The Best of Botswana: An In-Depth Safari Experience

Check in at the hotel and relax before the welcome dinner.

At the hotel, enjoy a welcome dinner chosen from an a la carte menu; a welcome drink, bottled water, coffee and tea are provided.

Orientation: The Site Coordinator will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Our Group Leader will meet us in Botswana tomorrow. We are fortunate to have as our Group Leader a knowledgeable expert who will also serve as our primary lecturer for most of the program. Please note that program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Taken at the hotel, breakfast will be an expansive buffet featuring a variety of cold cereals, fresh fruit, cold meats and cheeses, pastries and hot items such as bacon, sausage, tomatoes and mushrooms. Omelettes, eggs and waffles are cooked on demand. Fruit juices, coffee, tea and water provided.

We will check out of the hotel and board the motorcoach, transferring to Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo airport for our flight to Kasane, Botswana.

Provided in flight.

Upon an early afternoon arrival in Kasane, we will clear Botswana customs and immigration before being met for our transfer in 4x4 game viewing vehicles into Chobe National Park and our lodge. Part of the transfer will take us through the park, so there will be the potential of seeing wildlife along the way. Chobe National Park remains one of Africa’s prime game-viewing areas. Here one finds all of the “Big Five,” except for rhino. This is elephant country, home to the largest population of elephants in the world…many of these great grey giants can be seen at this time of year. (Note that seasonality makes a big difference in how much game you will see. If it’s dry you will see larger herds; if it has recently rained the animals will be more dispersed.) The park forms part of Botswana’s northern-most border and is a contrast of desert aridity and flood plains. The Chobe region is best known for its vast magnificent river and floodplains filled with grazing herds of big game. Buffalo, sable, lion, leopard, hippo, hyena, and many species of antelope find safety in this huge national park. Chobe is one of Africa’s most pristine ecosystems and greatest wildlife refuges. After settling into our rooms, we will embark on our first safari game drive of the program, each vehicle with its own local safari expert. We will move slowly through the plains in open-air 4x4 vehicles, searching for wildlife, birds and the unique flora resident in the park.

At the lodge, dinner will be our choice to order from an a la carte menu. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium alcohol will be available for purchase.

This evening, our Group Leader will give us a thorough overview of Botswana, including the cultures, history and politics of the country.

Early morning tea/coffee, fresh fruit juices, rusks and muffins will be served at the lodge prior to the morning game drive departing. Upon our return to the lodge after the game drive, a more substantial buffet will be served until 10:00am which will including a variety of items such as cold cereal, cold meat, cheeses, toast, and fresh fruit, plus coffee, tea, fresh juice, water.

In the early hours of the day, we will head out on a game drive in search of elephants, giraffes, zebra, kudu, impala, and the big cats such as lion and leopard. During our game drive, we will take a short break to enjoy coffee, tea, and rusks (South African-style biscotti). Following breakfast, we will have an opportunity to rest, relax, and enjoy the lodge’s amenities.

At the lodge, lunch will be our choice to order from an a la carte menu. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium alcohol will be available for purchase.

In the early afternoon, we will have the rare opportunity of a back-of-house visit at the lodge. Here, a lodge employee will introduce us to the sustainable tourism movement happening in Botswana, and have the chance to see how that movement is being put into practice. Following afternoon tea and snacks, we will explore the Chobe River by motorboat where we may come face to face with the elephant, buffalo and other wildlife that gather on the banks of the river to drink and bathe. The boat will provide a unique viewpoint of the riparian environment, with its numerous birds including sacred ibis, blue heron, goliath heron, saddle-billed storks, marabou storks and little egrets.

Lodge a la carte meal.

At leisure.

Early morning coffee/tea and snacks prior to game drive, followed by a substantial lodge buffet after the game drive.

We will embark on an early morning game drive within the park, exploring tracks not previously driven, searching for the animals and birds that are active during the morning hours. Following breakfast, we will have an opportunity to rest, relax, and enjoy the lodge’s amenities.

Lodge a la carte meal.

Following afternoon tea, we will board our safari vehicles for an afternoon game drive through the park, where we are likely to see many herds of elephants as they make their way up and down the river. We will arrive back at the lodge with time to freshen up before dinner.

Lodge a la carte meal.

At leisure.

Lodge buffet.

Check out of the lodge and in our open-air safari vehicles, we will do a game-drive transfer out of the park to Kasane airport, where we board our light aircraft charter flight bound for Savute, in the western part of Chobe National Park. Upon arrival at the dirt airstrip in Savute, we will be driven in our safari vehicles to the lodge; wildlife may be seen en-route.

At the lodge, enjoy a plentiful buffet featuring salads, a main entrée, and hot breakfast items such as sausage, bacon, and eggs cooked to order. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium brand alcohol will be available for purchase.

Over afternoon tea and snacks, our Group Leader will give a lecture on elephant behavior and social structure. Afterward, we will climb into our open-air safari vehicles to head out on a late afternoon game drive, exploring the Savute Marsh which simply teems with wildlife. We will return to the lodge before dinner.

At the lodge, we will have a multi-course dinner consisting of a plated starter and dessert, and main course buffet including a choice of dishes with meat and vegetarian options. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium brand alcohol will be available for purchase.

At leisure.

At the lodge prior to the morning game drive, early morning tea/coffee and light breakfast items will be served, including fresh fruit, yogurt, toast and cereals.

In the early morning hours, we will explore the area on a game drive. If natural elements allow, we will stop at Gubatsa Hills to see the ancient San rock paintings (note that occasionally a female leopard chooses to den at Gubatsa Hills, so we may not be able to exit the vehicle to explore). Following brunch, we will have an opportunity to rest, relax, and enjoy the lodge’s amenities.

Lodge buffet.

This afternoon, our Group Leader will discuss the San (Bushmen), their history in the area, and their amazing survival skills in inhospitable environments. Following afternoon tea, we will head out on a late afternoon game drive.

Lodge meal.

At leisure.

Lodge buffet.

We will check out of the lodge before our game drive to the airstrip near Savute, where we will board our light aircraft charter flight to the Moremi Game Reserve. Upon arrival at the dirt airstrip in Moremi, we will be driven in safari vehicles to the camp, with a good chance of seeing wildlife along the way.

At the lodge, enjoy a plentiful buffet featuring salads, a main entrée, and hot breakfast items such as sausage, bacon, and eggs cooked to order. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium brand alcohol will be available for purchase.

Our Group Leader will discuss the geology and hydrology of the Okavango Delta for today's class. Following afternoon tea, we will embark on a safari game drive in Moremi, driving through a large variety of different vegetation types, down winding tracks, through mopane forests and across lush grasslands in search of plains game and other species. The scenic beauty of the area will add to our experience of Botswana’s verdant Garden of Eden, the Okavango Delta.

At the lodge, we will have a multi-course dinner consisting of a plated starter and dessert, and main course buffet including a choice of dishes with meat and vegetarian options. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium brand alcohol will be available for purchase.

At leisure.

At the lodge prior to the morning game drive, early morning tea/coffee and light breakfast items will be served, including fresh fruit, yogurt, toast and cereals.

We will explore the area further on a game drive, searching out wildlife sightings and the magnificent variety of birds that are present in the area this time of year. Following brunch, we will have an opportunity to rest, relax, and enjoy the lodge’s amenities.

Lodge buffet.

Mid-day will be at leisure today. Following tea, we will board motorboats for game viewing from a different angle, exploring the waterways of the Delta looking for animals as they feast on the rich grasses along the water's edge.

At the lodge.

At leisure.

Lodge buffet.

We will have an early morning game drive in Moremi Game Reserve, the only officially protected area of the Okavango Delta. Following brunch, we will have an opportunity to rest, relax, and enjoy the lodge’s amenities.

Lodge buffet.

For today's class, our Group Leader will discuss termites, and their importance to the ecosystem. Afterwards, we will explore more of the Delta waterways by motorboat, moving slowly searching for the animals and birds.

Lodge buffet.

At leisure.

Lodge buffet.

We will check out of the lodge before our game drive en-route to the airstrip, where we will board our light aircraft charter flight bound for the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. From the airstrip near Makgadikgadi Pans, we will be driven in open-air safari vehicles to the lodge.

At the lodge, enjoy a plentiful buffet featuring salads, a main entrée, and hot breakfast items such as sausage, bacon, and eggs cooked to order. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium brand alcohol will be available for purchase.

Our Group Leader will discuss human-wildlife conflict and possible solutions for today's lecture. Following afternoon tea, we will explore this new ecosystem in open-air safari vehicles, perhaps coming across the large herds of zebra for which the area is known, and the predators that follow the herds and are never far away.

At the lodge, we will have a multi-course dinner consisting of a plated starter and dessert, and main course buffet including a choice of dishes with meat and vegetarian options. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium brand alcohol will be available for purchase.

At leisure.

At the lodge, enjoy a buffet including a variety of items such as cold cereal, cold meat, cheeses, toast, and fresh fruit, plus coffee, tea, fresh juice, water.

This morning we will depart on a game drive, searching for wildlife as we make our way to the local village of Khumaga. On the outskirts of the village, we will visit a cattle post. Cattle farming is incredibly important in Botswana, and here we will see how a typical farm is run and the role it plays in local life. The farmer will demonstrate how to milk a cow and pound maize, and we will have the opportunity to try our hands at these traditional skills. Once in the village we will proceed to the kgotla, where we will have a chance to meet the chief of the village, if he is available, and see where local court is conducted, all while learning about local practices and beliefs. We will also have the chance to visit the local school and meet the principal and teachers, as well as the eager students (when school is in session). Finally, we will meet with the local nurse at the health clinic, to gain some insight into the health system in rural Botswana. Following our visit, we will return back to the lodge.

A buffet set up at the cattle post, with food provided by the lodge.

"Leroo La Tau" translates as lion's paw, and in honor of the predator after whom the lodge is named, our last class of the program will be on lion behavior and social structure. Afterward, we will have our last late-afternoon game drive of the program, seeking out animals and birds we may not yet have seen.

At the lodge, enjoy a farewell dinner with new Road Scholar friends.

At leisure.

Lodge buffet.

We will have one last safari game drive this morning, returning in time to freshen up at the lodge before starting the travel home.

Early lodge buffet before our departure.

In the mid-morning, we will be transferred to the local airstrip for our light aircraft charter flight to Maun. We will then board a commercial flight from Maun to Johannesburg, South Africa. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!

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