Botswana Honeymoon Safari

Fly into Maun Airport (MUB), the international airport near the town of Maun in northern Botswana, and the main gateway to the Okavango Delta and The Great Salt Pans. From Maun Airport, you’ll take a roughly 50-minute light aircraft flight to the Makgadikgadi Pans. You’ll be met by a representative on arrival at the airstrip, and make the short 4WD transfer to Camp Kalahari, your safari camp for the next three nights.

Located in a private concession on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Camp Kalahari is the perfect base to experience the magic of The Great Salt Pans. The camp is placed among the acacias of Hyena Island, and you can immediately begin spotting the animals that wander across these stunning landscapes.

Simple and understated, you’ll be surrounded by a romantic and surreal environment, with views as endless as the starry night skies. Disconnect from modern life, with no WIFI and pathways lit by paraffin lanterns.

At Camp Kalahari, you can ease yourself into the safari experience, with a range of exciting activities including horse riding and quad biking across the vast Kalahari Desert, and walking with bushmen as they share their unparalleled wisdom on the region.

You can venture out on classic game drives, and if you visit during the wet ‘green season’, (between late December and early April), you have a chance to witness massive migratory herds of zebra and wildebeest, the second largest land animal migration in southern Africa.

There’s also incredible birdwatching during the green season, as migratory birds arrive, resident birds show their colourful breeding plumage, and bright pink flamingos flock to the region.

One of the highlights of Camp Kalahari is their four resident meerkat families that have been semi-habituated to humans. Although the meerkats are wild animals, they ignore the presence of humans, and you can follow the meerkat families across the Kalahari as they search for grubs and interact with each other.

After an exciting day of adventure, you’ll relax in one of the 11 Meru-style canvas tents built on raised wooden decks, featuring four-poster canopy beds and ensuite bathrooms. There’s a swimming pool on the outskirts of the camp, with daybeds under a shady area, and elephants are known to come and drink from the pool.

You’ll stay at Camp Kalahari on a full-board basis, with a range of dining experiences from picnic breakfasts in the stunning salt pans, to barbecue dinners in the communal dining area.

Enjoy a final morning activity at Camp Kalahari before boarding your light aircraft flight to the Khwai Area. You’ll be met on arrival at the airstrip, then take a vehicle transfer of around an hour to Hyena Pan Tented Camp, your safari camp for the next three nights.

Nestled within a grove of cathedral mopane trees overlooking the Hyena Pan, a natural watering hole, you’ll step into a wild, intimate corner of Botswana.

With just eight cosy tents built on wooden platforms, you’ll adore the tranquil atmosphere, free from WiFi and modern distractions. Each tent is styled with bright prints and comfortable furniture and is equipped with an ensuite bathroom with a shower and flushing toilet. You’ll also have a private verandah with sun loungers and stunning views over the pan.

Located on the east of the 200,000 hectares of the pristine Khwai Private Reserve, Hyena Pan Camp is bordered by the Moremi Game Reserve and Khwai River in the south and Chobe National Park in the east, making it a gathering point for animals traversing the region.

From the camp, the mineral rich water of the Hyena Pan can attract abundant birdlife, elephant, giraffe, zebra, waterbuck, impala, kudu, roan and red lechwe.

Along with the classic morning and afternoon game drives, you can take thrilling night game drives to spot the region’s nocturnal creatures. You can also go on nature walks, or head to the camouflaged eye-level hide for excellent game viewing and photographic opportunities.

Take a dip in the plunge pool as you watch animals splashing in the watering hole, or relax in the comfortable lounge with a book. In what can only enhance the romance of this trip, this afternoon you will finish your game drive at Skybeds, a 5m-high, 3 storey platform overlooking the waterhole. Enjoy a night under the stars in a double bed, with just a mosquito net between you and the outside world. A guide is always nearby if needed and you’ll find your alfresco bathroom on the second storey, complete with flushing toilet, shower and private changing area. At night, the waterhole is illuminated, making for a very special experience.

You’ll stay at Hyena Pan Camp and Skybeds on a full-board basis, with fantastic meals served in the raised communal dining area and bar overlooking the pan.

After breakfast, you’ll head out on a final game drive back to the airstrip for a light aircraft flight to the Okavango Delta. You’ll be met by a representative on arrival at the Kwara airstrip, then make the roughly 15-minute vehicle transfer to Kwara Camp, your safari camp for the next three nights.

After being completely rebuilt and reopened in September 2019, Kwara Camp is an exclusive, adults-only camp, perfect for a romantic, luxurious safari experience in the Delta. Located in the northern Okavango Delta, overlooking a secluded lagoon, you’ll be well-placed to explore the maze of water channels and the vast dry plains of the region.

There are just nine elegant canvas tents, featuring authentic African styling, an ensuite bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers, a beautiful bath, and a large deck with views over the floodplains.

Located on the private Kwara Concession, Kwara Camp offers some of the best game viewing in the Delta. There are frequent sightings of lion, cheetah and leopard, along with large herds of elephants, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, bushbuck, hippo, red lechwe, impala, kudu, tsessebe and sitatunga. You may even be lucky enough to spot a rare white rhino.

You can head out on bush walks, and classic morning and afternoon game drives, as well as night game drives to spot the Delta’s nocturnal creatures. It’s also a great location for wildlife photography, as the safari vehicles at Kwara have the option to remove the roof, providing unobscured views of the landscape. Take a private vehicle and guide to have complete freedom of the pace and focus of the game drives, and snap your perfect shot.

Explore the Delta’s labyrinth of waterways with a mokoro safari (traditional dugout canoe). You’ll navigate the lilly-covered lagoons, passing hippos and getting a closer look at the abundant birdlife including the pied kingfisher and the African jacana.

You can also cruise along the waters of the Moremi Game Reserve on a double-decker boat, visiting the Godikwe Lagoon and the Xobega Lagoon, known for their incredible diversity of birdlife, particularly during the nesting season. You’ll see herons nesting between September and December, along with yellow-billed stork, marabou stork and African darters.

Escape the afternoon heat with a dip in one of the two small pools at each end of the camp, complete with a bar and sun loungers at each pool. You’ll feel immersed in nature as Kwara Camp embraces the digital detox, with no WiFi or cell phone connectivity. There’s a comfortable lounge in the centre of the camp, and as you’ll stay at Kwara on a full-board basis, you’ll enjoy delicious meals served in the communal dining area.

Enjoy one last activity at Kwara Camp this morning, before boarding a light aircraft flight to Kasane. You’ll be met by a representative on arrival at the airstrip, then make the vehicle transfer of around 1.5 hours into Zimbabwe to The Victoria Falls Hotel, your hotel for the next two nights.

Located just a short walk from the mighty Victoria Falls, The Victoria Falls Hotel offers incredible views of the Victoria Falls Bridge and the mesmerising spray of the falls themselves.

Opened in 1904, the historic Victoria Falls Hotel was the first hotel in the region, built to house engineers working on the construction of the railway. You’ll melt into the charming grandeur and luxurious comforts of this historic property. Surrounded by lush, manicured gardens, you can stroll down the private path from the gardens, arriving at the entrance of the Victoria Falls rainforest in just 10 minutes.

After a busy week exploring the Botswana wilderness on thrilling safaris, your time at the Victoria Falls offers the chance to relax and soak up one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

As the world’s largest curtain of falling water, the Victoria Falls is a UNESCO World Heritage site and an unmissable sight for any holiday to the region. What you decide to do at this incredible site depends on when you travel to Victoria Falls, as river levels dictate which activities are safe. However, with such a wide variety of activities at Victoria Falls, there’s always something to see or do.

Take a spray-filled scenic walk or boat ride, or if you’re looking for more action, try bungee-jumping, white-water rafting, the heart-stopping Gorge Swing, or take a dip in the Devil’s Pool, the world’s most extreme infinity pool. See the falls from the sky with a breathtaking helicopter ride, a thrilling micro-light flight, or even zipline across the gorge.

After saying farewell and checking out of The Victoria Falls Hotel, you’ll transfer to Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA) in Zimbabwe for your return flight home.

Although you’re incredible Botswana Honeymoon Safari has come to an end, you’ll leave with more than a handful of photos and stories, and many special memories to look back on together.

After 12 romantic days of wildlife encounters, spectacular natural wonders, and some of the country’s top luxury lodges, we’re sure you’ll be hooked on Botswana and the African continent. Where will you go next?