Moremi, Makgadikgadi, Okavango Delta & Chobe NP

At the place where the life-giving waters of the Okavango Delta meet the vast plains of the Kalahari Desert, Mother Nature has created a sanctuary of Mopane forests, open grasslands, seasonal floodplains and riverine habitats, resulting in one of the most magnificent and welcoming animal environments in all of Africa! Encompassing the eastern side of the Okavango Delta, the Moremi Game Reserve includes permanent water as well as drier areas, creating beautiful and unexpected contrasts.

amed after Chief Moremi of the BaTawana tribe. Prominent geographical features in the Moremi are Chiefs Island and the Moremi Tongue. Moremi Game Reserve is a rich and diverse wildlife sanctuary, situated in the Okavango Delta. The reserve is unfenced, and its boundaries are defined by natural water systems. The vegetation is varied, with dry land complemented by permanent and seasonal swamplands, resulting in an excellent diversity of both wildlife and birdlife.

The Moremi Game Reserve, although not one of the largest parks, presents insights and views even for the most experienced of travelers. Home to nearly 500 species of bird (from water birds to forest dwellers), and a vast array of other species of wildlife, including buffalo, giraffe, lion, leopard, cheetah, hyaena, jackal, impala, and red lechwe. African Wild dog, Lycaon pictus, is resident and has been the subject of a project run in the area since 1989; thus this species is often seen wearing collars emplaced by researchers. The sitatunga and lechwe live in the papyrus banks of the waterways with lions, cheetahs and packs of wild dogs hunting in the open grassland. The Moremi Game Reserve is home to over 400 of the Okavango’s species of birds, including the African Fish Eagle, Crested Crane and Sacred Ibis. This vast array of mammal, bird, insect, plant, fish and reptile species have adapted to the Okavango Delta’s swamp conditions.

The northeast tip of Moremi, Khwai is an area where evergreen trees line wide floodplains. It boasts excellent density and diversity of both predator and prey species with leopard sightings consistently good. From an ontological perspective, Saddle-billed storks, wattled cranes and many species of kingfishers and bee-eaters are common. In the heart of Moremi, at the tip of the Mopane Tongue, lies the renowned Xakanaxa Lagoon comprising mopane forests and a patchwork of deep waterways and shallow flooded areas, creating a beautiful area packed with game. Leopard and cheetah are regularly seen and the density of antelope is notable. The area’s birdlife is exceptional.

ACTIVITIES
Twice daily game drives, Water based boat safaris & more! 

Xakanaka camp is located on the banks of the Khwai River in the heart of the Moremi Game Reserve. Rated as one of Africa’s most beautiful game reserves, Moremi Game Reserve ensures that it is one of the only safari destinations which can provide guests with an authentic, year-round Okavango Delta land and water safari experience. The reserve offers sanctuary to abundant herds of elephants, buffalo, giraffe, lechwe, wildebeest, impala, waterbuck, sable and more. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs and hyenas complete the picture. Birding is also quite spectacular, especially during spring and summer when the migrants breed.

Accommodations are canvas, Meru-style classic luxury safari tents on raised decks. Canvas window covers can be closed as desired or left open to view the surroundings through a mesh screen at each window. Each tent boasts en-suite facilities. The camp operates on generator power, but at night all lighting is supplied by battery powered lamps, candles and paraffin lanterns, giving the camp an authentic African ambience.

The stylish main buildings extend over the Khwai River and are set on raised platforms to maximize the views over the surrounding lagoons and islands. Constructed of local timber, reed and thatch, the elegant lounge contains a small but comprehensive library, dining room, expansive sundeck, plunge pool and sala with day bed as well as a fire-deck set under giant Jackalberry trees.

ACTIVITIES
Guests are offered two activities of their choice per day, or an all-day outing can be arranged. These activities include: morning and afternoon game drives; and water game viewing in powerboats.

Chartered flight into the heart of the Okavango Delta *- Moremi Game Reserve! Please be on the lookout for your driver with your name sign. Baggage assistance followed by a road transfer to camp. *Please see your safari itinerary for transfer logistics

Safari days in Makgadikgadi Pans! While the otherworldly salt pans are the main attraction at Makgadikgadi, the park is in fact characterized by four distinct vegetation zones. The Boteti River on its western boundary gives rise to a riverine sector that is heavily utilized by elephants. These large pachyderms have transformed the wooded landscape by uprooting trees and clearing the area.

The Makgadikgadi Pans National Park includes only a small portion of Ntwetwe Pan, with most of the salt pans themselves remaining outside of the national park. The Park includes diverse habitats such as riverine woodland along the Boteti River, dense scrubland, open grassland and palm trees as well as salt pans to the far east.

The Makgadikgadi Salt Pans are all that remains of a great lake which once covered most of northern Botswana, The result is that the salt pans provide an unforgettable landscape experience of incredible sunsets and sunrises and a bewildering lack of perspective rather than a game experience. Africa’s famous explorer Dr David Livingstone crossed these pans in the 19th century, using two massive baobabs, believed to be 3,000 to 4,000 years old as a navigation tool.

Each season in the Makgadikgadi area has its particular beauty. After the start of the rainy season the desert area teems with wildlife as herds of zebra and wildebeest graze on the wide-open green grassland plains. During the wet season there is an influx of migratory bird species, while resident desert species welcome their visitors by showing off their breeding plumage. Birds and vegetation blossom and the unique migration can be observed.

At the onset of the dry season as the pans dry out again, there is a mini migration as all the animals start looking for water again. This migration moves up along the Boteti River, searching for water holes providing the only water for thousands of square miles. The migration can bring up to 30,000 zebra and wildebeest into the area and with it an increase in levels of predator activity.

ACTIVITIES:
In both seasons night drives are a fascinating opportunity to see shy nocturnal desert species, while during the day, one can visit historical sites such as Chapmans and Greens Baobab.

Safari days ahead!

• Exploring Makgadikgadi’s mesmerizing salt pans - stunning grassy landscapes peppered with picturesque islands of palm trees
• Home to Africa’s second-largest zebra migration
• Outstanding elephant viewing along the Boteti River

Welcome to the vast Makgadikgadi Pans! These pans are an awe-inspiring sight; a vast sea of white that was once the centre of a huge lake that evaporated more than 2,000 years ago.The remnants of an ancient lake, the pans are interspersed with sandy desert and occasional vegetation, and  home to one of Africa’s largest zebra populations.The largest salt pans in the world, spanning over 4 mil sq acres.

The zebra and wildebeest herds continued to use the rich grass plains and migrating to the river at the end of winter to access the water in the seeps. The Makgadikgadi National Park is a harsh dry environment, suited to Gemsbok and Kudu, but the river provided a life-giving source of water for the zebra and wildebeest utilizing the eastern grass plains.

The Lodge is situated on the western bank of the Boteti River, north west of Khumaga village, about 90 miles south east of Maun. The river's eastern bank forms the boundary of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. The lodge cliffs over 30 feet high above this changing riverbed environment.Offering 12 luxury thatched and glass fronted suites with en-suite bathrooms, each one a raised wooden platform. The main reception and lounge area is located on top of these cliffs; this raised vantage point ensures unsurpassed views of the river and the Makgadikgadi to the east. The main lounge area with its inviting wooden and thatch finishes, offers guests the opportunity to sit back and relax at the bar while listening to the wide variety of night sounds so characteristic of the African bush. Alternatively, you can lounge around the pool or enjoy the river view vistas from the game viewing hide built into the bank of the river.

ACTIVITIES
The lodge offers both scheduled guided game drives. Depending on water levels of the Boteti River, boat activities are also on offer. Optional cultural excursions can also be arranged to visit Khumaga Village. Guided nature walks in the area surrounding the lodge can also be arranged.

Arrive on your scheduled chartered flight into the Makgadikgadi Pans.* Airstrip meet & greet with raoa transfer to camp. Arrive for lunch, enjoy an afternoon siesta and get ready for the afternoon game viewing! *Please see your safari itinerary for transfer logistics

Botswana’s magnificent Okavango Delta is where the wild things are: an immense, water logged oasis alive with elephants and birdlife, adrift in the middle of Kalahari sands. The real magic of the Delta lies in its water, trickling through from far away highlands, and spreading across the channels and floodplains.

A maze of lagoons, lakes and hidden channels covering an area of over 16,000 sq km in flood and shrinking to less than 9,000 sq km in the dry season. It is a lush water-wilderness of papyrus swamps, shallow reed-beds and floodplains, dotted with islands and laced with a network of channels.

Trapped in the parched Kalahari sands the fresh water oasis attracts wildlife that depends on the permanent waters of this unique wilderness. The fragile ecosystem remain one of the world’s unspoilt and beautiful wildernesses where a vast diversity of animals and birds can be seen.

When the rains arrive, they transform the floodplains into a Noah’s Ark of African wildlife. As the water brings life to the delta, its local residents shape and recreate it. Termites slowly build mounds into islands, germinated with palm trees by passing elephants. Waterways open and close on the whim of wide-bottomed hippos, carving out channels where they crash through reeds, and leaving room behind them for exploration by mokoro.Over 400 species of birds, nearly 200 species of mammals, and over 150 species of reptiles!

For those looking to get a little closer to nature, guided bush walks are conducted on a number of the nearby islands, offering an opportunity to track some of the larger land-based species that inhabit this water wilderness. Bird- watching opportunities are outstanding, and fishing for bream and tiger fish is also offered as an activity. This activity is based on the water levels at the time.

ACTIVITIES
Water-based activities are led by experienced professional guides who expertly navigate guests through the many meandering, reed-lined waterways. Alternatively, enjoy the endless channels from the comfort of a modern motorboat or glide silently through the giant reeds and waterways in a traditional mokoro. There are also guided walks on offer which are a great way to enjoy the wildlife up close and to stretch the legs!

This famous western corner of Chobe is one of Botswana's best-known wildlife areas. Savuti covers almost 5,000 km2 and includes the Savuti Marsh, Savute Channel, the Mababe Depression, and Magwikhwe Sand Ridge - each a result of the region's tectonic instability. The Savuti Marsh is the relic of a large inland lake, now fed by the erratic Savuti Channel.

The wild and enigmatic Savute region offers a different experience to the Chobe Riverside. Savute is synonymous with lions and hyenas. It also hosts a diverse range of predators and plains game species. Savute's pans, waterholes, and channel support a large population of bull elephants. Game-viewing conditions are better in the dry season. After the rains, the area transforms into lush grassland with thousands of zebras, wildebeest, and buffalo. The zebra-wildebeest migration is one of nature's great spectacles, attracting cheetah and providing a bounty for predators. The rocky areas around Savuti provide an excellent habitat for leopard and klipspringer antelope.

Welcome to Savute Channel & Savute Marsh, located inside the Chobe Natonal Park! Situated on the banks of Botswana's fabled “Stolen River” the Savute Channel. This arid region of the Chobe is known for the enigmatic Savute Channel, large numbers of lions, open plains, the annual Zebra migration (usually around March) and baobab trees.

Savute is justly famous for its high concentrations of predators, and if you visit in summer (about November to March), you may be lucky enough to witness the Linyanti/Chobe zebra migration as well as enjoying amazing bird watching. The Chobe National Park stretches from the tip of northern Botswana to the fringes of the Okavango Delta. It has a wide range of distinctive landscapes, from the emerald floodplains of the Chobe River to the sweeping grasslands of the Savuti Marsh and skeletal leadwood trees in the Savuti Channel.At times flowing and other times dry, the channel forms part of a rich ecosystem renowned for its large concentrations of elephant, spotted hyena and lion - the latter two often being in brutal conflict over kills and territory - and the region is one of Botswana's premier game-viewing destinations.

The Lodge is situated on the banks of Botswana’s fabled “Stolen River”- the Savute Channel.
The main building is made of thatch and timber and has a lounge, library, and cocktail bar. It is nearby is the viewing deck, which is ideal for watching game at the waterhole below. The real drama, however, lies away from camp when you head out on early morning and late afternoon game drives in search of big game.

Savute Safari Lodge accommodates 24 guests in local timber and glass suites with cool thatching, beautifully furnished in fresh colors. All chalets have private decks, a combined bedroom / lounge area and en-suite facilities, which sets the lodge apart from typical safari accommodation. A viewing deck, al fresco dining area and swimming pool - ideal for watching game at the water hole. After dinner, enjoy a night-cap by the fire-side whilst viewing the bull elephants congregate at the waterhole.

ACTIVITIES:
Land based 4x4 game viewing!

Transfer to Savute by road or air*.  Airstrip meet & greet followed by road transfer to camp.  Arrive for lunch, enjoy an afternoon siesta and get ready for the afternoon game viewing! *Please see your safari itinerary for details.