Ultimate Southern Africa
Hosted by Scott and Diane Avera

After arriving in Maun, you’ll board a light aircraft for a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta, a vast mosaic of glistening channels, palm-fringed islands and seasonal floodplains. From above, this UNESCO-listed ecosystem reveals its extraordinary scale and beauty. Land in a private concession bordering the renowned Moremi Game Reserve and transfer to your exclusive camp at Qorokwe. Surrounded by rich wildlife habitat, your elegant, tented suite blends seamlessly into the landscape, offering sweeping views and refined comfort in the heart of the bush. Settle in at leisure before gathering for dinner beneath expansive African skies, as the sounds of the Delta signal the start of your safari. Meals D

Today’s morning and afternoon game drives take you deep into the diverse terrain of Qorokwe’s private wilderness area. Accompanied by your expert guide, explore forests, open grasslands and floodplains interlaced with winding waterways. This region is known for its exceptional predator sightings. Lion and spotted hyena patrol the plains, while elusive leopard and African wild dog may reveal themselves with patience and timing. Vast herds of elephant move through the woodland, and buffalo gather in impressive numbers.

Between drives, return to camp for leisurely meals and time to relax on your private deck or beside the pool. As the light softens toward evening, wildlife activity intensifies and the Delta glows in warm hues, a fitting close to a day immersed in one of Africa’s most remarkable ecosystems. Meals B+L+D

Experience the Delta from an entirely different perspective today, at water level. By traditional mokoro canoe, your guide stands at the stern and skillfully propels you through narrow papyrus-lined channels using a long wooden ngashi pole. Drifting in near silence creates an intimate connection with the landscape and its wildlife. Red lechwe, impala and zebra graze at the water’s edge, while hippos submerge in deeper pools.

The Okavango is also a haven for birdlife. Keep watch for Pel’s fishing owl, African jacanas stepping delicately across floating vegetation, and the iridescent African pygmy goose. Depending on water levels, additional boating excursions may further expand your exploration. This tranquil mode of travel reveals the intricate rhythms of the Delta in a way that is both serene and profoundly moving. Meals B+L+D

Today broadens your exploration beyond established game-drive routes, focusing on the dynamic habitats that define this corner of the Okavango. Seasonal floodplains, riverine woodland and open grasslands converge here, creating varied ecosystems that support an impressive concentration of wildlife. Depending on conditions, your guide may combine game drives with time on the water, allowing you to experience how land and lagoon intertwine to shape animal movement.

This is a day attuned to nuance, tracking fresh prints in the sand, pausing at a lagoon alive with bird activity, or observing the quiet tension around a grazing herd. Elephant families often navigate the channels with surprising ease, while buffalo gather in formidable numbers. As afternoon light stretches across the plains, enjoy a special sundowner before returning to camp with a deeper appreciation for the Delta’s complexity and ever-shifting rhythms. Meals B+L+D

After breakfast, depart by safari flight to Maun and connect onward to Windhoek. As you cross into Namibia, the landscape gradually shifts from watery delta to wide-open desert plains. Upon arrival at Hosea Kutako International Airport, you’ll be met and transferred to The Weinberg Boutique Hotel, set at the foot of the Klein Windhoek hills. This elegant retreat offers a comfortable overnight pause before continuing deeper into Namibia’s dramatic terrain. Enjoy dinner at the hotel and prepare for the striking desert landscapes that await.
Meals B+D

This morning, a scenic safari flight carries you south to the 98,000-acre Kulala Private Reserve, adjacent to Namib-Naukluft National Park and Sossusvlei. From above, vast plains and towering dunes stretch to the horizon. Your home for three nights is Wilderness Little Kulala, thoughtfully designed to merge with its desert surroundings along the dry Auab River. Each spacious suite features a private plunge pool and rooftop deck for stargazing beneath Namibia’s pristine night skies.

Arrive in time for lunch before setting out with expert guides to explore the striking desert landscape. Brilliant white pans contrast dramatically with enormous orange dunes, some among the highest in the world. In this ancient desert, stark beauty and surprising life coexist in remarkable harmony.  Meals B+L+D

Rise before dawn for a highlight of your Namib experience,  a hot air balloon safari over the Namib Sand Sea, one of the world’s oldest deserts. As the first light of sunrise washes across the dunes, you’ll lift off and drift silently above vast, sculpted landscapes. From this elevated vantage point, the immense scale of Sossusvlei becomes fully apparent, with dunes rising nearly 400 meters and shadows shifting across endless ridges.

After approximately one hour aloft, land for a champagne breakfast served in classic “Out of Africa” style amid the dunes. Later, enjoy exclusive early access to Sossusvlei and Sesriem Canyon through the private Kulala Gate,  a privilege reserved only for lodge guests. Afternoon options include nature drives, guided walks along the Tsauchab River Trail or time to relax before dining under the stars.  Meals B+L+D

Today offers further opportunities to discover the subtle diversity of the Namib Desert. With your expert guides, venture across open plains and dune fields to learn how wildlife adapts to extreme conditions. Gemsbok traverse the sands with ease, while smaller desert species reveal themselves to keen observers.

Visit iconic salt pans framed by ancient camelthorn trees, their stark silhouettes set against glowing dunes. Alternatively, enjoy an interpretive walk along the Tsauchab Riverbed, where geological history and desert ecology unfold in fascinating detail. Back at the lodge, unwind beside your private plunge pool or ascend to your rooftop deck to watch shifting light transform the landscape. As night falls, Namibia’s extraordinary clarity of sky offers unforgettable stargazing in profound silence. Meals B+L+D

After breakfast, board a scenic safari flight north toward the Palmwag Concession, adjoining Skeleton Coast National Park. From the air, the terrain becomes increasingly dramatic with rugged mountains, winding dry riverbeds and vast desert valleys unfolding below.

Arrive at Wilderness Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, an intimate retreat of just eight contemporary luxury tented suites set within a broad valley. The setting feels profoundly remote, yet the camp offers refined comfort and sweeping views of starkly beautiful surroundings. After lunch, head out on your first exploratory drive in search of desert-adapted wildlife, beginning your discovery of one of Africa’s most untouched and compelling regions.  Meals B+L+D

 

Morning and afternoon safari activities reveal the remarkable resilience of life in this arid environment. Track desert-adapted elephant moving along dry riverbeds and search for rare desert lion uniquely suited to these harsh conditions. Giraffe browse on sparse vegetation, while gemsbok, springbok and steenbok navigate the open plains with ease. Brown hyena and jackals patrol at dusk.

Your expert guide interprets the delicate balance between climate, geology and wildlife, offering insight into how species endure in one of Africa’s most challenging ecosystems. Between drives, relax at camp and take in uninterrupted valley views. The sense of isolation here is extraordinary, a landscape shaped by wind, time and survival.  Meals B+L+D

Today’s full-day exploration showcases the dramatic Skeleton Coast itself. A scenic flight reveals immense dune fields and the winding Hoanib floodplains before you descend to explore this haunting shoreline. Weathered shipwrecks lie scattered along the coast,  stark reminders of the Atlantic’s power,  while thousands of Cape fur seals gather in noisy colonies.

Jackals and brown hyena linger nearby, drawn by the abundance of marine life. Visits to Klein Oases and Auses Spring add further dimension to your understanding of this fragile ecosystem. The contrast between roaring ocean and silent desert is striking and unforgettable. Return to camp for a final evening beneath Namibia’s brilliant night sky, reflecting on the extraordinary breadth of landscapes experienced. Meals B+L+D

After breakfast, depart by safari flight to Windhoek’s Hosea Kutako International Airport to connect with your onward journey home. Meals B