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Botswana – 7-day Kalahari Safari – Group camping

7 days / 6 nights
Central Kalahari Game Reserve • Xhumaga

Country

Botswana

Duration

7 days

Highlights

Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Xhumaga

Rated 4.9/5

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Botswana – 7-day Kalahari Safari – Group camping

From $1,715
Xhumaga
Passarge Pan Campsite
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Deception Valley Mobile Site (HATAB)
Passarge Pan Campsite

Includes

All transfers and activities as per the itinerary
Rooms at a comfortable lodge in Victoria Falls
Camping equipment and accommodation (spacious bow tents with mattresses)
All meals that are indicated, water and tea/coffees
Services of a Professional Guide and Camp Assistant
Transport in specialised safari vehicles
All Botswana park fees for activities included in the itinerary

Excludes

Flights
Arrival airport transfer
Beverages - you can buy additional drinks before the safari and bring them with you
Travel insurance
Sleeping bag and small pillow - can be hired for EUR 20
Entry visas
Gratuities
Increase in government tax and Park Fees

Itinerary

Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana

Adventurous travellers seeking a truly remote African safari will be thrilled to discover it in central Botswana. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the second largest game reserve in the world and one of the least visited, nothing can prepare you for the sheer wonder of exploring this vast reserve with its wild, untouched beauty. The landscape is dominated by sand veld, acacias, and Kalahari apple-leaf, interspersed with grasslands and dotted with occasional sand dunes, pans and fossil river valleys. While the reserve is home to an impressive variety of wildlife, there is one animal that is rather obviously absent, the human being. It is this lack of human traffic, combined with the park’s lack of infrastructure, that makes for a challenging and marvellously authentic African experience. Visitors need to be entirely self-sufficient but those willing to make the effort will be richly rewarded.
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
+7
  • Deception Valley Mobile Site (HATAB)

    Day 1 - 3

    The HATAB campsites are reserved for tour operators and cannot be booked by self-drivers. They are in prime locations, and provide an excellent wilderness experience with no permanent facilities.  Ablutions  are bucket showers with hot water and  long-drop toilets set up by your guiding team. 
    Deception Valley Mobile Site (HATAB)
    Deception Valley Mobile Site (HATAB)
    Deception Valley Mobile Site (HATAB)
    Deception Valley Mobile Site (HATAB)
  • Passarge Pan Campsite

    Day 3 - 6

    Passarge has three campsites dispersed 15km away from each other along the length of the Passarge fossil valley. Like all campsites in the Central Kalahari there are pit toilets and bucket showers - no water, you must be completely self-sufficient.
    Passarge Pan Campsite
    Passarge Pan Campsite
    Passarge Pan Campsite
    Passarge Pan Campsite
    Passarge Pan Campsite

Day 1

Day Notes:

The safari begins in Maun where your guide will meet you at 07.30 at your lodge. You will travel 160km to a private reserve on the northern border of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Upon arrival you will set up camp and have a safari briefing. 

Transfer time: ~5 hours

Please note: As the safari starts at 07.30 on Day 1, you will need to pre-night in Maun and purchase drinks for your safari the day before your safari starts. Indigo Safaris can assist with pre-safari arrangements (accommodation, transfers). In the afternoon of your pre-night, you will have the option of taking a 45min flight in a helicopter with no windows and doors, allowing magnificent views from above. Rate on rquest. Both experiences have to be booked prior to arrival, and payment made in USD cash only (transfers not included, extra charges apply). During the flight it is even possible to spot large game animals such as Elephant, Giraffe and Hippopotami.

  • Transfer from Maun International Airport [MUB] to Deception Valley Mobile Site (HATAB)

  • Check-in to Deception Valley Mobile Site (HATAB)

  • Safari briefing

Day 2

Day Notes:

You will explore the area, enjoying game drives and participate in a nature walk led by a local San tracker. They will share intricate bush knowledge and give you an insight into their unique and intriguing culture. Game drives will allow you to explore the area, home to a fascinating variety of desert specialised wildlife such as oryx, springbok and eland as well as predators including lion, brown hyena and cheetah. Savor the vast open spaces, clear night skies and uninterrupted beauty. This is adventure camping in its purest form as water and communications are limited and we travel as a self-sufficient group.

Day 3

Day Notes:

You will wake up as the sun rises and head toward the pristine wilderness of the largest game reserve in Botswana.

Transfer time: ~3-4 hours

  • Check-out from Deception Valley Mobile Site (HATAB)

  • Transfer from Deception Valley Mobile Site (HATAB) to Passarge Pan Campsite

  • Kalahari exploration transfer

  • Check-in to Passarge Pan Campsite

Day 4 - 5

Day Notes:

The next two days will be spent exploring the undeveloped wilderness of the northern region of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Camping is in a private designated campsite with bush ablutions.

  • Shared morning and afternoon game drives

Xhumaga, Botswana

The small town of Xhumaga is situated in north-central Botswana and rests on the western bank of the Boteti River, flanking the Makgadikgadi National Park. This photographer’s wonderland presents visitors with striking scenes of vast open plains, dramatic Acacia tree silhouettes and wandering herds of wildlife. The Makgadikgadi National Park, which encompasses the largest saltpan in the world, provides a home for antelope, zebra and wildebeest, and stone-age tools and artefacts dot the landscape. At the Nxai Pan, nature enthusiasts can spot unusual species such as hartebeest, bat-eared fox, brown hyena, and cheetah. A rich culture flourishes here, and the town is happy to welcome visitors to their way of life. Make sure to try some of the region’s traditional dishes such as mopane worms, lamb, meat stew (seswaa) and maize porridge (pap), as well as the sweet, tasty watermelon (lerotse) grown here.
Xhumaga
Xhumaga
Xhumaga
Xhumaga
Xhumaga
Xhumaga
  • Boteti River Camp

    Day 6 - 7

    Overlooking the riverbed, Boteti River Camp rests at the edge of Makgadikgadi National Park, near Khumaga Village, and is within reach of Nxai Pan National Park and Central Kalahari Game Reserve. It offers a perfect escape to explore the vast open landscapes of this semi-arid area. The property features 8 en-suite chalets, mini Meru tents within the campsite area, a swimming pool, a dining area and a bar. An elevated viewing lounge overlooking the river invites you to wait for elephants or occasional zebra as they come by for a water break. For the adventurous traveller, we also have 8 campsites. Each campsite features a fireplace, water and power-points, as well as a shaded area under which they can pitch their tents. The campsite area has shared ablutions, as well as an area for washing cooking equipment.
    Boteti River Camp
    Boteti River Camp
    Boteti River Camp
    Boteti River Camp
    Boteti River Camp
    Boteti River Camp
    +5

Day 6

Day Notes:

This is your last morning in the Kalahari, after breaking camp you will do a slow drive to the Makgadikgadi area. You will spend the night at a camp on the edge of the Makgadikgadi National Park, overlooking the Boteti River in Khumaga village. Enjoy an afternoon game drive into Makgadikgadi National Park. 

Transfer time: ~4-5 hours

  • Shared morning game drive in the Central Kalahari

  • Check-out from Passarge Pan Campsite

  • Transfer from Passarge Pan Campsite to Boteti River Camp

  • Shared afternoon game drive

  • Check-in to Boteti River Camp

Day 7

  • Check-out from Boteti River Camp

End of Itinerary

Destinations

Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Botswana
Day 1-4

Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Adventurous travellers seeking a truly remote African safari will be thrilled to discover it in central Botswana.
Xhumaga
Botswana
Day 6

Xhumaga

The small town of Xhumaga is situated in north-central Botswana and rests on the western bank of the Boteti River, flanking the Makgadikgadi National Park.

Accommodations

Deception Valley Mobile Site (HATAB)
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Day 1-3

Deception Valley Mobile Site (HATAB)

The HATAB campsites are reserved for tour operators and cannot be booked by self-drivers.
Passarge Pan Campsite
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Day 3-6

Passarge Pan Campsite

Passarge has three campsites dispersed 15km away from each other along the length of the Passarge fossil valley.
Boteti River Camp
Xhumaga
Day 6-7

Boteti River Camp

Overlooking the riverbed, Boteti River Camp rests at the edge of Makgadikgadi National Park, near Khumaga Village, and is within reach of Nxai Pan National Park and Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

Low Season 2026

1 - 7 January, 5-11 February, 12-18 March, 22-28 March, 9 - 15 April, 7-13 May, 28 May - 3 June, 5-11 November, 19-25 November & 17-23 December

  • Per person sharing: US$ 1,590
  • Single supplement: US$ 170

High Season 2026

4 - 10 June, 18-24 June, 2-8 July, 15-21 July, 30 July - 5 August, 13-19 August, 27 August - 2 September, 9-15 September, 24-30 September, 8-14 October, 22-28 October

  • Per person sharing: US$ 1,625
  • Single supplement: US$ 170

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