Botswana | 12 days | classic, luxury
12-day Botswana grand
Adds Makgadikgadi meerkats and sleep-out to the grand circuit.
Duration12 days
Styleclassic, luxury
StartsMaun
EndsMaun
Green season from$11,200 pp
Peak season from$13,600 pp
Fly-in Botswana circuit: light-aircraft hops between water, predator and riverfront camps - low beds, huge concessions, no crowds. The ultimate unhurried format: everything, slowly, with contingency days built in. Route: Makgadikgadi - Okavango Delta - Moremi / Khwai - Chobe over 12 days. Season logic: May-October dry season; Delta flood peaks June-August.
Highlights
- Private throughout - own vehicle and guide, departing on your dates, with no group to join.
- Parks covered - Makgadikgadi, Okavango Delta, Moremi / Khwai, Chobe.
- Season-smart routing - camp zone set by your month, not by a fixed template.
- Honest pricing - park and concession fees line-itemed on every quote.
- Makgadikgadi - the vast salt pans, brown hyena and habituated meerkats.
- 7 nights in Chobe - river days and game-drive days are different things, and consecutive nights let both happen.
- Fly-in between camps - light aircraft instead of road days, so the safari stays the safari.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Maun
Morning: Land at Maun; meet your private guide for a full safari briefing.
Midday: Lunch and gear check; rest after the flight.
Afternoon: Introductory game drive in Makgadikgadi where routing allows, else lodge pool and early rest.
Evening: Dinner and overnight near Maun. (Add a pre-night after long-haul arrivals.)
Meals: Dinner.
Accommodation: Lodge on the edge of Maun.
Day 2 - Makgadikgadi
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Makgadikgadi: Meerkat mornings, quad-bike vastness and zebra migration in the rains.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Camp on the Makgadikgadi pans.
Day 3 - Okavango Delta
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Okavango Delta: Mokoro dugout safari, palm-island walks and predator drives from a water camp. Transfer from Makgadikgadi (a scenic road transfer).
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Tented camp or lodge inside the Delta.
Day 4 - Moremi / Khwai
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Moremi / Khwai: Predators, wild dogs and concession freedoms: off-road, night drives, walks. Transfer from Okavango Delta (short charter hop).
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Tented camp in the Moremi or Khwai concession.
Day 5 - Chobe
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Chobe: Riverfront boat safaris among elephant and buffalo masses. Transfer from Moremi / Khwai (charter to Kasane).
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Lodge on the Chobe riverfront.
Day 6 - Chobe
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Riverfront boat safaris among elephant and buffalo masses.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Lodge on the Chobe riverfront.
Day 7 - Chobe
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Riverfront boat safaris among elephant and buffalo masses.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Lodge on the Chobe riverfront.
Day 8 - Chobe
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Riverfront boat safaris among elephant and buffalo masses.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Lodge on the Chobe riverfront.
Day 9 - Chobe
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Riverfront boat safaris among elephant and buffalo masses.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Lodge on the Chobe riverfront.
Day 10 - Chobe
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Riverfront boat safaris among elephant and buffalo masses.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Lodge on the Chobe riverfront.
Day 11 - Chobe
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Riverfront boat safaris among elephant and buffalo masses.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Lodge on the Chobe riverfront.
Day 12 - Depart
Morning: Final sunrise activity around Chobe with bush breakfast.
Midday: Brunch, then transfer to Maun for onward connections.
Afternoon: Day rooms available on late flights; souvenir stop if time allows.
Evening: End of safari services at Maun airport.
Meals: Breakfast and brunch.
Accommodation: Departure day - no overnight stay.
Why this 12-day Botswana safari itinerary
12 days on the Botswana circuit: Makgadikgadi, Okavango Delta, Moremi / Khwai, Chobe. Every day below is a real day on the ground, not a transfer with a game drive attached.
Why Makgadikgadi comes first
It opens a Botswana trip with the emptiest landscape in the country - and that is where the route opens.
Chobe gets 7 nights
Chobe holds 7 of the 12 days, and that is deliberate: river days and game-drive days are different things, and consecutive nights let both happen.
What 12 days buys
12 days is the unhurried format. With this many nights the itinerary can absorb a closed road, a slow morning or a sighting that runs long, and still finish with everything covered.
Getting around Botswana
Botswana moves by light aircraft between camps, because the road distances between the delta and the Chobe riverfront would eat the safari. The delta itself is boat and mokoro rather than road, and the concessions around Khwai and Moremi allow night drives and off-road tracking that the national parks do not.
Accommodation
Hand-picked lodges and tented camps matched to your tier - mid-range comfort or luxury suites, always positioned for short game-drive starts. Family rooms, honeymoon suites and triple options on request.
Safari vehicle and guide
Extended 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, fridge, charging ports and window seats for all. Your English-speaking driver-guide averages a decade in these parks and is assigned by specialty - Migration positioning, photography, birding or family pacing.
Who this safari is best for
First-time safari travelers and anyone wanting the essential parks done properly.
Pricing
| Season | Per person (2 travelers) |
|---|---|
| Green season | from $11,200 |
| Peak season | from $13,600 |
| Tier | What you get |
|---|---|
| Budget | Camping and simple camps, with departures in the green season to hold the rate down. The private vehicle, your guide and the park fees stay exactly the same - the cut is beds and season, never guiding or positioning. |
| Mid-range | Comfortable lodges and tented camps with full board, positioned for short game-drive starts. This is the standard the from-price on this page assumes. |
| Luxury | Top-end suites and private villas in the best position in camp, private guiding throughout and flexible meal times. The highest season surcharge applies. |
Best time to book
Botswana runs on two seasons. The one you pick changes what you see, what the camps cost and how far ahead you need to commit.
Dry season
May to October is the dry season and the classic window: animals concentrate on the permanent water, the delta flood arrives from the north, and the bush is at its most open. It is also the high season for both price and camps.
Green season
November to April is the green season, when the rains transform the pans, the birding peaks and the newborn animals arrive. Rates fall substantially and the parks are close to empty.
What actually drives the timing
The Okavango flood is the exception to every seasonal rule: it arrives from Angola during the dry months, so the delta is fullest from June to August precisely when the surrounding country is driest. Makgadikgadi works the other way, with the summer rains turning the pans green from December.
How far ahead to book
June to August and the Christmas window want six to twelve months of notice, because delta camps are small and fly-in seat counts are fixed. Green-season Botswana often works on two to four months.
What is included and excluded
Every price on this page is a full-cost quote. Park and concession fees are line-itemed, so the total you compare against another operator is the total you pay.
Included
- Transport and guiding - private extended 4x4 safari vehicle with a dedicated driver-guide for your group only.
- Park and conservation fees - entry to Okavango Delta, Chobe, paid on your behalf and shown as line items on the quote.
- Accommodation - 11 nights in lodges, tented camps or seasonal camps matched to your tier.
- Meals - most meals as listed day by day: breakfast at camp, a picnic or lodge lunch, and dinner, with bottled water in the vehicle throughout.
- Transfers - every road transfer in the day-by-day, including airport pick-up and drop-off.
- Game drives - morning and afternoon drives in your own vehicle, on no schedule but yours.
- Taxes - government taxes and VAT on everything quoted.
Not included
- International flights - into Kasane (BBK) or Maun (MUA); we route the connections but do not issue tickets.
- Visas - Botswana allows visa-free entry for many nationalities for stays up to 90 days. We confirm the current rule for your passport before you fly.
- Travel insurance - required, and it must include medical evacuation.
- Premium drinks - premium wines, spirits and cocktails at lodges and camps.
- Tips - driver-guide and camp staff gratuities.
- Optional extras - balloon or scenic flights, extra nights, luxury camp tier, beach or trekking extensions.
Parks and guides
Back to hub | Style hub | Customize any itinerary
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FAQs
Can we add a beach extension?
Yes - Zanzibar, Diani and Mozambique links are routine. Say the word and the flights slot into your proposal.
How do deposits and payments work?
A deposit of 20 to 30 percent confirms camps, permits and flights; the balance is due 60 days before travel. We accept bank transfer and major cards (card fees disclosed upfront). Full terms arrive in writing before you pay anything.
We accept bank transfer and Visa or Mastercard; card payments add the processor's 2-4 percent, disclosed line by line. Splitting the balance across two cards is possible at proposal stage, and paying early in green season occasionally unlocks camp flexibility worth a few percent - always against a written schedule, never against an informal promise.
Are your guides qualified?
Our driver-guides average a decade in their parks, hold national guiding licenses plus first-aid certification, and are assigned by specialty - Migration positioning, photography, birding or family pacing.
How do we get the best price without hurting the trip?
Travel green season, bring four or more travelers to split the vehicle, choose tented camps over lodges, and drive where flying saves little. Never cut guide quality, Migration-zone positioning or insurance.
The four levers that actually work: green season (published rates 20-40 percent below high season with fewer vehicles at sightings), four or more travelers splitting the vehicle, tented camps over permanent lodges of the same operator, and road transfers under two hours instead of flight sectors. The three that do not: cutting guide quality, cutting Migration-zone positioning, and dropping insurance - the last one being a false economy at US$100-300 for a multi-thousand-dollar trip.
What is the best month for this trip?
Dry-season months give the easiest wildlife viewing; green-season months cut cost 20 to 35 percent. Tell us your window and we confirm the wildlife logic.
What vaccinations and malaria prevention do we need?
Yellow fever certificates are required when arriving from endemic countries; malaria prophylaxis is recommended for most safari regions - discuss options with your doctor 6 to 8 weeks out. We brief every trip on water, sun and insect precautions.
CDC guidance for the region is precise. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for all safari travelers and becomes a certificate requirement when you arrive via an endemic country such as Rwanda or Uganda. Routine boosters, hepatitis A, typhoid and hepatitis B round out the travel clinic list. Malaria transmission covers every game park below roughly 2,500 meters, the parasite is chloroquine resistant, and the preventatives that work are atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine or tafenoquine, started before arrival and finished after. Book the clinic six to eight weeks out, and pack repellent with 20 percent DEET plus long sleeves for dusk.
What photography gear should we bring?
A 100 to 400mm zoom covers 90 percent of sightings; add a wide second body for landscapes. Beanbags beat tripods in vehicles. We provide charging setups and dust management briefings - tell us your kit and targets.
How do internal flights and luggage limits work?
Bush flights allow 15 to 20kg in soft duffels; lodges store hard cases free. We route connections with realistic margins and meet you at every airstrip - missed-connection cover is built into fly-in trips.
Is this trip private?
Yes - every itinerary here runs with your own vehicle and guide. No Mixed-group compromises unless you ask for a join-in price.
Request this safari
Your dates, your camp tier - reply within 24 hours.