Buffalo Track Botswana Safari: Mobile Camps & Game Drives

Mobile camps follow the game across five ecosystems, with your guide, chef and camp assistant handling everything.

A 17-day private safari from Maun to Kasane staying in mobile camps on remote sites, with daily game drives through Makgadikgadi Pans, Central Kalahari, Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, Khwai Concession, Savuti and Chobe National Park. Your guide, chef and camp assistant travel with you. You relax without camp duties. Accommodation is in junior Sahara Meru tents with en-suite bucket shower and toilet. Game viewing happens from customized safari vehicles with rear-mounted seats under a canvas canopy offering 360-degree views.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Makgadikgadi Pans Safari

• Arrive in Maun and meet guide
• Arrive at Makgadikgadi Pans camp
• Relax and have lunch
• Guide briefing about Makgadikgadi Pans
• Afternoon game drive in Makgadikgadi Pans
• Return to camp for refreshments
• Dinner under the stars
• Relax around campfire
• Retire to tents for the night

Day 2: Nxai Pan Arrival and Game Drive

• Short morning game drive
• Return to camp for breakfast
• Break camp and travel to Nxai Pan
• Arrive at Nxai Pan camp
• Relax and have lunch
• Guide briefing about Nxai Pan
• Afternoon game drive in Nxai Pan

Day 3: Nxai Pan Game Drives and Baobabs

• Early morning game drive after sunrise
• Visit Baine’s Baobabs at sunset
• Return to camp for brunch and siesta
• Late afternoon game drive
• Enjoy evening meal

Day 4: Return to Makgadikgadi Pans

• Short morning game drive
• Return to camp for breakfast
• Break camp and travel to Makgadikgadi Pans
• Arrive at Makgadikgadi camp
• Relax and have lunch
• Guide briefing about Makgadikgadi
• Afternoon game drive
• Return to camp for refreshments
• Dinner under the stars
• Relax around campfire

Day 5: Travel to Central Kalahari

• Early morning light breakfast
• Depart camp to locate big cats
• Return to camp for brunch
• Travel to Central Kalahari Game Reserve
• Arrive at Central Kalahari camp
• Relax and stretch legs
• Guide briefing about Central Kalahari
• Late afternoon game drive

Day 6: Central Kalahari Game Drives

• Early morning tea and breakfast nibbles
• Morning game drive after sunrise
• Picnic lunch at a scenic spot
• Return to camp before dark
• Enjoy campfire and sundowner refreshments
• Dinner and relax to night sounds
• Sleep in tents

Day 7: Travel to Okavango Delta

• Breakfast and depart Central Kalahari
• Travel to Maun
• Proceed to Okavango Delta
• Meet Mokoro Poler Guides
• Load luggage and board Mekoro
• Glide through waterways to campsite
• Arrive at island campsite and set camp
• Lunch and relaxation
• Late afternoon guided bush walk

Day 8: Okavango Delta Activities

• Brunch at camp
• Mokoro ride through channels
• Optional bush walk
• Lunch or snacks
• Afternoon Mokoro trip to swimming spot
• Learn to pole a Mokoro
• Relax and enjoy landscape
• Dinner under stars
• Cultural storytelling by guides
• Astronomy viewing
• Retire to tents

Day 9: Moremi Game Reserve Arrival

• Early morning bush walk
• Optional swim
• Relax and have late breakfast
• Break camp and load Mekoro
• Return journey through channels
• Meet safari vehicles at Mokoro station
• Transfer to Moremi Game Reserve
• Afternoon game drive in Moremi

Day 10: Moremi Game Reserve Game Drives

• Early morning tea and breakfast nibbles
• Morning game drive to Black Pools and Xini Area
• Return to camp for brunch and siesta
• Late afternoon game drive
• Enjoy evening meal

Day 11: Travel to Khwai Concession

• Early breakfast and final Moremi game drive
• Break camp and cross Khwai River
• Enter Khwai Concession
• Arrive at Khwai camp
• Relax and stretch legs
• Afternoon game drive in Khwai

Day 12: Khwai Game Drives and Nature Walk

• Very early light breakfast
• Early morning game drive for big cats
• Return to camp for brunch and siesta
• Late afternoon game drive exploring concession
• Game drive along Khwai River banks
• Return to camp at sunset
• Sundowner and dinner under stars

Day 13: Travel to Savuti

• Early light breakfast and break camp
• Depart Khwai for Savuti (5-hour drive)
• Arrive at Savuti camp
• Rest and relax
• Late afternoon game drive in Savuti
• Bush dining around campfire

Day 14: Savuti Game Drives and Travel

• Morning game drive in Savuti
• Breakfast and break camp
• Drive north to Chobe National Park

Day 15: Chobe National Park Arrival and Game Drive

• Game drive en route to Chobe Riverfront
• Arrive at Chobe camp
• Relax and stretch legs
• Guide briefing about Chobe National Park
• Afternoon game drive in Chobe

Day 16: Chobe National Park Game Drives

• Very early light breakfast
• Early morning game drive for big cats
• Enjoy Chobe wildlife and birdlife
• Boat trips along Chobe River (optional)
• Dinner and relax at camp

Day 17: Final Game Drive and Departure

• Early morning game drive in Chobe
• Return to camp for breakfast
• Transfer to Kasane International Airport

The experience

The safari starts in Maun where your guide meets you, then heads into Makgadikgadi Pans: a landscape where bat-eared foxes, springbok and semi-habituated meerkats move across the Ntwetwe Pan alongside Kalahari lions rarely seen in the Okavango. You camp on a private site with your tent already erected, take an afternoon game drive, then return to dinner under the stars and a campfire. The routine repeats across the next two days in Nxai Pan, where you'll see Baine's Baobabs (seven towering trees immortalized in paint by explorer Thomas Baines in the 1800s), and the artificial waterhole that draws elephant, giraffe, kudu and ostrich in the dry season.

From there the route moves south to Central Kalahari Game Reserve, where dunes dominate and dry riverbeds frame the survival of predators and prey. Early morning drives leave just after sunrise to catch lions, leopards and cheetahs hunting in the cool. A packed lunch arrives at a picnic spot your guide chooses, with bottled water and a cooler box with ice. The Okavango Delta comes next: here you leave the vehicles behind. Mokoro polers guide you by canoe through narrow waterways for 2 to 3 hours to a secluded island camp. You can swim in the delta's channels, learn to pole a mokoro yourself using the traditional nkashi pole, and take guided bush walks before the guides share cultural stories under one of the most expansive star displays on earth.

The final stretch moves through Moremi Game Reserve (where wild dog, leopard, lion, rhino and the web-footed sitatunga antelope inhabit Black Pools and Xini Area), then into Khwai Concession along the Khwai River, where morning drives target the cats hunting in cool temperatures and afternoon drives follow the riverbank. Savuti, in the remote central Chobe, is known for big cat viewing and the Savuti lion pride's fearsome reputation for hunting elephant. The last days are spent in Chobe National Park on the Chobe Riverfront, home to an estimated 120,000 elephants and ranked among Africa's leading parks. Sunset boat trips along the Chobe River watch elephants, buffalo and other animals drink and bathe. Your final game drive leaves early from camp. Afterward you're dropped at Kasane International Airport.

What’s included

• Accommodation in junior Sahara Meru tents on private sites.
• professional guide, chef and camp assistant.
• all game drives in customized safari vehicles with 360-degree canvas canopy seating.
• mokoro canoe transport and poling guide in the Okavango Delta.
• meals and refreshments throughout.
• pickup in Maun and drop-off at Kasane International Airport.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (21 to 75 years) · Youth (13 to 20 years) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 15 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Walking Stick Travel Tours

Is this one for you?This is a private tour, so your group travels alone with your guide, chef and camp assistant: no other travelers join you. Choose it if you want to move at your own pace through seven distinct ecosystems without managing camp setup, cooking or logistics. Everything is arranged and your only job is to watch and rest.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 20 years); Child (5 to 12 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What animals am I most likely to see on this 17-day safari?

The route passes through seven distinct areas, each with different residents. Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan hold bat-eared foxes, springbok, meerkats and Kalahari lions. Central Kalahari is known for big cats hunting in the morning. Moremi and Khwai host leopard, wild dog, rhino, giraffe, buffalo and the web-footed sitatunga antelope. Savuti is one of the best areas for big cat viewing. Chobe National Park holds around 120,000 elephants and is called the 'Land of the Giants'. It's ranked among Africa's leading parks.

How does the Okavango Delta portion work differently from the game drives?

In the Okavango Delta, you leave the safari vehicles behind and travel by mokoro (traditional canoe) for 2 to 3 hours through narrow waterways to reach a secluded island camp. Each mokoro holds two people and is poled by a guide. You can take guided bush walks, swim in the channels, learn to pole a mokoro yourself, and spend the evening with your guides sharing cultural stories under the stars.

What is included in the camp setup and daily routine?

Your camp is erected before you arrive on a private site. You stay in a junior Sahara Meru tent with en-suite bucket shower, basin and toilet. A professional guide, chef and camp assistant travel with you and handle all camp duties. You relax without participating. Game drives happen in the early morning and late afternoon from customized safari vehicles with rear-mounted seats under a canvas canopy. Meals are served in the central dining area, and evenings include dinner under the stars and time around a campfire.

What is the accommodation like in the mobile camps?

Accommodation is in junior Sahara Meru tents with basic en-suite facilities: a bucket shower, basin and toilet. Each camp has a central dining area with camp chairs arranged around a fire-pit or beneath the shade of a tree. The tents are set up on private sites before you arrive, and you sleep to the sounds of the wild.

Does the tour include transportation from Maun at the start?

Yes, pickup is included. Your guide meets you in Maun and the safari begins from there. The route ends in Kasane, where you are dropped at Kasane International Airport for onward travel.