OKAVANGO DELTA AND DESERTS

Kasane:

• Dumela Botswana! We start our adventure in the town of Kasane and head south to Gweta Lodge on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Salt pans.

Makgadikgadi Salt Pans:

• Opt to cruise the salt pans in open safari vehicles in search of a meerkat colony while getting some funky perspective photos in one of the largest salt flats in the world. Tonights treat is sundower drinks under an icon of Botswana before retiring to the lodge for dinner and drinks at the bar.

Gweta Lodge (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast

Additional Cost:

• Meerkats & Salt Pans

Makgadikgadi Salt Pans:

• We will say goodbye to the pans (for now) and head on to the wildlife haven that is the Okavango Delta

Okavango Delta:

• Our minds already blown by this unique natural landscape, it’s off to the Okavango Delta, where we’ll take an awe-inspiring game drive before settling into our exclusive Contiki Safari Camp. We’ll be greeted with luxe two person dome tents – pre-erected of course – with stretchers, mattresses and linen.

Contiki Safari Camp (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Included Experience:

• Take an afternoon Game Drive in the Okavango Delta MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience

Okavango Delta:

• Get your David Attenborough voice on, we’re in the heart of Africa’s iconic wildlife filming paradise. We’ll head off on an early morning game drive in hopes of spotting elephants, hippos and (if we’re lucky) some predators. Then it’s time for lunch and a siesta. Chill in the camp or opt for a Mokoro boat trip along the gorgeous waterways of the delta. This afternoon we’re back on another game drive before our traditional campfire dinner. This evening we have a once in a lifetime opportunity – a night drive in the bush with spotlights seeking out elusive nocturnal animals you can’t find during the day.

Contiki Safari Camp (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Included Experience:

• Take a morning Game Drive in the Okavango Delta MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience
• Take an Afternoon Game Drive in the Okavango Delta MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience
• Take a night Game Drive in the Okavango Delta MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience

Additional Cost:

• Mokoro Boat Safari

Okavango Delta:

• Another morning at the Delta (the struggle is real.) After coffee and breakfast at sunrise, it’s time for another morning game drive – eyes peeled for elephants – as we make our way out of this wildlife paradise.

Maun:

• Check into the lodge, chill by the pool and then take to the skies in an optional Okavango Delta helicopter flight. Hover just meters above the waterways or fly high for stunning views of this unique inland delta and of course, don’t forget your binocs for some wildlife spotting from the air. If you’ve got a head for heights, you won’t find views more spectacular than this anywhere in the world. Tonight, you’ll polish off your last night in Botswana with a night in the town. The Okavango Delta Brewery calls, offering a tour, tasting and dinner for you to enjoy.

Island Safari Lodge (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast

Included Experience:

• Take a dawn Game Drive in the Okavango Delta MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience

Additional Cost:

• Spot Wildlife on a Helicopter Ride
• Craft Brewery for Conservation MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience

Maun:

• We’ve got a big day ahead of us today. We’ll traverse two countries as we leave Botswana and head into Namibia. Here you’ll say goodbye to your first Trip Manager and welcome a local Namibian Trip Manager who’ll take charge of the rest of your adventure. After that, we’ll head to Windhoek in the evening. Keep your eyes peeled (and cameras ready) for stunning Savannah scenery along the way.

Windhoek:

• Tonight we’ll check out the famous Joe’s Beerhouse – an (eccentric) cattle ranch style restaurant. There’s lots to choose from. But there’s nothing better than some earthy Namibian game meat to kick off our time in Namibia.

Town Lodge, Windhoek (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast

Windhoek:

• After breakfast, we’ll hit the road together to admire the beautiful countryside. Namibia’s main attractions are spaced far apart so expect some long drives with jaw-dropping views along the way. Beautiful desert scenery, as well as historical and cultural stops on the route – we promise the drives won’t be a bore. Our first stop will be for lunch near the Nauklauft Mountain Range on a vineyard, in the middle of the desert. Wine tasting anyone?

Sossusvlei:

• This evening, we arrive at our accommodation near one of Namibia’s most iconic attractions: Sossusvlei, a huge salt and clay pan framed by enormous dunes (some of the highest in the world). We’ll check in to our lodge and then get ready for a morning’s exploration with a big ol’ buffet dinner.

Weltevrede Guesthouse (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Additional Cost:

• Take an Afternoon Desert Drive

Sossusvlei:

• We start out at the Namib-Naukluft National Park, keeping our eyes open for Oryx and other desert-dwelling wildlife. Soon we’ll jump off the vehicles and take a mesmerising walk into the sand dunes (barefoot of course) with cameras ready for 360 degrees views. Wandering along Big Daddy sand dune and down into Deadvlei, admiring the views, you’ll finally realise where your desktop background images come from.

Swakopmund:

• We’ll hit the long road again, admiring more scenery on our way to the coastal town of Swakopmund. After checking into our hotel take yourself for a sunset stroll and enjoy some of the local delicacies here.

Prost Hotel (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast

Included Experience:

• See Deadvlei and Big Daddy Sand Dune

Swakopmund:

• Swakopmund is our adventurer’s paradise as we explore the ocean and the surrounding desert. Fancy a seal kayaking experience at Pelican point? You can catch glimpses of dolphins, whales, seals (of course) and other fascinating marine life. Then opt into hitting the Namib Desert for a spot of quad biking or sand boarding in the oldest dunes. If you’d prefer to keep things chilled then take a historic and cultural tour of Mondesa Township, meeting the locals and learning about the different ethnic groups followed by a home-made dinner in a traditional restaurant.

Prost Hotel (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast

Additional Cost:

• Namib Desert Quad Bike & Sandboarding Combo
• Namib Desert Quad Biking
• Seal Kayaking at Pelican Point
• Swakopmund Township Tour & Traditional Dinner

Swakopmund:

• Today we head back inland for our Namibian safari destination of choice – Etosha. Before we arrive, we’ll stop off in the Erongo Mountains to visit the San Bushmen of Omandumba. Here, we’ll learn some of their language and be wowed at their skills and crafts as they educate us on how to survive and thrive in harsh desert conditions.

Etosha National Park:

• Then we’re headed to our accommodation near Etosha (a pan so large it can be seen from space!). But it’s the natural waterholes lining the edge that interests the wildlife, and that’s why it interests us. Enjoy sundowners and an included dinner at the lodge while the excitement builds for tomorrow’s game drive.

Ijaba Lodge (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Included Experience:

• Visit Bushman Living Museum MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience

Etosha National Park:

• We’re up early for our first Namibian game drive in Etosha! From big cats to desert-savvy antelope, the wildlife viewing experience here is like nowhere else on Earth. At midday we’ll head back to the lodge for lunch and siesta by the pool. Tonight, on our last night together, we’ll treat ourselves to one last buffet dinner.

Ijaba Lodge (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Additional Cost:

• Etosha Half Day Game Drive MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience

Etosha National Park:

• After breakfast, we drive back down to Windhoek to catch the afternoon flights back home.

Windhoek:

• We’ll say goodbye to new friends but cherish our lifelong memories.

Meals Included: Breakfast