Botswana & Namibia Safari

Arrive in Maun, gateway to the Okavango Delta, and spend the afternoon exploring or relaxing – it’s a good moment to change money and pick up any last supplies such as snacks and drinks. Around 6pm we meet the tour leader and fellow travellers for introductions and a briefing, followed by a warm welcome over dinner. This evening we pack a light overnight bag for our Delta journey by mokoro, while your main bag is left with the driver and stored safely. If you wish to explore further before the tour, you can arrange extra nights through your sales representative.

You can enjoy an unhurried morning at the hotel or pop into town for any last–minute bits. Around lunch we travel to the Okavango Delta and board mokoros, helmed by expert local polers, for the journey to our wilderness camp (water levels may require a 4×4 transfer instead). Camp is set up on arrival and we meet the local guides who will host us for the next few days. Accommodation is in dome tents with camp beds, plus a mess tent and simple bathrooms with a bush shower and toilet. Camping here lets us soak up the Delta – we can swim in shallow pools, listen to birdsong and hippo grunts, and gaze at an astonishing Milky Way. Total driving: 19mi (30km), one hour.

An early start for breakfast before a full day exploring the waterways and islands by mokoro and on foot. The Delta teems year–round with wildlife, including elephants, lions and hippos. We return to camp for lunch and later enjoy sundowners, then relax around the campfire after dinner to share stories of the day.

After a leisurely start, we make one last exploration of the Delta before returning by mokoro to our collection point (water level dependent). After lunch we drive back to Maun, where you have a free afternoon to relax or, if you wish, you can take to the skies on an optional scenic flight or helicopter ride.

This morning is relaxed before we transfer to the northern reaches of the Okavango Delta, watching the Botswana bush roll by. Where deep sand makes the track inaccessible for our vehicle, a 4×4 collects us for the final approach to our lodge on the banks of Guma Lagoon. The remainder of the day is free to enjoy the tranquil waterside setting, or you can opt for an afternoon boat ride. Total driving: 220mi (350km), five hours.

After breakfast we continue north, crossing into Namibia at the Mohembo border post. We travel through Mahango Game Park, hoping to encounter elephants and other wildlife, then follow the Caprivi Strip to Rundu on the Kavango River near the Angolan border. Total driving: 220mi (350km), 5hr 30min.

Today we travel to Etosha National Park, Namibia’s premier wildlife sanctuary – an arid mosaic of woodland and grassland surrounding a vast salt pan. Waterholes draw a remarkable variety of animals, making wildlife viewing especially rewarding. We aim to arrive in time for a late–afternoon game drive before heading to our accommodation. We typically stay inside the park on some or all nights, sometimes beside waterholes, and you can also book optional night drives on arrival. Total driving: 280mi (450km), six hours.

We set out on a three–hour game drive in Etosha National Park, seeking zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, elephants and lions, and keeping an eye out for the park’s black rhinos. Birdlife is excellent too, from water birds on the pans to weaverbirds and hornbills in the trees.

Leaving Etosha, we journey into Damaraland, passing traditional Damara and Herero homesteads and cattle en route. We pause in Outjo, where you can enjoy coffee and cake – or an early lunch – at a German bakery. Our destination is a rustic community lodge at the foot of Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain. Desert elephants often roam the Ugab River here and the stargazing is superb from this remote spot. This afternoon or evening you can join an optional seasonal 4×4 game drive in search of the desert–adapted elephants. Total driving: 235mi (380km), six hours.

We begin with a 20–minute drive to Brandberg for a walk of about 1hr 45min through a rocky valley of striking granite formations and varied birdlife. The trail leads to the White Lady rock painting and other small artworks and engravings, attributed to the indigenous San people and thought to be at least 2,000 years old. If elephants move into the area, the walk may be unsafe and we typically switch to a game drive to look for them. The route includes boulders and stretches of dry riverbed; if this sounds too demanding, you can relax at the lodge or opt for a game drive instead. Afterwards we head to the Atlantic coast and the town of Swakopmund, a charming German–era settlement known for cake shops, coffee houses and high–adrenaline activities. Total driving: 185mi (300km), 4hr 30min.

Today is free for you to choose from a range of optional adventures in and around Swakopmund. On the water you can try deep–sea fishing; in the dunes you can go sandboarding or quad biking; or you can take a scenic flight over the Skeleton Coast. Alternatively, linger over Viennese–style cakes, stroll the beach or nearby dunes, or simply watch the world go by in this beguiling coastal town.

After breakfast we visit nearby Walvis Bay, where we hope to see flamingos, then continue through Namib–Naukluft National Park – home to one of the driest and oldest deserts on Earth. The desert scenery is spectacular, with plenty of photo stops along the way. We follow a long gravel road through two small passes towards Solitaire for lunch, before continuing to our lodge. Total driving: 210mi (340km), 5hr 30min.

We rise early to see the Sossusvlei dunes – among the tallest in the world – glowing in the morning light, and we can climb one for sweeping views. We then explore the haunting clay pans with their 900–year–old camelthorn trees, either walking 2.5mi (4km) to Hiddenvlei or, if you prefer not to walk, taking an optional 4×4 transfer to Deadvlei. With luck we may spot gemsbok or ostriches among the dunes. This evening we share a final dinner together. Total driving: 125mi (200km), 3hr 30min.

We usually make an early start for the long drive back to Windhoek, where the tour ends. If you would like more time in Namibia, you can extend your stay through your sales representative. Please note that the group transfer to Windhoek is scheduled to connect with a chosen flight to London, UK, so you should not book flights departing earlier – contact your sales representative for the exact timing. Total driving: 210mi (340km), six hours.