"Trans" Okavango - Ultimate River Experience
This is a safari probably best suited for experienced safari-goers, not for first timers really. We traverse the entire length of the Okavango river system by boat from the “Panhandle” in the North, through to Maun in the South. It is seasonally available and often requires foresight into whether we get a big enough flood to do it – if logistics are hindered in this way, we adapt, moving location of the expedition or even changing to a vehicle safari (keep this in mind). But when our predictions do come right, what you get is a rare experience, only enjoyed by the adventurous few that are looking for an extra special experience, off the beaten track, wild and remote
This is an “expedition-style” safari which means you participate a little in the camp set up and logistics (weight is limited on our boats, so heavy equipment and staff are not always possible to bring along. our camps are simple yet comfortable on this format.
Each flood year is different, but we can generally offer this experience between May and August (our dry winter months). Predictions are difficult as a dry year can be followed by a wet year, and vice versa. Indeed, we sometimes get consecutive high floods and consecutive low floods. As said, if we can’t do the trip as planned, we just relocate the expedition.
Please do enquire on booking for potential dates this year or next year.
Trans Okavango - Expedition Pack
INCLUDES: 1 night accommodation in an en-suite chalet, airport pick up,
EXCLUDES: Meals, drinks, activities
After landing in Maun you will be met by a driver and driven to a B+B on the outskirts of Maun (location TBD). You can have the afternoon at your leisure to relax after a long flight. Your guide will come and meet you in the evening to brief you about the next day. This night is your “pre” night in Botswana, just in case you had any delays getting here.
INCLUDES: 1 night accommodation in an en-suite chalet and road transfer. There are no included activities, meals or drinks at Swamp Stop – pay direct.
After breakfast at the B+B in Maun, you guide will pick you up in the transfer vehicle and begin heading towards Sepopa Swamp Stop up in the “Pan Handle.” This is on a tar road (which in in very bad condition). We will use most of the day for this drive because of the poor road, livestock and potholes! We take a packed lunch and you will enjoy some of the sights of rural and village life as we drive through the western Okavango villages on our way to Sepopa.
The Swamp Stop offers good clean accommodation and a fantastic view of the main papyrus-lined channel of the Okavango River. On arrival you will have some leisure time to sort your gear and prepare for the boat expedition. Your guide will be launching the boat and preparing for an early start on the river the next day.
There is a bar and restaurant at Swamp Stop where you can buy simple meals and drinks.
INCLUDES: 2 nights accommodation in an expedition-style tent, boat transfers, all meals, local brand drinks (limited supply), activities on offer, helicopter rescue.
After breakfast at Sepopa Swamp Stop, we will finish loading the safari boat with supplies before heading downstream on the main Okavango Channel. It is a full day of boating along the fast flowing papyrus-lined main channels in a Southerly direction. The birdlife on this section of river can be exceptional with sightings of large crocodiles and pods of hippo possible. Fishing is good so we may find time for that too. It is quite “swampy” here (so dry land game is scarce), so we spend time photographing the more aquatic species. The idea though, is to boat South quite briskly as the channel sides soon thin out to less monotonous papyrus, the scenic beauty improves and dry island become more frequent with suitable camping spots.
The islands on this section of river are usually palm-fringed, so we will take a packed lunch with us to enjoy on one of these shady islands.
We will likely get to camp late in the day, where we offload the boat and erect our “expedition-style” light weight camp on our chosen island. Dinner will be cooked on an open fire, bedrolls will be laid out in our “mosquito-net” tents (with a view of the stars) and a toilet and shower will be erected. The sounds of the river at night will be invigorating!
INCLUDES: 2 nights accommodation in an expedition-style tent, boat transfers, all meals, local brand drinks (limited supply), activities on offer.
We wake up early on this day, have breakfast and pack up camp. We want to get further south as soon as possible, deep into the more remote parts of the delta, so we waste little time to get going. It is more or less a full day of boating to get to our next campsite at Xigera Lagoon, on the fringes of the Moremi Game Reserve. The river changes soon after leaving camp as we turn on to the Boro River system which heads towards Maun. The main channel is then blocked, so we divert through the Jedibe / Jao area to link up again with the main Boro channel closer to Xigera. We will pass a remote village (Jao) where we may stop and interact with the villagers, just to get information on any blockages further along. We then pass through a complicated network of “ancient” Mokoro (traditional canoe) paths, used by local fisherman for decades passed – these will allow us to weave our way south through the many exquisite islands, lagoons and backwaters (it is a real maze I tell you!). We will look for a sand bank where we can safely dip our feet and have a picnic lunch on a “beach.” We will also find time for fishing, bird watching and game viewing as we go……
There are nice big baobabs on the island where we will camp and we have nice open views of the surrounding lagoon (expect to get to camp fairly late in the day). The good thing is we have two nights here so will find time during our full day for a walk on one of the bigger nearby islands, fishing and exploring the area by boat. Or, you could choose to just “chill” in camp?
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INCLUDES: 2 nights accommodation in an expedition-style tent, boat transfers, all meals, local brand drinks (limited supply), activities on offer, helicopter rescue membership.
After breakfast at Xigera Lagoon, we pack up the camp on to the boat and start heading downstream once again. We can use the main Boro channel this time which goes through a section of tight papyrus before we need to pass through the challenging Xo Flats – here, sand deposition is happening at a high rate, making the going sometimes difficult. Getting through the flats is always rewarding as the river changes drastically at this point with a more defined channel lined by shallow or flooded grasslands. Here, the game viewing suddenly becomes more productive and the herds of aquatic antelope (Red Lechwe) become prolific. It is not much further to our campsite on Chao Island. It is a magnificent spot under the shade of huge Ebony trees fringed with date palms. We will have good views of the passing river and wide open floodplains with herds of elephants and other game likely in the area.
Again, we spend two nights here to make the most of our time to explore the area on foot and by boat.
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INCLUDES: 2 nights accommodation in an expedition-style tent, boat transfers, all meals, local brand drinks (limited supply), activities on offer, helicopter rescue membership.
After breakfast on Chao Island, we pack up the boat again to head South along the Boro river following the Moremi GR boundary, past Juga Juga, Xaxaba and Gunn’s Camp. The river on this section is highly productive with good habituated water birds, big islands near the main channel with large game on them and of course the same exceptional scenery. We make a day of it game viewing as we go and having a picnic lunch on an idyllic island somewhere. Fishing is also possible down some of the side channels outside of the reserve.
Our route will take us passed a few remote Delta lodges before we hit the southern most tip of Chiefs’ Island where our campsite is located on Nxaraga Lagoon. It is a top quality location again under shady ebony trees.
We have two days at our disposal here – walks are good in this area as we can use the boat to access the Chiefs’ Island mainland where big game and predators are common.
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INCLUDES: 2 nights accommodation in a Jacana Chalet, boat transfers, all meals, local brand drinks (limited supply), activities on offer, airport transfer.
After a leisurely breakfast at Nxaraga, we the pack up the boats for the last time. It is then a 4 hour boat transfer back to Maun along the Boro River. We will get to Maun at around lunch time where we will stop at a riverside lodge for lunch and drinks to celebrate our accomplishment!
After lunch it is a short road transfer to Thamalankane River Lodge where you can spend your last night in comfort in this excellent Maun lodge.
The safari ends the next day when you are transferred to Maun airport for your departure flight. Even better, book and extension to a game viewing lodge or extend with a mobile safari to one of our famous parks – use the website for inspiration!
Katia Haskins 
PO Box HA 74 HAK