The Green Desert Expedition
Kalahari Desert and Okavango Delta
8 days/7 nights

9 Scheduled departures January through March, and December, 2007. Guaranteed with minimum of 2 people. Contact us for available dates.
2007 Price: $2460 per person in double occupancy.

ITINERARY

Day 1 & 2: Njuca Hills, Makgadikgadi Pans
We depart in the morning for Njuca Hills by road, on the edge of the great Makgadikgadi Pans in the Kalahari Desert. The saltpans are among the largest in the world, part of a fossilised super-lake that existed aeons ago. The Adventurer campsite is well positioned under shady trees on rare hills with a superb view of the surrounding plains.

Surprisingly for such a harsh, lunar-like environment, life abounds, and brown hyaena, oryx and springbok are just a few of the desert-adapted species that can be seen. Activities include game drives, concentrating on the opportunistic birthing time of desert animals from the erratic rains and the diverse array of birds, possibly including flamingos. In addition, the seasonal wildebeest and zebra movements, if found, provide amazing sightings at this time. Experience the phenomenal geology and simply enjoy the wide-open spaces of this ancient lakebed and surrounding grassy plains.

Day 3, 4 & 5: Deception Valley, Central Kalahari Game Reserve
After an early breakfast, we depart overland to our private Adventurer campsite in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve with lunch en route.

This prehistoric riverbed, flanked by petrified dune lands, is very appealing after brief rains, as it is covered with nutritious grasses that attract herds from all over the enormous reserve. These large congregations of desert wildlife with their young are followed by predators into the broad riverbed, all of which makes for outstanding viewing.

On Day 4 or 5 we enjoy extended wildlife game drives (with picnic lunch), taking in the game-rich Pipers Pans area of the Kalahari, as well as the Letiahau and Deception Valleys.

Day 6 & 7: Xigera Camp, Okavango Delta
After a light breakfast we depart overland to Maun (approximately 6 hours), flying by light aircraft in the afternoon to the water-filled paradise of the private Xigera area, within the Moremi Game Reserve. Xigera is the ultimate Delta experience, with serene waters flowing through innumerable channels around remote islands and a profusion of plant and animal life.

Xigera Camp is a luxury tented camp situated in the heart of the Okavango Delta. It has something for everyone, in an area where there are no other Moremi camps and where permanent water all year round allows one to enjoy a variety of activities. Enjoy a true Delta experience while you sit back in a mokoro (dugout canoe) and silently glide through the tranquil Okavango waterways or watch the sunset and birds gliding home to roost from a motorboat on the Xigera Lagoon. And for the more adventurous we can track animals on foot.

Nestled in a magnificent riverine forest, Xigera consists of 10 luxuriously furnished tented rooms with en-suite facilities and outdoor shower. Each room is raised off the ground on a wooden deck offering superb views of the seasonal floodplain and waterhole. Meals and drinks are enjoyed under the thatch of the raised lounge, pub and dining area overlooking a permanently flowing channel. A traditional boma offers alternative dining under the African stars. Wooden walkways wind through the forest connecting the rooms to the main area. There is a plunge pool for cooling off and relaxation. Birding in the area is excellent, with Pel's Fishing Owl, Slaty Egret, Wattled Crane, African Skimmers and a host of eagles, vultures, raptors and kingfishers to be found. The area has the highest density of the rare sitatunga antelope found anywhere in the Okavango Delta.

Day 8: Charter flight to Maun
After an early morning activity and breakfast, we fly to Maun, where the safari ends.

NOTES:

NOTE: PRIVATE ITINERARIES FOR TAILOR-MADE TRIPS FOR SMALL GROUPS CAN BE ARRANGED.

Tour direction: Makgadikgadi Pans National Park to Xigera Camp
Serviced camping in private concession areas, exclusive camp sites in National Parks and luxury lodge overnight.

THIS SAFARI HAS BEEN CREATED TO MAXIMISE AMAZING WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS OF DESERT SPECIES THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SPORADIC RAINS, FROM DECEMBER TO MID-MARCH; AS WELL AS A LUXURY LODGE IN THE PERMANENTLY FLOODED REGION OF THE OKAVANGO DELTA.

Experience a nostalgic camping safari that recreates a sense of adventure reminiscent of the times of the great African explorers.

The style and essence of Wilderness Safaris' Adventurer Exploration safari takes you back to the long-gone days of Africa's exploration - the ultimate safari. Our 3m x3m dome tents, complete with verandas, allow you to feel more connected and open to the Earth and nature, accentuating the feeling of the wild and untamed. Pure cotton linen bedrolls (with duvets) on GI stretchers, bedside table with silver lantern and mini luggage benches add to the atmosphere. Shared separate toilet and shower 'bathrooms' with old-style tin bucket showers and basins and all amenities create simple serviced comfort.

Adventurer camping aims to bring the guest closer to nature, by means of lively campfires, hurricane lanterns, diverse activities and a warm atmosphere permeating the camp (and its simple comforts). Adventurer camps are specifically outfitted to create that camping feel with a clear emphasis on essential comforts and peerless wilderness experience.

Guides: The entire safari is guided and hosted by professional guides, who share their in-depth knowledge to present a seamless safari experience.

Exclusive experience: To ensure privacy and exclusivity, all campsites are situated in pristine, prime game locations. Each camp is private and for the use of Adventurer Exploration guests only, while Xigera Camp is shared with other Wilderness Safaris guests.

Routes: This expedition is specifically designed to enjoy the Kalahari Desert at its most productive season, when it receives low sporadic rains. This small amount of water creates an incredibly prolific wildlife-viewing period with concentrations of desert species and their young in the fertile, ancient river valleys of Deception Valley and the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. The route takes the time to explore the contrasts of three major ecosystems: the Makgadikgadi "moonscape" saltpans, Deception Valley in the Kalahari Desert, and finally the fertile green islands of the Okavango Delta and its crystal-clear waterways.

Transfers: To maximise guests' travel time, a variety of transport modes that bring out the best of each area is used: flying in private charters and overland transfers provide both a bird's-eye view and an in-depth experience of the contrasting landscapes of Botswana.