BUSHMAN EXPLORATION SAFARI – CENTRAL KALAHARI & MAKGADIKGADI ADVENTURE
Overview
Experience Botswana’s desert wilderness on this 9 day mobile camping safari through the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. Designed for solo travellers or groups, this itinerary combines remote wildlife encounters with cultural discovery. Stay in fully serviced canvas safari tents, enjoy freshly prepared meals under the stars, and travel in custom 4x4 safari vehicles guided by seasoned professional guides.
This journey takes you from the iconic Deception Valley to the vast Piper Pan and finally to Khumaga, where the Boteti River attracts elephants and zebra by the hundreds.
Highlights
- Explore Deception Valley, famous for black-maned lions, cheetahs, and desert-adapted antelope.
- Witness the endless horizons of Piper Pan, with opportunities for incredible predator sightings.
- Enjoy game drives along the Boteti River in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park - a hotspot for elephants and the annual zebra migration.
- Authentic mobile camping with an expert guide, chef, and camp assistant.
- Optional cultural immersion with San (Bushmen) trackers to learn ancient survival skills.
Tour Overview
Availability
All Year
Duration
9Days/8Nights
Pickup Location
Airport Available
Included
- Accommodation is in fully serviced canvas safari tents (dome or Meru-style)
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Assorted drinks & bottled water
- Transfers in a 4x4 safari vehicle
- Scheduled game drives & excursions
- Professional guide, chef, and camp assistant
- Park entry fees
- Camping fees
Excluded
- International & regional flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Personal purchases
- Gratuities for staff
- Unexpected fuel/government increases
- Items not specified in the itinerary
Itinerary
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Day 1-3: Maun to Deception Valley (Central Kalahari)
Meet your guide in Maun and depart for Deception Valley. Settle into camp, followed by a safari briefing and your first afternoon game drive. Spend three days exploring the heart of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, home to oryx, springbok, eland, giraffe, and predators like cheetah, lion, and brown hyena. Enjoy sunrises over the pans and star-filled skies at night. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Accommodation: Mobile Camp - Deception Valley)
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Day 4: Deception Valley to Piper Pan
After breakfast and breaking camp, enjoy a slow game drive toward Piper Pan, spotting wildlife along the way. This scenic transfer offers plenty of opportunities for photography and predator tracking. Arrive in camp and enjoy a late afternoon game drive. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Accommodation: Mobile Camp - Piper Pan)
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Day 5-6: Piper Pan Discovery
Spend two full days exploring Piper Pan, known for its wide-open vistas and desert-adapted wildlife. Morning and afternoon game drives target Kalahari lions, cheetahs, bat-eared foxes, and the region’s iconic antelope. Evenings are spent around the campfire under brilliant night skies. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Accommodation: Mobile Camp - Piper Pan)
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Day 7: Piper Pan to Khumaga (Makgadikgadi)
After your last morning drive in Piper Pan, continue to Khumaga village, on the edge of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. Arrive at camp overlooking the Boteti River, where elephants and zebras often congregate. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Accommodation: Mobile Camp - Khumaga)
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Day 8: Makgadikgadi Game Drive
Enjoy a full day exploring Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. Game drives along the Boteti River offer exceptional wildlife viewing, including elephants, hippos, and seasonal zebra migrations. Birdlife is also prolific, with species like fish eagles and pelicans. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Accommodation: Mobile Camp - Khumaga)
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Day 9: Return to Maun
After breakfast, break camp and enjoy a leisurely drive back to Maun, where your safari concludes. (Meals: Breakfast)