Botswana Mobile Tented Safari & Exclusive Lodge

Welcome to Maun, your springboard to the Delta. This charismatic town serves as your gateway to paradise, and you will be met by your pilot in a light aircraft to take you from the dusty roads and town bustle to the glorious peace of the Okavango Delta. As you fly over, take a peek out of the window at the burgeoning swamps and the little islands dotted about haphazardly; islands formed by the termite mounds that protrude from stands of palm trees. You may even spot a determinedly plodding line of elephants, leaving a trail of dust in their wake, or a browsing giraffe. From up here you may truly appreciate the scale of this geological phenomenon, and marvel at the pools that quench the dry thirst of the Kalahari. Here in this alluvial panhandle, the rains from Angola are trapped in a tectonic basin, which in turn draws in all creatures great and small to revel in this watery paradise where plants, birds and animals may flourish.

Before long you will be landing at your first stop, a beautiful lodge situated in a private concession in the heart of the Okavango Delta, at the head of the Xudum river system. Designed with a luxurious yet charmingly rustic African ethic in mind, the lodge is the ideal place to begin your sojourn in this stunning oasis. Step out of your spacious and airy room onto your private, raised deck and just breathe in the wonderfully fresh Okavango air.

Over the next two days, the staff will amaze and delight you with a taste of true Botswana hospitality. On your first afternoon you will meet your expert guide, who will take you on many a journey into the wilderness to find all manner of animal and birdlife. Learn how to track a pride of lion, or a leopard stalking its prey; observe the mighty elephant as he navigates the palms and acacias searching for the tastiest leaves and branches; chase after a pack of wild dogs as they begin their hunt at dusk.

There are game-drives conducted by vehicle and wonderfully peaceful, serene mokoro (canoe) trips through the channels of the Delta. Both experiences will leave you with hundreds of photos, and even more memories! Return to camp for a much-deserved glass of bubbly or a gin and tonic, and relax around the fire to contemplate your first forays into the wilderness before the beginning of your unforgettable camping experience tomorrow.

You will fly the short distance to your next destination at Xakanaxa. This will be your base for the next two nights, and you will camp at night in breath-taking locations, exploring the region by day in 4x4 vehicles. The Moremi Game Reserve is the ultimate wildlife destination, and there can be no greater way to experience the magic of the bush than to camp in the midst of its splendor. In comfortable tents, sleep beneath the African stars and be lulled to sleep by the hooting of the Scops owl, the whooping of a hyena, and the distant rasp of a leopard calling. Wake in the morning to the sounds of lions staking out their territory and roaring on the nearby plains. Over the next days and nights you will experience a wilderness adventure like no other, on a mobile safari through the diverse and spectacular area of Moremi.

The Moremi Game Reserve was founded in 1962 when the locals, BaTawanas, set aside a third of the Delta to shelter it from human interference. They named the area after one of their chiefs, Moremi. This spectacular region covers a large area of the Okavango’s main dry peninsula section and the wetlands that project into the Delta, named as the Mopane Tongue. Thanks to the reserve, the core-area of the Delta is protected so that a vast and diverse range of wildlife can flourish here. It is a makeshift of lagoons, plains, forests, and shallow swamped pans. The beauty of the game-viewing experience here is in the sheer abundance and relaxed nature of the wildlife. It is possible to view them from open 4x4 vehicles without disturbing or interfering in their natural behavior.

After a wake-up at dawn and a light breakfast, you will drive through the reserve towards a new location, in the Khwai Community Area. Your adventure will take you along the riverine area between Moremi and Khwai, as this is a key spot for wildlife, being one of only a few nearby drinking areas for game. You will stop at the Dombo Hippo Pools to stretch your legs and enjoy the surrounding landscape, its stunning contrasts between forest, river and floodplain offering ample opportunity for photography!

Here you will find a campsite to be your home for the next few nights as once again you settle each night under the stars and venture out on game drives by day. As you will be outside of the reserve, you will have the opportunity to venture into the bush on night game drives and on walking safaris, two options that must not be missed! Your guide will use a spotlight after sunset to seek out nocturnal creatures that are overlooked during daylight hours. Look for the spots of a genet or for the slinky tail of a civet. Predators are frequently inclined to be more active in the cool hours of darkness, so keep your eyes peeled for a stalking leopard or a pride of lion! Take a bush walk with your expert guide and have your eyes opened up to a whole new dimension of wonderful flora and fauna. On foot you can soak up every sight, sound, and smell in total peace and totally immerse yourself in the magic of the bush.

After a last wake-up call in your tent and a delicious breakfast, you will head on to a last little taste of luxury after your days of epic camping adventure. You will once again return to the Selinda Reserve in the Linyanti area by light aircraft and spend the next two evenings at the beautiful Selinda Camp. The camp overlooks the surrounding valleys and is nestled in amongst the trees on the banks of the eastern Selinda Spillway. This reserve takes you out of the Delta but is a new and unique paradise that is rich with wildlife. The camp itself is a charming blend of the luxurious and the laid back, with stunning views over the plains and savannahs.

Given its position upstream from the Savute Channel and spectacular Chobe, the Selinda Reserve brings you within the realm of those well-known and much sought-after areas of wildlife whilst keeping you within the warm embrace of total privacy and seclusion. After your camping adventures, this is the perfect place for you to unwind and savor every moment of your remaining time in Botswana.

There are of course game drives and bush walks if you can’t shake off that safari bug! From sly leopards to bounding wild dog, from majestic elephant to dazzling zebra, this area is teeming with animals waiting for your camera lens. There is a bird hide to relax in with only your binoculars and perhaps a drink or two, and the view from your own private deck is stunning enough to keep you to your room if you need that peace and quiet!

After breakfast you will take a game-drive to the airstrip, breathing in that Botswana air once more, and perhaps catching a glimpse of some of its famous four-legged inhabitants. As you fly back towards Maun, keep an eye out for the last glimpses of these great creatures, who will be awaiting your return. Once you have been bitten by the safari bug, there is no going back! In Maun you will connect on to your onward flight to Johannesburg, and then on to your connecting flight home.