Botswana Safari: Big Game and Wild Space

Most guests will fly from Maun to Khwai — a beautiful 25-minute journey over the Okavango Delta, where channels, islands and floodplains begin to reveal the scale of the landscape below.

On arrival, you are met by your guide and transferred to MmaTsebe Tented Camp by game drive. The safari begins immediately, with your first sightings often unfolding on the way to camp.

After settling in, head out on an afternoon game drive. This is a highly productive area, and wildlife encounters often come quickly — elephant moving through the bush, giraffe on the plains, and the possibility of predators nearby.

Dinner is served back at camp, before settling in for your first night in the African bush, the sounds of the wilderness all around.

Two full days exploring the Khwai region and the Moremi Game Reserve- the beating heart of the okavango.

The days fall into a natural rhythm. Early mornings begin as the bush stirs, with game drives taking advantage of the cooler hours when wildlife is most active. Midday is spent back in camp, resting in the shade, before heading out again in the afternoon as the light softens and the landscape changes once more.

Game viewing here is consistently strong, shaped by the presence of water and the diversity of habitats. Each drive feels different, guided by the movement of wildlife rather than a fixed route.

Mokoro excursions, when conditions allow, offer a complete contrast — slow, quiet, and close to the water, where the sounds of the Delta replace the hum of the vehicle.

One day is dedicated to the Sitatunga’s Edge experience.

This is a full and beautifully varied day in Moremi. A helicopter flight reveals the Delta from above — its channels, islands and shifting patterns — before the perspective changes again on the water. Exploring the Xakanaxa Lagoon by boat, the experience becomes slower and more detailed, with rich birdlife and the possibility of sightings rarely encountered by vehicle.

After a picnic lunch on the water, the day continues with a game drive back through Moremi, often with excellent sightings along the way.

It is a day that captures the Delta in multiple dimensions, and a defining part of this Botswana safari.

After breakfast, depart camp and travel by game drive to Mababe, a journey of approximately two hours.

The transition is gradual but noticeable. The landscapes begin to open, the waterways fall away, and the sense of space increases as you move east.

Arrive at Tumani Tented Camp in time for lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive — your first introduction to this new environment.

Two full days exploring the Mababe region.

Here, the safari takes on a different feel. The landscape is wider, less defined, and wildlife moves across it in a way that feels more fluid. Large herds of elephant and buffalo are often encountered, and predator activity — particularly lion — can be exceptional.

Game drives explore this broader terrain, while walking safaris offer a more intimate experience. Moving on foot with your guide, attention shifts to the finer details — tracks in the sand, the behaviour of smaller species, and the subtle rhythms of the bush.

Back in camp, the pace slows again. Evenings are often spent under an open sky, and the option to sleep out on your private star bed adds a quiet sense of occasion to each night.

After a final morning activity and breakfast, transfer to the airstrip for your flight to Maun - depending on the plans for your onward journey.

As you lift off once more over the Delta, the scale of the landscape — and the journey you have just taken through it — begins to fall into place.