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Day 1: Maun – Jao Camp, Okavango Delta
On arrival in Maun you will be met by a Wilderness Safaris representative who will assist you with the arrangements of your scheduled light aircraft transfer to the Okavango Delta. Overnight at Jao Camp. (D) Jao Camp is located on a large, remote island in a private concession in Botswana , bordering the Moremi Game Reserve in the heart of the Okavango Delta . With varied habitats ranging from waterways and lagoons to dry Kalahari grasslands and open floodplains, Jao Camp can offer both land and water experiences, depending on the current flood levels. This luxury camp is a tranquil base for a wonderful Okavango Delta Safari experience. Jao Camp has nine spacious, beautiful tents, each individually handcrafted. These twin-bedded canvas and thatched rooms are situated beneath a canopy of shady trees and have en-suite facilities, as well as an outdoor shower for the more adventurous. Built on raised decks, each has a private sala for afternoon siestas and offers wonderful views of the spectacular surrounding floodplains of Botswana. In addition to the lounge and dining area, there are two plunge pools and an outdoor boma for dining under the stars, complemented by wines from an excellent wine cellar. Jao Camp also has a spa where a wide range of massage therapies are offered. Mekoro, boat trips, fishing, nature walks (which must be requested prior to travel), day and night game drives and birding are usually on offer all year round due to the abundance of wildlife in Botswana. There are two platform hides in the concession. During an unusually high flood season, game drives begin by boating out to a nearby Hunda Island where the vehicles are waiting, and the drive begins from there. Huge herds of red lechwe can be seen, followed by their primary predator - prides of lion. Other game typical of Botswana include elephant, buffalo, leopard, tsessebe, zebra and wildebeest, hippo and crocodile. Many bird species are resident such as Meyer's Parrot, African Harrier Hawk, Black egret, Coppery-tailed Coucal, Malachite Kingfisher, Hamerkop and Black Crake being some of the avian treasures found at Jao Camp.
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Day 2: Jao Camp, Okavango Delta
Enjoy the many activities and game viewing activities on offer at your camp. Overnight at Jao Camp. (B,L,D)
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Day 3: Vumbura Plains, Okavango Delta
At a time to be advised by the camp management, you will be transferred from Jao Camp to the airstrip for your scheduled light aircraft transfer to Vumbura Plains. Overnight at Vumbura Plains. (B,L,D) Vumbura Plains Camp is a luxury camp situated in a private concession in the extreme north of the Okavango Delta. The concession, which is leased from the neighbouring community, includes a wide variety of habitats, diverse wildlife and an enormous traversing area of 60,000 hectares. Vumbura Plains Camp comprises two separate seven-roomed satellite camps, each with its own raised dining, lounge and bar area tucked beneath a canopy of cool, shady, indigenous trees . Magnificent vistas across the Okavango Delta floodplains are a feature. A star-gazing deck with comfortable cushions protrudes into the floodplain, a place to gaze upwards, or a convivial camp fire setting. Vumbura Plains Camp is unlike any safari camp you will have seen before. Each large, luxurious room is raised off the ground on wooden decks and each comprises a bedroom, lounge, shower and full en-suite bathroom. Outdoor showers are standard. It is open on three sides, and the billowing curtains between the various areas create the sense of a yacht floating through the floodplains. Each room also has a plunge pool and 'sala' - a comfortable area to lie and relax, watching the waving grasses of the floodplain. What makes the Vumbura concession so unique is its position on the extreme north of the Okavango Delta. This position encompasses such a wide variety of habitats and species that it has representatives of just about every animal that occurs in the Okavango biome. Vumbura Plains Camp offers both land and water activities, principally nature viewing in varied habitats in open 4x4 vehicles, nature walks, mokoro trips and boat excursions. Whilst exploring the spectacular ecology of this area, one can enjoy close-up viewing of lion, leopard, elephant, cheetah and buffalo along with all the plains game. Birding around Vumbura Plains Camp is incredible - with both variety and prolific numbers. The Vumbura area is possibly the only area in the Okavango Delta where one can see red lechwe (an animal that inhabits the fringes of the waterways) and sable antelope (an animal that prefers the dry countryside) on the same game drive.
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Day 4: Vumbura Plains, Okavango Delta
Enjoy the many activities and game viewing activities on offer at your camp. Overnight at Vumbura Plains. (B,L,D)
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Day 5: Zarafa Camp, Selinda Reserve
At a time to be advised by the camp management, you will be transferred from Vumbura Plains to the airstrip for your scheduled light aircraft transfer to Zarafa Camp. Overnight at Zarafa Camp. (B,L,D) Zarafa Camp overlooks the Zibadianja Lagoon - the source of the world-famous Savute Channel. Zarafa Camp evokes a sense of old-style safari with its four large, luxuriously appointed double or twin 'marquis style' tents. Hosting a maximum of eight guests, the emphasis at Zarafa Camp is on offering a personalised and private experience to guests - perfect for those who favour a more intimate experience or those who prefer the entire camp for their own, exclusive use. Accommodation at Zarafa Camp consists of spacious tents with verandas, positioned under cool and shady trees with breathtaking vistas of the Zibidianja Lagoon. A large bedroom, en-suite bathroom, featuring a copper bath and both indoor and outdoor showers, are standard. The main area at Zarafa Camp is furnished in the same 'campaign' style as the tents and evokes the traditional safari ambiance of the turn of the 20th century. Lounge and dining facilities may be enjoyed under canvas or on the full-length deck shaded by giant broad-leafed trees. Activities at Zarafa Camp are flexible to suit guests' particular interests and include morning, afternoon and night game drives with experienced professional guides in custom-built 4x4 Toyota Land Cruisers. Short guided nature walks from camp are encouraged, to introduce guests to some of Africa's less prominent wildlife. Guests can relax in camp and enjoy a massage too. Zarafa Camp boasts all of the Chobe wildlife, with a varied bird and mammal community. Abundant plains game can be found here including lechwe, kudu, buffalo, zebra and giraffe. It is also a predator-rich reserve including cheetah, wild dog, lion, and leopard. The massive herds of elephant are another highlight while a wide variety of birds - some 300 or more - can be seen.
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Day 6: Zarafa Camp, Selinda Reserve
Enjoy the many activities and game viewing activities on offer at your camp. Overnight at Zarafa Camp. (B,L,D)
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Day 7: Kasane
At a time to be advised by the camp management, you will be transferred from Zarafa Camp to the airstrip for your scheduled light aircraft transfer to Kasane Airport. From here you may wish to extend your experience and continue to Victoria Falls. We can recommend some magnificent properties to end your holiday in style. (B)