This 10-day (9-night) mobile camping safari immerses you in Botswana's arid wonders, starting and ending in Maun. You'll traverse the ancient salt pans of Nxai Pan National Park, the life-giving Boteti River in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, and the dramatic fossil valleys of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR)—home to Deception Valley's mirage-like expanses and Piper Pan's serene grasslands. Expect a symphony of desert-adapted wildlife: zebra migrations, black-maned lions, cheetahs sprinting across flats, meerkats standing sentinel, and gemsbok silhouetted against sunsets. November 2025 ushers in the green season, with early rains greening the pans, drawing herds to waterholes, and blooming wildflowers—prime for birdwatching (flamingos, owls) and newborn sightings, though expect hot days, cooler nights, and brief showers that soften tracks.
This private or small-group (2–6 people) adventure uses a rugged 4x4 with pop-up roof for game viewing, led by an expert guide who sets up en-suite mobile tents (comfortable cots, solar-lit, bush showers, eco-loos) at wild sites. All meals feature bush fare like grilled game, fresh salads, and campfire stories. Park fees, activities, and transfers are included; soft drinks and local wines too.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Maun & Transfer to Nxai Pan National Park
Meet your guide at Maun Airport (MUB) for a 2.5–3-hour drive east (~162 km) along the A3 tar road, turning south at the Phuduhudu Gate into Nxai Pan's fossil pans. Roads are mostly good tar to the gate, then sandy tracks—manageable in a 4x4.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive amid ancient baobabs and open grasslands, scanning for zebras and wildebeest starting their migration. Set up camp near South Camp.
Evening: Sundowners under baobab canopies as hyenas whoop in the distance.
Meals: Lunch, dinner.
Overnight: Mobile camp, Nxai Pan South.
Day 2: Full Day in Nxai Pan – Pan Exploration
Dawn drive across the vast pan, where November's first greens attract springbok leaps and lion prides. Midday picnic under a lone acacia, with time for a guided walk to track aardvark burrows.
Afternoon: Focus on meerkat mobs emerging from dunes—quintessential Kalahari charm. As rains tease, expect bursts of color from lilies and migratory birds.
Evening: Stargazing over the pan's infinite horizon.
Meals: All.
Overnight: Mobile camp, Nxai Pan South.
Day 3: Nxai Pan to Boteti River – Migration Hotspot
After a morning drive for cheetah sightings, break camp and head southwest (~110 km, 2–3 hours) through grassy pans to the Boteti River's western boundary in Makgadikgadi. Tracks are sandy but firm post-rains; watch for giraffe in mopane woodlands.
Afternoon: Arrive at Khumaga area for riverside game viewing—elephants bathing, hippo pods grunting, and massive zebra concentrations quenching thirst. Camp overlooks the flow.
Evening: Braai dinner with river sounds as backdrop.
Meals: All.
Overnight: Mobile camp, Boteti River (Khumaga).
Day 4: Full Day at Boteti River – Boat & Drives
Explore the Boteti's lifeline, a seasonal artery drawing southern Africa's largest zebra migration. Morning: Drive along banks for buffalo and crocs; if water levels allow, optional mokoro (canoe) glide or boat cruise for close encounters.
Midday: Bush lunch and siesta—perhaps a cultural visit to Khumaga Village for San insights.
Afternoon: Evening drive for predators like brown hyenas scavenging at dusk.
Meals: All.
Overnight: Mobile camp, Boteti River (Khumaga).
Day 5: Boteti River to Deception Valley – Into the Kalahari Heart
Early game drive for last river sightings, then pack for a ~4–5-hour transfer south to CKGR's eastern edge. Roads shift to gravel and deep sand—your 4x4 and guide handle it, with en-route stops for eland.
Afternoon: Enter via Matswere Gate; afternoon drive into Deception Valley's illusory flats, where heat shimmers play tricks. Spot oryx and cheetahs in the open.
Evening: Campfire tales of Kalahari lore.
Meals: All.
Overnight: Mobile camp, Deception Valley.
Day 6: Full Day in Deception Valley – Predator Pursuit
Immerse in the valley's fossil bed, a predator haven. Morning: Track black-maned lions patrolling for wildebeest; the greening from rains makes hunts visible.
Midday: Picnic amid dunes, with optional San-guided tracking walk for survival skills.
Afternoon: Afternoon extension for leopards in sausage trees. November's warmth revives nocturnal life early.
Meals: All.
Overnight: Mobile camp, Deception Valley.
Day 7: Deception Valley to Piper Pan – Northern Fossils
Short morning drive for gemsbok, then head north (~150 km, 3–4 hours) through scrublands to Piper Pan in CKGR's northern reaches—sandy roads with occasional pans to cross.
Afternoon: Arrive and explore the pan's grassy edges, teeming with bat-eared foxes and hartebeest. Camp near fossil riverbeds.
Evening: Relax with sundowners as the sky fills with stars—CKGR's light pollution-free dome.
Meals: All.
Overnight: Mobile camp, Piper Pan.
Day 8: Full Day at Piper Pan – Valley Drives & Walks
Dedicate the day to Piper's serene valleys. Morning: Game drive for giraffe and eland amid termite mounds.
Midday: Leisurely brunch and optional bush walk with your guide, spotting desert melons and tracks.
Afternoon: Evening loop for aardvarks and owls—green season birds like goshawks add flair.
Meals: All.
Overnight: Mobile camp, Piper Pan.
Day 9: Piper Pan Exploration – Cultural & Scenic Focus
Final CKGR day: Morning drive north toward Fossils North for springbok and potential wild dog packs. Midday picnic with time for photography or stargazing prep.
Afternoon: Afternoon drive tying up sightings, perhaps a detour to nearby Sunday Pan for variety if time allows. Evening bush dinner.
Meals: All.
Overnight: Mobile camp, Piper Pan.
Day 10: Morning Drive & Return to Maun
Dawn outing for any missed Kalahari icons, like a brown hyena at a waterhole. Break camp by 8 AM and drive north (~280 km, 5–6 hours) via Tarred Road to Maun—mostly gravel to tar, arriving by early afternoon for flights.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch.
