Botswana Travel Forum

Hi,

We will be looking to visit the Okavango Delta and Chobe NP in Aug or Sep this year. Along with Victoria Falls.

1. Do you think these places are easy to do on your own, if we hire a car? Or is a return safari tour from the falls the way we should go?

2. Would like a canoe trip through the Delta. How long do these take, and can a guide, canoe and accomodation(if required) be booked at the entrance?

3. Likewise in Chobe - Can a boat trip and road safari be organised from the entrance?

4. Is 1 week enough to do all 3?

Thanks, and Happy New Year

B and J

You can do it on your own, but I would recommend a return trip from the Falls. If you are on the Zambian side of the falls, these day trips can be arranged at the Sun International hotel right at the Falls. We have twice done a day trip...You spend the morning on a boat on the river, and the afternoon driving through a part of the Chobe game reserve in open vehicles. The photos on my Botswana home page were taken on one of these day trips.The Chobe is one hour from the Zambian side of the falls

I have not been to the Okavango, so cannot give any comment, but one week is definitly enough to do all three, if you just want a good introduction to all three....Some people spend a week on the Okavango

Have a great trip

Regards

Mike

1. Yep, they are easy to do on your own. However, I would hire a 4WD as there is a lot of off-road driving, particularly inside the parks. Consider hiring a roof top tent with that, which would take care of accommodation quite nicely! It is awesome sitting safely in your rooftop tent and watching the hyenas sniffing around the dwindling campfire!

If you travel from South Africa (Pretoria or Jo'burg), it takes about a day to get up to the northern parts of Botswana. You can easily do an overnight camp just outside the game reserves, so you'll be nicely refreshed when you enter the reserve the following morning.

2. Did not kayak myself, but I'm pretty sure the length of any mokoro (dug-out canoe) trips would be a matter of negotation between you and your local guide. I would think anything from daytrips to several days.

Best would be to email the local lodges, camp sites and request information on how to book your mokoro trip.

3. Mate, from memory, we paid our dues at the entrance and that was it.

4. A few extra days would be handy, but I suppose it could be done in a week.

Happy New Year!

You need a return trip via Kazungula, a lot cheaper and easy,