BOULDER, CO – Natural Habitat Adventures is introducing an exclusive new safari adventure aboard a privately chartered deluxe riverboat cruising the Chobe and Zambezi rivers beginning in June 2016.
The Great African River Safari features an intimate cruise aboard the Chobe Princess followed by an overland safari through private reserves, a combination that offers some of the best wildlife viewing in Botswana while also touching into Zambia and Namibia. Guests spend three nights aboard the Chobe Princess, plying the broad channels and backwaters of the Chobe River and its confluence with the Zambezi River, and five nights at small luxury camps exclusively for Nat Hab guests and deep within Botswana’s premier private game reserves.
The 10-day itinerary begins in Livingstone, Zambia, near Victoria Falls. Days 2, 3 and 4 are aboard Chobe Princess. Guests then transfer by air from Namibia into Botswana to commence the land portion of the trip, which includes immersive safaris in the Selinda and Moremi game reserves. The adventure ends in Maun, Botswana. Departures begin in June 2016 and are scheduled through October 2017. Rates start at $10,995 per person, double, and vary by travel date. See: www.nathab.com/africa/namibia-botswana-africa-cruise/.
“Animals absolutely abound here, and our guests will encounter them in exceptional seclusion on this private adventure,” said Nat Hab founder and president, Ben Bressler. Hundreds of hippos, enormous elephant herds (70,000 live in Chobe National Park on the Botswana side of the river alone), great numbers of buffalo and antelope, rafts of crocodiles, a multitude of water birds and more are on display from the boat’s outdoor decks, and in air-conditioned comfort through the panoramic windows. Excursions by small skiffs up narrow channels provide even closer eye-level sightings.
Each departure is limited to just seven guests to ensure the most personalized safari experience possible in the quiet, remote areas visited. On wildlife drives, each traveler gets a window seat for optimal viewing and photography.
The adventure also includes Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World. Nat Hab guests will have a guided tour of the national park on the rim, exploring different viewpoints over the falls via a network of walkways before heading upriver to secluded Toka Leya camp, located on the banks of the Zambezi. A sunset cruise is included, where guests are sure to see plentiful hippos.
Travelers lodge at remote tented camps booked exclusively for Nat Hab guests. These include Selinda Explorers Camp and Little Tubu, an isolated enclave on Hunda Island. Rather than frequenting the more heavily visited national parks in Botswana, guests explore private concessions where visitor numbers are strictly limited but wildlife is prolific. The 320,000-acre Selinda Reserve is vast big-game country home to huge herds of elephant and buffalo, as well as lion, wild dog, sable and roan antelope that are spotted on a regular basis. Hunda Island within the private Jao Concession borders Botswana’s famed Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta. Huge numbers of various hoofed game abound here, with accompanying predators, especially lion and leopard. Guests fly on charter flights between locations, to reduce rough road travel and maximize time on safari.
Guests enjoy the personalized service of some of the top naturalist safari guides in all of Africa — a Nat Hab hallmark. A Nat Hab Expedition Leader accompanies the trip from start to finish. This staff also has additional training and resources provided exclusively to Nat Hab guides by World Wildlife Fund’s top researchers.
The Chobe Princess riverboat offers five suites with a choice of king and twin bed configurations. Bathrooms are en suite. Crisply decorated with contemporary flair in a palette of white, dove gray and chartreuse, the boat’s interior including the dining area and lounge make the most of its river setting with large picture windows and sliding glass doors in the cabins that provide private views of an ever-changing landscape.
For more information see www.nathab.com/africa/namibia-botswana-africa-cruise/
For information on all of Nat Hab’s trips, descriptive itineraries, date availability and reservations, call 800.543.8917 or visit www.nathab.com.
Natural Habitat Adventures is a world leader in responsible adventure travel and nature-based ecotourism. Since its founding in 1985, the company has offered eco-conscious expeditions and wildlife-focused small-group tours to the planet’s most remarkable nature destinations. Inspired and created from years of scouring the planet for the singular and extraordinary, Nat Hab’s itineraries are artfully crafted experiences that are far from “typical.” Trips are guided by professional naturalist Expedition Leaders, and Nat Hab enjoys a longstanding reputation for hiring some of the world’s best guides. Conservation is at the forefront of everything NHA does, and its philosophy is simple: tourism must work with and benefit local communities, which will in turn find value in protecting natural resources and wildlife. NHA is proud to be the travel partner of World Wildlife Fund, sharing a mutual commitment to travel as a means of helping to protect the world’s wondrous natural places.
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