15 days – Botswana Trans Kalahari Small Group Safari

Departing Johannesburg we head north to Goo-Moremi campsite on day 1 of our journey, as venture into the heart of Botswana’s wilderness. We travel through breathtaking landscapes as we make our way to the enchanting Goo-Moremi campsite, where we explore the gorge, its rich cultural and spiritual heritage, its waterfalls and if lucky see vultures in the colony on foot.

Kubu Island is a remarkable granite rock formation located in Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans, known for its stunningly flat and desolate landscape, surrounded by a vast salt pan and characterized by its eerie beauty. After breakfast we transfer into our open 4wd safari vehicle and head off the beaten track to explore this area of baobab trees and salt pans. The flat landscape, and incredible stary skies offer incredible photo opportunities during the day and night. We explore the granite rock formations and interesting fauna and flora of the area on foot.

We skirt the edges of the vast Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, making our way up to Gweta where we spend the night at Planet Baobab Campsite. The Makgadikgadi Pans are the world’s largest salt pans, covering 30,000 sq kms, formed from the remnants of a large inland lake that dried up thousands of years ago. Home to a variety of wildlife including large herds of Zebra and wildebeest and migratory birds. Enjoy an evening under the stars.

We have a slow morning allowing time for the optional (own expense) meerkat activity. The meerkat adventure gets us into the middle of the comical antics of the meerkats. The meerkats live in family groups along the edge of the salt pans, and we have the opportunity to get close observing and engaging with habituated meerkats in the habitat. We make our way towards Maun arriving mid-afternoon where we have time to resupply in preparation for our next few days in the Okavango. An optional (own expense) game flight over the Okavango, which will reveal a different aspect of the delta. We set up camp and enjoy an evening meal at a local restaurant (own expense).

We head north to the wilderness of Moremi Game Reserve, a world renowned conservation area. The Moremi encompasses a portion of the Okavango Delta, and as such has an amazingly varied landscape of floodplains, forests, lagoons and winding water channels. Have your camera at the ready for the fantastic photographic possibilities including colourful birdlife and plentiful big game animals including wild dogs, elephant, hippo, buffalo and lion and hopefully leopard. We set up camp for three nights on a secluded private campsite in the wild, giving us a rare opportunity to break free from civilization and experience the pristine African wilderness. Explore the game reserve in open 4WD game vehicle during the day and enjoy evenings around the campfire giving us one of the best wildlife camping experiences in Southern Africa.

Our local guides will take us deep into the heart of the Okavango Delta on mekoro (dugout canoes). The delta forms as water flows from the Angolan highlands out over the Botswanan flat Kalahari Desert sands creating a delicate, green oasis for birds & wildlife. We will camp wild on remote islands in this amazingly dynamic environment & enjoy bush walks, bird watching & swimming in the clear water. Camping with our local guides we learn more about their lifestyle & culture. We return to Maun in the late afternoon of day 10 and overnight in the campsite with good, comfortable facilities.

The name ‘Kalahari” conjures up images of wide-open grassy plains, dry river beds, hardy wildlife and of course the famed black-maned Kalahari Lions. You will not be disappointed! The Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) is the largest, most remotely situated reserve in Southern Africa, and the second-largest wildlife reserve in the world, encompassing 52 800 sq kms. Nothing prepares you for the immensity of this reserve or its wild, mysterious beauty. There is an impression of unending space, and having the entire reserve to yourself. We journey to the northern section of the CKGR, spending three days exploring this remote wilderness of rolling grasslands, occasional sand dunes and fossilized river valleys. Including the iconic areas of Deception Valley and Leopard Pan. These areas offer good game viewing. The roads are sandy and heavy going, so be prepared for some long travelling days, but this is more than worthwhile because of the amazing environment that you are travelling through.

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.

After breakfast, we say goodbye to our Motswana guides, and beloved 4WD safari vehicles and swop over to our more comfortable minibus for the last day drive back towards civilization. A short stop for border formalities and lunch en route (own expense) before the tour ends in Johannesburg at the airport at 17:00 on day 15.