Sample Itinerary - CENTRAL KALAHARI, OKAVANGO & KWANDO RIVER - Botswana

Tau Pan was the first semi-permanent camp inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and offers truly incredible views from the ridge of an ancient sand dune, an unusual experience in a land as flat as Botswana, and overlooks the famous Tau Pan - recognised for its stark beauty and remoteness.

Guests are accommodated in 8 luxury rooms [not tents] under thatch, designed and built to remain cool in the summer months and warm in winter. Each room is en-suite with a separate flushing toilet, double sinks and an inside and outside shower. The rooms are airy and spacious with large double or twin beds, a lounge area and a viewing deck that has amazing views of the wide open spaces and beautiful big skies that this area possesses – truly special and captivating. One of the rooms, situated close to the main area is a family room. This unit has an extra room with twin beds.

Activities offered at Tau Pan are game drives, day trips to the well-known Deception Valley, Sunday, Piper and Passarge Pans, star gazing, bush brunches on Tau Pan, and nature walks with Bushman trackers. It is worth noting that game drives include a tracker in addition to your guide, who helps with spotting animals,and in most cases they are of Bushman [San] descent, so they have deep knowledge. It is good to note this for tipping purposes as well.

‘Tau’ which means lion in Setswana, is so named for the pride of iconic black-maned Kalahari lions who frequent the camp (with a particular preference for the family tent!).

Species that can be found in the Kalahari include oryx, the desert-adapted springbok, jackals, the rare brown hyena, red-crested Korhaan and herds of wildebeest - many of which are not seen in other areas of Botswana.

Conservation/Botswana Safari Company recommends Tau Pan for its good value and high-quality lodge experience. Game viewing and habitats are completely different to other regions in Botswana and thus adds diversity to any itinerary. It is best visited during and after the summer rains, Dec - March, but still interesting all year round. There is NO WIFI

By choosing to stay here you are helping the lodge support the local community as well as the grassroots initiative Mummy's Angels, a Maun-based project to support and empower mothers and their newborns in Maun who do not have financial or family support. They are also are proud members of "Pack for a Purpose", an initiative that allows travelers like you to make a lasting impact in the community at your travel destination.

Rates are fully inclusive of meals, drinks (local brands) and safari activities.

Splash Camp is situated in the heart of the Okavango Delta, within the Kwara Private Reserve. Located around a natural waterhole, which attracts game year round, the camp features 12 spacious ensuite rooms as well as a main area, bar, dining area and swimming pool.

Splash camp is situated in a permanent water location and thus can offer the following year-round activities: game drives, walking safaris, boat cruises, mokoro, and seasonal fishing (Mar-Dec only).

Splash's decor is contemporary yet simple; and in keeping with the Kwando Safaris' philosophy of being immersed in nature, all the rooms are open to the sounds of the bush. The main area, which is in the centre of the camp, is open air and allows the cool breeze to flow through and watch the animals that come down to drink. Within the main area, there is a bar, and lounge as well as an plunge pool and a curio shop.

Each of the ten rooms are situated around the pan, two of these include family rooms, and there are an additional two guide rooms which are identical to guest rooms. All are en-suite with a flush toilet, double sinks and both an indoor and an outdoor shower. In addition each room has a private veranda with outdoor lounge chairs, the perfect place to relax and take in the magnificent views and soak up the atmosphere. The family rooms are identical except for an additional adjoining twin bedroom for the children.

Just in front, towards the waterhole is the fire pit where a light breakfast is served each day before heading off on activities, and stories are told after supper in the evenings.

Conservation/Botswana Safari Company recommends Splash as one of the best game viewing areas in Botswana, it has a modern new camp and has great guides and good management - a winning combination.

By choosing to stay here you are helping the lodge support the local community as well as the grassroots initiative Mummy's Angels, a Maun-based project to support and empower mothers and their newborns in Maun who do not have financial or family support. They are also are proud members of "Pack for a Purpose", an initiative that allows travelers like you to make a lasting impact in the community at your travel destination.

Rates include all meals and drinks and safari activities.

Lebala means ‘wide open spaces’, and the elegant Lebala Camp is located in 2,320 kms2 of private unfenced wilderness area in the Kwando Reserve in the Okavango Delta’s grasslands. Set amongst vast plains scattered with Illala Palms, Lebala Camp offers superb wildlife sightings, with elephant, hippo, giraffe, lion and buffalo all plentiful. Spotlights switched on at night give guests a glimpse of elusive nocturnal species, including leopard.

There are eight spacious custom designed tents set on raised Zimbabwean teak decks with access via a front verandah. Each tent is surrounded by shade cloth walls, and is open plan, comprising of a large bedroom area and a bathroom which includes double basins, a claw-foot bathtub, separate toilet and an outside double shower. One of the tents has an additional twin bedroom within the unit for family use. The rooms are kept cool with a combination of ceiling fans and the mosquito net walls. This special gauze allows both an unobstructed flow of cooling breezes and for stunning views.

The wetlands and flood plains around Lebala offer a wonderful variety of wildlife with excellent sightings of elephant, hippo, lechwe, zebra, giraffe, impala, wildebeest, kudu, tsessebe, roan, sable, buffalo and the ever present predators; wild dog, lion, cheetah and hyena.

After dark, spotlights are switched on and the game drives expose our guests to nocturnal sightings of rare and elusive species such as, leopard, Selous Mongoose, small spotted genet, and aardwolf, to name a few. Nocturnal bird species that are encountered include Natal Nightjar, Pennantwinged Nightjar and a large variety of owls.

Light aircraft transfers have a strict 20kg weight limit per person total, and must be in soft bags that can be placed easily in the aircraft stowage area.

Conservation/Botswana Safari  Company has been to Lebala regularly over the years and its laid-back style hasn't changed, even though the camp's fabric has been upgraded. The accommodation is good, and the Kwando Reserve has excellent wildlife, especially during the dry season. Most visitors come wanting the single-minded focus on wild dogs, cheetah and lion that it often delivers. However it delivers a lot more.

Rates are fully inclusive of meals, drinks [locally supplied] and safari activities.