The Ultimate Adventure Through Wild Botswana

Descend over the vast plains of Botswana and touchdown in Maun, a bustling town on the banks of the Thamalakane River. Meet your host at the airport and transfer to your hotel. In the evening, you’ll get the chance to meet your guides and fellow adventurers and have a chat about the adventure to come.

Enjoy a leisurely start to the day in Maun to shake off any tiredness from the long journey to Botswana. This afternoon you'll head into the wild, driving out of Maun and turning onto a network of off-road sand tracks for a 4x4 journey deep into the magical wilderness of the Okavango Delta, with giraffe, elephant, zebra and buffalo for company. Arriving at the water's edge you'll meet your 'poler' – a local specialist guide from a village at the mouth of the delta. The polers are remarkable people with a deep knowledge of this incredible ecosystem. Your poler will guide you upstream serenely in a mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) for a few hours to reach a remote camp on the edge of Cha Cha Island. The mobile safari camp is already setup so you can relax and take in an iconic African sunset while watching the hippos in the water – eyes peeled for other wildlife as the light fades. Enjoy dinner and a campfire, hearing stories from your camp crew about their time working in wildest Africa. You'll fall asleep tonight to the sounds of the bush.

Wake up in the heart of the African bush, tucking into coffee and a light breakfast before hopping in the mokoro to cross quickly to the other side of the water. From here, set off on an extended bushwalk safari. Your guide will lead the way, talking you through the myriad intricacies of the African bush, telling stories about the wildlife and plant life as you track various species. You’ll likely see giraffes, zebras, antelopes, buffaloes, elephants, impala and countless bird species. Your guide will look out for tracks from the early morning activity for signs of big cats in the area – lion and leopard sightings occur regularly in this part of the Delta. Being immersed in the bush on foot is completely unique, so different from spotting animals on the classic game drive safaris. Eventually circling back to the water's edge, you can enjoy brunch and some downtime back at camp. In the afternoon you can hop in the mokoro to reach a good spot for an unforgettable swim (safely away from any hippos or crocs!). Later on, you’ll take another mokoro ride through the tranquil river channels, eyes peeled for wildlife emerging as the light fades. Watch a classic African sunset from the water before another magical evening around the campfire.

Rise early again – the African bush is at its most alive at dawn and dusk – to set off for another bushwalk, tracking various wildlife. Prides of lions have been spotted at this time of the morning on previous trips, as have African wild dogs – a rare and highly threatened species, though efforts to protect and conserve the population have been gaining traction in Botswana in recent years. Enjoy one last breakfast at the camp before you say goodbye to the wonderful staff who have looked after you while far from civilisation. Hop back in the mokoro for one final meander through the tranquil waters back to where it all began, with the 4x4 waiting to finish the journey back to Maun. Settle into your hotel and enjoy some creature comforts back in civilisation. The afternoon is yours to relax after your wilderness exploits the past few days – there are craft and artwork shops to visit and we highly recommend heading to an excellent restaurant called Marc's Eatery this evening.

Get back on the road first thing for a four-hour drive through the plains, heading east. You’ll stop to stretch your legs and grab some lunch before reaching Nata Lodge, a unique campground surrounded by an array of birdlife such as Meyer’s parrots and grey-headed bushshrikes. Take time to relax, or enjoy an optional visit to the nearby Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, the largest in the world. Finish the day with an evening sipping on sundowners or swimming in the palm shaded pool.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at Nata Lodge before heading north on a five-hour drive towards the town of Kasane. Located on the banks of the Chobe River, it's found at the convergence of four countries' borders: Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Kasane is the gateway to Chobe National Park – one of the world's great wildlife amphitheatres, particularly famous for huge concentrations of African elephants which gather on the banks of the Chobe River to drink. Head out on safari in the late afternoon to experience a classic game drive in a 4x4 with an expert tracker, who will know where to look for lions and herds of elephants. Sunsets on the Chobe River are particularly memorable, so grab a sundowner before dinner at the campground, situated on the banks of the river.

Pre-dawn rises bring the best rewards in Africa, so start early again today with coffee in the dark before jumping on an open game drive vehicle. You'll be taken deeper into the Chobe National Park for three hours of wildlife spotting to rival anywhere on Earth. Afterwards, head back to camp for brunch prepared by your guide and enjoy some downtime. As the sun gets lower in the sky you'll head out again, this time on to the waters of the Chobe River for a sunset river cruise – you'll spot various animals congregating at the water's edge. A boat trip on the Chobe River is real once-in-a-lifetime stuff, with Namibia on one side and Botswana on the other, all the while surrounded by wildlife in every direction. The sun setting while on deck as you head back to the lodge in Kasane is yet another pinch-me moment on your journey across Botswana.

Say goodbye to Chobe as you pack up and hit the road towards Zimbabwe. You’ll cross the border shortly outside Kasane, then drive on through the Zambezi National Park to reach Victoria Falls (please see the FAQs section for information about local payment for this border crossing). Check into your final hotel of the trip and peruse the many optional activities to consider. In the afternoon, you’ll head out to see the magnificent Victoria Falls, exploring the trails and massive viewpoints against the thunderous soundtrack. Why not celebrate with a final dinner at the hotel (or a local restaurant) to toast an epic adventure!

There are so many things to do at Victoria Falls, we've left this day free for you to head off for any one of the myriad activities offered by the lodge. There are options on the Zambezi River for a pure adrenaline hit after your wildlife adventuring, or you can get onto the river in more relaxed fashion with a sunrise or sunset cruise. If you've not had your fill of safari time – you can head out on a game drive or bush walk to add Zimbabwe to your safari-ing checklist. You can also simply ramble around the network of paths to different viewpoints of the Falls, at your own pace. All of these optional activities are payable locally, direct to your lodge.

Today's the day your adventure comes to an end. If you are leaving the area, your host will transfer you to Victoria Falls Airport in time for your onward flight home. If you're staying on for longer, your guides and hotel staff will be able to arrange any of the myriad adventure options on offer here.