21 Night Botswana CircuitAdventure
Gaborone to Gaborone

3976 km (ex Gaborone)

Accommodation Type

Self Catering and Guest Houses

Special Interests

Golf, Birdwatching, Agriculture, Traditional Cuisine, Local Culture and Music

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 0- Gaborone

Arrival day. Meet our agent at the airport, get communications and supplies sorted. If time permits enjoy a relaxing afternoon boat cruise on the Notwane river where you are bound to see a wide variety of birds and crocodiles. 

ACCOMODATION: Innisfree Apartments

Day 1 – Gaborone

 Have a round of golf at an international standard course, and wind down with some bird watching afterwards. Visit Bonnington Silos, a historic national museum monument now located in the middle of the city; wander around the Botanic Gardens; and check out the traditional items and foods for sale at a traditional market in the old Main Mall in the heart of the city. Live music in the evening if you are not too tired.

ACCOMODATION: Innisfree Apartments

Day 2- Gaborone to Malaka

Start your journey to the North of Botswana. Pass by the ladies of Oodi Weavers on your way out of the city. Take the time to visit a grasscutter’s cooperative; an  historic and deserted cattle trading post; and a farmer’s market en route. Check out the birds of Lecheng Pan before you arrive in the picturesque hill village of Malaka to start your circuit of the Tswapong Hills, proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

ACCOMODATION: MLK Bed and Breakfast

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 310km ~ 4hrs

Day 3- Malaka to Tuli block

Visit Old Palapye, the deserted settlement once ruled by the famous Khama III of the Bangwato, and the gorgeous Photophoto Gorge. Visit an early iron age smelting site under giant baobab trees, and a spring frequented by baboons and monkeys in a shady glade at the base of the hills before arriving at Stevensford. End your day off with a stroll around the game reserve which is located on the banks of the Limpopo River.

ACCOMODATION: Stevensford Game Reserve

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 170km ~ 3hrs 20min

Day 4- Tuli block to goo Moremi

Enjoy a picnic at Lenonong pan and then continue on to the village of Moremi. Take a village tour to get a glimpse of the daily lives of the villagers, and take the self guided trail that leads to the Goo-Moremi Gorge.  This site is run by the villagers and all profits are returned to the community.  

ACCOMODATION:  Goo-Moremi Gorge

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 100km ~ 1hr 28min

day 5- goo moremi to palapye

Take a hike up the beautiful Moremi Gorge, and then move on to a tribal dam where you can watch donkey carts loading water for the livestock; fishermen tending their nets; and fish eagles watching the scene with interest. Stop at CNS Gardenex and enjoy some traditional dishes served with game meat, and go on to explore the historical sites of the original village of Palapye Road. Sunday night is jazz night in Palapye, so check it out if you can.

ACCOMODATION: Cycad Palms Apartments

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 90km ~ 1hr 20 mins

Day 6- Palapye to tsamaya

Continue north to Francistown. Detour to visit a scenic arch on a hilltop with a commanding view and the remains of a settlement established about 700 AD. Spend some time in a traditional international marketplace in Francistown, where traders and customers gather from three countries and all manner of interesting things are on sale. Tour a crocodile farm before continuing on to Tantebane where you can play a round of golf amongst zebra, impala and other wildlife.

ACCOMODATION: Tantabane Game Ranch Resort

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 290km ~ 3hr 45min

Day 7- tsamaya to nata

Take a nature walk around the Resort where you see a wide variety of birds. Then continue on to Nata. Learn about the Dukwi wellfield and the Dukwi Refugee Camp along the way. Once you arrive, enjoy a stroll around the village or along the river where there are always interesting things to be found! Nata has been continuously occupied for a very long time – perhaps 80,000 years. Nata is famous for the production of both salt and biltong and if you look around you can see examples of both.

ACCOMODATION: Nata Lodge

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 230km ~ 3hr

day 8- Nata to Pandamantenga

Visit the Nata Bird Sanctuary  on the shore of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans.  The largest flamingo nesting site in southern Africa. Continue North to Pandamatenga, the agriculture capital of Botswana. Pandamatenga is famous for broadacre cropping. You can see the black cotton soils, and you are bound to meet some local farmers in the bar keen to discuss farming in this part of the world. 

ACCOMODATION: Panda Rest Camp

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 210km ~ 2hr 50min

Day 9- Pandamatenga to Kasane

Spend the morning in Kazungula. Take a guided tour of the market place and then enjoy a cooking lesson using the local ingredients found at the market. End your day with a Bird Watching cruise on the Chobe River, and live music in town if you still have the energy.

ACCOMODATION: Kasane Self Catering

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 110km ~ 1hr 20min

Day 10- Kasane 

Start the morning off with a round of golf on a course where the water hazards are full of crocodiles and the spectators might be elephants. Visit a traditional Tswana farm, and join an afternoon game drive along the Chobe riverfront.  Or take a day trip to see the Victoria Falls.

ACCOMODATION: Kasane Self Catering

Day 11- Kasane to Shakawe

Drive west across the Caprivi Strip to the town of Shakawe.  The Caprivi Strip is part of Namibia, commonly used as a transit route between Kasane and Maun.

ACCOMODATION: Farmstay cottage

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 482km ~ 5hr 20min

day 12- shakawe to sepupa

Spend the full day exploring the mysteries of the Tsodilo Hills and their ancient rock art.  A UNESCO World Hertage site and not to be missed. You can climb the hills or hike the full 16 km circuit around their base.  

ACCOMODATION:  Sepupa Swamp Stop

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 165km ~ 4hr 30min

day 13- Sepupa to Maun

Enjoy some water activities in the Okavango Delta in a dugout canoe with a local community trust. Admire the local basketry skills. If time allows visit Lake Ngami for some bird watching and to see the giant catfish.  End the day off with an evening of live Afro Jazz music in Maun

ACCOMODATION: Peo’s Luxury Apartments

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 327km ~ 4hr 41min

day 14- Maun

Enjoy a charted scenic flight over the Okavango Delta with morning tea on a bush airstrip deep in the Delta. Visit the local craft market where you will find some very proud craftsmen displaying their crafts. Close off the day with a relaxing boat cruise on the Thamalakane River to see the hippos and perhaps a movie in the arthouse cinema.

ACCOMODATION: Peo’s Luxury Apartments

day 15- maun to letlhakane

Leave Maun and head for Letlhakane through the Kalahari desert. On the way try the traditional food in Rakops, and make a detour at Mopipi for some bird watching. Spend the afternoon in Orapa at the Adrian Gale Diamond museum and drive yourself around the Orapa Game Reserve to see the rhinoceros and all the other animals of the Kalahari.

ACCOMODATION: Fahm’s Self-Catering Apartments

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 357km ~ 4hr 31min

day 16- letlhakane

Spend the day in Mosu, a favourite holiday place for locals but little visited by tourists. Visit Unikae Springs, do some bird watching at the Mosu Lagoon, tour the historic sites and swim in the hypersaline waters of the Sua Pan.

ACCOMODATION: Fahm’s Self-Catering Apartments

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 205km ~ 3hr

day 17- letlhakane to serowe

Travel further south to Serowe. Stop to hike up a very historic hill with a magnificent view of the terrain and learn about the trade connections with Asia a millennium ago. Visit a modern cattle trading feedlot. And take our botanical driving tour to see the trees of eastern Botswana.

ACCOMODATION: Lentswe Lodge

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 302 km ~ 3hr 50 min

day 18- Serowe

Follow the footsteps of the inspirational Patrick van Rensburg and learn about his part in the development of education in Botswana in the leadup to independence.  Visit the main kgotla, the Ngwato royal cemetery, and the Khama III museum.  And go on to visit ‘Ten Pound Borehole’ and the Swaneng Hills.

ACCOMODATION: Lentswe Lodge

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 40km ~ 30 min

day 19- Serowe to shoshong

Drive south to the historic village of Shoshong. Take a tour of the ghost town of old Shoshong and walk up Shoshong Gorge.  Then take a round trip to the picturesque village of Kalamare and learn about the traditional Tswana village layout; traditional grain storage methods; and the battles around Shoshong during the difaqane troubles.

ACCOMODATION: Mashusha Guest House

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 140km ~ 2 hr

Day 20- Shoshong to Kanye

Travel further south to Kanye. On your way explore the history of Lephephe Wells, watch the birds at Sojwe Pan, and visit one of the sites made famous by David Livingstone. Call at Thamaga Pottery in the afternoon and watch the craftswomen in action.  End the day watching birds at Makgodumo Dam and Kanye Gorge.

ACCOMODATION:  Pharing Cottage

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 300 km ~ 4 hrs min

Day 21- kanye to Mokolodi

Visit the Kgosi Bathoen II museum before heading to Otse . On the way stop to view ancient rock paintings, and see the tree beneath which David Livingstone used to preach.  Tour a cultural village, and visit a horticultural training project for the disabled. In the late afternoon visit the Mannyelanong Hill vulture colony. 

ACCOMODATION: Mokolodi Game Reserve

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 123 km ~ 1 hr 30 min

Day 22- Gaborone

Meet our agent in Gaborone for your final debrief before we say farewell.

DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME (APPROXIMATE) FOR THIS LEG: 25 km ~ 45 min