12 Day Two Worlds Collide - Namibia & Botswana - 5*

Why choose between Botswana and Namibia when you can have both? Begin your trip marveling at the dramatic, beautiful deserts of Namibia. The country also boasts stunning savannahs that afford excellent chances of seeing lions, elephants, leopards, giraffes, springboks, zebras and more. Visit Namibia’s bustling capital city, Windhoek, with its museums, interesting craft centers and pretty cathedrals. Swap the desert for lush bush-life with a stop in Botswana. Customise your Safari here, with a focus on magnificent elephants, the fascinating Big Five or impressive UNESCO wetlands. Whatever your heart desires, we can steer you to the most appropriate lodge to choose.  

ACCOMMODATIONS

• Sossusvlei Desert Lodge – andBeyond (Sossusvlei – Namibia) – 3 Nights – VISIT WEBSITE
• Ongava Lodge (Ongava Game Reserve – Border on Etosha National Park – Namibia) – 3 Nights – VISIT WEBSITE
• Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa (Sandton – Johannesburg – South Africa) – 1 Night – VISIT WEBSITE
• Belmond Eagle Island Lodge (Okavango Delta – Botswana) – 2 Nights – VISIT WEBSITE
• Belmond Khwai River Lodge (Moremi Wildlife Reserve – Botswana) – 2 Nights – VISIT WEBSITE

KEYS

• BB – Bed & Breakfast
• DBB – Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
• L – Lunch
• LD – Lunch & Dinner
• D – Dinner
• FB – Full Board (Breakfast; Lunch & Dinner)
• AI – All Inclusive (All Meals, selected drinks, Game Drives/Walk)
• G/Drive – Open Safari Vehicle Game Drive

Sossusvlei – NAMIBIA
LODGE:  SOSSUSVLEI LODGE – andBeyond

Surrounded by the mountains and sand dunes of the Namib Desert, Sossusvlei Desert Lodge is an escape to the world as it should be. Sheer silence, total tranquillity and romantic luxury. From stargazing to intimate picnics in the desert, this is an extraordinary desert wilderness.
Guest areas flow into vast desert views, as the stone and glass structure of the Lodge melts into wraparound verandas. Cool water gushes from an underground spring into the refreshing lodge pool, while an extensive walk-in wine cellar provides refreshment of a different sort. Mouth-watering dinners are served by lantern light on the open dining veranda or in a surprise location in the nearby dunes. When night falls, our resident astronomer reveals the mysteries of the stars in our state of the art observatory.

Ongava Game Reserve – border on Etosha National Park – NAMIBIA
LODGE:  ONGAVA LODGE

Ongava Lodge is cleverly constructed on the slopes of a small hill in the Ongava Game Reserve which lies on the southern boundary of Etosha National Park. From up here, guests can sit back and watch a host of wildlife species that come to drink at the waterhole just below – or sit quietly at the hide to see these close up.
13 chalets and one family room, attractively built out of brick, rock and thatch, have en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning and glass-fronted doors leading onto a private veranda. There are impressive views of the waterhole and surrounding plains from the main lounge, bar and dining areas. Meals are either served under thatch or on the dining deck under the stars.

Sandton – JOHANNESBURG – South Africa
HOTEL:  Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa

Conveniently situated in the Sandton suburb of Morningside Manor, Fairlawns is an award-winning boutique hotel boasting a total of 40 highly individualized, world-class Suites The conference centre, a large fully equipped gym, Balinese Spa and an excellent a la carte restaurant are available to ensure a full range of services are on offer. Once the private home of the current live-in owners, John and Anna Thacker, the property was originally bought from the Little Brenthurst Trust of Oppenheimer fame, and consisted of 10 acres with horses and stables and rolling green lawns. Portions of the property have been sold off, but it has retained its stately, park-like ambiance with huge mature trees and prolific bird-life.

Okavango Delta – BOTSWANA
LODGE:  Belmond Eagle Island Lodge

Belmond Eagle Island Lodge has reopened as the ultimate Okavango Delta water- & experience-focused safari lodge, unveiling a sleek new look after an almost total rebuild.
The lodge is decorated to reflect an explorer’s base. Design highlights in the twelve spacious deluxe tented rooms include oversized beds with views of the delta, large outdoor decks with a vista, private plunge pools, indoor & outdoor showers, a reading nook and walk-in wardrobes.
Fully rebuilt public areas include a stylish dining area with a pizza oven, a lounge area with an artisan-style bar, a library, a campfire area and the Fish Eagle Bar which is located directly on the water. Local artisans and materials were used throughout the renovations.

Moremi Wildlife Reserve – BOTSWANA
LODGE:  Belmond Khwai River Lodge

Nestled on the edge of a Leadwood and Figtree forest, overlooking the vast Khwai River floodplains and beyond into the Moremi Wildlife Reserve, lies Belmond Khwai River Lodge. Here you are close to Africa’s heartbeat, at the centre of a world that has not altered much since life began. You can sense the big game heritage from the moment you arrive.
Activities offered at the camp include morning and afternoon game drives in open Land cruisers, as well as after-dark spotlight game drives. A cultural visit to the local village, as well as guided safari walks along the Khwai River can be arranged.
Enjoy rare sighting of shy gentle animals that only come out at night – the aardvark (the mismatched mammal that appears to have the snout of a pig, the ears of a rabbit, the body of an ant eater, and the feet and tail of a kangaroo); the brush-tailed porcupine with its brush-like quills that make a peculiar noise when rattled; and the spring hare, all coming out of their hiding places to forage. They might also see the elusive small and large spotted genets on a nocturnal hunting spree.
For those wishing to enjoy further pampering, the lodge has a ‘Naturally Wild’ spa facility. Guests are able to enjoy indulgent massages and body wraps in the spa or in the privacy of their own tent.

DAY 1:  Sossusvlei Desert Lodge – andBeyond – Sossusvlei – Namibia

VIP Meet and Assist on Arrival at Johannesburg International Airport

Flight:  Johannesburg to Windhoek (Economy) – One Way Air Namibia / British Airways / South African Airways (based to availability)

Transfer / Flight:  Windhoek to Sossusvlei – via Eros Airport by road (Private Road transfer from Windhoek International Airport to Eros Airport – approximately 40 minutes)

Flight:  Eros Airport to Sossusvlei An arrival into Windhoek before midday is preferred to make the connection for this shared light charter flight from Eros Airport to Sossusvlei. The approximate flying time is 1 hour 15 minutes

Accommodation, three meals daily, soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers, teas and coffees, refreshments on scenic nature drives, laundry, e-biking, safari activities, guided nature walks and quad bike excursions in the NamibRand Nature reserve (subject to availability), stargazing with astronomer, emergency medical evacuation insurance, VAT, transfers to and from the lodge airstrip and 1 excursion to Sossusvlei

DAY 2 – Sossusvlei Desert Lodge – andBeyond – Sossusvlei – Namibia

Enjoy some of the Activities included in the package.  Free at Leisure

DAY 3 – Sossusvlei Desert Lodge – andBeyond – Sossusvlei – Namibia

Enjoy some of the Activities included in the package.  Free at Leisure

DAY 4 – Ongava Lodge – Ongava Game Reserve/Border on Etosha National Park – Namibia

Scenic Flight:  Sossusvlei to Ongava

This is a scenic shared light charter flight overlooking the beautiful landscapes of the Namibian desert and salt pan, there are scheduled stops for refuelling.  Sossusvlei to Swakopmund – the approximate flying time is 1 hour 15 minutes, stop for refuelling, then continue Swakopmund to Doro Nawas – the approximate flying time is 1 hour and Doro Nawas to Ongava – the approximate flying time is 50 minutes.

Accommodation, all meals, twice daily scheduled camp activities, park fees, laundry, Namibian VAT, Tourism and Environmental Levy, and local drinks – excludes premium imported brands and champagne

DAY 5 – Ongava Lodge – Ongava Game Reserve/Border on Etosha National Park – Namibia

Enjoy some of the Activities included in the package.  Free at Leisure

DAY 6 – Ongava Lodge – Ongava Game Reserve/Border on Etosha National Park – Namibia

Enjoy some of the Activities included in the package.  Free at Leisure

DAY 7 – Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa – Sandton – Johannesburg

Flight:  Ongava to Windhoek – One Way This shared light charter flight is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes

Flight:  Windhoek to Johannesburg (Economy) – One Way Air Namibia / British Airways / South African Airways (based to availability)

VIP Meet and Greet on Arrival at Johannesburg International Airport

Transfers by Ilios Travel from Johannesburg Airport to Fairlawns Boutique Hotel 

DAY 8 – Belmond Eagle Island Lodge – Okavango Delta – Botswana

Transfers by Ilios Travel from Fairlawns Boutique Hotel to Johannesburg Airport

VIP Meet and Greet on Arrival at Johannesburg International Airport

Flight:  Johannesburg to Maun (Economy) – One Way 4Z 11h45 / 13h15 (tbc)

Upon arrival in Maun, you will be met by a Belmond Safaris representative and escorted to check in for your scheduled charter flight which will depart within 30 – 60 minutes of your arrival at Maun Airport

Flight:  Maun Airport to Belmond Eagle Island Lodge

Accommodation in rooms with air-conditioning, all meals (breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner), all drinks including a selected list of branded spirits and wines but excluding VSOP spirits, reserve wines & imported champagne, daily laundry service, 2 game viewing activities daily, emergency medical evacuation insurance, Botswana national park fees and 12% VAT.

• Flight:  Helicopter Excursion over the Okavango Delta from Belmond Eagle Island Lodge
• Included in your stay at Belmond Eagle Island Lodge is a spectacular and mind-blowing game-viewing helicopter flight, the images and impressions which will probably stay with you for a very long time. The open sides of the helicopter will allow you to take the most fantastic photographs, to capture this experience forever

DAY 9 – Belmond Eagle Island Lodge – Okavango Delta – Botswana

Enjoy some of the Activities included in the package.   You will do the Helicopter Excursion today if you did not do this yesterday.

DAY 10 – Belmond Khwai River Lodge – Moremi Wildlife Reserve – Botswana

Flight:  Belmond Eagle Island Lodge to Belmond Khwai River Lodge
*  The departure time of your scheduled charter flight will be advised the evening before your flight by the lodge staff.

Accommodation in rooms with air-conditioning, all meals (breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner), all drinks including a selected list of branded spirits and wines but excluding VSOP spirits, reserve wines & imported champagne, daily laundry service, 2 game viewing activities daily, emergency medical evacuation insurance, Botswana national park fees and 12% VAT.

DAY 11 – Belmond Khwai River Lodge – Moremi Wildlife Reserve – Botswana

DAY 12 – Departure Day

Flight:  Belmond Lodge to Maun Airport
*  The departure time of your scheduled charter flight will be advised the evening before your flight by the lodge staff.

Flight:  Maun to Johannesburg (Economy) – One Way 4Z 14h00 / 15h40 (to be confirmed – tbc)

VIP Meet and Assist on Departure at Johannesburg International Airport

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

•  All Meals & Selected Beverages (as indicated in day to day info)
•  All Activities at the Camp (as indicated in day to day info)
•  All Light Charter Flights between Camps
•  Flights between Countries (on tour)
•  All Transfers between Camps
•  Helicopter Excursion over the Okavango Delta
•  VIP Meet & Greet & assist (as indicated on day to day info)

PACKAGE EXCLUDES:

•  Porterage for porters – not included
•  International Flights back & from your Hometown
•  Medical & Travel Insurance (for clients own account)
•  Visa’s (clients need to arrange)
•  Service Fees at Restaurants for staff (if applicable)