2-week adventure in Botswana: My wildlife and camping adventure Itinerary

Before I booked the trip with a local Belgian agency, I didn’t really know too much about Botswana. I knew it was located in Southern Africa, that it’s home to the Okavango Delta, and that’s about it. During two weeks, I learned and experienced Botswana. And you can discover it here with me!

This trip departed from Johannesburg, where I stayed for the previous two days.

I made this trip with the overland tour operator Drifters. This means that it was a group trip with a guide. They’re based in South Africa and know the Southern African region well. Some spots in the itinerary may be off-limits for others or exclusive to Drifters. Make sure to think about that if you plan on making this trip too.

Top of Africa in Johannesburg
Top of Africa in Johannesburg

Day 1: Getting to Botswana.

It’s an early morning: one of the many to come. At 5:30 am, I get out of bed and prepare myself for the two weeks to come. I returned everything I needed from the past couple of days into my bags and freshened up.

At 6:00 am, we are all expected at the breakfast table, so we can get our tummies filled and hit the road at 6:30 am sharp. Something we did with ease. It looks like it’s a group of early birds!

The first stop is Zeerust in South Africa. A small village where we do some shopping for the coming days. Food, drinks, and alcoholic beverages. Everything we might need. I select beers I haven’t tried before and put them in the cooler in our truck.

Border control at Skilpadshek

Skildpadshek passport check
Skildpadshek passport check

An hour later, we arrive at the Skilpadshek border control. We check out of South Africa and into Botswana. It’s good to know that this can take a long time. It can get busy at the border, and they check your vehicle for illegal things like meat and vegetables. We were lucky and got through it in less than thirty minutes.

After all this, we got hungry. So we stopped in Jwaneng and had lunch at the local Nando’s. Not very local, I know, but sometimes you don’t have to be too picky.

Sleeping at the Kalahari Rest, Botswana

At around 5 pm, we arrived at a place called Kalahari Rest. A camping spot with a nice restaurant in it. Some of us set the tents, while my sister and I decided just to put up a stretcher and sleep under the stars.

There are no animals there except for some wildebeest and impala. But they’re too shy to enter our camp anyway.

After our preparations for the night, we roam around a bit. We see an impala near the camp, I observe a small army of ants digging out a new nest, and we see the sun go down.

Sundown means dinner on this trip. So at 7 pm we all sit in the restaurant and receive our ordered food. I had the Safari Burger. It’s lovely meat with an egg on top. Delicious!

After chatting up at the campfire, we decide to hit the hay as tomorrow is another day of adventure—a lovely first night in Botswana.

Day 2: First game sightings, Bushmen, and giant insects

In the morning, a late 7 am wake-up, I put my stretcher back in the truck and had the first breakfast out of the truck. I instantly reconnected with all the products since they are the same as we had on our Namibia trip three years earlier. (Gotta love rusks!)

At 7:50 am, we are all packed and sitting in the truck, ready to go for another day. Before leaving the campsite, we saw some springbok and a family of Ostriches with their babies. A lot of babies!

By noon, we arrived at our campsite at Dqae Qare. It was a bumpy road, perfect for those African massages. Luckily, we were treated with kudu and impala during the drive. To ease the discomfort a bit.

Relaxation and culture

After lunch, we had some time to spare. Since they have a lovely swimming pool and the temperatures were scorching, we decided to cool ourselves down.

At the swimming pool, we talked to each other. And I saw some incredible insects. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my macro lens with me at that moment. So I must go back one day to photograph the giant potter wasp and velvet ant.

Velvet ant in Botswana
Velvet ant in Botswana

Then, when we were cooled down, the San, as they are called, guided us around nature on the domain. Showing the ways they craft their equipment from natural resources, what plants they like to eat, how they heal the sick, and so much more.

Of course, the highlight was when they created fire with only a stick and some dry grass. It only took them a minute, too!

Walking around for an hour and a half, talking about the food we could find, made us hungry. So we went back to the truck and had our dinner. Another campfire moment with beers (Castle and Hansa lager). That night, everyone slept under the stars.

Day 3: Going deep into the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Waking up before the sun is up hurts. At 4:30 am, we found ourselves packing up our stuff. We had to do a bit of driving and needed to arrive on time. So an early start was essential.

There was a bit of time to see the sunrise during our departure, though. And it did rise. A hot, glowing ball of fire moving away from the horizon. I saw it moving—something I never experienced before.

During the morning drive to our next stop, Swarm Stop near Sepopa, we saw plenty of wildlife: Wildebeest, Impala, white back vultures feeding on a horse, and a warthog.

We also passed the first mouth and claw disease checkpoint—one of many. The thing here is to drive your car through a puddle of disinfectant and clean your shoes on one of their disinfected ‘doormats.’

Taking the boat to Peperi Island

On our arrival at Swamp Stop, we had lunch and some cool drinks. Then we all boarded a little boat and left the mainland. Going deep into the Okavango Delta to our island, Peperi Island.

A three-hour trip by boat. It takes so long because you have to stop for all these amazing animals—tonnes of birds, hippos, crocodiles, the African fish eagle, and elephants.

At around 6 pm, we finally got to our little island in the delta. The crew was singing to wish us a warm welcome. We instantly noticed a rare gazelle near the camp too: a Sitatunga. However, I don’t have any photos of it.

Then it was time for dinner, a briefing about the animals that could enter the campsite at night, and what to do when they did so.

Lions, elephants, and hippos. Precisely the kind of animal you want to encounter while going for a quick wee. Right?

Day 4: Close encounters of the absurd kind

Waking up was right at sunrise. When the animals get quiet again, they usually leave your camp, queue to wake up, have breakfast, and start the day.

That day, we were doing two safari walks. One in the morning and one in the evening.  With a siesta at noon to hide from the heat. Because in Botswana, it can get hot!

The guide taught us a lot about animal tracks and reading them in the first hour or so. The poo animals leave behind and what it can tell you about the animal—an exciting experience.

Mokoro boat ride in Okavango Delta

We suddenly had to run when we arrived at the mukuro’s, a small kano-type boat that would bring us to another island to spot animals. The spotter tasked with our safety instructed us to run to where we had just come from.

I look back at where we were heading and see a big, dark blob charging us. We stumbled into the pathway of a male hippo. They look cuddly in photos, but they cause the most deaths by animals.

Luckily, the guides are very experienced and brought us to safety. It was scary at first, but it soon became a nice story. No one got hurt, and the hippo quickly lost interest in us.

Stepping into the mokoro and floating on the canals made by the hippos right after that experience wasn’t comforting. But hey, how many encounters can you have?

Luckily for us, we didn’t see any more hippos that day. We tracked two male lions but soon lost interest when we saw elephants nearby. So we went to check them out from a safe distance.

The sun was becoming too hot for us, so we decided to head back to camp and relax. Satisfied with our experiences.

The tracks we saw: Lion, elephant, hyena, hippo, water monitor, and baboons.

Evening walk with the animals of Botswana

Around 5:30 pm, we went on another game walk in the evening. Again, not long after leaving, we noticed the tracks of an elephant. Mainly it’s poop. Soon after, we had to run again. Luckily, this time, it was more of a run to hide us than a run for your life type of situation.

After some reconsidering from the guide, he decided we should go around the elephants (and a baby), so we would be downwind. We saw a warthog and her babies hiding under a bush during our trek in a wide bow around the mastodons. They ran away as soon as they noticed us.

We walked further after watching the elephants go away from us in the distance. We found the tusks of a, presumably, dead warthog. Later, a green bush snake slithered in between the feet of some group members.

Warthog tusk

After all those adventures, we had a lovely braai to fill our tummies with nice food. One of the group had his 60th birthday. As a fan of Drifters and a longtime customer, he was honored to become one of the honorary guides.

Afterward, a campfire to have beers, tell stories, and play games. Oh, right, and avoid scorpions roaming around. The first wild scorpions I saw in my life. They’re funny little creatures. Just stay clear of their stingers.

Large claws mean a harmless stinger.

Small claws mean a nasty, bad stinger.

Day 5: Adventures at the campsite

At 6 am, everyone gathered for breakfast again. My sister and I decided not to go on the walks. The adrenaline rushes, followed by a long period of nothingness, are bad for my mood. She didn’t like the continuous tension. A couple of others stayed in the camp too for various reasons. A hangover is one of them.

Surprised baboon in Okavango Delta

Luckily, the campsite wasn’t without adventures either. A troop of baboons entered the campsite and tried to steal from our kitchen. Too bad for them, I was hanging around there. They can be very dangerous, but these aren’t used to humans.

I had a lot of fun popping through windows and doors and seeing their panicky reaction. An hour later, they learned that there was no food to be stolen, and they left again.

Right in time for me to see a large flock of fruit bats fly into the camp and nest in the trees above our tents. As soon as they landed, I lost sight of them. One of the people staying at the camp was a good spotter and helped me find them during the siesta.

Upon the group’s arrival, I learned I did not miss anything mentionable. Perfect for preparing me for the thing I was looking forward to doing. A helicopter flight over the Okavango Delta.

Mokoro in Okavango Delta, Botswana

From the sky and waters

Helicopter flight over the Okavango Delta

At 1 pm, the helicopter landed on an open spot a little bit outside of the camp. My sister, another group member, and I jumped in, and we left the solid ground for half an hour.

For extra visibility, the doors of the helicopter were removed.

We had a nice view of the landscape and the animals in the Okavango Delta from the sky. Elephants and hippo roaming in the water, warthog running around, herds of cows, crocodile resting on little sandbanks, the sitatunga again, red lechwe, and the mighty baobabs.

Mother & child elephant in Okavango

It was a lot to take in. Thirty minutes seems short, but it’s enough time to look at all the animals.

After another short break, we all hopped in the boat again. The last safari in the Okavango Delta: a boat safari. The guide knew of a place where, usually, there are plenty of buffalo. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any.

Okavango Delta boatride
Okavango Delta boat ride

Good thing we saw plenty of other animals. We got (too) close to a hippo, saw elephants from nearby, saw the soaring African fish eagle, red lechwe, (baby) crocodiles, black shoulder kites, and waterbuck. The guide was annoyed because he felt he was failing. After all, we didn’t see any lion or buffalo, but I was happy with all the animals we did see.

When we returned, dinner was ready, and we all ate some nice food. We gathered around the campfire again and then went off to bed.

Later that night, I woke up to the sound of lions roaring. It was in the distance, but I was afraid enough to stay in bed while I needed to pee. Good thing I had an empty water bottle.

This is a pro tip for people scared of possible animal encounters during the night and who have a small bladder. Take one of your empty 5L water bottles into the tent. This is a nice bush toilet you can close off and empty in the morning. I did it, no shame!

Day 6: Another day of traveling

After breakfast, we left the island. At around 6:30 am, we hopped into the boat and hit the small and large channels again. We encountered more elephants, rushed over a hippo pod blocking the way, and saw a crocodile clinging onto a dead cow in the water.

At 9:30, we arrived at Swarm Stop again. We loaded our bags into the truck and left for Maun—a large city in the center of Botswana. On the road, nothing spectacular happened.

In Maun, we shopped for food and drinks again and then went to the Green Fire Lodge of Maun. We all had tents again, but this time with a real bed. Heaven!

After installing myself a bit, I jumped into the swimming pool. Cool beer on the side. Some wifi to text my girlfriend about all the adventures I had. Brag my hippo story to some friends. And then enjoy the sun setting before we had a meal cooked in an actual kitchen.

Drinkin St Louis beer in Maun Botswana
Drinkin St Louis beer in Maun Botswana

Day 7: Time for the real animal deal

The next day, we had a ‘late’ breakfast at 7:30 am and left another hour later. First, some more shopping in Maun and then off to the South Gate. Gate to where? To Moremi Game Reserve.

In Moremi, we would stay two nights, camping in the wild among the animals. On the road to the campsite, we already encountered plenty of animals.

  • Arrow-marked babbler
  • Yellow-Billed Hornbill
  • Impala: also little ones!
  • Elephant: and lots of them.
  • Giraf: Not a lot, but they were present.
  • Kudu: I love the horns on the males.
  • Steenbok: So many again
  • Warthog: tails up and running fast.
  • Cheetah: Three of them roamed the open spots
  • Leopard: hiding in a bush, just 3m from me
  • African buffalo: a small herd plowing through the mud
  • Hyena: It was far away, but a hyena
  • Jackal: He warned us about the leopard; thank you, little guy
  • Lechwe: I mean, they’re everywhere!
  • Hippo: It was more comfortable to see them from the safety of a car
  • Wildebeest: Still angry about that Mufasa thingy.
  • Baboon: Some troops with babies; it’s super cute!
  • Zebra: They were a surprise, but I was happy seeing them.
  • Banded mongoose: cute little ones.

At around 6:30 pm, we arrived at our camp. Some of the helpers had arrived there before us and had set up the tents and toilets. I was ready for bed after dinner, briefing, and toilet use.

Well, first warning, the guides about eyes I saw looking at me while on the toilet. I saw the light reflecting. It turned out it was a group of Impalas using us as a shield from predators. I don’t know if it worked out for them.

Day 8: Game drive and more game drive

The entire day was spent driving around, apart from a small break from 11:30 am to 4 pm. The day’s highlight was a group of wild dogs ripping apart a baby impala. Watch out for graphic photos.

A list of the animals we saw:

  • Gnu/wildebeest
  • Elephant
  • Wild dog ripping a baby impala
  • Hyena
  • Kudu
  • Impala
  • Lechwe
  • Leopard
  • Baboon
  • Vervet monkey
  • Marabou stork
  • Pelican

At 7 pm, we arrived back at the camp and had dinner around the campfire. The guides told us a few stories, and we talked some more. For me, it was bedtime at around 9 pm.

At night, I woke up from movement behind the tents. A hyena was brave enough to come close and bite one of our water containers. Too bad for him; he failed.

Day 9: The animal everyone was hoping for…

Another morning in the wild. This day we moved camp from Moremi to Savuti. Another region is the Chobe National Park. We headed from camp to North Gate. There, we checked out of Moremi and headed our way to Savuti. Another part of Botswana’s most beautiful region: Chobe National Park.

On the way out, we saw many animals, like the trip’s first lions. Just lying there under a bush. The lazy guys!

A complete list of animals we saw before noon:

Lion sleeping
  • Lion
  • Chacma baboon
  • Hippo
  • Elephant
  • Giraffe
  • Warthog
  • Zebra
  • Kudu
  • Sable antelope
  • African buffalo
  • Gnu/wildebeest
  • Waterbuck
  • Tsessebe
  • Springbok
  • Red lechwe
  • Impala
  • Reedbuck
  • Southern ground hornbill
  • Grey heron
  • Marabou stork

We took a lunch break in the wild right after we saw the lions. I wasn’t comfortable, because it wasn’t that far. After a nice lunch, we continued our drive in the wild. And we saw even more animals.

tsessebe
  • Lion
  • Black-backed Jackal
  • Elephant
  • Giraffe
  • Hippo
  • Warthog
  • Zebra
  • Kudu
  • Roan antelope
  • Sable antelope
  • Buffalo
  • Tsessebe
  • Red lechwe
  • Impala
  • Yellow Mongoose
  • Kori Bustard
  • Northern black korhaan
  • Ostrich
  • Southern yellow-billed hornbill
  • Secretary bird
  • Pearl-spotted owlet

At around 6:30 pm, we finally arrived at the camp. Our guides were kind enough to go ahead again and set it up for us.

We had dinner again, another circle around the campfire, and then to bed.

Day 10: A day of younglings in Botswana

a family of baboons

Another day in Chobe National Park, Botswana. In Savuti, to be precise. At 6 am, the game drive started again. We spotted an elephant carcass the day before, so our guide safely assumed we would see some animals gather there.

And right he was. At the carcass, we found a pride of lions feasting on the meat. A male overlooking the scene, some mothers eating, some mothers napping, and cubs going all over the place.

We also spotted many elephants later on. One had climbed a hillside, which even surprised our guide. We discovered a giant herd of more than 50 elephants at a pool. Little ones, too. It was so cute and impressive to see!

A young cub cuddling with a lioness

We saw some more animals at the morning game drive in Savuti.

  • Jackal
  • Giraffe
  • Warthog
  • Zebra
  • Kudu
  • Gnu/wildebeest
  • Tsessebe
  • Reedbuck
  • Steenbok
  • Yellow Mongoose
  • Kori Bustard
  • Black-bellied bustard

We had a siesta and a speedy shower in the afternoon under the trees.

At 4 pm, we left the camp again. Luckily, we found a female leopard sleeping just next to a bush. We had an obvious view of her, making it a pleasant experience.

Hyena mom and pups in Savuti national park
A cute hyena family

Our guide knew about a hyena den not too far from the camp. There we would wait until the mother returned and greeted the little ones. For a minute, we discussed with another car that claimed no hyenas were there anymore. Our patience was rewarded, as they did live in the den. Cute hyena puppies greeting their mom.

It was getting late again, so we had to return to camp—another dinner around the campfire and off to bed. The next day we would have to go back to Maun.

vervet monkey mother and child

Day 11: Roads, roads, and roadkill

Johnson our game drive guide in Savuti and Moremi

At 6 pm, we departed camp again. Heading for Mababe gate. We had some rain the day before, so the road wasn’t in perfect condition. And we didn’t see a lot of animals during the drive.

After some driving, we arrived at the Mababe gate, leaving Savuti. A bit outside the camp, we saw an impala that was hit by a car. A bit further, an aardvark as well. It was the first aardvark I ever saw, so it was sad to see it lying on its back and bloodied.

Another veterinary control point to disinfect our shoes and tires before we arrived at Maun again was Botswana’s touristic capital. We bought some more food and drinks there and headed for the Greenfire Lodge again.

I spent the whole afternoon swimming in the pool and relaxing. I did take some time to focus on photographing the insects. But since I don’t know the local ones, it was hard to get good pictures.

After dinner, we played the impala drinking game, but I went to bed pretty early since I wasn’t feeling too well.

Day 12: Saltpans and thunderstorms

Makgadigadik saltpan one tree island
Makgadigadik saltpan one tree island

The next day was pretty relaxed. We had plenty of time to reach our next destination: The Makgadikgadi saltpans. So, the morning I spent in the swimming pool again. Does it show I love water a lot?

We had a late breakfast and then lunch before we left. From 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm, we spent driving. It could have been faster, but we had to take a couple of breaks since I became carsick out of nowhere.

Our make shift toilet
Our makeshift toilet

Once we arrived at One Tree Island in the Makgadikgadi salt pans, I started to feel better again. We took some group photos and then had dinner. The guides made some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever had.

After lunch, when we sat around the campfire, we noticed the horizon filled with lightning bolts—one after the other. I don’t think I ever saw so many lightning bolts. This was probably the most memorable night of my stay in Botswana.

Makgadigadik Saltpans thunderstorm

At first, we decided to sleep under the stars. After a while, the stars disappeared behind the clouds. The lightning didn’t come close, though. But the rain did. So at midnight, we decided to put up our tents.

Day 13: Bye-bye Botswana

After a short night’s rest, we had to get up again. At 5 am, we started packing and eating some breakfast. The first part of the road was bumpy again, but we soon hit paved roads again.

On the road, we witnessed an elephant mother and baby separated. The mother got over a fence, and the little one was still too small to do it. So the mother tried to explain how, but the little one panicked. We had to continue, but our guide told us they always find a way to solve this problem.

By lunch, we arrived in Kasane at the northern border of Botswana. We had lunch on a rather large boat. While we ate, the captain left the shore and started our cruise on the Chobe River. We technically didn’t cross the border, but I still feel we revisited Namibia.

Fun fact: Botswana and Zambia share one of the shortest borders in the world, measuring only 150 meters in length.

Discover more Botswana Fun Facts: 27 fun facts about Botswana

We got close to some hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, and waterbucks during the cruise.

At 2 pm, we arrived at the border with Zimbabwe. It didn’t take too long for us to go through customs. Plus, the guard made it a pleasant experience. Asking us about Lukaku and the languages spoken in Belgium.

Byebye Botswana!

Another two hours later, we arrived at the Greenfire lodge in Victoria Falls. This was the last stop on the trip for my sister and me. We booked an extra day in the city while the other hit the road to Johannesburg two days later. But it’s not the end of the trip yet.

After the cook’s dinner, we had a short briefing and were requested to go to the breakfast hall. Wild Horizons’ people explained everything about Victoria Falls and the activities we could do there. My sister and I booked our days as full as possible.

After booking, we headed to the lodge bar and drank the local Zambezi beer. I can recommend this one!

Day 14: I’m regretting this decision

Zambezi beer in the Greenfire lodge in Victoria Falls
Zambezi beer in the Greenfire lodge in Victoria Falls

At 7:30 am, my sister, another group member, and I were picked up for our first activity—white water rafting on the Zambezi River. The bus picked up some other people at different local lodges and hotels and took us to a bar.

There, we started the safety instructions. While they explained all the hazards we may encounter and how to react, I was a bit afraid. It all sounded so serious and dangerous. I did my best to keep myself together and get through the day.

We then hopped into one of the boats and started practicing. Seven participants and a guide. It was a funny guide. He gave good instructions, made good jokes, and made it an enjoyable experience. He was also very comforting.

That day, we did 19 rapids from level 1 to level 5. The one level 6, named Commercial Suicide, we skipped. The name can tell you why.

All in all, we had a good go. After the first three or four rapids, I felt confident. I can even say I had a lot of fun. We jumped into the water at a certain point and just went with the current for a bit. It was a nice cool down.

We only flipped the boat once. At Oblivion, where 9 out of 10 boats flip, we turned the boat around, and all landed in the water. The first 10 seconds I was underwater were a bit scary, but I remembered our guide’s instructions: sit it out, the lifejacket brings you back up in 10 seconds.

So I did, and as promised, I resurfaced soon enough. The rest of the group was already some distance downstream. They even already flipped the boat back to its normal position. Along the way, I found the Dutch woman I met earlier. She was panicking a bit and was uncomfortable with the situation. I decided to hang around her and have a chat. I enjoyed the swim.

Upon arrival at the boat, we did the last rapid, which was only a level one, and then stopped the tour. We climbed back up to the top of the gorge. The climb is exhausting; luckily, they have a nice lunch prepared for you at the top. With some nice cold drinks. A perfect end to an adventurous trip.

In the evening, starting at 4 pm, we did a sundowner boat cruise. It’s this bigger boat going up the Zambezi River, looking for animals while you enjoy an all-inclusive bar. Not a bad deal at all.

Afterward, we had a last dinner with the entire group in the Three Monkeys restaurant in the city center—a nice place to eat local meats and other food. The service there is polite and kind, and the food arrives quickly.

We all had drinks together and then ended our nights in several ways. I just went to the lodge to enjoy peace and a beer.

Day 15: Goodbyes and spa day

Victorial Falls in Zimbabwe
Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe

In the morning, we all woke up early again. The group had to drive back to Johannesburg, over Francistown, to return to their flights. My sister and I booked an extra day in Victoria Falls and would fly home from there.

After a lovely breakfast and hugs, the truck left us. My sister and I went to sit near the pool and relax a bit. At 10 am, we had a pick-up to bring us to the spa. I had a massage, and my sister enjoyed a pedicure.

We then left for Victoria Falls Park. We had lunch at the Rainforest Café first. It’s a great place to enjoy the coolness of the spray, good coffee, and a nice hamburger.

Then we had our first actual view of Victoria Falls. Seeing all the water going over the cliffs and falling 100m lower is awesome.

After our walk through the park, we headed to the pickup point to visit Livingstone Island. After a short walk through customs, we were in Zambia, home of Livingstone.

Sitting on top of Victoria Falls
Sitting on top of Victoria Falls

A very short boat ride and some instructions led us to the Devil’s Pool. There you can sit on the edge of the waterfalls. Looking down 100m while the water washes over you. It’s an incredible experience I can only recommend.

We had high tea on the island and then returned to our lodge. We finished with our trip and got ready for bed. The next day was filled with traveling back home from Vic Falls to Joburg, Paris, Brussels, Antwerp, and bed again.

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