Arrival in Maun

Your arrival in Maun, Botswana’s safari capital, marks the beginning of an extraordinary journey. Upon landing at Maun International Airport, a representative from Winton Africa Safaris. warmly welcomes you. A short transfer leads you to your lodge or camping site where you’ll settle in and recover from the flight.

The afternoon remains flexible. Guests may opt for relaxation at camp or embark on an optional scenic flight over the Okavango Delta (at personal expense). This activity offers unparalleled aerial views of winding channels, islands, and seasonal floodplains that define this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spotting elephants, hippos, and even giraffes from above provides a thrilling introduction to Botswana’s landscapes.

In the evening, a welcome dinner awaits. Here, your professional guide briefs you about the itinerary, wildlife highlights, and safety procedures. Around the fire, enjoy the company of your travel group while the African night sets in with distant calls of nocturnal wildlife. This day offers a perfect balance of relaxation and excitement, preparing you for the wilderness immersion ahead.

• Main Destination: Maun
• Accommodation: Budget Camping
• Meals & Drinks: Dinner included, non-alcoholic drinks

Into Moremi Game Reserve

Your journey into Moremi Game Reserve begins with an early departure after breakfast. As you drive toward this wildlife-rich reserve, the anticipation grows. Moremi is often described as one of Africa’s most beautiful reserves, blending permanent water channels with mopane forests and open floodplains.

Arriving in the park, you establish camp for the next two nights. A picnic lunch keeps you energized before setting off on your first extensive game drive. Wildlife abounds here: herds of elephants, prides of lions, packs of African wild dogs, and abundant antelope species roam freely. Bird enthusiasts marvel at the over 400 species present, from fish eagles to colorful bee-eaters.

As the sun sets, you return to camp where your safari staff prepares dinner. Evenings in Moremi are magical, filled with the calls of hyenas and owls under starlit skies.

• Main Destination: Moremi Game Reserve
• Accommodation: Budget Camping inside Moremi
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Full Day in Moremi Game Reserve

This day is dedicated to exploring the diverse ecosystems of Moremi Game Reserve. You rise early to catch the morning wildlife activity. Lions may be patrolling their territory, leopards could be seen in trees, and elephants often graze in open clearings.

Your guide navigates through lagoons, grassy floodplains, and woodland habitats, ensuring opportunities to see different species. The Delta’s seasonal waters attract red lechwe and sitatunga, while giraffes and zebras dominate the drier areas. This biodiversity makes Moremi one of Africa’s most rewarding destinations.

After returning to camp for lunch and relaxation, the adventure resumes with an afternoon game drive, concluding at sunset with breathtaking photo opportunities. Dinner and stories around the fire close an exhilarating day.

• Main Destination: Moremi Game Reserve
• Accommodation: Budget Camping inside Moremi
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Transfer to Khwai Concession

After breakfast, you leave Moremi and drive north toward the Khwai Concession. This community-managed area offers a more flexible safari experience, allowing off-road drives and night excursions. The transfer doubles as a game drive, with plenty of wildlife encounters along the way.

Arriving at Khwai, you set up camp near the river. The first game drive along the Khwai River provides opportunities to spot elephants, buffaloes, and predators such as leopards and lions. The reduced visitor numbers compared to national parks create a more intimate safari atmosphere.

Evening falls with sundowners along the riverbank before returning to camp for dinner. The fire’s glow and nocturnal sounds complete the wilderness experience.

• Main Destination: Khwai Concession
• Accommodation: Budget Camping inside Khwai
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Mokoro and Night Drive in Khwai

Today delivers some of the most iconic Botswana experiences. The morning begins with a mokoro excursion on the Khwai River. Guided by expert polers, you glide silently through narrow channels and lagoons surrounded by reeds. This serene activity offers chances to see elephants bathing, hippos wallowing, and kingfishers diving for fish.

Returning to camp for lunch, the afternoon allows rest before another adventure. As evening approaches, you set out for a combined sunset and night drive. With spotlights, nocturnal species such as civets, genets, bushbabies, and owls reveal themselves. Predators like leopards and lions are often more active after dark, offering unique encounters.

The day concludes with dinner and relaxation around the fire, appreciating Khwai’s mix of beauty and excitement.

• Main Destination: Khwai Concession
• Accommodation: Budget Camping inside Khwai
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Into the Wilds of Savuti

After breakfast, you leave Khwai and head into Savuti, a legendary area within Chobe National Park. The route passes through the Mababe Depression, often rich in wildlife sightings.

Savuti is famous for its dramatic landscapes of wide grasslands and rocky outcrops, as well as its intense predator-prey dynamics. Lions here are known for their bold behavior, sometimes targeting elephants. Alongside predators, herds of zebra, wildebeest, and giraffe dominate the plains.

A picnic lunch is enjoyed en route before arriving at camp in mid-afternoon. A short sundowner drive introduces you to Savuti’s wild beauty before returning to camp for dinner.

• Main Destination: Savuti (Chobe National Park)
• Accommodation: Budget Camping inside Savuti
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Full Day in Savuti

This day is dedicated to exploring Savuti. Depending on wildlife movements, your guide may suggest a full-day excursion with picnic lunch or split morning and afternoon drives.

Savuti is one of Africa’s predator strongholds. Large prides of lions dominate the plains, while hyenas and leopards thrive in the region. Wild dogs also patrol these lands. Beyond predators, elephants, buffalo, zebras, and birds enrich the ecosystem.

You may also visit ancient Bushmen rock paintings, offering cultural insight alongside the natural wonders. Evening returns you to camp, where dinner and campfire stories await under the African night sky.

• Main Destination: Savuti
• Accommodation: Budget Camping inside Savuti
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Journey to Chobe Riverfront

Leaving Savuti, you journey north to the Chobe Riverfront. The transition reveals new scenery, including rural villages and panoramic views.

Upon arrival, camp is established near the river. The first game drive focuses on elephants, as Chobe is home to the world’s largest elephant population. Herds of hundreds are common, alongside hippos, buffaloes, and antelope species.

Sunset over the river provides breathtaking moments before returning to camp for dinner.

• Main Destination: Chobe National Park
• Accommodation: Budget Camping inside Chobe
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Exploring Chobe by Land and Water

Your final full day in Botswana combines land and water exploration. A morning game drive along the riverbanks reveals dense concentrations of wildlife, including sable antelope, puku, giraffes, and predators.

In the afternoon, you embark on a boat cruise on the Chobe River. Watching elephants swim across the river, crocodiles bask on sandbanks, and hippos wallow at sunset offers one of Africa’s most iconic safari experiences.

Dinner and a final campfire mark the end of your Botswana safari.

• Main Destination: Chobe National Park
• Accommodation: Budget Camping inside Chobe
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Departure from Kasane and Flight to Entebbe

After breakfast and a final short game drive along the Chobe River, you transfer to Kasane. From here, you catch your flight to Entebbe, Uganda.

On arrival, Winton Africa Safaris. staff welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. The afternoon is left for relaxation after your journey. Dinner is served at the lodge, and a restful night prepares you for the next stage of your safari.

• Main Destination: Entebbe (City)
• Accommodation: Airport Guest House
• Meals & Drinks: Dinner included, non-alcoholic drinks

Road Transfer to Kibale and Bigodi Swamp Walk

After breakfast, you embark on a scenic drive westward toward Kibale Forest National Park. The journey passes through lush countryside, tea plantations, and rolling hills. Lunch is enjoyed en route before arriving at Kibale.

In the afternoon, you explore the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community conservation project known for primate and birdlife diversity. Colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and over 200 bird species, including the Great Blue Turaco, can be spotted. The walk also highlights local community efforts in eco-tourism.

Dinner and overnight stay are at a lodge near Kibale, preparing you for chimpanzee tracking tomorrow.

• Main Destination: Kibale Forest
• Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Chimpanzee Tracking and Game Drive in Queen Elizabeth

This morning, you enter Kibale Forest for chimpanzee tracking. Accompanied by expert rangers, you trek through dense forest listening for the calls of chimpanzees. Upon encountering them, you spend an unforgettable hour observing their behaviors, from grooming to playful antics.

After lunch, you transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, where an afternoon game drive introduces you to savannah landscapes rich in elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kob, and predators.

Dinner and overnight are spent at a lodge inside Queen Elizabeth National Park.

• Main Destination: Queen Elizabeth NP
• Accommodation: Enshama Game Lodge
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Game Drives, Walks, and Kazinga Channel Cruise

Today offers a variety of experiences in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The morning begins with a game drive through Kasenyi Plains, known for lion and kob interactions.

After lunch, you embark on a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, a highlight of the park. The channel hosts hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and numerous bird species. The concentration of wildlife along the banks creates incredible photo opportunities.

The day concludes with a nature walk or another short game drive before returning to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

• Main Destination: Queen Elizabeth NP
• Accommodation: Enshama Game Lodge
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

After a morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth, focusing on the famous tree-climbing lions of Ishasha, you continue south toward Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The drive offers scenic views of terraced hills and local villages.

Arriving at Bwindi, you check into your lodge near the park entrance. Dinner is served, and you prepare for tomorrow’s life-changing gorilla trek.

• Main Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
• Accommodation: Gorilla Mist Camp
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Experience

This is the highlight of your Ugandan safari. After a briefing, you set off with rangers into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to track a family of endangered mountain gorillas. The trek can be challenging, but the reward is immense: spending an hour observing these gentle giants in their natural habitat.

In the afternoon, you engage with the Batwa community, Uganda’s indigenous forest people. Their cultural demonstrations reveal traditions of hunting, music, and storytelling, adding a human dimension to your forest adventure.

Dinner and overnight are at Gorilla Mist Camp.

• Main Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
• Accommodation: Gorilla Mist Camp
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Return to Entebbe

After breakfast, you begin the scenic drive back to Entebbe, passing tea plantations and Lake Victoria’s shores. Lunch is served en route. Upon arrival, you check in at your guesthouse for a relaxing evening.

• Main Destination: Entebbe
• Accommodation: Airport Guest House
• Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included

Shoebill Tracking and Botanical Gardens

This morning, you travel to Mabamba Swamp for a canoe excursion in search of the elusive Shoebill Stork, one of Uganda’s most sought-after birds. The swamp also hosts sitatunga antelopes and numerous water birds.

Returning to Entebbe, you enjoy lunch before visiting the Botanical Gardens, a peaceful setting along Lake Victoria’s shores. The afternoon offers leisure time for reflection and relaxation.

Dinner and overnight at the guesthouse conclude your final full day in Uganda.

• Main Destination: Entebbe
• Accommodation: Airport Guest House
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included, non-alcoholic drinks

Departure

Your final day is reserved for departure flights from Entebbe International Airport. Depending on your flight schedule, you may enjoy a relaxed morning at the guesthouse before your transfer.

This concludes your 18-day Botswana and Uganda safari, a journey that has combined two of Africa’s greatest wildlife destinations in one unforgettable adventure.

• Main Destination: Entebbe (Departure)
• Accommodation: None
• Meals & Drinks: Breakfast included