This 52,800 square km protected area was established 1961 as part of the Kalahari Basin, which is the world’s largest continuous stretch of sand. It stretches from the Orange River up to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The CKGR is home to a wide variety of wildlife species including eland, springbok, lions, leopards, and wild dogs. Additionally, important bird species such as the Kori Bustard and the Secretary Bird live here.
The southern part of the CKGR is called the Khutse Game Reserve. Although there are large open grasslands, the game reserve is largely covered with semi-arid shrub, savanna and scrub. In terms of vegetation, there are small patches or strips of Acacia woodland, and large areas of Terminalia sand veld. Fossil riverbeds found in Deception and Okwa valleys, and in the Khutse Game Reserve mark the positions of rivers which once drained into the ancient Lake Makgadikgadi.
We offer spectacular, unforgettable journeys to explore passionately protected flora and fauna in these areas. The trips we offer to these two destinations are available throughout the wet and dry seasons. Although wildlife densities in these protected areas are relatively lower compared with northern Botswana, our classic safari style trips go a long way to show you the ancient river systems, geological makeup of the Kalahari and the rich, cultural identity of the San people who have lived in harmony with nature over thousands of years.
Nxai Pan National Park is large salt pan depression lying adjacent to Makgadikgadi Pans. This area is thought to have evolved about 5 million years ago fed by the 3 mighty rivers: the Okavango, the Chobe, and the upper Zambezi. This ancient lakebed is mostly covered by acacia tree species and short grass. Nxai Pan National Park was declared a game reserve in 1970. In 1992, the boundaries were extended to include Baines Baobabs to create the current total area of 2,578 square km and was then declared a National Park.
Nxai is fantastic for guests who want to see beautiful sunrises and sunsets. There are large herds of springbok, Burchel’s zebra, some blue wildebeest and gemsbok flocking into the pans after the rainy season. These animals migrate from the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park to the Nxai Pan area after the rainy season because of the fresh, nutritious grass that grows here. This is something people look forward to every year.
Another important feature of this park is the Baines Baobabs. They are a cluster of Baobab trees that were painted by one of David Livingstone’s expedition crew members in the 1800’s. This is a popular site for photographers. We offer exciting camping trips to Nxai Pan throughout the year.
Chobe was established in 1967 and covers a total area of 11,700 square km. Chobe boasts the highest concentration of African elephants in the whole world, estimated to be over 120,000. Chobe is an exceptionally biologically diverse habitat among Botswana’s protected areas. Since Chobe and Moremi are thought to have the highest concentration of wildlife, we look forward to bringing our guests here every year. Chobe has various biomes, each with different landscapes and wildlife. The Chobe riverfront is the most popular destination in the park. It is a few minutes’ drive from Kasane town. Here we offer game drives and boat cruises. This area is truly beautiful with marvelous sunsets over the mighty Chobe River. Large herds of elephants and buffalo are a regular sighting here.
Savuti is situated in the southwestern part of Chobe National Park. The word Savuti means “mystery,” and although it is part of Chobe, it offers an entirely different experience from the Chobe riverfront because it is drier. However, Savuti has the Savuti marsh which is fed by the Savuti channel. The channel was dry for almost 30 years due to tectonic plates movement and flooded again around 2011. Savuti offers a wide range of wildlife sightings including elephants, roan antelope, elephants, zebra, wildebeest and giraffe. There is even more variety when the channel is flowing and the marsh has water. Here regular sightings include water birds such as egret, pelicans, herons, geese, and jacanas. Water bucks, common reedbucks and red lechwes have also been spotted in the Savuti marsh when it had water. We offer camping trips to Savuti either as a stand-alone safari or as one of the destinations in a much longer safari itinerary. Other interesting sightings in Savuti include ancient rock paintings and a very old baobab tree.
The Khwai concession is 180,000 hectares of land located in northeastern Okavango. The Khwai River flows through the concession and it is the first major water source for animals migrating south from the Linyanti concession. The Khwai river flows from the Okavango, and game viewing along the river is very high. Regularly spotted animals include hippos, crocodile, water birds, elephants, buffalo, and water antelopes.
In terms of vegetation, the area is made up of grasslands, riparian forests and floodplains. The floodplains are flooded most of the year and there are lagoons covered in blue and white waterlilies. The area also has large tracts of Mopane forests. The riverine woodland consists of Camelthorn, knob thorn, apple leaf and great stands of Leadwood trees. Safari lodges and campsites are available in the area. We offer daytrips departing from Maun and also overnight camping trips on a regular basis. You can also book a private safari with us in a closed car or an open safari vehicle.
Moremi Game Reserve was declared a wildlife management area in 1963 by the BaTawana Chief Kgosi Moremi and it went on record as the first protected area to be created by a tribe with the intention to sustainably manage and utilize its flora and fauna. Moremi Game Reserve was initially run by the Fauna Conservation Society of Ngamiland and it was extended to include Chief’s Island in 1979. It was later taken over by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks and became part of the Botswana Government’s efforts to protect flora and fauna in the country.
Moremi is bordered by the Okavango Delta to the east, Khwai to the northeast, and Chobe to the north. Moremi offers one of the best wildlife viewing experiences in Botswana. It is recommended by safari agents and travelers worldwide. There are both safari lodges and privately owned and public camping sites in the reserve. We offer both day trip excursions from Maun and overnight camping trips as well as boat cruises in the beautiful waters of the Okavango. Common wildlife sightings include a wide variety of water birds such as herons, pelicans, egrets, fishing eagles and owls, jacanas and lapwings. Hippos and crocodiles are also are regular sightings reported by both tour guides and self-driven tourists.
The Okavango Delta, considered to be the world’s largest inland delta, is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana. It’s fed by the Cubango and the Quito rivers from the Angolan highlands. It’s known for its sprawling grassy plains, which flood seasonally, becoming a lush animal habitat. The Okavango Delta is over 2 million hectares with an additional buffer zone of over 600,000 hectares. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in September of 1996.
The Okavango Delta is home to a variety of water-faring wildlife species including hippos, elephants, water birds, crocodiles, and a rare water antelope called the sitatunga. On dry land, the wildlife includes lions, leopards, giraffes, elephants and rhinos. The Okavango delta has over 400 species of birds and around 71 species of fish.
One interesting feature about the delta is its unique salt islands, which according to research, begin as termite mounts. Every year, about 11,000 billion liters of water flow into the Delta. The Delta also supports livelihoods of communities living around it through photo tourism, fishing and sometimes through controlled hunting. We offer mokoro, boat cruises, camping trips and day trips to the Okavango delta.