Introduction
Normal life is noisy in ways you don’t always notice until you’re somewhere completely quiet.
For 21 days, we camped with no fences between us and wildlife, rattled along corrugated sand roads, drove over 5,000 km through recent floodplains, and somehow came out of it all feeling much calmer than when we started.
This trip took me by surprise. It rattled me (but probably rattled my 25‑year‑old Land Cruiser even more), pushed my boundaries, and made us all feel a lot of things: gratitude, awe, and a huge sense of calm in the quiet of the deep bush.
Let me preface this recap by saying there are many ways to experience Botswana. This specific trip was not a luxury safari and it definitely wouldn’t appeal to everyone. It was completely off the grid, off the beaten path, raw, real, dusty and often uncomfortable. But for me, it was the most down‑to‑earth way to experience Botswana.
For 21 days, we wild‑camped and overlanded through some of Botswana’s most remote areas. We had to be completely self‑sufficient for days at a time. Sometimes there was no running water. No power. No cell service. Just dusty roads, rooftop tents, unpredictable weather, and the constant feeling that absolutely anything could happen next.
Life became incredibly simple:
“Wake up with the sun. Pack camp. Drive for hours. Stop for coffee somewhere beautiful. Have lunch under a big tree. Watch elephants cross the road. Cook dinner over a fire. Fall asleep to sounds you can’t always identify. Repeat.”
Trip Overview: 21 Days Overlanding Through Botswana
- Dates: April 2026
- Duration: 21 days
- Distance driven (approx.): 5,000+ km
- Vehicle: 25‑year‑old Toyota Land Cruiser (fully kitted for overlanding)
- Style: Wild camping / self‑drive / fully self‑sufficient
Full itinerary (RSA & Botswana):
Richards Bay (RSA) > Malelane > Kampersrus > Khama Rhino Sanctuary (Botswana) > Rakops > Central Kalahari Game Reserve > Nxai Pan National Park > Sitatunga (Maun) > Mababe (Kaziikini Community Camp) > Okavango Delta (Khwai) > Chobe National Park (Savuti, Ihaha) > Nata (Elephant Sands) > Moriti (RSA) > Graskop > Sabie > Richards Bay
Photography Gear I Used on This Trip
This was a 21‑day photo essay as much as it was an overland trip, and all of the images from Botswana were captured using a compact but versatile setup:
- Canon EOS R10 with:
- Canon RF 50mm lens
- Canon RF-S 18–45mm lens
- Nikon Coolpix P1000 – for the extreme zoom reach on distant wildlife and birds
If you’d like to explore prints, gear recommendations or related work from this trip, you can visit our photo store here:
https://www.bluewaterphotostore.com
Days 1–2: Khama Rhino Sanctuary and Rakops – Easing Into the Bush
Khama Rhino Sanctuary: The First “Real Bush” Stop
Day 1: Kampersrus > Khama Rhino
Distance: ±750–800 km
Actual drive time: ±12 hrs 23 mins
Khama Rhino Sanctuary, in central Botswana about 25 km north of Serowe, is often one of the first proper “bush stops” for travellers heading deeper into Botswana’s wilder regions like the Central Kalahari or the Okavango Delta.
It was our first taste of Botswanan bush on this trip: early starts, border formalities, that feeling of finally being in a new country, and then suddenly… rhinos, open plains, and big skies.
Rakops: Last Fuel and Fixes Before the Central Kalahari
Day 2: Khama Rhino > Rakops
Distance: ±330–350 km
Actual drive time: ±6 hrs
Rakops is a little town in Central Botswana that most people simply pass through on their way to the Central Kalahari or the Makgadikgadi region. It sits near the Boteti River and feels quiet, dusty, and wonderfully uncomplicated.
It’s the kind of place where you refuel the car, stock up on supplies, weld anything that needs welding, and mentally prepare yourself for the next stretch of isolation.
In our case, that meant fixing my diesel jerry can after corrugations rubbed two small holes in it. We decanted what we could into the tank, welded the can, and carried on. It didn’t last long, so by Maun we were buying Pratley’s Putty to patch it properly.
Somewhere in all this, I managed to get diesel on my face. After a full day’s driving in the sun, I ended up with blisters and a scar that I think is going to stick around for a while. Very glamorous.
Days 3–6: The Central Kalahari – Wild, Empty, Unfiltered
Day 3: Rakops > Central Kalahari
Days 3–6: Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Distance: ±90–110 km
Actual drive time: ±7–9 hrs (deep sand and slow going)
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) is one of the largest protected wilderness areas in the world (±52,800 km²), in the heart of Botswana. It’s a place of vast grasslands, fossil river valleys, salt pans and dry acacia scrub.
Unlike Botswana’s wetter safari regions, the Central Kalahari feels far more raw and isolated. Wildlife here is specially adapted to harsh desert conditions – black‑maned Kalahari lions, gemsbok, springbok, bat‑eared foxes, brown hyenas, and incredible birdlife.
“The Kalahari was wild. There was no water besides what we brought in our tanks. No electricity. Bathrooms were more than extremely basic – a concrete block long drop and your own portable shower. It felt like the start of a very, very wild trip.”
Deception Pan: Mirages and Surreal Mornings
We cooked breakfast at Deception Pan, found huge elephant footprints in the dried mud (each big enough for a person to sit in), and spent most of each day out on game drives.
Deception Pan gets its name from the way the dry clay pan can create a mirage, making it look like there’s water in the distance when there actually isn’t. Very fitting for a place that already feels slightly surreal.
Nights in the Central Kalahari: Mice, Lions, and a Lot of Darkness
As soon as the sun went down, the “wild” feeling ramped up. We had mice running around camp (we were told to spray rat‑repellent on our vehicles so they wouldn’t chew through hoses), and you had to accept that if you sat too still, one might run over your feet.
The Central Kalahari is also where Mark and Delia Owens lived for years while studying lions, brown hyenas and other wildlife for Cry of the Kalahari. Knowing that, and then lying in my rooftop tent listening to a big male lion roaring right next to camp, made the whole place feel even wilder.
Days 7–8: Nxai Pan National Park – Baobabs and Salt Pans
Day 7: Central Kalahari > Nxai Pans
Distance: ±220–260 km
Actual drive time: ±11 hrs
We arrived at our next campsite to find an elephant already at our neighbouring site. We had lunch under baobab trees, took long, hot showers, and finally washed our hair after days of DIY bucket showers in the Kalahari.
We were now in Nxai Pan National Park.
The Road In: Corrugations and Slow Kilometres
The road into Nxai was harsh – sandy, corrugated and slow‑going in parts. It was the kind of road that makes the kilometres feel completely irrelevant.
Nxai Pans: Ancient Lake Bed and Wide Horizons
Nxai Pan National Park (±2,578 km²), just south of the Chobe region, forms part of the ancient Makgadikgadi salt pan system – the remains of a massive prehistoric lake. Depending on the season, it can be vast, pale and almost lunar, or transformed into green grasslands alive with zebra, giraffe, springbok, wildebeest and predators.
We spent a lot of time just admiring the baobabs. There’s an iconic cluster of millennia‑old baobabs at Baines’ Baobabs, which we couldn’t visit because of flooding, but we saw many others throughout the trip.
Floods in Northern Botswana: A Very Different Landscape
Botswana had experienced major flooding in the months before our trip, especially in the northern parts and around the Okavango Delta. Areas that are normally dry were completely transformed with water, full of birds and butterflies, green and almost unrecognisable compared to a typical dry‑season view.
Some roads became inaccessible and many travellers and safari operators had to reroute completely. At the same time, the floods made parts of Botswana unbelievably beautiful. It felt like we were seeing an alternate version of the country.
After Nxai Pans, we re‑stocked and re‑fueled in Maun before heading to Kaziikini.
Day 9: Nxai Pans > Maun (Sitatunga) – ±170 km
Days 10–11: Kaziikini Community Camp – On the Edge of the Delta
Day 10: Maun > Kaziikini
Distance: ±60–70 km
Actual drive time: ±3–4 hrs
Kaziikini Community Camp is in the Mababe region of northern Botswana, on the edge of the Okavango Delta and between Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park.
It sits within a community‑managed wildlife area known for elephants, buffalo, predators and outstanding birdlife.
What I loved most is that it’s community‑run, so staying there directly supports local communities. We also had some of my favourite “small moments” of the trip here – like the very friendly yellow‑billed hornbills visiting our campsite and posing for photos.
Days 12–15: Khwai and the Okavango Delta – Mokoros and Dead Trees Underwater
Day 12: Kaziikini > Khwai
Distance: ±70–90 km
Actual drive time: ±4–5 hrs
Khwai sits on the edge of the Okavango Delta, where the landscape shifts between forests, floodplains, and winding waterways.
One of the most iconic parts of the area is the dead tree forest, where people would normally camp among towering dead trees on dry land. Because of the 2026 floods, the whole area was underwater.
Instead of driving and camping between the trees, we:
“Glided through the dead tree forest on a mokoro, which really put into perspective just how much water had moved into the area. It completely transformed the landscape and made Khwai feel unlike anything people are normally used to seeing there.”
A Morning on a Mokoro: The Quietest Moment of the Trip
A mokoro is a traditional dugout canoe used throughout the Okavango Delta to move through shallow channels. These days many are made from fiberglass to protect large trees. A poler stands at the back, using a long pole to guide the canoe.
Honestly, being on a mokoro was one of the most peaceful experiences of the whole trip:
- No engine noise
- Just the soft sound of water past the hull
- Reeds brushing against the sides
- Bird calls echoing across the water
“It almost forces you to slow down and properly take everything in.”
We spent the morning drifting past water lilies and mirror‑like reflections, and it made all the long, dusty driving days feel very worthwhile.
Days 16–17: Chobe National Park – Savuti’s Big Skies and Big Cats
Day 16: Khwai > Savuti
Distance: ±100–150 km
Actual drive time: ±4 hrs
On our way out of Khwai, we spotted a ground hornbill, made coffee on the side of a dirt road, saw more beautiful baobabs, and entered Chobe National Park, where we spent two nights in Savuti – one of my favourite spots of the whole trip.
Chobe is one of the biggest and most famous parks in Botswana, known particularly for huge elephant populations and wide open wilderness. Savuti lies in the western section of Chobe between the Okavango Delta and the Chobe River. It’s known for dry, open landscapes, dusty roads and intense predator activity.
We saw black‑backed jackals, bateleurs, lilac‑breasted rollers, and a lot of general game. We’d been waiting the whole trip to see big cats and, on our last afternoon in Savuti, we finally did. Patience in the bush often pays off right at the end.
Days 18–19: Ihaha – Chobe River, Borders and Dragonflies
Day 18: Savuti > Ihaha
Distance: ±127–133 km
Actual drive time: ±5 hrs
Driving from Savuti to Ihaha, we saw signboards pointing to Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Namibia – a reminder that northern Botswana sits near one of the most interesting border junctions in the world, around the Chobe and Zambezi rivers.
Ihaha Campsite: Birds, River and an Unforgettable Sunset
Ihaha is in northern Chobe National Park, right along the Chobe River near the Namibia border. The campsites sit almost on the riverbank, and the whole area feels incredibly wild.
When we arrived, we were greeted by huge flocks of queleas moving from tree to tree, twisting and shifting like smoke in the sky. On our final evening, we had the most spectacular sunset with thousands – maybe millions – of dragonflies moving constantly around us.
“I’ve genuinely never seen anything like it before.”
The Chobe River is normally famous for huge concentrations of wildlife along its banks. Because of the heavy rains and flooding this year though, water was available almost everywhere, so the animals were more spread out than usual.
Days 20–21: Elephant Sands and Back to South Africa
From Ihaha, we headed south:
Day 20: Ihaha > Elephant Sands
Distance: ±300–355 km
Actual drive time: ±6 hrs
Day 21: Elephant Sands > Moriti (RSA)
Distance: ±580–610 km
Actual drive time: ±9–10 hrs
Elephant Sands was our last real bush stop in Botswana before crossing back into South Africa and making our way via Moriti, Graskop, Sabie and finally, back home to Richards Bay.
Reflections: Why This Botswana Trip Stays With Me
This trip was unlike any other I’ve done. We experienced so many different versions of Botswana in one journey – desert pans, flooded forests, empty salt flats, dense bush, and wide riverfronts.
“This is the kind of trip that makes you so much more present than you thought was ever possible. There’s something about the quiet of the bush that puts life a bit into perspective when you’re so used to the hustle and bustle of our day‑to‑day.”
If you’re considering a self‑drive overland trip through Botswana, know this: it’s not always comfortable, and you do need to be prepared, flexible and self‑reliant. Botswana will almost definitely change your plans. But if you lean into that, it might also change the way you see travel – and yourself.
Practical FAQ: Planning a Self‑Drive Trip to Botswana
Is Botswana safe for a self‑drive safari?
Yes, Botswana can be safe for a self‑drive safari if you’re properly prepared: travel with a reliable 4x4, carry enough water and fuel, understand basic recovery techniques, stick to designated roads, and respect wildlife. The biggest risks I felt were remoteness and vehicle issues, not crime.
Do you need a 4x4 to self‑drive in Botswana?
For this kind of off‑grid route – Central Kalahari, Nxai Pan, Khwai, Savuti and Ihaha – a proper 4x4 is non‑negotiable. Deep sand, corrugations and occasional mud make a high‑clearance, low‑range vehicle essential.
When is the best time to visit Botswana for an overland trip?
April worked really well for us – after the main rains but with some water still around. In general, the dry season (roughly May to October) is popular for game viewing, while the green season (November to April) is quieter, greener and can be more dramatic, especially around the Delta.
How much planning does a Botswana self‑drive trip require?
A lot. Campsites in places like Central Kalahari, Khwai and Chobe often need to be booked well in advance, and you have to plan fuel, water, and food carefully. Floods can change roads and routes fast, so you also need a flexible mindset and backup plans.
What kind of camping setup did you use?
We used a 25‑year‑old Toyota Land Cruiser with rooftop tents, dual batteries, a fridge, long‑range fuel, and water tanks. We were completely self‑sufficient for days at a time – cooking on gas and fire, using a portable shower, and relying on very basic bush ablutions.
Is this type of Botswana trip suitable for first‑time visitors?
If it’s your first time in Botswana and you’re not used to remote, self‑reliant travel, I’d either join an organised overland convoy or start with a slightly easier route (for example, Maun and Chobe riverfront with more established camps). This specific trip was very wild and wouldn’t suit everyone.
