Botswana Game Parks and Okavango Delta Safari

This 15 day African camping safari takes you to all corners of Botswana, rich in culture, wildlife and diversity.

We start at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe heading to Hwange National Park, one of Africa's finest wildlife havens. We then cross into Botswana making our way to our overnight camp at a safari lodge where we relax on a wooden deck overlooking an elephant water hole.  

In the morning we visit Nata Bird Sanctuary before proceeding to Khwai River via the quaint town of Maun. Our exploration continues in Moremi Game Reserve before traveling north to the Okavango Delta, a pristine waterway with fertile plains that are home to an abundance of bird life and game.

Leaving the Delta we head to Namibia walking in Tsodilo Hills en route to Mahango National Park where you can expect to see towering baobabs, antelopes, large herds of elephants and other Big Five animals.

Crossing back into Botswana we drive to Chobe Park, acknowledged as offering some of the finest game viewing in Africa. We explore Chobe on a morning game drive and take a game viewing boat cruise on the Chobe River in the afternoon. The last leg of the Botswana Game Parks and Okavango Delta Safari takes us to Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls town, where you visit the mighty Victoria Falls.

DAY 1: Victoria Falls – Zimbabwe

Arriving at Victoria Falls Airport, you will be transferred to a garden guesthouse.  

The remainder of the afternoon is spent at leisure, enjoying one of the many adventure activities available in and around Victoria Falls. In the evening you will meet your tour guide and the rest of your safari group at the guesthouse for a pre-departure meeting.

DAY 2 - 3: Victoria Falls to Hwange National Park – Zimbabwe

This Botswana Game Parks and Okavango Delta Safari departs early in the morning from Victoria Falls on day two travelling to Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.

This afternoon you can partake in an optional game drive in Hwange Park if time allows. The next day we will have plenty of time to explore the wilderness area of Hwange on a full day game drive.

Hwange National Park is one of Africa's finest wildlife havens and is home to vast herds of elephant, buffalo, zebra and has a very large concentration of giraffe. Additionally, it is home to many predators and endangered species as well as abundant and varied birdlife. 

Distance: 190 km / Departure: 08h00
Lunch: a picnic spot en route
Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner and Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 4: Hwange National Park to Nata – Botswana

We rise early on day four, to get an early start on the longest drive of the Botswana Game Parks Safari.

Leaving Hwange Park we head towards Botswana through the scenic Matetsi safari area, keeping an eye out for game along the way. In the late afternoon we arrive at our overnight safari lodge near Nata, in time to watch the elephants visiting a nearby waterhole. 

Distance: 425 km / Departure: 06h00
Lunch Stop: picnic spot en-route
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 5: Nata Bird Sanctuary and Maun – Botswana

In the morning we drive to the Nata Bird Sanctuary, where we enjoy breakfast and the opportunity to admire the magnificent view over the Sowa pan, which is part of the Greater Magkadigkadi Pans.  

We then continue on to Maun, the gateway to the wildlife gem of the Okavango Delta.

Distance: 375 km / Departure: 09h00
Lunch Stop: safari lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

DAY 6: Khwai River – Botswana

On day six of this Botswana Game Parks Safari we travel to a private concession in the Khwai area. The Khwai reserve is renowned for its large concentrations of mammals and it is not unusual to see many different types of wildlife during just one game drive.

As a year round destination for wildlife, predators can regularly be seen in the area, rated as one of the most prolific in Botswana for viewing wildlife. The exceptional location of Khwai makes it a regular host to Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah and Wild Dogs. Birdlife can also be viewed in abundance with exceptional sightings of wildfowl and raptors.

In the afternoon we take a game viewing drive in Khwai to look for the variety of wild animals and birds.

Departure: 09h00
Lunch Stop: Picnic Spot En Route 
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 7: Khwai River – Botswana

We set off into the Khwai wilderness area after breakfast in open 4X4 safari vehicles on a morning game drive, in search of game. In the afternoon we embark on another game drive for more rewarding wildlife viewing.

This action-packed day of game viewing, promises sightings of a variety of wildlife species, including some of Africa’s Big Five. After dinner your guide will take you on a night drive, and you will hopefully be able to spot some rare nocturnal animals.

Distance: 150 km / Departure: 7h00
Lunch Stop: Khwai River area or Khwai Bedouin Camp

DAY 8: Moremi Game Reserve – Botswana

Today we set off into the scenic and wildlife-rich Moremi Game Reserve. Moremi covers a large part of the eastern Okavango Delta and is home to an exceptionally high concentration of wildlife. The park consists of woodland, forest, floodplains and lagoons making it a varied wilderness area full of contrasts.

The whole of day eight is spent game viewing in the pristine Moremi Game Reserve sighting its wildlife, including elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion, leopard, cheetah, African Wild Dog, hyena, jackal, impala, and red lechwe, among others.

Distance: 150 km / Departure: 7h00

Lunch Stop: inside Moremi Game Reserve

DAY 9 & 10: Okavango Delta – Botswana

Today we leave the wilderness haven of Moremi Reserve for our next wildlife haven in Botswana, the Okavango Delta. We drive to the western edge of the delta and on to Etsha 13, from where we enter the watery delta world of reed-lined channels and remote islands.

The next two nights are spent in a camp on the delta surrounded by untamed wilderness and the sounds of nature. The Okavango is the largest inland delta in the world and is unique in that it flows into the Kalahari Desert without ever reaching the sea.

We explore the delta by Mokoros (traditional dug out canoes) moving between thickly vegetated islands on winding waterways and secluded lagoons. Makoro trips are excellent for getting a close look at some of the birdlife and other delta wildlife. We also take an hour and a half guided walking tour on one of the delta’s secluded islands in search of elephants, waterbuck and other wild animals.

Distance: 400 km / Departure: 6h00
Lunch Stop: Picnic spot en-route
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (x2)

DAY 11: Tsodilo Hills and Mahangu – Namibia

On day eleven of the Botswana and Delta Camping Safari we bid farewell to the unique and mysterious Okavango Delta wetlands of Botswana, moving on to neighbouring Namibia. We cross into Namibia and head for our overnight Lodge, visiting the Tsodilo Hills and taking a short walk to view the rock paintings en route.

We enjoy an afternoon game drive in Mahango National Park which lies on the western banks of the Kavango River and is one of Namibia's most captivating and species-rich conservation areas. Main features of the Mahangu are enormous baobab trees, riverine forests and flood plains where large herds of elephant, buffalo and red lechwe roam. 

Distance: 210 km / Departure: 8h00
Lunch Stop: picnic spot en-route
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 12 & 13: Mahangu National Park to Chobe National Park – Botswana

After a night spent at Mahangu we continue our journey through the Caprivi Strip, crossing the border into Botswana. We travel east until we reach our destination for today, Kasane, the gateway to the Chobe National Park.

Start your morning of Day 13 with a spectacular game drive in Chobe National Park. You will return to the lodge for lunch, where you can relax until our boat cruise on the Chobe river that starts at around 3pm.

Here we can watch elephants, hippos, crocodiles and a variety of birds and more without having to reach for our binoculars – You’ll be close enough for close-up photographs.

Distance: 460 km / Departure: 8h00
Lunch Stop: picnic spot en-route
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 14: Victoria Falls – Zimbabwe

Today we return to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, where our Botswana Game Parks Safari started.

The final day is spent visiting the mighty Victoria Falls, the largest sheet of falling water in the world, and participating in some of the many exciting optional activities available. Optional activities, at your own expense, include; helicopter flips, white water rafting, bungee jumping and elephant back riding.

Distance: 90 km / Departure: 8h00   
Lunch Stop: picnic spot en-route
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

DAY 15: Victoria Falls – Zimbabwe

Our memorable journey through Botswana and Namibia comes to an end after breakfast in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

We hope you had the adventure of a lifetime on the Botswana Game Parks and Okavango Delta Safari and look forward to seeing you in Africa again.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

Tour Accommodation:

Camping safari: we camp at designated campsites inside a National Park, or on riverbanks, or in other places of interest.

All campsites feature shared ablution facilities with showers, flush toilets and running water (unless otherwise specified in the itinerary). We try to avoid crowded campsites, preferring secluded spots, often supported by local community initiatives.

We camp two people per tent in spacious 3-person dome tents with 5 cm thick sleeping mattresses.

Fully accommodated safari: we stay in mid-range African standard lodge accommodation. The lodge accommodation is either in National Parks, on riverbanks, or in other places of interest.

The safari accommodation will be in a combination of lodges, chalets and tented camps. Most of these establishments feature a private bathroom with a shower and toilet, and some have shared ablutions.

Some of the lodges and camps feature a swimming pool and/or bar area.

Tour Upgrade Option:

• This Botswana Game Parks and Okavango Delta Safari can be upgraded from the camping version to an accommodated tour option. For details see full pricing or contact African Budget Safaris.