Discover Botswana in Ultimate Luxury
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Wild and remote, blessed with abundant wildlife and unashamedly luxurious lodgings, Botswana is a safari destination par excellence. On this flagship journey, you’ll glide through the palm-fringed waterways of the beautiful Okavango Delta on a traditional dugout canoe, drive across rich floodplains on the lookout for predators and their prey, explore the elephant-rich Chobe National Park on land and by water, and marvel at the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls from several viewpoints. You’re invited into a Zambian village to see the life-changing work being done there by A&K Philanthropy, and cruise along the mighty Zambezi River at sunset.
Highlights
- Explore the myriad habitats of Botswana’s jewel in the crown, the Okavango Delta
- Spot elephants in their hundreds in Chobe National Park
- Get tips on capturing the best images of the “Big Five” during a private lecture with a professional photographer
- Glide through the Okavango Delta in a traditional mokoro (dugout canoe)
- Take a privately guided tour of thundering Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, from both the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides
- Coast along the Zambezi River on a relaxing sunset cruise See the inspirational work being done by A&K Philanthropy to support health, education and micro-businesses in Nakatindi Village
- Stay in intimate, boutique-style camps and lodges, available only to small groups or individual guests.
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive Johannesburg, South Africa
Arrive in Johannesburg and transfer to your hotel. Tonight, enjoy a gourmet welcome dinner prepared with locally sourced ingredients. A professional photographer joins you to offer tips for the days ahead.
Meals Included: Dinner
Accommodation: Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa
Day 2
Livingstone, Zambia | Sundowner River Cruise
Fly to Livingstone, Zambia, where you are met by your A&K Resident Tour Director. Continue to Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma, where you stay in a luxury tree house built into the riverside canopy. At twilight, cruise the Zambezi River, sipping cocktails and gazing out across a verdant vista and gliding past pods of hippos, on a memorable Scenic Sundowner.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma
Day 3
Livingstone | Design Your Day
This morning, enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities:
- Tour Victoria Falls from the Zambia Side, to see the Zambezi River cascade over a 2-kilometre-wide lip of basalt.
- Cycle or Walk Nakatindi Village to see a bike shop, school and clinic supported by A&K Philanthropy.
- Walk Close to Rhinos, pausing on a game drive in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park to draw near the giants on foot.
Return to camp for lunch and the rest of your afternoon at leisure. Tonight, enjoy a cocktail and a Chef’s Table tasting of traditional Zambian fare, followed by dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma
Day 4
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe | “The Smoke That Thunders”
This morning, drive to Zimbabwe to join your private guide on an awe-inspiring exploration of Victoria Falls, which plummet 108 metres to cast up the mist that inspired their original name, Mosi-oa-Tunya (“The Smoke That Thunders”). Afterward, visit an artist’s village, where you have the opportunity to meet local artisans and observe them at work. Enjoy lunch in the town of Victoria Falls before continuing to Chobe National Park in Botswana, to settle into your lodge for unparalleled panoramic views across the islands and floodplains of the Chobe River. This afternoon, set out on a river cruise or game drive that includes the opportunity to see elephants — a staggering 120,000 live in the park — along with impalas, buffalo and possibly lions. Return to the lodge to relax in the comforts of your luxury accommodations and enjoy a freshly prepared meal. Later, drift to sleep, serenaded by the sounds of Africa beneath a blanket of stars.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero
Day 5
Chobe National Park, Botswana | Chobe River Safari
Set out on a game drive at sunrise to catch the animals at the start of their day, when they are most active. You may even glimpse a leopard returning from the hunt. Visit the village of Kasane, to see how the Dipetsana Women’s Bike Shop, a project supported by A&K Philanthropy, benefits the local community. Later, embark on a Chobe River safari cruise aboard a double-decker boat and watch for crocodiles and hippos, as well as elephants that come down to drink and play in the water. The park’s beautiful wetlands also lure a wealth of birdlife to the region and you may glimpse any of the 460 species that either live here or migrate through, including raptors, vultures and waterfowl. When you return to the lodge this evening, revel in the comforts of your luxury accommodations, gather for dinner and share stories of your day.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero
Days 6–7
Okavango Delta | Wetlands Wildlife
Fly to a vast private concession in the Okavango Delta, the largest inland delta in the world. The afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure with a choice of activities, such as a seasonal mokoro (dugout canoe) ride on the delta or a night-time game-viewing drive, made possible on this private reserve. The next morning, continue with your choice of activities. Set off on a thrilling, guided game drive in a customized 4×4 vehicle or a bush walk in the company of an armed, expert guide, on the lookout for giraffes, hippos, lions and cheetahs.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Sanctuary Stanley’s Camp
Day 8
Okavango Delta | Predator Capital
Fly across the Okavango Delta to your next amazing safari camp. Widely acknowledged as the “Predator Capital of the World,” this area offers some of the most exciting game viewing in Africa and is one of the best places in Botswana to see the Big Five — lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and Cape buffalo — drawn here from surrounding regions by the lush delta. Predators include cheetahs, spotted hyenas and, at the very top of the food chain, large resident prides of lions. This afternoon, take advantage of game-viewing activities led by experienced guides or enjoy the vistas from your own private viewing deck.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Sanctuary Chief’s Camp
Day 9
Okavango Delta | Remarkable Game Drives
Depart on another spectacular early morning game drive. Beyond predators, the Okavango Delta draws large concentrations of elephants, buffalo, red lechwes, giraffes and impalas. Enjoy a seasonal mokoro ride for a rare safari opportunity across deceptively quiet marshlands alive with crocodiles, bathing hippos, birds and tiny red reed frogs. If you opt for an afternoon game drive, listen for roaring lions on the hunt or spy nocturnal animals as they start out for the night. After a full day of game viewing, return to your camp to relax and enjoy a farewell dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Sanctuary Chief’s Camp
Day 10
Depart Johannesburg, South Africa
Fly to Johannesburg for your flight home. Relax in the Premier Lounge, compliments of A&K, before your departure.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Journey Details
- Minimum age is 10 years.
- Each guest on this journey will receive an A&K Safari Duffel.
- First group event: welcome briefing at 6:30 p.m. on Day 1.
- Last group event: airport arrival at 3:40 p.m. on Day 10.
- Departures are guaranteed to operate with a minimum of 2 guests.
Departures & Rates
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Additional dates and rates may be available, please speak to one of our Travel Specialists for more information.
Single Supplement rates are available on request.
*Rates are subject to availability and seasonality and may change without notice. Rates are based on two adults sharing. For solo travellers or single person occupancy rates or further information on terms and conditions, please contact our Travel Specialists at time of booking.
Accommodation
Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma, Victoria Falls
Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma lodge is named after David Livingstone’s faithful friends, Sussi and Chuma who carried his body all way back to England from where he died in Zambia. The lodge consists of 12 beautiful tree houses and two spacious two bedroom private houses, both of which take full advantage of their stunning river-bank setting.
Each of the 12 suites have a private viewing deck and boasts en suite facilities with air-conditioning, overhead fans, mosquito nets and all the little luxuries you would expect from a lodge of this calibre. The two bedroom Chuma houses are perfect for private use, ideal for families or small groups they are privately staffed and each with a private swimming pool.
The main lodge building features a spectacular raised bar/lounge deck, open air dining area, curio shop, swimming pool and lawns sweeping down to the water’s edge. Resident wildlife, such as hippopotamus and elephant, are likely to wander through the grounds at any time. Guests may enjoy a wide variety of activities – early morning river cruises, afternoon game drives, a tour of the Victoria Falls or perhaps a visit to a local village are certain to enthral.
Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero
Luxury and elegance combine at Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero. Set on an escarpment overlooking the Chobe River and flood plain it is at the northern tip of one of Botswana’s most famous National Parks, home to perhaps Africa’s greatest concentration of elephant. Chobe Chilwero – meaning high view – is the perfect base to start or end your Botswana holiday. The lodge also benefits from being within easy reach of the world-famous Victoria Falls.
The spa is the first on the Botswana safari circuit. Features include an indoor spa bath, Vichy showers, hydrotherapy, plunge pool, relaxation area and private treatment rooms – one of which is elevated in the treetops. Cuisine is taken seriously here and a large variety of superior wines, specially selected by experts, are stored in the lodge’s own temperature-controlled wine cellar. Game drives with professional guides take place twice daily in open sided 4-wheel drive vehicles. Sunset cruises on the Chobe River are particularly spectacular. Birding safaris, fishing expeditions and exploring the endless tributaries of this mighty river are all highlights.
All 14 guest cottages have been individually designed to fit in with their topography and vegetation. Each is finished with mosaic floors, traditional fabrics and fitted with air-conditioning as well as ceiling fans. There is one honeymoon suite complete with private plunge pool and a private vehicle for all game viewing activities. Outside there is a shower, seating area and hammock set within a private secluded garden. The bathrooms are luxurious with a separate shower and beautiful Victorian style baths – the perfect place to relax after a busy day game viewing in the Chobe National Park. Children 5 years and under are not allowed on activities unless sole vehicle use is requested and is still subject to management discretion.
Sanctuary Stanley’s Camp, Okavango Delta
Set in an amphitheatre of ebony and sausage trees near the southern tip of Chief’s Island, Sanctuary Stanley’s Camp is situated on a 260,000 acre private concession, bordering the southern section of the famous Moremi Game Reserve. It is one of Botswana’s smaller and more intimate camps, with a maximum capacity of sixteen guests experiencing the best of Africa’s wildlife and the highest standards of service and accommodation.
The bush adjacent to Stanley’s Camp is rich with excitement: game walks, day and night-time game drives and silent, gliding mokoro excursions (subject to water levels). You can track a wide variety of big-game species: giraffe, buffalo, lion and leopard are often encountered. A particular highlight here is the resident herd of elephant: wild, but habituated over the last fifteen years to share their natural world with you. There is the chance to join these graceful giants on walking safaris through the bush, sharing in their daily activities of bathing, foraging, feeding and play.
Accommodation consists of eight classic-styled safari tents, each with en suite facilities and a private balcony where you can relax from the comfort of your hammock in the African sunshine. The main building is raised on decking and offers extensive views over the surrounding floodplains. Dinner is served overlooking the game-filled plains, seasonally glazed with their life-giving flood of water. The finest cuisine is complemented by a carefully selected choice of South African wines.
Sanctuary Chief’s Camp, Moremi Game Reserve
Sanctuary Chief’s Camp sits silent among the glassy waters of the seasonal flood waters. Sited in the exclusive Mombo concession of the Moremi Game Reserve, this camp has been seamlessly integrated into the environment of winding waterways, reedbeds, mopane woodlands and seasonal lagoons. The area’s game is outstanding: lion are frequently seen and the area is one of the few places in Botswana offering a ‘Big Five’ experience. Access to Sanctuary Chief’s Camp is by light aircraft, using the private landing strip just 15 minutes’ drive away. The swimming pool is perfect to escape from the heat of the day. Sanctuary Chief’s Camp also has a small library. Through the day expeditions with expert guides allow an up-close and personal bush experience, and when the floodwaters arrive from the north, mokoros come into their own, gliding silently along labyrinthine waterways (subject to water levels). More conventional, game-drives provide a succession of outstanding photographic opportunities, getting quietly close to unexpected sights of nature’s drama in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
The twelve luxury bush pavilions, all set on wooden platforms are spacious offering 141sq metres of living indoor and outdoor space. The features of the pavilions include a private dining area, Nespresso machine, outside seating area, plunge pool, air conditioning and fan and Wi-Fi. The luxury bathrooms feature a spacious outdoor shower, a large bath tub and floor to ceiling windows that look out to the wilderness of the Okavango Delta.
