BOTSWANA & ZIMBABWE SELF DRIVE SAFARI

As you touch down in Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta, our Best Life Adventures crew will be there to greet you with big smiles and even bigger excitement. Once everyone’s gathered, it’s time to collect the 4WD - your trusty home-on-wheels for the journey ahead - and get ready to roll.

There’s a special kind of buzz in Maun. This lively safari town hums with adventure - donkeys share the road with Land Cruisers, colourful markets spill into the streets, and small planes drone overhead, carrying travellers deep into the Delta. It’s dusty, sun-soaked, and full of promise - a place where wild stories begin.

You’ll have time to stock up on supplies - food, drinks, and any last-minute essentials - before heading to The Maun Studios, a peaceful riverside hideaway shaded by leafy trees and filled with birdsong. It’s the perfect spot to unwind, watch the sun melt into the Thamalakane River, and ease into the rhythm of Africa.

Tomorrow, the real adventure begins - so stretch out, breathe it all in, and get ready for the journey into the wild.

Wake up to the sounds of Africa coming alive - birds calling, the soft hum of Maun in the distance, and the excitement of the journey ahead. After breakfast, it’s time to drive north toward one of Botswana’s most spectacular wilderness areas, the legendary Moremi Game Reserve.

The drive winds through ever-changing scenery, from dusty tracks and acacia groves to shimmering waterways where elephants, giraffes, and buffalo roam freely. Keep your eyes peeled; the adventure starts long before you reach camp.

Your home for the next two nights is Third Bridge Campsite, tucked deep inside the reserve and surrounded by the sights and sounds of true wilderness. There are no fences here, just the open bush and the possibility of a curious hyena or elephant wandering past as you gather around the fire.

Settle into your campsite, enjoy a hot shower under the stars, and listen to the chorus of the African night - frogs croaking, hippos grunting, and distant lions calling across the plains.

Over the next two days, explore the Moremi Game Reserve, a breathtaking patchwork of forests, floodplains, and winding waterways teeming with life. Spot herds of zebra, wildebeest, and lechwe splashing through the shallows, or watch a leopard melt into the trees at sunset.

Welcome to the heart of the Okavango - wild, remote, and completely unforgettable.

The road calls again, and today’s drive takes us into one of Botswana’s best-kept secrets - Khwai. It may look like a small name on the map, but it’s packed with wildlife and big adventure. The journey north is anything but ordinary: elephants meander across the track, birds swoop overhead, and every bend reveals another postcard-perfect view.

As you cross into the Khwai Community Area, you’ll feel the rhythm of the Delta change. Here, the wilderness opens wide - a patchwork of floodplains, river channels, and ancient trees where people and animals share the same land.

Your base for the next two nights is Magotho Campsite, shaded by grand acacia trees right beside the Khwai River. It’s wild and full of surprises - you might see elephants stroll past camp, or hear hippos grumbling nearby as the sun slips below the horizon.

Days here are made for exploring. Take a slow game drive along the river, join a guided night drive to spot the secretive nocturnal animals, or drift through the still water in a mokoro canoe. However you spend your time, Khwai has a way of stealing hearts - one golden sunset at a time.

Buckle up for one of the most exciting drives of the trip as you make your way north into the legendary Savuti region of Chobe National Park. The journey itself is an adventure – long, bumpy, and absolutely beautiful - with plenty of chances to spot wildlife along the way.

Savuti is wild in every sense of the word. This is a place where lions sometimes hunt elephants, hyenas laugh through the night, and leopards sneak down to the water for a drink. The ever-changing Savuti Channel weaves its own story here - sometimes flowing, sometimes dry - shaping a landscape that’s dramatic, unpredictable, and alive with animals.

Your base for the next two nights is Savuti Campsite, surrounded by open plains and dotted with ancient trees. Here too, elephants sometimes stroll right past the tents as the sky turns gold and the bush comes alive with sound. There’s running water, hot showers, and the soft hum of the wild as your evening soundtrack.

Spend your days exploring on game drives - the marsh road if it’s dry enough, or the dune road if not. Either way, the scenery is stunning and the wildlife incredible. As the day fades, light the campfire, watch the stars appear, and let Savuti’s wild magic work its charm.

Today, we leave the sand roads behind and continue the adventure to the north along the legendary Chobe Riverfront, where elephants rule the land and sunsets paint the floodplains in gold. The drive is long but full of surprises - shifting from sandy tracks to open plains until, at last, the gleam of the Chobe River appears ahead, marking your arrival at one of Africa’s most breathtaking wildlife sanctuaries.

Your home for the night, Ihaha Campsite, is tucked beneath shady acacia trees right along the riverbank. It’s wild, peaceful, and perfectly placed for world-class game viewing - elephants wade through the shallows, hippos grunt from the reeds, and buffalo meander lazily through camp. You might not even need to leave your chair to witness the spectacle.

For those with energy left, take a gentle afternoon drive along the river. As the light softens, Chobe will leave you feeling tiny as giant elephant bulls stroll up beside your vehicle. You’ll feel the ground hum as hundreds of hippos and buffalo crowd the floodplains, and your heart may race as lions stalk antelope by the water’s edge. Then, as the sun dips low, the sky turns crimson and the fish eagles begin to sing - a soundtrack to one of Africa’s most unforgettable sunsets.

As night falls, the bush quiets into its secret rhythm - the low rumble of hippos, the distant roar of lions, and the whispering river under a canopy of stars.

After days in the wild, it’s time to trade dust for a little comfort. The road west hugs the shimmering Chobe River, where elephants splash in the shallows, buffalo graze in the reeds, and safari boats glide by like drifting clouds. Keep the windows down - this is your final stretch of true Botswana road-tripping magic.

By lunchtime, you’ll roll into Kasane, a riverside town where wildlife and people share the same streets. Drop off your trusty 4WDs at the Bushlore depot, then relax as you’re transferred to The Old House - a laid-back, family-run guesthouse with everything you need to unwind: cool drinks, comfy beds, and the gentle hum of the Chobe River just outside.

At 3 pm, the grand finale begins. Step aboard a riverboat from the jetty and drift into the sunset. Elephants gather at the water’s edge, hippos grunt their goodnights, and fish eagles call across the glowing sky. The light turns to gold and pink as the river mirrors the fading day - a quiet, perfect ending to your Botswana journey. G&T in hand (or juice for the kids), it’s a moment to simply float, breathe, and watch the light slip into dusk.

Today you’ll cross into Zimbabwe and arrive at one of the most breathtaking natural wonders on Earth - Victoria Falls, where the mighty Zambezi River meets its spectacular plunge into the Batoka Gorge. Here, the earth splits open and swallows one of Africa’s greatest rivers, creating the largest sheet of falling water on the planet. As millions of litres crash into the narrow depths below, a vast cloud of mist rises skyward, earning the Falls their local name, mosi-oa-tunya - “the smoke that thunders.”

When the Zambezi is at its fullest, that mist becomes a raincloud that hovers above the gorge, showering visitors even on the sunniest of days. From miles away, you can see the shimmering spray and hear the deep, distant rumble - a heartbeat of Africa that never stops.

Your base here is Bayete Guest Lodge - a leafy retreat tucked away in Victoria Falls town, surrounded by tropical gardens and birdsong. Cool off in the pool, relax in the shade, and enjoy the calm after your long safari days - a perfect balance of adventure and comfort.

In the afternoon, head out to meet the Falls face to face. Walk rainforest paths glistening with spray, feel the mist on your skin, and watch in awe as the Zambezi roars into the gorge below. Each viewpoint offers a new perspective - curtains of water, swirling rainbows, and a sense of sheer power that humbles everyone who stands before it.

For those craving more adventure, Victoria Falls has it all - from helicopter flights soaring above the gorge to bungee jumping, white-water rafting, and cultural village visits (optional extras).

As evening falls, the town comes alive with travellers sharing stories and the distant rhythm of African drums - the perfect soundtrack to another unforgettable day in Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Enjoy a slow, delicious breakfast at Bayete Guest Lodge and soak up your last moments in Africa - the sounds, the colours, the feeling of adventure still in the air. When it’s time, you’ll be transferred to the Vic Falls International Airport for your flight to Johannesburg, and onto Australia, carrying a camera full of photos and a heart full of stories.

This journey through Botswana and Zimbabwe may be coming to an end, but the memories - elephants at sunset, starry nights in the wild, laughter around campfires - are yours to keep forever.

Your epic 4WD camper for the duration of our adventure is a Toyota Hilux 4x4 HiCam which has everything you need to explore and enjoy the African landscape in a safe and secure way.

Ideal for up to 4 people (5 at a squeeze if the kids are young enough) it’s got great reliability and fuel economy, and is easy to drive both on and off road. Its raised suspension gives an elevated position that’s great for game viewing, and the camp setup takes less than two minutes. 

Everything you need is onboard to live a life on the road, with twin cookers, a huge fridge, pots, pans, crockery and cutlery, an onboard shower, solar panels and dual-battery system so your sundown drinks are cold and refreshing. 

All of your bedding, towels and camping essentials are included, all you need to bring are your clothes, personal effects and a sense of adventure. There’s plenty of onboard storage space too for your clothes and extra gear.

We collect the vehicles on arrival in Maun, and drop them off in Kasane, ten days later. we’ve taken acre of all the hire arrangements, insurance and logistics - all you need to do is turn up.