Captivating Zambezi Tour

8 day Tour that starts in Windhoek Namibia & ends in Kasane, Botswana   Discover the diverse African culture amongst abundant wildlife and thick riverine forests. Compare the wildlife in relatively dryer Etosha to the different game in the Zambezi. This safari is Africa at its most pure.        

Itinerary

Day 1 Tuesday: Etosha National Park From Windhoek we travel north to the Etosha National Park. The park boasts over 114 different animal species and is home to over 300 different bird species. Day 2 Wednesday: Etosha National Park The entire day is devoted purely to the abundant wildlife found in the Etosha National Park, which surrounds a parched salt desert known as the Etosha Pan. Despite the size of the Etosha National Park, only the southern edge of the pan is accessible to visitors. Game viewing in the park is largely focussed around the waterholes, some of which are spring fed and some supplied from a borehole The park is home to 4 of the Big Five – elephant, lion, leopard and rhino. The waterholes support a rich diversity of birds and mammals, including rare species such as black-faced impala, roan, cheetah, and Namibia’s smallest antelope, the Damara dik-dik. Day 3 Thursday : Kavango Region After breakfast we travel north towards Namibia’s lush Kavango region. En route we stop at Hoba Meteorite, the world’s largest known meteorite. We continue to the Kavango River close to Rundu, known for its rich selection of handmade wooden crafts. With its magnificent woodlands and perennial rivers, the Kavango region contrasts sharply with the rest of Namibia. Large swathes of tall woodland, riverine forests, floodplains and reed-lined channels dominate the area. This is also the area where you will see many of the traditional huts and homesteads still popular in use today. At our lodge we can enjoy a sundowner cruise on the Okavango River (optional) Day 4 Friday : Bwabwata National Park After breakfast we follow the route of the Okavango River into the Zambezi Region. Lush, green, riverine – that is what the Zambezi region looks like. This juxtaposition is what makes Namibia the “Land of Contrasts”. The area is typified by perennial rivers and large forests of trees. Whereas most of Namibia is arid, this area is lush, the soil rich and the wildlife plentiful. It is a lively hotbed where one can see subsistence and cattle farming and the well-known traditional wood carvings. We arrive at our lodge close to the Mahangu National Park where the following two nights are spent along the lush vegetation of the Okavango River. Our rooms award us with uninhibited view onto the Buffalo Park across the river. Optionally we can visit the Popa Falls, a series of small rapids in paradisiacal environment, or enjoy a late afternoon boat cruise on the river Day 5 Saturday : Bwabwata National Park After an early breakfast we travel into the Mahangu National Park. Being Namibia’s smallest but best populated Game Park, the visit will be rewarding in terms of wildlife and bird watching. The Mahango Game Park has a high number of elephants, as well as fair numbers of antelopes which are scarce or not seen in other parts of Namibia. These include the roan and sable antelope, tsessebe and the red lechwe. The park is also home to a number of sitatunga. The Mahango Game Park is an excellent destination for bird watching with over 400 species to be spotted Day 6 Sunday : Chobe floodplains We travel via the town of Katima Mulilo towards the end of the Zambezi strip, en route we visit a traditional village to learn more about the Caprivi people’s culture and beliefs. Our lodge is situated along the banks of the Chobe River, shortly before it enters Botswana. Having enjoyed an optional sundowner drink on a romantic beach setting, we return to the lodge for dinner. Day 7 Monday : Chobe floodplains Today we enjoy a guided canoeing excursion, where we silently float along the lush banks to experience the rich diversity of bird and wildlife of the Chobe River followed by a short walk to a light lunch spot. We then return to the lodge (depending on the water level) either by boat or guided walk during which we cross the Chobe river plains and see the exceptional fauna and flora of the Caprivi. Day 8 Tuesday : end of tour after breakfast we cross the border into Botswana and travel via the Chobe National Park to Kasane where our tour ends.