8-Day Highlights of Botswana-Luxury

Day 1: andBeyond Savute Under Canvas, Savuti - Chobe National Park

Savuti - Chobe National Park: Savuti, also known as Savute lies in the heart of Botswana’s beautiful Chobe National Park. This dynamic wilderness is a sweeping expanse of savannah brooded over by several rocky outcrops which guard a relic marsh and the dry channel that was once its lifeline. The Savute goes through wet and dry cycles, where wild dogs hunt in the dry river channel where crocodiles swam only twenty years ago. Visitors to this spectacular area can spot abundant wildlife including: a variety of birds, elephants, antelope, lion prides, black-backed jackal, bat-eared foxes, tsessebe, kudu, hyena, cheetah Cape buffalo herds, and thousands of migrating zebra and wildebeest.

Day Itinerary

Welcome to Kasane! You'll begin your Botswana safari with a short transfer flight to the Savute Airstrip where you will be picked and taken to the glamourous Savute Under Canvas, a signature elevated camp. With only five mobile tents available, you can be guaranteed an intimate and less crowded safari experience. Savute Under Canvas is perfect for balmy nights under the stars and excellent meals under a canopy of stars while you're served by a personal butler.

Overnight: andBeyond Savute Under Canvas

Savute, a remote and wild corner of Chobe National Park, stretches from the park’s northern boundaries to the Linyanti River. The area's main feature is the mysterious Savute Channel, which flows and dries up seemingly unrelated to the rainfall. Dry and arid for almost 30 years, animals in the area were sustained by artificial waterholes. With the Savute Channel flowing again in recent years, the region has undergone a startling transformation, reverting to its natural lush and marshy state. Large numbers of wildlife have been attracted to this rejuvenated wilderness haven.

Sizable numbers of elephant bulls are invariably present. During the dry years, when prey was hard to find, many of Savute's lion became notorious for hunting elephant. With the recent transformation of the region, prey has become more abundant and the large lion prides have split up into smaller family groups, allowing a greater variety of predators to flourish in the area. Savute is also a famous battleground for lion and spotted hyena. With grazing now plentiful, the area is also popular with zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffe, tsessebe and kudu.

The semi-mobile tented camps of andBeyond Savute Under Canvas are carefully positioned at exclusive wilderness campsites in the expansive Savute corner of Chobe National Park, offering exceptional game viewing opportunities. Booked on a nightly basis, each of the five comfortable tents has a double bed, as well as an ensuite bathroom, separate w.c and steaming hot bucket shower, with water delivered on request. The guest areas comprise comfortable tents for dining, meeting for a pre-dinner drink or just whiling the time away between game drives. Welcoming camp staff serve delicious meals cooked over the glowing coals.

Basis

Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

Included

Domestic flight

Day 2: andBeyond Savute Under Canvas, Savuti - Chobe National Park

Day Itinerary

You'll be treated to a personalised safari experience, where professional guides will accompany you on private game drives. Spend as much time as you want tracking animals and learning about the region. Look out for bold, brave lions who have been known to hunt elephants in this region. The interaction between predator and prey is a thrilling experience.

Basis

Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

Included

Game Drive

Day 3: andBeyond Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp, Okavango Delta

Okavango Delta: Situated in the northwestern corner of Botswana, the Okavango Delta is a World Heritage Site as it is the largest inland delta in the world. The magnificent Okavango River sprawls out over the dry sands of the Kalahari Desert forming this flourishing waterlogged oasis featuring countless meandering waterways and crystal clear lagoons studded with water lilies, as well as fertile floodplains and reeded islands inhabited with abundant wildlife. The Okavango Delta stretches over an impressive15000 square kilometres. Visitors can enjoy a number of wonderful activities such as game viewing, fishing, bird watching or taking an authentic guided Mokoro excursion through this wetland paradise in a traditional dugout canoe. Commonly spotted animals include: lion, rhino, leopard, giraffe, hippos, elephants, crocodiles and countless species of bird.

Day Itinerary

After an intense few days of exploring the wildlife of the Savute region, you'll board another short flight to the Okavango Delta. This World Heritage Site is a hub of birds, watery channels and abundant wildlife. Your stay at &Beyond's Nxabega Tented Camp, a polished take on tented glamping. Set on teak wooden platforms with all-around views of the surrounding landscape, you're in for a treat at this eco-friendly camp.

Overnight: and Beyond Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp

A maze of sparkling lagoons, meandering channels and overgrown islands teeming with wildlife, Botswana’s Okavango Delta lies like a sparkling jewel at the heart of the Kalahari Desert. Known as the river that never finds the sea, the Delta’s crystal-clear channels spread over the thirstlands of the Kalahari with their papyrus-fringed banks and fertile floating islands. Adapted for a life in and out of water, the elegant red lechwe and shy sitatunga are found in this watery wilderness. Lion, cheetah, leopard and African wild dog share the floodplains with large herds of elephant and buffalo. Hippo inhabit the deeper channels and lagoons, while honeybadgers can be seen in broad daylight. Tall termite mounds are homes for families of dwarf and banded mongoose. Traditional mokoro (dugout canoe) rides explore the delicate details of the glistening waterways, where iridescent dragonflies, frogs of every colour and jewel-like kingfishers live in the papyrus-lined banks.

andBeyond Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp is located in a 25 00 hectare (61 775 acre) exclusive wildlife concession on the edge of the Okavango Delta, bordering the Moremi Game Reserve. Ideally positioned to explore the magnificence of the Okavango, the camp is known for its elegant tented accommodation, which boasts breath-taking views of the ever-changing Delta. Blending skilfully with the environment, nine exclusive tented suites set on raised wooden platforms are tucked beneath a canopy of ebony trees. Each spacious tent features ensuite bathrooms and private verandas with romantic salas overlooking the reeded floodplain. The heart of Nxabega lies in its handsome living and dining areas, where burnished teak floors and a steeply pitched thatch roof frame a lofty and comfortable space. Made from local timber, reed and thatch, the guest areas include indoor and outdoor dining areas, a Safari Shop and a swimming pool with an expansive viewing deck. From this springboard of comfort, guests are able to appreciate the exquisite beauty of the Okavango Delta. Private bush dinners, breakfasts in bed, lamplit cocktails on a river island or a walking safari with al fresco picnic are all provided with pleasure by Nxabega’s warm and friendly staff.

Basis

Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

Included

Domestic flight

Day 4: andBeyond Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp, Okavango Delta

Day Itinerary

Among the activities, you'll enjoy during your stay are two guided game drives per day (private or group) with passionate guides who know this region well. Look out for the African serval and leopard, among others.

On the water, you will be able to relax and unwind on a mokoro excursion on the placid waters of the Okavango Delta. See the world like never before on a powerboat through the wetlands too. Take a little time out and enjoy a professional massage. There are ample packages to choose from. This is a worthwhile treat after a long day on safari.

Basis

Bed and Breakfast

Included

Game Drives

Day 5: andBeyond Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp, Okavango Delta

Day Itinerary

Full Game Drive

Basis

Bed and Breakfast

Day 6: andBeyond Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp, Okavango Delta

Okavango Delta

As previously described

Day Itinerary

It's time to explore a different part of the delta. Fly to Xaranna Delta Camp where the luxury you've experienced so far continues. Enjoy a romantic sala and refreshing plunge pool in addition to the amenities you're accustomed to on this Botswana safari.

Overnight: andBeyond Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp

andBeyond Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp enjoys luxurious solitude on its own Delta island within a 272 000 hectare (672 125 acre) exclusive wildlife concession. Taking its inspiration from the water lily, Xaranna is a delightful camp with just nine ensuite safari tents that combine canvas and bleached timber. The overall atmosphere of the camp is cool, light and airy, in keeping with the gentle beauty of its environment. The safari tents are organic in design and are delicately decorated in shade of khaki and soft lily pink. Each tent boasts a romantic outdoor sala, private plunge pool, indoor bathtub and al fresco shower. The guest areas are all carefully positioned to maximise the sweeping views out across the channels, with classic Delta tree-line silhouettes. The camp celebrates Botswana’s iconography, with humorous design touches used throughout. The intimate guest sitting area boasts a spacious reading area, perfect for afternoon relaxation. The elevated dining area features shady verandas with mesmerising views leading out onto an open-air boma where exotic candlelit dinners are served beneath the stars. A fully-stocked Safari Shop offers chic outdoor gear, African art and jewellery.

Basis

Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

Included

Domestic flight

Day 7: andBeyond Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp, Okavango Delta

Day Itinerary

Indulge in exploratory game drives and mokoro rides to observe smaller but equally as important birds and other game. Seasonal activities include tigerfishing (a must-do experience), powerboat rides (depending on the water levels in the delta) and the option of taking a horseback safari through the wilderness (at an additional cost).

Basis

Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

Day 8: End of Itinerary

Day Itinerary

On your final leg of the trip, you'll be whisked away after breakfast at Xaranna Tented Camp and flown back to Maun where you will take a return flight home.

Basis

Bed and Breakfast

Included

Domestic flight