BOTSWANA and Victoria Falls 2024-11: Wildlife Safari

After an early afternoon arrival in Livingstone [LVI], Zambia it’s a short drive to Toka Leya, a beautiful camp situated on the banks of the Zambezi River. 

We’ll enjoy a wonderful sunset river cruise on the Zambezi River, looking out for Half-collared Kingfisher, African Finfoot, African Skimmer, Rock Pratincole, Water Thick-knees, White-crowned Lapwing, and elephants swimming across the river!

One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Victoria Falls is known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, “the Smoke that Thunders” – a name that accurately depicts the plumes of spray, visible for some distance, caused by the cascading waters of the Zambezi River. This area showcases spectacular scenic beauty, from thundering falls to picturesque flowing waters lined by lush vegetation. Wildlife abounds while boating on the river or on game drives in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park upstream from the falls.

The Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park encompasses mopane and Zambian teak woodlands, and thick riverine forest of palm trees along the banks of the Zambezi River. The park is home to many birds including Black-collared Barbet, Southern Black Tit, Collared Palm Thrush, Arrow-marked Babbler, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Broad-billed Roller, Black Cuckoo-Shrike and Jacobin Cuckoo. Mammals include elephant, southern giraffe, greater kudu, common zebra, buffalo, sable antelope, and impala. This is the only location in Zambia to see rare white rhino; decades of poaching had eliminated 12,000 of them by 1993. Four white rhinos were introduced to the park in 2008, and now number about a dozen, which armed rangers monitor closely. We’ll take a guided walk through the open bush to look for these rare, beautiful creatures.

Day 4, 5 & 6 / Monday, Tuesday  & Wednesday Nov 4, 5 & 6: Transfer to Kasane, Botswana; Fly to Savuti Camp (3 nights), Linyati/Savuti

We transfer by road a short distance to Kasane, Botswana. After clearing customs and immigration we fly by light aircraft from Kasane Airport to Savuti Camp.

It is a short flight across northern Botswana to the vast open plains of the Linyanti region teeming with wildlife. The Linyanti and Kwando Rivers converge in a wondrous marshy area attracting concentrations of lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffalos, and wild dogs. Rare roan and sable antelopes join other animals emerging from the surrounding mopane woodlands to drink at the rivers and wetland areas.

We’ll spend 3 days in this expansive wildlife-rich area, enjoying ample opportunity to observe and photograph prolific animal interactions amid varied habitats.

The Savuti Marsh, located on the western edge of Chobe National Park, is fed by the enigmatic Savuti Channel, whose erratic waters sometimes dry-up due to shifting tectonic plates, and occasionally flow both directions! Savuti’s lush grasslands famously attract massive herds of buffalos and elephants, and the large prides of lions that have learned to hunt them. Dramatic scenes unfold when elephants come to drink, and lions ambush young and sick members of the herd.

Wildlife abounds with four of the big five (lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo – only rhinos are absent), many antelope species, zebras and giraffes with good populations of cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs. Nocturnal species possible are lesser bushbaby, spring hare, aardwolf, serval, large spotted genet and, if you are extremely lucky, the elusive pangolin!

Birding is outstanding here ranging from Okavango specials, such as Slaty Egret, Hartlaub’s Babbler, Allen’s Gallinule (seasonal) and Wattled Crane, to the drier mopane woodland species like Racket-tailed Roller, Bradfield’s Hornbill, White-breasted Cuckoo-shrike, Bennett’s Woodpecker, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Coqui Francolin and Arnot’s Chat. 

Open plains host Kori Bustard, Ostrich, Secretarybird, Southern Ground-hornbill, and Southern Carmine Bee-eaters. The Savuti Channel is an internationally-recognized Important Bird Area (IBA) particularly for birds of prey like Dickinson’s Kestrel, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl and African Scops-Owl.

Day 7, 8 & 9 / Thursday, Friday & Saturday Nov 7, 8 & 9: Fly to Chitabe Camp  (3 nights) Okavango Delta

The flight from the Linyati to the Okavango Delta reflects sharp contrast in scenery and habitats. We’ll spend the next five nights within the largest inland wetlands on earth. The lush wilderness of the Okavango encompasses more than 15,000 square kilometers of watery paradise interlaced with papyrus, impenetrable reed beds, grassy

floodplains, tree-covered islands and a complex network of winding water channels that are engineered and maintained by hippos and elephants. Some areas are permanently under water and others only when the rejuvenated annual floodwaters arrive from the central African highlands, thousands of kms away. This constant ebb and flow of water creates one of the most fascinating and diverse ecosystems on the planet, home to large numbers of mammals, birds, reptiles and other wildlife. The Okavango Delta is a world class, year-round wildlife destination, where sightings vary between seasons, water levels, weather, and camp locations. Unsurprisingly, the Okavango Delta is both a RAMSAR Site and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Whether on a game drive, or gliding down winding waterways on a mokoro (a traditional dugout canoe), we’ll enjoy unique perspective and photographic opportunity to observe birds, frogs, reptiles, and mammals of all sizes. Wildlife includes the “big five” (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino), many antelope species, zebras, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles and predators like cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs. Smaller mammals such as jackals, foxes, serval, and honey badger are present.

Birdwatching is spectacular in the Okavango Delta, with more than 460 species found here including many avian jewels such as Pel’s Fishing-owl, Slaty Egret, African Pygmy-Goose, Grey Crowned and Wattled Cranes, Western Banded Snake eagle, Coppery-tailed Coucal and colonies of colorful Carmine Bee-eaters. We’ll look for papyrus swamp specialists such as Greater Swamp Warbler, Chirping Cisticola, and Swamp Nightjar.

We’ll spend three nights inside the Chitabe concession, spanning 28,000 hectares in the south-eastern part of the Delta. The eastern half of the concession is characterized by grassy floodplains, which separate the Channel from acacia and mopane woodland. The western half is bordered by the Santantadibe River with a variety of typical Okavango habitats – seasonal palm-dotted floodplains, wooded islands, tranquil waterways and dry woodland – ensuring a year-round variety of wildlife and bird species. Diverse habitats host good concentrations of larger predators like lion, leopard

Birdwatching is equally excellent, including Wattled Crane, Black Coucal, African Barred Owlet, Bennet’s Woodpecker, Greater Painted Snipe, Southern Ground Hornbill, Lesser Jacana and Pink-backed Pelican.

Day 10 & 11 / Sunday & Monday Nov 10 & 11: Fly to Pelo Camp (2 nights), Okavango Delta

We’ll fly to Pelo Camp, in the private Jao Concession, to explore the north-western side of the Okavango Delta. The word Pelo means ‘heart’ – describing the shape of the island on which the camp is situated, and its location in the heart of the Delta. Located in a true wetlands area, this water camp was setup on an island, and is accessible only by boat. The eco-friendly complex contains no permanent structures, but provides an outstanding safari experience with simple, comfortable accommodations and wildlife concentrations that ebb and flow with seasonally-changing water levels, spotted hyaena, cheetah and wild dog, as well as herbivores like giraffe, buffalo, lechwe, tsessebe, impala and elephant. 

Activities focus on mokoro (traditional dug-out canoe) excursions, offering authentic, unobtrusive insights into this incredible wetland paradise. The boat allows us to glide up quietly to observe and photograph animals at close range.

Pelo Camp is one of the best areas to see red lechwe and secretive sitatunga antelope. Hippo and crocodile are regularly sighted; other game includes impala, elephant, buffalo, and spotted-necked otter. Predators like lion and leopard are constantly stalking their herbivore prey. 

Birdlife is exceptional with large concentrations of endangered Wattled Crane, along with Slaty Egrets, African and Lesser Jacanas, Rosy-throated Longclaws, African Skimmer, African Pygmy-goose, Western banded Snake-eagle and other Okavango specialties. Swamp Nightjar and Brown Firefinch are possible, with luck. Pel’s Fishing-owl is a major highlight of the location, and within the camp is our best chance to see one!

Day 12, 13 & 14 / Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday Nov 12, 13 & 14: Fly to Tau Pan (3 nights), Central Kalahari Game Reserve

We transfer by light aircraft from the Delta, via Maun, to Tau Pan, the final destination on our safari.

As one of the biggest conservation areas in Africa, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve features vast flat expanses of sand dunes and salt pans, interspersed with long-dry riverbeds, hiding ancient fossils. This seemingly-barren savannah is home to a fascinating spectrum of plants, animals, and cultures that have successfully adapted to living in such a harsh environment. Southern Africa’s aboriginal inhabitants, the remote San (bushmen) still live around the Kalahari.

Situated in the northern section of the CKGR, Tau Pan offers truly incredible views from the elevated ridge of an ancient sand dune, an unusual experience in a land as flat as Botswana, and overlooks the famous Tau Pan (depression) – recognised for its stark beauty and remoteness. The camp waterhole is the beating heart of this arid environment and is regularly visited by a plethora of avian and animal species. ‘Tau’ which means lion in Setswana, is so named for the pride of iconic black-maned Kalahari lions who frequent the camp. 

Healthy wildlife populations thrive year round, though sightings fluctuate with the seasons. When summer rains soak the earth, the arid desert blooms to life, attracting hundreds of grazing herbivores and their nearby predators. This area hosts nomadic populations of dry-land specialists like Cheetah, Gemsbok (Oryx), desert-adapted Springbok, as well as Blue Wildebeest, Steenbok, Southern Giraffe, and more elusive Brown Hyena and nomadic Wild Dog. Smaller species like Black-backed Jackal, African Wildcat, Honey Badger, Bat-eared Fox, Ground Squirrel, and myriad mongoose may be found. 

The Central Kalahari bird community, some 220 species, offers a high rate of endemism and not-to-be-missed specialties. Regionally threatened and arid-west endemic species such as Crimson-breasted Shrike, Violet-eared Waxbill, Double-banded Courser and Southern Pied Babbler. Also found in the area are Shaft-tailed Whydah, Barred Wren-Warbler, White-quilled Bustard (right), Secretarybird, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Kalahari Scrub-Robin, Kori Bustard, Lanner Falcon, Burchell’s Sandgrouse. We’ll look for Black-chested Prinia, Ant-eating Chat, Eastern Clapper Lark, Scaly and Red-headed Finch.

Day 15 / Friday Nov 15: Depart from Maun, Botswana

We fly late morning to Maun [MUB] for our afternoon international departure and return to the US.

Please note that this itinerary is a guideline, and while we hope to do everything on safari, activities are subject to change, due to circumstances beyond our control.