15-Day Classic Botswana Road Trip
This route follows Drive South Africa’s 15-day classic Botswana itinerary. It is a 4x4 safari loop from Maun through Moremi, Khwai, Savute and Chobe, with Nata and Nxai Pan on the return leg.
Highlights include:
- Camping for two nights at Third Bridge inside Moremi Game Reserve
- Spending two nights beside the Khwai floodplain at Magotho Campsite
- Taking a morning mokoro trip on the Khwai River
- Driving the 4x4 route north to Savute Campsite
- Exploring the Chobe Riverfront and joining a sunset boat cruise
- Making a day trip from Kasane to Victoria Falls
- Watching for flamingos at Nata Bird Sanctuary after good rains
- Camping at South Camp while exploring Nxai Pan National Park
- Returning to Maun for a final night beside the Thamalakane River
Botswana road trip from Maun to Maun (1074 km, about 47 hours driving). Plan this trip with Sideroads Africa.
Stops along the way
Day 1
- Thamalakane River Lodge: River-edge lodge 19 km from Maun Airport on the Shorobe road — the classic first and last night before Moremi.
Day 2
- Moremi Game Reserve: Okavango Delta reserve east of Maun — mopane woodland, floodplains, and the classic 4x4 game-drive loop from South Gate.
- Third Bridge Camp: Xomae camp on the Moanachira in western Moremi — two nights among floodplain game on the classic 4x4 loop.
Day 3
- Third Bridge Camp: Xomae camp on the Moanachira in western Moremi — two nights among floodplain game on the classic 4x4 loop.
Day 4
- Magotho Campsite (Khwai): Khwai Development Trust camp east of Moremi North Gate — floodplain camping and the mokoro launch on the Khwai River.
- Khwai River mokoro: Morning guided mokoro on the Khwai River floodplains — poling from the community concession beside Magotho Camp.
Day 5
- Magotho Campsite (Khwai): Khwai Development Trust camp east of Moremi North Gate — floodplain camping and the mokoro launch on the Khwai River.
Day 6
- Savute Campsite: SKL public camp in central Savute — lion prides, hyenas, and elephant bulls on the Chobe 4x4 marsh.
Day 7
- Savute Campsite: SKL public camp in central Savute — lion prides, hyenas, and elephant bulls on the Chobe 4x4 marsh.
Day 8
- Kasane
- The Old House: Family-run Kasane guest lodge on President Avenue — Chobe River views and the base for riverfront drives and a Victoria Falls day trip
Day 9
- Chobe Riverfront: Riverine game drives along the Chobe opposite Sedudu Island — elephants, buffalo, and the Kasane stretch of Chobe National Park.
- Chobe River sunset cruise: Sunset boat from Kasane into Chobe National Park — elephants drinking, hippos, and the riverfront from the water.
- The Old House: Family-run Kasane guest lodge on President Avenue — Chobe River views and the base for riverfront drives and a Victoria Falls day trip
Day 10
- Victoria Falls: One of the world’s great waterfalls — a day trip from Kasane across Kazungula to the Zimbabwean lip of the Zambezi.
- The Old House: Family-run Kasane guest lodge on President Avenue — Chobe River views and the base for riverfront drives and a Victoria Falls day trip
Day 11
- Nata Lodge: Palm-island lodge 10 km south of Nata — dinner, chalets and the base for Nata Bird Sanctuary sunset drives
- Engen Nata: Village Engen on the A3 at Nata — fill up before the Maun stretch and the pans.
- Nata Bird Sanctuary: Community flamingo sanctuary on Sua Pan — sunset game drives from Nata Lodge after good rains.
Day 12
- Nxai Pan National Park: Salt-pan national park north of the A3 — the tarred Maun road breaks up just after this gate.
- South Camp (Nxai Pan): Xomae camp on the southern Nxai salt pan — springbok, zebra, and migratory birds after the A3 gate.
Day 13
- South Camp (Nxai Pan): Xomae camp on the southern Nxai salt pan — springbok, zebra, and migratory birds after the A3 gate.
Day 14
- Thamalakane River Lodge: River-edge lodge 19 km from Maun Airport on the Shorobe road — the classic first and last night before Moremi.
Day 15
- Maun International Airport