15-day mobile safari
Botswana Northern Explorer
Chobe, Savuti, Khwai, Moremi and the Okavango Delta. Fifteen days across northern Botswana, at a pace that lets the wildlife set the agenda.
Chobe to the Okavango
Botswana Northern Explorer
Fifteen days from the Chobe River to the Okavango Delta, on the classic route south through Botswana’s best wildlife country, mostly under canvas, with a lodge at each end.
You start in Kasane on the Chobe River and finish in Maun, and in between you sleep in six different places: the Chobe riverfront, Savuti, the Khwai River, Xakanaxa on the permanent waters of the Okavango, a lodge in Maun, and finally a camp inside the Delta itself.
The pace is deliberately unhurried. Three nights at Savuti and three at Xakanaxa mean you can follow what the animals are doing rather than racing to the next campsite, which is how you end up watching a pride hunt instead of glimpsing lions on a track.
At a glance
| Duration | 15 days, 14 nights |
|---|---|
| Starts / ends | Kasane, Chobe River / Maun |
| Group size | Minimum 4, maximum 8 guests. Smaller groups on request |
| Who travels with you | Toff or Kiddy, a professional guide and our camp crew |
| Accommodation | Two lodge nights, twelve nights in fully equipped tented camps |
| Regions | Chobe riverfront, Savuti, Khwai, Moremi, Okavango Delta |
| Best for | First visits to Botswana, photographers, birders |
| Rates | Quoted per itinerary, season and group size |
Every itinerary is tailored, so we quote per trip rather than publishing a headline rate. Ask us and you will have a written, itemised quotation.
The route
Fifteen days, day by day
- Day one
Arrive in Kasane
Arrival in Kasane on the Chobe River. Overnight in a lodge, with lunch, dinner and a boat cruise on the river included. A gentle introduction to Botswana.
- Days two and three
Chobe riverfront camp
We leave Kasane for our camping area along the Chobe River, game viewing en route. Two nights here to explore the game trails and tracks in search of elephant, lion, hippo, crocodile, leopard, giraffe, buffalo and antelope, with a great many birds along the water. Breakfast, brunch and dinner are prepared in camp by your crew.
- Days four to six
Savuti
South through the park and local villages, following the forest reserve to Savuti, where we spend three nights. Time enough to seek out zebra, wildebeest, elephant and the lions this area is known for. All meals, tea and coffee are provided in camp, so you need only carry the snacks you cannot do without.
- Days seven and eight
Khwai River and Moremi
From Savuti we travel 65 kilometres south to the Mababe exit gate, allowing at least three hours because of the game viewing along the way. We cross the sand ridge towards Moremi Game Reserve, stopping for a picnic lunch, and reach camp mid-afternoon after about six hours on the road. The evening outing follows the Khwai floodplain, excellent for hippo at close quarters and lions patrolling the tracks. We cross into Moremi over the log bridge (the bridge over the River Khwai).
- Days nine to eleven
Xakanaxa, Okavango
We move through to the Xakanaxa camping area on the permanent waters of the Okavango Delta, with a boat trip out among the channels and islands. This is the most scenic part of the reserve: pools and clear-water dams holding hippo, crocodile, predator and prey. Lion, cheetah, wild dog and leopard are all present, and spotted hyena often pass near camp at night. Three nights here.
- Day twelve
Out to Maun
After breakfast we travel out through the reserve towards Maun. Dinner and breakfast are included at the lodge where we overnight.
- Days thirteen and fourteen
Into the Delta
We travel into the Okavango Delta itself for two nights: guided walks on the islands, quiet channels by traditional dugout canoe (mekoro), and time to do very little in camp. All meals and activities are included.
- Day fifteen
Depart from Maun
Return to Maun and, after lunch, connect with your onward travel plans.
What is included
- Lodge accommodation in Kasane with lunch, dinner and breakfast
- Boat cruise on the Chobe River
- All meals, tea, coffee and soft drinks while on mobile safari, and wine with dinner
- Three-hour boat cruise from the Xakanaxa boat station
- Services of a professional guide and camp staff throughout
- All camp equipment, including tents and bedding, on mobile safari
- All national park entry and camping fees
- Transfers to and from the Okavango Delta
- Dinner, bed and breakfast at a lodge in Maun
Not included
- Airfares
- Visa and entry fees where these apply
- Personal purchases, curios and the like
- Gratuities to staff and guides
- Lunch on the day of departure in Maun (day fifteen)
- Alcoholic drinks, bottled water and soft drinks beyond those listed above
Good to know
Practical notes
- Currency can be changed in Kasane and Maun, or with your guide. US dollars and euro are widely accepted, and Visa and Mastercard work in the towns.
- National park fees, Delta camp accommodation and charter flights within Botswana are prepaid to confirm reservations once your deposit is received.
- Single supplements are not included in quoted rates.
- Keep luggage light and soft-sided. Local airlines allow 20 kg per person, and bags travel in a heavy-duty off-road trailer or on the vehicle.
Start the conversation
Interested in this safari?
Tell us when you would like to travel, how long you have and what you most want to see. You will hear back from Toff or Kiddy personally, not by a call centre.