Botswana’s best-known national parks

The trip starts with three nights in the Savute region of Chobe National Park, a game-rich area that is away from the crowded Kasane area of the park. Savute Safari Lodge is one of the finest camps in the area. Its unique selling point is the waterhole in front of the camp, which regularly has visits from elephants and some of Africa’s biggest cats. There’s a viewing deck at the lodge that offers front-row seats to the activity around the waterhole, as well as an al-fresco dining area and swimming pool with pool loungers. Your days will be spent on game drives exploring Savute Marsh and its resident wildlife. Guests can also take trips to view the ancient San rock paintings at Gubatsa Hills.

Leaving Chobe, you’ll head to Moremi Game Reserve, the oldest protected section of the Okavango Delta. Here, you’ll stay three nights at Camp Xakanaxa, a classic tented camp that’s set on the banks of the Khwai river on the Xakanaxa lagoon. Thanks to its location, it is one of the few safari camps that offers authentic, year-round land and water experiences in the Delta. This area is also well known for its predators, including all the cats, which you can encounter during the daily 4x4 game drives. Other activities offered at Camp Xakanaxa include powerboat cruises and birding, which is particularly spectacular in the spring and summer months when the migrant species are breeding.

For the final part of your adventure, you will head to the Okavango Delta and stay in your third Desert & Delta property, Camp Okavango. This is a classic water camp with a wonderful location on the remote Nxaragha Island. Communal spaces are linked via walkways over the water, providing easy access to two lounges, a library, and a dining room. There is a lower level too, where you will find two fire-pits and a deck complete with rim-flow swimming pool! The guest rooms here have private decks, from which you can enjoy amazing views over the Delta. By way of activities, the camp focuses on motorboat safaris, mokoro excursions and walking on the surrounding islands. Predators can be less common in these wetland areas, but herbivores, such as buffalo, hippo, giraffe and an array of antelope species are common and birdlife is excellent too!