An amazing safari with a wonderful team, it exceeded all our expectations!
I highly recommend Xaa Safaris and the “10-day classic safari tour with Victoria Falls” we went on with them in July. They were very responsive and more than happy to adapt the program to suit our wishes, and the team was really professional, attentive and gave their everything to ensure we had a great time. Our first stop was Victoria Falls, where we stayed at Pamarah Lodge (I really recommend it!) and had a couple of days to discover the area. The Falls were breathtaking, we had a go at bungee-jumping and we enjoyed cruising along the Zambezi river at sunset.
They then took us to Botswana, to begin the safari part of our trip, which was a once in a lifetime experience. We camped for 6 nights, first in Savuti, then in Khwai and finally in the Okavango Delta. Each area was very different, Savuti was quite arid, Khwai was much lusher and the Delta was a maze of canals. The tents were roomy and well set-up, with ensuite bathrooms, and you felt safe and cosy in your bed while hearing the lions roar outside at night. With that and the delicious food prepared by Kempo, we felt we were staying at a 5-star hotel, only better! Kempo’s food was excellent – tasty and varied, and it was all the more impressive for being cooked on a woodfire. I still remember the warm bread rolls, fresh out of the “oven”. Kenny and KB completed the logistics team and were really welcoming and professional. The camp was always set up when we arrived, they welcomed us with a smile, a nice chat and some warm water, and did a great job of anticipating and accommodating all our needs and wants.
The first 4 days of the safari we had the luck of having Titi as our guide. He was really knowledgeable, friendly and made sure to adapt the program of the day to our rhythm. Aside from driving around with him during the day, we also enjoyed great long conversations with him and with Gape at dinner time and around the fire. We had a great time getting to know them, learning about Botswana and talking about many different things.
Thanks to Titi, we learned a lot about the fauna and the flora of the areas we visited. Furthermore, he was very respectful of animals, he didn’t harass them and gave them their space, but we were still able to see many animals from up close. We were lucky enough to see a lion and a lioness sleeping under some bushes, only a couple of meters away, as well as a leopard, who was preparing to hunt. Thanks to his perseverance in tracking animals, we also saw a group of hyenas and another group of African wild painted dogs, both with cubs. Elephants, hippos, giraffes, buffalo, impalas, steenbok, zebras, coyotes, pumbas... and loads of birds, including the lilac breasted roller, the African jacana, the “go-away” bird… - it would be a long list if we wanted to name all the animals we saw. We did not only see animals during our drives, but also while we were at camp. We woke up to discover hyena tracks by our tents, an elephant passed by while we were having breakfast, we said our good-nights with many eyes looking at us in the dark (from a herd of zebras)…
We then switched the jeep for mokoros, and went off into the canals of the Okavango Delta with our mokoro guides, Freddy and Luke. Here we were also very lucky to have knowledgeable and friendly guides who showed us around, made sure we avoided the hippos and crocodiles and helped us discover the wonders of the Delta, by boat and on foot. It was such a calm and restful experience to glide silently on the water, in between the reeds. It was also great to be able to walk around with our guides and discover the area in a different way.
We then sadly had to part ways with the team of Xaa safaris, who dropped us off at Maun to continue our journey. We hadn’t known what to expect, as it was our first safari, but it surpassed our expectations. It was a definite luxury to have such a lovely and professional team taking care of the 4 of us and it was worth every penny. We would like to thank you all and we hope to see you again !