Botswana Kayak, Bushcraft & Luxury Safari

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 that 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. This is a twitcher's 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 game, learn about the flora and fauna here and develop local bushcraft skills.

This expedition is a little more “bougie” 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 BBQs 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 time spent in wilderness, being up close with nature, a dollop of challenge adventure culture and bushcraft then this trip is the one.

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 hands-on 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 Bayei 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 cannot 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.