Western Zambia…

  Map of the 5 Rivers region
 
Map of the 5 Rivers region - click to enlarge
The Zambezi River, the biggest in Southern Africa, forms a drainage system that controls the future and fate of the other four rivers and their ecosystems. When the upper Zambezi thunders over the awe inspiring wall of basalt into the chasm below, then you will understand why you and the millions before you have journeyed to this place in Africa.

Livingstone, known as the Adventure Capital of Africa will allow you access to the incredible array of adventures Victoria Falls has to offer beyond the majesty of the Falls themselves; river rafting, bungi jumping, elephant back safaris, canoeing, river boarding, golf, sedate river cruising, fishing, flight of Angels over the Falls and so much more. In addition to the vast activity choices available, the Stanley Safari Lodge experience allows one the additional opportunity of exploring the rich cultural heritage of the area.

Chobe region – Namibia …

  Chobe region - Namibia
Proceeding upstream through Livingstone, a town frozen in the 1950’s, and through the red Kalahari dunes that are sheltered in teak forests to the Kazungula ferry at the junction of Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Once across into Botswana, a short commute will see you into the village of Kasane on the banks of the famous Chobe River. Renowned for being where Richard Burton was inspired to propose to Elizabeth Taylor for the second time and for offering the best boat based game experience in Africa.

The Chobe River is in fact mostly a secret offshoot of the Zambezi river absorbing the Zambezi flood waters to drink vast herds of game on it’s extensive banks. The river is famous for delivering the best elephant and game viewing from a boat - in the world. Your cruise across to the secluded Impalila Island Lodge will take you through the waterways into the main Zambezi River where this private island lodge will cater to your personal needs while offering you the famous Chobe experience.

Caprivi strip – Namibia…

  Caprivi strip - Namibia
 
Boat Based Game Watching - Impalila Island Lodge
Your light aircraft lifts off the island runway near Impalila Island Lodge for a scenic transfer over the Zambezi flood plains and the Caprivi Strip of Namibia to offer a complete view of this flat land before landing near Susuwe Island Lodge, situated on the Kwando River.

Feel pampered in your room with a view which includes a personal plunge pool, world-class hospitality in remote Africa and exciting game viewing in the Bwabwata Game Reserve.

Kwando/ Linyanti river system- Botswana…

Here you have the choice of Lagoon or Lebala luxury tented camps where the emphasis is on “intimate camps in private areas with personal service – vintage Africa”. Both these camps concentrate on the game experience with our guide and trackers taking you out on safari both off road and at night. This area is famous of its high concentrations of elephant, buffalo and predators.

Okavango Delta – Botswana…

  Okavango Delta - Botswana
 
Okavango Delta
The light aircraft pops out of the sky, on time as always, for the 30-minute transfer to Kwara camp in the heart of the permanent water of the Okavango Delta – the most distinctive inland Delta in the world fed by the Okavango River. Kwara’s 8 luxury tents set under a canopy of large shady trees offer the ideal starting point for Mokoro trips into the Delta as well as power boat rides right into the heart of Moremi Game Reserve’s Godikwe Lagoon system – famous for the breeding colonies of water birds. Kwara also offers game drives with guides and trackers both off road and at night.

The boat will slice through the clandestine and tortuous channels of the Delta and deliver you to a wonderful peninsula in the Xakanaxa Lagoon where the renowned Xakanaxa Camp is sited. Right in the heart of the world famous Moremi Game Reserve the camp offers the full range of water based activities as well as excellent guided game drives famous for its predators and general game. The special brand of hospitality and personal touches for which the camp is celebrated will ensure that you leave feeling that longer would have been better.

Kalahari Desert – Botswana…

  Kalahari Desert - Botswana
A short hop by charter from the Northern Delta is the Kalahari Desert. Classified a desert as it has no surface water, the Kalahari is transformed after the summer rains, into shades of green complimented by flowers and the magnificent birds in the area. Here you will find and be enchanted by the experience at Deception Valley Lodge. A remote, 16 bedded luxury lodge where guests are pampered and where bushman enthrall you with their ancient bush survival skills that have been passed down over the centuries. Excellent cuisine, luxurious accommodation and a fantastic game experience rounds off one of the most incredible safaris available in Africa, the 5 Rivers Safari.

You may wonder where the fifth river is – it is as deceiving as the valley itself. It is the long dried up Deception Valley River. The Deception Valley was formed by rivers when they flowed south to the Atlantic instead of the modern route to the Indian Ocean.

Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR)

Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR)Tau Pan Camp is situated inside this world famous Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) right on the edge of the beautiful Tau Pan. After the summer rains –the CKGR completely transforms as the blue sky fills with huge clouds, and the plains and pans burst with sweet grasses.

This is one of the best game viewing areas in Botswana at this time of year and not many people to seem to aware of this – so the visitors are few. The CKGR gets the migratory animals such springbok, zebra and wildebeest in their thousands and is quite a sight to behold. Predators abound with plentiful Lions – especially the famous Kalahari black-maned Lion, Cheetah, Leopard and Jackals. Brown Hyenas and Wild Dogs are also found in the area.

Several species of antelopes make the trip to the sweet grasses of the CKGR which include the Eland, Springbok, Steenbok, Gemsbok, Hartebeest, Kudu and Duiker. Honey Badgers are regular visitors as well as Ground Squirrels and many an hour can be wiled away watching these fascinating animals. The dry season (May-September) is also a wonderful time to visit the CKGR as the animals congregate close to any surface water and pans.

CKGR Specialties:

  • Amazing visual display of cloud formations and lightning storms during the summer rains
  • Breathtaking night skies
  • Access to beautiful Tau Pan and world famous Deception Valley
  • Fascinating reptiles and insects

Nxai Pan National Park

Nxai Pan National Park lies just north of the Maun-Nata road and adjoins Makgadikgadi Pans National Park on its northern border. Nxai Pan was originally state land and an area of 1676 sq. km was declared a game reserve in 1970, and then in 1992 the boundaries were extended to include Baines Baobabs to give the present total area of 2578 sq km and National Park Status was granted. The Nxai Pans were once part of the great lake that covered central Botswana – which included The Okavango Delta, Makgadikgadi and Lake Ngami to name a few. The Pan itself is another fossil lakebed about 40 sq km in size. The landscape is largely covered by grassland and dotted with clusters of umbrella acacia tree’s and mopane woodland in the north. During the rains from November to April – the pans become covered in grass which is a landscape very similar to the Kalahari.

Nxai Pan has also achieved fame from the IMAX movie “Roar” – where Tim Liversedge and National Geographic filmed this epic documentary that showcases a battle between an aging lion and a young challenger, who wants the older lion's wives and the water hole. Nxai pan is well known for its huge springbok population and once the rains have started, gemsbok, elephant and zebras migrate to the region. At this time zebra’s come in their thousands to drop their young at Nxai Pan.. These large herds of zebras, springbok, and wildebeest attract many predators – lion, cheetah, jackal and both spotted and the elusive brown hyena, as well as the endangered wild dog and the secretive leopard. There are large numbers of bat-eared fox and raptors that prey on the rodents and reptiles. At times, Rhino’s have also been sighted. Also to be seen are the eland, greater kudu and red hartebeest. Once the rains have started – the bird life is excellent.




 



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