14 Days Zambia and Botswana Adventure
Note:- This is a special custom tour, where we will complete a multi-day rafting trip down the Zambezi River in Zambia, Africa, explore Livingstone Zambia, as well as complete a wildlife safari in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. This tour will be hosted by the owner and founder of Nature Horizons Tours, Dominick Santariga.
Maximum Passanger: 12pax
Tour Overview
Considered the best rafting experience in the world, the Zambezi River flowing down the Batoka Gorge provides one of the most intense sensory thrills imaginable. Its white-water rapids and striking scenery, deep within the sheer black cliffs of the Batoka Gorge afford the adrenaline junkie a wild roller-coaster ride along a route carved over millennia by the middle Zambezi River. The rapids are run in large rubber rafts launched from just below the Falls. June to
February, all 23 are navigable but in October the river is kicking!
Victoria Falls presents a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring grandeur on the Zambezi River, forming the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was described by the Tokaleye people living in a tribe along the banks of the Zambezi river as “Mosi-oa-Tunya” – “The Smoke that Thunders.” In more modern terms, Victoria Falls is known as the most extraordinary curtain of falling water in the world. Columns of spray can be seen from miles away as, at the height of the rainy season, more than five hundred million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge, over a width of nearly two kilometers, into a gorge over one hundred meters below.
This phenomenon is a wonder of the world, and when you arrive you will soon see why.
The Zambezi River is the most powerful river on planet Earth, making it one of the most adrenaline-filled rafting kayaking, and river surfing excursions one can go on. Zambia is filled with beautiful national parks for wildlife safaris and awe-inspiring nature for you to immerse yourself in. Nature Horizons has built this tour to include all of the above and so much more!
On this tour, we will also travel to Botswana for a wildlife safari.
Traditional dug-out canoe, or “mokoro”, trips have become a very popular way for travelers to experience the tranquility of the Okavango Delta. Okavango Mokoro Safari;
These are an excellent way to slip quietly into and become part of everyday life in this watery wonderland. Nature Horizons runs all of its mokoro trips through the “Okavango Kopano Mokoro Community Trust,” which controls the use of a large area of the delta and sets the guide and community fees for activities.
This community traditionally uses this part of the delta for fishing, reed cutting, and harvesting water lily bulbs. The mokoro is an integral part of these activities. Your days will be spent with your guide gliding silently down waterways, chilling in camp during the midday heat, and taking early morning and late afternoon game-viewing walks. Your nights spent camping at the fire-side on islands immersed in the wild sounds of African nights.
Day 1: Arrival
Arrival at Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport, Livingstone Upon your arrival at Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport in Livingstone, Zambia, a Nature Horizons team member will be waiting for you at the airport. After you meet your guide, we will transfer you to your hotel in Livingstone. Once you are checked into your hotel, you have the day to relax and get your bearings. If you need anything from town, our team members are always nearby and will assist you in anything you need. Before dinner, we are going to have a safety briefing about our rafting tour. Also, we are going to go through a gear check just to make sure you have all the necessary things you will need on this adventure. If you are missing anything, we will head into town and assist you in purchasing the missing items from our local markets. After dinner, relax and enjoy the nightlife! Welcome to Africa, the Motherland.
Day 2: Village tour - Devil's pool
Today you will wake up at around 7 am. Enjoy your breakfast and coffee and relax! We will be departing your hotel at 8:30 am for a complete tour of Mukuni Village.
Chief Mukuni’s Village is a Royal village that was founded around the 13th century. It is home to about 7,000 Leya people. The Chief has invited visitors into his village to get a glimpse of how his people have lived for generations and learn a little about their traditional customs and beliefs.
The Chief’s guides and the people of the village are more than happy to show visitors their huts. They will show you inside, explain how they are built and decorated, introduce you to various craftsmen and women at work and ask you to taste some traditional foods and beer. Remember that this is a working village, not a purpose-built tourist attraction, and it is a privilege to be welcomed into their lifestyle.
A tour to Mukuni Village is a two-hour excursion, where you can gain valuable knowledge of how an African village is run and the day-to-day routines of the people who live there. A headman will escort you around the village to explain village politics and to answer any questions you may have. One highlight you should see is Chief Mukuni’s Palace.
Nature Horizons is proud to introduce you to the ancestral African culture. After we tour Mukuni Village, we will head straight back to Victoria Falls. Get ready for the thrill of a lifetime. From August to December, the water level and current on the Zambezi river’s topside are very low. This allows us to visit Devil’s Pool. Devil’s Pool is a small water pool on the edge of the waterfall! Your guide will safely assist you to the pool, where you can relax and enjoy a swim and literally hang over the waterfall and view the entire falls. The experience you will have here is sure to stick with you forever. The amazing experiences are not over today. Following Devil’s Pool, we will enjoy a sunset over the river. Tomorrow is a big day. After sunset, we will get some sleep.
Day 3 & Day 4: Zambezi White Water Rafting full day
Day 3:
Wake up with the sun and enjoy a sunrise breakfast. After breakfast, we are going to head to the river. Now it’s time to start rafting! Today we are going to raft from Rapid 1 to Rapid 21. This might be the most epic rafting experience in the world. In season, the mighty Zambezi River is the most powerful river on Earth. Rafting it is like no other river you have ever been on in your life. We are going to raft until around two hours before sunset. Once we reach our camp, you will find your tents and camp are already set up. Now we can relax! Dinner is set around 7 pm around the bonfire. After dinner, it’s time to tell stories and get to know each other and those that are tired and want to sleep can do so.
Day 4:
Today we will wake up with the sun. We never want to miss the chance at a magical sunrise on the Zambezi. Coffee and tea will be ready as soon as you wake up and breakfast will be served around 9 am. After we finish breakfast and relax on the beaches of the Zambezi, we head out for more rafting. Today we will raft from Rapid 21 past Rapid 25 and into lower Moemba . We will raft today for about six hours, stopping for lunch along the way and relaxing by the river. Tonight will be our last night camping on the Zambezi. Everyone will gather around a large bonfire and share stories and reminisce on the adventurous day we just had together. After dinner feel free to lay on the beach and watch the stars. The Zambezi night sky is one of the most magical night skies. Fall asleep in your tent as you watch the stars by the large cliffs of the Zambezi.
Day 5: Zambezi White Water Rafting - Exit to Livingston
Our last breakfast on the Zambezi will be ready at 08:30 am. After breakfast, we will head out rafting from lower Moemba to upper Moemba . The group will be rafting for 2-3 hours today on our final day. When we reach our exit destination, we will hop in our 4×4 that will be waiting for us.
Enjoy a beautiful scenic drive to Livingstone. We will travel through several traditional Zambian villages on the way back to Livingstone. When we reach Livingstone we will check you in to your hotel accommodation. Now is a great time to relax and rest. Tomorrow we are heading to Botswana for our Okavango Delta Safari.
Day 6: Transfer to Maun Botswana
Today will be a day of travel. We will wake up with the sun and transport to Maun Botswana. Travel time 8 hours. (Travel time 8 hours)
Day 7: Okavango Delta Safari
We will wake up for an early breakfast at sunrise at around 6 a.m. After breakfast is finished and we are packed and ready to go, we will take a one-hour transport from Maun to the Boro village in Botswana. When you arrive at the village, we will start packing our mokoro boats and prepare for our safari. Once we set off on our safari, you will be on a mokoro gliding along the waterways to your campsite. Once at your riverside campsite, lunch is served followed by an hour or two of relaxation. We have already been on a boat safari on the way to the campsite, now it is time to go on a walking safari.
Once we set out on our walking safari, we will experience the wilderness of the Okavango Delta until sunset, when we need to return to our campsite. Upon arrival back in camp, you may request water to be warmed for you to have a shower (bucket shower hoisted into a tree, hanging over a canvas enclosure) and enjoy your campfire dinner.
Spend the evening around the campfire, enjoying the interaction with your guides and sharing stories. This is such an incredible experience, and you are now just at the beginning. Prepare for bed. Tomorrow morning, we will wake up with the sun with the
best time to spot nocturnal wildlife. When the sun is rising, they will just be finishing their night. We must be ready and prepared to experience the magic.
Day 8: Okavango Delta Safari
We will be waking up early, at around 5:30 a.m. Coffee, tea, biscuits, and fruit will be waiting for you to enjoy as the sun is coming up. Once the sun is up, we will be heading out on a four-hour, early morning game walk. Once our game walk is finished, we will be returning to camp at around 10 am for an amazing breakfast in the wilderness. It is now time to relax. If you wish, your guide can take you on a mokoro ride, and you can experience a refreshing swim in the Okavango Delta.
By mid-afternoon, we will head out on our game walk into the sunset. When we are in the delta, we are searching for wildlife. You can trust our guides to lead you to the magic. As always, depending on your energy level, we can finish our walking safari into the sunset, or we can end our walking safari early and finish our sunset safari on the boat. A sunset boat safari is one of
the most relaxing things one can do; The sounds of the pole and the mokoro peacefully making their way through the waterways while listening to and seeing the wildlife is an experience that cannot be matched.
Day 9: Okavango Delta Safari - Transfer to Maun Botswana.
Enjoying your coffee as the sun rises for our final day on safari is sure to be a memorable experience. Today we will head back to the village by 3 pm, but your Botswana safari experience isn’t over yet! This morning we will again go on a walking safari for around 2 hours, giving us plenty of time to relax and enjoy our last day.
We will return to camp at around 9 am for an amazing breakfast. After breakfast is finished, we will pack up camp and head out on our mokoro safari, stopping for any wildlife on the way, as always. At your request, we can even go for a swim in the Delta. After we reach Boro village, we will then transfer you to your hotel accommodation in Maun, Botswana, where you can relax and prepare for your departure tomorrow.
Day 10: Transfer from Maun, to Livingston Zambia
Today will be a day of travel. We will wake up with the sun and transport to Livingston Zambia. Travel time 8 hours. (Travel time 8 hours)
Day 11, Day 12, Day 13:
Free day in Livingstone Zambia. We will decide as a group what we would like to do. We can break the day up between relaxing by the pool at our hotel and exploring deeper into Zambia.
Day 14: Departure day
Wake up for breakfast and enjoy your last morning in Africa. It was our pleasure to guide you on one of the most amazing experiences planet Earth has to offer.
Includes
- Airport Transfers;
- Hotel Accommodation in Livingstone Zambia
- Hotel accommodation in Maun Botswana
- Camping accommodation while camping
- Professional Rafting Guides
- Professional safety Kayakers
- Life Vest
- Paddle
- Raft
- Gear / Safety Raft
- All government fees for camping
- Devils pool government fee
- Transportation in Livingstone Zambia
- Transportation from Livingstone Zambia to Maun Botswana
- Transportation in Maun Botswana
- Okavango Delta Wildlife Safari
Excludes
- Dept Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
- Visa
- Excursions not specified in itinerary
- Personal Items (souvenirs / travel insurance / Alcohol / bottled water / soft drinks)
- All camping gear (tent / sleeping bag / etc.);
Accommodation
Day 1: https://backpackzambia.com
Day 2: https://backpackzambia.com
Day 3: Camping on the Zambezi River
Day 4: Camping on the Zambezi River
Day 5: https://backpackzambia.com
Day 6: Hotel accommodation Maun Botswana
Day 7: Camping Okavango Delta
Day 8: Camping Okavango Delta
Day 9: Hotel Accommodation Maun Botswana
Day 10: https://backpackzambia.com
Day 11: https://backpackzambia.com
Day 12: https://backpackzambia.com
Day 13: https://backpackzambia.com
Day 14: Departure Day
Join this Program
Date
- Oct 07 - 20 2022
- Expired!
Time
- All Day
Cost
- $3,750.00
More Info
Labels
- SPECIAL GROUP
Location
- Africa
Other Organizers
-
Barbie Bryant
-
TOUR LEADER
