HIGHLIGHTS
GREAT FOR
Honeymooners – Old-school romance and superb service in the heart of Africa
Photographers – Varied landscapes create magical image opportunities
AVAILABLE ACTIVITIES
Game drives
Night drives
BEST TIME TO GO
High Season⊕: July to October
Green Season⊕: November to June
OVERVIEW
This trip idea combines three exclusive regions with lodges that offer a classic safari experience harkening back to a bygone era. The Selinda Spillway is a highlight as under 20 guests are allowed in the area at a time. It’s part of the private Selinda Reserve, a tract of land between Chobe National Park, the Savute Channel and the Okavango. The varied habitats support sought-after species like cheetah and wild dogs, and is one of Botswana’s secret gems.
After exploring the Spillway, you fly down the Delta, always a water wonderland where the plentiful grazing means a paradise for predators. The Xudum River and Shinde Lagoon are prime spots and you’re likely to be spoilt for choice when it comes to exciting sightings.
TRIP SUMMARY
DURATION
7 Nights / 8 Days
DESTINATIONS VISITED
Selinda Reserve, northern Botswana
Xudum River, Okavango Delta, Botswana
Shinde Lagoon, Okavango Delta, Botswana
ACCOMMODATIONS VISITED
DAILY ITINERARY
Your light aircraft wings you north as you fly from Maun to the Selinda Airstrip. You touch down in the Selinda Reserve, an exclusive area that very few visitors to Botswana are lucky enough to experience.
Depending on water levels, you could do guided canoeing on the Selinda Spillway or simply explore on foot or by game-drive vehicle. After the thrill of being out in a pristine landscape, the soft glow of the lanterns at Selinda Explorers Camp is a warm welcome.
Why we love Selinda Explorers Camp:
- Seasonal guided canoeing up the Selinda Spillway
- Accents of Persian carpets, antique brass and polished brass
- Hark back to a bygone era of the earliest safari explorers
- Optional scenic helicopter flights to soak in the horizon (extra cost)
As the Xudum Airstrip comes into view, you know that you’re in a special place. The Xudum River is dotted with a necklace of forested islands, one of which is your home for the next two nights, sheltered by ilala palms and knobthorn trees.
Kanana Camp has taken mokoros to the next level: theirs have glass panels so that you can see the depths of the Xudum River. Look out for freshwater crabs and fish species through the perfectly clear water!
Why we love Kanana Camp:
- Specialist glass-bottomed mokoros to see the depths of the Delta
- Memorable nights under the stars on the sleep-out deck
- Boat out to the seasonal heronry for pelicans, ibises and egrets
- Seasonal catch-and-release fishing for tilapia, catfish and pike
In keeping with paying homage to Botswana’s safari history, your final accommodation is Shinde Camp, one of the first ever built in the country that boasts an amazing position on the Shinde Lagoon. This is Out of Africa for the 21st century…
Only four guests are on a vehicle so that each can have a window seat with a camera mount to capture the Delta’s superb wildlife. After a day out, unfurl your yoga mat and stretch on your private deck.
Why we love Shinde Camp:
- Full days out in the bush with a delicious picnic lunch
- Guaranteed window seats on game-drive vehicles
- A treehouse-style lodge under a canopy of mangosteen trees
- Drifting through the papyrus of the gorgeous Shinde Lagoon
It has been a week of fresh air, sunshine, campfires, sundowners and exhilarating encounters with Africa’s wildlife – all in some of Botswana’s loveliest areas of outstanding natural beauty.
Today you fly back to Maun but that needn’t be the end of your safari odyssey: we can easily arrange time at the Victoria Falls, another place where nature, history, culture and exciting activities come together. From Delta in the morning to the Falls in the afternoon – chat to us about making it happen.
INCLUDED*
EXCLUDED*
* Subject to change. Your personal consultant will confirm all the details with you while helping you plan your safari to Africa so you have a full understanding of costs with no surprises.
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