Botswana's Nxai Pan, Delta & Kwando

You and your family will meet your safari representative in Maun – Botswana’s second city and the gateway to its northern regions – for the short flight by light aircraft to Nxai Pan National Park, a unique Kalahari reserve that encompasses ancient pan systems that used to be the floors of prehistoric lakes as well as classic African savannah and grasslands.

Nxai Pan is known for excellent sightings of predators like brown hyena, black-backed jackal, lion and – if your luck is in – cheetah. In the Green Season between about November and April, the area comes alive with hundreds of bird species, making it a twitcher’s dream.

The camp here has nine thatched suites, each with a private shower and an outdoor viewing deck. The thatch is remarkably responsive to Botswana’s varying temperatures, helping to keep the rooms cool in summer and insulated in winter.

Between game drives in custom-built vehicles with a knowledgeable guide-and-tracker team, you will be led on nature walks, mokoro rides and birding excursions. Back at camp, settle onto your verandah with an iced drink and a pair of binoculars, or dive into the large pool at the lodge’s communal lounge and dining area for a refreshing swim. A special outing is a trip to see ‘Baines’ Baobabs’, a cluster of seven these enormous trees that painter Thomas Baines camped under and committed to canvas in 1862. These ‘upside-down trees’, which look as if their roots are growing into the sky, are so tough and sturdy that they can survive being severely gouged by elephants.

Bidding farewell to the friendly staff at Nxai Pan, you will be driven to the nearest airstrip for the short flight by light aircraft to the Kwara Concession in the Okavango Delta. The land below you changes from the pans and grasses of the Kalahari to the pools, wallows, islands and lagoons of the incomparable Okavango.

On touching down, you will be driven to Kwara Camp. Because it lies in a concession, you are unlikely to encounter many other guests or vehicles, and are likely to have prime sightings all to yourself. The camp consists of only eight tents, all with beautiful views of the Kwara Lagoon. The Delta is a mokoro country and one of your holiday highlights here is sure to be a trip onto the waterways in one of these dug-out canoes. As you are poled silently along, look out for tiny painted reed frogs, solitary African fish eagles calling and perhaps even elephants or hippos crossing in the distance.

In addition to safari activities like game drives, Kwara has a hide that allows especially keen photographers a place to observe nearby wildlife undetected. Of course, you will also be able to watch ‘Bush TV’ from the privacy of your own deck or solar-heated outdoor shower.

After a tasty breakfast served around the campfire, your bags will be collected for the short flight to the Kwando River in the Linyanti Channel, which is famous for its thrilling sightings of endangered African wild dogs.

Eight tents are laid out under the mature marula and ebony trees to provide a shady respite during the heat of the afternoon. Once again, you can enjoy all the classic safari activities including superb birding. The area is known for its raptors and its dry-season (about May to October) game viewing is among the best in Southern Africa.

Your last evening may be spent savouring a blissful sunset cruise, the air turning a blushing peach as the sun makes its way to the western horizon. The next morning, pack your bags, reminisce about the past eight days and fuel up with a final bush breakfast before heading back to the airstrip for your return flight to Maun.