Jacana Safaris, the HIGHEST quality ‘camping safari’ in Botswana!

Jacana Safaris is the highest quality "camping safari" in Botswana. The safari offers a combination of cross country drives and light aircraft transfers to access the best areas of northern Botswana.

Accommodation consists of a pre-erected tented camp in the Chobe River area, and small permanent tented camps in the Okavango Delta and Linyanti that are booked exclusively for our groups.   

A unique feature of this safari is that many nights are spent in private concessions far from the public in superb game country where night drives and off-road driving are permitted.   

All meals are included except for lunch and dinner in Victoria Falls. Local drinks are included in Botswana. Guests are limited to eight and a guide accompanies the safari. 

In order to ensure that you always have truly life changing journeys, we update our safari offerings and itineraries on a regular basis to take into account changing conditions on the ground.

From 2005, we have made changes to the itinerary for our Jacana Safaris

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Days 1 to 5: Okavango Delta

On arrival in Maun, you are met a representative and assisted onto you light aircraft transfer to an exclusive camp in the Okavango Delta.

Kaparota Camp is situated on a tranquil and shady island in the Vumbura Community Development Concession. The island is covered with huge sausage trees, and a small channel runs in front of the camp. The thatched dining and pub area is connected to the opposite island by a walkway bridge, and is raised on a teak deck overlooking the channel.

Five meru-style en-suite tents are raised up on decks, and have wonderful views over the surrounding islands and floodplains. The bathrooms are enclosed, but roofless. Kaparota offers land- and water-based activities. Game drives, guided walks (at the final discretion of the camp manager) and mokoro rides (water levels permitting) are available.

Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Elephant and Red Lechwe are some of the wildlife that may be viewed. Birding in the area is incredible, and species include White Headed Vulture, African Hawk Eagle, Roufusnaped Lark, Meyers Parrot, and Pels Fishing Owl. 

On Day 4 the group is flown further into the Okavango Delta and transferred to our secluded mokoro trails camp for the next two nights. Situated about 25 kilometers west of Mombo, outside the Moremi Game reserve on the Jao flats.

Jacana Camp is a truly water-oriented camp and offers mokoro and walking safaris all year round. As the floodwaters recede game drives and night drives in open 4 x 4 Land Rovers are available from September to May, water levels depending. The camp is set in one of the most densely populated wetland areas for Sitatunga and Red Lechwe.

Wildlife concentrations all depend on the flow of the water. All the big wildlife can be found in the area - Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Buffalo. Pels Fishing Owl is a favourite amongst birders as well as African and Lesser Jacanas.

Jacana Camp has five meru-style tents. Each tent is on a wooden deck overlooking the floodplains and has an en-suite bathroom with flush toilet and shower. The bathroom is enclosed, but roofless. The main dining area is on an elevated wooden deck between two magnificent sycamore fig trees and surrounded by dense wild date palms. Downstairs, there is a cozy pub and lounge with an area for an open fire under the stars. 

NOTE:  The order of the Delta camps is reversed on some itineraries

Days 6 and 7: Linyanti Tented Camp 

From the Delta we will continue to Linyanti Tented Camp.This small, intimate tented camp is located on the banks of the Linyanti marshes in a private reserve that borders onto the western boundary of Chobe National Park. 

Two thirds of the now dry Savuti Channel travels through this concession, and the Linyanti River forms it’s northern boundary, as well as myriad lagoons and waterways. The area also boasts mopane forests and riverine woodland. We will spend much time traversing these different habitats.

The camp has five large East African style tents, each with a private bathroom with hot & cold running water and flush toilet. The main dining room and pub is under canvas right on the shore of the lagoon. The camp overlooks a large and tranquil lagoon fringed with papyrus and phragmites.

The area is best known for its large populations of Elephant, which congregate in vast numbers during the winter months. Lion, Leopard, Wild Dog, Buffalo and all the plains animals may be seen in this area.  In the marshes one can view Sitatunga, Red Lechwe, Hippo and Crocodile. Guests can enjoy game drives during the day and at night, game and bird walks, boating and canoeing in Canadian canoes on the large lagoons. 

Days 8 to 9: Chobe National Park

This morning we fly north to Kasane, we then drive a short distance to Chobe National Park, where our exclusive camp has been set up in a private site in the teak forest near the banks of the Chobe River. The camp is simple, yet still maintains the luxury of warm bucket showers, fresh linen, laundry service and gourmet meals prepared on a fire by your hostess.

On the Chobe floodplains, Elephants can be viewed in numbers not found elsewhere on the continent, as well as large herds of Buffalo and many other mammal species, including Lion. Water birds such as Egrets, Herons, Ducks, Storks, Plovers and African Skimmers occur in profusion.

On our final afternoon in Chobe, there is an optional boat cruise along the Chobe River with excellent opportunities to view Elephants drinking and Hippos wallowing near the river banks.

Day 10: Victoria Falls

It is a leisurely drive from the Chobe River to the famous Victoria Falls.  Arrival at Victoria Falls Hotel will be around midday, and you will have the rest of the afternoon at your own leisure to explore the rain forests alongside the Falls, or take an optional sunset cruise up the Zambezi River. Accommodation is on a bed and breakfast basis.

Day 11: End of Safari

Transfer to the Victoria Falls airport for your flight out.

• The order of the two camps in the Okavango Delta may be awapped around on some itineries: The Jacana Safari is also run from Victoria Falls to Maun.

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NOTES ON THE 11 DAY JACANA SAFARI

• There are no extra Park Fees (except entrance to Victoria Falls) or food kitty charges.

• Included is accommodation on a sharing basis, all meals (except for Victoria Falls which is on a bed and breakfast basis), all excursions related to the safari,
  services of our guide, all local drinks except premium wines, spirits and liqueurs (No drinks are included in Victoria Falls). A transfer between the airport and Victoria Falls is included.

• Excluded are visas if required, full travel insurance, malaria tablets, any excursion unrelated to the safari, additional transfers in Victoria Falls, international flights, staff gratuities, items of a personal nature, etc.

• Age Limits - There is a minimum age limit of 12 years; and a maximum age limit of 75 years on this safari. A medical certificate is required for guests aged 70 to 75 years.

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