- Duration 16 Days
- Difficulty 2/5
- Group Size 10
Namibia & Botswana
Private Group Safari
“I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up and was not happy.”
Ernest Hemingway
This is a stunning itinerary, combining the incredible spectacle that is the wildness of Namibia with the abundance of wildlife that is the Okavango Delta in Botswana. In Namibia too we will see an abundance of wildlife, but it will be different from Botswana, making this combination perfectly complimentary. Expect herds of desert elephant, giraffes, gemsbok, fur seals, springbok, brown hyena, eland, lion and even the possibility of black rhino, something we can’t see in the Okavango. We will see spectacular dunes, the foreboding Skeleton Coast, ancient plants and a plethora of birds. We will even visit a traditional Himba village.
At the end of our Namibia stay we take a private charter plane, direct from our final camp, to Maun in Botswana. Maun is the gateway to the delta and from here we board a private helicopter to our secluded camp – Mokolwane – it is the only way to access the camp. The Okavango Delta, which seeps into the dry sands of the Kalahari Desert in the southern African country of Botswana, is the largest inland delta in the world. The water flows from the Angolan Heights and has no other recourse than to spread out thinly over the flat terrain to give birth to a lush area carrying abundant game. Today it has become a paradise of African wildlife, the last bastion of vintage Africa. There is no question that the Okavango is one of the greatest wild spectacles left on the planet. Every day, every game drive, from the well-appointed open vehicles, we witness a new stage on which a play develops. With expert guides, we set out at dawn, usually in search of predators, for where there are predators there is most likely to be classic African action. Mokolwane offers a magical and unique experience that will work its way under your skin and into your blood. You will not want to leave.
The map is a visual representation of the locations included in this trip. Click over the image to zoom into the map. For more information, please refer to the itinerary for this expedition.
Trip Details
General Information
PRICE: US$21,850 PER PERSON SHARING
Single Supplement: N/A
Arrival: Windhoek Airport (WDH), Namibia
Arrival Time: The day of the 31st May, 2025
Departure: Maun Airport (MUB), Botswana, Afternoon of 15th June 2025
INCLUDED
- 15 nights accommodation on a shared basis.
- International private charter between Namibia and Botswana.
- All meals, unless otherwise stated.
- Airport transfers on arrival and departure.
- All internal airfares and ground transportation on the itinerary.
- One Pete Oxford Expeditions trip leader.
- Drinks in safari camps included.
- Laundry at all camps.
NOT INCLUDED
- Round-trip international airfare to Windhoek, returning from Maun.
- Travel evacuation insurance, which is mandatory on this expedition.
- Gratuities to local guides and camp staff.
- Early check-in to Hotel Heinitzburg in Windhoek if necessary.
- Expenses of a personal nature.
- Any COVID 19 related costs.
VIEW ITINERARY
A Day 1: May 31st, 2025: Arrive into Windhoek, Namibia.
Our trip begins in Windhoek, the capital city and heart of Namibia. There will be a transfer to the Hotel Heiniztburg, a small, quiet hotel converted from an old castle. Depending on your arrival time into Windhoek you might have time to explore the local surrounds or relax after the long flight in the gardens and pool area. Dinner tonight is on your own. o/n Hotel Heinitzburg.
B Days 2 – 5 June 1st – 4th, 2025: Kwessi Dunes Camp
We fly in small, privately chartered, aircraft to land at an airstrip in the NamibRand desert from where we are picked up and taken to Kwessi Dunes Camp where we stay for three nights. The location is spectacular, the camp itself is a destination. We will explore the area in safari vehicles, on quad bikes and on foot. Desert specialist birds and antelope will come to us, including gemsbok (oryx) and springbok. Evenings will be chilly and days will be hot. When at camp we may be either around a firepit or in the pool. The night sky is unbelievable. o/n Kwessi Dunes Camp
C Days: 5 – 8: June 4th – 7th, 2025: Hoanib Valley Camp
Leaving the Sossusvlei area of Kwessi Dunes, we again take privately chartered light aircraft for a flight north, parallel to the Skeleton Coast, as far as the ridiculously wild, remote and stunning area of Kaokoland. It is unlikely that many of your friends have been to this incredible region. This area is the best place to see desert adapted elephant, giraffe, mountain zebra, rhino and even lion. We transfer to the very discrete and stylish Hoanib Valley Camp for our three night stay. We will track these animals from our vehicles while possibly tracking black rhinos on foot, watching for klipspringer, oryx, springbok or Verreaux’s eagle as we go. A visit to a traditional Himba village will be a highlight. o/n Hoanib Valley Camp.
D Days: 8 – 10: June 7th – 9th, 2025: Shipwreck Lodge
Instead of our usual charter planes connecting us between camps, this morning we drive to our next destination. Through truly wild and rugged terrain an approximately five hour drive westwards takes us to the frigid Atlantic Ocean arriving at our mind-blowing new camp, Shipwreck Lodge. Each cabin is designed to resemble a wooden shipwreck, paying homage to lives lost at sea along this treacherous Skeleton Coast. From here, for two days, we will explore in safari vehicles or quad bikes making a special visit to the amazing Mowe Bay fur seal colony. o/n Shipwreck Lodge.
E Days: 10 – 12: June 9th – 11th, 2025: Safarihoek
Flying back inland we arrive at Safarihoek Lodge and check in to our thatched chalets. Activities revolve around game viewing, either from our open safari vehicles or from the amazing double-storey hide at the waterhole, where we can get a water-level or higher view of the wildlife that comes to drink including elephants. Part of the greater Etosha National park system, a world famous wildlife area, Safarihoek is a fabulous place to view these desert animals, which will now be more abundant than at previous camps.
Highlights should include black rhinos, lion, zebra, eland, tsessebe. o/n Safarihoek Lodge.
F Days: 12 – 16: June 11th – 15th, 2025: Mokolwane Lodge, Okavango Delta
We will travel by privately chartered light aircraft on an international flight direct from Safarihoek Lodge to Maun International airport in Botswana. After clearing customs and immigration we will continue by private helicopter to Mokolwane Lodge in the Okavango Delta where we stay for 4 nights. Deep in the heart of one of the most spectacular wildlife refuges on Earth we spend our time excitedly searching in safari vehicles for some real iconic African specialties such as leopard, lion, wild dog, cheetah and hyena It is the only camp for miles around and we have on exclusive use. Come time to leave we will feel like we own the place! The camp is exactly what we, at Pete Oxford Expeditions, look for in a camp. Sightings will be amazing, all the game, lots of smaller mammals and a host of innumerable birds, from martial eagles, to quelea and wattled cranes. The super rare Pel’s fishing owls are also around. o/n Mokolwane Lodge.
H Day 16, June 15th, 2025: Flights home.
Transfer via helicopter from Mokolwane to Maun Airport for your international flights back to Johannesburg or Cape Town to connect to your flights home. Trip ends at Maun Airport.
