14 days Botswana Wild Parks

Day 1: JOHANNESBURG to KHAMA RHINO SANCTUARY

Departing Johannesburg at 06:30am we head north into Botswana and the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. The Khama Rhino Sanctuary Trust is a community based wildlife project established in 1992 to assist in saving the vanishing rhino, restore an area formerly teeming with wildlife to its previous natural state and provide economic benefits to the local Botswana community through tourism and the sustainable use of natural resources. This reserve situated on the Kalahari sandveld, has several natural waterholes and provides prime habitat for white rhino, zebra and wildebeest.

Lunch & Dinner provided by tour leaders with the help of the group

Distance/time:   ±620km, 7h30 actual driving time, so with a border crossing and lunch stop we expect a total travel day of ±9h00. This is a long travel day for us to a special overnight stop.

Overnight:  Khama Rhino Sanctuary, 2 twin share bedrooms in each chalet with 1 bathroom shared between 2 rooms OR similar

Day 2: MAUN 

We drive through the Kalahari to Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. Since Maun’s founding in 1915 as the capital of the Batawana people, it has had a reputation as a hard living ‘Wild West’ town helping the local cattle ranching and safari operations. The name Maun is derived from the San word ‘maung’, which translates ‘the place of short reeds’.

Breakfast & Lunch provided tour leaders with the help of the group

Distance/time:  ±550km, 6h30 actual driving time. We leave Khama relatively early to arrive in Maun midday to shop for delta supplies, so expect a travel day of ±8h00.

Overnight:  Island Safari Lodge, chalet - twin share bedrooms with en suite facilities OR similar

Day 3: OKAVANGO DELTA 

We drive into the Okavango Delta to the launch station where we board our mekoro and pole to our tented camp in the heart of the largest inland delta in the world. This amazing environment has large numbers of red lechwe, buffalo, elephant and birds, particularly kingfishers! One of the best experiences in the Okavango Delta is to be poled along reed-lined channels in a mokoro (dug-out canoe). Sit back and relax as the water gurgles gently under the mokoro while your skilled poler points out the fauna and flora.

Breakfast provided by the lodge

Lunch & Dinner provided by tour leaders with the help of the group

Distance/time: ±50km, 2h00 actual driving time to mekoro station. Mokoro ride to camp is dependent on campsite location so overall travel time for the day ±6h30.

Overnight:  Wilderness tented camping - 2 nights tented camp in the Okavango. Each tent has twin camp beds with linen and an en suite chemical toilet. Shared bucket shower tent with hot water off the fire. Tents have built-in insect nets. We need to take our own water and all equipment. Wild tented camping can be very enjoyable but please remember that we leave no trace of our stay and take all rubbish away with us. The wilderness tented camp supplies all linen blankets and pillows. The camp chairs have a backrest. You will need to bring your own towel. 

Day 4: OKAVANGO DELTA

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner provided by tour leaders with the help of the group

Overnight:  Wilderness tented camping - 2 nights tented camp in the Okavango. Each tent has twin camp beds with linen and an en suite chemical toilet. Shared bucket shower tent with hot water off the fire. Tents have built-in insect nets. We need to take our own water and all equipment. Wild tented camping can be very enjoyable but please remember that we leave no trace of our stay and take all rubbish away with us. The wilderness tented camp supplies all linen blankets and pillows. The camp chairs have a backrest. You will need to bring your own towel.

Day 5: MOREMI 

We take an open 4WD into Moremi Game Reserve for fantastic game viewing! Chief’s Island is the largest landmass within Moremi and was the Batswana tribe’s richest hunting ground, before being declared a game reserve by the tribe. We spend 4 days on game drives watching the abundant wildlife including elephant, hippo, buffalo, lion & other game, both in Moremi Game Reserve and in private concession reserves surrounding the park.

Breakfast & Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group

Dinner will be a set meal provided by the tented camp

Distance/time:        ±120km, 4h00 actual driving time but it’s a rough 4x4 route, and with a mokoro ride start, lunch stop and game viewing en-route we expect a full travel day of ±9h00 subject to sunset time.

Overnight:   Remote & private tented bush camp – exclusive tented bush camp in a private concession area, bordering Moremi Game Reserve. Twin-share permanent tented camp with en-suite facilities. 

Day 6: MOREMI 

Breakfast & Lunch will be provided by the tented camp

Dinner will be a set meal provided by the tented camp

Overnight:  Remote & private tented bush camp – exclusive tented bush camp in a private concession area, bordering Moremi Game Reserve. Twin-share permanent tented camp with en-suite facilities. 

Day 7: MOREMI 

Breakfast & Lunch will be provided by the tented camp

Dinner will be a set meal provided by the tented camp

Overnight:  Remote & private tented bush camp – exclusive tented bush camp in a private concession area, bordering Moremi Game Reserve. Twin-share permanent tented camp with en-suite facilities. 

Day 8: MOREMI

We return to Maun midday 

Breakfast & Lunch will be provided by the tented camp

Overnight:  Maun Island Safari Lodge, chalet - twin share bedrooms with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone. Wifi available in main area OR similar

Day 9:  MAKGADIKGADI PANS 

We have time for an optional game flight over the Okavango before we head to Nata (own expense). The shimmering saltpans of Makgadikgadi appear as a glaring white, endless plain. When the rain comes a dramatic change takes place as thousands of wildebeest and zebra migrate to the sweet nutritious grasslands and clouds of flamingo feed in its algae rich waters. It is an area of low rainfall, so this spectacle only lasts a short while. (Please note due to high rainfall in the area over the last few years that there is water in the section of the pans we visit)

Breakfast provided by the lodge

Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group

Distance/time:  ±350km, 5h00 actual driving time. It's a relatively flat, straight road so with stops and lunch the total travel for the day is ±6h00.

Overnight: Nata Lodge – twin share luxury tents with en suite facilities OR similar

Day 10:  CHOBE NATIONAL PARK

The Chobe River is a stunning feature of Botswana and will be the focus of our lodge stay. The Chobe River flows lazily along the northern boundary of the Chobe National Park attracting some of the largest herds of elephant in Africa. 

Breakfast & Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group

Distance/time:  ±315km, 4h00 actual driving time. We leave early and aim for a midday arrival with total travel for the day of ±4h30.

Overnight:  Thebe River Safaris – twin room with en suite facilities OR similar

Day 11: CHOBE NATIONAL PARK 

An Early morning 4WD game drive in the Chobe National Park and an afternoon game viewing “sundowner” cruise to see the mighty elephant herds return to the Chobe River to quench their thirst.

Breakfast provided by the lodge

Lunch provided by tour leaders with the help of the group

Overnight:  Thebe River Safaris – twin room with en suite facilities OR similar 

Day 12: VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE 

We visit “Mosi oa Tunya” or “the smoke that thunders” - Victoria Falls. These magnificent falls are one of the seven natural wonders of the world. A rich and fertile rain forest, fed by the spray or “smoke”, surrounds the falls attracting colourful birdlife. Opportunities to white water raft on the mighty Zambezi River, bungee jump, or take a “flight of angels” (own expense).

Distance/time:  ±80km, 2h00 actual driving time. It's not a long way, but the border can be busy and slow, so we anticipate a total travel day of ±3h00.

Overnight:  Shearwater Explorers Village, twin rooms with en-suite facilities OR similar

Day 13: VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE

We visit “Mosi oa Tunya” or “the smoke that thunders” - Victoria Falls. These magnificent falls are one of the seven natural wonders of the world. A rich and fertile rain forest, fed by the spray or “smoke”, surrounds the falls attracting colourful birdlife. Opportunities to white water raft on the mighty Zambezi River, bungee jump, or take a “flight of angels” (own expense).

Overnight:               Shearwater Explorers Village, twin rooms with en-suite facilities OR similar

Day 14: VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE

Tour ends after breakfast at 08:00am.

Breakfast provided by the hotel

END OF ITINERARY