Botswana Big 5: 5 Properties, 5 Ecosystems
This 13-day Botswana Big Five luxury safari takes you to every major region of Botswana so that you can discover her diverse and natural treasures in-depth. This luxury safari explores every major ecosystem in Botswana, from the desert to the delta.
Beginning in Livingstone, discover Victoria Falls in two nights of romantic luxury. The remaining ten nights of your itinerary will be spent on a private exploration of Botswana's major regions: Chobe National Park, the Linyanti Game Reserve, the Okavango Delta, and the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in the Central Kalahari.
There is no place on earth like Botswana to experience Big Five game. From fur to feathers, Botswana offers the lover of all things wild a truly unique and exquisite game experience. Experience safari game viewing on vast, private reserves where size is measured in miles, not acres.
Enjoy private and exclusive lodges, some which have a maximum capacity of only 16 guests at any one time. This expansive itinerary includes all suggested properties, but our travel experts can customize this journey to suit your taste, style, budget, and timetable.
Highlights: 
- Guided tour Victoria Falls
- Sundowner Cruise on the Zambezi River
- Dinner train excursion aboard the Royal Livingstone Express
- Twice daily scheduled game drives at all safari lodges
- Mokoro glides at Shinde
- Bush walks with armed guide
- Meerkat experiences at Jack's Camp
- Outdoor dining and boma experiences
- Star gazing
- Fishing
- Birdwatching
- Private drivers and guides throughout
Day 1: Arrive Johannesburg / The Saxon
Voted the World's Leading Luxury Boutique Hotel for several consecutive years, The Saxon is a well-kept secret as far as Johannesburgers and international travelers are concerned. Tucked away in a tranquil and quiet suburb of Sandhurst, its tree-lined avenue disguises its close proximity to Johannesburg's upmarket business area.
Day 2: Livingstone / Royal Livingstone
This morning, your driver will transfer you to JNB airport for your flight to Victoria Falls, where you will check in to the Royal Livingstone. Named in honor of explorer David Livingstone, the Royal Livingstone hugs the lush and beautiful banks of the Zambezi River in Zambia. A whisper away from powerful Victoria Falls, this romantic boutique hotel - reminiscent of a bygone era - overlooks the smooth waters of the Zambezi just before it plunges over the legendary waterfall creating a display of power and energy. As one relaxes on the sundeck overlooking the forests of Mosioa-Tunya National Park and the waters of the Zambezi, rainbows fill the air creating a fantastic show of light and color. This evening, enjoy a Sundowner Cruise on the waters of the Zambezi. B
Day 3: Livingstone / Royal Livingstone
Today, you may partake in an array of adventure activities which the area offers. For example, why not Walk with the Lions? There are no leashes or collars - The pride runs freely with you through the bush. A Bush Walk can be exhilarating and educational. Walk through the wild African bush with armed and experienced rangers and get up close and personal with the wonders of nature. Scenic Helicopter Flights and White River Rafting can alternatively be arranged, after which you may want to de-stress in the Spa or sip a Sundowner on the Royal Livingstone's iconic deck. B D
Day 4: Chobe National Park / Ngoma Safari Lodge
Ngoma Safari Lodge is nestled on the banks of the Chobe River, inviting guests to explore what is perhaps Botswana's seminal national park. From the comfort of your tranquil lodge embark on unforgettable journeys with incredible game. Discover more than 75 species of mammals on game drives into Chobe National Park where you will find elephants, zebra and buffalo in the floodplain. Night drives and intimate game walks take place on the concession with the vigilant assistance of skilled rangers and guides. Between drives, luxuriate beneath an ancient Baobab on Ngoma Safari lodge’s main deck overlooking the river, or venture to the hide next to the waterhole to watch the game up close. As day turns to night, the fire pit is ablaze and the telescopes on the main deck are ready to show you the endless stars. B L D
Day 5: Chobe National Park / Ngoma Safari Lodge
Chobe National Park is home to the largest population of elephants 
in the world. The 11,700 sq km park, established in 1968, is located in northern Botswana and its life-source is the Chobe River which affords unique water-based game viewing opportunities, such as the unforgettable sight of elephant herds swimming across the river, trunks raised. In addition to vast herds of elephant, the park provides excellent game viewing and birding opportunities, with its 75 mammal species and 450 bird types. On a game drive, you may encounter buffalo as well as zebra, impala, waterbuck, and predators - such as lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog. B L D
Day 6: Linyanti Game Reserve / Selinda Camp
Selinda Camp is situated on an island in the Selinda Private Reserve that straddles the Selinda Spillway. This waterway links the Okavango Delta in the west to the Kwando/Linyanti river system in the east. Here, you will find the game-rich floodplains of the Selinda and the Zibalianja Lagoon. This camp is a beautiful tented safari camp built among the trees, with splendid views over the open floodplains. Each Meru-style tent is set under thatch with a veranda for relaxing and watching the animals and a private bathroom with a shower open to the African sky. B L D
Day 7: Linyanti Game Reserve / Selinda Camp
Away from camp, dawn and dusk game drives are for exploring the magnificent 320,000 acre Selinda Game Reserve – where wild dogs den in the winter, leopard hunt in the woodlands, and giant herds of buffalo and elephant move with the transient waters between the Okavango and the Linyanti swamps. You will also experience some of the best game viewing that the Reserve has to offer from the raised solitude of your deck. You can see some of the largest herds of elephant and buffalo in Africa meander past from the comfort of a soft leather sofa, a chaise lounge, an opulent armchair or from the edges of the crystal pool. B L D
Day 8: Okavango Delta / Shinde
Shinde is nestled on a lush palm-dotted island in the heart of the northern Okavango Delta. Located at the edge of a lagoon, it is surrounded by clear waterways flowing over yellow sands and past palm-fringed islands teeming with birdlife and game. Comfort and exclusivity best describe Shinde's eight large safari-style tents. This full-service luxury tented camp features fantastic cuisine - Dining in the Treehouse is a special experience. A senior guide will escort guests on private game activities: morning, afternoon and evening game drives, game walks, mokoros, and motor boats. B L D
Days 9 - 10: Okavango Delta / Shinde
Courtesy of its location Shinde can offer both water and land activities year round. Motorboats or Mokoro provide a chance to experience the incredible bird, plant and reptile species found in the aquatic habitat of the Okavango Delta. Game drives are conducted by a personal guide in comfortable, specially designed game drive vehicles. For the more adventurous, guided walks are also available while fishing enthusiasts will enjoy fishing for a variety of species such as tilapia and tigerfish. B L D
Day 11: Makgadikgadi Salt Pans / Jack’s Camp 
Jack's Camp is an eclectic and elegant permanent camp that provides guests a completely unique experience in the Kalahari. Its roots date back to the 1960's when Jack Bousfield, a true character in his own right, stumbled upon a place so incredible that it captivated him for the remainder of his life. This breathtakingly beautiful location is both savage and glorious, and it is here where guests can meet Jack's grandson who continues to carry on the family tradition. Jack’s Camp is a classic desert safari camp accommodating 16 guests in eight large walk-in tents - elegant and in keeping with the character of the Makgadikgadi. B L D
Days 12-13: Makgadikgadi Salt Pans / Jack’s Camp
Formed over a million years ago by a huge lake, the famous Makgadikgadi Pans are blessed by seasonal rains and have become the feeding and breeding grounds for enormous flocks of flamingo and pelican, while plains game and predators patrol the perimeter. The landscape ranges from moon-like terrain to grasslands and there are places in the pans where the view is so vast you can see the curvature of the earth. Guests are in for a myriad of unforgettable experiences from interaction with a family of meerkats - who are regular visitors - to observing desert wildlife such as the gemsbok, springbok and more. Here too, visitors can meet the indigenous San people who have survived in this seemingly inhospitable land for many centuries. B L D
Day 14: Johannesburg / Departure
This morning, your flight will return you to Johannesburg's airport to connect to your international flight homeward bound. B
program in association with KER & DOWNEY
