Our Team 
Our Tour Experts Explore Madikwe
Search for wildlife in the beautiful Madikwe Game Reserve, home to the Big Five
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Our Team Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
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Our Tour Experts We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
Botswana
Romantic Safari through South Africa and Botswana
Set out on a romantic star-bed safari across southern Africa, staying at a handful of spectacular camps. Combining South Africa’s Madikwe Reserve with Chobe and the Okavango Delta, this journey incorporates a beautiful array of landscapes and offers fantastic wildlife-spotting opportunities.
Key Highlights of this Itinerary
1
2Cruise the Chobe
Take a sundowner cruise on the Chobe River; watch elephants and buffaloes graze on its banks.
3Sleep Under the Stars
Sleep under the night sky in the star beds of Baines’ or in the sleep-out hide at Makanyane.
4Game Drives
Spot a huge variety of wildlife on a trip that features wonderfully contrasting landscapes.
Why we like it
This romantic journey merges indulgence with an unspoilt wilderness experience. It brings nature closer, whilst simultaneously spoiling you in a way that does nothing to negate the uniquely wild nature of the trip. With sleeping under the stars possible at both Makanyane and Baines’, this is a safari that will live long in the memory.
Explore our suggested itinerary
- Day 1Johannesburg - Madikwe Game Reserve
- Day 2Madikwe Game Reserve
- Day 3Madikwe Game Reserve
- Day 4Madikwe Game Reserve - Johannesburg - Kasane - Chobe National Park
- Day 5Chobe National Park
- Day 6Chobe National Park - Kasane - Okavango Delta
- Day 7Okavango Delta
- Day 8Okavango Delta
- Day 9Okavango Delta - Maun
Madikwe
Begin with the Madikwe Reserve, close to the Botswanan border, staying at the secluded Makanyane Safari Lodge. Hidden amongst leadwoods and other flora, this beautiful camp blends in perfectly with its natural environs.
The glass-fronted suites offer an up-close, uninterrupted natural experience – ameliorated by a healthy dose of safari luxury. This fantastic camp is renowned for its beautifully prepared food and award-winning wine, whilst the bush spa means pampering and relaxation remain firmly on the menu.
In spite of these luxuries, the feel of the camp remains wild, with game often spotted roaming past the suites’ perfectly positioned decks. To make the most of its beautiful locale, spend a night beneath the Milky Way, in the camp’s romantic sleep-out hide. Out of the camp, experience fantastic wildlife viewing. As well as big-five game, spot a variety of birdlife and less common species, such as wild dogs.
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Chobe National Park
Return to Johannesburg and fly to Kasane, in Botswana, where the nearby Chobe Chilwero Camp offers an idyllic location, positioned between the Chobe River and the elephant-rich national park. Spend a day exploring in search of these abundant pachyderms, before cruising on the tranquil, crimson-tinged river at dusk – the highlight of any stay at Chobe Chilwero.
Okavango Delta
Continue deeper into Botswana’s interior, to the wonderfully positioned Baines’ Camp, found at the heart of the Okavango Delta. Explore this fascinating landscape, rich in both water and land-based wildlife. Venture deep in to the labyrinth of channels and lagoons by mokoro and drive across fertile grasslands in search of big game.
Marvel at the secluded serenity of Baines’ Camp, which looks out over the swirling waters of the delta, raised above the wind-stroked papyrus bed the surround it. To make the most of this wild, romantic location, spend a night sleeping out on deck in the camp’s wonderful star beds. Gaze up at the unpolluted African sky, with only a mosquito net in between.
A note on price
Prices will vary depending on the time of year you are travelling. Prices do not include international flights. Please ask one of our Travel Experts for an accurate quote. Flights purchased through Steppes Travel departing from the UK are ATOL protected.
This Itinerary
Price
From $5,842 Per person
When to travel
Botswana in January
A hot time of year, with thunderstorms periodically clearing the air. The peak of the wet season brings lush grass and the chance to spot newborn animals and birds.
Botswana in February
It remains hot and wet throughout the country, with the Central Kalahari turning into lush grasslands. Fruit sweetens and many different species scour the trees for a tasty meal.
Botswana in March
The high temperatures continue but the rains start to abate as the rainy season draws to a close.
Botswana in April
Temperatures start to drop, and days become drier. Antelope are breeding at this time, and are visible trying to flaunt themselves to their respective females.
Botswana in May
The start of the dry season. A good time of year to travel with pleasant temperatures, before the peak season.
Botswana in June
The winter brings warm days but chillier nights, so it is worth bringing a jacket. There is very little rainfall now, so wildlife is easier to spot around watering holes.
Botswana in July
The driest and coolest month across the country, with almost no rainfall at all. The waters of the Okavango rise as the rains finally filter down from the mountains of Angola. The aridity means that there are fewer mosquitoes at this time of year.
Botswana in August
Temperatures rise again, meaning less chilly nights and hot days, still with very little rainfall. A great time to spot wildlife in the Okavango delta as the waters reach peak levels.
Botswana in September
Continued rising temperatures and clear blue skies make for hot days and pleasantly warm evenings. Much of the country becomes dry and dusty as it has now been many months since any significant rains. Wildlife can be spotted easily around receding watering holes.
Botswana in October
The hottest month with some temperatures close to 40C, and the first signs of rain approaching. Water levels fall in the Okavango delta, causing catfish to migrate upstream, feeding on smaller fish along the way.
Botswana in November
The heat continues, as the rainy season begins. Greenery starts to return to the plains, and it is possible to spot some newborns.
Botswana in December
The rains return in full swing, with regular thunderstorms providing some relief from the heat. Grass carpets many of the landscapes, providing plenty of food for the young.
Holiday Inspiration
Our experts have created and curated these tailor-made holiday ideas to get you started. Take the time to search through them and find something that is the spark for your unique adventure.
Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge and expertise sets us apart. So too our curiosity. A curiosity of the world and of you, and your passions. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you.
Are you ready to discover extraordinary?
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