I planned this for friends of mine, but thought: What the hell, it’s written, why not publish it? Please be aware that it is planned as a dry season trip for between July and October! Le Khubu Island may not be accessible outside of those times.

Day 1:

Home (Pretoria) to Limpopo River Lodge Camping (462km/7 hours)

N1 North to Polokwane, then via Alldays and Platjan border post. The border is too small to accommodate trucks and it has a low water bridge over the Limpopo. I think they see about 10 cars a day and are super friendly and accommodating. On the Botswana side you need to pay your road tax and a new 3rd Party insurance and carbon tax. Total cost is P120 per vehicle.

Limpopo River Lodge has a campsite on the banks of the river. Running hot and cold water and flush toilets. They provide fire wood in abundance and have a camp cleaner that makes sure it’s tidy. They are just south of the Thuli Block, but still in a game management area. They don’t have drinking water, so take some from home. The farm is narrow and long, so it’s more a stop over than anything else. You can book via their website and pre pay in rands: http://www.limpoporiverlodge.co.za/ I seem to remember rates about the same as Sanparks, so not expensive.

Day 2:

Limpopo River Lodge to Nata Lodge (464km/5.5 hours)

Selibe Pikwe is the closers fuel point, but if you filled up in Alldays, you’ll still be fine.

Nata Lodge Burnt down last year and they have re built it. The camp site you know and is still the same and inexpensive. The community camp site by the bird sanctuary in not nice any more. You have a bunch of the community people staying there permanently and we didn’t really feel 100% safe and comfortable last time we were there.

You can easily reach Nata for Lunch and go see the flamingoes in the afternoon. Ask at reception if they are actually there, but I believe in September they will be. Nata Lodge has birding excursions on quad bikes which might be a nice thing to do. They boast 165 species. You can also pre book camping on their website: http://www.natalodge.com/index2.html

Day 3:

Nata Lodge to Kazikini Community Camp (372km/5.5 Hours)

You can easily make Maun for lunch. The Duck and something by the airport entrance is the best place for food, but the quality is hardly what you would expect in any of the restaurants in Maun.

Remember that Maun is your last stop for fuel and supplies. Riley’s is not what it used to be and I’m convinced they dilute their fuel with something. The BP garage across the road from the Spar is my choice. There is a bottle store right next door that actually sells dry white wine and ice. They take cards.

Botswana Wildlife Office is also in Maun and you will have to pay all outstanding fees there. They do take credit cards but close for lunch.

You do not need to shop in Maun as there is no restriction in transporting meat from Woolies in Pretoria all the way north. So it’s really just a fuel stop and if you forgot something at home.

En route you have to stop at Planet Baobab’s giant concrete ant eater for a compulsory photograph (http://www.pictureafrica.org/Picture_Africa_a_photographic_celebration_of_Traveling_on_the_continent_of_Africa/Albums/Pages/Bots,_Zambia,_Nam.html#2) and if you feel adventurous you can visit Baines Baobabs which is only 31km/1 hour off the main road and lunch there. Another option is to fly over the delta from Maun Airport. We used Moremi Air (http://www.moremiair.com/) and paid P2 400 for an hour for the aircraft that can take 5 passengers. We took off at 16:00 to avoid the mid day turbulence and had a smooth and impressive flight spotting herds of buffalo, giraffe and elephants. Book this online.

Kazikini is 70km past Maun and a very quiet, very affordable community run camp site. It has running hot and cold water and flush toilets. You can drink the water, but they have no fire wood. You book it through Santawani Lodge and can do this online. (http://www.santawanilodge.com/santawani_lodge.html)  It is on the main road to South Gate Moremi and that road has incredible game viewing. We have seen 4 of the big 5 standing in the road and Santawani says they know where the wild dogs den in the area…

Day 4:

Kazikini to 3rd Bridge (76km/5 hours)

Your game drive begins when you leave Kazikini. The road to South Gate is well grated and comfortable and although you can probably drive at 40km/h on it, there is so much to see that you eventually end up doing about 15km/h average. Our most impressive sighting on this road was a female leopard and cub playing in the road for about 15 minutes before heading off.

Arriving at South Gate you need to complete the formalities. They have no facility to take any money any more and can only accommodate you for the days that you have booked and paid for in advance. We always stop in their campsite for a piddle and a coffee and a “welcome to Moremi” deep breath.

The road to South Gate is hardly challenging in the dry season. It’s a bit sandy in places but there is not even need for deflating tyres or engaging 4 x 4. However, your fuel consumption will be better if you do take about 25% of the air out of your tyres as the vehicle will float on the loose sand rather than struggling to plough through it.

When booking 3rd Bridge, make sure they give you the camp site with the lowest possible number! No 1 to 4 are nice, but 5 to 7 are under the famous baboon tree and really unpleasant! If you end up with no 5 to 7, simply refuse to stand there and use the unmarked camp site under the old sausage tree by the old ablution blocks. If an official complains, simply say that you know about the baboon problem and insist on staying where you are. The camp has new ablution blocks with running hot and cold water and flush toilets. Reminds a little of the newer ablution blocks in Kruger Park.

Game driving from 3rd Bridge has endless possibilities, but I recommend heading in the direction of Dead Tree Island in the afternoon and see what you find. We have come across a place where the water was over the road and spent 3 hours identifying 52 bird species without moving. On the GPS you will immediately notice the main road between Xakanaxa and 3rd bridge and you can always use that to get back quickly if you need to. Its 11km long in total and the complete thing takes no longer than 30 minutes.

Day 5:

3rd Bridge

I’d start a morning drive to Mboma Boat Station. It’s about a 2.5 hour drive with plenty to see along the Northern road. They charge P100 per boat per hour for a Makoro with a plastic chair in. The guiding has been formalized and the guides are knowledgeable, uniformed and pleasant. This is really a must!

If you are that way inclined, you can get onto a power boat from Mboma and travel to an overnight island called Gcodikwe. This is a little pricey at P1 670 a person fully inclusive I think and can be booked through Mankwe Lodge (http://www.wildlifeonline.co.za/botswana_mankwe.htm)

Drive the same road back to 3rd Bridge as the southern road is heavily overgrown and there is really not a lot to see. It is perfectly feasible to make camp again for lunch including an hour Makoro trip.

In the afternoon I will again head towards Dead Tree Island.

Day 6:

3rd Bridge to North Gate (Some distance and time)

The straight route via Dead Tree Island to Xakanaxa is 15.5km and should take an hour and a half only. From there to North Gate should be no longer than another 2.5 hours, so the secret to this day is to stop often, meander and meander some more. Try and spend some time on Dead Tree Island. It is very impressive and has big herds of Lechwe and often many lions.

If you are early, simply pass by Xakanaxa and head towards Dombo Hippo Pools. It’s no more than 2 hours past Xakanaxa Camp and has a hide over water and you can pack out for lunch there.  This is provided that this is an April or September trip. The road past Paradise Pools has not been drivable in years and the main Xakanaxa/North Gate road can be tricky in the rainy season and the flood season. April has one slightly tricky muddy bit about half way there, but it’s only 30 meters long and no deeper than a couple of feet. We have never had trouble there.

Dombo Hippo Pools to North Gate is only an hour and half, so you can really afford to spend the afternoon at the hide at the pools.

North Gate camp site has masses of shade and is really nice. Any camp site will be fine there. There is one aggressive resident baboon who apparently does not like woman, but a kettie on the table sorts him out. North gate also has new ablution blocks.

Day 7:

North Gate to Mankwe Lodge via Khwai River and Mababe Village. (66km/5 hours)

You need to leave the park by 11:00 to avoid paying another days park fees. To be honest, I’d leave the park as early as possible and spend all my time along the northern side of the Khwai River. It is a magical place with more animal and bird life than can be described. The river water is fresh and clear and the waders of all sizes love the area. There is a resident pack of wild dogs and we saw them take an impala 200m from our camp site once.

I would again really take my time and even stop for lunch along the river in a suitable spot, hang out there until 15:00 and then head for Mankwe.

The only concern here is whether you can cross the river by Mababe Village. There is new bridge that has been built but not yet installed. It was supposed to be up and running in July 09, but because of the freakish rain storms this year; they have not managed it yet. There is however a log bridge which has a secret location and you can use that all year round.

The best thing to do is to stop at the Khwai Community trust building in the Khwai Village. (Main road and only building with a satellite dish on the side) and ask which road they take. If they say it is impassible, your only other option is to head back into the park and go out at South Gate again.

Mankwe has individual camp sites with flush loos and cold showers. They sell hot water for your shower in buckets. It is just outside of Moremi and has over 3 000 hectares of concession area. The manager’s name is Socks and he has much local knowledge. If you reach your site early, you can also do an afternoon drive from there.

Day 8:

Mankwe to Planet Baobab (300km/6 hours)

From Maun, through the parks on this plan, including game drives and back to Maun, gives the distance between fuel stops as not more than 550km and one should ad 15% onto your fuel consumption for the off road driving. So the longest stretch without fuel will need a 120km/h cruiser range of 632km.

Heading east and south is always difficult as you are not allowed to carry raw meat. What I have done very successfully is to “pre cook” a steak so that it is simply grilled on the outside and as long as it appears cooked, they are happy to let you take it through. With the Cobb I have also cooked a leg of lamb the night before as cold leg of lamb is perfectly acceptable. The other option is chicken that you can cook the day before and either eat cold, or heat up in the Cobb. You can obviously move fish around without restriction and use the Cobb to bake, grill or smoke it…

Point is that you can not buy meat in Maun and take it to Planet Baobab which is by Gweta. Gweta has a small supermarket and butchery, but I’m not 100% convinced of their availability and quality.

I have not stayed at Planet Baobab and it has been highly recommended and is very cheap at R89 pppn for camping. (http://www.botswana-direct.com/makgadikgadi-pans/planet-baobab#pricing) and they do have a restaurant.

Day 9:

Planet Baobab to Le Khubu Island. (110km/4 hours)

This is a NO NO in April, but fine for September. The only thing to see is the vast openness of the pans, so no need to leave before breakfast and no need to arrive before late afternoon. However, the island itself is magnificent and should not be missed! Sunset and sunrise on the island is a life changing experience!

It is a little more formal now than a few years back and you even need to book: http://www.kubuisland.com/camping.html  when I was there last it had pit latrines but no water.

The road to the island is quite well traveled and as long as you stay on the tracks, in September there will be no issue.

Day 10:

Khubu to Khama (245km/5hours)

The road south of Khubu Island has an 8km stretch of the worst corrugation thinkable, but it is unavoidable. Lethakane has a brand new Spar, but there are still Veterinary gates between Lethakane and Serowe where Khama is.

Serowe also has a brand new Pick n Pay, so my suggestion would be to make Khama for lunch, and sending one vehicle the 27km tot Pick n Pay to buy meat for that evening. Alternatively, they have a reasonably prices restaurant, but the alcohol is expensive.

Khama can be pre booked and pre paid online: http://www.khamarhinosanctuary.com/

Day 11:

Khama to Pretoria via Stockpoort Border Post.

Small border posts are the way to go! This has 25km dirt road, but no trucks at the border. It’s a 3 hour drive from Khama with the closest town in South Africa being Ellisras. Along this route the total distance from Khama to Pretoria is just less than 550km and including border formalities should take no longer than 8 hours.

Money

Pula is easily obtainable at currency exchange places in Pretoria. You need your passport, proof of address and vehicle registration papers to get it. If you want more than P4 000, it’s best to pre book it which takes about 5 days. Although it is possible to pay for fuel with a credit cars (Not Garage card) in most big places now, it is wise to carry enough Pula for one tank as an emergency.

National Parks and Bookings

Park bookings can be made 11 months in advance. They stopped people from entering the parks without a booking, so bookings have become even more difficult. The best way to handle the booking is to phone the Gabarone Office, ask them for the availability and once you know what is available, follow it up with a fax requesting the booking. Do this within an hour of speaking to them, as this may change. Once your booking has been made, and paid for, you can not change it without either faxing the office, or visiting the office in Maun. So you can not ad another vehicle or person, thinking you can pay for it at the gate.

(DWNP = Department of Wildlife and National Parks)

All bookings for the Parks and Reserves must be done at the Parks and Reserves Reservation Office.

Gaborone: Tel +267 318 0774, Fax +267 318 0775 or Fax +267 391 2354

Maun: Tel +267 686 1265, Fax +267 686 1264

Fuel, Food and water.

Limpopo River Lodge does not have drinking water. Neither does Khubu Island and I’m not sure about Planet Baobab.

Fuel is generally 50c cheaper per liter in Botswana than in South Africa, except for when we have a drop in fuel price. Then they take 3 months to catch up. On this route there is really no issue with fuel. I would guess that if everyone fills up at Alldays, you will have fuel stops in Nata, Maun, Maun again, Gweta, Palapye.

As said before, you can move meat from south to north and east to west, but not north to south and west to east. So you can take all groceries from home for day 1 to 8 before you need to plan special things.

Time Frame

If you need one less day, do the Makoro trip on day 4 and scrap day 5. This is quite a relaxing trip with lots to see and the option to do very little, but through 5 years of touring Botswana, we have come to realize that this is the nicest way to do it. Our day starts early with a game drive. We usually reach our destination by 11:00, have a shower then, have lunch around 12:30 and siesta and read until 15:00. We then have espresso to wake us up, do an afternoon game drive or other activity and make sure we reach camp 15 minutes before sunset. This gives you 30 minutes to set up camp before dark and especially in Moremi, we do not move out of our circle of light before the morning.