See extraordinary concentrations of wildlife and breathtaking interaction between buffalo and lion - with no other vehicles except for yours. This is what Botswana is about - fantastic wildlife and huge concessions. Imagine being poled across the floodplains in a dug-out canoe with the heavy scent of water-lilies permeating the air.
Cost is approx. from £7,682.00 per person based on a family of 4 travelling plus international flights
(Prices subject to currency exchange rates and exclude flights. Travel dates between January 2018 and April 2018.)
Day 1: Kalahari Plains, Central Kalahari
Arrival into Maun, Botswana and then light aircraft flight into the Kalahari Desert. Located in the dry Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR), Kalahari Plains Camp is a camp built of wood and canvas that is situated in a dramatic setting.
Best visited between December and June, the desert produces some wonderful wildlife sightings over endless plains during this time of long grasses and wild flowers with healthy populations of oryx, springbok, wildebeest, Kalahari black-maned lions, cheetah and meerkats can also occasionally be seen.
Day 2: Kalahari Plains, Central Kalahari
Kalahari Plains is an eco-friendly luxury desert camp and there is an added bonus in that you can also opt to sleep on the roof under a canopy of stars.
Two activities are offered each day from the camp to find desert-adapted game such as springbok and oryx and also go on a walk with Bushmen to learn about the medicinal uses of many plants and trees in the desert.
Day 3: Young Explorers Camp, Okavango Delta
Fly from the Kalahari to the Okavango Delta. Young Explorers is an intimate, six-bed camp in the private Shinde concession and your guide specialises in taking families on safari. This is the most exciting concept in Botswana and we have had many children who have been out there and not wanted to leave! The camp’s aim is to help you explore the bush, whilst never losing sight of the fact that being in the wilderness is also about having fun. Mums and dads are entertained along with the children and this is a wonderful experience for everyone.
Day 4 & 5: Young Explorers Camp, Okavango Delta
Accommodation is in Meru tents with two beds, duvets, blankets and sheets. Outside the tent is a traditional bucket shower that hangs from a tree behind an awning and a flushing loo completes the bathroom facilities.
Young Explorers only ever accommodates one family at a time and is an opportunity to discover the wonders of the African wilderness together. There is time for lessons in bush craft and rules regarding animal behaviour, doing walking safaris, identifying animals and doing the occasional game drive or canoe excursions and as the sun goes down understanding the night sky in the southern hemisphere.
Day 6: Khwai Tented Camp, Moremi Game Reserve
Fly from Young Explorers to Khwai and then be driven to your tented camp.
Khwai Tented Camp is situated in a private conservancy on the edge of Moremi Game Reserve. There are no fences separating the two areas and so all wildfire has freedom of movement over the whole area. The magnificent Khwai River is the hub for some of the most outstanding wildlife viewing both on the Moremi and in the Khwai area and this camp is a true safari camp with simple and yet understated tented safari experience.
Day 7 & 8: Khwai Tented Camp, Moremi Game Reserve
The main focus is the wildlife experience including walking when possible, bird watching – this is the best raptor area in Botswana and game drives into the private conservancy and also the Moremi Game Reserve. and excursions to the legendary Moremi Game Reserve. Activities on offer are game drives, and mokoros – water levels depending on the Khwai River and also a visit to a local village in Khwai.
Spend your days immersing yourself into this area with its beautiful forests and floodplains.
Day 9 & 10: Tangala House, Zambia
The privately owned Tangala House is a luxurious family home on the banks of the Zambezi River, 15km upstream of Victoria Falls on the Zambian side. This is possibly one of the best private houses that a family or group of friends can stay in Africa and we simply love it.. Stylishly designed and furnished, it has featured in House and Garden magazine in the UK and comes with its own staff.
Ideal for a Zambia family safari, Tangala House sleeps up to eight people in four bedrooms and there is also a children’s playroom and a spacious kitchen-dining room with views onto the river.
Day 11 & 12: Tangala House, Zambia
Tangala is so well located and you can of course visit the Victoria Falls, and local national park, as well as the Tujatane school and Simonga village nearby. The children love visitors! Tujatane has grown from a pre-school class of 15 children, to a primary school with over 160 students.
The swimming pool is fabulous too and take a boat trip on the mighty Zambezi River – maybe see some elephants on the rivers edge; have an island lunch; visit to the Livingstone Museum tour; have a guided bush walks; go fishing for tigerfish and to the local markets.
In essence, Tongabezi is fabulous; it has incredibly romantic accommodation options, the food is excellent, many activities are included and the staff make the lodge one of the finest in Africa.
Catch a glimpse of the rare, elusive Sitatunga antelope. Perhaps you might like to spend time amongst the Bushmen or San people, learning about their culture and the custom of trance-dancing. Return to your luxury, private tented camp which has been erected just for you and reminisce on the day's excitements with your private guide, revealing the wonders of the African bush to you.
For the more adventurous, take a quad bike across the salt pans and discover the families of meerkats. Spend time game viewing on an open Land Rover with your expert guide, tracking down wild dog, leopard, lion and listening to them calling at night. Feel the thrill as you determine the tracks of the species that walked past your tent as you lay sleeping.
See the concentrations of elephant crossing the Chobe or Linyanti Rivers, using their trunks as periscopes. Imagine walking with habituated elephants, their trunks in the palm of your hand or even riding them on an elephant back safari, becoming part of the herd across the Okavango Delta.
A Fixed Wing Flying Safari is a unique concept of travel in Africa. It introduces another dimension to a typical African safari, that of the beauty of the continent from the air. Accompanied and guided by experienced pilots who are also experienced safari guides a Fixed Wing Flying Safari is a truly memorable and exclusive experience.
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Epic helicopter journeys exploring corners of Africa that few have been to or even ever heard of. We specialise in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, the Congo and Namibia. Our tailor-made safaris cover wild and spectacular mountains, valleys, forests and deserts, with a focus on ‘remote and unknown, unexplored and unforgettable’.
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Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour and catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore – Dream – Discover - Mark Twain - You can view clips of some of our own favourite discoveries here.
- Utterly designed and tailored around you and your requirements
- Totally unique every time you travel with us
- The very best hand picked guides which can make the difference between a good and an outstanding holiday
- Established over 30 years ago we have been around longer than most
- Our specialists come from, have lived in or travelled extensively in the regions we cover
- Unparalleled knowledge provides you with the best possible experience
- Philanthropy is our philosophy
- Our founding principle is to always ‘put something back’
- An amount from each holiday is donated to our selected conservation and humanitarian charities
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By Marcela Kunova - 20th April 2017
Nicola Shepherd, founder and CEO of The Exploration Company, organises unusual trips for HNW and UHNW clients ranging from birthday parties at an Indian Maharajah's palace to reliving Sir Vivian Fuchs's 1950s expedition to the South Pole. Citywealth caught ...
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