12 Days Botswana Luxury Safari | Chobe, Savuti & Okavango
This 12-day Luxury Botswana Safari moves through Chobe National Park, Savuti, Moremi Game Reserve and the Okavango Delta, combining varied wildlife habitats with luxury safari camps.
The route gradually shifts from the wildlife-rich Chobe Riverfront to predator country in Savuti, then into the waterways and floodplains of the Okavango.
Trip Highlights
- Game drives along the Chobe Riverfront
- Chobe River safari with opportunities for riverside wildlife viewing
- Three nights exploring the Savuti region
- Predator-focused game viewing in Savuti
- Extended game drives through Moremi Game Reserve
- Wildlife tracking using spoor and alarm calls
- Bush picnic lunch in the Moremi wilderness
- Boat and mokoro excursions in the Okavango Delta
- Guided walking safaris on Okavango islands
- Luxury stays at Chobe Safari Lodge, Savuti Safari Lodge and Camp Moremi
- Two nights at Camp Okavango in the heart of the delta
Overview
The safari begins along the Chobe River, where the riverfront is particularly known for large concentrations of elephants and buffalo during the dry winter months.
Game drives and river cruises provide two very different ways to experience the area, from following tracks across the floodplains to watching wildlife gather at the water’s edge.
From Chobe, the route heads into Savuti, a remote region within Chobe National Park. Savuti has a long history of changing water levels and is particularly associated with predators such as lions, cheetahs, and hyenas.
The area’s unusual landscape and seasonal water dynamics are part of what makes it distinct from the Chobe Riverfront.
The journey continues south into Moremi Game Reserve, where woodland, grassland, lagoons and floodplains create a varied setting for game drives.
Moremi was established in 1963 by the Batawana people of Ngamiland and remains an important protected area within the Okavango ecosystem.
The final two nights are spent deeper in the Okavango Delta at Camp Okavango. Here the emphasis shifts towards water-based exploration, with boat and mokoro excursions complemented by guided walks.
The Okavango is a large inland delta whose annual flooding arrives during Botswana’s dry season, creating a distinctive wetland system in the Kalahari Basin.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Chobe National Park
Arrive at Kasane Airport, where a Petnah Africa Tours representative will meet you and transfer you by road to Chobe National Park.
After checking in at Chobe Safari Lodge, take some time to settle in and enjoy the lodge’s riverside setting.
Depending on the day’s schedule, you may head out for an afternoon game drive or a river safari by electric-powered boat.
The Chobe River floodplains attract elephants, buffalo, antelope and other wildlife, while the waterways offer opportunities to see hippos, crocodiles and birdlife from a different perspective.
Return to the lodge as the sun sets over the river and spend the evening at leisure.
Overnight: Chobe Safari Lodge
Meals: As specified in the package
Days 2-3: Moremi Game Reserve
Spend two full days exploring the Chobe Riverfront through a combination of early morning game drives and afternoon river safaris.
Morning drives take you into the park while temperatures are cooler and wildlife is often active.
The Chobe Riverfront is particularly known for large elephant and buffalo concentrations, especially during the dry season. Other possible sightings include puku, other antelope, lions and a wide range of birdlife.
After the morning activity, return to the lodge for brunch and a slower part of the day. You can relax around the pool, enjoy the river views or make use of the lodge’s facilities.
Later, head onto the Chobe River for a safari cruise. From the water, animals can often be watched approaching the river to drink, bathe or cross between islands.
The afternoon light also makes this an excellent time for photography.
Overnight: Chobe Safari Lodge
Meals: As specified in the package
Days 4-6: Savuti Channel
After breakfast, leave the Chobe Riverfront for the Savuti region of Chobe National Park.
The journey takes you deeper into a more remote part of the park, with the option, depending on seasonal conditions and the day’s logistics, to travel through the Nogatsaa area.
Savuti is particularly well known for its predators. Lions, cheetahs and hyenas are among the species associated with the area, while wild dogs may also be encountered.
The Savuti Channel itself has an unusual history, having alternated between flowing and drying over the past century, which has helped shape the area’s distinctive landscape.
Your arrival at Savuti Safari Lodge leaves time to settle in and watch the wildlife around the lodge’s waterhole.
The following days focus on game drives through Savuti, where the combination of open areas, woodland and changing water conditions creates opportunities to observe predator and prey interactions.
The source itinerary highlights the possibility of lions hunting elephants in Savuti. This is an unusual behaviour and should be regarded as an exceptional sighting rather than an expected safari encounter.
Overnight: Savuti Safari Lodge
Meals: As specified in the package
Days 7-9: Moremi Game Reserve
After breakfast, depart Savuti and travel south-west towards Moremi Game Reserve, passing through the Mababe Depression and entering Moremi via the Khwai area.
The journey itself becomes part of the safari, with an extended game drive as you make your way towards Camp Moremi in the Xakanaxa area.
The next two days focus on game drives through Moremi’s varied habitats. Your guides will look for fresh spoor, alarm calls and other signs that can reveal where wildlife is moving.
Lions, leopards, buffalo and a wide variety of herbivores may be encountered, although sightings naturally depend on season, conditions and animal movements.
A bush picnic lunch provides a break from the vehicle before continuing into the afternoon. The combination of woodland, open plains, floodplains and waterways gives Moremi considerable habitat variety.
Overnight: Camp Moremi
Meals: As specified in the package
Days 10-11: Okavango Delta
Leave Moremi for the deeper waterways of the Okavango Delta, travelling by boat towards Camp Okavango.
The transfer itself becomes an introduction to the delta as you move through channels, lagoons and flooded areas. The Okavango is unusual because its waters do not reach the sea.
Instead, the river spreads across the Kalahari Basin, creating permanent marshes and seasonally flooded grasslands. Its major annual flood arrives during Botswana’s dry season.
During your two nights at Camp Okavango, explore the waterways by boat and traditional mokoro, then venture onto the islands on guided walking safaris.
This is a noticeably different style of safari from the preceding game-drive focused sections.
Rather than covering large distances by vehicle, the emphasis is on reading the delta at a slower pace and understanding how wildlife uses its waterways, floodplains and islands.
Elephants, antelope, birds and predators such as lion, leopard, hyena and African wild dog occur within the wider Okavango ecosystem, although sightings are never guaranteed.
The delta is also home to several globally threatened large mammal species and is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Overnight: Camp Okavango
Meals: As specified in the package
Day 12: Departure
After breakfast, transfer to the airstrip for your flight to Maun Airport and onward travel.
Your 12 Days Luxury Botswana Safari ends with a final flight over the Okavango landscape.
Accommodation
Chobe Safari Lodge
Chobe Safari Lodge is positioned on the banks of the Chobe River near the Chobe National Park boundary. The lodge offers a riverside setting with a swimming pool, restaurant, squash court and spa.
Savuti Safari Lodge
Savuti Safari Lodge is located in the Savuti region of Chobe National Park. The source itinerary describes 12 suites constructed using natural wood and thatch, designed to fit into the surrounding landscape.
Camp Moremi
Camp Moremi is located in the Xakanaxa area of Moremi Game Reserve. The camp has 12 thatched safari tents with private decks and spacious bathrooms, alongside communal areas including a bar, lounge, library and deck.
Camp Okavango
Camp Okavango is situated within the Okavango Delta on an island setting. The camp accommodates guests in raised safari suites beneath the surrounding vegetation, providing a base for exploring the delta primarily by boat, mokoro and on foot.
What’s Included
- Accommodation throughout the safari
- Scheduled safari activities
- Meals and beverages as specified
- Applicable fees and levies
- All transfers
What’s Not Included
- Gratuities
- International flights
- Comprehensive travel insurance
- Items not mentioned under inclusions
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What makes Savuti different from the Chobe Riverfront?
Both are within Chobe National Park, but the environments are quite different. The Chobe Riverfront is centred around a permanent river and is particularly known for large concentrations of elephants and buffalo, while Savuti is a more remote, seasonally changing landscape with a strong reputation for predator viewing.
2. Is Moremi a private concession?
No. Moremi Game Reserve is a protected reserve within the Okavango ecosystem. The supplied itinerary describes the area as a private concession, but that wording should not be used to describe Moremi itself. Private concessions exist elsewhere within the wider Okavango region.
3. What is a mokoro safari?
A mokoro is a traditional dugout canoe used to navigate the shallow waterways of the Okavango. It offers a quiet way to move through channels and floodplains, with the exact experience depending on water levels and local operating conditions.
4. Is the Okavango Delta a year-round water destination?
The delta contains both permanent and seasonal wetlands. Its annual flood is unusual because it arrives during Botswana’s dry season, and the extent of inundation varies across the delta and from year to year.
5. Will we see the Big Five?
The wider areas visited by this itinerary support lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. However, seeing all five during one safari cannot be guaranteed, and wildlife viewing depends on season, habitat, animal movements and chance.
Ready to start planning? Send an inquiry through our contact page or WhatsApp us on +256 705 161344. Petnah Africa Tours can help tailor the route, activities, and accommodation to suit your interests and travel plans.
