Overview
In seven days, you will explore the wider Kalahari basin. The Kalahari basin extends over multiple sub-Saharan African countries, with Botswana hosting the largest chunk. The central Kalahari Game Reserve and the greater Makgadikgadi salt pans are the heart and soul of this magnificent basin. Kalahari derives from the Tswana word kgala, which means “great thirst.” Come experience the Kalahari’s afternoon skies with black clouds and the vast sandy landscapes that stretch for miles.
Tour Highlights
- Day 1: Explore Nxai Pan National Park
- Day 2: Explore Nxai Pan National Park
- Day 3: Explore Makgadikgadi National Park
- Day 4: Explore Boteti River
- Day 5: Explore Central Kalahari Game Reserve
- Day 6: Explore Deception Valley, Leopard Pan, and Sunday Water Hole
- Day 7: Departure-Maun
Itinerary
Your guide will pick you up from your lodging in the morning. You will travel 160 kilometers on tarmac to the Nxai Pans National Park gate. You'll stop along the road for a packed breakfast. Upon entering the reserve, you will take a leisurely game drive to your selected wilderness camping spot.
You will stop inside the park for a packed lunch. You will then drive to the camping spot and settle in. You'll take a short sunset drive. Your meal has arrived at camp.
Main Destination: Nxai Pan National Park.
Accommodation: Budget camping.
You will explore the enormous Nxai Salt Pans and see the famed Baines Baobab.
You will get up early for coffee/tea, juice, cereal, and fruits. You'll go on a morning drive to see the various wildlife species found in the Nxai Pans and be captivated by the stunning landscapes. You'll stop at Baines Baobab for a cup of coffee or tea and some Rusks. You'll return to camp and have a sumptuous breakfast. After breakfast, you can read a book in the shade or take a nap in your tent.
Lunch will be served at camp. After that, you'll have enough time to unwind before heading out for an afternoon game drive. You'll learn more during the afternoon game drive. You'll stop along the route for a sunset. The camp will provide you with a hearty dinner. After dinner, sit around the fire with our team to discuss nature, history, and culture.
Main Destination: Nxai Pan National Park.
Accommodation: Budget camping
On this day, you will wake up early and be served breakfast. Following that, you'll leave Nxai Pans National Park and head to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. The travel to your allocated wilderness camping site can take anything from 4 to 5 hours. A 30-minute drive from the Nxai Pans National Park Gate to the Makgadikgadi National Park Gate will follow the first two hours of a leisurely game drive leaving Nxai. After entering Makgadikgadi, you'll continue on a 2-hour slow game drive to the camp.
Before arriving at the camp, make a stop for a packed lunch.
Arrive at the campsite and settle down or freshen up. Go on a sunset drive.
Serve a hearty dinner at camp. Sit by the fire or go to bed.
Main Destination: Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.
Accommodation: Budget camping
You will investigate the Boteti River. You'll get up early for coffee/tea, juice, cereal, and fruit. You'll start your morning game drive along the Boteti River. The travel will take 3 to 4 hours, depending on sightings. The camp will offer breakfast. After breakfast, you can read a book, take a nap, or simply rest in the shade, listening to the sounds surrounding you. Lunch is served thereafter. You'll get ready for the afternoon game drive. The camp will serve dinner after the drive. After dinner, you'll have the opportunity to talk with the staff and your guide about your experiences.
Main Destination: Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.
Accommodation: Budget camping
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve's breathtaking scenery, as well as the diversity of wildlife in this harsh environment, will take your breath away. As you move through this reserve, you might see rare bat-eared foxes trotting across the wide plains, ground squirrels going about their daily tasks for survival, or a herd of springboks or gemsboks grazing on the broad plains. The herbivores attract cats. In this reserve, keep an eye out for lions, leopards, cheetahs, and other small carnivores, particularly black-backed jackals, as they trot and stop in the wide plains to forage for rodents and bird eggs. You will get up early for breakfast. You will drive for 4-5 hours to Matswere Gate (CKGR). Upon entering the reserve, you'll take a leisurely game drive to our selected wilderness camping spot. Before arriving at the camp, you will make a stop for a packed lunch. You will refresh yourself at the camp before taking a short journey to dinner.
Main Destination: Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
Accommodation: Budget camping
On this day, you will have the opportunity to explore the black-maned lions' habitat. You will investigate the deception pan, leopard pan, and Sunday hole and pan. The plan is to do a day trip. You will get up early for coffee/tea, juice, cereal, and fruits. You'll spend the morning driving around Deception Pan before continuing to Leopard Pan. Before arriving at Leopard Pan, you will stop for a packed breakfast. You will take a drive around Leopard Pan. You will go to Sunday Water Hole. After departing Sunday Hole, you will stop for a packed lunch. You'll take a relaxing afternoon trip to Deception Pan. Drive around Deception to complete the day's activities. Dinner will be given at the camp following the drive. After supper, you will have the opportunity to sit around the fire with our crew and your guide, reflect on the entire journey, and exchange experiences with nature, history, and culture before retiring to bed.
Main Destination: Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
Accommodation: Budget camping
On the final day of the tour, you will wake up to a hearty breakfast. You will take a 7-hour trip back to Maun. You'll stop for a packed lunch somewhere along the way. When you arrive in Maun, you will be transferred to your lodge/hotel or to the airport at the agreed-upon time and date. This concludes the tour.
Main Destination: Maun (City).
