A good value and classic Botswana safari combining the best of Chobe and the Okavango Delta. Staying in small independent camps with excellent locations and full variety of activities, this is a brilliant itinerary any time of year. Beginning in a quiet corner of Chobe with magnificent views of the floodplains this safari continues to the Okavango, staying in two different camps bordering the Moremi Game Reserve offering a varied and comprehensive Okavango safari experien Read more
A good value and classic Botswana safari combining the best of Chobe and the Okavango Delta. Staying in small independent camps with excellent locations and full variety of activities, this is a brilliant itinerary any time of year. Beginning in a quiet corner of Chobe with magnificent views of the floodplains this safari continues to the Okavango, staying in two different camps bordering the Moremi Game Reserve offering a varied and comprehensive Okavango safari experience. The camps are very elegant but retain an authentic sense of the traditional safari.
All three properties are run by Machaba Safaris, a small collection of intimate safari camps offering affordable luxury safaris in prime locations.
Chobe is synonymous with vast elephant herds and prime game viewing and its reputation attracts many visitors. This itinerary keeps you away from the crowds as you stay at the tranquil Ngoma Safari Lodge in Chobe, on the edge of the plateau overlooking the stunning Chobe Floodplains, one of the finest sunset locations in Botswana. Every aspect of this lovely lodge makes the most of these superb views. Ngoma is a small, smart lodge set in the Chobe Forest Reserve to the west of the Chobe National Park – a much quieter and more serene corner of the park.
Chobe is a prime game viewing area, notably in the dry season from July-October, when huge concentrations of animals descend on the river banks. Huge herds of elephant, buffalo and zebra will move from the Kalahari to the Chobe river in the driest months although Chobe offers year round game viewing too. Activities at Ngoma Safari Lodge include game drives in the Chobe National Park as well as the Chobe Forest Reserve, where night drives are permitted. Breakfast and lunch cruises are also hosted, as well as fishing trips at an additional cost for keen fishermen.
Moving south west to the Okavango, where you will explore the eastern Okavango from Machaba Camp and the southern Okavango from Gomoti Plains Camp.
Machaba is set in the game rich and very beautiful Khwai region, a community concession in the eastern Okavango bordering the Moremi Game Reserve allowing game drives in both areas. The Khwai river is not as affected by the seasonal flood and more on local precipitation and as such offers superb game viewing all year round game viewing. Khwai has varied habitats from riverine forest and wetlands to open plains and attracts varied game as a result. Leopard and Wild Dog are regularly seen, and lion too. Machaba Camp is a smart tented camp, extremely comfortable though always retaining an authentic feel- the tents remain on the ground, not deck and this adds to the connection to the wild surroundings. The game overlooks the Moremi Game Reserve and animals roam freely across the river. Day and night drives are offered, as well as seasonal mokoro excursions.
The final stop on this itinerary is the southern reached of the Okavango Delta – an area with some of the most exciting game viewing in Botswana. Gomoti Plains is set on a private concession offering the most exclusive experience of this safari, where very few other vehicles are seen. The habitats and game here are also varied, predators include lion, wild dog, leopard, hyena and even occasionally cheetah. Rhino are also found here as well as an interesting mix of plains game and buffalo. The camp overlooks a tributary of the Gomoti River, and mokoro and boating is offered depending on water levels.
Gomoti is a very smart tented camp, with a simple chic style designed to be sensitive to the environment, as with Machaba these camps have a very good eco design and make use of sophisticated solar energy for power.
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