Caprivi Strip Safari

Connect through Johannesburg on to a regional flight to Windhoek, arriving in the early afternoon. From the airport you will be transferred to Rivendell Guesthouse where you will be spending the night. A member of staff from our local partners will pay you a visit this afternoon for your trip briefing and to ensure safe delivery of your rental car after which you will be at leisure to relax by the pool and prepare for the adventure ahead.

Set off from Windhoek early this morning as you have a lot of ground to cover to the eastern edge of the Etosha National Park. Here you will be staying at the lovely Mushara Lodge, which offers easy access to some of the best game viewing that the park has to offer. After a long drive you may wish to spend the afternoon relaxing, although you will have the chance to head out and do some exploration of the park should you wish.

Mushara is renowned for having some of the best guides in Etosha and today is a chance to enjoy their company on a guided game drive through the park. They offer both morning and afternoon game drives in to the park, with the guides on hand to impart their knowledge on the varied wildlife that you will see, as well as take you away from the crowds to their favourite secret spots to offer you a truly memorable safari.

There will be the chance for you to enjoy a final game drive from Mushara this morning, or you can simply have a more leisurely morning and spend sometime relaxing by the pool. When you are ready you will need to set off north, heading to the border town of Rundu where you will be spending the night at Hakusembe River Lodge. They offer some amazing boat trips from the lodge so this afternoon is the perfect chance to enjoy one of these.

After breakfast set off from Hakusembe and bear due east as you drive in to the Caprivi Strip. The contrast is stark as you leave the dry red desert behind and enjoy the altogether more clement surroundings of Caprivi, with reed covered river banks and verdant floodplains. You will be spending the next 2 nights at Divava Okavango Lodge and Spa. Enjoy sundowner drinks by the beautiful Popa Falls once you are settled in.

Today will be a full day for you to explore from Divava, either heading out on your own or by joining one of the guided activities offered by the lodge. The nearby Mahango National Park is a wonderful spot with varied wildlife including lion, leopard, giraffe and buffalo as well as large herds of elephant. Boat safaris are a great way to spot hippo and crocodile as well as enjoy a spot of fishing – truly a wonderful way to while away an afternoon.

Venture deeper in to the Caprivi Strip this morning, enjoying the amazing scenery as you drive east. You will be staying at Nambwa Tented Lodge for the next 3 nights and this will be an undoubted highlight of the trip. Found in the game rich Bwabwata National Park the lodge offers access to prime wildlife viewing areas and is one of the most luxurious in the region. A trip to Horseshoe Lagoon for sundowners is an ideal way to get your stay started.

The lodge offers a hugely varied programme of activities which gives you a wonderful number of ways to explore the area. Morning and afternoon boat cruises are very popular and are a very genteel way to explore the area with birders especially fond of them. Game drives in the park are renowned for their excellent elephant encounters whilst guided bush walks are perfect for those who want to learn more about the smaller things often missed on game drives.

Of course, no holiday would be complete without some well-earned relaxation time and Nambwa is the perfect spot for just that. The lodge is beautifully sited overlooking a watering hole where wildlife will often come to drink and both the suites and the main area are incredibly comfortable so perfect for sitting back with a good book and watching the world go by. The food is excellent and staff are always on hand to serve cold drinks.

Continue on your journey today, heading to the eastern tip of Caprivi where you will be spending the final 3 nights of your trip at Ichingo Chobe River Lodge. Nestled on a small island in the middle of the Chobe River the lodge is in Namibia, but overlooks Botswana and offers the same experience as visitors would get if you went to the famed Chobe National Park but without the crowds. Sit back, relax and enjoy the late afternoon views from the lodge.

The activities from Ichingo are focused on being on the water, with a series of tender boats on hand to take you out on the Chobe River and offer the chance for amazing encounters with elephant drinking from the bank as well as hippo and crocodile sunning themselves in the shallows. They are also great for birding and fishing, so chat with the staff at the lodge and they will be able to plan the perfect days out for you.

The lodge boasts an excellent relationship with a local village where many of its staff hail from so there will be a chance to visit and learn more about their unique way of life in this stunning part of the world. Equally, there is plenty of time to sit back and enjoy the unique surroundings of the lodge, relax by the swimming pool and enjoy the warm, natural hospitality, as well as the incredible food for which it is renowned.

After breakfast and some time at leisure to relax you will be transferred to the nearby Kasane airport for a flight to Johannesburg where you will catch an overnight flight home.