This comprehensive Botswana Camping Safari takes you on an unforgettable scenic, cultural and wildlife experience through untamed wilderness areas in Africa! Explore the vast Kalahari Desert, arid Makgadikgadi Pans, watery Okavango Delta, scenic Moremi Game Reserve, and game-rich Chobe Park.
Starting in Maun and ending in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, this affordable Botswana Safari visits some of Southern Africa's top game parks. Highlights include a nature walk and cultural experience with Kalahari Bushmen; mokoro trips and bush walks in the pristine Okavango Delta and game viewing in the diverse Chobe and Moremi game parks.
On this Kalahari, Delta, Chobe & Moremi Safari we camp in remote and wild places, experiencing a real African bush adventure!
This Botswana Safari starts at 07h30 when you join your safari guide at a pre-arranged meeting place in the town of Maun.
From Maun, we drive south to a private game reserve on the northern border of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana. Arriving at the game reserve we set up our overnight camp in the bush, followed by a safari briefing.
We set off on a nature walk guided by a local San tracker in the afternoon, or a game drive. On the nature walk, you will get a closer look at the African bush and gain insight into the San's detailed knowledge of this arid natural habitat. You will also experience the intriguing culture of these traditional semi-nomadic people during this unique cultural encounter.
Please note: This Botswana Safari starts at 07h30 on day one; therefore you will need to spend the night before the safari departs in Maun and purchase drinks for your safari the day before the camping safari starts.
Explore the private game reserve bordering the Central Kalahari Game Reserve today.
Set off on game drives in the Central Kalahari region of Botswana where desert-adapted animals roam. Keep your eyes open for antelopes such as oryx (gemsbok), springbok, and eland. With luck, you may even spot predators, including lions, brown hyenas, and cheetahs. Sit back and enjoy the open space of the Kalahari Desert with its unspoiled landscapes and wide skies.
Embark on a guided walk led by a local San tracker, either today or on your first afternoon (depending on local conditions). A unique opportunity to find out more about the San's fascinating culture and African traditions, as well as the local flora and fauna.
At night, we return to our bush camp and savor the starry skies, camping wild in the Kalahari Desert.
On day three of our Botswana Safari, we get up at sunrise and venture into the pristine wilderness of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
We spend the next three days wild camping and exploring the vast unspoiled wilderness of the northern Kalahari Desert in Botswana. This undeveloped area is the perfect place to escape the crowds and soak up the peacefulness of nature. As part of our Kalahari adventure, we may visit the scenic Passarge Valley and remote Deception Valley.
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the largest game reserve in Botswana. Here you can feel the incredible vastness of Africa's open spaces, as we drive through uninterrupted semi-desert landscapes and camp under wide star-studded skies. Our visit to the Kalahari reveals truly wild Africa. We experience pure adventure camping with limited water supplies and communication with the outside world. We travel from isolated camp to camp as a self-sufficient group staying in designated private campsites with fixed/bush ablutions.
After one last morning game drive in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, we break up camp and make our way slowly to the Makgadikgadi Pans.
Tonight we stay at a comfortable lodge in Khumaga village on the fringes of the Makgadikgadi Pans. The oasis-like camp is located just outside of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, overlooking the Boteti River.
This afternoon we take a game drive out onto the pans of Makgadikgadi National Park. Enjoy the open expanse of the arid salt pans stretching out into the distance and keep an eye out for roaming wildlife.
Next, our Botswana Safari takes you into the wild Okavango Delta, Botswana's crowning natural gem. Along the way, we pass through the frontier town of Maun where we pause to get supplies and drinks. From Maun, we drive into the Okavango Delta, stopping for lunch en route.
Reaching the southern edge of Botswana's delta we meet up with local polers who will take us deeper into this pristine watery haven. Our local guides pole us along the winding papyrus-lined channels in their traditional mekoro (dugout canoes), so sit back and take in the spectacular bush scenery. Keep an eye out for animals and birds as we glide peacefully to our secluded bush camp on a small island in the Okavango Delta.
The next two days are filled with mokoro adventures and guided bush walks exploring the reeded islands and floodplains of the remote Okavango Delta. Spending time close to nature in this unique part of Botswana is a memorable and rare experience, far from the trappings and bustle of modern living. During our delta trip, we camp in the wild with bush ablutions. The camping areas selected on this Botswana Safari are remote and rugged offering a genuine African bush experience.
You will only be able to take overnight bags (hand luggage or small backpacks) into the Okavango Delta, as we travel by mokoro canoes which can only carry a limited amount of luggage. The rest of your luggage remains in the safari vehicle, which is parked in a secure area for the duration of our two-day delta island excursion.
Wake up in the wild Okavango Delta on day nine of our affordable Botswana Safari and enjoy one more breakfast in this pristine wilderness area.
Then we glide along the peaceful waterways in mekoro canoes, making our way out of the delta. We head to the fringes of the delta, near Maun, where we camp overnight. Freshen up with a shower in the permanent ablution facilities at the camp, before lunch.
This afternoon you can join an optional scenic helicopter flight over the Okavango Delta. This offer spectacular aerial views of Botswana's watery delta and free-roaming animals below. A scenic flight is the best way to appreciate the larger delta ecosystem and potentially see big game, such as elephants, giraffes, and hippos from above. Note that the scenic Helicopter flight is an optional extra activity (payable in cash) that is booked during the safari.
Early on the morning of day 10, we make our way into Moremi Game Reserve. One of the best wildlife parks in Botswana, if not Africa, Moremi Reserve covers diverse habitats ranging from wetlands and woodlands to dry plains.
We spend the next three days of this Botswana Safari adventure exploring Moremi Game Reserve on 4x4 game drives. Our game drives take us in search of the impressive array of wild animals and prolific birdlife found in this beautiful wilderness area. Moremi is considered one of the most scenic game reserves in Africa covering the eastern part of the Okavango Delta where mopane woodland and acacia forests contrast with watery floodplains and lagoons. Moremi is home to elephants, especially numerous during the dry season, as well as buffalo, giraffe, lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, and jackal. A wide variety of antelope species, including the rare red lechwe, are also found in Moremi, along with healthy populations of endangered African Wild Dogs.
First, we visit western Moremi, exploring the 3rd Bridge and Xakanaxa areas. Then, on day 12 we move to a new campsite in northeastern Moremi and explore the Khwai River area near Khwai Concession.
During our stay in Moremi Game Reserve, we embark on game drives in the early mornings at sunrise and again in the late afternoons at sunset. Our early morning game drives are followed by lunch and a rest back at the safari camps. We camp in private campsites with bush ablutions in designated camping areas of this top game reserve.
Our next premier safari destination is Botswana's Chobe National Park, hosting one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa.
Botswana's most diverse game park, Chobe Park is best known for its large herds of migratory elephants. Our journey in search of wildlife takes us across the drier Savuti plains of the vast Chobe. Savuti is a striking wilderness area home to one of Chobe's highest concentrations of wildlife and is renowned for its predators, especially lion and hyena. We continue north to the Chobe River meandering along the banks of the river where the cries of African Fish Eagles can be heard and also exploring the wildlife park on our game drives. We look out for the abundance of wildlife found in Chobe Park, including elephants, hippos, and buffalos; as well as the rich birdlife.
In Chobe Park, we camp at private designated campsites with bush ablutions. We spend the first night in the Savuti area and the following two nights near Chobe River in the northern part of the game park.
Embark on a final morning game drive in Chobe National Park, on day 16 of our Botswana Safari. Then we drive to the famous Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe (visa required), where we stay in a comfortable lodge for the last night of our safari.
This afternoon you are free to visit the world-famous Victoria Falls, the largest sheet of falling water in the world. The local Kololo people call it Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means 'The Smoke That Thunders' - an apt name for this awe-inspiring natural wonder.
You can also enjoy some of the many optional activities in Victoria Falls which include White Water Rafting down the Zambezi Gorge, Canoeing on the upper Zambezi, and Helicopter Flights over Victoria Falls. On the last night of this affordable Botswana Safari dinner will be at your own expense in Victoria Falls.
Our remarkable Kalahari, Delta, Moremi & Chobe Botswana Safari ends after breakfast at the lodge in Victoria Falls on day 17. We recommend spending an extra night or two at Victoria Falls after this Botswana Safari to enjoy optional activities and explore. Simply add extra nights of accommodation in Victoria Falls when booking your safari and request assistance with booking optional activities.
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve protects a vast portion of the semi-arid Kalahari Desert which forms the world's largest sand basin.
This remote game park covers 52 800 km² area of central Botswana, making it one of the largest game reserves in the world and the second-largest in Africa. The Kalahari Game Reserve is home to a variety of wildlife including giraffe, ostrich hyena, warthog, cheetah, wild dog, leopard, lion, and jackal, as well as various antelope species such as wildebeest, eland, gemsbok, kudu, and red hartebeest.
The endless plains, dry riverbeds, flat saltpans, and gentle hills of this harsh terrain support a wide variety of habitats ranging from acacia trees and woodlands to seemingly endless grasslands.
The vehicles used on this affordable Botswana Safari are custom-built game viewing vehicles, designed for safari trips in the African bush. Each vehicle carries up to 12 passengers, ensuring excellent visibility on game viewing drives, as well as great movability in the wilderness. Throughout this Botswana Safari, we use a specially designed trailer unit containing a mobile kitchen and space for all of the camping equipment and luggage.
On this semi-participation Botswana Safari, we camp in 2.1m x 2.1m x 1.75m bow tents that are easy to set up (clients help to erect the tents). All windows and doors of the tents are fitted with treated mosquito netting. Each person will get a 5cm high-density foam camping mattress to sleep on while camping.
The bush ablutions consist of high-slung bucket showers and bush toilets with canvas screens for privacy. Round (200V/2pin) power units are available in the vehicles to recharge cameras.
This Botswana Camping Safari includes one night at a comfortable lodge in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, at the end of the trip.
We recommend spending an extra day or two at Victoria Falls (after this Botswana Safari) to participate in some of the amazing adventure activities available. Post-tour accommodation, activities, and transfers to the Victoria Falls airport or lodges, or Kasane in Botswana, can be arranged at an additional cost upon request.
For assistance with pre-safari and post-safari accommodation and travel arrangements contact African Budget Safaris.
For up-to-date and confirmed pricing info for optional items, please drop us an enquiry.
This tour does take children.
While the minimum age for guests on this scheduled safari is 12 years old, occasionally we may make exceptions during low season (November to June), or perhaps for children who have already travelled on an adventure holiday etc.
The safari camps are wild camp sites, in remote areas of Botswana and these camp sites are not fenced. Animals do come through the campsite at night and it is important that children are able to listen to and follow the guide safety instructions for the different areas on safari.
The guides are highly professional and very experienced, so guests will be safe in their care as long as they abide by the safety rules.
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