Why we find this inspirational journey amazing
"Driving your big 4x4 through Botswana is the most beautiful adventure there is."
Ebe van der Lecq
Founder of Botswana Specialist
- For adventurers with courage and a love for wildlife
- Self-drive with a fully equipped 4x4 with rooftop tent
- Camping in your rooftop tent at beautiful campsites
- Including 4×4, satellite phone, navigation tracks 4 Africa
- Maun – Moremi – Khwai – Savuti – Chobe – Makgadikgadi – Maun
- International flights, park fees, and tips not included
Starting from €3,950,- p.p.
(based on 2 persons)
Plan your own safari in the rugged bush of Botswana! You’ll head out in a safari-proof 4×4 with a rooftop tent, far from the beaten paths. Drive along sandy tracks, cross rivers, and encounter wildlife. Sleep under the stars and wake up to the roar of lions. This self-drive safari is for true adventurers who want to experience Botswana in its purest form: raw, honest, and unforgettable. And the best part? We know the route and highlights, you determine the pace of your adventure. Curious?
Mix of nature, culture, and wildlife
Complete freedom, adventurous and safely organized
Driving in the rugged wilderness yourself
Sleep under the stars in your rooftop tent
Your 16-day itinerary
Day 1 - 3: Arrival in Maun, the safari capital
Day 1 - 3
Arrival in Maun, the safari capital
Your adventure begins relaxed in Maun, the gateway to the Botswana bush. Upon arrival, you will be warmly welcomed by our local colleagues and taken to a cozy B&B. Here you can rest from the journey and get used to the African rhythm. Maun is a laid-back town with nice shops, supermarkets, and a few great restaurants. Go exploring or arrange your first groceries. Tomorrow the real work begins: inflating tires, testing the rooftop tent, filling the cooler, and then… on the road. Everything is right. The anticipation, the excitement, the freedom. Welcome to your own safari story!
Day 3 - 6: Into the wild, Moremi and Okavango
Day 3 - 6
Into the wild, Moremi and Okavango
The bush calls! You drive into the Moremi Game Reserve, on dusty sand roads where elephants might cross your path. This is where the real adventure begins. You set up your own camp in the wild, without a fence. At night you hear hyenas, hippos, or maybe even a lion roaring in the distance. During the day, you spot wildlife during self-drives or optionally take a boat trip through the beautiful channels of the Okavango Delta. Everything is pure and unfiltered. A campfire, a cold beer, the starry sky. This is Africa as it’s meant to be.
Day 6 - 8: Waking up in Khwai, back to basic
Day 6 - 8
Waking up in Khwai, back to basic
Time to explore the next sandy paths. You drive under your own power to Khwai, a community area where wildlife reigns supreme. The route there is adventurous: deep tracks, water crossings, and occasionally a big bump. In Khwai, you camp again in the wild! So without many facilities, but right amidst the animals. During the day, you make self-drives across the savannas and through rivers, searching for elephants, lions, and leopards. At night, you hear the life around your tent. A flat tire? Need a guide? No stress, help is always nearby, just like the magic of the bush.
Day 8 - 10: Savuti: lions, dust and safari
Day 8 - 10
Savuti: lions, dust, and safari
Savuti is a legendary name among safari travelers. And you’ll understand right away why. The ride there (over 4 hours) is challenging, dusty, and beautiful. You drive past ancient baobabs and through vast plains. The campsite is located by the Savuti Channel, a perfect spot to spot lions. This is the hunting ground of the Savuti Marsh Pride, known for their spectacular hunts of buffalo and even young elephants. You will camp once again without a fence, but with a small shop nearby for firewood and drinks. Not in the mood to drive yourself? Arrange a local guide for a morning or evening safari. No problem!
Day 10 - 13: Chobe and Victoria Falls, dust to water
Day 10 - 13
Chobe and Victoria Falls, dust to water
After all the off-road kilometers, it feels almost luxurious: good roads and staying at Chobe River Lodge or a nice campsite by the Chobe River. Kasane is a nice place to catch your breath, but also a great safari destination. You will take a boat safari on the Chobe. Elephants, crocodiles, hippos, and stunning sunsets are included! The next day is reserved for a highlight outside Botswana: a day excursion to Victoria Falls in neighboring Zimbabwe. An overwhelming spectacle of water, mist, and rainbows. In the evening back in Kasane, you can enjoy a nice meal, exchange photos, and reminisce about yet another beautiful safari leg.
Day 13 - 15: Makgadikgadi: salt pans, quads & meerkats
Day 13 - 15
Makgadikgadi: salt flats, quads & meerkats
You leave the green bush behind and drive south towards the endless emptiness of the Makgadikgadi salt pans. After days full of sand and animals, this surreal white expanse is a completely different landscape. Here you sleep right in the middle of the flats through a fully arranged sleep-out from Planet Baobab and go on a quad safari across the flats, walk with a Bushman guide through the desert, and visit a curious family of meerkats early in the morning. The sunsets here are breathtaking, just like the silence. And if you’re lucky, you might also see parts of the great zebra and wildebeest migration. You will camp charmingly under the stars, far from the inhabited world.
Day 15 - 16: Last kilometers & relaxation
Day 15 - 16
Final kilometers & relaxation
The journey is nearing its end. Today you drive back to Maun, on paved roads that almost feel luxurious. Along the way, you reflect on all the moments that made this trip special: the lions in Savuti, the waterways of the Delta, the endless silence in Makgadikgadi, the thrill combined with a sense of safety. In Maun, you will spend one more night in a comfortable B&B, with time to sort through photos, grab some souvenirs, or simply do nothing. Tomorrow you will fly back home. But Botswana… you will carry it with you forever.
What others say about this trip
"We wanted adventure, but got so much more. What a trip!"
Erik & Jolien
Traveled with Botswana Specialist in 2025
