Botswana - 17-day Kalahari, Delta & Big Game Safari - Group Camping

The safari begins in Maun where your guide will meet you at 07.30 at your lodge. You will travel 160km to a private reserve on the northern border of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Upon arrival you will set up camp and have a safari briefing. 

Transfer time: ~5 hours

Please note: As the safari starts at 07.30 on Day 1, you will need to pre-night in Maun and purchase drinks for your safari the day before your safari starts. Indigo Safaris can assist with pre-safari arrangements (accommodation, transfers). In the afternoon of your pre-night, you will have the option of taking a 45min flight in a helicopter with no windows and doors, allowing magnificent views from above. Rate on rquest. Both experiences have to be booked prior to arrival, and payment made in USD cash only (transfers not included, extra charges apply). During the flight it is even possible to spot large game animals such as Elephant, Giraffe and Hippopotami.

You will explore the area, enjoying game drives and participate in a nature walk led by a local San tracker. They will share intricate bush knowledge and give you an insight into their unique and intriguing culture. Game drives will allow you to explore the area, home to a fascinating variety of desert specialised wildlife such as oryx, springbok and eland as well as predators including lion, brown hyena and cheetah. Savor the vast open spaces, clear night skies and uninterrupted beauty. This is adventure camping in its purest form as water and communications are limited and we travel as a self-sufficient group. 

You will wake up as the sun rises and head toward the pristine wilderness of the largest game reserve in Botswana.

Transfer time: ~3-4 hours

The next two days will be spent exploring the undeveloped wilderness of the northern region of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Camping is in a private designated campsite with bush ablutions.

This is your last morning in the Kalahari, after breaking camp you will do a slow drive to the Makgadikgadi area. You will spend the night at a camp on the edge of the Makgadikgadi National Park, overlooking the Boteti River in Khumaga village. Enjoy an afternoon game drive into Makgadikgadi National Park. 

Transfer time: ~4-5 hours

After an early morning breakfast, you will pass by Maun for drinks shopping, essential for the remainder of your safari. Once you have reached the edge of the Okavango Delta by the Gomoti River, you will meet your polers from the local community with their mekoro (dugout canoes). Quietly cruising along river channels and floodplains, you will enjoy the spectacular landscape of this unique region taking you deep inside the Delta.

Transfer time: ~5 hours

NOTE: You will leave your main luggage in the trailer and will need to pack a smaller bag (small backpack, hand luggage) with what you need for the 2 nights on the island. Transfers from the mainland to the island where you will stay are done on dugout canoes (mekoro) which cannot accommodate large bags. Your main luggage will safely remain in the vehicle that will be parked in a secured area while you are on the island.

You will spend two days exploring this beautiful area with mokoro excursions and guided nature walks on the islands and floodplains of the Okavango, camping wild with bush ablutions on a small island for two nights and one night on the edge of a lagoon. 

On the afternoon of the third day, you will have the option of taking a 30 min flight in a helicopter with doors removed, allowing magnificent views from above. Rate TBA by your guide/agent. This experience must be booked during the safari, and payment made in USD cash only. The flight over the Okavango gives you an eagle’s eye perspective of the area and it is even possible to spot large game animals such as elephants, giraffes and hippopotami. 

After an early breakfast, you will make your way to Moremi Game Reserve, one of the best wilderness areas of Botswana, which features both floodplain and woodland habitats.

Transfer time: ~5 hours

The next two days will be spent searching for the wide variety of wildlife and birds that this area is renowned for while delighting in the beauty of this region. You will spend 2 more nights exploring this wonderful Game Reserve, at two different campsites. Game drives in the early morning and in the late afternoon as the sun sets will be the norm. Camping will be in private designated campsites with bush ablutions. 

Chobe National Park, with its diverse and striking landscapes, will be your next destination.  As you continue your search for wildlife, you will traverse the drier region of Savuti where bull elephants dot the plains. The Savuti region is known for its dynamic ecosystem, which can undergo significant changes over time. The presence of waterholes, dry river channels, and marshes can attract a diverse range of animals, making each game drive a thrilling and unpredictable adventure. Camping will be in private designated areas with bush ablutions. 

Transfer time: ~7-8 hours

You will head northwards to the Chobe River where your game drives will meander along the banks of the river, following the call of the majestic African Fish Eagle. Enjoy a wide variety of animals including puku and Chobe bushbuck, as well as stunning birdlife in this unique river environment. Transfer/game drive from Southern Chobe National Park to the Chobe River floodplain. Game drives to explore Northern Chobe National Park.

Transfer time: ~5-6 hours

After a short morning game drive your guide will take you to the Kazungula border where you will meet the transfer vehicle for your lodge in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (Visa required). You will spend the night at a comfortable lodge. In the afternoon there will be time to visit the thunderous Victoria Falls and shop for curios. Lunch and dinner will be at your own expense. 

Transfer time: ~3 hours