Natural Selection Botswana Guided Cycling Safari

Your trip begins in the charming city of Maun. On arrival, your safari guide will be there to greet you and help load your bike and luggage onto the bike trailers. You’ll then hit the road in a comfortable safari vehicle to the first stop on your journey.

After an hour-and-a-half drive, you’ll arrive at your home-away-from-home for the first two nights. A mobile safari camp is erected just south of the Moremi Game Reserve, offering authentic yet comfortable accommodation. On your arrival, you’ll have the chance to get settled in camp and grab a refreshment and light snack before carrying out any necessary bike assembly and checks. Once the day is done, you can enjoy a warm shower and end your night with a delicious dinner around a crackling fire.

Day two sees you being woken at sunrise with a piping hot cup of coffee or tea. A hearty breakfast provides you with energy for the day’s activity before you grab your cycling gear and set off. Two experienced guides will take up the front and rear as you follow a route from the camp through the woodlands and vast plains of Botswana’s wilderness. On your journey, you’ll weave through Mopane forests, taking in the sounds and stunning views of nature. The bike ride will take five to six hours but includes stops for wildlife spotting and snacks.

You’ll arrive back at camp just in time for a delectable lunch, followed by a siesta to recoup your energy. After your short rest, you’ll enjoy a late afternoon game drive and sundowner before dinner is served. Then it’s time for a well-deserved rest before the next day’s adventure.

After breakfast, you’ll pack your bags, hop on your bike and cycle to your next campsite. Elephant trails and jeep tracks left by previous adventurers’ maps put the way through the woodland and grassland that runs alongside the Khwai River. This leg of the trip takes five to six hours, with a break for lunch along the way. If you prefer to give your legs a break, you always have the option to swap your peddles and handlebars for a comfy seat at the back of the safari vehicle. Eventually, you’ll find your camp set up next to the tranquil water of the Khwai River. Enjoy a sundowner before tucking into a delicious dinner and spending the rest of the evening around a warm, cracking fire, with the sounds of nature as your soundtrack and a canopy of stars as your view.

Another sunrise wake-up call awaits you on day four – but rest assured, it will be well worth the lost sleep. Today, you’ll be tracking elephants by bike, following ancient elephant paths through wide, open plains and Mopane forests. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to see elephants, as well as buffalo, giraffes, and lions. This bike ride is a little longer than the others, taking about six to seven hours to complete, depending on the animal spotting opportunities along the way. You’ll arrive back at camp by lunchtime to enjoy an incredible lunch before lazing the rest of the day away under the shade of the Mopane trees.

After one last breakfast next to the Khwai River, it’s time to trade your mobile camp for a stylish yet relaxed safari experience at Little Sable. You’ll pack your bags, grab your bikes and start the trek, enjoying a picnic lunch on the way.

Little Sable is found in the northern reaches of the Okavango Delta, tucked away in a 200,000-hectare (2,000-square-kilometer) area of pristine wilderness. This is the Khwai Private Reserve, one of the most beautiful and iconic landscapes in Botswana. Here, you’ll experience the world-renowned Delta in all its glory – whether it be on traditional game drives or mokoro trips and boat safaris on the famous waterways. It’s also known for its excellent animal sightings – especially the rarer species, like a wild dog, serval cat, honey badgers, and the elusive pangolin.

When not out exploring the wonders of the Okavango Delta, you can enjoy unwinding and connecting with nature at this intimate, private camp. Stunning traditional tents stand on raised wooden platforms, serving as a private viewing deck for armchair safari moments. En-suite bathrooms and outdoor showers provide heavenly moments of bliss after a long day of game drives. And the understated simplicity and style of Little Sable ensure that you enjoy an authentic safari experience in Africa while maintaining the comforts and convenience of a modern 5-star hotel.

If you want to pack as many exciting adventures into your itinerary as possible, then you’ll be delighted to know that there’s an option to swap one of your nights at Little Sable for the chance to sleep under the stars. When opting for this experience, you’ll be transferred via helicopter to the gorgeous, tented camp, Hyena Pan.

Before arriving at your final destination, you’ll stop at Hyena Pan’s underground hide to snap up-close pictures of any wildlife that may be quenching their thirst at the nearby waterhole. Then it’s off to the magical skybed to enjoy a sundowner and traditional dining experience before heading for bed.

 The skybeds offer an experience that is nothing short of breathtaking. Can you imagine spending the night atop a 5-meter-high wooden platform, under a blanket of a billion stars, while the soothing sound of nature lulls you to sleep? The best part is that the skybed overlooks the only permanent water source for 2,000 hectares (20 kilometers). This waterhole is popular with the local wildlife, being frequented by 400 bull elephants, lions, leopards, eland, zebra, and other resident animals. Each of the two skybeds available comes fitted with a flush toilet, shower and basin, and sleeping area – meaning that you’ll be kept comfortable for the duration of your stay.

Whether you wake up at Little Sable or Hyena Pan, your day will begin with a delicious breakfast in camp to fuel you for one last morning bush walk. On your return, you’ll be transferred back to Maun to catch your flight back home.