Drifters Botswana Explorer 2026

Drifters' tours are full of adventure. The overland safari operator has been one of the largest and most renowned in southern Africa for over 40 years. The Botswana safari starts as a classic camping tour in tents for two and as an Explorer Tour in permanent accommodation. This tour description corresponds to the Explorer Tour.

You stay in comfortable fixed rooms or tent suites with fixed beds and your own bathroom/WC. Bed linen and towels are always provided. All travelers should have a certain open-minded attitude. This is not a typical hotel bus tour. Single travelers may have to share a room with a fellow traveler of the same sex; a single room (optional) is also available on request. Transportation is by non-air-conditioned safari truck.

The tour language is English and the group is international. The age structure is between 18 and around 55 years. The maximum number of participants is 16 with an average of 10 people per tour. Unlike many other safari providers, Drifters does not charge a local payment or food kitty. All services included in the tour are booked and paid for in advance. Only optional activities and meals not included must be paid for directly on site.

Flights are not included in this tour. We are happy to arrange suitable flights or airport transfers as well as pre- or post-night stays on request. As the Drifters tours usually start early in the morning and only arrive in the late afternoon, you should book at least one overnight stay at the start location and one overnight stay at the destination in order not to miss the start of the tour or the return flight. Optionally, the tour can end earlier in Victoria Falls, please contact us for more information.

2026 Start Dates and Prices (PDF) (starts every other Tuesday)

The casual visitor to Botswana can be forgiven for perceiving the country as miles and miles of flat, desolate bushland with little or no surface water. At second glance, and with a little local knowledge, a whole new world is revealed that is arguably Africa's finest wildlife viewing destination. Botswana is the size of France and over a quarter of its surface area is set aside exclusively for nature conservation. Our tour takes us through the vast Kalahari plains, where we meet the Bushmen who live there and are among the oldest peoples in Africa. We then venture north into the magnificent Okavango Delta, the world's largest inland delta, whose waters rise in the distant mountains of Angola and flow into the vast Makgadigadi Plain, creating a unique wildlife paradise. We explore the world-famous national parks in fully equipped, open 4×4 vehicles and follow old animal migration trails, season permitting. We enjoy a game drive by boat on the Chobe River in Chobe National Park and finish with a visit to "the thundering smoke" - the Victoria Falls. Clients can choose to fly home from Victoria Falls or continue south overland and end the trip in Johannesburg. The tour offers the ultimate natural paradise for the adventurer, the photographer, the ornithologist and the nature lover.

DAY 1: KHAMA RHINO SANCTUARY
Our adventure begins with our departure from Johannesburg at 6:30 a.m. On our way through the arid thornbush region of South Africa’s North West Province, we’ll cross the border into Botswana at Martins Drift. After completing customs and immigration formalities, we’ll enter the vast plains of the Kalahari, which stretch as far as the eye can see. We’ll cover a long distance today before arriving at our accommodations at the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. The Khama Rhino Sanctuary (KRS) is a community-based wildlife project founded in 1992. The focus of the Khama Rhino Sanctuary is to save rhinos threatened with extinction, restore the environment to its original state, provide economic benefits to the local population, and promote the prudent management of natural resources. Spanning an area of approximately 8,585 ha, this “sanctuary” provides a safe haven for white and black rhinos, as well as over 30 other animal species and more than 230 bird species. Tonight, we’ll enjoy a delicious dinner while our guide explains what to expect over the next few days.
Overnight: Khama Rhino Sanctuary, meals included: breakfast, dinner

DAY 2: MAUN
We wake up early and set off on the first of many game drives in an open safari vehicle. We explore the Khama Rhino Sanctuary and go in search of rhinos and many other species that call this extraordinary environment home. We then return to camp for brunch. Our journey continues north into the true wilderness. We drive through numerous remote villages as we pass the vast Makgadikgadi salt pans. The last part of our journey takes us along the Boteti River and to our stop for the night: Drifters Maun Lodge. The lodge offers comfortable twin-bedded units, all with great views of the wide Boteti River - the birding is exceptional! Tonight we fall asleep to the sounds of grunting hippos.
Overnight: Drifters Maun Lodge, meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 3-4: OKAVANGO DELTA
After an early start, we leave the lodge behind us and drive back to Maun. From there we fly to the Okavango Delta. The Okavango, a mighty river that comes from the far north of Angola and flows south, is one of the world's only true inland deltas and offers a unique ecosystem that is home to a wide variety of animal and plant species. The sight of a nervous lechwe trotting across a flooded plain, the leafhen carefully pacing among the flowering lilies, the bee-eater chasing an unsuspecting insect and, of course, the familiar cry of the African fish eagle all add up to a canvas of a unique masterpiece of nature. The river eventually flows into the vast plains of the Makgadikgadi sands and disappears. Our comfortable and well-equipped camp on the edge of one of the largest lagoons serves as a base from which we explore the delta. We will glide through narrow reed channels in mokoros (hand-carved canoes made from a tree trunk), walk on uninhabited islands and picnic in the wilderness while learning about the animals and plants of the delta from local guides who have grown up in the area. Through informal exchanges with the guides, we will have the opportunity to get to know the locals and their way of life in this remote wilderness. We will also have time to simply relax and enjoy the view over a glistening lagoon from a beautiful wooden deck with a cold drink in hand, go for a walk with our guide or take a refreshing dip in the pool. One afternoon we enjoy a relaxing boat trip at sunset.
Overnight: 2x Guma Lagoon Drifters Camp, meals included: 2x breakfast, 2x lunch, 2x dinner

DAY 5-8: FLEXIBLE GAME RESERVE PLANNING
We take off early and drive back to the airstrip. From there we take a second flight over the vast plains of the Delta and Moremi National Park to Khwai Airstrip. On the way we can enjoy breathtaking views of the Okavango Delta and keep an eye out for animals. While we are in the air, our support vehicle with our luggage and camp equipment drives up. After landing, we are met by the "Drifters Ground Crew" and taken to our camp on the banks of the Khwai River in an open safari vehicle. Our accompanying crew has already set up the tents there. This wild experience is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the tour. For the next four days we go on an extensive safari, stopping at hideouts and waterholes and making the most of our time here. We travel in well-equipped, open 4×4 Land Cruisers with our local Motswana guides and explore the Khwai Concession, as well as the famous Moremi and Savuti reserves. Our itinerary is flexible and seasonal. The vegetation is constantly changing, from open plains with palm trees, to marshland, to dense mopane woodland or acacia scrubland. This variety of habitats makes for excellent game viewing. The 4x4s are not just for show, because the national parks are truly wild places, the roads are just tracks in the sand. We carry only our cameras and daypacks, a picnic lunch and drinks for the road, while a support vehicle with our luggage and camp equipment drives ahead. We return to our camp at sunset, where a warm campfire is already waiting for us. After a delicious dinner, it's time for bed. We fall asleep to the laughter of a hyena, the roar of a lion or the deep grunt of a hippo. We use exclusive private campsites in the national parks, which are just a GPS point in the bush, completely secluded and undeveloped - it's as if we were the first people here and alone in the world. We bring everything with us and leave nothing behind when we leave, and our back-up crew stays with us the whole time so that we can concentrate fully on the wilderness. Depending on the ever-changing conditions in the national parks, we may also venture into the vast Central Kalahari Game Reserve or the unique Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.
Accommodation: 4x Khwai Hippo Pool Lodge, meals included: 4x breakfast, 4x lunch, 4x dinner

DAY 9: MAUN
On our last morning in the parks, we slowly make our way back to Maun. We enjoy lunch (own expense) and have some time to explore the town. We stock up on food before driving the short distance to Drifters Maun Lodge, where we will spend the night. The lodge is located on the banks of the Boteti. The river is known to change its flow direction depending on the season and rainfall. The lodge offers comfortable units with two beds, a pool, a bar, a restaurant and numerous bird species. This afternoon we relax at the lodge before enjoying dinner and a cozy night.
Overnight: Drifters Maun Lodge, meals included: breakfast, dinner

DAY 10: MAKGADIKGADI PANS
After getting up early the last few days, we enjoy a relaxed morning at the lodge today. We spend time along the riverbed and enjoy the tranquillity of the surroundings or hang out by the pool. Those interested can take a walk to the nearby village. Chenoga Village is off the beaten track, so here you have the opportunity to get to know his home village with a member of the lodge staff.
We enjoy an early lunch before continuing east to visit the spectacular Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. Oceans of golden grass give way to rugged white pans under a vast sky. We stop here to take in the solitude and vastness before continuing on to our accommodation for the night: Elephant Sands Lodge. Elephant sightings at the waterhole are almost guaranteed here.
Overnight stay: Elephant Sands Lodge, meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 11: CHOBE RIVER - VICTORIA FALLS
We venture north today and make our way to the slow, calm Chobe River, an ideal habitat for hippos and crocodiles and an attraction for some of the largest herds of elephant and buffalo on earth. This afternoon we enjoy an extensive boat trip on the river in Chobe National Park. Gliding close to the banks, we hope to get close to the animals that drink along the river. Back on land, we cross the border into Zimbabwe and make our way to our accommodation for the night. The lodge is centrally located and only a few minutes' walk from the waterfalls and other attractions.
Overnight stay: A'Zambezi River Lodge, meals included: breakfast, lunch

DAY 12: VICTORIA FALLS
We wake up in the adventure capital of Africa and full of excitement explore the impressive Victoria Falls, known to the locals as "Mosi-oa-Tunya" - "the smoke that thunders". This is the place where, according to ancient lore, the Zambezi river god "Nyami Nyami", who takes the form of a snake spirit, hides. The entrance fee to the falls is included in the tour price and you can spend as much time as possible there to see the falls and explore the surrounding rainforest. Various other attractions can be visited during our stay in Victoria Falls, such as a tribal village or a souvenir market. Victoria Falls is also home to a variety of adventure activities, such as a helicopter flight over the falls, a boat trip on the Zambezi River, white water rafting or bungee jumping (own expense). We spend two nights here, so we have some time to explore the town and all it has to offer. We'll have dinner tonight at a local restaurant (own expense). Relax to the sound of the African night and the distant roar of the waterfalls and toast to your adventure.
Overnight: A'Zambezi River Lodge, meals included: breakfast

DAY 13: GREATER HWANGE
After breakfast, we drive the short distance to the famous Hwange, known as one of the best nature reserves in Africa. Hwange is famous for its large herds of elephant and buffalo, among other things. It is also home to over 100 species of mammals and over 400 species of birds. Lions, leopards and wild dogs are even regularly spotted. This afternoon we go on a game drive in an open off-road vehicle. Local guides show us the surroundings with their excellent knowledge.
Overnight: Camp Silwane Lodge, meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 14: BULAWAYO - MATOBO
Today we drive south to Bulawayo - Zimbabwe's second largest city with exceptionally wide roads. We continue to the Matobo area, where we take an afternoon tour into the national park to observe animals and track rhinos on foot through the bush. For most people, seeing the rhinos so close is a moving experience. Tonight our lodge is set amongst the boulders of the Matobo Hills, with impressive views over the park.
Overnight: Big Cave Lodge, meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 15: LIMPOPO
We spend our last night in a private game reserve on the banks of the Limpopo River. We take another short walk along the riverbank and soak up the view and the smell of the African bush. Here we also have one last opportunity to spot wildlife. We spend the last evening around the campfire and review our great African adventure.
Overnight stay: Stevensford Game Reserve Lodge, meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 16: JOHANNESBURG
This morning, after crossing the border into South Africa, we follow a beautiful road through the Waterberg Mountains before arriving back in the vibrant city of Johannesburg. The tour ends with arrival in Johannesburg in the late afternoon.
Meals included: Breakfast

At the time of publication, the itinerary was correct, but Drifters is always working to provide customers with the best possible tour. Drifters reserves the right to change the tour content. While the itinerary is posted, local conditions may change, roads may improve or deteriorate, new optional activities may be offered or discontinued, etc. Drifters always keeps an eye on all factors that influence a successful tour and will adjust the itinerary if circumstances so require.

On this tour you are accommodated in fixed accommodation or mobile tent camps, bed linen and towels are provided. Depending on the time of year, malaria prophylaxis may be advisable and can be purchased on site. The game varies, so we also want to focus on the little things in the bush. It can get very hot, so sun protection is recommended.

The price includes transportation in a non-air-conditioned safari truck, meals as mentioned, accommodation as mentioned, activities and entrance fees according to the program, two flights in a light aircraft, group equipment and two members of the Drifters crew.

Not included in the price are alcohol, bottled water and soft drinks, souvenirs, gratuities, meals not mentioned and optional activities. Before departure, guests must sign a consent to the booking conditions and general information. Guests must also be able to show their own travel insurance.

A valid passport is required for all travelers. This tour travels to South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe and it is the responsibility of the traveler to have all necessary visas.