Botswana: Kalahari Explorer

Botswana is renowned for its wildly varied environments, and the epic Kalahari is arguably one of the most intriguing, with its mysterious beauty and unending sense of space. We’ve created a special safari that explores the wonders of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, with its unique desert wildlife (including enchanting meerkats!) and diverse habitats from salt pans and ancient riverbeds to fossil river valleys. We also explore Botswana’s renowned destinations of the game-rich Okavango Delta and magnificent Chobe National Park. Our safari is timed for ideal gameviewing in the Kalahari—right at the end of the summer rainy season, when thousands of grazing animals—gemsbok, springbok, wildebeest, and more—and their attendant predators roam the grassy plains.

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-4
Kalahari Desert: Central Kalahari Game Reserve

We enter the wild world of the Kalahari, known in the San tongue as “The Great Thirstland.” Originally created as a refuge for the San hunter-gatherers, the vast and spectacular Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the largest and most remote wildlife reserve in Africa. We enjoy splendid gameviewing over the dunes and fossil pans, and overnights in our private mobile camp.

Days 5-8
Okavango Delta / Moremi Game Reserve

A charter flight brings us to the Okavango Delta, a remarkable maze of solitary islands, tranquil lagoons, and meandering waterways. On foot and by motorboat and mokoro (dugout canoe), we search for elephant, giraffe, zebra, and wildebeest, and should see lechwe and sitatunga, antelopes that are at home in and around the water. In the Moremi Game Reserve, an extraordinary location for birding, we seek out predators such as lion, leopard, hyena, and wild dog.

Days 9-13
Chobe National Park

Our 4WD explorations in Chobe bring us close to huge concentrations of wildlife, including throngs of elephants, buffalo, and a variety of birdlife. Here we also find the puku, an antelope not found in other parts of Botswana.

Days 14-16
Livingstone / Victoria Falls

We end our safari at Victoria Falls, where the mile-wide Zambezi plunges into swirling mists. Optional excursions include a relaxing sunset cruise on the Zambezi. Depart on Day 16.

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What the Trip is Like

This trip is Level 2, Easy to Moderate. It is a vehicle-based camping safari, with a combination of camping in the bush and nights in lodges and hotels. There are some long driving days over rough roads and game tracks.

Our mobile tented camping safaris in Botswana provide a true bush experience without sacrificing comfort. We travel by Toyota 4WD Land Cruiser “go-anywhere” safari vehicles stocked with cold drinks and books on flora, fauna, and avifauna. They carry five trip members per vehicle, with guaranteed window seating. Our comfortable walk-in tents feature canvas beds, linens, mirror, tent lamps, chairs, and washbasins. Behind each tent are separate toilet and hot water shower tents. Our crew sets up camp and prepares all meals. You’ll find camping delightful and very comfortable, and you will appreciate how close to nature you feel, away from the lights and distractions of the lodges. Food is served in a comfortable dining tent.

Explanation of Trip Levels