Tour code

Botswana Wild Parks (Maun Start)

BotswanaZimbabwe

13 day small group limited-participation Accommodated Adventure

Botswana is considered Southern Africa’s premier game viewing destination. Get the best wilderness experience in Southern Africa by bush walk, game drive – and even by dug-out canoe.
Departs:
Maun
Ends:
Victoria Falls

Accommodation

13 nights in 3+ star lodges & tented camps
13 Days From

€3 380

Single supplement
€830 pp
Tour code

Botswana Wild Parks (Maun Start)

BotswanaZimbabwe

13 day small group limited-participation Accommodated Adventure

Botswana is considered Southern Africa’s premier game viewing destination. Get the best wilderness experience in Southern Africa by bush walk, game drive – and even by dug-out canoe.
Departs:
Maun
Ends:
Victoria Falls
Accommodation
13 nights in 3+ star lodges & tented camps
13 Days From

€3 380

Single supplement
€830

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English
German/Deutsche
Botswana is considered Southern Africa’s premier game viewing destination. Get the best wilderness experience in Southern Africa by bush walk, game drive - and even by dug-out canoe. The lodges are beautiful, comfortable & make for a great adventure safari though the world famous parks.

Get the best wilderness experience in Southern Africa by bush walk, game drive – and even by dug-out canoe. Cruise past hippos in the Okavango Delta and watch thirsty elephants at the river in Chobe National Park. End with a very grand finale: Victoria Falls.

Highlights
Information
Overnight

A total of all 12 nights accommodation in lodges, chalets and tented camps. Of which; 10 nights on safari we stay at small and intimate lodges, with en suite facilities.

2 nights tented camp in the Okavango. Each tent has twin camp beds with linen and en suite chemical toilet. Shared bucket shower tent with hot water off the fire.

Meals

12 breakfasts, 9 lunches and 6 dinners are included. Of which 7 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 3 dinners are provided by the lodges. The remaining included meals are provided by the Sunway crew, prepared at the vehicle and eaten around the camp fire.

Transport

for the majority of this safari you travel in a custom built Sunway Safari truck with 12 forward facing seats; or (on 10% of tours) Mercedes Sprinter minibuses with 12 forward facing seats and air conditioning. For the game drives in Moremi and Chobe and the transfer into the Okavango we use open sided 4WD vehicles with local guides.

Limited participation 

An essential part of your safari is some participation. From carrying your own bag to cleaning your window and packing the truck in the morning – it’s all part of your adventure and when everyone puts in a little effort the trip will run smoothly. Where the tour leaders provide meals we ask that clients help (on rotation) with the washing up.

Responsible Tourism
tours_BTa14_RT

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Botswanan conservation lands surrounding the national parks are leased by the government to tourism businesses for the benefit of the local communities. The lodge we use outside Moremi not only employs staff from the local village but also contributes financially towards the community trust. The village board use that income for the betterment of the local people. The lease environmental management plan is for the benefit of conservation of the region.

We also use local ‘poler guides’ to take us into the Okavango Delta. The polers have an intimate knowledge of the Okavango Delta, and their employment as guides ensure that the local community benefit from tourism and ensures that these areas are conserved for future generations.

We accept children 12-18 with accompanying adults on scheduled tours (for private groups we can accept younger children).

If the clients are older than 65 years, then we require a medical certificate too (stating client is fit and healthy to embark on a multi-day tour covering long distances etc).

Botswana is centrally located in Southern Africa and has a sub-tropical climate. Largely Kalahari Desert, there are sizeable differences between the day and night temperatures and being a semi-desert environment, very limited rainfall. In the Delta temperatures are more moderate due to the abundance of water.
The Okavango Delta provides a lifeline of water in the desert as the summer rains fall in Angola and take 6 months to arrive in the Okavango. Thus the Okavango Delta is actually expanding as the surrounding desert dries out through winter. This phenomenon creates an incredible wildlife spectacle all year round.

Dry season is from May to October: The game viewing is superb and wildlife is very easy to spot.

May:- Autumn temperatures are typically 10°C/50°F to 28°C/80°F.

June, July & August:- Winter morning game drives can be cold at around 6°C/42°F, but it warms to +-25°C/78°F, so dress in layers with a windproof jacket and beanie.

September & October:- Spring begins and temperatures warm up to +- 34°C/100°F. October is the hottest month in Botswana and the migration of the Southern Carmine Bee-eaters is a sight to behold and a must-see for this time of year.

Green season is from November to April: The intermittent rains bring much needed relief to the bushveld, many antelope have their young, and the world around you is brimming with new life. The rains also settle the dust, and the sunlight provides gorgeous photographic opportunities.

November & December:- As the clouds build up this time is typically cooler than October at between 20°C/69°F and 33°C/91°F but there can still be some very hot days. After the first rains the roads can become muddy in places!

January & February:- The Summer or “Green” months, have occasional spectacular thunderstorms in the afternoons. Temperatures are around 32°C/90°F at midday.

March and April:- The waters of the Okavango Delta start to rise and large herds of elephant and buffalo begin to make their way back to the Okavango as winter approaches. Lovely, clear weather and few clouds prevail, but the nights are cooler and the days very comfortable at around 30°C/87°F.

Maun_Chart
Victoria_Falls_Chart
Botswana is considered Southern Africa’s premier game viewing destination. Get the best wilderness experience in Southern Africa by bush walk, game drive – and even by dug-out canoe. Cruise past hippos in the Okavango Delta and watch thirsty elephants at the river in Chobe National Park. End with a very grand finale: Victoria Falls.
Day 1 Maun

(B=breakfast, L=lunch D=dinner)

You will join up with your group at the lodge in Maun at +/- 17:00pm. (Arrival airport transfers can be booked). Since Maun’s founding in 1915 as the capital of the Batswana people, it has had a reputation as a hard-living “Wild West” town helping the local cattle ranching and safari operations. The name Maun is derived from the San word ‘maung’, which translates as ‘the place of short reeds’.

Day 2 - 3 Okavango Delta

We drive into the Okavango Delta to the launch station where we board our mekoro’s and pole to our tented camp in the heart of the largest inland delta in the world. This amazing environment has large numbers of red lechwe, buffalo, elephant and birds, particularly kingfishers! One of the best experiences in the Okavango Delta is to be poled along reed-lined channels in a mokoro (dug-out canoe). Sit back and relax as the water gurgles gently under the mokoro while your skilled poler points out the fauna and flora.

Day 4, 5, 6, 7 Moremi

We take an open 4WD into Moremi Game Reserve for fantastic game viewing! Chief’s Island is the largest landmass within Moremi and was the Batswana tribe’s richest hunting ground, before being declared a game reserve by the tribe. We spend 4 days on game drives watching the abundant wildlife including elephant, hippo, buffalo, lion & other game, both in Moremi Game Reserve and in private concession reserves surrounding the park. We return to Maun midday on day 8 for an evening restaurant meal (own expense).

Day 8 Makgadikgadi Pans

We have time for an optional game flight over

the Okavango (own expense) before we head to Nata. The shimmering saltpans of Makgadikgadi appear as a glaring white, endless plain. When the rain comes a dramatic change takes place as thousands of wildebeest and zebra migrate to the sweet nutritious grasslands and clouds of flamingo feed in its algae rich waters. It is an area of low rainfall so this spectacle only lasts a short while.

Day 9 - 10 Chobe National Park

The Chobe River is a stunning feature of Botswana and will be the focus of our lodge stay. The Chobe River flows lazily along the northern boundary of the Chobe National Park attracting some of the largest herds of elephant in Africa. An early morning 4WD game drive in the Chobe National Park and an afternoon game viewing cruise to see the mighty elephant herds come down to the Chobe River to quench their thirst.

Day 11 - 12 Victoria Falls Zimbabwe

We visit “Mosi oa Tunya” or “the smoke that thunders” – Victoria Falls. These magnificent falls are one of the seven natural wonders of the world. A rich and fertile rain forest, fed by the spray or “smoke”, surrounds the falls attracting colourful birdlife. Opportunities to white water raft on the mighty Zambezi River, bungee jump, or take a “flight of angels” (own expense).

Day 13 Victoria Falls Zimbabwe - Tour ends

Tour ends after breakfast at 08:00am at the hotel.

Accommodation

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B Nagi

First time and very recommandable. Just back from an unforgettable Sunway Safaris Tour to Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls with German speaking, perfect guide Wouter („as almost a part of the group“, always available and left no questions open) Driver William also a very experienced, carefully driver. Because both of them, we have discoverd the „Big Five“ at the first days already. Our “Red Elephant“ (Safari Chariot) was perfect suited for all “challenges”. Thanks for the great time, will recommand to others!

Joy (UK)

We joined the BTa14 Botswana Wildparks tour in May 2018. We bypassed the rhino sanctuary and joined the tour in Maun.
The tour was well organized and well run – everything was as per itinerary. We had excellent guides along the way – Lloyd, Maxwell and Moses were very knowledgeable, efficient and easy to get on with. The accommodation was mostly very good, the Hyena Pan Lodge being the highlight. Watching the elephants coming down to drink just across the lake was something else – particularly when one or two decided they preferred the water in the swimming pool just next to reception!From the point of view of wildlife viewing, bird watching and the overall experience, the tour exceeded our expectations by far. We felt privileged to see so many animals close up in their natural habitat, not just in the Moremi and Chobe Parks but just driving through the countryside or at the lodges. And the experience of camping in the depths of the Okavango Delta and the walking safaris there were unforgettable. Our guide, Lloyd, cooked up amazing meals for us on a gas stove – he even conjured up marshmallows to toast on the camp fire!
It is clear that the government and people of Botswana respect and care for their environment. As one of the guides said, “The animals were here first, we have to learn to live with them.” For a short time, we were fortunate enough to be part of this wonderful country.

Marlies

HI Sunway Safaris, We have just returned from a 2 weeks Botswana Wildparks tour which exceeded our already high expectations. The itinary was well chosen in its activities, the accomodation was fine (Hyena Pan was brilliant) and travel times were absolutely alright (we chose the Maun start option and highly recommend this). My highlight were the days in the Okavango Delta, the mokoro poling, the bush camp and the game walks. Coming so close to 40 passing elephants while walking through the wilde sage was something I thought was only possible in dreams, but alas … I will always cherish this experience – many many thanks for making this possible. Our 2 guides Adolf and Brian were brilliant, very knowledgeable, professional and experienced, making their constant hard work seem very easy and always fun. Their cooking was as awesome as their passion for exploring, showing and explaining beautiful southern Africa. All in all, I can only recommend Sunways and make sure you ask for a safari with Brian! I can still hear his laughter.

Jessica

HI Sunway Safaris, I just wanted to email to tell you what a fantastic time we had on our safari of Botswana to Vic Falls. It was amazing. The accommodation was perfect, the food was great and the scenery and wildlife were amazing. We saw alot of wildlife including elephants, giraffe, wild dogs, zebra, buffalo, 2 lions to name a few. A memorable moment was seeing a leopard with her 2 cubs which we followed for a good half hour or so in Moremi. That was amazing! Also seeing a pack of dogs killing an impala.

Derit & Claudia Vossauemper

It was a wonderful tour, much better than expected!

Nelly Hafner

Good organised tour with a good combination of camping in the Delta and Lodges, especially Hyena Pan (Moremi)

Susan Musser

Trip of a lifetime! Loved seeing the animals and we had great guides.

Chris Barrett

An absolutely positive outcome. I felt secure and in competent hands right throughout the trip. A fabulous time led by two fantastic guides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have any questions regarding your planned African Safari? The list below provides answers to many common questions we get asked with almost every tour.

Sunway Safaris does not supply bottled drinking water. There is however clean drinkable water throughout Southern Africa. Tap water in most places is good to drink, and you can always ask your guide for advice if unsure. Each safari truck has a 150ltr water tank, which can be used for drinking. For those who are concerned about the water it is possible to purchase bottled water at own expense.

From an environmental point of view, we ask each client to consider how many plastic bottles they throw away. We suggest you either bring a water bottle from home, or buy a 1.5 ltr bottle of water at the start of the tour. You can then refill that water bottle from the truck or from tap. (if every Sunway client bought a 1 plastic bottle every day, we would use over 40,000 plastic bottles a year! So please help us by re-using your water bottle).

Sunway will provide three scrumptious meals per day, unless specified in the itinerary [B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner], from lunch on the day of departure until breakfast on the last day of your tour. Good healthy meals make happy travelers. The tour leaders do all the shopping and meal planning for each group. They will always try to obtain fresh produce wherever possible. Each tour has 1 cool box / freezer for the meats and fresh produce only, and 1 cool box for drinks. Please be aware that, due to the diverse tastes of our clients, we are unable to accommodate individual food preferences on our group tours. The group shared meals we provide are subject to available produce, and in our sometimes remote destinations, the variety of ingredients is sometimes limited. However, we do take allergies, vegetarian and vegan dietary requirements into consideration to ensure everyone has suitable meal options. Please bring this to our attention at time of booking.

A rough idea of what meals can be expected:

Breakfast – Cereals and milk or bread/toast, jam and fruit with coffee and tea or the occasional cooked breakfast.

Lunch – Cheese, cold meats, fish, fruit, pasta salads and bread or rolls.

Dinner – Potjies (stews), braais (barbecue), stir fries, curries etc prepared on a wood fire or gas stove.

On several nights we visit local restaurants, which because of individual tastes will be an own expense meal.

Yes, Malaria prophylaxes are required on all of the safaris that we offer. Some trips, like the South Africa Scenic or Rainbow Route, are only in a Malaria area for 5 days, while others, such as the Zambia, Malawi & Mozambique Trade Route, travel through malaria areas for all 21 days. Your tour leader will advise you when you enter a malaria area, and when you exit a malaria area.

Do not be put off visiting Southern Africa because of malaria. Realistically most of Southern Africa is low risk area and if you use prophylaxis, use insect repellent and cover up at dusk with long shirt or trousers, the chances are very low that you would contract malaria. Of the thousands of clients that Sunway has carried since 1994 we know of only 1 case of a client contracting malaria, and only a handful of guides (and remember that the guides do not even use the tablets). Clients visiting Malawi and Mozambique should pay most attention to precautions as those two countries are warm and wetter, and therefore have higher incidence of malaria.

Please contact your local physician for latest information on malaria prophylaxis and what type of prophylaxis will be best suited for the area that you are visiting.

If you feel when you get home that you have flu like symptoms, headache, stiffness, nausea, fever, then it’s best to consult your doctor immediately. Remember that prophylaxis do mask the symptoms, so get checked out – and remember to tell your doctor that you’ve been to a malaria area. Malaria is easily treatable if detected early.

If you are joining a camping trip, the Sunway tents have mosquito netting on the windows and door. Mosquitoes spend the heat of the day in shaded areas, so please remember to keep the mosquito net on the door closed during the day too, so that mosquitoes do not enter your tent. At night, you can sleep with the tent window flaps open, and the door rolled up, but remember to keep the mosquito net zipped closed. This will keep out the little biting things (like mosquitos) and the big biting things (like lion and hyena Smile).

On the accommodated safaris, if we visit a malaria area, or a place with mosquitoes, then the accommodation will have nets provided. In areas where there are low numbers of mosquitoes and/or no malaria, mosquito nets will not be provided. These include places such as Knysna, Hermanus, Cape Town, Swakopmund, Windhoek etc.

Memory cards and other photographic accessories will be available several times on tour. A camera with a zoom lens from wide angle to telephoto, 35-200mm, is advisable to capture both scenic and wildlife shots. Each vehicle is fitted with a 12/24V cigarette lighter – this should not be relied on for charging camera batteries and we recommend you bring a 2nd battery. Remember you can also charge your camera on those nights we use accommodation (SA 220V)

If you are joining a camping trip, you will need to bring your own sleeping bag (and small camp pillow) and a towel. Should you not have, or do not want to buy a sleeping bag, you can rent a sleeping bag and camp pillow from the Sunway office for Euro 1 per sleeping bag per day on tour. Please book this at the time of booking.

On the Accommodated Adventures & Classic Journeys, all bedding is provided, and you will not be required to bring a sleeping bag or pillow. At most accommodation establishments, towels will be provided, but it is always a good idea to bring a small travel towel for the beach or swimming pool. If you are traveling on a tour that visits the Okavango Delta please make sure to bring a small towel with you as there are no towels supplied.

Due to space and weight limitations within each safari vehicle, luggage should be kept to a maximum of 12kgs per person (excluding camera equipment / day bag). The bag should be of a soft sided duffel bag / back pack design – no hard cases or hard sided bags will be accepted. While many people feel that they will need their full quota of 20kgs, people quickly realise that they have packed far too much.

Yes, Mastercard and Visa credit cards and debit cards are widely accepted throughout Southern Africa. American Express is not widely used in Southern Africa.

You’ll be able to use credit card to pay for most restaurant meals, and at most formal shops.  Optional activities in Cape Town, Swakopmund, Maun, Livingstone and Victoria Falls can also be paid by credit card. More specific details available in the downloadable Sunway general information dossier.

Sunway includes all activities in the safari, as detailed in the itinerary. You will therefore not be spending lots of money on additional excursions like game drives, national park fees, bush walks etc – those are included as per your itinerary. There are on some routes, opportunities to do additional own expense activities, such as helicopter flights, white water rafting or canoeing etc – please refer to the optional activities page for wages (right hand menu).

You will need some cash to purchase snacks, drinks, perhaps local curios, and some restaurant meals. For meal expenses you should count the number of lunches and dinners not included in the specific itinerary and then work on about US$15 to US$25 for a sit down restaurant dinner (including a glass of wine or a beer), about US$6 to US$12 for a light lunch or take away. (local currency will be required, but as an indication we’ve shown US$). In most restaurants you will be able to pay buy credit card – Mastercard and Visa are widely accepted, but Diners Club is not.

Bottled water is approximately US$1.50 per liter and a can of beer or coke is roughly US$2.00.

If you budget on +/-US$ 25 per day, you will have ample cash available for out of pocket expenses. Please bear in mind that this daily budget, does not include the expenses of optional activities such as white water rafting, shark cage diving or helicopter flights etc. The prices for these optional extras can be found on our downloadable detailed tour dossier.

Tipping is often a major issue for clients, especially when it comes to tipping the guides that we sometimes use for various activities (e.g. game walks, polers in the Okavango Delta etc). Clients sometimes find it difficult to get a realistic value of the local currency and what it is worth in the local economy. We suggest that a tip of 1-3€ per client per ½ day activity, or the local currency equivalent, is acceptable.

Your two Sunway tour leaders also work extremely hard to ensure that your safari runs smoothly and that all the clients on tour are happy. They are more often than not in bed last and up first, do most of the cooking and also give as much information to the clients about the areas that are visited and of course flora and fauna. We suggest that a tip of 2–5€ per client per day per tour leader is reasonable. A general procedure for tipping the guides, is for the group to collect the guides tips, and place in 2 separate envelopes for each of the tour leaders.

As in all cases with tipping, the final decision of the amount tipped is up to the individual. It is up to you to decide if you thought the service was poor, or exceptional, and the amount tipped should reflect that. The amounts quoted above are guidelines for you to get an idea of what to tip.

Southern Africa, like all 3rd world regions, has its problems, but your tour leader knows all of the areas intimately and will endeavour to show you all of the highlights while always taking your safety into account. Sunway plans the itineraries to visit interesting places, while not placing clients in harms way.

Like all practical advice about safety, be aware of your surroundings but not paranoid. As you would anywhere in the world, don’t leave valuables such as wallet and cameras unattended or in plain view. IE: don’t leave your camera on a restaurant table while you dash to the loo, or leave your wallet on the bed in your room while you’re not there. The temptation for cleaning staff may be too much.

Please also bear in mind that the people in many of the places you will visit are living in difficult and sometimes poor conditions. To them the possessions you have are signs of your relative wealth, and therefore please be sensitive to their position. Don’t create that temptation in their mind by “flaunting” your valuables.

When entering a wilderness area your tour leader will give you a full safely briefing. If you follow the simple rules while in wilderness areas you will have nothing to worry about  when in close proximity to wild animals. On game drives keep quiet and don’t make any sudden movements. On game walks walk in a single file, keep quiet and listen to your guide’s instructions and you will enjoy and amazing wildlife experience. When staying in un-fenced campsites do not wander off alone, always make sure that you are aware of your surroundings.

Follow your guide’s instructions and you’ll have a great time.

Yes, all clients travelling on a Sunway safari are required to have their own comprehensive travel insurance. The travel insurances needs to cover lost luggage, missed flights and most importantly comprehensive medical cover in the un-likely event of you being injured while on safari.

Please note that while most credit card companies offer travel insurance if you have bought your airline ticket on your credit card, we have found that cover is not sufficient for adventure travel in Africa. We strongly recommend you buy additional specific travel insurance. You need to buy this insurance in your home country, before you travel and your local Sunway travel agent can assist you with this.

The minimum age for our guests is 12 years old, although we do occasionally make exceptions depending on the specific itinerary, the group make-up and sometimes during our low season. Please note that a child of 12-17 years will only be accepted for travel with an accompanying adult.

On some of our safaris we camp wild in remote areas and these campsites are not fenced, so it is possible for wild animals do enter the campsite. It is important that parents make sure that the children listen and follow the guide’s safety instructions. Parents are also required to supervise their children at all times so as not to affect the enjoyment of the tour for any other clients.

We, as Sunway, do not believe that age should be a determining factor on the enjoyment of life! Therefore we do not have an upper age limit.

But clients who are older than 65yrs are required to submit a medical self declarations letter or doctor’s report stating that they are fit and healthy and that they will be able to undertake a safari that includes a moderate level of physical activity, some long driving days and some moderate full day walks. This is not an onerus document, but rather an indication that the client is aware of the style of tour that they will be joining, and capable of participating in all activities on tour. We’ve found that we have many fit and healthy clients who are over 65 years of age, join Sunway trips, and put the younger clients to shame on the mountain walks!

How-to-book-your-Sunway-safari

By booking with your local agent you’ll be advised by a knowledgeable consultant who knows the Sunway tours. You’ll be covered by the travel laws of your country, assisted in your home language, in your own time zone and your agent can assist with travel insurance and visas. You are welcome to contact Sunway and we’ll recommend an agent.

Sunway shows live availability online. Your agent can hold a provisional booking for up to 7 days with no-obligation.

To confirm your safari reservation your agent will require a 20% deposit and a completed booking form. And voilá, you’re off on an adventure!

Optional extra activities

Please Note: Optional Extra Activities are not inclusive of this tour.

Meals: Dinner $20-30, Lunch $15-20, Beer $3, Cold drink can $2, Bottled water / litre $2-3.

Flight over Okavango 45min $100-145 (subject to the number of people sharing the aircraft).

Helicopter flight 23min $150

Canoeing (per hour) $15, Scuba diving $75 (per dive), Sailing (per hour) $25, Wind surfing (per hour) $15.

Scuba diving (per boat launch dive including equipment) $90, Snorkeling (including equipment and boat launch) $10, Deep sea fishing, ski boat 5 hours $150

Dune boarding $42, Flight 1½ hour desert $540, Flight 2½ hour Sossusvlei $1020, Flight 3 hours Skeleton coast $980, Deep sea fishing, ski boat 5 hours $132, Sky diving tandem $205, Ballooning Sossusvlei 2 hours $540.

Kruger N.P. night drive $25, Bloukrans bungi $85, Table Mountain cable car $35, Robben Island cruise $30, Seal Island cruise Houtbay $10, Abseiling Cape Town $65, Scuba diving $50, Shark cage diving full day (including transfer) $180

Game drives (2 hours) $70, Flight – helicopter 15min/30min $195/370, Flight – micro light $185/370, Rafting ½ day $170, Rafting full day $185, River boarding 1/2 day $210, Bungi jumping $175, Canoe upper – Zambezi ½ day $115, Canoe upper – Zambezi 1 day $160, Zambezi cruise $70-90

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