so with a profound sense of place and power of this place! Alternatively you may choose to stay on the houseboat or take an optional boat trip

Overnight Houseboat (U) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leaving our houseboat this morning we make our way into the Serondela area of Chobe National Park and base ourselves just outside the park in the riverside town of Kasane. Flooded grassland, thicket, saltpan and the banks of the Chobe River, one of the Zambezi’s main tributaries, are home to an abundance of wildlife in a variety of inhabitants.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch Swimming available

The northern Chobe area of Serondela is the heart of elephant country. Up to 35,000 elephants live within the park, the largest number in any African park. We’ll take the opportunity to spend many hours hopefully watching huge herds in and around the river. In the river are hippo and crocodile and the waters teem with bream, barbel and tiger fish (freshwater barracuda). During our stay in Kasane there will be time, for those interested, to enjoy a late afternoon boat safari on the Chobe River (optional). The area is also famed for its beautiful scenery and magnificent red and gold sunsets.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

We will continue with early morning and late afternoon game drives in Chobe NP.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

This morning we take a local boat across the Zambezi River to Kazungula, in Zambia and from here drive on to Livingstone. Often referred to as the ‘adventure capital’ of Zambia, Livingstone dates from just after the turn of the previous century and is a pleasant town with a variety of land, air and water-based activities on offer in the surrounding area. Close to our lodge is one of the natural wonders of the world, ‘The Smoke that Thunders’ or Victoria Falls!

Overnight Lodge (H+) Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

This morning we plan to view the falls from the Zambian side of the river. The Zambezi River plummets over a sheer cliff wall spanning more than 1676m and drops approximately 100m into the abyss below. Like David Livingstone before us, we become aware of the awesome cataract long before seeing it. Plumes of water vapour rise like smoke into the sky accompanied by a deafening roar. This inspired the natives to call the waterfall, Mosi-oa-Tunya or ‘The Smoke that Thunders’. This afternoon you could take an optional half-day game drive into Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park to search for white rhino. You may choose to take advantage of some of the many optional activities on offer such as whitewater rafting on the Zambezi, a scenic helicopter flight or perhaps an elephant-back safari. Your leader will be on hand to advise you and to assist with any bookings. Alternatively you may want to take advantage of the more sedate attractions that Livingstone offers, such as the National Museum or the Railway Museum (or to give it its full title, ‘The Zambezi Sawmills Locomotive Sheds National Monument’).

Overnight Lodge (H+) Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

Included meals: Breakfast