Okavango Delta Botswana, Vic Falls Zambia

[maturin23]

Hi all

(Can't change the spelling mistake in the title!)

We are reorganising a December holiday - was originally going to be Sri Lanka but it's just not looking like a great place to be a holiday maker right now.

New plan is to go to southern Africa - we've already done a Cape Town/Franschhoek/Plet Bay/Timbavati Safari trip which was easly the best trip we've ever done.

We are now thinking fly into Jo'burg then straight to Victoria Falls then Okavango then Christmas in Babylonstoren (Franschhoek). 15 or 16 days in total.

We know we love Babylonstoren after staying there for Christmas 2019 but Vic Falls and Botswana are new to us.

I'd love to hear any experiences, advice, cautionary tales and recommendations that you may have.

In particular experiences of Okavango and Vic Falls would be brilliant. Also some opinion on not spending some time on the beach in Botswana - I'd love to take the kids diving but we've been told that December is not the time to do that,

Three kids (11, 15, 17). We love activity stuff, good food/wine but what we really want to revisit is that Big Africa feeling - we've all done lots of traveling but the SA trip was just another level of amazing.

Aiming to to leave mid December.

Edited by maturin23 on Sunday 10th July 23:00

[hairy v]

I worked in Botswana for a few months in 1996. There were no problems with visiting Okovanga or Vic Falls, I would also recommend Hwange National Park.

But there is no beach, Botswana is land-locked.

[maturin23]

Good point re beach! I meant Mozambique!

[mikef]

Done that on a trip organised by Go2Africa.com. Our contact person there is now at SecretAfrica.com who also arrange bespoke Southern Africa trips

We stayed at Royal Livingstone Vic Falls hotel on the Zambia side, then transfered over the border and light aircraft to Camp Moremi lodge in The Okavango

All recommended

Edit to add travel details:

• Virgin to Jo’burg
• Airline that no longer exists to Livingston, Zambia
• Ground transport to Kazungula where Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia all meet, then boat crossing to Kasane
• Light aircraft to Moremi airstrip
• Light aircraft to Maun
• Air Botswana Maun to Jo’burg

Edited by mikef on Sunday 10th July 23:09

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Botswana is lovely. Get the light aircraft into the resort, flying over the delta. Then any of the safari camps and explore on the ground from there. I doubt you can go wrong to be honest. It's a wonderful country.

[SR]

Many years ago I did a three night canoe trip down from Vic Falls, not sure if it would interest you but for me it is still my most memorable holiday experience.
We went down river with one guide, twelve of us in six canoes, we never saw or heard any signs of civilisation for the whole journey and were as close to nature as it’s possible to get.
As mentioned earlier Hwange National Park is well worth visiting.

[Mashwort]

Hi, we went at the end of March and had the best time. We did the following which might give you some ideas:
3 nights at Young Explorers Shindi - as a family we had the camp to ourselves. Very comfortable, great food and the guides were amazing. They were really good with our 10 year old and kept him occupied between the morning and afternoon drives / walks (air rifle, archery etc). Real treat to have the camp / jeep to ourselves and adjust viewing to what we wanted to see etc. Great game viewing
3 nights at Machaba Camp - very luxurious set up with great food and nice staff. Game viewing was good but in hindsight not different enough to the first camp (in terms of landscape / type of viewing etc). Nice to have a pool to cool off during the day. If I were to do this trip again think I'd look for the second camp to be in a different 'area' to the first to mix things up a bit more
3 nights at Ilala Lodge Vic Falls - good hotel, nice pool etc and great location for the falls, easy walk to enter the park. Falls were awesome. We chilled a bit more in Vic Falls but did do a morning bird safari which was excellent, helicopter over the falls (expensive but worth it). Couple of pretty decent restaurants in the town but a lot of people hassling you to buy stuff / give them money.

[Stephanie Plum]

Christmas is the wrong time to visit the delta as it will be almost dry. Floods start April/May then are usually gone by November ish. I would reschedule or do it another trip and go elsewhere.

[maturin23]

Thanks for the advice - it's booked.

Flying BA into Cape Town and out of Jo'burg.

Babylonstoren (Paarl, SA) - 4 nights. We've stayed here before and it is heaven on earth!
The Elephant Camp (Vic Falls) - 3 nights
Chobe Game Lodge - 3 nights
Khwai River Lodge - 3 nights inc Christmas

Any suggestions for activities (other than the obvious safaris!)?

Very excited indeed.