7 Days Best Safari in Zambia to Lower Zambezi and Botswana Safari
This 7 Days Best Safari in Zambia Lower Zambezi and Botswana Safari combines the intimate wildlife encounters of Zambia's Lower Zambezi National Park with the legendary water wilderness of Botswana's Okavango Delta. Your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari begins along the mighty Zambezi River, where elephants wade through crystal-clear waters and wild dogs hunt across the floodplains. The adventure seamlessly transitions to Botswana's exclusive concessions, where traditional mokoro canoes glide through papyrus-lined channels and all Big Five species roam freely.
This exceptional Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari showcases the remarkable diversity of southern African ecosystems, from Zambia's riverine forests known locally as "Mubvumira" to Botswana's seasonal floodplains called "Molapo." Your journey through these UNESCO World Heritage landscapes offers unparalleled opportunities for canoeing, walking safaris, and traditional game drives led by expert guides. The Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari experience is enhanced by stays at exclusive camps that provide intimate access to wildlife corridors while maintaining the highest standards of comfort and service.
Throughout your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari adventure, you'll witness the seasonal rhythms that define these ancient landscapes, from the Zambezi's dramatic seasonal flooding to the Okavango Delta's intricate channel systems. This comprehensive Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari journey reveals why these destinations are considered the pinnacle of African safari experiences, offering encounters with four of the Big Five in Zambia and the complete Big Five in Botswana. Your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari concludes with memories of pristine wilderness areas that remain largely unchanged from centuries past.
Tour highlights
Day 1: Pick Up from Lusaka and Transfer to Lower Zambezi National Park
Day 2: Proceed with Canoe Safari and Walking Safari in Lower Zambezi
Day 3: Continue with Boat Safari and Classic Game Drive in Lower Zambezi
Day 4: Transfer to Botswana and Proceed to Okavango Delta
Day 5: Continue with Mokoro Canoe Safari and Game Drive in Okavango Delta
Day 6: Proceed with Classic Safari and Big Five Tracking in Moremi Game Reserve
Day 7: Transfer to Maun Airport for Departure
Price Includes:
- Park fees and conservation levies for Lower Zambezi and the Okavango Delta
- All activities mentioned in the itinerary
- Ground transport in custom 4x4 safari vehicles
- Charter flights between destinations
- Bottled water during game drives and activities
- Full board accommodation at exclusive camps
- Professional English-speaking driver-guides and specialised activity guides
- Driver allowances and park fees
- Canoe safaris, walking safaris, boat safaris, and mokoro experiences
- All mentioned activities (excluding optional experiences)
Price Excludes:
- Zambia and Botswana Visas (where applicable)
- International and internal flights to/from Lusaka and Maun
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Optional activities
- Laundry services
- Travel insurance
- Beverages beyond provided water
- Tips for staff and guides
Itinary in details
- Day1Pick Up from Lusaka and Transfer to Lower Zambezi National Park
Your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari begins with an early morning pickup from Lusaka, followed by a scenic 2.5-hour drive (approximately 130km) southeast to Lower Zambezi National Park via the historic Chirundu border town. This immersive Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari journey takes you through rural Zambian landscapes to Chiawa Camp, located in the heart of the park known locally as "Mubvumira" (Place of the Baobab). Your first day of this Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari adventure concludes with an afternoon game drive along the Zambezi River, where you'll encounter elephants, buffalo, and numerous antelope species while enjoying spectacular sunset views over the mighty river.
- Day2Proceed with Canoe Safari and Walking Safari in Lower Zambezi
Dawn breaks on your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari with the sounds of hippos and fish eagles along the Zambezi River, setting the stage for an extraordinary day of water-based adventures. Your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari experience continues with a morning canoe safari along the Zambezi channels, paddling silently past elephants drinking and bathing just meters away in areas known locally as "Mvuu" (Hippo Pools). The afternoon Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari activity features a guided walking safari through the park's interior, where expert guides track wildlife on foot and share insights about the ecosystem of this 4,092 square kilometer wilderness sanctuary.
- Day3Continue with Boat Safari and Classic Game Drive in Lower Zambezi
Your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari adventure intensifies with a morning boat safari exploring the Zambezi's numerous channels and islands, covering approximately 15km of pristine waterways. This exciting Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari Day includes close encounters with crocodiles, hippos, and water birds while navigating the river system known locally as "Zambezi ya Mubvumira" (Zambezi of the Baobab Place). Your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari experience concludes with an afternoon classic game drive focusing on the park's four Big Five species (excluding rhino), with opportunities to spot lions, leopards, elephants, and buffalo in their natural habitat.
- Day4Transfer to Botswana and Proceed to Okavango Delta
Today your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari transitions from Zambia's riverine landscapes to Botswana's world-famous wetlands via a 1.5-hour charter flight from Jeki Airstrip to Maun Airport. Your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari journey continues with a 45-minute light aircraft transfer to an exclusive concession in the Okavango Delta, known locally as "Okavango ya Botswana" (Okavango of Botswana). This remarkable Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari destination encompasses over 15,000 square kilometers of pristine wetlands, where you'll check into your luxury tented camp and enjoy an afternoon game drive through the seasonal floodplains of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Day5Continue with Mokoro Canoe Safari and Game Drive in Okavango Delta
Your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari experience reaches new heights with a traditional mokoro canoe safari through the Delta's crystal-clear channels, guided by expert local polers known as "Basarwa" who share their ancestral knowledge of the waterways. This authentic Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari adventure takes you through papyrus-lined channels and lily-covered lagoons, covering approximately 10km of pristine wetlands where you'll encounter lechwe, sitatunga, and numerous water birds. Your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari Day continues with an afternoon game drive across the seasonal islands called "Molapo," where elephants, lions, and wild dogs traverse between permanent and seasonal water sources.
- Day6Proceed with Classic Safari and Big Five Tracking in Moremi Game Reserve
The penultimate day of your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari focuses on exploring Moremi Game Reserve, covering 4,871 square kilometers of the eastern Okavango Delta and renowned for its complete Big Five population. Your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari adventure includes morning and afternoon game drives targeting the elusive black rhino, recently reintroduced to the reserve after decades of absence from the area known locally as "Moremi ya Ngwato" (Moremi of the Ngwato People). This exceptional Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari experience offers opportunities to complete your Big Five sightings while exploring diverse habitats from mopane woodlands to permanent lagoons, with expert guides sharing insights about ongoing conservation efforts.
- Day7Transfer to Maun Airport for Departure
Your transformative Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari concludes with a morning game drive and hearty breakfast at your luxury camp before the 45-minute charter flight back to Maun Airport. This final day of your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari includes time for last-minute wildlife photography and reflection on your journey through two of Africa's most pristine wilderness areas. Your Best Safari in Zambia and Botswana Safari adventure ends with arrival at Maun Airport by mid-morning, providing convenient connections for onward flights while carrying unforgettable memories of your seven-day exploration through the heart of southern Africa's most celebrated safari destinations.