Botswana highlights small group tour
Highlights
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe | Elephant Sands - private concession | Maun | Okavango Delta | Mokoro canoe safari | Hambukushu and Xwe Bushmen, Namibia | Chobe National Park | Game drives and watering holes | Optional helicopter and light aircraft flights |Description of Botswana highlights small group tour
A couple of border crossings take you either side of Botswana on this nine day adventure tour however, it will be Chobe National Park and Okavango Delta that provide the main highlights. Ok, the grand finale at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is always eagerly anticipated although, after you’ve experienced the largest salt flats on the planet and herds of elephants along the Chobe River, you’ll no doubt be prepared for anything.Comfortable hotels with swimming pools and safari lodges near watering holes are the order of the day - not camping - so you'll be able to take advantage of numerous opportunities to relax and soak it all in. Evenings spent socialising or just watching wildlife with a sundowner or two are simply made for this type of small group tour.
A third of Botswana is protected and you’ll be treated to tours of the country’s waterways, game reserves and Kalahari Desert regions to ensure you’re fully versed in the natural beauty of southern Africa.
Crossing the border into Namibia does require a day’s overland travel by 4x4 however, on arrival, you’ll learn more about the life of traditional Hambukushu and Xwe Bushmen before bedding down on the banks of the Kavango River.
Back in Botswana natural highlights come thick and fast with game drives and safari lodges overlooking watering holes providing plenty of chances to observe buffaloes, elephants and hippos in their natural settings.
From paddling along the Okavango Delta in a mokoro canoe to feeling the spray from Victoria Falls this small group tour is all about experiencing Africa on an animal abundant overland adventure to truly savour.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.com
Check dates, prices & availability
Small group adventure holiday
This is a 'small group adventure' - on this particular group trip you'll be with a maximum of 31 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places!Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your holiday will help support conservation and local people.
While wildlife watching is a big part of this itinerary, we strive to only observe animals in their natural habitat and do so with the greatest level of respect. From an unfenced lodge where elephants frequent the watering hole, to Botswana’s inland delta and Chobe National Park. We actively discourage the participation of travellers in any activities that exploit wild or domestic/working animals. Unfortunately, at Victoria Falls there are many businesses offering an optional 'walk with the lions' experience. We ask all travellers to steer clear of this activity as it’s contrary to our responsible travel policy. The lion walking industry directly contributes to the captive breeding and canned hunting of lions.
In an effort to reduce single use plastic on this trip we provide reusable cloth bags to all of our travellers. It’s easy to use plastic excessively, especially in the hot months. However, we encourage our travellers to buy large 5-10 litre bottles to refill their small water bottle.
Botswana is a semi-arid country with limited water resources. This coupled with extreme hot weather, means that the country can be prone to severe water shortages. Our trained tour leaders are well versed in advising travellers on initiatives to manage water consumption, and we are working with our suppliers to encourage better management of this precious commodity. We encourage our travellers to take short showers and to never leave the tap water running unnecessarily.
Unfortunately, on the vast majority of this itinerary, using local transport is not reliable or feasible. So, we use private, locally owned transport instead. We ensure our vehicles/fleets are well maintained and fuel-efficient. We also endeavour to include a range of other local transport options such as mokoro (a type of canoe) where possible.
The Impacts of this Trip
This trip is run by our own local South African operator who shares our commitment to responsible travel, from waste and water management to ensuring we leave as minimal a footprint as possible. Our local team are trained on our global responsible travel policies and practices. We also use a range of other local suppliers for different activities throughout this three-country itinerary.
An important part of travel is mixing with the locals and experiencing real life in a destination. On this trip, we venture out on a guided excursion to the villages of the Hambukushu and Xwe Bushmen, which presents an excellent opportunity to observe village life up close.
All aspects of this trip (on the ground) are operated by local Southern Africans (most of whom live locally) including all our leaders, vehicle drivers, local site guides, suppliers and accommodation providers.
The cloth bags provided to our travellers on every trip are sourced and supplied from a local community NGO.
Our philosophy is to act local and that means respecting the local traditions and ensuring both men and women are conservatively dressed with legs and arms covered when entering villages and other small communities. We also take care to form genuine and mutually beneficial relationships with local people. An excellent example is the guided excursion to the villages of the Hambukushu and Xwe Bushmen.
We have a foundation which was set up to empower travellers to have a positive impact on the communities they visit. It now supports over 50 local, grassroots projects around the world. Over the past 15 years, the foundation has distributed over AU $5 million to projects tackling areas such as sustainable development, human rights, child protection, environmental conservation, wildlife protection, education and healthcare.
While wildlife watching is a big part of this itinerary, we strive to only observe animals in their natural habitat and do so with the greatest level of respect. From an unfenced lodge where elephants frequent the watering hole, to Botswana’s inland delta and Chobe National Park. We actively discourage the participation of travellers in any activities that exploit wild or domestic/working animals. Unfortunately, at Victoria Falls there are many businesses offering an optional 'walk with the lions' experience. We ask all travellers to steer clear of this activity as it’s contrary to our responsible travel policy. The lion walking industry directly contributes to the captive breeding and canned hunting of lions.
In an effort to reduce single use plastic on this trip we provide reusable cloth bags to all of our travellers. It’s easy to use plastic excessively, especially in the hot months. However, we encourage our travellers to buy large 5-10 litre bottles to refill their small water bottle.
Botswana is a semi-arid country with limited water resources. This coupled with extreme hot weather, means that the country can be prone to severe water shortages. Our trained tour leaders are well versed in advising travellers on initiatives to manage water consumption, and we are working with our suppliers to encourage better management of this precious commodity. We encourage our travellers to take short showers and to never leave the tap water running unnecessarily.
Unfortunately, on the vast majority of this itinerary, using local transport is not reliable or feasible. So, we use private, locally owned transport instead. We ensure our vehicles/fleets are well maintained and fuel-efficient. We also endeavour to include a range of other local transport options such as mokoro (a type of canoe) where possible.
The Impacts of this Trip
This trip is run by our own local South African operator who shares our commitment to responsible travel, from waste and water management to ensuring we leave as minimal a footprint as possible. Our local team are trained on our global responsible travel policies and practices. We also use a range of other local suppliers for different activities throughout this three-country itinerary.
An important part of travel is mixing with the locals and experiencing real life in a destination. On this trip, we venture out on a guided excursion to the villages of the Hambukushu and Xwe Bushmen, which presents an excellent opportunity to observe village life up close.
All aspects of this trip (on the ground) are operated by local Southern Africans (most of whom live locally) including all our leaders, vehicle drivers, local site guides, suppliers and accommodation providers.
The cloth bags provided to our travellers on every trip are sourced and supplied from a local community NGO.
Our philosophy is to act local and that means respecting the local traditions and ensuring both men and women are conservatively dressed with legs and arms covered when entering villages and other small communities. We also take care to form genuine and mutually beneficial relationships with local people. An excellent example is the guided excursion to the villages of the Hambukushu and Xwe Bushmen.
We have a foundation which was set up to empower travellers to have a positive impact on the communities they visit. It now supports over 50 local, grassroots projects around the world. Over the past 15 years, the foundation has distributed over AU $5 million to projects tackling areas such as sustainable development, human rights, child protection, environmental conservation, wildlife protection, education and healthcare.
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