The Incredible Journey - 15 Days

Luxury Mobile Camping through the Nxai Pan, Moremi Game Reserve, Mboma Island, Khwai Concession and Chobe National Park

Day 1.2.3

NXAI PAN National Park

A representative of John Chase Safaris will meet you on arrival in Maun, where you meet your guide and it is then about 3 hours drive to Nxai Pan National Park.

At dawn, we have an early light breakfast, and then head out on our morning activity, returning for a hearty brunch. Then there is a short siesta time to relax, and your showers are filled with warm water at your request, usually in the afternoon, as the morning breeze can be quite cold. As the midday hours are very hot, most of the animals retreat to the shade and are harder to spot during this time

After tea we embark on the afternoon game drive. As the sun sets on the African savannah, we enjoy sundowners and head back to camp for dinner. Three course meals are cooked over an open fire and dinner is served either in the marquee tent or under the stars. The evening is spent around the fire listening to the sounds of the wild, discussing the events of the day.

We spend three days here at Nxai Pan, exploring the pans that were once part of the great lake that covered central Botswana. Perhaps the focal point of Nxai Pan is the water hole, situated only two kilometres from the entrance gate, in the midst of a large grassy plain which is dotted with a few clumps of short umbrella thorn trees. The park is located just north of the Maun-Nata main road and adjoins the Makgadikgadi Pans on its northern border. The pan itself is a fossil lake bed about 15 sq. miles (40sq. km) in size. The landscape is dotted with clusters of umbrella acacia trees and Mopane woodland in the north. During the rains from November to April, the pans become covered in grass - a landscape typical of the Kalahari. Nxai Pan is well known for a huge springbok population, as the short-cropped grasses can testify, and extraordinarily large herds of giraffe with up to 30 in a group. Also to be seen are blue wildebeest, gemsbok, eland, greater kudu and red hartebeest. The more commonly seen predators are spotted hyena, cheetah, leopard and jackal with the elusive brown hyena a rare treat.

Day 4.5.6

MOREMI GAME RESERVE

Xakanaxa Area

After breakfast, we drive back to Maun to meet our light aircraft charter flight to the Moremi Game Reserve. The 20 minute flight gives you the opportunity to view the southern reaches of the Okavango Delta, sightings of elephant, giraffe, zebra and buffalo are common from the air.

It’s a short drive to the next camp, game driving en-route. Depending on charter flight times, we will either have a picnic lunch, or lunch in camp upon arrival. After tea, we will explore the area where we will stay for the next three nights.

Moremi Game Reserve is completely surrounded by either company owned or community based wildlife management areas. It is accessible by both road and by air with landing strips in both Xakanaxa and Khwai. The road conditions in Moremi vary drastically; the roads can be very sandy in places particularly around Xakanaxa and Third Bridge areas during the dry season and in the wet season entire sections of road may be under water. During the rains, in the Mopane woodlands the water puddles in the road, making it practically inaccessible, the end result can be driving in water so deep it flows over the bonnet of a Toyota Land Cruiser!

The reserve enjoys a wide diversity of habitat and is well known for the height of the trees in the mopane tongue, which covers the central area. Birdlife is prolific and varied, ranging from water birds to shy forest dwellers. Elephants are numerous, particularly during the dry season, as well as a range of other wildlife species from buffalo, giraffe, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, hyena, jackal and the full range of antelope, large and small, including the red lechwe. Wild dog, whose numbers are so rapidly dwindling elsewhere, are regularly sighted in the Moremi and have been subject to a project being run in the area since 1989 so these animals are often seen wearing collars placed on them by the researchers. It is claimed that the Moremi area contains about thirty percent of all remaining wild dog.

Day 7

MOREMI GAME RESERVE

After Breakfast we make our way by vehicle to the Mboma Island boat station, at the northern edge of the Park. We are met by our boat driver, and taken to our exclusive, isolated island camp. The trip will take between 1 and 3 hours depending on which island we camp. We stop for a picnic lunch on the way, or if time is short, we picnic on the boat. Dinner is served under the stars, surrounded by the wildness of the Okavango, and the chorus of the reed frogs.

As part of the Okavango Delta, the Moremi Game Reserve covers a variety of habitats including permanent swamp, seasonally swamped areas as well as dry land. The fauna and flora of the area differ immensely from the wet swampland to the dry Mopane belts. To see the Delta by boat is an amazing experience, and the bird life can be incredible. Spending the night in a private island campsite is an event not to be missed!We enjoy a light breakfast on the island and then board the boat for the return journey to the boat station where our vehicle awaits. The morning is spent game-viewing on our way to Xakanaxa, our base for the next 4 nights.

Moremi Game Reserve is completely surrounded by either company owned or community based wildlife management areas. It is accessible by both road and by air with landing strips in both Xakanaxa and Khwai. The road conditions in Moremi vary drastically; the roads can very sandy in places particularly around Xakanaxa and Third Bridge areas during the dry season and in the wet season entire sections of road may be under water. During the rains, in the Mopane John Chase Safaris – Magnificent Moremi

woodlands the water puddles in the road, making it practically inaccessible, the end result can be driving in water so deep it flows over the bonnet of a Toyota Land Cruiser!

The reserve enjoys a wide diversity of habitat and is well known for the height of the trees in the mopane tongue, which covers the central area. Birdlife is prolific and varied, ranging from water birds to shy forest dwellers. Elephants are numerous, particularly during the dry season, as well as a range of other wildlife species from buffalo, giraffe, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, hyaena, jackal and the full range of antelope, large and small, including the red lechwe. Wild dog, whose numbers are so rapidly dwindling elsewhere, are regularly sighted in the Moremi and have been subject to a project being run in the area since 1989 so these animals are often seen wearing collars placed on them by the researchers. It is claimed that the Moremi area contains about thirty percent of all remaining wild dog.

We enjoy a light breakfast on the Island and then board the boat for the return journey to the boat station where our vehicle awaits us. The morning is spent game-viewing on our way back to Khwai, our base for the next 3 nights.

The campsite is located outside the national park boundary in a private concession area known as Khwai, and there are no fences to restrict the movement of animals. Activities include bush walks and night drives – which are not allowed in Botswana’s National Parks. Here at Khwai, a long bridge constructed entirely out of Mopane poles, forms a picturesque entrance to the reserve for visitors arriving from the north. This bridge, which rattles and shakes as vehicles pass over it, is one of the most photographed structures in the northern area of Botswana. The vegetation varies from stands of Leadwood to open grasslands, and the Khwai river provides water to the resident lion, cheetah, leopard, wild dog, elephant, buffalo, zebra, hippo and giraffe that are all found here.

Activities will be scheduled as per your preferences, including game drives, nature walks, and night drives.

After breakfast in camp, we drive back to the airstrip, game-viewing on the way as time permits, to meet our scenic charter flight to Kasane, and from the airport, it is another game drive of an hour or two to reach our private campsite. By staying within the park, we have the advantage of exploring a greater area, as we are not restricted by having to return to the gate each day. At night time, when all the day visitors have departed, we are left alone in our exclusive camp, listening to the sounds of the African bush, as the stars shine brightly overhead.

The Chobe National Park takes its name from the Chobe River, a permanent source of water, which forms the parks natural northern border. The park was established in 1968; the river is the lifeblood of the reserve. Chobe boasts one of the largest elephant populations in Southern Africa. In the dry season, massive herds of elephants are forced to come down to the river and the waterholes to drink. Many other animals are found in the Park including buffalo, lion, leopard, giraffe, bushbuck, kudu, waterbuck, impala, puku and lechwe.

Chobe offers a large variety of contrasting vegetation and geological features, changing from Thorntree and Mopane forest into open grassland. Unlike Moremi which is quite flat, the floodplains along the river climb into high ridges, and these fascinating transformations make Chobe an unforgettable stay in Botswana.

Four nights are spent camping and exploring in this rich and fascinating area. Activities include morning and afternoon drives, and one boat cruise on the river. Seeing the park from the river is a magical experience, as you drift along the shores, watching the animals as they come to drink and play. Additional boat excursions can be arranged upon request, but may incur added expense.

After a hearty breakfast in camp, we return to Kasane, game driving en-route if time permits. We can transfer you to the Airport to meet your connecting flights, or to the borderpost with Zambia or Zimbabwe, to continue your scheduled itinerary.

Further Information

Mobile Camp Description
John Chase camps consist of spacious meru tents with twin beds, fitted with sheets, blankets and warm duvets. The bathroom is ensuite, with a bush bucket shower, and a “long drop” toilet. A fibre-glass base sits over a deep hole, providing a toilet seat and we supply a bucket with ashes and a scoop to maintain a clean environment.
Mboma Island boat station, is a pre-erected island camp consisting of dome tents equipped with bedrolls with linen, battery lights with external shower and toilet tents. There is one toilet and one shower which are shared between every two tents. As there is a limit on how much equipment is allowed on the island, the island night is very rustic but still comfortable.

Game Viewing
Game drives are conducted in open sided 4 x 4 vehicles ensuring maximum visibility.

Rates include:
 Meet and Greet at Maun Airport
 Vehicle transfer from Maun to Nxai Pan
 Accommodation for 3 nights in ensuite meru tents in Nxai Pan
 Return Vehicle transfer to Maun
 Air Charter Maun to Xakanaxa
 Vehicle transfer to the campsite
 Accommodation for 3 nights in ensuite meru tents in the Moremi Game Reserve
 Vehicle and boat transfer to an Island in the Okavango Delta
 Accommodation for 1 night in Dome tents, with shared toilets/showers
 Boat and vehicle transfer back to Moremi Game Reserve
 Accommodation for 3 nights in ensuite meru tents in the Khwai Concession
 Charter flight from Moremi to Kasane Airport
 Accommodation for 4 nights in ensuite meru tents in the Chobe National Park
 All National Park Fees and Camping Fees in Botswana
 All meals and beverages (mineral water, soft drinks, beer, local wines and spirits)
 Daily Laundry Service when there no water restrictions

Rates exclude:
 International flights to Maun and from Kasane.
 Any extra activities not mentioned on original itinerary and quote.
 Rates quoted for guests are from midday on date of arrival to after breakfast (leaving camp latest 8. 30am). This is to avoid additional Park fees due to strict Park regulations. Guests wishing to arrive/depart before or after these stated times will be liable for additional Government Park and Guides fees.
 Tips and gratuities for guides and staff