BOTSWANA - SAVATU & OKAVANGO DELTA

Day 1 : Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana, Savuti - Chobe National Park (B / L / D)  

Savuti - Chobe National Park :

Savuti, also known as Savute lies in the heart of Botswana’s beautiful Chobe National Park. This dynamic wilderness is a sweeping expanse of savannah brooded over by several rocky outcrops which guard a relic marsh and the dry channel that was once its lifeline. The Savute goes through wet and dry cycles, where wild dogs hunt in the dry river channel where crocodiles swam only twenty years ago. Visitors to this spectacular area can spot abundant wildlife including: a variety of birds, elephants, antelope, lion prides, black-backed jackal, bat-eared foxes, tsessebe, kudu, hyena, cheetah Cape buffalo herds, and thousands of migrating zebra and wildebeest.

Day Itinerary :

Arrive in Maun, meet and greet at the airport and assistance to your scheduled charter flight to the Savute.
Check-in and orientation at the lodge, afternoon tea is served before your first afternoon activity.

Game Drives :

It’s dark outside as a cup of steaming coffee and a freshly-baked pastry is brought to your tent. The first rays of sun are sneaking over the horizon as you set out with your guide. As the light intensifies, the scent of wild sage perfumes the air.

Early morning and late afternoon game drives take you out and among Africa’s largest populations of elephants. Big cats are on the prowl, from leopards to lions. Depending on the season you will also experience the great migrations such as zebra and antelope. Rare sightings might include the endangered wild dog, rock-climbing klipspringers and the elegant roan antelope.

Equally atmospheric and exciting are evening drives, as the shadows lengthen and the sky turns red. Animals and birds emerge from their siesta, and suddenly the bush is alive with sights and sounds.

Game viewing vehicles sit up to only 6 guests, allowing all on board to enjoy the wildlife from a window seat.

Lookout Hide :

Head to our new viewing hide to enjoy a front-row seat of the action as elephants, hyenas and leopards gather at the watering hole for their daily drink.

Bird Watching :

It is a fascinating time to spot birds at Savute as the intermittent Savute Channel, dry for 30 years, is flowing past the camp again. With it has come a host of new bird species. Dry land birds such as bustards and secretary birds have suddenly been joined by more aquatic varieties. Simply sit out on your terrace and watch the show, especially at dawn and sunset, as they come to splash and drink right in front of your eyes.

Keen birders should also take note of the seasons. At certain times of year you may encounter annual migrations such as flocks of carmine bee-eaters on the move.

Some ride on the backs of kori bustards—an amazing sight.
   
Bushmen Paintings and Baobab Trees :

Out in the bush, where rocks rear up among stony hills you will find a collection of paintings that take your breath away. These works by Bushmen are thought to be more than 1,500 years old—beautiful images of elephant, giraffe, sable and eland antelope. Normally these types of painting might be found hidden in caves, but here, unusually, they are out in the wide, open landscape. No-one knows what materials the bushmen used, but the paint is thought to be a mixture of snake venom, blood and plant juices.

After viewing these paintings, continue to the amazing baobab grove—a cathedral-like cluster of 13 giant trees that rival the Bushmen’s paintings in age. Stand among these towering columns at sunset, as the evening light bathes them in a russet glow and wonder at this ancient land.
   
Star Gazing :

The open skies around Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge make it the perfect place to experience the vast, dark dome of the African night sky. “A jewel box” is how one of our guides describes it, and certainly it is a wealth of riches from the Milky Way to Orion and Venus. Discover how Bushmen used the stars to locate the true south. And, using a powerful telescope, gaze on constellations that visitors from the northern hemisphere may never have seen before, including the Southern Cross.

The Boma :

Gather around the campfire in this circular log hut and exchange your day’s adventures, much as local villagers do in similar buildings throughout Botswana. Flames flicker and lamps glow as drinks are served; a choir sings traditional songs and invites you to a buffet of African specialities.

Then take a comfortable seat and listen as camp guides recount tales of the bush. Musicians strike up traditional songs and the evening often ends with everyone on their feet, dancing to rhythms handed down through generations.

Dining at Savute Elephant Lodge

Enjoy a relaxed meal overlooking the stunning Savute channel in our raised restaurant. 

Throughout the day you will have the opportunity to relax is in the quiet atmosphere of the lounge  taking in the remote landscape.

Restaurant times:
Early breakfast (served around 6am)
Light snacks, tea and coffee on morning activity
Midday meal is served between 10h30-13h30
Afternoon tea (served around 4pm)
Drinks and snacks on afternoon activity
Dinner (served around 8pm)

Overnight: Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana  
Fully Inclusive - Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities 
All Local Brands (Spirits, Wine and Beers) Included

Day 2 : Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana, Savuti - Chobe National Park (B / L / D)  

Day Itinerary :

Full day on safari with twice daily safari activities. 
Fully Inclusive - Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities 
All Local Brands (Spirits, Wine and Beers) Included

Day 3 : Eagle Island Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana, Okavango Delta (B / L / D)  

Okavango Delta :

Situated in the northwestern corner of Botswana, the Okavango Delta is a World Heritage Site as it is the largest inland delta in the world. The magnificent Okavango River sprawls out over the dry sands of the Kalahari Desert forming this flourishing waterlogged oasis featuring countless meandering waterways and crystal clear lagoons studded with water lilies, as well as fertile floodplains and reeded islands inhabited with abundant wildlife. The Okavango Delta stretches over an impressive15000 square kilometres. Visitors can enjoy a number of wonderful activities such as game viewing, fishing, bird watching or taking an authentic guided Mokoro excursion through this wetland paradise in a traditional dugout canoe. Commonly spotted animals include: lion, rhino, leopard, giraffe, hippos, elephants, crocodiles and countless species of bird.

Day Itinerary :

Morning activity, check out and transfer to airstrip for scheduled charter flight to the Okavango Delta. 
Check-in and orientation at the lodge, afternoon tea is served before your first afternoon activity.

Kindly note that water activities (Mokoro Canoe, Barge Cruise and Motorboat Safari) depend on water levels and are generally not offered during low season when water levels are too low. 

Mokoro Canoe Safari :

This traditional dugout canoe takes you gliding over shallow, clear waters past brilliant water lilies and papyrus grasses to areas inaccessible by boat.
   
Walking Safari :

On a walking safari through the Delta you are totally enveloped in nature. You spot amazing things close-up: an insect, animal tracks, big game droppings, swarming termite mounds. These small, unexpected aspects of life often make the biggest impression. If a game drive is like reading a book: a walking safari is like actually becoming a character in that book.
   
Bird Watching :

Many people come to Belmond Eagle Island Lodge purely to experience its huge variety of birds. The 400 land and aquatic species drawn to the watery Okavango Delta make for unrivalled bird viewing.
   
Motorboat Safari :

Motorboat safaris up the Delta takes to closer to nature and far of areas not acceptable by foot or vehicle.
   
Barge Cruise :

Take a slow gently cruise down the Delta for sundowners, you might just see a Fish Eagle taking flight or pods of hippos in the distance through an African sunset.
   
Game Drives :

Morning and afternoon game drives are available in open land cruisers. Night game drives with spotlights and stargazing presentations are also available after dinner. As the lodge is located on a private concession, vehicles are allowed to drive before and after sunset, as well as off road.
   
Dining at Belmond Eagle Island Lodge

Enjoy superb cuisine under cover or in the open air surrounded by nature and wildlife. 
Our chefs will also happily prepare picnics for you to take on a game drive.
Game drives often start early.  You will be woken with a light breakfast to enjoy in your tent before setting off on your drive.

Restaurant times:
Early breakfast (served around 6am)
Light snacks, tea and coffee on morning activity
Midday meal served between 10h30-13h30
Afternoon tea (served around 4pm)
Drinks and snacks on afternoon activity
Dinner (served around 8pm)

Fish Eagle Bar :

There is no better place to experience the sunset over the Okavango Delta than from the Fish-Eagle Bar.
Open-air and covered bar and lounge areas with a dedicated viewing deck provide the best of both worlds - a complete view of the Delta coupled with the cool relaxation of this safari hideaway.

Helicopter Safaris – Optional :

Here you experience the remoteness of the Okavango Delta and get a bird's eye view of the inaccessible lakes and islands.
Your pilot’s voice is coming through on the headset. “Look to the right where a herd of buffalos is crossing the river. We’re going down for a close-up view.” Next, you’re soaring up again. “We’re heading to a higher altitude. See the formation of the channels and the way in which the water and land mass has evolved over centuries.”

Helicopter flights over Botswana are one of life’s big adventures. Hunting has rarely been done from above and therefore animals are unperturbed by aircraft. Surprisingly, you may hover just a few feet over great herds of zebra as they continue to graze, completely unconcerned.

Even more exciting, you may be able to touch down on an island far away from human habitation and stand in a spot that has not been touched by the modern world.  A speed boat may appear bearing coffee or a celebratory glass of sparkling wine: sip at leisure as you gaze on lush, riverine scenery—one of the world’s last great wildernesses. (Additional rates apply)

Overnight: Eagle Island Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana 
Fully Inclusive - Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities 
All Local Brands (Spirits, Wine and Beers) Included

Day 4 : Eagle Island Lodge, A Belmond Safari, Botswana, Okavango Delta (B / L / D)     

Day Itinerary :

Full day on safari with twice daily safari activities. 
Fully Inclusive - Bed, All Meals, fees and activities.
All Local Brands (Spirits, Wine and Beers) Included.

Day 5 : End of Itinerary (B / - / -)  

After your final morning activity you will transfer back to the airstrip for your scheduled charter flight back to Maun for departure. 

Bed and Breakfast

End of services