Map of Premium Botswana including Botswana and Namibia

Incredible nature, landscapes and culture await in brilliant Botswana.

Experience the wilderness and welcoming people of Botswana on a 7-day Premium adventure through its heart. Set out in search of wildlife on a series of game drives, cruise down the Chobe River from the Namibian banks, walk through a private conservancy at the Boteti River and hang out with a family of meerkats at the Ntwetwe Salt Pans. From the rich diversity of Chobe National Park to the curious beauty of the Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana’s natural wonders will take your breath away.


Start
Kasane, Botswana
Finish
Maun, Botswana
Destinations
Botswana, Namibia
Style
Premium
Theme
Wildlife
Code
UBPB
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

premium accommodation

Our best accommodation and highest level of service.

premium experiences

Unusual, exceptional and authentic on-trip experiences.

premium knowledge

Led by our most experienced and highest rated local leaders.

  • Take a morning game drive in Chobe National Park – home to Africa’s largest concentration of elephants, this is one of the world’s great wildlife destinations.

  • Spend two magnificent evenings at your Feature Stay camp. Perfectly positioned on the Namibian banks of the Chobe River, join a full-day boat cruise through lesser-explored channels and islands.

  • Uncover the unique beauty of the Makgadikgadi Pans during an Exclusive Experience – a 4x4 excursion through the sprawling landscape, stopping for drinks and snacks as the sun goes down.

  • Enjoy Exclusive Experiences at the Boteti River, including morning and night game drives and a guided nature walk on a private conservancy. Here, lions, leopards and wild dogs are regular visitors.

  • Meet a family of Meerkats on the edge of the Ntwetwe Salt Pans and watch them go about their morning rituals as the sun rises.

Is this trip right for you?

  • As the early bird catches the worm, the early camper sights the animals. There will be many early starts either to make use of the better safari time or to beat the morning traffic on long travel days.

Itinerary

Welcome to Botswana! Your adventure begins at Chobe National Park – one of Africa’s premier wildlife destinations and home to its largest population of Elephants. You will be collected from the airport and transferred to your accommodation on the banks of the Chobe River at the fringe of the national park. Here you will meet your tour leader and small group of fellow travellers for a 6pm welcome meeting. Please look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask the hotel reception where it will take place. After your meeting, join your group and leader for dinner at the lodge. Enjoy a celebration of indigenous food and the rich flavours of Africa as you dine alongside the scenic Chobe River.
Accommodation
  • Chobe Safari Lodge or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Chobe - Welcome Dinner
  • Complimentary airport arrival transfer
Optional Activities
  • Chobe National Park - 4x4 Game Drive - BWP580
Meals Included
  • Dinner
Special Information
An airport arrival transfer with your trip is included. This transfer is valid if arriving today or if you have booked pre-trip accommodation through Intrepid. Please provide your flight details at the time of booking, or at a minimum 15 days prior to travel.
Rise early for a morning game drive in Chobe National Park. You might see elephants drinking at the water's edge, large herds of cape buffaloes and many impalas within the park. Head back to the lodge for breakfast, then journey to the Ngoma Border Post before continuing to the Namibian side of the Chobe River. Here you will find your Feature Stay accommodation, the fabulous Chobe River Camp, in a prime position across the river from the world-renowned Chobe Nature Reserve. Tented chalets are gorgeously constructed in line with the camp's green philosophy, using indigenous Mopane timber and canvas. Enjoy home comforts in a wild setting, including solar power, en suite bathrooms and a private deck offering unrivalled views of the vast, wildlife-rich bush. Arrive in time for a hearty lunch at the lodge, then enjoy some downtime to relax by the pool, spot wildlife from the bar or soak up the wild surroundings on the banks of the Chobe River. Speak to your leader about some fabulous optional activities for the afternoon, including a canoe trip, guided walking trail or a birding drive.
Accommodation
  • Chobe River Camp (Feature Stay) or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Chobe National Park - 4x4 Game Drive
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is approximately 2.5 hours (excluding border crossing).
After breakfast, head out for a full-day cruise on the Chobe River. The privileged position of your camp allows you to access a part of the river that most visitors don’t get to see, which means you’ll have the special opportunity to view abundant wildlife without the crowds. This region offers a wildlife spotting experience like no other – with a bit of luck you will see large herds of elephants, buffalo and antelope. Enjoy lunch and refreshments on and island, explore the channels of the river and dock at a small island to appreciate the diverse bird life. After a memorable day, return to your lodge just in time for sunset – perhaps grab a drink at the bar to watch the changing colours of the spectacular landscape.
Accommodation
  • Chobe River Camp (Feature Stay) or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Chobe River - Full Day Boat Cruise & Lunch
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Heading south, continue your journey to the vast salt flats and grassy plains of the Makgadikgadi Pans. Located in the north-east of Botswana, the Makgadikgadi Pans are situated in the middle of a dry savanna and are all that remain of the former Lake Makgadikgadi. This afternoon, get to know your gold-hued, otherworldly surroundings during a 4x4 excursion. The immense, sprawling salt flat will unfold in front of you as you look out for aardvark, ostriches and mongooses. Surrounded by the Nata sanctuary, a breeding ground for thousands of water birds, the horizon is tinted pink by clouds of flamingos and pelicans. Savour the ethereal landscape as you sit out on the pans and enjoy drinks and snacks as the sun sets. Return to the lodge for dinner and relive the highlights of an exciting day.
Accommodation
  • Nata Lodge or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Makgadikgadi Pans - Sunset 4x4 Excursion & Sundowner
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is approximately 5 hours.
Embrace a very early start this morning and head out with a packed breakfast in hand. Today’s experience will surely be one to remember. Travel to the edge of the Ntwetwe salt pan, home to a resident family of entertaining Meerkats. With the aid of trackers, arrive in time to observe their morning rituals as the sun rises. Watch the meerkats bask in the morning sun before heading out for their daily foraging – the fantastic conditions and lighting will help you snap an unforgettable picture of these marvellous creatures. Stop at a neighbouring lodge for lunch, then continue to the Boteti River. Another magnificent spot for viewing wildlife, the river attracts some 25,000 zebras each year who migrate from the neighbouring Makgadigadi Pans Game Reserve. As the only permanent source of water in the area, the river also receives visits from lions, cheetah, oryx, springbok, giraffe, elephants and many more. In the evening, retire to your delightful eco-lodge, featuring tented rooms with en suites and solar power.
Accommodation
  • Leopard Plains Lodge or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Makgadikgadi Pans - Meerkat Pan Experience
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is approximately 3 hours.

Start the day with a 4x4 game drive under the guidance of a skilled game ranger. Your eco-lodge has a private conservancy, home to antelopes, blue wildebeest, zebras and giraffes. Predators like lions, leopards and wild dogs also make regular appearances on the farm. Your ranger will share knowledge about the habits of these animals as you seek them out. After your exhilarating game drive, return to your lodge for lunch and some downtime to relax by the pool. In the evening, embark on nighttime game drive through the private conservancy to search for animals that reveal themselves as the sun goes down – a special opportunity not always possible in the national parks.
Accommodation
  • Leopard Plains Lodge or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Boteti River - Private Concession Morning 4x4 Game Drive
  • Boteti River - Private Concession Evening 4x4 Game Drive
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Set out on a guided nature walk this morning with a professional guide. View plants, trees and animals from a different perspective and observe close-up details often missed on game drives. Your guide will provide expert knowledge and help you gain a deeper understanding of the environment. Then it's time to head to Maun, the gateway of the Okavango Delta. For those interested, there is the opportunity to fly over the delta in a small plane for a bird's-eye view. This is a great way to appreciate the vast scale of this waterscape. Your leader can give you more information on this activity and how to reserve a place. The trip concludes in Maun, but this doesn’t mean the adventure has to end. If you’d like to spend more time here, we’ll be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability). Please speak to your booking agent ahead of time.
Included Activities
  • Boteti River - Private Concession Guided Nature Walk
Optional Activities
  • Okavango Delta - Plane Scenic Flight - From USD100-USD390 - USD390
  • Okavango Delta - Helicopter Scenic Flight - From USD220-USD450 - USD450
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is approximately 1.5 hours.

The scenic flight prices are dependent on the number of passengers in the plane or helicopter. See your group leader for more details.

If you are flying out of Maun today, please book a flight at 2:00pm or later.

Meals

6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners

Transport

4x4, Open safari vehicle, Boat, Private vehicle

Accommodation

Lodge (6 nights)

Included activities

  • Chobe - Welcome Dinner
  • Complimentary airport arrival transfer
  • Chobe National Park - 4x4 Game Drive
  • Chobe River - Full Day Boat Cruise & Lunch
  • Makgadikgadi Pans - Sunset 4x4 Excursion & Sundowner
  • Makgadikgadi Pans - Meerkat Pan Experience
  • Boteti River - Private Concession Morning 4x4 Game Drive
  • Boteti River - Private Concession Evening 4x4 Game Drive
  • Boteti River - Private Concession Guided Nature Walk

Premium Inclusions

  • Arrival airport transfer
  • Tipping for accommodation, activities and transport
  • Luggage transfer
  • Daily breakfast and signature local meal experiences
  • 24/7 on-ground support

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our Premium Botswana trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

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Important notes

1. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement does not apply to Days 5 & 6 in Boteti River and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. Travel is always an adventure and, as destinations reopen, there are a few challenges as everyone gets back up to speed and adjusts to the new normal. Our leaders are experts when it comes to dealing with anything unexpected along the journey, so pack your understanding and flexibility, sit back and relax while they take care of the rest.
4. Our operator has advised that customers with the J&J vaccine and no booster may have difficulty crossing the border into Botswana (and potentially Zimbabwe) without a negative test result. This information conflicts with various government travel advice websites. We recommend you check with your local consulate before travel to ensure you have the most up to date information.
5. Border crossing delays in the region have been sporadic and difficult to predict as travel rebounds. What takes an hour one day may take four hours the next. This may affect the order of activities in the itinerary. We understand this uncertainty can be frustrating, and we strongly recommend packing a bit of patience and flexibility.

Essential trip information

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