Custom Okavango Safari for the Entire Family

Elephant crossing a river at Chobe National Park in Botswana

What to expect on this itinerary

A bespoke safari that is handcrafted for families seeking to discover the Okavango has more adventure packed into it than you could imagine.  Work together as a family to paddle a traditional canoe past hippos, learn how to track game from barefooted bushmen and explore a private wilderness that overflows with wildlife. As you stay in private camps and enjoy a specialist young explorers' program, this 8-day safari will showcase the wilderness with all of its excitement and surprises. From big cats to making fires, elephant herds to bush walks, this itinerary is a safe and exhilarating immersion into the Okavango wilderness.

Countries Visited

Botswana

Places Visited

Nxaragha Island, Moremi Game Reserve, Shinde Concession

Suggested Duration

8 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Nxaragha Island – Tranquility in the Heart of the Delta

The Okavango floodplains provide a soothing sight after your flight to Botswana. Water extends in all directions, rippling away towards pods of hippos and the odd nomadic elephant. Your safari begins from the camp's wooden verandah as glimpses of Africa's giants occupy the view in every direction. Some animals come closer as a zebra skips past as a large herd of lechwe takes a drink. One of the Okavango's great highlights is the opportunity to spot wild game directly from your camp when you least expect it. It may be a giraffe walking past at dinnertime, or hippos emerging from the water as a buffalo herd comes just beneath your verandah. Especially for children, the safari feels like a constant surprise, which keeps them engaged and interested.

Your international flight will land in Maun, where you will be met by a representative and transferred to a light aircraft. Throughout the safari, you will hop across the Okavango in small chartered planes which dramatically reduces your travel time. What may be 8 hours away by road and boat, is just a 20-minute flight between remote airstrips. Each aerial journey is part of the safari experience as the Okavango stretches out beneath the wingtips with elephant and giraffe spotted from the plane window. You will enjoy an excellent sense of scale, which serves to enhance the sense of intimacy when you touch down on Nxaragha Island.

What's Included:

Accommodation
Transfer
Dinner
Day 2

Nxaragha Island – Classic Okavango Water Safari

Day 3

Shinde Concession – Your Family's Private Piece of the Okavango

Day 4 - 5

Shinde Concession – Specialist Young Explorers Okavango Safari

Day 6

Moremi Game Reserve – Aerial Safari and Thrilling Game Drives

Day 7

Moremi Game Reserve – Relaxed Final Day of Big Game Safari

Day 8

Moremi Game Reserve – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Explore the Okavango together to discover the beauty of land and water on a flexible safari program
  • Children and parents spend three days on a young explorers' program to learn basic bush survival skills such as how to track and identify game while building a deep respect for both the animals and their environment
  • Begin your Botswana experience with two days of iconic Delta safari on an island and camp that is only accessible by water
  • Enjoy your own private piece of the Okavango with three nights at an exclusive camp in Shinde Concession, where your family are the only guests and you will explore the bush together
  • Savor the beauty and thrills of the Okavango from the air, using light aircraft to hop between the remote camps on the Delta
  • Complete your safari adventure in the Moremi Game Reserve, where game drives bring stunning proximity to the big cats
  • Every part of the safari is private and completely bespoke with guides who will design your itinerary dependent on your family's interests and mood, as well as the safari environment around you
  • Sublime camp accommodation provides an authentic safari under canvas feel, while also maintaining high levels of comfort and service deep in the bush

Starting Price

$12,800 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 607 reviews

Bernard L.
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Travel Review: Cape Town, Victoria Falls, 16 Days

Zicasso's trip designer arranged a flawless, extraordinary trip.

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Mona P.
South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe Vacation Review: Safari, Wildlife, Nature, 13-Day Trip

We’re still not over our trip! Everything was absolutely fantastic. Thank you for organizing such a great experience and making it so effortless for me. I already have family and friends asking who I went through, and I’m guessing some of them will be reaching out to you in the next year.

I do have one small piece of constructive feedback about our camp in the Olifants West Nature Reserve. The staff, lodge, and food were wonderful, but unfortunately, the safari guide fell short. We had just come from the camp in the Thornybush Game Reserve (where we left our hearts—the guide there was truly exceptional, with such a great personality), so the difference stood out even more. At the Olifants West Nature Reserve camp, we saw very few animals and the guide didn’t engage much—he barely spoke, and when he did, it wasn’t very professional or kind, especially toward my son. My son even said the trip might have worked better in reverse, since after Botswana it was hard to adjust to seeing only a few animals a day.

That said, I’m so grateful for how smoothly you planned everything, especially on such short notice. It really was a trip of a lifetime for us.

Thank you again!

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Carolyn T.
South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe Trip Review: Wildlife, Local Cuisine, 13-Day Trip

Wow, I ran out of superlatives–fantastic, awesome, amazing. Everything was well organized and the recommended accommodations were all top-notch. The guides were so expert in their field. Every activity was well worth the time. Every meal was delicious.

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Anil M.
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Tour Review: 10 Nights

Our first trip to southern Africa was amazing, exceeding all expectations. We saw everything we came to see, and more. The game rides were well structured and safe, the visuals were unbelievable, and taking a side trip to Victoria Falls was a great idea. The accommodations were quite luxurious, despite being considered mid-range. There was always someone there to greet us and guide us at every travel point.

Zicasso's tour operator tailored our itinerary to our wishes and was wonderful to work with. Things couldn’t have gone better.

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bonnie A.
South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe: Safari, 13 Nights

The service before, during, and after our trip was totally "white-glove," and there were extra perks that we were surprised with each day of our trip. Zicasso's travel company listened to our goals and met and exceeded every one. We recommend them in every way and will be using them in the future!

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Edward L.
Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe Tour Review: Wildlife, 28-Day Trip

Fantastic job! Zicasso's travel specialist set up 28 days with flights, drivers, etc, and not a thing went wrong. She understood my needs and tailored the trip expertly.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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