Epic Botswana 38-day Self-Drive Itinerary

Road Trip Highlights

Botswana

4x4

38 days

3761 km

Botswana is a paradise for nature enthusiasts.
An abundance of wildlife and incredible national parks.
Botswana ranks among the best places for an unforgettable photography safari experience.
A must-visit destination!

View the original road trip story

Author Bio

Shelley and LarsAustralia

Lars and Shelley are the adventurous duo behind Lifejourney4two, who transformed their "one day" dreams into reality in 2016. Trading their conventional life in Perth, Australia, for a life of exploration, they sold everything they owned and embarked on an open-ended journey around the world. What started as a one-year plan has evolved into a continuing adventure spanning over 40 countries across multiple continents. From camping across Australia to overlanding through Africa, and house-sitting across Europe, they've mastered the art of budget-conscious travel. Now based in Perth, they continue to share authentic travel experiences, detailed guides, and practical tips through their blog, while planning their next adventures across Australia and beyond.

https://lifejourney4two.com/

Save the Full Road Trip

Suggested Vehicles for hire

Toyota Hilux Double Cab 4x4 Automatic

4 Seats | 4 Doors | 4 Large Bags | 3 Medium Bags

Aircon
Power Steering
ABS
Diesel

Minimum rental: 1 day

SEE FULL SPEC

Toyota Double Cab 4x4 DCE

5 Seats | 4 Doors | 2 Medium Bags | 2 Small Bags

Aircon
Power Steering
ABS
Diesel

Minimum rental: 1 day

SEE FULL SPEC

Road Trip Itinerary

	Activities	Kms	Stay
Day	The night before, start your trip in the Matamba Bush Camp, located in the Waterberg region of the Limpopo Province of South Africa.		Matamba Bush Camp
Day 1	From the Matamba Camp, make your way to the African Ranches River Camp, the first stop on your Botswana self-drive itinerary.	200	African Ranches River Camp
Day 2-3	For your next stop, drive from the African Ranch River Camp to the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. This stop offers you the opportunity to camp amid its incredible rhino sanctuary and observe these animals within their natural habitat. The camping facilities include large campsites with a tap and fire pit. Camp here for two nights.	198	Khama Rhino Sanctuary
Day 4-5	Next, move on towards the Makumutu Lodge. The lodge makes for a perfect stop on your way to the remote Central Kalahari Game Reserve. The lodge consists of at least 4 campsites (with electricity included), a tap, braai area, and a bar and restaurant. If you fancy a dip, there is also a swimming pool along with a private shower/toilet block. Stay two nights at the Makumutu Lodge.	210	Makumutu Lodge, Orapa
Day 6-7	Once you are done at the Makumutu Camp, make your way up the long and bumpy way towards the Piper Pan Campsite in the Central Kalahari. Be warned though, Once you reach Matswere Gate, the main entrance to the Central Kalahari, it’s another 143 km before you reach Piper Pan Campsite. Be sure to reduce your tyre pressure once you leave the Main Road, as there are many areas of deep sand and mud. Stay at the Piper Pan Campsite for two nights before heading to the next site.	281	Piper Pan Campsite, Central Kalahari
Day 8-9	The Sunday Pan Campsite is located north of Piper Pan. There are four campsites at Sunday Pan, each with its own unique appeal. Campsite 1 is actually a Leopard Pan, a bit further north. Campsite 2 is near the pan but set back towards a grove of trees. While Campsites 3 and 4 are closer together and located near the waterhole, which attracts a lot of wildlife. Camp at the Sunday Pan Campsite for two nights.	115	Sunday Pan Campsite, Central Kalahari
Day 10	From the Sunday Pan Campsite, head towards the Makumutu Camp. This camp is located close to the Central Kalahari Exit and is arguably one of the best sites to stay at. Stay at the lodge for one day.	210	Makumutu
Day 11-12	Drive from the Makumutu Camp to Planet Boabab, which gets its name from the centenarian baobab trees on the site. Although it is slightly more commercialised, it still offers excellent amenities, including a restaurant and bar and the Kalahari’s largest swimming pool. Stay here for two nights.	175	Planet Boabab
Day 13-14	From Planet Boabab, make the two-hour journey to the Nxai Pan South Camp. Here you may come across a few predators and prey around the waterholes, depending on the season. The campsites in Nxai Pan are quite close together, with most of them being shady. Camp here for two nights.	110	Nxai Pan, South Camp
Day 15-16	Make your way from Nxai Pan’s South Camp to Baine’s Boababs. If you are travelling in winter, this is the ideal place to observe the starry night skies. If you are going in summer, you might need to skip this site as the thunderstorms and rain might make it a bit difficult to reach the site safely. If you made it here successfully, spend two nights at the camp.	35	Nxai Pan, Baines Baobabs
Day 17-18	After Baines Boababs, drive to the Makgadikgadi Pans. Its main entrance, Phuduhudu Gate, is just off the main Gweta to Maun main road and a short drive from the exit gate at Nxai Pan. If you enter here, Makgadikgadi’s Kumaga Camp is further south on the banks of the Boteti River. While camping at Kumaga Camp, some elephants might wonder through your site. At night, you might even hear some lions and hyenas. Stay here for two nights.	155	Makgadikgadi Pans, Kumaga Camp
Day 19	The next part of this itinerary takes you to Maun, the tourist capital of Botswana. If you are looking for some downtime and relaxation, spend the night at Maun Studios.	151	Maun Studios
Day 20-21	Make your way from Maun to the South Camp of the Moremi Game Reserve, one of the most renowned reserves in the iconic Okavango Delta. In summer, rain can make driving conditions particularly challenging, so make sure to check the conditions at the gate for roads to avoid. There are ten campsites at South Gate, all a bit close together. Camp here for two nights.	84	Moremi Game Reserve, South Gate Camp
Day 22-23	Drive from the South Gate Camp to the Xakanaxa Camp, still in the Moremi Game Reserve. The campsites at Xakanaxa are shady and well-spaced with shared ablutions. There are also several tracks for game drives. Camp here for two nights.	45	Moremi Game Reserve, Xakanaxa Camp
Day 24-25	Drive from the Moremi Game Reserve to Khwai Concession and make yourself at home at the Magotho Camp. At this camp, you might be lucky enough to spot some local wildlife, including elephants, African wild dogs, and lions. Camp here for two days.	70	Khwai Concession, Magotho Camp
Day 26-27	Drive from Khai Concession to the Savuti Camp in the Chobe National Park. There are about ten camps at Savuti, which all have shared ablutions. The camp is also surrounded by an elephant-proof concrete wall. Despite this, there are plenty of routes to drive around in Savuti. Camp here for two nights.	85	Chobe National Park, Savuti Camp
Day 28-29	After exiting the Savuti Camp, drive to the Ihaha Camp, which sits overlooking the Chobe River. Here you might see a few buffalo, giraffes, impalas, and other local wildlife. Stay here for two nights.	133	Chobe National Park, Ihaha Camp
Day 30-31	Drive from the Ilhaha Camp to the Senyati Camp. One of the camp's main attractions is its restaurant/bar/vernadah area, which attracts elephants and other wildlife on a daily basis. There is also an underground hide where you can sit and watch the elephants up close. The camp also comes with a private ablutions area, electricity, and a pool. Spend two nights here.	75	Senyati Camp, Kasane
Day 32	Drive from the Senyati Camp to Elephant Sands. This camp comes with a shared ablution block where elephants regularly walk past on their way to the waterhole adjacent to the camp. There is also a swimming pool and a bar/restaurant. Camp here for one night.	245	Elephant Sands Lodge
Day 33	When you’re done at Elephant Sands, make your way back to Maun. Stay at Maun Studios again for one night.	370	The Maun Studios
Day 34	Drive to the Kalahari Rest Camp after exiting Maun. This is a good stopover en route to the Kgalgadi. Stay here for one day.	526	Kalahari Rest Camp
Day 35-36	From the Kalahari Rest Camp, drive to the Mpaya Camp at the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. This camp is quite remote and includes only a drop-toilet and cold water shower. Here you might sight some lions, springbok, gemsbok, cape ground squirrels, and the occasional mongoose. Stay here for two nights.	288	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Mpaya Camp
Day 36-38	In the same park, go from the Mpaya Camp to the Mabua Camp. This is only a 30-minute drive.		Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Mabua Camp