Project Description
Chobe and Delta Private Group Safari
This safari visits two of the most iconic and abundant wildlife areas in the region – The Chobe and The Okavango Delta. You will spend the first half of the safari onboard our houseboat The Pangolin Voyager followed by a stay at a private camp deep in The Okavango Delta. This package is designed for a small group of guests (up to eight in a bubble) wanting to have the houseboat and the camp exclusively to themselves.
More and more we have noticed a trend in families and groups of friends with common interests, such as wildlife photography, seeking out an exclusive safari experience where they can have the lodge or camp (or as in this case houseboat) all to themselves. This has become even more prevalent with the coronavirus pandemic. So, look at this as being your own personal “bubble” safari!
The Pangolin Voyager’s five cabins and Ker and Downey’s Footsteps Camp’s five tents match perfectly and when you sandwich on a private charter between them this could well be the perfect exclusive small group or family Botswana safari.
We suggest that to make the most of both destinations then a minimum of three nights needs to be spent in each and is really suitable for groups of four to eight guests with any children ideally aged nine and above. You can of course extend either part for a longer safari.
The itinerary can be in either order but here is what you can expect at each location:
Our floating lodge is moored on the Namibian side of the Chobe river and ranges between The Kasai channel to the East and Serondela in the West. We have three mooring points where you will spend each night.
The houseboat has five cabins and can sleep up to ten people, but we normally suggest a maximum of eight. This allows a couple of members of the family or group who might require their own cabin to be accommodated. Alternatively, this allows for the addition of a private photo guide or pilot to also be accommodated onboard too. Each of the ensuite and air-conditioned cabins can be made up as double or twin beds.
During the day you will have access to an eight-seater photographic boat as well as another tender boat for general game viewing. Each of the seats on the photo boat rotates 360 degrees and is fitted with a camera mount which can easily be removed for accompanying non-photographers.
When you go out on the photo boat and for how long is entirely up to you. This is your private charter and the schedule of activities is yours to decide upon. The guides will be on hand to head out at a moment’s notice – with a freshly filled cooler box!
In addition to photography and game viewing there is seasonal tiger fishing in the Kasai Channel which can be arranged with a local operator at a small additional cost.
The beauty of having a private charter is that you will immediately feel at home and should you just want to relax on the sundeck with a good book and a cold drink then that is entirely your prerogative too.
The chefs onboard will keep you well fed throughout the day and you will have access to the well-stocked bar either to help yourself or have one of the crew fix you a drink. We can cater for most dietary requirements and if you are celebrating a special occasion a cake and a tray of bubbly can miraculously appear from the galley right on queue if desired!
Getting from The Pangolin Voyager to The Shinde concession, where Footsteps, is based couldn’t be easier. Once you have entered back onto the Botswana side of The Chobe River it’s a five-minute drive to the airport and then a one-and-a-half-hour flight to our airstrip in The Delta which services the camp. This can be arranged as a private charter or on a per-seat basis depending on the number of people in the group and the budget. Private charters will always be a little bit more expensive depending on the numbers.
When you land you will be met by your guides who will be taking care of you while you are in the camp. During your stay, you will have the use of two-game viewers with height-adjustable bean bag camera mounts. When you go on your game drives and how long is entirely up to you.
When in the camp we have five tents (matching the number of cabins on the houseboat) as well as a dining/lounge tent and an editing tent for image review sessions during the day (own laptop required) with the photo host. There is a fire to enjoy before and after dinner and most importantly the whole camp is yours. Your home in the Okavango Delta!
The tents are large walk-in Meru-style tents with an ensuite bathroom featuring a flushing toilet and bucket shower. The tent has a good electricity supply throughout the night which can run a fan and charge/power electronic devices.
The chefs in camp will keep you well-fed with three meals a day as well as ice-cold drinks (soft and alcoholic) which are all included. Most dietary and allergy restrictions can be catered for.
The 10,000ha Shindevconcession is yours to explore and photograph. Because you are on a private concession off-roading for special sightings is allowed as well as night drives. In mid-2021 we will start construction of a waterhole hide.
The area is excellent territory for all the larger predators like lions, cheetahs, leopards and wild dogs. There is plenty of plains game around as well as the larger herbivores like elephants and hippos. The birdlife in the Okavango Delta is always amazing throughout the year.
As this is a group safari it is very difficult to estimate a price for this safari as it is dependent on the number of people you intend to travel with and at what time of year. Additionally, this itinerary is very customisable and you can either increase or decrease the number of suggested nights at each location or indeed add on another place to see and photograph like The Kalahari for example.
For example in 2023 a group of eight spending three nights on the Pangolin Voyager Houseboat then flying to The Okavango Delta to a private camp for the next three nights would expect to pay between $4,250 and $6,250 per person depending on the season.
There is also the option to book a Pangolin Photo Host to travel with you and bring with them cameras and lenses for everyone in the group should it be required.
Please complete the form below and one of our expert photo safari planners will send you through all the options and accurate pricing.
Airport meet and greet in Kasane
Transfer to The Pangolin Voyager Houseboat
3 nights on the houseboat on a full board basis
Use of the Pangolin photo boats and all other activities
Transfer to Kasane International
3 nights Exclusive use of The Pangolin Photo Camp
Daily game drives (4 per vehicle)
Night Drives
All meals and drinks
Charter flights: Kasane – Delta – Maun
All park and conservancy fees
Tourism levies
Gratuities and items of a personal nature
International flights
Visa fees if applicable
Suggested Add-ons
If you are interested in any of the below add-ons, chat to your travel planner or mention it in the enquiry form below.
Victoria Falls
A marvellous way to start or end a Southern Africa photo safari itinerary. A visit to Mosi Oa Tunya – The Smoke that Thunders. We have a selection of hand-picked hotels that we use.
Madikwe
South Africa’s best kept safari secret. Madikwe is home to good populations of Rhino, big cats and wild dogs. There we have a fantastic partner property – Jacis. Option on the way to Cape Town
Cape Town
The Mother City and Africa’s most cosmopolitan destination, Cape Town is a wonderful destination at the start or end of a safari. Beautiful scenery, delicious food, Mediterranean climate & photo opportunities galore!
When you are travelling as a group of say eight photographers we recommend that we charter a plane exclusively for the group to travel between Chobe and the Delta. Doing this often allows a little extra baggage allowance for extra camera gear along with the normal luggage allowance.
Even if the group is smaller in size it’s often an advisable option to book an extra seat on the plane and share the extra baggage allowance of around 15kgs per person to allow for camera gear.
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