Travel Detail

Habitat: Moremi lies on the eastern extremity of the Okavango Delta. Habitats here range from wide-open floodplains, marshes, lagoons, papyrus fringed channels, vast stands of Miscanthus and Phragmites, woodland, and savannah. As a result of the extremely variable habitat the diversity of both wildlife and birdlife is excellent.
Wildlife: Moremi is amongst the best game reserves in Africa for viewing the endangered African wild dog. Xakanaxa is home to a resident herd of several hundred buffalo whose range covers the territories of at least 4 pride of lion which may often be seen flanking the ever-moving herd. Breeding herds of elephants move between their browsing areas in the mopane forests and the fresh water of the Okavango. Red lechwe are one of the more unusual antelope species and are commonly found here.
Birding: The swampy areas of Xakanaxa are home to African Rail, Coppery-tailed Coucal, Black Coucal*, Red-chested Flufftail, African Crake*, Black Crake, Chirping Cisticola, Luapula Cisticola, Purple Swamphen, Allen's Gallinule to name but a few. The open waters attract the African Skimmer, Saddle-billed Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, Intermediate Egret, Goliath Heron, African Fish Eagle as well as the globally threatened Slaty Egret and Wattled Crane.

Another day of adventures in Moremi Game Reserve to explore Wildlife.

Following an early morning breakfast you take a slow drive through Moremi Game Reserve north-east towards the Khwai and Mababe Areas. On this moving day, we shall do a mokoro excursion in the calmer back-waters of the Khwai and Mbudi channels as opposed to doing the mokoro in the quicker-moving section of the Khwai River that runs through Mababe.
Habitat: The Manuchira Channel is known as the Khwai River at its easternmost extremity. The day's journey follows this water course, with the track weaving from the riverside and floodplains into the mopane veld and the woodlands that to the Mababe Private Reserve where we camp on the banks of the Khwai River before it flows out and into the Mababe Depression. We pass the magnificent Dombo Hippo Pools in the morning stopping to enjoy the scenery and the antics of the resident hippo and shall game drive through Khwai until we reach Mababe.
Wildlife: The south-east mopane veld is home to mostly breeding herds of elephants whilst the more northern reaches of Mababe are home to some impressive old bulls. The mature bulls revel in the cool waters of the Khwai River and are far more approachable while drinking and bathing than the breeding herds. The river has an unusually high density of hippos as well as some huge crocodiles. Leopard- (western part of NG41), cheetah, serval, and lion are common predators along this route and both Xakanaxa as well as Mababe are included in the home ranges of different packs of wild dogs. General game includes southern giraffe, Burchell's zebra, tsessebe, and red lechwe with roan and sable antelope being less common residents.
Birding: In the mopane woodlands African Hawk-Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Gabar Goshawk, Little Sparrowhawk, African Harrier Hawk, and Shikra are common raptors. Mixed bird parties move through the canopy and include Red-headed Weaver, Stierling's Wren-Warbler, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Neddicky, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Chin-spot Batis, Diederik Cuckoo* to name but a few. The verges of the swamp form breeding grounds for the Rosy-Longclaw, Black Coucal*, Long-legged Bustard, and the African Crake*.

The tents are 4 x 3m Sahara-style tents with high roofs a 2 x 3m en-suite bathroom and a 2 x 3m covered area in front of the tent. The tents are fitted with solid base camp beds made up of mattresses, sheets, duvets, and pillows. The tents have en-suite long-drop toilet facilities and a bucket shower at the rear of the tent. Showers can be ordered as hot, cold, or warm and the water is heated in a bucket on the fire. Showers may be taken at any time but on Kalahari safaris the guide withholds the right to limit water use and showering depending upon the availability of water. Both hand towels and bath towels are supplied for the guests' convenience but please note that guests should bring their own personal items and toiletries.

The Khwai River meanders through the concession giving ample riverside routes to explore. We spend the following two nights camping at an exclusive campsite in the Mababe concession that has a strict max of 20 vehicles for the whole concession at any given time, exploring the river banks, Kalahari shrub to the east, cathedral mopane to the south on game drives both during the day and at night. Exploring after dark with spotlights offers you an opportunity to experience some of the nocturnal animals that are rarely encountered during the day.
We will also have the opportunity to explore the surrounding wilderness on foot (please note that this activity is seasonal based on rains and grass height, your guide will determine the safety of walking in Mababe) to enjoy an up close and personal encounter with Botswana's flora and fauna. It is important to note that night drives and guided walks are not permitted within the national parks and reserves. These activities are conducted outside the boundaries of the Moremi Game Reserve in the Mababe Private Reserve.
Habitat: We spend our time between the dry-land habitats of the lead-wood and camel-thorn woodlands and savannahs and the riverside banks of the Khwai River, as well as the "mini-CKGR" habitat in the western parts of the concession.
Wildlife: The Mababe region boasts excellent populations of both bull elephants as well as breeding herds. Lion, leopard, serval, and African wildcats are common predators of the region with wild dogs and cheetahs being less common. Buffalo use this area seasonally with large herds moving in during the summer rains. Other ungulates include tsessebe, blue wildebeest, giraffe, kudu, sable antelope, roan antelope, impala, and even eland and oryx in the western parts.
Birding: Botswana's national bird, the Kori Bustard, is a resident in the lower reaches of the Mababe Depression. The western reaches are prime habitats for the uncommon Rosy-throated Longclaw. The entire length of the river is the hunting domain for the Bat-Hawk. Other interesting raptors here are Cuckoo Hawk (rare), Long-crested Eagle, and Black Sparrowhawk. More commonly Tawny Eagle, Steppe Eagle*, Lesser-spotted Eagle*, Martial Eagle, Bateleur, and African Hawk-Eagle. The waterways host Africa Rail, African Crake*, Greater Painted Snipe, Allen's Gallinule*, Lesser Jacana, and Lesser Moorhen*.

The tents are 4 x 3m Sahara-style tents with high roofs a 2 x 3m en-suite bathroom and a 2 x 3m covered area in front of the tent. The tents are fitted with solid base camp beds made up of mattresses, sheets, duvets, and pillows. The tents have en-suite long-drop toilet facilities and a bucket shower at the rear of the tent. Showers can be ordered as hot, cold, or warm and the water is heated in a bucket on the fire. Showers may be taken at any time but on Kalahari safaris the guide withholds the right to limit water use and showering depending upon the availability of water. Both hand towels and bath towels are supplied for the guests' convenience but please note that guests should bring their own personal items and toiletries.

Enjoy your day in Mababe and continue exploring Wildlife and Birding.

The tents are 4 x 3m Sahara-style tents with high roofs a 2 x 3m en-suite bathroom and a 2 x 3m covered area in front of the tent. The tents are fitted with solid base camp beds made up of mattresses, sheets, duvets, and pillows. The tents have en-suite long-drop toilet facilities and a bucket shower at the rear of the tent. Showers can be ordered as hot, cold, or warm and the water is heated in a bucket on the fire. Showers may be taken at any time but on Kalahari safaris the guide withholds the right to limit water use and showering depending upon the availability of water. Both hand towels and bath towels are supplied for the guests' convenience but please note that guests should bring their own personal items and toiletries.

You head further north en route to the Central Chobe region, exploring the desert-like landscape of game drives.
Habitat: A fascinating day's drive looking at some of the evidence of the Paleo-Lake Makgadikgadi that dried up some ten thousand years ago. The most challenging part of the trip was crossing the Magwikhwe sand ridge that formed the shoreline for this massive inland sea. The winding track through this deep sand makes for interesting travel in the early summer! The old lake bed is now the Mababe Depression. The dense clay floor of the depression results in high protein feed for wildlife and the area teams with the game after the rains. During the rainy season, the depression is impassable due to the "cotton soil" and alternative routes must be used.
Wildlife: A day when anything could happen. The range of habitat that is covered encompasses most of the habitat types of northern Botswana. We pass through excellent lion country and some of the best cheetah country that our safari will cover. Elephants occur throughout the drive but are more common at the start and end of the drive where permanent surface water can be found.
Birding: The Mababe Depression is a birder's paradise. The nutritious grasses that grow on the rich soils provide excellent seeds for an impressive array of estrillids and viduids. Among these are the magnificently colored Violet-eared Waxbill, Black-cheeked Waxbill, Village Indigobird, Shaft-tailed Whydah, and Paradise Whydah. These in turn provide a good food source for small raptors such as the Little Sparrowhawk, Shikra, Gabar Goshawk, Red-necked Falcon, and Lanner Falcon. It is not only the small birds that feed on the grass seeds, but rodents too. There are annual outbreaks of huge numbers of rats and mice. As a result, huge numbers of Secretary Birds, Tawny Eagle, Black-shouldered Kite, Steppe Eagle*, Lesser-spotted Eagle*, Wahlberg's Eagle*, and Steppe Buzzard* can be found.

Experience the untamed wilderness of Botswana's most iconic destinations with an exclusive, rustic, yet comfortable mobile camping experience. Whether by morning, afternoon, and evening game drives, gliding across still waters by mokoro or even venturing out on foot, Letaka Tented Camp offers guests the opportunity to explore the rich wilderness up close from almost every angle.

Habitat: Unlike the vast majority of the country, Central Chobe is not a totally flat landscape. Large outcrops of volcanic rock reach up out of the Kalahari sands, towering over the endless savannah. These hills provide habitat for a completely different array of small wildlife, birds, and plants. The Savuti Marsh has been the stage for many of the most dramatic wildlife documentaries in Africa. The wide open country, good ungulate populations, and particularly strong pride of lion and hyaena clans make for dramatic wildlife interaction and excellent viewing opportunities. The now dry Savuti Channel runs through this landscape linking the dry sand-veld, the waterholes, the hills, and the grassland that was the Savuti Marsh.
Wildlife: Undoubtedly it is the interaction between lion and elephant that is the most interesting aspect of Savuti. The area is inhabited by a huge pride of lions with numbers fluctuating from 20-30 members. These remarkable lions have learned over the years how to hunt these massive pachyderms that are supposedly above predation. Launching their attack under darkness and using their numbers, they manage to kill adolescent and even young adult elephants.
The marsh is prime cheetah country and in the wet season, it is not unusual to have wild dog hunting here in Central Chobe.
Birding: The surface water that is pumped by the Government here provides a major attraction for birdlife. In the dry season, thousands of dove and sandgrouse come down to drink in the mornings and are under constant surveillance by Yellow-billed Kite*, Tawny Eagle, and African Hawk-Eagle. Red-crested Korhaan are common in the Kalahari Apple-leaf (Lonchocarpus nelsii) veld. The marsh is the summer home for good numbers of Caspian Plover* and Montague's Harrier* as well as Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark, Grey-backed Sparrowlark, Northern Black Korhaan, Rufous-naped Lark, African Pipit and Desert Cisticola. Dickenson's Kestrel, Amur Falcon*, and Red-necked Falcon are found along the perimeter of the marsh.

Experience the untamed wilderness of Botswana's most iconic destinations with an exclusive, rustic, yet comfortable mobile camping experience. Whether by morning, afternoon, and evening game drives, gliding across still waters by mokoro or even venturing out on foot, Letaka Tented Camp offers guests the opportunity to explore the rich wilderness up close from almost every angle.

Another day of adventures in Central Chobe to explore Wildlife.

Experience the untamed wilderness of Botswana's most iconic destinations with an exclusive, rustic, yet comfortable mobile camping experience. Whether by morning, afternoon, and evening game drives, gliding across still waters by mokoro or even venturing out on foot, Letaka Tented Camp offers guests the opportunity to explore the rich wilderness up close from almost every angle.