Romantic Botswana's Chobe & Delta

On arrival at Kasane International Airport, meet your guide for the short drive to Chobe Chilwero. Recipient of many international travel awards, this beautiful and lavish lodge enjoys commanding views over the Chobe River floodplains. Settle into the comfort of your suite before returning to the main lodge to meet your guide over a sumptuous afternoon high tea.

One of the highlights is exploring the river from a customised game viewing boat, watching the multitudes of animals in the river and along its banks. During the dry season from May to October, Chobe is home to Africa’s largest population of elephants, and there is no better way to view their antics along the riverbank than from your unique vantage point in a safari boat.

In the golden light of late afternoon, the sight of these enormous creatures taking such evident pleasure in the cool water is an unforgettable experience. Old bulls stand meditatively at the water's edge slurping solemn trunkfuls while young calves wrestle and roll in the shallows watched over by their mothers. Sometimes a herd will cross the river, and in the deeper sections only their trunks remain above the surface. Still as stones scattered along the riverbank, crocodiles bask unblinking in the last warmth of day, while great pods of hippo snort and grumble in the water.

A mid-morning flight whisks you south over the Chobe’s vast dry plains to the lush fingers of the Okavango Delta wetlands, a shimmering mosaic of forested islands, grassy floodplains, snaking channels and papyrus beds. Your home in the delta is the remarkable Baines Camp, nestled harmoniously in dense riverine woodland. With only five suites, this camp is exceptional and intimate with stunning features. Discover the star bath and sky bed set on your private veranda, sheltered by towering trees and offering breath-taking views of the delta by day and star-filled sky by night.

Explore the wilderness in a traditional canoe based on the mekoro used by local tribes. It is the ideal craft to navigate the narrow channels and offers a rare viewpoint for exploring this magical landscape. Glide gently through the waterways with the sound of birdsong in your ears as you encounter the myriad natural wonders around you: tiny, jewel-like frogs cling to lily stalks, kingfishers take to the air in a flash of colour, and herds of red lechwe antelope graze in shallow flooded plains.

For an entirely different experience, join the semi-habituated elephants Jabu, Thembi and Morula for a walk. Accompanied by your guides, stroll alongside these gentle giants as they forage and explore, giving you an unforgettable insight into their lives. Watch as they use their trunks to amazing effect: from snapping off thick branches to picking up berries and delicately popping them into their mouths. Feel, rather than hear, the deep rumble of their secret language, look into their eyes and see the thoughtful intelligence behind them. After this moving encounter, join them in the shade of an ebony tree for a picnic lunch like no other.

After a final morning activity at Baines, fly to Chief's Island in the Moremi Game Reserve. The largest island in the Okavango Delta, Chief's Island is famed for the density and diversity of its wildlife, something that becomes apparent the moment you land. Open grasslands teem with grazing antelope and herds of giraffe tower over acacia trees, peering curiously as you drive past. Resting in the woodlands, Cape buffalo stand out, black against green, and zebra fill the air with their whistling alarm call: with such an abundance of game, predators are never far away, and this is one of the best places to find them.

Arriving at Chief’s Camp, you feel a palpable sense of tranquillity. Set in a grove of towering trees and overlooking a huge floodplain, this intimate camp has a charming atmosphere. A stylish lounge, dining and bar area leads out to a secluded pool deck while the spa is tucked away down a quiet little pathway. Settle into your room and admire the view from your veranda before you prepare for the afternoon’s game drive with your guide.

The diversity of habitat here makes an immediate impression - every few minutes the scenery changes: forest, grassland, wetlands. Your guide keeps an eye out for lion tracks – there is a high density here with prides swelling to 20 or more individuals, making Chief’s Island a premier predator destination.

As the sun dips under the horizon, your guide selects a scenic spot for you to stretch your legs and enjoy an ice-cold gin and tonic before you return to camp with tales to share over dinner on the terrace while the lions roar regally in the distance.

After a morning drive and leisurely brunch, begin your homeward journey on a scenic flight to Maun. Soaring over the pristine wetlands of the Okavango Delta calls to mind the encounters you have had - sunset over the Chobe River with a hundred elephants at the water's edge, exploring the wilderness at Jabu’s side, and the pure adrenaline rush of watching a lion hunt. With memories like these, a part of your heart remains in the beautiful wild places of northern Botswana.