Botswana & Namibia: Delta & Dunes

Experience Overview

Explore Botswana and Namibia, two of the top wildlife destinations in Africa. Our journey takes us into the wilderness: voyage by dugout canoe on the hippo-populated waters of the Okavango Delta, search for lions, elephants and giraffes in Etosha National Park, and spend nights by waterholes where animals congregate. The adventure continues beyond the fauna: we also climb the highest dunes in the world at Sossusvlei and stargaze at our remote camp in Damaraland. This is Africa at its most wild.
Profile
— 11 nights in lodges/hotels and two nights of full-service camping — Travel by purpose-built overland bus, 4×4 vehicle and dugout canoe — Some long drives
At a Glance
— 11 nights in lodges/hotels and two nights of full-service camping — Travel by purpose-built overland bus, 4×4 vehicle and dugout canoe — Some long drives
Trip For You
This trip is graded Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. Journey times: We cover a lot of ground, visiting some of the best places in Botswana and Namibia. Many of the drives take between four and five hours, with a maximum drive time of approximately eight hours on a combination of paved and gravel roads. On the gravel roads of Namibia, conditions are dependent on how they are maintained at the time and, on occasion, can be poor. This can have an impact on journey times and comfort. Drive times to and from Etosha National Park vary depending on the camps we use within the park. Within Etosha National Park, journeys double as game drives. Drive times listed in the itinerary are approximations and vary with road conditions. They also do not include any stops we take along the way. Early starts: There are a few days where we have to get up before sunrise, but this allows us to get the most from our days (for example, the game drives in Etosha where we are more likely to see wildlife in the early mornings before it gets too hot). Accommodation: We stay in lodges and hotels and occasionally in permanent tented camps (which also have beds and private bathrooms) apart from the two nights in the Okavango Delta, which are in our wild campsite, allowing for a different experience of Africa. This is a safari for people who want to see wildlife and get immersed in nature but do it in more comfort.
Eating Drinking
13 breakfasts, two lunches and seven dinners are included. For meals not included, please allow the equivalent of approximately £12.50/US$15 per meal per person. Some meals are in restaurants or the lodges while others are prepared by the crew. Camp meals are freshly cooked over the campfire. They are wholesome and plentiful, but do not expect cordon bleu cuisine and please note it is not always easy to get fresh meat. However, the standard of food is generally good. Breakfast: Cereals, coffee, muesli, fresh fruit or the occasional fried breakfastLunch: Cheese, cold meats, pasta, salads, bread or rollsDinner: Potjie (stew), braai (barbecue) or stir fries Vegetarians are well catered for on this trip though sometimes options might be more limited.
Transportation
The vehicle normally used for this trip, including for safari in Etosha, is a specially modified safari truck with up to 16 seats for guests. Seating is forward facing and the windows are large and easy to open. Smaller groups may be in a Toyota Hilux/Land Cruiser. People are expected to move around to permit everyone a chance to have a window seat. All vehicles have a reference library and icebox. Please note, it is not safe to stand when the vehicle is moving, please remain seated until the vehicle stops, even on game drives. Entering the Okavango Delta is done by mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe that sits low in the water and is poled by one of the expert polers from the local community. All gamed drives in Etosha on all tours is done in our vehicles and any one is free to take an open option game drive. (These are not always available and only booked on arrival.)
Joining Instructions
Key information Start hotel: Cresta Maun, lekawen drift, Maun, Botswana Phone: +267 686 3455 Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time today Airport: Maun International Airport (MUB) Getting to the start hotel The start hotel is approximately 15 minutes’ drive from the airport. Exodus provides free arrival transfers to the start hotel from the airport for all customers. If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative. Catching your return flight The last night of the trip is spent in the Sesriem and the tour finishes in Windhoek. The group transfer back to Windhoek is scheduled to align with a chosen flight to London, UK; therefore, you should not book flights leaving before then. Please contact your sales representative for the timings of this flight. Free airport departure transfers are only available for return flights departing after the chosen flight route to London – from our Windhoek hotel (if you have booked post tour accommodation) to the airport. Please note, unless specified otherwise, the transfers will be to the start (or pre-tour) hotel and from the end (or post-tour) hotel and will be on the date on which the tour starts/ends; transfers to other hotels in the same city and/or on different dates may attract an extra charge. Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts.
Weather Information
Botswana There is no best time to go for game viewing or conditions in the Delta as the Delta flows year-round despite flood periods. The wettest season is January and February when travel on dirt roads becomes difficult. March to September, although dry and bright, can be cold at night (in June and July it really can be chilly on occasions so bring appropriate gear). October and November are the hottest months, and midday temperatures can be uncomfortable. The rains normally start slowly in late November. December can be wet, but it does not rain for long periods and should definitely not put anyone off travelling as there is always plenty of sunshine. Namibia June, July and August, while clear and warm during the day, can get cold at night, even reaching freezing point. Between September and May, it is considerably warmer with October to March being the hottest, getting up to the high 30Cs (around 100F). However, it is always a dry heat, and the temperature does drop at night. The wet season is between November and February, but this is not a bad time to go as the desert blooms after rainfall, there is plenty of birdlife to see and it never rains for very long.
Spending Money
Allow approximately £12.50/US$15 per person per day for meals and snacks not included. Optional excursions (approximate costs, depending on group sizes) There are several optional activities in Namibia and Botswana, such as ocean fishing, quad‐biking(ATV’s), boat rides and scenic flights but there’s plenty to occupy you if you don’t participate. These prices are approximate and to be paid in local currency or card in Namibia and in local currency, US dollars or card in Botswana. Swakopmund — Deadvlei transfer (if not walking to Hiddenvlei on Day 3): 200 Namibian dollars (£9.90/US$12) — Quad‐biking: 900 Namibian dollars (£48/US$58) for two hours; 650 Namibian dollars (£33/US$40) for one hour — Fat biking: 500 Namibian dollars (£27.10/US$33) for two hours — Flight over Sossusvlei and Skeleton Coast: 5,300 Namibian dollars (£295/US$360) for two hours — Ocean fishing: 1,300-1,700 Namibian dollars (£67-£83/US$81-US$101) — Living desert tour: 1,000 Namibian dollars (£55/US$67) for a half day — Swakopmund township tour: 800 Namibian dollars (£43/US$52) — Sandboarding: 650 Namibian dollars (£34/US$41) for lay down; 900 Namibian dollars (£40/US$48) for stand up Brandberg — Elephant game drive: 800 – 1000 Namibian dollars (£39/US$42) Etosha — Additional Etosha safari: 800 Namibian dollars (£42/US$51) Windhoek — Windhoek township tour: 500 Namibian dollars (£27/US$32), minimum two people, otherwise the price is higher — Okapuka Ranch: : 400 Namibian dollars (£20/US$24) for a game drive and 580 Namibian dollars (£32/US$39) for a one-way transfer to the ranch — Daan Viljoen Game Reserve: 150 Namibian dollars (£7.50/US$9) for entrance fee for walking trail and 1300 Namibian dollars (£36/US$44) for a return transfer to reserve Okavango — Helicopter ride (25 minutes): 3,600 pula (£210/US$265) per person (minimum three people – prices vary by group size) — Scenic flight: 5,000 pula (£250/US$325) per person (minimum four people – prices vary by group size) — Guma Lagoon boat ride: 360 pula (£20/US$25) per person These prices are subject to change.
Tipping
If you feel your leader and support team have performed well, you may want to show your appreciation of their services. The sum you choose to give is entirely personal, but as a guide we suggest the equivalent of around £1.25-£2.50/US$1.50-US$3 per person per day. For the two nights in the Okavango Delta, we recommend a tip of approximately 250 pula (£16.50/US$20) per person for our polers. For other staff such as porters, we recommend that you budget for a further £4.10-£6.60/US$5-US$8. In most restaurants and bars, an average of tipping 10 percent is common in both Namibia and Botswana but be sure to check. This tip is voluntary and can be declined if service was unsatisfactory.

Highlights