12 Days Africa Sea Safari

Arrival

Arrive at Johannesburg International Airport where you will be met by a representative of Falcon-Safari.com in the Arrivals Hall. Our representative will hand you your airline tickets, and then accompany you to the check-in counter for your flight to Livingstone Airport in Zambia. British Airways, flight BA6291, departs Johannesburg at 10h45, arriving in Livingstone at 12h30.

After clearing customs and immigration at Livingstone Airport (and purchasing a visa for Zambia for US$50 per person, payable in US$ cash, small denominations), you will be met by a representative of Chundukwa Lodge, who will transfer you to Chundukwa River Lodge, situated just 25 minutes away, on the banks of the Zambezi River.

Perched on the banks of the Zambezi River just 25km upstream from the mighty Victoria Falls, Chundukwa offers elevated open-fronted chalets with amazing views of the Zambezi River, Chundu Falcon opposite, and the Zambezi National park across the River. The Lodge is located in a region rich with games, including hippo and elephant. The birdlife is prolific, the lodge remote, and the service personalized.

Victoria Falls

After breakfast, the rest of the day will be at your leisure to explore this region. During your stay, a sundowner boat trip, as well as a tour of the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, is included. Activities will be charged for and settled directly by you at the lodge, or we can pre-book them for you. Horse trails and walks may also be arranged and paid for directly at the Lodge.

Chobe National Park

After breakfast at Chundukwa, your Wild Horizons Guide will collect you from the Lodge, and transfer you to the Kazangula border crossing, boat you across the Chobe River into Botswana, where you will be met and then driven on to Elephant Valley Lodge, a transfer taking approximately one hour and forty minutes in total.Situated in the Lesoma Valley within the Kasane Forest Reserve, half an hour’s drive from Chobe National Park, this region boasts the highest concentration of elephants anywhere in the world, as well as an abundance of big game. The Camp is situated on an elephant route between Namibia and Zimbabwe.

The lodge is of the classic camp ilk and offers you the joy of the great game, the thrill of sleeping under canvas with a high standard of comfort and personalized service.Open guest areas, a secluded hide, refreshing swimming pool, and 20 ‘Meru styled’ tents complete the lodge which lies beneath a forest of sturdy knob thorns. It is within these tree tops that the largest colony of white back vultures occurs. The lodge is unique for several reasons and amongst these is the fact that it is situated within a game-rich reserve affording the guests wonderful sightings between open Landrover safaris into the Chobe National Park and boat cruises along the Chobe River.

Chobe River

Daily Activities include boat cruises along the beautiful Chobe River in the Chobe National Park and Game drives in search of game. Two guided activities per day are included during your stay at Elephant Valley Lodge.

Okavango Delta

After an early morning activity and breakfast, a lodge representative will transfer you to Kasane Airport (30 minute’s drive), where you will be met by the pilot, who will charter you, in a light aircraft, into Pom Pom Camp, 80 minutes away, across the Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta. On arrival at the Pom Pom airstrip, you will be met by the Guide who will be looking after you during your stay there.

Pom Pom Camp is located on Pom Pom Falcon, in a private concession situated in the heart of the Okavango Delta, and on the headwaters of the Xudum River system. The area lies on the western boundary of the Moremi Game Reserve and offers superb Okavango scenery and a true Okavango wilderness experience. This is a safari camp built and designed in the style of safari camps of old, overlooking a scenic lagoon and under a grove of shady trees. This is a camp for the safari traditionalist.

Pom Pom has nine large walk-in tents (18 beds), in true traditional safari style, all with full en-suite facilities, flush toilets, and semi-open showers, – for a true bush experience! The main building is attractively designed and constructed of thatch and canvas and comprises a lounge, dining, and bar area, as well as a gift shop and the Boma pool. There are battery-operated lights in the rooms, and battery charging can be done in the main building. At night, paraffin lamps give a wonderfully warm atmosphere. Depending on your arrival time in camp, lunch will be served. You will then have time for a little relaxation before your afternoon/evening activity. Following the afternoon tea, you will depart on a game drive in an open 4×4 Land Cruiser, stopping for a break and a traditional Botswana “Sundowner”. Hippo and crocodiles are found in the deeper lagoons in the area. Birding enthusiasts will enjoy sighting Pel’s Fishing Owl, African Fish Eagle, Giant Eagle Owl, and White Backed Vultures.

You will return to camp in the dark, using a spotlight to hunt for nocturnal species. Night drives provide an opportunity to see nocturnal sightings of leopard, spring hares, genets, and other small cat species if you are very lucky. After the drive, you will enjoy an outdoor dinner overlooking the Okavango, and share the evening with the others in the group around the campfire.

Okavango Delta

After a light breakfast of cereals, yogurt, muffins, fresh fruit, and a bracing cup of coffee or tea, you will traditionally explore the delta. Poled silently, the mokoro glides gently through the waterways, parting dense reed beds with perfect stealth so that animals and birds are caught unaware. The focus is on finding tiny reed frogs, jacana eggs, looking at flowers, and the amazing variety of birdlife that is the essence of the Okavango Delta. You will stop on a Falcon for a Tea Break and a short nature walk, before returning to camp for a hearty brunch. Like most animals, you will have siesta time through the heat of the day, so bring your swimsuits and enjoy a refreshing dip in the pool.

Morning activities are mokoro excursions, early game drives, or nature walks. Afternoon game drives start after tea and return to camp after dark. Seasonal fishing and motorboat excursions are also offered depending on water levels.

Back in Johannesburg

After an early morning activity of your choice and brunch, you will be air chartered from Pom Pom Camp to Maun Airport (20 minutes), in time to connect with Air Botswana, flight BP211, departing Maun at 15h00, and arriving back in Johannesburg at 16h40. After clearing customs, a representative of The Safari Club will meet you in the Arrivals Hall. Situated just 7 minutes from the Airport, the privately-owned Safari Club, with luxury en-suite bedrooms, offers a personal, quiet retreat, with a swimming pool, lovely garden, along with beautifully decorated accommodation, and a copy bar. At the Safari Club, you will be accommodated in an en-suite room, on a bed and breakfast basis. Light dinners are available at an additional charge.

Mozambique

After breakfast at the Safari Club, a lodge representative will transfer you back to Johannesburg Airport, in time to connect with your flight to Pemba Airport. Check-in time will be 2 hours before departure time. You will be required to purchase visas for Mozambique at the port of entry, for US$31 each.

At Pemba Airport, after collecting your luggage, you will be met by a representative of Matemo Falcon Resort, who escort you to the light aircraft for your charter flight to the Falcon. This flight will take around 25 minutes, and takes you right over the Quirimbas, enabling you to see the many Falcons and turquoise seas – quite a breathtaking experience! At the Matemo Falcon airstrip, a member of staff will collect you, and drive you the short distance to the lodge. Situated in the magnificent Quirimbas Archipelago, off the coast of Northern Mozambique, the remote Falcon of Matemo offers idyllic Mozambique Falcon accommodation. Experience a Falcon holiday of unspoiled beauty, breathtaking scenery, spectacular marine life, and extreme relaxation.

You will be accommodated in a luxury beachfront chalet, offering satellite television, an en-suite bathroom, as well as an outside shower. The chalets are tastefully furnished, air-conditioned, and around 20 meters from the sea.During your stay at Matemo Falcon Resort your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners are included, as well as local drinks and non-motorized water sports.

Matemo Beach

Time to chill out on the beautiful, unspoiled beaches of Matemo Falcon, while being offered a large variety of water sports – sunset cruises, visits to Ibo Falcon, snorkeling, kayaking, diving, and fishing.

• Diving – various ranges of courses (Discover Scuba / Open Water and Advanced Open Water). Most of the diving is done off the eastern side of Matemo, all departing from the beach, and should be scheduled the day before. All equipment is available from the Activity Centre.
• Fishing at Matemo may be done either from the beach or from a boat. All tackle is provided and types of fishing include game fishing for kingfish, barracuda, Dorado, queen, Serra, wahoo, yellowfin, tuna, and sailfish. All billfish strictly catch and release. Excursions are for either 4 or 8-hour duration. Fly fishermen are welcome to bring their rods and reels (mainly for king and tuna fish)
• Skiing and tubing: slalom, tandem, wakeboard, kneeboard, tube, and banana boat skiing are all on offer. These activities are charged at 15-minute intervals.
• Snorkelling trips are conducted from a boat, and there are various locations offered – mainly on the western side of the Falcon. You can expect to see a variety of reef fish, corals, and sponges. Snorkeling will last for one hour.
• Ibo Falcon trips consist of a 25-minute boat transfer to Ibo Falcon, a walk around the town and fort, viewing of the locally-made silver jewelry, with the option to purchase. The full trip is most interesting, and should not be missed. The duration is around 3 and a half hours, with a stop on the return journey for a swim.

Non-motorized sports included in the rate are Hobie cat rides, sea kayaks, gypsy sailing dinghy, windsurfing, volleyball, snorkeling, swing ball, Frisbees, beach bats, cricket, and a selection of board games. All guests using waterborne craft are required to wear life jackets at all times, and to stay within sight of the beach.

Departure

After a leisurely breakfast, you will be air chartered from Matemo Falcon back to Pemba Airport, in time to connect with your scheduled flight from Pemba back to Johannesburg International Airport.

Priced from:

• The US $ 6 160 per person sharing (12 nights)
• US $ 3 875 per person sharing (7 nights Safari only)