The Okavango Delta

Day 1- Depart London to Johannesburg.

Depart London Heathrow this evening on your South African Airways flight to Johannesburg (10 hours 55 minutes).

Day 2- Arriving at Johannesburg and connect to Maun. 2 nights at Kanana Camp.

Arriving this morning you will connect with your South African Airlink flight to Maun where, on arrival, you will be met by a Ker & Downey representative and transferred by light aircraft (90 KM/approximately 25 minutes) heading deep into the lush grasslands and island oases of the Okavango Delta, where you will spend the next 2 nights at Kanana Camp (Luxury Camp), a deluxe permanent tented camp close to the Xudum River. Kanana is actually Setswana for ‘paradise’. The area encompasses a necklace of islands dotted with palms, figs, ebony and knobthorn, and is home to myriad birds, plants and animals. The nature of the habitat means it is the perfect place to experience the diversity of species found within the Okavango Delta. Dependent on the annual floods, the level of water transforms this dry camp into a true water experience and in the early months of the year you may actually enjoy the spectacle of the water visibly rising around the camp.

Day 3- Explore the area with your private guide, and enjoy a wide variety of selected activities

Being in a private concession a wide variety of activities is available at Kanana Camp and the focus of activities varies with the rising and falling levels of the Okavango Delta, your professional guide will assist you in planning your days to best explore the area. At sunrise you are woken with a pot of tea or coffee brought to your accommodation so you can enjoy the luxury of tea/coffee in bed as you watch and listen to the camp and natural surrounds come to life. We meet together for a cooked or light breakfast before heading out on a morning activity. You return to camp before lunch, after which it is siesta time and this daily routine settles in throughout your safari. Activity times vary with the seasons, summer days are longer so you will be up earlier and out later and meal times adjust accordingly than during the winter months. Alternatively you may explore the crystal clear waterways by mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) or powerboats, and enjoy the magnificent variety of birds, plant and reptile species found in the area. Of special note is the birding in the area, Kanana hosting a seasonal heronry that teems with activity from August through to the summer months, a true highlight at Kanana which converts all visitors to avid 'twitchers' at first sight. Guided walks are highly recommended in this pretty area as well as fly or spin fishing for tilapia, African pike and sharptooth catfish.

Day 4- Head to Okuti Camp by light aircraft, located in the Moremi Game Reserve, one of South Africa's most beautiful reserves.

Today depart Kanana Camp and transfer by light aircraft to the Okuti Camp (75 KM/approximately 20 minutes), located in the Moremi Game Reserve, one of the most beautiful reserves in Southern Africa (Luxury Camp).

Day 5- At leisure with a range of activites including a power boat excursion and the perfect Safari experience in an open-top Toyota Landcruiser.

Activities will include game drives in the reserve and power boat excursions into the upper delta, where during the breeding season, large concentrations of herons and storks can be seen at their nesting sites. For the perfect safari experience, game drives are taken in open-topped Toyota Landcruisers, specially adapted for gameviewing and photography.

Day 6- Short private flight to Shinde Camp for 3 nights with spectacular surroundings of Birds and Game life.

Transferring back to Okuti’s private airstrip you will fly to Shinde Camp (37 miles or 59 KM /approximately 15 minutes), where you will stay for 3 nights (Luxury Camp). Shinde Camp is nestled on a lush palm island in the heart of the northern Okavango Delta. Spectacularly located at the edge of a lagoon, it is surrounded by clear waterways which flow over yellow sands and past palm-fringed islands teeming with bird life and game.

Day 7- The Guides will plan your days around your individual preferences with plently of activities to choose from.

During your stay, days are planned with the guide and the camp managers, taking into account your preferences and areas of interest as well as the recommendations of the guides, who have expert knowledge of wildlife movements and are aware of the best options available. With two full days to explore the rich wildlife of this remote region, our camp is ideally situated to make full use of our time here. Shinde offers a diverse range of activities, having the ideal location affording both water and land activities throughout the year. Powerboats or mokoro provide a chance to experience the incredible bird, plant and reptile species found in the aquatic habitat of the Delta. Game drives are conducted in comfortable, specially designed vehicles together with a personal guide. Guided walks are also available for the more adventurous. For the fly fishing enthusiast, Shinde offers fishing for a variety of species such as tilapia and tiger fish.

Day 8- Guided walks, Game drives and Fly fishing are also available.

Day at leisure with many activities on offer for you to choose from.

Day 9- Fly back to Johannesburg via Maun. South African Airways flight back to Heathrow.

Flying back to Maun today (30 minutes) you will continue on to Johannesburg, where we connect with the South African Airways flight back to London.

Day 10- Arrive London Heathrow early this morning.

Arrive London Heathrow early this morning.

Kanana Camp

Kanana Camp, the newest camp in the Ker & Downey portfolio, set deep in the Delta amongst grass covered Islands on the Xudam River. The camp consists of eight large, twin bedded safari style tents with sewn in floors and windows built on plinths overlooking the Delta. Each has a private bathroom with hot and cold running water (24 hours), shower and flush toilet. Activities at the camp include game drives, game viewing in Mokoros (local canoes), nature walks (at the camp’s discretion), night drives, power boating, sunset rides and fishing. You can also relax at the camp’s plunge pool. The dining and sitting areas are raised on decking encircling an ancient fig tree and also afford tremendous views of the area.

Okuti Camp

Okuti Camp is located in Moremi Wildlife Reserve in the northeastern part of the Okavango Delta, positioned under shade trees at the edge of the Xakanaxa lagoon. This ecosystem comprises shallow flood plains and papyrus lined waterways contrasting with dense riverine forest. It is a small and private camp catering for a maximum of 22 guests, accommodated in insect-proofed thatched chalets with en suite bathrooms. Each chalet faces west and overlooks one of the Delta’s most spectacular lagoons with stunning African sunsets. Camp Okuti offers a choice of two game viewing activities. Game drives in open safari vehicles where an abundance of large mammals can be found or powerboat excursions towards the upper delta, where, during breeding season, large concentrations of herons and storks may be seen at their nesting and breeding sites.

Shinde Island Camp

Shinde Camp comprises of eight twin bedded classic safari tents each with en-suite bathrooms, hot and cold running water and flush toilet. Every possible comfort has been catered for – from mosquito proofing, generated electricity, and a private viewing deck through to a handy flashlight! Each tent, strategically positioned, offers splendid views, whether across the Delta’s mysterious waterways or open grasslands. Accommodation is generally twin share on comfortable three quarter beds, however double accommodation is available on request. Enjoy relaxing by the swimming pool between game viewing. Other activities include power boating, sunset rides, game fishing and a boat trip to nearby Gadikwe Island roost.

Victoria Falls 2 Day Extension

Extra Days:0Cost:from £ 0

Bales are offering clients the opportunity to extend their Okavango Delta Safari by two nights with a FREE Victoria Falls extension, discover the raw power of ‘The Smoke that Thunders’ the world largest single curtain waterfall and one of the world’s Seven Natural Wonders. This includes two nights accommodation, domestic flight to and from the falls and road transfers.

South African Airways - Business Class

Cost: from £ 2395

In contrast to many airlines, there is a degree of consistency across the SAA fleet in business class, as on all long-haul aircraft, SAA has installed its fully-flat seats. These have a pitch of 73 inches with laptop power (115V AC, so only a 2-pin European-type plug is required). They also have individual reading lights with four settings, individually adjustable lumbar support and an articulated armrest which flattens to widen the bed to 24 inches plus an adjustable headrest.