BOTSWANA & VIC FALLS Detailed Itinerary;Adventure Travel:African safari, Kenya safari, Tanzania safari, wildlife safari, Peru tour, Chile tour, South Africa safari, Argentina tour, Brazil tour and Antarctica cruise

A peaceful, prosperous and democratic country, Botswana is also alluring for its pristine wilderness, world-class wildlife viewing and friendly villagers. The Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park are deservedly famous for their spectacular, abundant wildlife and for their lovely landscapes. However, owing to the country’s increasing popularity and its high cost structure, it has become difficult to find a truly first class Botswana safari at a reasonable price. Naturally, we feel that our 12 day Botswana Wildlife Safari (9 nights in country) offers tremendous value, given that the pricing includes both land cost and airfare and you may depart on whichever date you choose! We invite you to study our detailed itinerary below.

Your safari will first explore the Okavango Delta, the largest inland delta in the world, covering an area roughly the size of Switzerland. The thousands of intertwining channels and islands support a large population of mammals and birds although in this watery wonderland of forested swamps, reeds, and tall grasses, it is said that you only see 10% of what sees you! Within the Moremi Game Reserve you’ll encounter wildlife that is much less shy, including a myriad of colorful birds. You’ll then head to Chobe National Park, where you'll search for a variety of big game in the surrounding plains and woodlands. Highlights of your safari will include day and night-time game drives, bushwalks and mokoro (canoeing) excursions! (All soft adventures are elective and low intensity).

Finally, consider extending your trip with a visit to awe-inspiring Victoria Falls, where you may embark on an easy but thrilling elephant trek, cruise down the Zambezi River and gaze upon one the seven natural wonders of the world!

Note: If you prefer to go on a deluxe safari (5 star) rather than a first class (4 star) Botswana safari, then please refer to our Africa of Days Gone By safari.

Fly to Johannesburg, South Africa, arriving on day 2. You will be met and privately transferred to your hotel. Free time to rest or take an optional tour of Soweto, Pretoria or the excellent Apartheid Museum. Southern Sun Airport (4 stars)

Note : You may upgrade to the Intercontinental Airport Hotel or the Grace Hotel.

You will be transferred to the airport on day 3 for your Air Botswana flight to Maun via Gaborone. Upon arrival, you will be met by our representative and flown by light aircraft across the Okavango Delta to Camp Moremi, where you will spend two nights.

Camp Moremi is situated on the gorgeous Xakanaxa Lagoon on the eastern extremity of the Okavango Delta within the Moremi Game Reserve. This game reserve supports the most diverse habitat and animal populations in Botswana, highlighted by possible sightings of Wild Dog, Cheetah and Leopard. Other resident species include Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Hippo, Giraffe, Hyena, Zebra, Kudu, Lechwe, Sable and the Roan Antelope. You’ll track these animals in open Land Rover game drives conducted by experienced resident naturalists. Bird watching is excellent throughout the year, with powerboat visits to the heronries on Gadikwe and Xakanaxa lagoons a highlight in the summer months.

Accommodation in Camp Moremi is in 11 East African styled tents with private hot showers and waterborne toilets. Camp Moremi accommodates only 22 safari guests in beautifully furnished East African style safari tents with private facilities. The famous elevated Moremi Tree Lodge is the stunning focal point of Moremi Camp and houses the luxurious main lounge, a wildlife reference library, dining room and cocktail bar, shaded by giant ebony trees and overlooking the Okavango Delta's Xakanaxa Lagoon. Camp Moremi (B-2, L-1, D-2)

On day 5 you’ll be transferred by boat to Camp Okavango, located on a remote island close to the fast flowing rivers of the northeastern part of the Okavango Delta. The boat trip will take the place of a morning game drive as you will be traveling through wonderful parts of the Moremi Game Reserve with many opportunities to spot wildlife.

All of your game viewing activities will be led by an experienced resident naturalist. You’ll enjoy guided nature walks on the islands of the Delta so that you may track some of the larger species that inhabit this wilderness. You’ll also explore the Okavango by canoe and river craft on wildlife and bird watching expeditions. The area is renowned for its great natural beauty and diversity, a heaven for rare species such as the Sitatunga Antelope and a birdwatchers paradise.

Camp Okavango accommodates only 24 guests in intimate exclusivity in East African style safari tents individually sited on raised teak platforms with en-suite bathrooms and a private sundeck. Each tent is exquisitely furnished. Camp Okavango (B, L, D)

After your morning activity at Camp Okavango, you’ll be transferred by light aircraft to Savute Safari Lodge, where you will spend two nights. The lodge is located in the Savute region in southern Chobe National Park. This area was made famous in Dereck and Beverly Joubert’s films for National Geographic. The open grasslands and the Savute Channel are famous for lion and elephants – as well as large herds of tsessebe antelope and zebra.

The game viewing offered by Savute is an experience not to be missed. You’ll enjoy twice daily game drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles, accompanied by an experienced naturalist guide. You’ll likely see concentrations of Lion and Hyena, as well as Leopard, Cheetah, Black-Backed Jackal and the many lone Elephant bulls, usually seen frequenting their favorite watering holes!

The summer Zebra migrations, an awe-inspiring spectacle of up to 25,000 animals trooping through Savute in search of the rain-ripe grasslands to the south, is determined by the rains but usually occurs between November - December and again between February - April when the Zebras migrate back north to the Linyanti.

Savute Safari Lodge offers 12 twin-bedded chalets overlooking the Savute Channel and waterhole. The chalets are contemporary furnished twin-bedded luxury wood, thatch and glass safari suites; ideal for the hot and dry conditions. Large private viewing decks and en-suite facilities, with walk in showers combine to make Savute Safari Lodge an unforgettable experience. There is also a plunge pool for cooling down during the midday. Savute Safari Lodge (B, L, D)

After one final game drive at Savute on day 9, you’ll take a 45 minute light aircraft transfer to Kasane. You’ll be met and transferred to the deluxe Chobe Game Lodge, which overlooks the Chobe River and is the only lodge within the northern region of Chobe National Park.

You’ll enjoy game drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles. Following the pattern of the animals, these drives go out in the early morning and late afternoon. A bushwalk will take you out into the nearby Kasane Forests. The Chobe floodplain is renowned for its concentration of Buffalo and Elephant. You’ll also have the opportunity to take sunrise and sunset cruises on small boats. Slide presentations, stargazing and garden walks are also offered by your resident professional guides.

The lodge, set on the banks of the Chobe River, offers exquisite service, luxury, and comfort combined with an unbeatable wildlife experience. All 46 rooms at the lodge rooms are river facing and are air conditioned with overhead fans, complimentary mini bar and recently renovated en suite bathrooms, each with tea and coffee making facilities. All rooms have their very own private terrace. Chobe Game Lodge (B,L,D)

After the last game drive of the safari, you’ll be transferred by road to Livingstone via Kasane. Fly to Johannesburg and connect with your flight home. You will arrive in the U.S. on day 12. (B)

Important Note: We can arrange tours to either the Zambian or Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls (or to both sides). The political and economic situation is currently much more stable in Zambia than in Zimbabwe. However, the Zimbabwean side does offer some advantages: the views of the falls are more spectacular, the pricing is sometimes lower and there are some additional activities to choose from (Boma dinner/cultural show, lion encounter, better artisan market). The Zambian side offers impressive (but less spectacular) views of the falls, an interesting museum and more stable political environment. Both sides offer good hotels. Another option is to stay on the Zambian side and make a half day trip to the Zimbabwean side to see the falls (surcharge). Please consult the latest U.S. State Department Travel Advisory if you are considering traveling to the Zimbabwean side. Lastly, please note that the falls are not nearly as impressive between October and mid-December (low water season).

Day 11 Victoria Falls (Livingstone)
Fly to Johannesburg. Transfer to the Grace Hotel, situated in the exclusive residential neighborhood of Rosebank. Afternoon free to relax. The Grace or Intercontinental Airport Sun (B)

Note: We can also arrange a 3 hour optional tour of Soweto (Southwest Township).

Day 12 Livingstone/Victoria Falls
Morning flight to Livingstone, Zambia. Private transfer to hotel.

This afternoon on your private tour of the falls, you'll marvel at one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Indeed, as Eleanor Roosevelt observed about Iguazu, Victoria Falls also "make Niagara look like a dripping faucet". Surrounded by a thick jungle of spray-generated rainforest, these mile-wide falls drop between 300 and 350 feet into the Zambezi Gorge -- at a rate of 2.4 million gallons per second during the height of rainy season! Air, mist, and light conditions combine to provide breathtaking views of the falls, and the local people - the Leyas - once called the falls "Shungu Namutitima," or "The Smoke that Thunders". Royal Livingstone Hotel - 5 stars (B, D)

Note: If you stay on the Zimbabwean side, you may enjoy a Boma dinner/cultural show with traditional dancing. You may also enjoy a lion encounter, an interactive experience in which the offspring of rehabilitated lions are reintroduced into the wild.

This morning, you have a choice of three excursions. Your first option is to listen to an educational talk on African elephants and then embark on a thrilling, low-intensity elephant back safari through the bush, escorted by an armed guide on foot. You may well see buffalo, kudu, bushbuck, impala, elephants, waterbuck, as well as a wide variety of birds.

Your second option is to visit the traditional and photogenic village of Simonga (or Mukuni). Here you’ll see the elementary school and meet with students and teachers. You’ll also get to observe attractive thatched hut dwellings and (if desired) interact with the resident villagers. Then stroll through the local market if you are interested.

Your third option is to visit the Livingstone National Museum, a modest but highly informative museum that has thoughtful exhibits on archaeology, ethnography and tribal culture, natural history, David Livingstone memorabilia and post-independence politics.

This afternoon you’ll take a leisurely and scenic sundowner cruise on the Zambezi River. Royal Livinstone Hotel (B)

Note: Other options (surcharge would apply) include taking a helicopter or micro-light flight over the falls. Experienced whitewater rafting enthusiasts may consider rafting the Zambezi River, which offers perhaps the world's best one-day rafting trip. However, this trip is rigorous (class 4-5), not low-intensity.

Days 14-15 Homeward Bound
You will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Johannesburg, where you will connect with your evening flight home. (B)

Note: This Botswana Wildlife Safari is a first class (4 star) safari. If you prefer a deluxe 5 star safari, then please refer to our Africa of Days Gone By safari.

Land cost includes: accommodations for 9 nights in first class tented camps and a deluxe 5 star safari lodge, based on double occupancy; 24 meals as indicated; all game drives, canoeing, boating, bushwalks and other safari activities; all airport transfers; all land, air and boat transportation; all entrance/park fees.

Jan 1-March 31, 2008: $3,860 per person (check) or $3,980 per person (credit card)
April 1-June 30, 2008: $4,280 per person (check) or $4,415 per person (credit card)
July 1- November 30, 2008: $5,570 per person (check) or $5,745 per person (credit card)
Single supplement from: $840 - $1120

Land cost (double occupancy): $1,100 per person (check) or $1,150 per person (credit card)

Trip Grade: Easy. Emphasis is on "off the beaten track" experience. All adventures are elective and low-intensity. Activities include game drives, mokoro (canoeing) excursions, bushwalks and an optional elephant back trek in Victoria Falls. Accommodations are in upscale tented camps and a deluxe safari lodge. Because the trip travels into remote areas, some discomfort may result from the elements, cultural differences, rough roads and schedule changes.

Trip Cost Includes: international airfare from New York/Atlanta/Washington D.C. (Dulles); internal flights; all vehicle and boat transportation and transfers as stated in the itinerary; flights between camps; accommodations in first class tented camps and a deluxe safari lodge based on double occupancy; 25 meals; all game viewing activities including game drives and canoeing excursions; entrance/park fees; service and handling charges; instruction and leadership.

Land Cost Does Not Include: meals not included in itinerary; tips to guides; excess baggage charges; alcoholic beverages; laundry, passports, personal insurance, other personal items; airport departure taxes; hotel nights en route or return.

Climate: Botswana's rainy season is from December- March, with the heaviest rainfall in January and February. Winter (June-August) features nearly cloudless skies and temperatures ranging from 72F by day to 42F at night, but are usually in the 50's, with frost occasionally occurring midwinter. Summer (December-February) temperatures range from highs of 92F to lows of 64F.

Accommodations: Accommodations are based on double occupancy in first class tented camps and a deluxe lodge. Singles who sign up will incur a single supplement charge.

Reservations and Payments: A deposit of $500 with the completed reservation form will ensure you a place on this trip. Departures are guaranteed with a minimum of two travelers. Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure

Cancellations and Refunds: If you need to cancel your trip, please notify us in writing or by fax immediately. The cancellation penalty is calculated from the day we receive cancellation notice. (For those persons who do travel, there are no refunds for any unused meals, accommodations or other trip activities.) In certain cases, the cancellation policies of NEI's subcontractors will supercede NEI's policy. The cancellation penalty is calculated based on the schedule below.

Number of days prior to departure. Cancellation fee per person:
    61+days       $500 plus applicable airfare penalties
    45–60 days    30% of land/cruise price plus applicable airfare penalties
    30–44 days    60% of land/cruise price plus applicable airfare penalties
    0–29 days     100% of land/cruise price plus applicable airfare penalties

Insurance: Trip cancellation, accident and baggage insurance are recommended and will be offered to all participants. Trip cancellation insurance is strongly advised; this will protect you in the case of cancellation due to personal or family illness.

Responsibility: Nature Expeditions International is responsible for conducting this trip as outlined in the published itinerary. It reserves the right, however, to cancel the trip should it become affected by conditions beyond the company's control. In such an event, NEI will return all monies paid to it by the affected participants as full and final settlement.

NEI also reserves the right to substitute other lodging during the trip or to change the trip leader(s), itinerary, or travel arrangements if the staff believes it is in the best interest of all participants. In addition, NEI may decline to accept or retain any member or prospective member of an announced trip. Full refund for the unused portion of the trip will be paid to the affected participant in such an event.

Airline Clause: All arrangements for airline transportation are made by the respective airlines, which companies shall not have or incur any responsibility or liability to any person taking an trip except their liability as common carriers. Nor shall such carriers be or be held responsible for any act, omission, or event occurring after the passenger has disembarked from the conveyance. The usual passage contract in use by the carrier, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between said carrier and the passenger. All rates are based on tariffs currently or those tariffs to be placed in effect and are subject to adjustment in the event of changes therein. The air transportation services of any IATA/ARC member may be used.