‘‘ SAFARI ZA MWITUNI – A JOURNEY IN THE WILDERNESS’’

A Private Safari Guided by Gary Strand

Botswana and Zambia

Okavango Delta, Kalahari Desert and ‘Mosi O Tunya’ (Victoria Falls)

1st October thru 12th October 2008

Wednesday 1st October

On arrival at Maun airport please proceed to Immigration & Customs for the entry formalities.

You will then be met by one of our representatives and assisted with your onward light aircraft flight to Duma Tau in the Linyanti region of northern Botswana (flying time approximately 40 minutes) where you stay for the next 3 nights.

Linyati Consisting of a total of 125,000 hectares the magical Linyanti Reserve is bordered to the north by the Linyanti River and to the east by the Chobe National Park. Two thirds of the Savuti Channel runs through the reserve. Boasting a variety of habitats including grassland, acacia and mopane forests, there are also numerous waterholes along the Savuti Channel which are excellent for game viewing. Large numbers of elephant enter the area during the winter months whilst Savuti is also well known for its lions which have been featured in several wildlife documentaries.

Duma Tau Camp is built under cool and shady mangosteen trees overlooking an enormous lagoon to the east of the source of the Savuti Channel. Accommodation is in nine luxurious raised tented rooms under thatch with en suite facilities, as well as an additional outdoor shower. The rooms are cooled by fans. Meals are taken in the open-air dining room whilst the camp also boasts a lounge, bar, plunge pool and fantastic guest ‘loo with a view’!

Duma Tau offers boating, day and night game drives along the Linyanti and Savuti, as well as short nature walks, all with expert guides. The pontoon allows guests access to the waterways in order to observe the hippos at close range. There are also a number of hides in the area to allow quiet and undisturbed game viewing and photography.

Elephant are the area’s biggest attraction along with red lechwe, zebra, wildebeest, impala, waterbuck, sable, roan, eland and buffalo. Lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog are all found here whilst you have the chance to spy lesser known animals such as spring hares, serval and genet cats on night game drives. Bird life is also fantastic in the Linyanti Reserve with Okavango ‘specials’ such as the Slaty egret and Wattled crane to be seen here.

You enjoy game activities from the camp this afternoon before returning for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: DumaTau Camp

Thursday 2nd & Friday 3rd October

You now have two full days to enjoy game activities from the camp.
Exploration of the Linyanti Reserve and the Savuti Channel

Overnight: DumaTau Camp

Saturday 4th October

Today you will be transferred to the airstrip for your light aircraft charter flight to Chitabe Camp in the southern Delta where we stay for the next 3 nights (flying time approximately 25 minutes).

Chitabe is an exclusive reserve bordering the 1881 square mile Moremi Wildlife Reserve and considered by many to be the most beautiful area in northern Botswana, with some of the Delta’s finest big game.

With the Gomoti Channel to the east of the reserve and the Santantadibe River to the west, the area offers a fantastic variety of habitat ranging from waterways and riverine eco-systems to marshland, acacia and mopane woodland and wide open grasslands.

Chitabe is the ideal place for those looking for a small and intimate camp. There are just eight luxurious twin-bedded tents, which are set on elevated wooden decks under a lush canopy of indigenous trees, and each one has an en suite bathroom with both an internal and also an external shower.

A raised walkway connects the tents to the main area which include a dining room, sitting area and bar, all under canvas and all set beneath the cool shade of ancient ebony, leadwood and sausage trees. There is also a plunge pool in which to cool off during the heat of the day.

Overnight: Chitabe Camp

Sunday 5th & Monday 6th October

Chitabe Camp You now have two full days with your guide to explore this beautiful part of the Okavango.

The game concentrations are generally extremely high here with some of the best game viewing in the Delta region. All the principal predators such as lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog are resident in the area. Other game includes zebra, elephant, buffalo, impala, red lechwe and reedbuck. It is also usually possible to observe some fantastic nightlife during night game drives such as the aardvark, pangolin and porcupine.

Overnight: Chitabe Camp

Tuesday 7th October

Today you will be transferred to the airstrip for your light aircraft flight to Little Vumbura Camp where you stay for the next 3 nights.

Cheetah and Giraffe Little Vumbura Campis situated just to the north of Chief’s Island in its own private reserve in the Okavango Delta. The camp offers both land and water activities as the area has scenic waterways and is also close to the Delta’s outermost savannah plains. The water levels around the camp change each year depending on the level of the floodwaters from central Africa. The privacy of the area is one of Vumbura’s main attractions, along with its great wildlife and superb all-round Okavango experience.

Little Vumbura is a small camp of five guest tents positioned in the shade of ancient Okavango trees and attractive palms give the island a wonderful tropical feel. Each is large and roomy with en suite facilities (including an outside shower). The dining room and bar are under canvas and have been built in and around existing trees. There is also a pool in which to cool down during the heat of the day

From the camp you enjoy mokoro excursions, walks, boating and game drives conducted in open 4X4 vehicles with experienced guides. Night drives are possible nearly all year and

the variety of wildlife is stunning: you can go out by boat in the morning and see hippos, crocodiles, red lechwe and other aquatic wildlife, whilst in the afternoon from the vehicle you can see the dry savannah game including sable, kudu, wildebeest, buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog.

Overnight: Little Vumbura

Wednesday 8th & Thursday 9th October

You now have two full days to enjoy game activities at Little Vumbura.

Overnight: Little Vumbura

Friday 10th October

In the late morning you will be transferred to Kasane Airport where you pass through the Botswana Immigration and Customs formalities and depart by light aircraft flight to Livingstone Airport in Zambia (flying time approximately 25 minutes) and you have a beautiful flight over the Victoria Falls en route.

On arrival at Livingstone Airport please proceed through Zambian Immigration and Customs for the entry formalities.

You will then be met by a representative from Wilderness Safaris and transferred to The River Club for the next 2 nights.

The River Club is beautifully located some 18 kilometres upstream from the Victoria Falls on the banks of the Zambezi River. Enjoying a peaceful spot away from the madding crowd, this lodge offers a traditionally colonial atmosphere generously furnished with period furniture in the formal dining room, library, lounge and large verandah.

There are just ten thatched chalets scattered along the riverbank, all with en suite bathroom facilities. With a high level of service and fine cuisine in the club-style atmosphere of the dining room (preceding a game of cards and a glass of port in the library), this lodge never fails to charm its guests.

Overnight: The River Club, Victoria Falls

Saturday 11th October

We now a full day to discover the majesty of the Victoria Falls, enjoy game drives and cultural activities, go walking, fishing or simply relax by the pool and enjoy the tranquillity of the River Lodge

OR: what about Bungee jumping from the bridge over the falls????

The Victoria Falls are the most spectacular cascades in the world, plunging over 100 metres into an enormous chasm and sending up great clouds of spray into the sky, and the surrounding lush rain forest through which a scenic path winds. A visit to the awe-inspiring falls where the mighty Zambezi River tumbles into the churning waters below is essential as this is truly one of the world’s great wonders.

There is also a wide range of optional activities we can enjoy here and these can either be pre-booked or we can arrange them with our representatives on arrival.

It is possible to go on a half or full day horseback safari, a ‘Flight of the Angels’ (a flight over the falls by light plane or helicopter), canoeing, kayaking and white water rafting on the Zambezi River.