Botswana Kalahari & Okavango Delta Safari

Departing from Johannesburg in South Africa, the first stop on the Botswana desert and delta safari is at Khama Rhino Sanctuary in Botswana. The Botswana Kalahari Desert and Okavango Delta Safari explores the Central Kalahari Game Reserve on game drives and the famous Okavango Delta by mokoro canoe and on bush walks.

This African safari includes game viewing in the wildlife rich Nxai Pan and camping in the vast Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. The 15-day Botswana safari visits the Chobe National Park, known for its large elephant population, and finishes at the mighty Victoria Falls, in Zambia. An ideal African safari for wildlife viewing in the remote wilderness areas of Botswana.

Day 1: Johannesburg to Khama Rhino Sanctuary – South Africa & Botswana (Lunch & Dinner)

We depart the city of Johannesburg at 06:30am heading for the Khama Rhino Sanctuary in Botswana. We travel north crossing the border into Botswana at Martins Drift.

The Kharma Rhino Sanctuary is a community based wildlife project that was established in 1992 to help save the rhino. This community based wildlife reserve covers 4300 hectares of wilderness, set aside for restoration to its natural state. The Khama Rhino Sanctuary is integral to white rhino conservation efforts focussing on re-introducing the endangered rhinos to Botswana. The Khama project uses wildlife tourism and sustainable natural resource management to bring economic benefits to the local Batswana community.

We arrive at Khama Rhino Sanctuary in the late afternoon and set up camp. After settling in we take the first game drive on our Botswana safari, in search of rhino, zebra and wildebeest. In the evening after game viewing, we relax around a campfire and fall asleep to the sounds of the African wilderness.

Day 2, 3 & 4: Central Kalahari Game Reserve – Botswana (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR), established in 1961, is the second largest game reserve in the world at about 52,800 sq km.

The reserve is situated in the centre of Botswana and was made famous by the book Cry of the Kalahari by Mark and Delia Owen. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is characterised by open plains, vast saltpans and ancient riverbeds. The unforgiving climate and harsh terrain of this remote area have ensured that it remain pristine and untamed.

During the rainy summer season the Kalahari grasslands become lush and green, drawing large herds of grazing zebra, wildebeest springbok and gemsbok. The herds of grazing wildlife in turn attract predators, such as the Kalahari lions. We use 4X4 safari vehicles on game viewing drives, visiting the northern part of the Kalahari Game Reserve where we camp in the wild for 3 nights.

Day 5: Central Kalahari Game Reserve to Maun – Botswana (Breakfast & Lunch)

Our next stop on the Botswana safari is Maun, the gateway to the famous Okavango Delta and the Moremi Game Reserve. We restock provisions in Maun and enjoy a swim, a cool drink at the bar and a meal at a local restaurant (at your own expense). In the late afternoon you can take a light aircraft flight over the winding channels of the Okavango Delta, as an optional excursion at additional cost.

Day 6 & 7: Okavango Delta – Botswana (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

Today we head for the Okavango Delta, a vast and intricate network of waterways, estuaries and lakes that draws some of Africa’s highest concentrations of wildlife. The Okavango Delta is the largest freshwater wetland in Africa, covering an area of over 17,000 sq km.

This unique watery eco-system boasts exceptionally high wildlife diversity and unspoiled natural beauty, appealing to the adventurer and nature lover. The Okavango Delta is considered one of the best safari destinations in Africa, if not the world.

On day six we venture into the vast wilderness of the Okavango Delta by 4X4 safari vehicle, where we meet our local community guides. We take a canoe trip in traditional dug out mokoros with polers expertly guiding the mokoros through the winding maze of delta channels.

The safari camp is set under a canopy of tall rivirine trees on one of the secluded islands of the Okavango Delta. On the morning of day seven we wake to the sound of birds calling and set out on foot for a game walk, lead by a local guide. In the heat of the day we relax at the camp and enjoy a refreshing dip in one of the clear pools of the delta. In the evening a local guide will lead a bush walk, to spot more of the plentiful wildlife species inhabiting the Okavango Delta.

In the summer months birding in the Okavango is particularly spectacular as summer migrants return to this watery paradise.

Day 8 & 9: Okavango Delta to Nxai Pan – Botswana (Breakfast, 1 Lunch & Dinner)

Leaving the watery Okavango Delta we continue by 4X4 safari vehicle to the vast Nxai Pan. This unique pan consists of a fossil lakebed covering about 40 sq km, dotted with Mopane woodland, acacia thorn trees and baobabs. The Nxai Pan National Park adjoins the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park on its northern border and is one of few parks best visited in the rainy season when grasses attract wildlife to the area.

We spend the next two days on game viewing drives in search of herds of springbok, gemsbok and zebra in Nxai Pan National Park. One of the highlights of visiting the Nxai Pans is the famous cluster of giant trees, known as the Baines Baobabs.

Day 10: Nxai Pan to Makgadikgadi Pans – Botswana (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

On day ten visit Makgadikgadi Pans, which is one of the largest saltpans in the world, forming a vast and largely deserted flat area. 

Camping in the remote wilderness of the rugged Makgadikgadi Pans is an experience of a lifetime. After watching the sunset over the open pans, we spend the evening under wide star-filled skies enjoying the open space of the Makgadikgadi Pans.

Day 11 & 12: Makgadikgadi Pans to Chobe National Park – Botswana (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

The next two days of this Botswana safari are spent in Chobe National Park, Botswana’s second biggest National Park at around 11,000 sq km.

Chobe is home to one of Africa’s highest concentrations of game and is famous for its large herds of elephants. We set up camp in Chobe National Park and take an afternoon game drive. On day 12 we start off with an early morning game drive  and in the afternoon we take a boat cruise on the Chobe River. The Chobe River is renowned for its excellent game viewing boat cruises, where wildlife such as hippos, crocodiles and elephants are encountered at close range. The endemic Chobe puku is sometimes also sighted on the Chobe boat cruises.

Day 13 & 14: Victoria Falls, Livingstone – Zambia (Breakfast)

On day 13 we cross the border into neighbouring Zambia at the Kazangula Ferry and spend the afternoon exploring the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. The Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is located on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls and is a UNESCO World Heritage site covering 66 km sq (25.5 sq mi).

We enjoy spectacular views of the thundering Victoria Falls as the mighty Zambezi plunges 108m, forming the widest sheet of falling water on earth. Day 14 is free for you to choose from the wide range of adventure activities available at Victoria Falls, including river rafting, bungee jumping, helicopter flips and the Flight of Angels over the falls (at your own expense). On the last evening of this affordable African safari we get to sample the local cuisine at various restaurants in Livingstone (own expense).

Day 15: Livingstone – Zambia (Breakfast)

The Botswana Kalahari Desert & Okavango Delta safari comes to an end with breakfast on day 15 in Livingstone, Zambia.

Transfers to one of the local airports near Victoria Falls are available.

Sustainable Tourism:

A local guide will accompany you on game viewing activities in the national parks of Botswana. Hiring a Botswana guide ensures employment for local people and directly benefits the community through tourism. The local guides are highly knowledgeable sharing a wealth of information; you’ll be amazed at what can be learnt from them.

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