This is an example of how a 7 night riding safari at Macatoo can look like
Day One
You will be met at Maun airport by a member of our team who will assist you with transferring onto the small plane (either a Cessna 206 or 208) that will fly you into camp. The flight takes around 30 minutes and offers a bird’s eye view of the Okavango Delta – it is amazing how tiny the breeding herds of elephant look from the air. A safari vehicle will be waiting for you at the camp’s airstrip for the 45-minute game drive – or an exciting boat ride (depending on the time of year) - into Macatoo Camp where staff will greet you with a welcome drink. After settling into your tent, you will be offered afternoon tea and homemade cake during a briefing from your guide before heading out into the African bush to enjoy the sunset and make the most of the photo opportunities offered by the evening light. After a hot shower and change, drinks and snacks are served in the comfortable mess tent ahead of a candle-lit dinner by the fire.
Day Two
Macatoo’s cheerful “tent ladies” will provide a gentle wake-up call along with your choice of tea, coffee and rusks which are served to you in bed. A light breakfast is set up around the campfire ahead of your first long morning activity. We try to get out there as early as possible and depending on the season, we may head out in the boat through the flood waters or jump into the safari vehicle again driving through seas of tall grass to watch giraffe, zebra, antelope, elephant, buffalo – whatever is out there. A hearty lunch is served every day – you will need it after the early start – the chicken pie is a firm favourite and wine is always offered to encourage a little nap before tea. Afternoon activities are leisurely and often include mokoro trips – the dug out canoes used by the local fishermen of the Delta – that enables you to travel over the flooded seas of grass. This is the ideal opportunity to ask questions and take photographs. Crocodile sightings are not infrequent and the bird-life is some of the best in the world. Sundowners are often enjoyed out in the bush before heading back to camp to freshen up. Dinner is always a great occasion at Macatoo,
Day Three
After listening to the dawn chorus over tea, coffee and rusks in bed, you will be eager to get back out there. Heading off in a new direction, the landscape will be quite different to yesterday offering fresh game viewing possibilities – guides are always hoping to see the rare semi-aquatic antelope, the red lechwe. After lunch, the camp pool is an ideal place to cool down. The deck is a great place to soak up some sun, read and doze, but keep your binoculars and cameras handy as zebra, buck and elephant frequently pass in front of camp. The swimming pool is also a popular watering hole for families of baboons, the babies on their mother’s backs are particularly cute. After some lovely homemade cakes or scones, we head off for some sunset fishing from boats, or from the banks of pools where hippos wallow.
Day Four
We explore different country, making our way through clouds of bushman hair grass to plains dotted with fig trees. We might encounter giraffe or shyer antelope while passing through mophane woodlands, often disturbing troops of baboons. Return to the camp for an afternoon spent at leisure, or the possibility of hiring a helicopter for an hour to gain access to remote and otherwise totally inaccessible parts of the delta with spectacular photographic results. Finish off the day with a night drive by spotlight, where the resident clan of hyena are often spotted. Bushbabies leap from branch to branch through the terminalia and acacia trees – only seen by the brights of their eyes. If lucky, the spotlight will pick up the glint of a leopard’s sultry stare. If we find lion on the drive – we can spend quite some time watching them from the safety and comfort of the vehicle, over snacks and drinks, as they wake up from their long afternoon rest, groom each other, and prepare for a night of hunting. It is always such a highlight of the holiday to see a big cat – we will have lots to talk about around the dinner table that night.
Day Five
This morning we head deeper into the heart of the delta, to unexplored corners. We pass high palm islands and great sweeping views of the Delta plains – are those anthills or giraffes in the distance? We reunite with the riding guests for an unexpected champagne breakfast under a large baobab tree to swap ‘survivor’ stories from the morning. By now, you will have settled into the wonderful rhythm of camp where great adventure, creature comforts and downtime are combined to provide a break. After tea and a gentle boat cruise you may find yourself at our fabulous tree house where you will have the option to spend the night out, sleeping high up in the tree canopy under the African night sky. From there, it is fascinating to watch and listen as the birds and animals prepare for night – by roosting, travelling or preparing to hunt. The barking of baboons and calling lions provide an unforgettable soundtrack to a night out under the stars. Your guides will stay too, providing great company and peace of mind – for many guests, this is a real highlight of a holiday to Macatoo.
Day Six
After waking up in the treetops, you are whizzed back to camp by vehicle for a shower and a change before further exploring the area. By now, you start to recognise the familiar shapes, sounds and smells of Africa as we walk through clouds of bushman hair grass, onto vast plains dotted with fig trees. You may pass giraffe along the way or shyer antelope who disappear into the depths of the mopane woodlands. On the way back to camp, we pass through deep reedy areas full of bird life including open-billed storks, squacco herons, slaty egrets, egyptian geese and many more before a hearty lunch with the option of a night drive, mokoro or boating trip for all. Don’t suffer “choice panic” – there is plenty of time left to experience all the activities that Macatoo has to offer. As ever, dinner by the fire will be special. We are not anticipating anyone will want to be in bed too late after the previous night’s tree house sleepover!
Day Seven
Most of our favourite fishing spots come with a guaranteed hippo sighting (and sounding!) – ask Bernie to do his impersonation of one, even the hippos get confused! It is a bit distracting if one thrusts himself out of the water, wide-mouthed, but make sure you have your camera handy to capture the moment. Many of our spots are on routes that are regularly used by family herds of elephants, if you hear a distant splash, jump into the vehicle and enjoy the spectacle from the safety of your seat. A cool box will always be provided so you can have a drink while you wait for ‘rush hour’ to pass. The birdlife around you will be very busy, particularly towards sunset. Be careful not to take too long to reel in your bream, the kingfishers are very quick, but the African fish eagles are bigger – both will wait for you to do the hard work before they move in to steal your fish prize! We will probably head back to camp in the dark, leaving you just enough time to shower and change before dinner and an evening of fun.
Day Eight
The dawn call of the African Fish Eagle has, by now, become as familiar as the morning alarm at home. The delivery of tea or coffee in bed heralds the start of your last morning in camp and you will be anxious to make the most of your final day. We stay quite close to home, gliding through the waterways in the boat and admiring the vast open plains, home to blue wildebeest and Burchell's zebra. You’ll try to take in as much as possible as we approach deep reedy areas full of bird life including open-billed storks, squacco herons, slaty egrets and egyptian geese. We will return to Macatoo along the myriad of waterways lined with large trees. There will be time to shower, change and pack before the game drive to the airstrip, carrying a picnic lunch to tide you over until your return to the real world. Don’t worry, you can always come back – so many of guests do!
Transfer to the airstrip for your flight to Maun and onward connections.
Please note that the itinerary may change depending on the weather at the time and other local conditions.
Itineraries are dependent on the season and levels of the Okavango flood. Boat and mokoro trips are only available when the area is flooded. Local weather conditions may also affect game movements.