Heart of the Elephant - 6 days

An exciting safari for elephant enthusiasts which offers close encounters with these amazing animals, a rare opportunity to interact with and closely observe, these amazing animals as they feed, play, and enjoy a mud bath only a short distance away from you!  Enjoy a thrilling walk with the semi-habituated elephants at a unique camp in the Okavango Delta and observe the wild pachyderms of Chobe National Park, home to the largest population of elephants in the world.  Enjoy many other animals along the way, on game drives, and boat trips and walking safaris.  Stay in luxurious tented camps with magnificent views, swimming pools, spas, gourmet food and even your own private garden.

DAY 1

On arrival at Maun Airport, a Mack Air representative will meet and assist you to your shared light aircraft charter flight to Sanctuary Stanley's Camp.  The flying time is approximately 15 minutes. On arrival at the airstrip a camp representative will meet and transfer you to Sanctuary Stanley's Camp. The transfer time is approximately 20 minutes. Sanctuary Stanley's Camp is gathered around a large sitting and dining area which affords magnificent views over the floodplains of the Okavango Delta. From the swimming pool, watch giraffe and other plains game march across the savannah. You might even catch a glimpse of rare wild dogs stalking the plains. Activities include informative walking safaris with an armed professional guide, wonderful game drives in open-sided 4X4 vehicles as well as mokoro excursions (subject to water levels).
Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner
Overnight: Sanctuary Stanley's Camp

DAY 2

This morning you will have the opportunity to meet and interact with three semi-habituated elephants - Jabu, Thembi and Marula - on their morning walk.  Observe them up close in their natural environment as they feed, take mud baths and swim, whilst learning about them and discovering their unique personalities. This activity includes a picnic lunch. You are invited to discover the elephants from the ends of their bristled tails to the tip of their powerful yet sensitive trunks. Explore the astonishing kinship between the elephants and their guardians. A delicate blink of Marula's long lashes reveals her sensitive yet powerful personality. Jabu, takes you trunk in hand, with his bold and generous nature. Tembi, cute boisterous and impossible to ignore, infatuates you and transforms your understanding of elephants to a deeper and more personal level.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Overnight: Sanctuary Stanley's Camp

DAY 3

The afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the game viewing activity on offer. The Okavango Delta is of course flooded for much of the year and when it is, guests can experience serene silence at the gentle pace of a poled mokoro excursion along the narrow Delta channels. Guests can sit back and relax as they glide through lily ponds on local dugout canoes while they get eye to eye with a buffalo as it laps water from the river, watch crocodiles sunbathe on the banks or cruise past a pod of hippos as they lie in a pool. Fish eagles, frogs and fabulous lilies form much of this experience, but more frequently it is the quietness and gentle pace that makes its impression on guests after a mokoro morning.
Meals Included:  Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Overnight: Sanctuary Stanley's Camp

DAY 4

After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to the airstrip to depart Sanctuary Stanley's Camp on a shared light aircraft charter flight to Kasane. The flying time is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. On arrival at Kasane Airport a Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero representative will meet and transfer you to the lodge. The transfer time is approximately 10 minutes. Deep in the heart of the Botswana wilderness lies Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero, one of the most enchanting places on earth. Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero is located on the edge of Chobe National Park. In and around Chobe live the largest remaining population of elephants in the world. Enjoy thrilling guided game drives in open-sided 4X4 vehicles or join one of the acclaimed guides on a wonderous water safari on specially adapted motorboats. The afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the game viewing activities on offer.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Overnight: Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero

DAY 5

The day is at leisure to enjoy the game viewing activities on offer. Elephants feature largely on any activity at Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero, as the largest population left in Africa occupies this northern corner between Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Game drives in open-sided 4 x 4 vehicles bring these grey giants into easy reach as they drink and frolic at the water's edge in their boisterous herds. Thrilling game drives lead by qualified professional guides bring guests close to hippos, buffalos, puku, antelope, lions and other creatures that gather on the banks of the Chobe River. Game drives are also the perfect opportunity for the expert guides to share their wealth of information on the area and its inhabitants. The puku, a small rusty-brown antelope, alongside impala, kudu and red lechwe, are only a few of the common antelope found here. Naturally, lion and leopard are also found in the area.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Overnight: Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero

DAY 6

Enjoy a morning game viewing activity followed by breakfast.  You will transfer to Kasane airport for your onward light aircraft flight to Livingstone airport. The transfer time will be advised to you locally by the lodge management.
Meals Included: Breakfast