Botswana In Style

Itinerary

• Botswana

  Formerly known as Bechaunaland, a British protectorate, Botswana gained independence in September 1966. Botswana is most famous for its two sublime game parks, the Okavango Delta and Chobe reserve. The Okavango is the world's largest inland delta and has no outlet to the sea - baffling early explorers. It turns out that the massive volume of waters simply disappear into the Kalahari Desert, which covers 70% of Botswana's land surface. This unexpectedly lush swamp in the midst of scorching desert is a magnet for wild game and birds. Nearby Chobe reserve is famous for its elephants, the world's largest.

  Maun is the tourism hub of the country, with the capitol of Gaborone located on the southern border. Botswana is a rare country in Africa, with no civil unrest, balanced budgets, working democracy, and one of the world's fastest growing economies. It is also the world's largest producer of diamonds and is twice the size of the United Kingdom - yet only has a population of 1.9 million people. Since independence it has had one of the fastest growth rates in per capita income in the world. Botswana's people, truly unique landscapes and game are hugely impressive, it is well worth a visit.

• Chobe

  Chobe National Park, in northwest Botswana, has one of the largest game concentrations in Africa continent. By size, this is the third largest park of the country, after the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Gemsbok National Park, and is the most diverse. As one of the largest reserves in Southern Africa, the game at Chobe is varied and plentiful. Most travellers experience the Chobe waterfront in the north west, and the main attraction is the vast herd s of elephant which frequent the river. This is the largest elephant population in the world, with numbers of 45 000 in the immediate Chobe vicinity. This north west corner is also renowned for excellent hippo and Nile crocodile sightings, and large herds of buffalo, zebra and wildebeest migrating towards Savute are often trailed by prides of lion. Over 450 species of bird have been recorded in the reserve. The Chobe River is the meeting point of the three countries: Botswana, Namibia and Zambia and boasts dramatic skies over the expansive river, with palms dotting the islands that make up the three different countries.

• Makgadikgadi

  The Makgadikgadi Pan is a large salt pan in Northern Botswana, the largest salt flat complex in the world. These salt pans cover 16,000 km2 (6,177.6 sq mi) and form the bed of the ancient Lake Makgadikgadi that started evaporating 10,000 years ago. The area is home to one of Africa's biggest zebra populations

• Maun

  Maun is the fifth largest town in Botswana. It is an eclectic mix of modern buildings and native huts. Maun is the "tourism capital" of Botswana and the administrative centre of Ngamiland district. It is also the headquarters of numerous safari and air-charter operations who run trips into the world-famous Okavango Delta. Although officially still a village, Maun has developed rapidly from a rural frontier town and has spread along the Thamalakane River. It now has shopping centres, hotels and lodges as well as car hire, although it retains a rural atmosphere and local tribesmen continue to bring their cattle to Maun to sell.

• Okavango

  The Okavango is a labyrinth of lagoons, lakes and hidden channels covering an area of over 17,000 square km and the largest inland delta in the world. Trapped in the parched Kalahari sands it is a magnet for the wildlife who depend on the permanent waters of this unique feature. Sometimes called a 'swamp', the Okavango is anything but. Moving, mysterious, placid, gentle and beautiful, from a wide and winding channel it spreads through tiny, almost unnoticeable channels that creep away behind a wall of papyrus reed, into an ever expanding network of increasingly smaller passages.

• Savuti

  The Savuti Marsh area, 10 878 km² large, constitutes the western stretch of the park (50 km north of Mababe Gate). The Savuti Marsh is the relic of a large inland lake whose water supply was cut a long time ago by tectonic movements. Nowadays the marsh is fed by the erratic Savuti Channel, which dries up when rainfall is abundant and floods up at other times. The channel can also stop flowing during long periods then curiously flows again, a consequence of tectonic activity in the area. As a result of this variable flow, there are hundred of dead trees along the channel's bank. The region is also covered with extensive savannahs and rolling grasslands, which makes wildlife particularly dynamic in this section of the park. At dry seasons, tourists going on safari often view warthogs, kudus, impalas, zebras, wildebeests and above all elephants bullying each other. At rain seasons, the rich birdlife of the park (450 species in the whole park) is well represented. Packs of lions, hyenas, zebras or more rarely cheetahs are visible as well. This region is indeed reputed for its annual migration of zebras and predators.

• South Africa

  South Africa is located at the southern tip of Africa, and features one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Cape Town. A sublime location, great beaches, nearby vineyards, great food, and cheap diamonds - there is a lot of love about the city. The Garden Route is a short drive away, passing through the quaint towns of Mossel Bay, George, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Plettenberg Bay and Nature's Valley. It is best experienced with an overnight in Knysna.  Kruger National Park is another top draw, and boasts some of the finest lodges on the continent.

• Johannesburg

  Johannesburg or Jo'burg, as the locals call the city of the gold, is the biggest metropolis in South Africa. With its 3.2 million citizens the city on the Witwatersrand is the predominant commercial centre and the economic motor of the Republic of South Africa. It is the international flight gateway for most of southern Africa.

• • Johannesburg
  • Peermont Metcourt

  Day 1: Johannesburg

  Upon arrival into South Africa you will be met inside the airport and escorted through Customs and Immigration avoiding any queues.

  Upon arrival you will receive all of your necessary documents for your trip which contains a detailed personalized itinerary, maps, restaurant suggestions, Top Tips for exploring each city or region and a 24 hour concierge service (for restaurant reservations, spa treatments, child minders, day tours etc).

  Airport transfer to/from your hotel with private vehicle

  Accommodation: Peermont Metcourt

  Contemporary convenience at its best...the new 3-star Peermont Metcourt Hotel at Emperors Palace offers stylish and comfortable rooms as well as a "group-friendly" experience for corporate, convention and leisure guests.

• • Chobe
  • Muchenje Lodge

  Day 2: Johannesburg - Livingstone - Chobe

  Airport transfer to/from your hotel with private vehicle

  Take your flight from Johannesburg to Livingstone today. The flight duration is approximately 2 hrs.

  Transfer between Livingstone and Chobe lodges. 

  Game viewing in the Chobe National Park with your skilled guide. You'll have a great chance to view the abundant elephant and other big game species up close.

  Accommodation: Muchenje Safari Lodge

  Last Eden of Chobe, Muchenje is a magnificent lodge in a stunning location. Muchenje sits on an escarpment with wonderful views of the Chobe River, and Namibia’s Caprivi Strip and seasonal flood plains. Enjoy game veiwing and exceptional views from the convenience of their private veranda, the pool deck or one of the viewing decks. Owner run, your genial hosts offer a truly relaxed, homely atmosphere, where nothing is too much trouble. Just 20 guests are accommodated in intimate exclusivity. Each thatched, stone built cottage has private, panoramic views. The main Lodge area is extensive, and has been built to allow for excellent vistas, comfort and charm. Guests can relax in and its many quiet areas; from the viewing platforms and decks, the dining area and bar. Retail therapy is also at hand at the curio shop.Close by is the swimming pool, complete with deck and more excellent views where you can relax in the afternoon, and soak up the sun. The perfect base for your Chobe safari.

• • 

  Day 3: Chobe

  A game cruise on the Chobe River is one of the finest game viewing experiences in Africa. With over 80 000 elephant in the park alone they are a very frequent sighting. Hippo, water birds, buffalo, crocodile and puku are also viewed from the river.

  Game viewing in the Chobe National Park with your skilled guide. You'll have a great chance to view the abundant elephant and other big game species up close.

  Accommodation: Muchenje Safari Lodge
• • Savute Marsh
  • Savute Game Drive
  • Savute Safari Lodge

  Day 4: Chobe - Savuti

  A game cruise on the Chobe River is one of the finest game viewing experiences in Africa. With over 80 000 elephant in the park alone they are a very frequent sighting. Hippo, water birds, buffalo, crocodile and puku are also viewed from the river.

  Take your flight from Kasane to Savute today. The flight duration is approximately 45 mins.

  Game drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles are conducted in the Savute area, including the Savute Marsh, and a visit to the ancient San rock paintings at Gubatsa Hills. You will most likely see nearly all the major species in the area, such as giraffe, elephant, zebra, impala, tsessebe, roan, sable, wildebeest, kudu, buffalo, waterbuck, warthog, eland, as well as predators including lion, hyena, jackal, cheetah and possibly wild dog.

  Accommodation: Savute Safari Lodge

  Situated on the banks of Botswana’s fabled Stolen River, Savute Safari Lodge is a traditional thatched safari lodge in a setting of singular beauty. But just as awe-inspiring is the decades old story of how the river was stolen… and in an unexpected twist, how it was given back. To ensure a private and relaxing environment, Savute Safari Lodge accommodates just 24 guests in 12 local timber and thatched chalets. The chalets have been elegantly furnished in calm neutral tones to compliment the natural environment and feature expansive private decks, a combined bedroom and lounge area plus en-suite facilities. The signature expansive glass sliding doors and viewing decks at Savute Safari Lodge were inspired by the striking panorama, and have been further complemented by the Savute Channel which now flows just 50 metres from the lodge. The Lodge provides a rare chance to see Savuti as few people other have. After another extended hiatus, the channel began flowing again and by January 2010 had spilled into the Savute Marsh for the first time in three decades. No-one knows how long the water will remain…

• Day 5: Savuti

  You'll meet up with others from the lodge for your Game Drive.

  You'll meet up with others from the lodge for your Game Drive.

  Accommodation: Savute Safari Lodge
• • Okavango
  • Stanley's Camp

  Day 6: Savuti - Okavango

  This flight departs from Savuti and travels to Okavango, Botswana.

  The Okavango Delta features some of the best game viewing in all of Africa. Drives are typically done at around 4pm when the animals are active. Usually lasting for a few hours. (shared with other guests at the lodge).

  Accommodation: Stanley`s Camp

  Stanley's Camp is situated at the edge of Botswana's Moremi Game Reserve, a secluded space in the wild. The camp offers 8 safari tents that are well-appointed and beautifully furnished for comfort. Rich bedding and high quality fabrics add to the allure of these accommodations. Private balconies and hammocks allow for privacy. Dine on meats and vegetable dishes prepared with local ingredients and influences. Mingle with other guests, and a hospitable staff. Be sure to take in the views from the camp's raised deck, or have a dip in the swimming pool.

• • Walking Safari
  • Mokoro Safari

  Day 7: Okavango

  Today you'll have plenty of options, a walking safari is just one of them. Professional guides accompany you as they teach you about the bush from a different perspective, up close and personal with the environment. A walking safari is the perfect way to awaken your senses where you can touch, feel and smell the African bush while listening to the various interesting stories the guides have to tell. Walks allow you to read the news of the night in the smooth sand of the road. Lion, leopard, elephants, genets and even millipedes are all part of the signs, each with their story to tell. A walking safari is about seeing the small five and the various flora in the area.

  The Okavango Delta is of course flooded for much of the year and when it is, you can experience serene silence at the gentle pace of a poled mokoro excursion along the narrow Delta channels. Just sit back and relax as they glide through lily ponds on local dugout canoes while they get eye to eye with a buffalo as it laps water from the river, watch crocodiles sunbathe on the banks or cruise past a pod of hippos as they lie in a pool. Fish eagles, frogs and fabulous lilies form much of this experience, but more frequently it is the quietness and gentle pace that makes its impression on you after a mokoro morning.

  Accommodation: Stanley`s Camp
• • Makgadikgadi's Zebra
  • Camp Kalahari Exterior

  Day 8: Okavango - Maun - Makgadikgadi

  This short flight travels from the Okavango airstrip to Maun.

  This flight departs from Maun and travels to Makgadikgadi, Botswana.

  This afternoon you will meet up with others from the lodge for your game drive.

  Accommodation: Camp Kalahari

  Camp Kalahari a return to the traditional safari style of the old explorers, and is the best way to experience the Makgadikgadi in a fresh and affordable way. It is the ideal camp for those who want fun, comfort, style and adventure. Camp Kalahari accepts children of all ages and makes for a fantastic family safari destination. Head off after tea in the beautiful afternoon light, stop to watch the sun set and listen to an explanation of how the Makgadikgadi pans, the remnants of the world’s largest ever superlake, were formed.

• Day 9: Makgadikgadi

  Early morning you will meet up with others from the lodge for your game drive.

  This afternoon you will meet up with others from the lodge for your game drive.

  Accommodation: Camp Kalahari
• • Maun

  Day 10: Makgadikgadi - Maun

  Early morning you will meet up with others from the lodge for your game drive.

  This flight departs from Makgadikgadi and travels to Maun, Botswana.

  Enjoy a direct flight today between Maun and Johannesburg. Flight time is approximately 1 hour and 40 min. Flight scheduled to depart Maun at 2:50 pm and arrive into Johannesburg at 4:30 pm. Please Note: Flight times may vary

  Accommodation: Depart

  Depart from Maun airport - End of itinerary.

Accommodation

• Culinary Moments

  Imagine settling in after a thrilling evening game-drive, to enjoy a delicious alfresco banquet of Pan-African cuisine in the boma illuminated by dozens of candles and lanterns.

• Natural Wonders

  In a country, which is approximately 80% arid, the Okavango Delta is a permanent life giving water source. It is a rather bizarre phenomenon in which a major mountain fed river reaches the vast tracts of the Kalahari and disperses into the floodplain in a maze of delta channels which are eventually consumed by the desert. Within the desert, the channels of the delta attract an abundance of animal and bird life.

• Wildlife Encounters

  Did you know? Elephants live in a highly organized social structure referred to as a matriarchal herd. The herd is typically composed of up to ten females and their young. Males beyond the age of maturity are with the herd only during mating. In Botswana, there is an estimated elephant population of over 120,000 - we are sure to see a few along the way!

• • Peermont Metcourt

  Peermont Metcourt

  Contemporary convenience at its best...the new 3-star Peermont Metcourt Hotel at Emperors Palace offers stylish and comfortable rooms as well as a "group-friendly" experience for corporate, convention and leisure guests.

  • More information
• • Muchenje Lodge
  • Room

  Muchenje Safari Lodge

  Last Eden of Chobe, Muchenje is a magnificent lodge in a stunning location. Muchenje sits on an escarpment with wonderful views of the Chobe River, and Namibia’s Caprivi Strip and seasonal flood plains. Enjoy game veiwing and exceptional views from the convenience of their private veranda, the pool deck or one of the viewing decks. Owner run, your genial hosts offer a truly relaxed, homely atmosphere, where nothing is too much trouble. Just 20 guests are accommodated in intimate exclusivity. Each thatched, stone built cottage has private, panoramic views. The main Lodge area is extensive, and has been built to allow for excellent vistas, comfort and charm. Guests can relax in and its many quiet areas; from the viewing platforms and decks, the dining area and bar. Retail therapy is also at hand at the curio shop.Close by is the swimming pool, complete with deck and more excellent views where you can relax in the afternoon, and soak up the sun. The perfect base for your Chobe safari.

  • More information
• • Savute Safari Lodge
  • room

  Savute Safari Lodge

  Situated on the banks of Botswana’s fabled Stolen River, Savute Safari Lodge is a traditional thatched safari lodge in a setting of singular beauty. But just as awe-inspiring is the decades old story of how the river was stolen… and in an unexpected twist, how it was given back. To ensure a private and relaxing environment, Savute Safari Lodge accommodates just 24 guests in 12 local timber and thatched chalets. The chalets have been elegantly furnished in calm neutral tones to compliment the natural environment and feature expansive private decks, a combined bedroom and lounge area plus en-suite facilities. The signature expansive glass sliding doors and viewing decks at Savute Safari Lodge were inspired by the striking panorama, and have been further complemented by the Savute Channel which now flows just 50 metres from the lodge. The Lodge provides a rare chance to see Savuti as few people other have. After another extended hiatus, the channel began flowing again and by January 2010 had spilled into the Savute Marsh for the first time in three decades. No-one knows how long the water will remain…

  • More information
• • Stanley's Camp

  Stanley's Camp

  Stanley's Camp is situated at the edge of Botswana's Moremi Game Reserve, a secluded space in the wild. The camp offers 8 safari tents that are well-appointed and beautifully furnished for comfort. Rich bedding and high quality fabrics add to the allure of these accommodations. Private balconies and hammocks allow for privacy. Dine on meats and vegetable dishes prepared with local ingredients and influences. Mingle with other guests, and a hospitable staff. Be sure to take in the views from the camp's raised deck, or have a dip in the swimming pool.

  • More information
• • Camp Kalahari Exterior

  Camp Kalahari

  Camp Kalahari a return to the traditional safari style of the old explorers, and is the best way to experience the Makgadikgadi in a fresh and affordable way. It is the ideal camp for those who want fun, comfort, style and adventure. Camp Kalahari accepts children of all ages and makes for a fantastic family safari destination. Head off after tea in the beautiful afternoon light, stop to watch the sun set and listen to an explanation of how the Makgadikgadi pans, the remnants of the world’s largest ever superlake, were formed.

  • More information

The Fine Print

• Trip Operator

  Horizon & Co. (founded in 1963), is a privately-owned leading boutique travel company. Horizon designs and stages authentic and deeply personal travel experiences that are carefully choreographed to induce a life-long memory. In addition to offering published trips on seven continents, Horizon builds private custom trips for discerning individuals and small groups.

• Contact Information

  Horizon & Co.
  Tel: 1-800-387-2977
  Email: admin@horizon-co.com
  Web: www.horizon-co.com

• What's Included:

  • Guaranteed departure - Accommodation, Activities, Transfers, Meals, Fees where indicated as per the itinerary - Local and international traveler assistance during your tour - Specialised and personalised services

• What's not Included:

  • Tips - Laundry - Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages unless explicitly noted - Optional activities/extras – Visas (unless noted) - Vacation insurance

• Trip Terms & Conditions

  • Your deposit is due immediately on booking (30% of program price, minimum $250). The balance is due 90 days prior to departure. We accept payment via credit card, certified check, wire transfer or money order.
  • Tour quotes do not include airfare to/from the trip start point unless noted on the itinerary
  • Cost increases in currency exchange, government fees, taxes, surcharges or hotel/lodge tariff increases between quote date and start date are payable by the client.
  • Availability cannot be guaranteed until booked. We will exercise best efforts to book hotels per the itinerary, however, in busy seasons and with client bookings made within 90 days of tour date we may be forced to offer substitutes.
  • Cancellations of confirmed bookings 90 days or more prior to departure will receive full refund minus a $350 (per person) administrative fee and any non-refundable paid fees (e.g. non-refundable airfare, cruise or hotel deposits). 60-89 days will be subject to loss of deposit. 30-59 days will be subject to loss of 50% of program price. 29 days or less will be subject to 100% of program price.
  • Payment of the program price constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions set out at www.horizon-co.com/terms-and-conditions
  • Living Standards and practices at destination may differ from those in North America with respect to provisions of utilities, services and accommodation.

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