Seventeen Days

Johannesburg • Sossusvlei • Swakopmund • Etosha • Okavango Delta • Moremi • Victoria Falls • Mana Pools

Welcome to The Ultimate Safari, a superb 17-day flying safari where one small group of guests travels via private plane through the prime habitats of Southern Africa. Your fast, twin-engine aircraft departs from Johannesburg and will be with you the whole trip, eliminating the delays and wasted time associated with trying to tie in with scheduled airlines and their predetermined timetables. Guests experience the very best camps and areas of Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, before returning to Johannesburg. An excellent pilot/guide will be your host—backed up by great local guides at each camp.

Day 1: Thu Depart North America Depart the U.S. in comfort aboard a British Airways flight to London.

Day 2: Fri London / Johannesburg Arrive in London this morning. You will have a day-use room at a nearby AIRPORT HOTEL to relax and rest up before your evening flight to Johannesburg.

Day 3: Sat Arrive Johannesburg Upon arrival in Johannesburg you will be met and transferred to THE GRACE. Spend the day at leisure. This evening enjoy a welcome dinner. L, D

Day 4: Sun Johannesburg / Sossusvlei Depart Johannesburg this morning for Windhoek, capital of Namibia. From there it is a one hour flight to SOSSUSVLEI  WILDERNESS CAMP. B, L, D

Day 5: Mon Sossusvlei Visit the great Sossusvlei dunes, thought to be the highest in the world. Huge, towering dunes rise dramatically, more than 1000 ft. above the surrounding plains. Activities center around early morning excursions in 4x4 vehicles to the dunes and the “vlei” itself. Afternoon activities are enjoyed on the property where you can spend time taking in the desert scenery with its unique fauna and flora. B, L, D

Day 6: Tue Sossusvlei / Swakopmund / Ongava The morning flight takes you over the dunes of the Namib Desert and west to the southern Skeleton Coast. Enjoy the spectacular desert and Skeleton Coast scenery, where the dunes and the desert meet the ocean. Arrive Swakopmund, you drive to Walvis Bay for a boat trip (weather permitting) to view seals, schools of dolphins swimming alongside the boat and sometimes even penguins. After a tour of Swakopmund, depart for a scenic flight further up the Skeleton Coast, past the Cape Cross Seal Colony, before turning east to fly up the Huab to ONGAVA LODGE. B, L, D

Day 7: Wed Ongava & Etosha Ongava Game Lodge is situated along the southern boundary of Etosha National Park in the privately owned Ongava Game Reserve. The Etosha experience includes game drives in semi-open 4x4 vehicles into the Okaukuejo area of Etosha where lion, elephant, cheetah, gemsbok, springbok and hartebeest can be seen at many of the water holes. In addition, night drives, game-viewing hides and walks with armed guides are enjoyed on the private reserve. Ongava has resident white and black rhino, giving guests the opportunity to see both species. B, L, D

Day 8: Thu Ongava / Okavango Delta Depart Ongava for JAO CAMP in the heart of Botswana’s Okavango Delta—a complete contrast from the Namib Desert. Settle in before lunch followed by and afternoon of game viewing. B, L, D

Day 9: Fri Okavango Delta Jao Camp is a luxury tented camp located in a private reserve on a large island. There is access to open flood plains and savannah for a wonderful all-around Okavango experience. The activities at Jao include mekoros, boats, day and night game drives and guided walks. B, L, D

Day 10: Sat Okavango / Moremi Game Reserve From Jao, fly to Mombo for the game viewing highlight of the safari. MOMBO CAMP is situated on Mombo Island, within the Moremi Game Reserve. The camp offers true exclusivity and privacy in the central Okavango, coupled with abundant big game, arguably the best in Botswana. The highlight here is the concentrations of plains game and all the predators—including the big cats! Leopard sightings are particularly good. B, L, D

Day 11: Sun Moremi Game Reserve Activities at Mombo include morning and afternoon game drives in open Landrovers. The game viewing in the area is excellent, and you can see lion, leopard, large herds of buffalo, cheetah, wild dog, elephant, hyena, giraffe, wildebeest and zebra, as well as all the plains game. B, L, D

Day 12: Mon Moremi / Zambezi River (Victoria Falls) After a morning game drive, depart for Kasane and then onto Livingstone, a small town on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls. Overnight at THE RIVER CLUB, which has one of the finest settings of any camp anywhere, situated high on the banks of the Zambezi River, 10 miles upstream from Victoria Falls. The camp has a distinct Victorian flavor, and you can enjoy the sights and sounds of Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River in a peaceful and tranquil setting. B, L, D

Day 13: Tue Zambezi River (Victoria Falls) Victoria Falls is arguably the world’s greatest waterfall. Daily trips to the Falls are a highlight. Boating to the Zambezi River’s islands provides relaxed afternoon activities, and fishing and sundowner trips are offered. Visit some of the local villagers for a good cultural experience. Zambezi National Park is located just across the river, and lion calls can often be heard at night. A rich bird life is found in the area. Hippo are regularly sighted (and heard) along the river’s edge. B, L, D

Day 14: Wed Zambezi River / Mana Pools View the Falls from Zimbabwe side and also visit the craft village before flying onto Mana Pools and possibly the most scenic of all the parks on this safari. CHIKWENYA CAMP is a beautiful camp on the eastern boundary of Mana Pools National Park. B, L, D

Day 15: Thu Mana Pools The focal point at Chikwenya is the magical Zambezi River, its backwaters, and the surrounding flood plains and forests. Chikwenya Island, just off shore, harbors wonderfully diverse wildlife. The area is a photographer’s paradise, as tall albida trees dot the open flood plains, with the mountains of the Rift Valley providing the backdrop. The area is renown for its large numbers of elephant, buffalo, hippo, crocodile, leopard, lion and eland that concentrate along the river when the inland waterholes dry up. Game viewing is enjoyed in open 4x4 vehicles, on motorized canoes, on foot, in hides, and in canoes. B, L, D

Day 16: Fri Mana Pools / Johannesburg / London After a last game activity, fly back to Johannesburg, landing in the afternoon, giving you enough time to connect with your onward flight. B, L

Day 17: Sat Arrive North America Arrive home today, having truly experienced not only the trip of a lifetime, but also the safari of a lifetime.

This is an all-inclusive safari, except for departure taxes and visas