Botswana’s ultimate luxury

The start of this ultra-luxurious safari to Botswana sees you flying out to the Linyanti. Here, you’ll stay three nights at Great Plains’ Zarafa Camp, in one of their enormous guest suites. The décor and furniture are handmade from reclaimed wood in a colonial style. There are copper bath-tubs for wallowing away for hours, and each guest suite has a private plunge pool overlooking a permanent lagoon. This means that wildlife is regularly spotted in or around the water source, including elephant and hippo. Zarafa is set in a private area of the Linyanti called the Selinda Reserve, dominated by large open tracts of savannah that are dotted by islands of palm trees. This makes for excellent wildlife spotting during the daily game drives – guests can look out for four of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo), smaller predators, and plenty of plains game. Guided walks are available on request and tend to head out from the camp in the early morning, always accompanied by a knowledgeable and experienced guide. Depending on the season, you can also go on a lagoon cruise.

After your time in the Linyanti, you’ll travel to the famous Okavango Delta. For the next three nights, you’ll stay at Wilderness Vumbura Plains. This property is situated within the northern reaches of the Delta in its own private reserve, called the Vumbura Concession. Wilderness Vumbura is divided into two camps, North Camp and South Camp. Each has seven guest tents, all elevated above the ground on wooden decking and linked along wooden walkways. Whether you are in North or South, you can expect your guest suite to have an immense veranda, a spacious en-suite king bedroom, an outdoor shower, a plunge pool, a sala for private dining, and beautiful views. Activities consist of vehicle and walking safaris, boating, mokoro excursions, hot air ballooning, and helicopter trips! The wildlife of the Vumbura Concession is just as impressive as that of the Linyanti, featuring four of the Big Five, numerous smaller predators and herbivores, and an astonishing assortment of birds.

The last leg of this trip is a stay in Wilderness Mombo, often described as the finest safari camp in Africa. It’s a real favorite at YZ! You’ll head from one Wilderness Delta property to the other for a three-night stay – this time on Chief’s Island within the Moremi Game Reserve, which is located at the heart of the Okavango Delta. Chief’s Island is jam-packed with exciting wildlife, including the star attractions of four of the Big Five, healthy populations of predators, and sizeable herds of elephant and buffalo. At Mombo, activities focus on the amazing wildlife and birdlife, and mostly take the form of expertly guided game drives.