Northern Botswana | Khama, Kubu, Khwai & Chobe

Meet from 15:00 at the Sanctuary. After checking in with your guide you can head out on a game drive in your own vehicle before enjoying dinner around the fire while your guide discusses the tour in detail before a restfully spent night under the Botswana skies.

Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a community-based Wildlife Reserve established in memory of the late Sir Seretse Khama. A place where Botswana took their last remaining stocks of Black and White Rhino’s during the 80’s poaching scourge.  The reserve provided a much-needed refuge and holding space during this time for the other national parks in Botswana, where they could move their rhino’s and safely restart their breeding populations.

Early morning game drives are a must in the reserve where the birding is quite exceptional (over 230 species) so this morning we rise for an early breakfast and then head out into the reserve for a couple of hours game driving, followed by the drive to Kubu Island.  By the time we arrive, our tents are pitched and the coffee pot is on the fire ready for our first cup of tea!

We spend the rest of the day exploring the salt pans and the magnificent Baobabs before enjoying sundowners on the largest salt pan on earth.  Watching the sun set on this vast expanse is quite a spectacle!

Kubu Island is a dry granite rock protruding from the vast saltpans and boasts the finest examples of ancient Baobab trees. The magnificent sunset will set the backdrop as we enjoy a sundowner on the pan whilst getting to know one another. Gather around the campfire to enjoy a wholesome meal. Your tour leader shares his knowledge of the area and answers any questions you may have.

Early risers can enjoy coffee and rusks against a backdrop of enormous baobabs as the sun rises on over Kubu Island.

After breakfast, we head north via a two-spoor track along the edge of the empty saltpans, testing our 4×4 driving on the sandy terrain. We enjoy a light picnic lunch en route to our next campsite 30 kms from Maun, set next to the Boteti River.

The Bhejane crew will have readied our campsite and upon arrival, dinner will be on the fire and we will be able to enjoy a nice hot shower before a cold sundowner in beautifully kept ablutions.

Today we head into Maun where we have the option of a 45 minute scenic flight over the Okavango Delta. We highly recommend this activity as it gives a bird’s eye view of the Delta, one of Africa's last great natural sanctuaries, a pristine and rich wilderness and home to vast concentrations of wildlife.

Those who do not partake the scenic flip are able to shop at the local markets and stock up on provisions they may be running short on.  After the flights everyone is able to explore, restock and refuel and enjoy a light lunch at one of the many quaint places recommended by your guide.

The late afternoon is spent at leisure either by the pool, on the deck or at the outdoor bar area (wifi available) and watching the sun set over the Boteti river before dinner.

After breakfast we pack up and continue to the Khwai Area, north of Moremi, where we spend the next 3 nights.

The Khwai River forms the eastern part of the Okavango Delta and is renowned for its prolific game, beautiful scenery and magnificent bird life. We have three full days exploring this area at our own pace.

Sandwiched between Moremi Game Reserve and on the fringes of Chobe National Park these two full days are filled with game rich viewing opportunities and provide one of the best places in Botswana to see wild dogs and other predators. With no fences separating any of these areas, you are likely to see just about everything that northern Botswana has to offer.

The Khwai River spreads out forming marshy areas and water channels that have good populations of hippos, crocodiles, waterbuck and lechwe. The dry woodlands away from the river host good populations of sable and roan antelopes, zebras, impalas, giraffes, buffaloes, and many other species.

As is the case with most of northern Botswana, elephants can be found everywhere, as well as lions, leopards and hyenas which are commonly seen. Wild dogs often den in the area during the winter months and can often be seen with their pups.  This is a space jam-packed with excellent sighting opportunities and a wildlife photographers dream.

The three days we enjoy the game viewing at our own pace with plenty of time to kick back a little in this exquisite corner of Africa.

A Mokoro experience is included in the tour package.

Leaving the Khwai River behind us, we head north through the Savuti to our next destination located on the Chobe Floodplain close to Ngoma in northern Botswana. Although we transit through the Park in a single day there is incredible game along the route and by the time we arrive at our camp in the late afternoon, the Bhejane team has dinner on the fire leaving us with just enough time to wash off the Savuti dust before enjoying a sundowner. 

We spend two nights at this camp.

There is so much to explore in this area and a self-drive exploration of the hidden treasures along the Chobe River are best done at your own pace. The area is known for its large herds of elephant and buffalo and as our camp is situated close to the Ngoma entrance to the Chobe National Park, we are able to enjoy a self drive into the Chobe National Park to experience the wildlife-rich riverfront and ancient floodplains along the Chobe River which provides ideal birdwatching and great diversity of game.

Today we continue north east to Kasane and our destination for our last night at Thebe River Camp.   Situated on the Chobe River there are no boundary fences between the park and the town and elephant and hippo can frequently be seen wandering down the road and through the town!

There is an opportunity to restock and refuel in town and Covid test before lunching in camp.

A visit to Chobe would not be complete without a sunset cruise on the Chobe river exploring the islands and channels.  Chobe sunsets are spectacular and with all the animals making their way to the water’s edge at the end of the day, this is the perfect end to our tour.

After breakfast, we pack up at a leisurely pace, say our goodbyes and head home.