The following two days will be spent exploring your surroundings with eye-opening morning and afternoon safari drives. With striking landscapes and resplendent flora and fauna, Chobe National Park is a wonderland of wildlife. Watch elephants feeding and washing, spot stampeding herds of buffalo and keep an eye out for hyenas hiding from majestic lions. Encounter up to 16 types of antelope, including the rare, semi-aquatic puku, red lechwe and sitatunga. Depending on the season, you may also catch the second-largest migration of zebra in Africa.
Between game drives, relax in the luxurious surrounds of your tented suite or unwind by the shimmering pool and take a cooling dip. You may choose to enjoy some of the extra activities offered by the lodge – birdwatching is a thrilling pursuit with 250 species of bird in the area, and guided bush walks are on offer that take in ancient cave paintings and age-old baobab trees (extra charges may apply).
In the evening, the vast open spaces around Savute act as the perfect backdrop to a mesmerising and expansive night sky. Use the lodge’s powerful telescopes to witness constellations that you may never have seen before and discover how local peoples used the stars to find the true south.
Following breakfast and a morning game drive, it’s time to set off for the airstrip for your onward flight to the elegant Eagle Island Lodge, A Belmond Safari, situated on a private island in the heart of northern Bostwana’s vast Okavango Delta. This stunning safari lodge brings timeless luxury to the Botswana wetlands. High-ceilinged tented rooms flood with light, each with a private plunge pool and spacious bed with views of the Delta.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Okavango Delta offers the ultimate water-based safari, where hippos swim freely and eagles soar overhead. An afternoon game drive takes you closer to the wildlife, before a delectable dinner at your lodge tonight.
Discover the magic of the Okavango Delta over two days of wild exploration. Head out before dawn by mokoro (dugout canoe), encountering swooping African fish eagles and basking crocodiles. Glide silently along in this traditional boat used by locals for centuries. Explore the shallow, clear waters, drifting past brilliant water lilies and papyrus grasses, reaching otherwise inaccessible areas. Witness brightly coloured frogs, kingfishers, dragonflies, or elephants feasting on the reeds.
In times of low water (typically October to May), explore the stunning Okavango Delta on land with morning and afternoon game drives. Nicknamed ‘Africa’s Eden’, this lush wetland is pulsing with life, home to Nile crocodiles, elephants and over 500 species of birds. Marvel at myriad species as you drive through this vast reserve, boasting wildebeest, giraffes, cheetahs, lions, hyenas and more.
Between game drives, perhaps take the opportunity to visit the neighbouring Nxhoga village for an authentic insight into the Motswana way of life. Learn about hut building, basket weaving and the fishing industry. Meet elders, chat with the children, and browse the small market, churches and bakery.
In the evening, return to the lodge for a sumptuous dinner in the luxury surrounds of your Belmond lodge.
Following breakfast and one last captivating game drive, you’ll be transferred to the airstrip for your included flight to Maun Airport, where your journey comes to an end.