Self-Drive Tour 4 Countries

You collect your rental car from the rental depot this morning then head out of Johannesburg to Rustenburg.

Stay at Manyane Resort, which offers the keen outdoor enthusiast superb accommodation in chalets and tents or well equipped caravanning and camping facilities. Manyane of Golden Leopard Resorts provides a variety of recreational activities from mini golf to swimming pools. However, the real attraction (as with most game lodges) is still the incredible wildlife of the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. Several accommodation options within the camp cater especially to families and groups of friends.

2 nights – Chalet (2 sleeper) with breakfast

Cresta Bosele is located in one of the fastest growing areas in Botswana, Selebi-Phikwe. Selebi-Phikwe is home to the country’s biggest dams, Letsibogo and Dikgatlhong. Letsibogo Dam has some of the best bass fishing in the world, which attracts fishing tourists from all corners of the globe. Bird watching is also worthwhile at these dams, as they are home to a sizable number of bird species.

About an hour’s drive away from Selebi-Phikwe is the Tuli Block, a 10km wide strip of land in south-eastern Botswana including the northern Tuli Game Reserve and running 180km south. This area has plentiful wildlife as well as noteworthy geographical features and is fondly referred to as ‘The Land of Giants’ due to the scale of its attractions: the never- ending blue sky, vast herds of animals, the towering baobabs and huge rocky landmasses – offering the full African experience.

Cresta Bosele is an ideal venue for both the business and leisure traveller. One of the best hotels in Selebi Phikwe, all rooms in this accommodation establishment are air conditioned while the hotel restaurant, Bosele Grill, offers an array of splendid dishes. After a long day take some time out for a relaxing swim and a cocktail at the pool bar. Cresta Bosele is a fully licensed hotel with a 24 hour front desk.

1 night – Standard Room only 

Nata Lodge is right on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans – the largest salt pans in the world and the remains of Africa’s largest inland sea. The lodge is located among Mokolwane palms on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans and offers three accommodation options: chalets, family chalets and safari tents. Eight en suite chalets are built on a platform overlooking the Didibakwe River and in the shade of Ilala palm trees. Two of these chalets have outdoor showers and Victorian ball-and-claw baths (ask for the luxury chalets).

On the southern boundary of Nata Lodge, there are 12 A-frame chalets, each with a stone verandah and semi-open bathroom. All the chalets offer ceiling fans and a safe to lock away your valuables. The meru-style custom-built tents of the Nata Lodge are unique. Ten tents (all with en suite bathrooms) are pitched on wooden platforms in the shade of Marula trees. The campsite makes for an unforgettable stay below African skies. Ablution facilities are well-kept and offer semi-open showers with hot and cold water. Please note that the campsite does not have electricity points.

1 night – Luxury Chalet with breakfast

On arrival in Kasane you will park your rental car at Kubu Lodge for the next two day. A transfer company will pick you up and transfer you to Livingstone and Maramba River Lodge. Ideally located just 4km from the Victoria Falls and just outside Livingstone, Zambia, Maramba River Lodge provides a most attractive all-year-round accommodation base in a shaded woodland setting. The lodge is situated on a bluff overlooking the Maramba River and is often visited by the resident wildlife with elephant wandering through the grounds at certain times of the year.

While here visit one of Africa’s greatest attractions, the spectacular Vicoria Falls, the only waterfall in the world with a length of more than a kilometer and a height of more than hundred meters.

2 night – Safari Tent with en-suite bathroom and breakfast

You will be collected and transferred back to Kubu Lodge in the morning. Located on the banks of the Chobe River in the warm tropical climate of northern Botswana where tranquillity and beauty mix with raw wilderness. The immaculate Chobe bushbuck has sanctuary, warthog, mongoose and vervet monkey abound and the hippo are lords of the domain. Small, privately owned and run, at Kubu Lodge there are no radios, no television and no 5* prices, just the beauty of the Chobe River, the trees and the bird life for company.

2 nights – Standard Room with breakfast

Nestled on the banks of the Kwando River in the Zambezi region of Caprivi in Namibia, Camp Kwando invites you to come and explore the hidden treasures of an untamed land. Capture the spirit of the African bush while sipping sundowners from the beautiful overhead deck and experience the thrill of the hauntingly beautiful call of the African fish eagle.

2 nights – Luxury Chalet (Tree House) with dinner & breakfast

At Drotsky’s Cabin’s you will receive a warm welcome, enjoy personalised attention and get local knowledge from owners and staff alike on the nature and communities in the region. The area is a birding and fishing paradise. Drotsky’s is the ideal stop over for tourists en route from or to Namibia and a wonderful place to relax for a few days while enjoying a boat cruise on the Okavango River, or visit the nearby World Heritage Site of Tsodilo Hills and Mahangu National Park.

Bird life is abundant at Drotsky’s and the staff will be quick to point out their local specials such as the brown firefinch, white-backed night heron or the haunting call of Pel’s fishing owl.

2 night – Chalet Room with breakfast

Thamalakane River Lodge is on the banks of the Thamalakane River, just 19kms from Maun and en route to the famous Moremi Game Reserve. En-suite stone chalets, some with private splash pools, are positioned in the shade of the riverine forest overlooking the river. The chalets and swimming pool take advantage of the 180 degree view of the riverbanks lined with fluttering reeds visited by an ever changing array of water fowl, birds and the occasional hippo. It is a delightful place to come home to after a day spent exploring. The widely acclaimed restaurant serves a la carte and buffet style meals from an ever changing menu. Dusk is spectacular, with the sun setting the river ablaze as is slowly dips behind the trees.

2 nights – Babbler Chalets with breakfast

Today you will drive to Maun Airport where you will leave your car at a safe parking and board a small aircraft to fly to you Gunn’s Camp in the Okavango Delta. Overlooking the legendary Chief’s Island and bordering the Moremi Game Reserve, Gunn’s Camp is one of the last few remaining luxury, vintage safari camps. Set under leafy palms and African Ebony trees, blending naturally with its unique surroundings, eco-friendly Gunn’s Camp achieves a fine balance of comfort without isolating guests from the sights and sounds of the wilderness.

At Gunn’s Camp, set along the papyrus-clad banks of the Okavango Delta, one becomes part of the bustling river life. Explore the wilderness with our guided bush walks, or sit back and absorb the scenery from a traditional ‘mokoro’ canoe. Another great way to explore the crystal clear channels of the Boro River is by motorboat. Watch the sun set whilst drifting along a lagoon and sipping sundowners. For the adventurous, we also offer a rustic island camping experience.

2 nights – Luxury Tent on a fully inclusive basis

You will fly back in a small aircraft to Maun where you will collect your rental car and continue your journey to Planet Baobab in Gweta. Follow the road pointed out by the giant anteater and you’ll discover the intriguingly named Planet Baobab. This is the ‘Baobab Capital of the World’, where the average age of each tree is more than 4000 years, and the boundless lunar landscape of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans are the size of Switzerland. How’s that for awe-inspiring?

This is a quirky place in a quirky part of the world, where we live cheek to tusk with old elephants, sleep in Afro-chic Bakalanga Huts, swim in the largest, coolest pool in the Kalahari,  eat the finest pan-African cuisine, and of course drink something cold with hunters and vagabonds, travellers and locals in the funkiest bar in Africa. It’s the coolest desert oasis around – and a part of Africa that few will experience, but all will remember.

1 night – Bakalanga Hut with dinner and breakfast
1 night – Overnighter Plus (sleep out in the pans on Quad Bikes), half board inclusive of sundowner & bush walk

Between Gaborone and Francistown lies the town of Palapye. One of the very best Palapye hotels, Cresta Botsalo is accessible on the main highway linking the capital to Francistown. With the personal attention that Cresta Botsalo offers, you can allow yourself time to take a break and refresh your mind, body and soul. This Palapye hotel offers well-equipped conference facilities, comfortable air conditioned accommodation and personalised service to make your stay as much of a success as your business trip. Cresta Botsalo is a fully licensed hotel with a 24 hour front desk. Join the locals and dine at the Savuti Grill, enjoy a cocktail at the poolside or simply explore the history of the Bangwato Tribe and the resting place of their King, Sir Seretse Khama.

1 night – Standard Room with breakfast

Morning Sun Nature Reserve near Louis Trichardt offers accommodation in the heart of the dramatic Soutpansberg Mountains in Northern Limpopo province. This Natural Heritage site is centrally located and offers visitors unforgettable family friendly experiences: African culture, walking trails, archaeological ruins, bird watching and butterfly hotspots.

1 night – Standard Chalet with dinner & breakfast

Your tour ends today and you will drive back to Johannesburg and drop off your car at the rental depot before your departure home. Bon Voyage!