Oddballs' Camp

Classic Botswana Safari

Classic Safari + 2 more + 3 more

Encounter Botswana's incredible wildlife on this unforgettable safari.

10 days

from £11,115 pp

Botswana Express

Safari Wildlife & Nature + 1 more + 2 more

Experience the magnificent Victoria Falls and encounter unforgettable wildlife in this express safari itinerary.

9 days

from £7,455 pp

Wildlife & Nature Off-the-beaten-track + 3 more + 3 more

Namibia & Botswana Express: Caprivi & The Panhandle

Namibia, Botswana

Explore the spectacular scenery of Namibia and iconic wildlife of Botswana on this self-drive and safari adventure.

12 days

from £8,010 pp

Botswana Mobile Safari

Safari Wildlife & Nature + 1 more + 2 more

Discover the spectacular scenery and diverse wildlife of Botswana on a mobile safari adventure.

12 days

from £8,520 pp

Botswana Waterfalls, Delta & Desert

Be inspired by the wild waters of Victoria Falls, the spectacular scenery and iconic wildlife of Botswana in one incredible trip.

10 days

Safari Wildlife & Nature

from £9,105 pp

Botswana Family Adventure

Family Safari + 1 more + 2 more

Enjoy the iconic wildlife of Botswana and create memories that last a lifetime on this family adventure.

11 days

from £10,045 pp

Quirky excursions

View all excursions in Botswana

Walking Safaris (Okavango Delta)

Walking safaris are offered from virtually all of the camps within private Delta concessions, at least at times of the year when water levels are favourable. While some are necessarily relatively short strolls in areas close to camps largely encircled by water, others are exceptional. Botswana‚Äôs safari guides are renowned, and the walking safaris have a reputation arguably second only to Zambia‚Äôs. Walks will tend to be conducted with a specialist guide and an armed scout, walking at either side of a single-file train, should the close encounters with big game become a little too close for comfort! The best walks are a detailed, intimate exploration of the bush: the alarm calls of the various antelope as you approach; the scat and tracks of each animal, which you will be something of an expert in by the end of your stay; the unique smells that suddenly become prevalent as you cross a dry riverbed and encounter a potato bush or wild lavender; and the unmatched, goosebump inducing thrill of realising that you are suddenly close to elephant, lion or buffalo on foot, utterly reliant on the wits and expertise of others. One of the best walking options is Ker & Downey‚Äôs Footsteps programme, but there are many other camps or mobile programmes that can offer you genuine excitement on foot!

Night Drive

Once you move away from the restrictions of the Moremi Game Reserve, night drives are offered on virtually all of the private Delta concessions. These can vary in duration and volume of wildlife, but most reserves are home to healthy numbers of nocturnal wildlife. For many, leopard is the major attraction, arguably the most beautiful and elusive of the continent's "Big Five." There is a unique thrill to seeing your first leopard, captured in the spotlight on a night drive, perhaps prowling for prey or surveying the scene from a tree-branch vantage point. Other nocturnal species are also highly prized and fascinating, from the constant eyeshine of bushbabies in the trees and nightjars on the road to civets and genets scrambling through the bush, scrub hares running for cover and hippos emerging from the river to graze. You won't see the sheer volume and diversity of wildlife as on a daytime drive, but the sight, sound and atmosphere of being out in the African bush after dark can send a shiver down the spine. Most night drives are also preceded by an afternoon drive to a beautiful sundowner spot, where a cool beer or gin and tonic can be enjoyed as the sun drops and pales through a vibrant spectrum of oranges and reds.

Mobile Safaris (Okavango Delta)

Mobile camping essentially involves moving from one destination to the next, with short stays in each, using temporary camps that are set up anew at each site. These safaris are outstanding in Botswana, partially as a potential way to visit the highlights without breaking the bank, and also as a means of getting a vintage, old fashioned safari ambience with a close to nature feel. In the Delta's private concessions, your mobile safari is likely to be run by one of the safari operators with permanent camps in the reserve concerned. There are a range of options, from simple camping with shared bucket showers and long drop toilets, to deluxe itineraries with spacious en-suite tents. Activities tend to revolve around game drives although there are sometimes walking safaris, boating and mokoro excursions that can also be enjoyed, depending on the time of year and your route. Some of the attractions include a morning coffee after waking up to the sun streaming through your tent, evening drinks around a roaring campfire and, of course, the sound of animals around camp as you drop off to sleep after a rewarding day's game viewing.

Mokoro Excursions

A mokoro is essentially a dugout canoe, traditionally carved from indigenous tree sources but now more likely to be a sturdier affair constructed from fibre glass. The narrow channels of the Delta, with their decorative papyrus, reeds and water lilies, are tailor made for travelling by mokoro, which was historically the most practical way for people to traverse such wetland areas. Today a mokoro excursion from a Delta camp is a relaxing affair with no exertion required, generally involving a maximum of two passengers per mokoro and one poler, who propels the vessel in much the same way you would punt on a still river. This is not a guaranteed big game viewing excursion, although you will come across plenty of hippo, water birds and some swamp based antelope such as red lechwe and puku. It is more about experiencing the pristine beauty and serenity of the waterways, with more time to notice the little things such as verdant flora, birdsong and tiny amphibians and insects. Not all of the camps can operate mokoro excursions, particularly in dry concessions when water levels are low, but during high water camps such as Kanana, Jao and Xaranna are perfectly situated for the best mokoro trips anywhere on the continent.

Boat Cruises (Okavango Delta)

A motorboat cruises in the deeper channels and on the rivers and tributaries of the Delta is a highly enjoyable activity, with higher game viewing potential than mokoro excursions and a more tranquil feel then game drives. Most of the Delta camps can offer these, particularly in the wetter concessions and during high water months. Late afternoon cruises can be particularly enjoyable, as you watch the sun set beautifully over the waters with a drink in hand before perhaps making your way back to camp via a night drive. Many camps now have impressive double decker boats, on which you can clamber up to the top deck to widen the views and feel the wind a little stronger in your hair, but the more traditional one-storey crafts are still effective in searching out the best wildlife and scenery spots. Animal encounters will always involve hippo, and you will almost certainly see crocodiles basking in the sun, water based antelope running through the shallower waters, and elephant and buffalo arriving to drink. The varied birdlife sightings from the water are extremely impressive, and it is not unheard of to see predators on the riverbank from a boat, although these are generally scared off by the engine noise. At its best, a serene and slow cruise through the expansive waters is a Delta experience not to be missed.