Happy Campers SA

In 2013 we embarked on our very first overlanding trip to Botswana. My sister and her then boyfriend completed an epic overlanding holiday in 2011 and we were keen to visit the wild places they were talking about, so we got together all our gear and we did our planning, and then in April 2013, we set off on our maiden trip to Botswana.

The rest is history, as they say. We loved it so much that we’ve been going back and back again. We try to do at least one overlanding trip per year and while I was busy with the planning for our next holiday in Namibia #Namibia2020, I stumbled upon our pictures from our trip we did in 2013. The route we followed is a fairly popular and well known route and it was not too challenging for newby overlanders, and we got to see the amazing Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) as well as the Moremi Game Reserve. It was absolutely amazing, and the adventure will always be special to us, seeing as it was our first….

Botswana 2013 – The Route

En route to CKGR we had two stopovers; the first was in Kang, at the Kalahari Rest Lodge and the second was in Ghanzi at Thakadu Bush Camp. As I’ve mentioned before, we like to get most of the long distance driving behind our backs during the first couple of days of the trip. All the drivers are still feeling fresh and up to the driving so you get your destination as quick as possible. We stocked up on food and meat in Ghanzi and then we set off to enter the CKGR at the Tsau Gate around midday on our first day. We stayed in three different camp sites in the Park namely Motopi, Sunday Pan and Letihau. The facilities at these camp sites are very basic to non-existant, so you have to be fully self sufficient if you’re planning on camping in the CKGR. This means make sure you can carry your own water and fuel, as well as provide electricity during your stay (heavens forbid, no generators please!) We traveled from west to east through the Park and we exited at the Matswere Gate, and traveled to Maun via a cutline running next to the Park borderline.

We checked into Discovery B&B in Maun and from here we stocked up on our supplies for our trip into the Moremi Game Reserve. We also booked a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta with Discovery, and this would always be one of my best memories ever. It was absolutely amazing, we loved it. We were also introduced to the fabulous meat that Botswana had to offer, and we also learned about the vet lines coming down south from Moremi, so we knew that we had to plan properly if we didn’t want any of our neat to get confiscated.

We stayed at Third Bridge camp site in the Moremi Game Reserve and the change of scenery was breathtaking. Everything was lush and green compared to the almost desert like conditions in the CKGR and wildlife was absolutely everywhere. One thing to keep in mind when you camp at Third Bridge camp, the baboons can be quite the nuisance and aggressive so keep your food locked up tightly and don’t let anything lay around your camp site. The camp is also notorious for the frequent visits by hyenas so you best stay alert when you’re camping in Moremi. We did a boat trip on the delta whilst we were in Moremi and it too was an amazing experience. Our last couple of days in Botswana was spent in Maun (staying at Audi Camp) and then Kharma Rhino Sanctuary, which is another place that I hold dear to my heart. All in all we spent 15 days in Botswana doing this route, and we loved it. Definitely a must-do holiday if you ever get the opportunity to do so….