Testimonials

Some feedback from our lovely clients…

Thank you so much for putting together such a great trip for us. We had an amazing 12 days in Botswana and have come away with so many unforgettable experiences. The animals were amazing, the people a delight to travel amongst, and the self drive aspect was a lot of fun.

The Stanley Group

August 2023

John Crane

August 2023

Cheryl Edwards

May 2024

“When we told our friends we were going to do a self drive tour in Botswana, they were  surprised and in some cases alarmed. We would never have contemplated such an adventure had we not heard Gillian talking on Radio New Zealand. We were so pleased we did and had a wonderful 12 days. 

We have driven in many countries and found driving in Botswana quite manageable. They drive on the same side of the road as we do in New Zealand and the roads are generally good and quite empty, other than the main highway. But just like New Zealand, you need to keep your wits about you. We downloaded the relevant maps from Google Maps and used them offline. They were excellent. The people are very welcoming, so we always felt safe. 

Since it was our first time in Africa, we chose to drive from south to north. The south provided a gentle introduction with smaller numbers of animals, but these increased as we moved north to the magnificent Chobe National Park which alone has 50,000 elephants. 

Whatever your wishes are, Gillian and her colleagues can tailor a trip for you. They know great places to stay and book all your game drives etc. We thoroughly recommend Self Drive Tours Botswana.”

Dave Stanley

August 2023

Self Drive Tours Botswana put together a comprehensive itinerary for our 3 week trip in June. It was a truly memorable experience. We were in awe of the animals we frequently saw in the wild: impala, elephants, giraffe, zebra, rhinoceros, buffalo, hippotamus, crocodile, kudu, springbok, gemsbok, meerkats, baboons, Vervet monkeys, wildebeest; as well as some of the shyer or night creatures: lions, jackals and hyena, porcupine, genet and monitor lizards. We learned a great deal about the history and culture of Botswana, largely thanks to the excellent notes provided. We rented a 4×4 and drove over 3000 km from Gabarone in the south to Kasane in the north and back via Maun and Palapye, staying in nature and game reserves and visiting several great spots for viewing the animals. The standard of accommodation and food was generally very good, people were friendly and helpful and the animals abundant. We were impressed by how much the people of Botswana (Batswana) look after each other and their animals. It was, put simply, the trip of a life time and nothing was too much trouble for Gillian, Graeme, Peo and James at Self Drive Tours. We cannot thank them enough.
Lynne, Ben and Brent
July 2024
Wellington and New Plymouth

I absolutely loved my few weeks in Botswana on a trip organised by Self Drive Tours – amazing wildlife, scenery and people. All of the arrangements for accommodation and travel (which included an excursion to the Victoria Falls, a fabulous 9 day mobile safari and then a road trip) went very smoothly. Their recommendations for “things to do” and “where to eat” were very helpful and the background information was great – I really enjoyed learning about this beautiful country.
I found that the people at Self Drive Tours are passionate about striving to ensure visitors have a wonderful time in Botswana by matching visitor interests with the wide variety of attractions and experiences available. They have excellent knowledge and networks.
The main roads between the towns and cities are safe sealed roads. In the parks and reserves there are mainly dirt roads – some require a 4WD.
All of the people I met in Botswana were extremely friendly and helpful. As a 69 year old woman who flew to Botswana on my own, and spent some of the time on my own, I always felt very safe

Kitty Caldwell 

May 2024


Very happy, everything we asked for

Joy Harding

New Zealand

cheryl Edwards – May 2024

I recently spent a very enjoyable, interesting and varied month in Botswana . After consulting us about what we wanted to see and do, Self Drive Tours Botswana arranged the itinerary, booked all the accommodation and a five night Safari for us. Everything went according to plan and we really valued the notes provided which were very full, covering points of interest, history, current culture and dining, shopping and banking tips.
Botswana is a huge country so there was a lot of travelling. The main roads are in very good condition and places are easy to navigate. We did not feel unsafe at any time.
Gillian, Graeme and Peo were good communicators and easy to work with

Patrick young – July 2024

Peo Senau was helpful for advice on where to find accommodations, safaris, was considerate, and spent time talking to us through WhatsApp to figure out what we wanted to do!

john crane – august 2023

I had an excellent 3 week visit to Botswana in August 2023 with two friends, arranged by Self Drive Tours. It was carefully planned with the expert advice of Peo and Gillian who promptly and fully answered all our many questions. They booked our accommodation and our excursions most efficiently and, on arrival in Botswana, provided us with copies of all the receipts and a bound guidance booklet with detailed information about our route and places to visit. The price was very reasonable.
Due to flight problems, I arrived in Botswana two days later than anticipated but Peo couldn’t have more helpful in revising the schedule as a result of the delay, and she even met me at the airport.
We encountered very few difficulties on the driving tour, although we had to be careful to observe speed limits and watch out for livestock on the roads. Botswana is a safe country and the people are very friendly. We saw lots of amazing wildlife (including lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras and rare white rhinos), mainly on game drives in reserves arranged by Self Drive Tours. The main roads are generally good, and a 4WD is not needed in the dry season unless you intend to drive a lot on gravel or sand roads. Driving at night is not advisable.
Overall it was a wonderful experience and I would certainly recommend Self Drive Tours Botswana.