Discover Botswana's highlights without detours

What to expect

• Explore Botswana's most important safari regions – from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve via Chobe to deep into the Okavango Delta.
• Master deep sand, lonely tracks and adventurous 4x4 sections on your own.
• Start directly in Maun and spend more time in the wilderness instead of on long access and return drives.

The route on the map

© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap

The stages

1. 1

   Stage 1: Maun

   1 night

   At last the time has come – your Botswana road trip begins. After your arrival in Maun you take over your 4x4 camping vehicle, which will accompany you over the coming weeks through some of Botswana's most fascinating nature and wildlife regions. During the handover you get to know the vehicle, roof tent and camping equipment before you sit behind the wheel yourself for the first time. Maun is the ideal place to prepare for the coming days. Make use of the good infrastructure of this safari town to stock up on fresh food, drinking water and everything else you need for the next stages. That way you can start your Botswana adventure well prepared the next morning. With one overnight stay in Maun you have enough time to arrive calmly after your journey and familiarise yourself with your vehicle. Enjoy your first evening in Botswana, because tomorrow you leave the town behind and your road trip really begins.

   • Stock up on supplies for the wilderness at Beef Boys
   • The Waterfront
2. 2

   Getting there: 269 km, about 7.7 h drive · 4x4 required

   Stage 2: Central Kalahari Game Reserve (Passarge Valley)

   Central Kalahari Game Reserve · 1 night

   The Central Kalahari is one of the largest and most remote protected areas in Africa. Across an area larger than Switzerland stretch vast landscapes where you can often go for hours without meeting other people. Wildlife density is lower than in Botswana's northern parks – but individual encounters are all the more special. Among the best-known residents are the black-maned Kalahari Lions, which with a bit of luck you may spot on open plains and pans. On the lonely tracks you explore the Central Kalahari on your own. It is particularly worthwhile to look out for wildlife at waterholes and open pans. The water sources attract animals to drink, while nutrient-rich grasses grow on the pans especially after rainfall. At the same time the open landscape allows you to see a long way and scan for animals or movement from a distance. Passarge Valley is an old river valley with good opportunities for wildlife viewing and only three campsites far apart from each other. There are around 15 kilometres between each pitch – so you will barely notice your neighbours here. For your first night in the Central Kalahari you experience exactly the remoteness for which this huge protected area is known.

   • Head out on safari and find lions and cheetahs in the Passarge Valley
   • Passarge Valley Campsites

12 more stages in the app

The full route with every stage, place to stay and activity is available in the app with Wildful Stories+. There you can also copy it into your own plan.

More about Wildful Stories+