Okavango

14 DAY SMALL GROUP TRIP

Current Tours

We organize one trip / year in May to this remote, less-frequented region. Our itinerary was designed by National Geographic acclaimed “Champion of the Okavango”, Dr. Karen Ross. She considers May the best time to visit the region. Karen will be your tour leader.

The only difference between the two trips is the itinerary order. Both go to the same places and spend as much time in each of those places.

Click below to learn all about the trips. Otherwise, for itinerary and price details specific to each trip, click below on the trip of your choice.

Why Book an Okavango Trip with CNH Tours

With the help from a wildlife conservation champion of the region (Karen Ross) and with support from an experienced local travel company (Liquid Giraffe), we’ve assembled the elements of a one-of-a-kind 14 day small group trip to some of the world’s most iconic wildlife destinations. We’ve added cultural / historical components which, all told, will give you an authentic taste of Southern Africa. Most of the places you’ll be experiencing are UNESCO World Heritage sites – they’ve been formally recognized as being of global significance by the international community.

Specifically, the trip includes:

Magic and history at the breath-taking Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)
Ancient secrets of Tsodilo Hills (Botswana)
Magnificent African wildlife of Okavango – both at its panhandle and in
the Delta (Botswana)
Rugged desert ecosystems of the Kalahari, guided by local bushmen
(Botswana)
Stunning land and seascapes of Cape Town along with the region’s
cultural vibrancy (South Africa)

Why We Offer Okavango and Surrounding Sites

This is a fair question. CNH Tours does not organize or sell trips to destinations unless we feel we are intimately familiar with them. For 20 years we have focused exclusively on Galapagos for the simple reason that we know no other wildlife destination so well.

It’s only because we were able to bring Karen Ross on board that we feel we can offer this particular trip. As you will see from her bio below, few people in the travel business are as familiar with this region as is Karen. We asked her to design and lead what she thought would be the best 2 week trip to the region, and to do it during what she considered to be the best time of year to appreciate the diverse attributes of the places you’ll be going to. This trip is the culmination of her work.

Our Vision

Some places on Earth are of such outstanding natural and cultural significance that the countries of the world have come together to identify and help conserve them. To do this, they created the World Heritage Convention – encouraging countries to identify and conserve, for the benefit of present and future generations, sites that are of global value. This trip focuses on such World Heritage sites in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.

Because these places are far away and difficult to access, you will likely not be returning anytime soon. You’ll want to maximize your chances of being exposed to the best of what the region offers, both in terms of wildlife, and in terms of the historical/cultural context. You’ll be spending a good part of your days outside, on small boats / safari type vehicles or on light to moderate walks in the hills. You’ll witness a variety of ecosystems and their wildlife. We feel that at the end of a fascinating, but perhaps a bit tiring day, you’ll appreciate comfortable accommodations.

To this end, we’ve ensured that you’ll not only be seeing some of the world’s most outstanding places, but that you’ll be able to unwind in some of the most comfortable lodges / camps on offer. On top of all that, the small group environment will be led by a wildlife conservation expert whose job it has been to help protect the places you’re visiting. This will ensure that you’ll have the best possible understanding of how the ecosystems you’re visiting are being conserved in light the challenges they face.

Champion of the Okavango

Karen was born and raised in Kenya. She has a PhD in wildlife ecology from Edinburgh University, carrying out her research in Kenya. Hired on a filming job for the BBC, Karen moved to Botswana, where she spent the next 25 years of her life. She became a leading conservation force for the Okavango Delta and playing a major role in having the Delta recognized as a World Heritage site.

Karen was born and raised in Kenya. She has a doctorate in wildlife ecology from Edinburgh University, carrying out her PhD research in Kenya under the supervision of the famous elephant zoologist, Dr Iain Douglas Hamilton. She was hired by Hugo van Lawick (renowned wildlife film maker – and Jane Goodall’s former husband) on a filming job which led to her work with the BBC, producing the book “Okavango: Jewel of the Kalahari”. The book was first published as a companion to a BBC three-part documentary of the same title.

Karen’s subsequent work in the Okavango Delta was part of critical conservation activities in Botswana, including the protection of the Okavango Delta from mining threats and upstream water withdrawals from Namibia. She led the NGO pressure to curtail the proliferation of fences in the Okavango region (fences are harmful to the movement of wildlife), co-founding a forum between different government ministries and between government and civil society.

During decades of conservation work in Botswana, mainly with Conservation International, it became clear to Karen that overarching protection for the Okavango Delta would be given through UNESCO World Heritage designation, considered by experts to be long overdue. From 2007 Karen motivated the Government of Botswana to consider this important listing. From then she collaborated on this effort with the Government of Botswana, Okavango communities, national and international conservation NGOs, the tourism sector and numerous other stakeholders, including government authorities in neighbouring Namibia and Angola.

She was a lead editor of the World Heritage nomination dossier. Thanks to this lengthy and intense work, the Okavango Delta finally made it on to the World Heritage list in 2014. Karen’s relentless efforts at conserving this iconic wilderness has led to her being crowned “The Champion of the Okavango” in the National Geographic magazine (click here to see the article). Once you’re booked on the trip, Karen will become your main contact point with CNH Tours. She’ll be answering emails and helping you best plan for your time in Africa.

Your Accommodations

On the advice of our tour leader, we have secured the most comfortable lodges and “bush camps” in the region, along with a very comfortable and strategically located hotel in Cape Town. We assumed that after exciting and activity-filled days in the field, over water, on land or in the air, it was important to come back to a place where you could wind down quietly, where you could find seclusion, creature comforts, but also camaraderie. Our field lodges are small – and will host only our group.

Lodge	About	Destination	Duration
Old Drift Lodge	On the shores of the mighty Zambezi River, upstream from Victoria Falls, surrounded by a wildlife conservation area.	Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe	3 Nights
Nxamaseri Island Lodge	One of the original Okavango lodges. An island hideout on the Okavango Delta’s panhandle.	Okavango Panhandle	2 Nights
Shinde Lodge	Located on the edge of Shinde Lagoon in the heart of the Delta, the area teems with animal and birdlife.	Okavango Delta	3 Nights
Cape Grace	A classic grand hotel, located in the modern Cape Town waterfront and marina.	Cape Town	3 Nights

Looking for something else?

While we have chosen to highlight the trip above as idea ways to visit Victoria Falls, Okavango, and Kalahari, we recognize that the time frames, accommodation style and/or comfort levels may not be exactly what you might have in mind. If that’s the case, then please do contact our Okavango Champion, Karen, and let her know your preferences. Karen will be well-placed to listen, and she can get back to you with options more suited to your interests.

Terms and Conditions

Click below to review, download, or print the terms and conditions document for this trip.