An Adventurer Safari"

After arrival in Livingstone you will be met by a representative and transferred directly for a guided tour of the Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. At 1708 metres wide, it is the largest curtain of water in the world and drops more than 100 metres into the sheer Zambezi Gorge.

Shackletons is situated in south-western Zambia on the Upper Zambezi River near the village of Mwandi (meaning a place of 'plenty fish'). Shackletons provides access to 130km of the Upper Zambezi River, known as 'God's Highway' by David Livingstone. The lodge and its environs is home to approximately 300 bird species, offers an excellent cultural experience at Mwandi village and also is a prime fly, spin and lure fishing destination. Accommodating 12 guests in comfortable, thatched and en-suite chalets with private teak decks overlooking the Zambezi River coupled with fabulous cuisine and friendly service creates a relaxing and invigorating stay. Each room is equipped with 2 three-quarter beds, ceiling fan, safe box, mosquito net, en-suite bathroom (with shower, hand basin and flushing toilet) and plug points. The main area features a swimming pool, lounge and open dining area, with the riverside bar and sun downer deck providing unparalleled vistas of the mighty Zambezi River.

After a full breakfast, we leave Zambia and enter the Chobe National Park in Botswana by way of the Kazungula border, a point where the four countries of Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe meet. The Chobe National Park is famous for its vast herds of elephants and unique species such as the elusive puku and Chobe bushbuck that move to the river in the hottest hours of the day - even more so in the dry season. Enjoy a light lunch served during the boat cruise on the catamaran-style shaded boat, after which we depart by aircraft in the late afternoon for the Linyanti region, from the airstrip game driving to our pre-erected Adventurer campsite. On our second day, we depart on an early morning activity in the north-eastern corner of the Linyanti, enjoying a myriad of changing landscapes, from riverine to savannah habitat with sweeping views. Lunch is at an area, with a sweeping view of the Linyanti waterways. After a siesta in hammocks, there is the possibility of an afternoon canoe trip, before returning to camp at dusk. (This activity is not always possible, depending on whether there are hippo pods moving in and out of the areas in which we canoe.)  The Linyanti region's life-giving perennial waters attract herds of wildlife that walk well-worn game paths to slake their thirst in the dry season. Predators follow in their footsteps and coupled with the areas diversity of habitat make for exciting game viewing.

We depart early morning for the Savute area. This can be a full-day game drive, with lunch en route at a shady place in the Savuti Channel. This game drive is specifically designed to gain an intimate view of the "Stolen River". If the guide believes the wildlife better in the vicinity of the trails camp in Savute, we will head directly there and embark on an afternoon game drive to begin our search.

While we move from Linyanti to Savute, our camp crew drive ahead and set up the camp for our arrival.

We travel west and south through the Chobe National Park and a private concession, stopping en route for game sightings through parts of the area and also lunch. This long but interesting drive gives the perfect introduction to the varying habitats of a dry and flat northern Botswana, from the open savannah of the Savute Marsh with its granite hillocks to the geographically interesting Selinda Spillway (Great Rift Valley fault line). We arrive at our pre-erected Adventurer campsite in the mid-afternoon, in time for a short sunset game drive. Lechwe Island Camp is located in the south-western sector of the Selinda private concession, in a seasonally flooded portion of the Okavango Delta where it joins into the Selinda Spillway. The campsite is situated on a wooded island overlooking a floodplain area, the channel in front of camp alternately flooded or dry de

pending on the season. Activities concentrate around the bushy and wooded islands, open plains and the seasonally flooded channels surrounding the camp. In this area local populations of plains game allow for game drives by day and night. Experiences are magnified on nature walks, where the guide is able to delve into interesting topics such as tracking, medical (and traditional) uses of plants and a full array of smaller invertebrates and other species not usually noticed from a vehicle. Canoeing is also seasonally offered.

We fly by light aircraft to the water-filled paradise of the private Xigera area, within the Moremi Game Reserve. Xigera is the ultimate Delta experience, with serene waters flowing through innumerable channels around remote islands and a profusion of plant and animal life.

There is no better way to experience the Okavango than to travel through it by mokoro, walking and camping out on a vegetated island - all essential elements of the Xigera Mokoro Trails experience. The experience is aimed at exposing the permanently flooded inner Delta, in the serene waterways and on the islands of trees and bush. Our guest tents are lighter here than the rest of the safari, with a gauze main frame, thus enhancing the views. Due to remote location on an island, equipment is aimed at necessary comforts with "disco" stretcher styled beds.

Activities include mokoro and walking safaris, which enable up-close encounters with the excellent diversity of birdlife (including Pel's Fishing Owl), frogs and a myriad of game species, some specially adapted to water, such as the rare sitatunga and the familiar red lechwe. Walking activities vary in length and duration through the seasons, especially in the months when the Okavango is at peak flood where they become shorter (June, July and August) as more islands become flooded.