Botswana

Botswana Kayak Bushcraft Safari in the Okavango Delta

From:

£3,915

Duration:

12 days

Date:

25 Jul – 3 August 2026

Max People:

9

Min Age:

14+

The Highlights of our Botswana Adventure

Immerse yourself in our Botswana adventure that eclypses a safari; it’s an wild and intimate journey into this untouched epicentre of wildlife.

7-night immersive African safari on water

48 hour survival adventure on an island in the middle of the delta

Incredible birdlife and wildlife

Camp in a new spot under the stars each night

Visit remote villages along the way

Learn bushcraft skills from the Bayei

Trip Summary

Imagine waking up to the dawn chorus of hundreds of bird species as the deep red African sunrise warms the cool morning air welcoming you for another day in total wilderness. You are camped on an island. The waterways are the roads. After another full English breakfast over the campfire it’s back in your kayak for your water safari, as you glide past elephants and animals galore to the next spot of bush to set up a new camp.

The Okavango is a flood of water across the Kalahari desert transforms it to life drawing in wildlife from thousands of miles. Elephants are an everyday sighting. Every day, the Okavango shares more secrets, including hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, honey badgers, lions, wildebeests, antelopes, and much more. Few get permits toThis is a twitchers paradise with over 480 bird species. Most days are spent kayaking this watery maze spotting new animals before we camp out in the bush, no fences just us in nature. Before dinner is cooked on the campfire, we go on bushwalks to spot big, learn about the flora and fauna here and develop local bushcraft skills.

This expedition is a little more “boujie” than our typical adventures. Think: large private tent, thick comfy bedroll and duvet. Hot water wash basins at sunrise and sunset, sit down toilet tents, cooked breakfast, steak BBQ’s and even cold beers, we really do spoil you. However, just before you get too complacent, there is a two day isolation phase where you survive out under the stars to the soundtrack of lion roars, frogs and crickets. As a tribe you are set a series of challenges such as making fire by friction, catching fish and building a shelter. If this part is just not for you no problem, take a couple of days of rest in a hammock reading your book and enjoying morning and evening bush walks.

We are immensely privileged to gain access to this remote wilderness. The only other via safari lodges in excess of $3,000 USD a night, we hardly see another soul here.

This really is something very special. I hope so. If you like immersion in wilderness, being up close with nature, a dollop of challenge adventure culture and bushcraft then this trip is the one.

Day 1

We spend the night in beautiful lodgings in Maun, enjoying an afternoon of swimming and sitting around the pool, getting to know one another over a tasty dinner, and covering the expedition briefing for what is in store.

Day 2

We do not want to be paddling upstream, so first we need to make our way deep into the delta. In the morning we leave the hotel and drive two hours to the riverhead before jumping into a comfortable speedboat. You might think this is just a travel day, but it is not. The wildlife is incredible, and it is unusual to go 30 seconds without an animal in sight. We make it to camp, set up our tents, and enjoy our first BBQ under the stars.

Day 3

A gentle “good morning” wakes you at 6:15am as dawn breaks. After coffee and biscuits it is time for a sunrise bushwalk, a great opportunity to spot game, including big cats, on foot. Last year we walked toward two adolescent lion brothers, getting within 30 meters. We return to camp for a cooked breakfast, then head into the speedboat for a 90-minute ride upriver, spotting endless action and even being chased by the occasional grumpy hippo. We stop under a huge mopane tree for a lunch of sandwiches, crisps, and salad, before more wildlife spotting as we skirt the famous Moremi Game Reserve. As we make camp we learn our first bushcraft skill, making fishing reels, before a bushwalk, sundowners, and dinner. It is hard to stay up much past 9pm, and under the cool desert temperatures you slip under your duvet in your tent, gazing up at the stars as you drift off.

Day 4

This is as far as we will travel by speedboat. It is finally time to try out the kayaks. Once more we begin with a game walk and a full cooked breakfast, before packing up camp and adjusting the foot straps on the kayaks. We cover what to do when we see a hippo and slip into the water with one speedboat at the front spotting and another at the back. Today is just 15 km in the kayaks, giving us plenty of time to get used to them and relax at camp.

Day 5

After breakfast we are back in the kayaks, drifting past elephants, herds of buffalo, and more hippos. This is a longer day on the water as the flow rate is slow and we have 28 km to paddle, but you will manage it with no problem. After five hours of paddling a cold Coke, beer, or G&T awaits as you sink into a comfy chair and enjoy the sunset. With no phones, conversation flows deeply around the campfire.

Day 6

Today’s kayak journey takes us to a small village where we see how traditional houses are built. We try out mokorros, a cross between paddleboarding and punting, and trust us, it is difficult. We buy incredible handicrafts and enjoy traditional singing and dancing. It is really quite special. After picking up some shelter ideas we paddle on to camp for another bushwalk, this time gathering the right wood to build our own shelters.

Day 7

All this paddling is hot work, so what better than a swim in crocodile infested waters. Our expert guides make a careful judgement call on the few places safe to swim, where the gargantuan Nile crocodiles cannot hide. A thrilling dip is finished off with a well-earned cold beer at sunset.

Day 8

The survival phase is optional. After breakfast you and your tribe head to a beautiful glade by the river to survive with just a few items. You have eight challenges to complete in 48 hours and a few surprises to keep things interesting. Though not as hard as our island survival phase, sleeping out under the stars with all manner of animals brings an intimate and thrilling connection with nature.

Day 9

Day 10

You made it. After a hearty breakfast we are back in the kayaks for the penultimate leg of the water safari. Tonight’s camp feels all the sweeter, a gratitude reset after survival that revives your appreciation for just how luxurious this camping experience is.

Day 11

Paddle back to civilisation. Today is the final day in the kayaks, taking us all the way to Maun, just a couple of kilometres from your hotel. The landscape changes here as we leave the park, crossing the buffalo fence where small villages line the river and elephants are replaced by cattle, donkeys, and carts. It is stimulating scenery after ten days with no civilisation. We enjoy a fantastic shower, reconnect phones to speak with loved ones, and in the evening head out for a celebratory meal. Will you have the kudu or the ostrich steak? Perhaps an Amarula nightcap, South Africa’s answer to Baileys.

Day 12

That is a wrap. After breakfast it is time for the tribe to part ways, armed with adventures and stories to last a lifetime.

SHELTER

Shelter building
Palm thatching
Machete and knife safety, sharpening and skills
Palm cordage making

Fire

Fire theory
Friction fire skills (bow drill and hand drill)

Water

Filtration
Physiology

FOOD

Fishing with hand line and gill net
Primitive cooking and fish preparation
Smoking and preservation
Trap building (no catching allowed)
Wild edible identification * Please note the variety of wild edibles in winter is low.

OTHER

Psychology discussion and case studies
Astro-navigation
Animal print (spur) ID and tracking

Location

The World Heritage Okavango Delta is a bucket list spectacle that anyone with an interest in nature should have near the top of their list. At this time of year the Kalahari desert is transformed into a water paradise as wildlife from thousands of miles away is drawn in and you have a front-row seat.

There is no more immersive or intimate way to experience the savannas of Africa than by kayaking and camping in style, with private tents, thick bedrolls, and warm water basins to wash. Each night you will camp in a new location deep in the remote bush under a blanket of stars, while learning bushcraft skills from our instructors and Bawaii guides.

For a time , this will be your new life, kayaking through the Okavango Delta, and spotting wildlife along the way. Followed by a 2 day challenge surviving on an island deep in this African water world.

You can spend tens of thousands on a safari and you will never experience this level of intimacy with the savannahs of Africa. This trip is not to be missed.

At this time of year, there are not so many mosquitos and no other biting insects. The chance of contracting malaria in the Delta in August is exceptionally low, our guides who have lived most of their lives have never contracted malaria or heard of tourists doing so. That being said, We can not rule out the chance, nor can we advise you to not take Antimalarials. Therefore we encourage you to follow the NHS fit for travel document and make your own informed decision on vaccinations and antimalarial.

We try to keep a gentle pace to allow plenty of time to spot wildlife, take photos and enjoy the scenery. On average we will be kayaking around 5 hours in total per day. It’s not a cardio challenge with more back strength. If you are concerned about your fitness levels fear not, there is always room for you in the boat if it gets too much.

You will see Elephants, African Buffalo, Hippo, Lechwe (antelope), Blue Wildebeest, Giraffe, Nile crocodile, Zebra, Kudu, Warthog, monitor lizards the list goes on. We normally see lions and Hyena. Every other trip we will see leopards, honey badgers and wild dog and many more. The Okavango is also a bird spotters’ paradise with over 480 species, many of which are found nowhere else.

2 days of speedboat safari
6 days of kayak and bushcraft skills.
2 day survival challenge
2 nights at 4* boutique hotel in maun (shared, twin rooms, £150 for solo supplement
kit (incl. Kayaks, tents, bedding chairs, machetes, etc.). There are a few essential items that you need to bring.
All meals and (limited) alcholic drinks
All park permits
Heli-evac cover
Airport transfers

International flights
Visas, if required
Personal travel insurance (Aside from Heli evac covered by us)
Personal expenses (For handicrafts etc )

At this time of year after the flood there is no rainfall but comfortable temperatures with agreable levels of humidity. The temperature has a huge range with a maximum of 30C but average lows at night of just 11C so you will definitely need a sweater around the camp fire at night as the temperature can drop as low as 6C.

Learning from our world class instructors and the local Bawaii guides, we will teach you everything you need to sustain yourself in this environment. We cover the main tenants of shelter, water, fire, food. Within this, you will learn how to identify edible flora and fauna, create fire by friction, filter and purify water, build shelter and protect yourself on the African savannah.

As with all our expeditions, we create an ‘invisible safety net’ so your adventure feels raw and authentic without being contrived and sterile. You are in true wilderness, sharing the environment with animals such as hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, and snakes. However you are with expert guides guides know how to read their behaviour and movements to reduce risk, and even recognise individual hippos and their temperaments, helping us avoid conflict and pass safely.

We also have clear helicopter evacuation coverage for you and a comprenensice medikit should I need treatment? Needs to be administered.
For more detail, see our Risks and Dangers section.

Maun the gateway to the Okavango is served by direct flights from cape Town, Johanesberg and Addis Adaba. So despite its remoteness its pretty easy to get to. You are typically looking at 1 change and 15 hours of travel plus no time difference if coming from Europe!

The pace of the safari is gentle and relaxed, so you don’t need to be an athlete. That said, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable the experience will be (true for life in general!). A few months before departure, we’ll share some simple exercises to help strengthen your shoulders and lower back.
We’ll monitor the group’s ability as we go and can adjust daily distances if needed. In the unlikely event we fall behind schedule due to slower paddling, we can make up time by motorboat, though we try to avoid this so you get the full kayaking experience

Check out our other FAQs or contact us here.

You will need to travel to Maun, Botswana (Airport Code: MUB). You should arrive latest in the early afternoon of your expedition start date. We will meet on the expedition start date at 4PM.

We recommend you download Hopper’ for your phone and enter your dates. They will tell you when the best time to book your flights is before the price creeps up, typically 90 days prior is optimum.

We also love using flight connection maps for finding your best route from where you live.

Google flights is our favourite flight search engines, however, we always recommend booking directly with the airline once you have found your flights as you will have a preferential cancellation policy and better upgrade potential.

Check out our Botswana Travel Guide for more information about the destination or check out our blog for Botswana related articles.

Botswana Travel Guide

Botswana Blog Posts

People love us

“Best trip ever with the best group ever! I’ve done Survival trips in the past, but Tom & the team have a way to make the trip so enjoyable and exciting that it was the best one I’ve done. I completely recommend this trip to anyone looking for a lifetime adventure.”
Baptiste Desfarge
“This was a once in a lifetime experience for me. Every day had something unforgettable happend – from catching a shark, to going spearfishing for triggerfish, to having deep conversations or the biggest belly laugh of your life with your island mates, learning a critical survival skill, starting a fire using bow drills, watching dozens of baby sea turtles crawl across the beach, or staring at an incredible sunset or night sky filled with stars.”
Peter M
“WHAT AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!! Finally we did it, highly recommended. Tom took care of every detail. I’m glad I’ve done this.. it’s a one life experience that I was really looking forward. It was a very good thing to start this adventure with Tom, and have his help and advice. Really nice person, extremely helpful and nice to know”
Daniel Loza