KALAHARI DESERT & MABUASEHUBE EXPLORER
Overview
This adventure takes you deep into the Kalahari wilderness, from the cultural heart of Ghanzi to the remote pans of Mabuasehube in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Expect vast open landscapes, San (Bushmen) cultural encounters, and thrilling predator sightings - all while staying in serviced mobile campsites.
Your adventure is hosted by an expert safari team, with a chef preparing fresh meals and a professional guide leading you through game drives, cultural activities, and nature walks.
Highlights
- Explore the remote Mabuasehube pans with unrivalled predator sightings – including black-maned lions, cheetah, leopard, hyena.
- Experience San culture in Ghanzi - traditional dancing, bushcraft, storytelling, and walks with Bushmen trackers.
- Camp in pristine wilderness areas, often with game visible from your tent.
- Day and night game drives in the Kalahari, with opportunities to see rare nocturnal species like aardwolf, bat-eared fox, and black-footed cat.
- Travel in fully equipped 4x4 safari vehicles with professional guiding.
Tour Overview
Availability
All Year
Duration
11Days/10Nights
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
- 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
- Unexpected fuel and government increases
- Items not specified in the itinerary
Itinerary
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Day 1: Maun to Thakadu Bush Camp (Ghanzi)
Meet your guide in Maun and set out for Thakadu Bush Camp, a friendly and unique lodge in Ghanzi. Upon arrival, settle into camp and enjoy a safari briefing. In the evening, experience your first taste of San culture with traditional dances and stories around the fire. (Meals: Lunch, Dinner | Accommodation: Thakadu Bush Camp)
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Day 2: Ghanzi Cultural Immersion
Spend a full day exploring the traditions of the San people. Join a Bushmen walk, where local trackers share insights into survival skills, medicinal plants, and hunting techniques. At night, enjoy more storytelling and cultural performances, gaining a rare perspective into one of the oldest living cultures on earth. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Accommodation: Thakadu Bush Camp)
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Day 3: Transfer to Mabuasehube
Travel into the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, arriving at the remote Mabuasehube pans. Each pan offers a unique ecosystem - from salt-rich clay attracting herbivores to grasslands frequented by antelope and predators. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Accommodation: Mobile Camp in Mabuasehube)
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Day 4: Mabuasehube Explorations
Embark on morning and afternoon game drives targeting the Kalahari black-maned lions, cheetahs, leopards, and brown hyenas – including time to relax at camp with panoramic views across the pans. Often game can be spotted right from your tent. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Accommodation: Mobile Camp in Mabuasehube)
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Day 5-6: Predator Kingdom
Delve deeper into Mabuasehube, focusing on predator-rich areas such as Bosobogolo Pan. Look for lions on the hunt, cheetahs scanning the open plains, and elusive nocturnal animals during night drives. Your guide will interpret the delicate balance of life in this arid ecosystem. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Accommodation: Mobile Camp in Mabuasehube)
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Day 7-8: The Untamed Wilderness
Explore the wilder corners of Mabuasehube. These days are about immersion - endless horizons, fiery sunsets, and encounters with wildlife less commonly seen elsewhere in Botswana. Expect sightings of springbok, wildebeest, gemsbok, and their predators, plus excellent opportunities for stargazing in some of the clearest night skies in Africa. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Accommodation: Mobile Camp in Mabuasehube)
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Day 9-10: Return to Thakadu, Ghanzi
Head back to Thakadu Bush Camp, breaking the journey with cultural activities and relaxation. Revisit the San community and enjoy final cultural interactions, dances, and a deeper appreciation of their resilience in the desert. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Accommodation: Thakadu Bush Camp)
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Day 11: Return to Maun
After breakfast, depart by road to Maun, where the safari officially ends. Connect with onward flights or extend your Botswana journey. (Meals: Breakfast)