17 Days Buffalo Track Botswana Private Tour

You’ll arrive in Maun, where you will be met by your guide to start your safari. Upon arrival at your designated camping ground in Makgadikgadi Pans, you will find your camp ready with tents erected. Time to relax and stretch your legs, enjoy a leisurely lunch followed by a relaxation period during which the guide will deliver a short briefing about Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and other information regarding the safari, before heading out for an afternoon game drive through the beautiful scenery of this part of Makgadikgadi Pans. Far into the Ntwetwe Pan, the larger of the two Makgadikgadi Pans, game drives expose several extraordinary animals not occurring in the Okavango Delta – mainly bat-eared foxes, springbok, and occasionally the impressive Kalahari lion. The characterful semi-habituated meerkats will tug at your heartstrings as they go about their busy day, seemingly unfazed by your presence.

Return to camp for pre-dinner refreshments, take dinner under the stars and later relax for a while around a blazing campfire, before retiring in cosy tents for the night and drifting off to the sounds of the wild.

After a short game drive to areas we did not visit yesterday, we will return to camp for breakfast before breaking camp and heading south to Nxai Pan National Park. For the next two days you will have an early start. We will leave camp just after sunrise and head to the scenic and wildlife-rich areas of Nxai Pan.

Upon arrival at your designated camping ground in Nxai Pan, you will find your camp ready with tents erected. Time to relax and stretch your legs, enjoy a leisurely lunch followed by a relaxation period during which the guide will deliver a short briefing about Nxai Pan National Park and other information regarding the safari, before heading out for an afternoon game drive through the beautiful scenery of this part of Nxai Pan. Here, and within the surrounding mopane woodland some of the permanent residents include lion, giraffe, kudu, ostrich, elephant bulls, and large numbers of springbok. The iconic jackal and bat-eared fox can be found foraging on the plains.

Up with the dawn, you will greet the beauty of this extraordinary landscape coffee and rusk in hand. We will leave camp just after sunrise and head to the scenic and wildlife-rich areas of Nxai Pan. The focal point of Nxai Pan, particularly in the dry season, is the artificial water hole, situated in the midst of a large open plain which is dotted with short acacia trees. This is the only water available in the dry season within many kilometres. The immortalised group of Baine’s Baobabs here is quite an evocative sight at sunset. They were named Baine’s Baobabs after Thomas Baines, an artist and fellow explorer who was moved to immortalise them in paint. The seven towering trees seen by visitors today are almost identical to those depicted by Baines on his pioneer mission through Africa. We return to camp for brunch and a siesta before heading out for a late afternoon game drive. After an adventurous day, spend the evening enjoying delicious cuisine.

After a short game drive to areas we did not visit during the past two days, we will return to camp for breakfast before breaking camp and heading south to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. Upon arrival at your designated camping ground in Makgadikgadi, you will find your camp ready with tents erected. Time to relax and stretch your legs, enjoy a leisurely lunch followed by a relaxation period during which the professional guide will deliver a short briefing about Makgadikgadi, before heading out for an afternoon game drive. You stand a good chance of seeing lion, brown hyena, jackal, honey badger, kudu, gemsbok, steenbok, zebra, elephant, springbok, scrub hare, springhare, bushbaby, meerkats, porcupine, rock python, ostrich and a host of other bird species, including owls and raptors. Return to camp for pre-dinner refreshments, take dinner under the stars and later relax for a while around a blazing campfire listening to the sounds of the wild.

Another early morning light breakfast with tea and coffee just prior to sunrise, departing camp immediately afterwards and proceeding to locate the big cats. Returning to the camp for the last time, brunch will be served around 11:00am before we commence our journey from Makgadikgadi Pans National Park to Central Kalahari Game Reserve, arriving late in the afternoon. Upon arrival at your designated camping ground in Central Kalahari, you will find your camp ready with tents erected. Time to relax and stretch your legs, during which the professional guide will deliver a short briefing about Makgadikgadi, before heading out for a late afternoon game drive. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is characterized by dunes dominating the landscape, and dry river beds in a setting that speaks of survival of the fittest and the fine balance between life and death itself. The players here fight hard to live and breath an existence in this great thirst land.

An early morning wake up call for tea or coffee with breakfast cereals and nibbles prepares one for the early morning game drive, leaving camp just after sunrise. The morning drive will proceed through the beautiful scenery of Central Kalahari. The natural beauty, silence, and endless solitude found in these boundless horizons and starry nights, seductively draw one back time after time. The love of wildlife, the extreme heat, the pleasures and hardships of camping in the wild, have a captivating effect on city-dwelling people yearning to be more connected with nature. You will also have a packed lunch at around 1pm at a picnic spot chosen by your Guide. Bottled water and soft drinks are also provided, and a cooler box with ice. Arrive back at camp before dark to a roaring campfire and late sundowner refreshments followed by dinner and relaxing to the sounds of the night before zipping up in our cosy tents for a good night’s sleep.

You have an early start this morning - leaving Central Kalahari Game Reserve after breakfast we head to Maun, before proceeding to the Okavango Delta where we will spend two nights. Here we will meet Mokoro Poler Guides / Polers who will assist with the loading of luggage into the Mekoro and with the seating arrangements before spending 2 to 3 hours on a Mokoro, gliding through narrow waterways to your campsite. Each Mokoro takes two persons. The Guide Polers and Polers will be available at all times to help and assist participants whenever required and also to ensure the safety of the participants throughout the Mokoro trail. Upon arrival at one of the many secluded islands, which make up this fragile yet dynamic, unique eco-system, camp will be erected and lunch served, followed by an hour or two of relaxation. Your Guide will then take you on a 2 to 3 hour late afternoon guided bush walk.

After brunch, the Mekoro can be taken again to enjoy the channels, the intricate veins of waterways which interconnect the lagoons, or take another bush walk before having lunch or snacks. In the afternoon, the Guide/s will take you in the Mekoro to a safe location where swimming is possible in the waters of the Okavango Delta, followed by a chance to learn how to pole a Mokoro using the nkashi. Time can also be taken to relax and enjoy the landscape. After the bush walk, we can relax and unwind in the camp, refresh and take dinner under the starlit skies, after which the Guides and Polers will narrate cultural stories. Guests interested in astronomy will be treated to one of the most expansive displays of stars on earth, before retiring to their cosy tents.

Wake up early for coffee / tea, cereal and rusks and begin the day with another bush walk, experiencing the sights and sounds of this wild magnificent oasis. After the bush walk, a swim maybe, if it is not too cold depending on the time of year and time to relax and unwind in the camp for a while enjoying a late breakfast or brunch. When ready, the Polers will assist in breaking camp, packing tents and loading luggage into the Mekoro for the return journey through the channels back to the Mokoro station where Walking Stick Travel & Tours will be waiting with the safari vehicles and cold beverages for the transfer back to Maun - and then to Moremi Game Reserve. The game drive technically starts once we have passed the Buffalo fence, an hour’s drive from Maun. There is a good chance of seeing leopard, lion, wild dog, hyena, kudu, waterbuck, giraffe, zebra, elephant, buffalo, rhino and impala – to name a few. Birdlife is quite amazing in the area.

An early morning wake up call for tea or coffee with breakfast cereals and nibbles prepares one for the early morning game drive. Leaving camp just after sunrise, we will proceed through the beautiful scenery of the Moremi Game Reserve. Our game drive will take us to the park’s most beautiful areas such as Black Pools and Xini Area. These areas are in the south western part of Moremi. There is plenty of game in these areas with a very good chance of seeing elephant, buffalo, rhino, giraffe, lion, leopard, hyena, jackal, and many different antelopes, including red lechwe and sitatunga, the web-footed antelope perfectly adapted to life in the swamps, as well as a wide variety of birdlife. Wild dog whose numbers are so rapidly dwindling elsewhere, are regularly sighted in the Moremi Game Reserve. Return to camp for brunch and a siesta before heading out for a late afternoon game drive. After an adventurous day, spend the evening enjoying delicious cuisine.

You have an early start this morning - leaving after breakfast we head out for our final game drive in the Moremi Game Reserve. Break camp and cross the Khwai River and enter Khwai Concession through North Gate. The Khwai Concession is a private game reserve comprising lagoons, channels and grassland adjacent to the stunning Moremi Game Reserve. Upon arrival at your designated camping ground in Khwai, you will find your camp ready with tents erected. Time to relax and stretch your legs, before heading out for an afternoon game drive through the beautiful scenery of the concession. There will be a good chance of seeing leopard, lion, African wild dog, hyena, kudu, waterbuck, giraffe, zebra, elephant, buffalo, rhino and impala – to name a few. Birdlife is quite amazing in the area with birds such as secretary bird, hornbill, lapwing, vulture, African jacana, African fish eagle, hamerkop, kori bastard, lilac breasted roller, and crested crane amongst many other species.

After a very early morning light breakfast, we take you for an early morning game-viewing experience. On this drive you will get a chance to see ‘The Cats’ - lions, leopards and cheetahs as they hunt in the morning, taking advantage of the cool temperatures. Return to camp for brunch and a siesta before heading out for a late afternoon game drive. A late afternoon into evening game drive will take you exploring other areas of the concession. A game drive along the banks of the Khwai River will get you even closer to nature and provide an opportunity to learn more about the indigenous flora and traditional medicinal uses of plants. This time also allows our guides to impart their tracking knowledge with hands-on experience and share the rich history of Botswana. We return to camp at sunset, enjoy a refreshing sundowner, followed by a hearty dinner again under the expansive display of the stars.

Have a light breakfast, break camp and say good bye to Khwai Concession and the spectacular views of the Khwai River, before setting off on the 5 hour drive to your campsite in Savuti. You will have a rest in camp before a late afternoon game drive. Savuti lies in the more remote central region of the Chobe National and displays a stark contrast to the Chobe Riverfront – the park’s northern boundary, which has water all year round. Savuti offers dramatic game viewing and a somewhat eerie atmosphere. It is also well known as one of the best areas for big cat viewing. The Savuti lion pride has earned a fearsome reputation for hunting elephant, but other predators like leopard, wild dog, spotted hyena and even cheetah are also abundant in the area. Your evenings will be spent enjoying a bush dining experience around a roaring campfire, after late sundowner refreshments, followed by relaxing to the sounds of the night.

On the fifteenth day of your safari, we will have breakfast, break camp, and then set off on the drive north, to Chobe National Park. The Savuti landscape is arid and harsh and is governed by a mysteriously unpredictable water channel with a history of flooding and drying up. Elephant, giraffe, buffalo, kudu, impala, wildebeest and even roan antelope can be seen around one waterhole while predators hide in the bushes waiting for their turn to drink. The interaction between these animals is not only thrilling to watch but also makes for some exciting photography.

Your drive to the Chobe Riverfront will be in the form of a game drive as you will be driving through the Chobe National Park. Arrive after a long drive and catch a glimpse of the majestic Chobe River at sunset, hear the echoing calls of African fish eagles – and the long journey will be forgotten. You will be in awe! Upon arrival at your designated camping ground in Chobe National Park, you will find your camp ready with tents erected. Time to relax and stretch your legs during which the safari guide will deliver a short briefing about the park, where you will do your morning and afternoon game drives, as well as other information regarding the safari, before heading out for an afternoon game drive through the beautiful scenery of the park. Enjoy viewing and photographing the magnificent wildlife and birdlife the park has to offer. Chobe National Park boasts large herds of buffalo, wild dog, lion, puku, red lechwe, sable and roan antelope.

After a very early morning light breakfast, we take you for an early morning game-viewing experience, way before the sun threatens to kiss goodbye the morning dew on the forest trees and grasses. On this drive you will get a chance to see ‘The Cats’ - lions, leopards and cheetahs as they hunt in the morning, taking advantage of the cool temperatures. Chobe was Botswana’s first national park and remains its greatest. In fact it’s ranked among the leading parks in all of Africa. Chobe is commonly referred to as the ‘Land of the Giants’ because of the incredible number of elephants here, estimated to be around 120,000. The Chobe River is the main tributary of the mighty Zambezi, meandering peacefully across the north east of the park, and boat trips along it – particularly at sunset, when elephants, buffalos and other animals flock down to drink and bathe – are, quite simply, magical.

You will head out for your last game drive in the Chobe National Park as the early mornings offer an opportunity to view the predators. After an early morning game drive, we head back to camp for a delicious breakfast. You will be dropped off at Kasane International Airport for your onward travel.