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Botswana

The Best of Botswana: An In-Depth Safari Experience

Program No. 22424RJ
Venture into the Botswanan wilderness to witness elephants, lions, leopards and more, as a local expert teaches you about Botswana’s four unique ecosystems and their cultures.
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Small GroupBest ValueAnimals & Wildlife
Length
14 days
Rating (4.97)
Activity Level
Starts at
9,699
Flights start at
1,375

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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
14 days
13 nights
What's Included
33 meals ( 11B, 4BR, 7L, 11D )
8 expert-led lectures
17 expert-led field trips
5 flights during the program
1 hands-on experience
An experienced Group Leader
11 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 2:00pm
Afternoon:
Check in at the hotel and relax before the welcome dinner.
Dinner:
At the hotel, enjoy a welcome dinner chosen from an a la carte menu; a welcome drink, bottled water, coffee and tea are provided.
Evening:
Orientation: The Site Coordinator will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Our Group Leader will meet us in Botswana tomorrow. We are fortunate to have as our Group Leader a knowledgeable expert who will also serve as our primary lecturer for most of the program. Please note that program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity Note
Flight is approximately 1 hour 40 minutes. Boat safari lasts approximately 2-3 hours.
Breakfast:
Taken at the hotel, breakfast will be an expansive buffet featuring a variety of cold cereals, fresh fruit, cold meats and cheeses, pastries and hot items such as bacon, sausage, tomatoes and mushrooms. Omelettes, eggs and waffles are cooked on demand. Fruit juices, coffee, tea and water provided.
Morning:
We will check out of the hotel and board the motorcoach, transferring to Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo airport for our flight to Kasane, Botswana.
Lunch:
Provided in flight.
Afternoon:
Upon an early afternoon arrival in Kasane, we will clear Botswana customs and immigration before being met for our transfer in 4x4 game viewing vehicles into Chobe National Park and our lodge. Part of the transfer will take us through the park, so there will be the potential of seeing wildlife along the way. Chobe National Park remains one of Africa’s prime game-viewing areas. Here one finds all of the “Big Five,” except for rhino. This is elephant country, home to the largest population of elephants in the world…many of these great grey giants can be seen at this time of year. (Note that seasonality makes a big difference in how much game you will see. If it’s dry you will see larger herds; if it has recently rained the animals will be more dispersed.) The park forms part of Botswana’s northern-most border and is a contrast of desert aridity and flood plains. The Chobe region is best known for its vast magnificent river and floodplains filled with grazing herds of big game. Buffalo, sable, lion, leopard, hippo, hyena, and many species of antelope find safety in this huge national park. Chobe is one of Africa’s most pristine ecosystems and greatest wildlife refuges. After settling into our rooms, we will explore the Chobe River by pontoon boat where we may come face to face with the elephant, buffalo and other wildlife that gather on the banks of the river to drink and bathe. The boat will provide a unique viewpoint of the riparian environment, with its numerous birds including sacred ibis, blue heron, goliath heron, saddle-billed storks, marabou storks and little egrets.
Dinner:
At the lodge, dinner will be our choice to order from an a la carte menu. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium alcohol will be available for purchase.
Evening:
This evening, our Group Leader will give us a thorough overview of Botswana, including the cultures, history and politics of the country.
Activity Note
Game drives throughout the program typically last between 3 to 4 hours in the early mornings and late afternoons, when the animals are most active. Boat safaris last 2-3 hours.
Breakfast:
Early morning tea/coffee, fresh fruit juices, rusks and muffins will be served at the lodge prior to the morning game drive departing. Upon our return to the lodge after the game drive, a more substantial buffet will be served until 10:00am which will including a variety of items such as cold cereal, cold meat, cheeses, toast, and fresh fruit, plus coffee, tea, fresh juice, water.
Morning:
In the early hours of the day, we will embark on our first safari game drive of the program, each vehicle with its own local safari expert. We will move slowly through the plains in open-air 4x4 vehicles in search of elephants, giraffes, zebra, kudu, impala, and the big cats such as lion and leopard. During our game drive, we will take a short break to enjoy coffee, tea, and rusks (South African-style biscotti). Following breakfast, we will have an opportunity to rest, relax, and enjoy the lodge’s amenities.
Lunch:
At the lodge, lunch will be our choice to order from an a la carte menu. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium alcohol will be available for purchase.
Afternoon:
In the early afternoon, we will have the rare opportunity of a back-of-house visit at the lodge. Here, a lodge employee will introduce us to the sustainable tourism movement happening in Botswana, and have the chance to see how that movement is being put into practice. Following afternoon tea, we will board our pontoon boat for another safari on the Chobe River. Drinks and snacks will be served, known locally as "sundowners," as we watch one of Africa's stunning sunsets.
Dinner:
Lodge a la carte meal.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Flight is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. Flights between safari lodges are dependent on the movement of the guests within the lodging circuit. It is possible we may have short stops to allow other lodge guests on/off en-route to our destination. Flight schedules will not be available until the day prior to our flights. Drive to the lodge is 1 hour, done by minibus then motorboat.
Breakfast:
Lodge buffet.
Morning:
Check out of the lodge and in our open-air safari vehicles, we will do a game-drive transfer out of the park to Kasane airport, where we board our light aircraft charter flight heading west to the Okavango Delta panhandle. Upon arrival at the Shakawe airstrip, we will be driven in a minibus through the local village of Nxamaseri, making our way towards the lodge. The lodge is built on an island in the panhandle waters, so we will switch to a motorboat for the rest of the journey to reach the lodge. Water levels in the Delta fluctuate throughout the year, changing the location where we will switch from vehicle to boat, so our boat ride may be anywhere from two minutes to 30 minutes in duration.
Lunch:
At the lodge, enjoy a plentiful buffet featuring salads, a main entrée, and hot breakfast items such as sausage, bacon, and eggs cooked to order. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium brand alcohol will be available for purchase.
Afternoon:
We will have time to settle into our rooms. Then, in preparation for our visit tomorrow, our Group Leader will discuss the San (Bushmen), their history in the area, and their amazing survival skills in inhospitable environments. Following afternoon tea, we will board motorboats for a safari along the waters surrounding camp, with commentary from our local safari specialists. The birding in the area is phenomenal, with a large variety of kingfishers, bee-eaters, storks, herons and various waterfowl visible along the channels. We will keep a watch for the tiny and colorful malachite kingfisher, the shy swamphen, and the elusive white-backed night heron, amongst others. Sundowners will be served as we watch a beautiful sunset, then we will return to the lodge with time to freshen up before dinner.
Dinner:
At the lodge, we will have a multi-course dinner consisting of a plated starter and dessert, and main course buffet including a choice of dishes with meat and vegetarian options. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium brand alcohol will be available for purchase.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Transfer to Tsodilo Hills done by boat and then minibus; approximately 1.5 hours each direction. Walking on mostly flat, uneven terrain; approximately 1 mile total.
Breakfast:
At the lodge, early morning tea/coffee and light breakfast items will be served, including fresh fruit, yogurt, toast and cereals.
Morning:
We will have an early start to the morning, departing the lodge for our field trip to Tsodilo Hills. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Tsodilo Hills are a grouping of quartzite rock formations that are the highest point in Botswana, and have been providing shelter and other resources to humans for thousands of years. They are also an important spiritual site for the San community, and contain an impressive concentration of rock paintings, with over 4000 paintings found in the area. Upon arrival, we will explore two different trails in the Tsodilo Hills, in the company of a specialist from the local community who describes the images we will discover. Each trail takes around one hour to complete, and will allow us to view up close some of the ancient, and well-preserved, rock art left throughout millennia.
Lunch:
Picnic lunch taken in Tsodilo Hills.
Afternoon:
We will return to the lodge mid-afternoon. Later this afternoon, one of the lodge staff members will give us a basket weaving demonstration, and then will instruct us how to make small, woven basket key chains of our own.
Dinner:
Lodge meal.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Walking on mostly flat, uneven terrain; approximately 1 mile total.
Breakfast:
Lodge buffet.
Morning:
We will board our motorboat for a ride to one of the small islands in the area, where we will embark on a bush walk with our safari specialist. During the walk we will search for the little residents in the bush, including insects, frogs and birds. We may be able to spot the powerful Western banded snake eagle, and the nocturnal Pels fishing owl. Following the walk, we will reboard our boat for the ride back to the lodge.
Lunch:
Lodge buffet.
Afternoon:
We will have the midday at leisure to rest, relax and enjoy the lodge’s amenities. Over afternoon tea and snacks, our Group Leader will give a lecture on elephant behavior and social structure. Afterward, we will have free time with our choice of activity in which to participate. Activity options include: a boat safari, mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) safari or fishing for the mighty tiger fish. Additionally, included in our stay will be a complimentary 30-minute hand and foot massage, which can be arranged at any point during our time at Nxamaseri Lodge. All activities will return to the lodge in the late afternoon, with time to freshen up before dinner.
Dinner:
Lodge meal.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Drive to airstrip approximately 1 hour, done by motorboat then minibus. Flight is approximately 1 hour. Flights between safari lodges are dependent on the movement of the guests within the lodging circuit. It is possible we may have short stops to allow other lodge guests on/off en-route to our destination. Flight schedules will not be available until the day prior to our flights. Drive to the lodge is 20 minutes; animals may be seen along the way.
Breakfast:
Lodge buffet.
Morning:
We will check out of the lodge before our transfer to the airstrip near Shakawe. Along the way, we will stop in the village of Nxamaseri where we have the opportunity to meet some of the local residents. We will be taken to the local primary school where, if school is in session, we have the chance to meet some of the eager students and teachers. We will also visit the local “tuck shop,” the rural equivalent of a convenience store, where locals gather to chat and catch up. From the airstrip, our light aircraft charter flight will take us to the Moremi Game Reserve, on the eastern edge of the Okavango Delta. During the flight, we will have a scenic view of the Delta as we fly over the panhandle waters to where the Delta spreads out over Kalahari sands, creating hundreds of different channels and small islands. Upon arrival at the dirt airstrip in Moremi, we will be driven in safari vehicles to the camp, with a good chance of seeing wildlife along the way.
Lunch:
At the lodge, enjoy a plentiful buffet featuring salads, a main entrée, and hot breakfast items such as sausage, bacon, and eggs cooked to order. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium brand alcohol will be available for purchase.
Afternoon:
Our Group Leader will discuss the geology and hydrology of the Okavango Delta for today's class. Following afternoon tea, we will embark on a safari game drive in Moremi, driving through a large variety of different vegetation types, down winding tracks, through mopane forests and across lush grasslands in search of plains game and other species. The scenic beauty of the area will add to our experience of Botswana’s verdant Garden of Eden, the Okavango Delta.
Dinner:
At the lodge, we will have a multi-course dinner consisting of a plated starter and dessert, and main course buffet including a choice of dishes with meat and vegetarian options. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium brand alcohol will be available for purchase.
Evening:
At leisure.
Breakfast:
At the lodge prior to the morning game drive, early morning tea/coffee and light breakfast items will be served, including fresh fruit, yogurt, toast and cereals.
Morning:
We will explore the area further on a game drive, searching out wildlife sightings and the magnificent variety of birds that are present in the area this time of year. Following brunch, we will have an opportunity to rest, relax, and enjoy the lodge’s amenities.
Brunch:
Lodge buffet.
Afternoon:
Mid-day will be at leisure today. Following tea, we will board motorboats for game viewing from a different angle, exploring the waterways of the Delta looking for animals as they feast on the rich grasses along the water's edge.
Dinner:
At the lodge.
Evening:
At leisure.
Breakfast:
Lodge buffet.
Morning:
We will have an early morning game drive in Moremi Game Reserve, the only officially protected area of the Okavango Delta. Following brunch, we will have an opportunity to rest, relax, and enjoy the lodge’s amenities.
Brunch:
Lodge buffet.
Afternoon:
For today's class, our Group Leader will discuss termites, and their importance to the ecosystem. Afterwards, we will explore more of the Delta waterways by motorboat, moving slowly searching for the animals and birds.
Dinner:
Lodge buffet.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Flight is approximately 55 minutes. Flights between safari lodges are dependent on the movement of the guests within the lodging circuit. It is possible we may have short stops to allow other lodge guests on/off en-route to our destination. Flight schedules will not be available until the day prior to our flight. Drive to the lodge is 20 minutes.
Breakfast:
Lodge buffet.
Morning:
We will check out of the lodge before our game drive en-route to the airstrip, where we will board our light aircraft charter flight bound for the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. From the airstrip near Makgadikgadi Pans, we will be driven in open-air safari vehicles to the lodge.
Lunch:
At the lodge, enjoy a plentiful buffet featuring salads, a main entrée, and hot breakfast items such as sausage, bacon, and eggs cooked to order. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium brand alcohol will be available for purchase.
Afternoon:
Our Group Leader will discuss human-wildlife conflict and possible solutions for today's lecture. Following afternoon tea, we will explore this new ecosystem in open-air safari vehicles, perhaps coming across the large herds of zebra for which the area is known, and the predators that follow the herds and are never far away.
Dinner:
At the lodge, we will have a multi-course dinner consisting of a plated starter and dessert, and main course buffet including a choice of dishes with meat and vegetarian options. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea will be included; premium brand alcohol will be available for purchase.
Evening:
At leisure.
Breakfast:
At the lodge, enjoy a buffet including a variety of items such as cold cereal, cold meat, cheeses, toast, and fresh fruit, plus coffee, tea, fresh juice, water.
Morning:
This morning we will depart on a game drive, searching for wildlife as we make our way to the local village of Khumaga. On the outskirts of the village, we will visit a cattle post. Cattle farming is incredibly important in Botswana, and here we will see how a typical farm is run and the role it plays in local life. The farmer will demonstrate how to milk a cow and pound maize, and we will have the opportunity to try our hands at these traditional skills. Once in the village we will proceed to the kgotla, where we will have a chance to meet the chief of the village, if he is available, and see where local court is conducted, all while learning about local practices and beliefs. We will also have the chance to visit the local school and meet the principal and teachers, as well as the eager students (when school is in session). Finally, we will meet with the local nurse at the health clinic, to gain some insight into the health system in rural Botswana. Following our visit, we will return back to the lodge.
Brunch:
A buffet set up at the cattle post, with food provided by the lodge.
Afternoon:
"Leroo La Tau" translates as lion's paw, and in honor of the predator after whom the lodge is named, our last class of the program will be on lion behavior and social structure. Afterward, we will have our last late-afternoon game drive of the program, seeking out animals and birds we may not yet have seen.
Dinner:
At the lodge, enjoy a farewell dinner with new Road Scholar friends.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Flight to Maun is approximately 55 minutes. Flight from Maun to Johannesburg is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. See your program’s travel details regarding transfers. If you are an independent traveler (POP status), see “Ground Transportation from Last Location.
Breakfast:
Lodge buffet.
Morning:
We will have one last safari game drive this morning, returning in time to freshen up at the lodge before starting the travel home.
Brunch:
Early lodge buffet before our departure.
Afternoon:
In the mid-morning, we will be transferred to the local airstrip for our light aircraft charter flight to Maun. We will then board a commercial flight from Maun to Johannesburg, South Africa. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!
Morning:
Arrive North America.
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Please Note: This program has itinerary variations on certain dates.
Nov 02, 2026 - Nov 15, 2026 (Johannesburg to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park)
Oct 20, 2025 - Nov 02, 2025 (Johannesburg to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park)
Oct 25, 2025 - Nov 07, 2025 (Johannesburg to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park)
Oct 30, 2025 - Nov 12, 2025 (Johannesburg to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park)
Nov 06, 2025 - Nov 19, 2025 (Johannesburg to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park)
Feb 26, 2026 - Mar 11, 2026 (Johannesburg to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park)
Apr 02, 2026 - Apr 15, 2026 (Johannesburg to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park)
Apr 10, 2026 - Apr 23, 2026 (Johannesburg to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park)
Apr 16, 2026 - Apr 29, 2026 (Johannesburg to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park)
Oct 19, 2026 - Nov 01, 2026 (Johannesburg to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park)
Nov 02, 2026 - Nov 15, 2026 (Johannesburg to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park)





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