Botswana Safari Self-Launched: Maun, Khwai, Makgadikgadi & Nxai Pan
8 days · Botswana
Little Roz Tours charges £2,400
No-markup version: ~£1,560 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Little Roz Tours' 8-day camping safari through the Okavango Delta fringes, Khwai, Makgadikgadi Pan and Nxai Pan. Instead of paying for a private guided expedition, you base yourself in Maun, join small-group mobile camping safaris and self-drive/self-booked day trips with local operators, and use shared 4x4 transfers and light aircraft into the parks. This is the real Botswana: rudimentary campsites, dawn game drives, elephants around the tent and Baobabs at sunset — for a fraction of the quoted group tour price. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget rates and assume two travellers sharing or joining small groups; solo travellers pay more per night for tents/rooms.
Day-by-day
Arrive Maun & prepare for the bush
Maun
Land at Maun International Airport (flights from Johannesburg or Victoria Falls are the usual routes). Skip the private airport transfer — shared shuttle taxis run from the airport into town for around 100-150 Pula (£8-12). Pick up supplies at the Spar/Choppies in the centre (this is where you buy your own water, snacks and any drinks for camping — notably cheaper than lodge bars). Meet your self-booked mobile safari operator in the afternoon to sort out permits, equipment and departure details. Sunset drink on the Thamalakane River.
🚌Shared airport shuttle taxi, ~£10; local minibus taxis around town ~£1 each way
🛏Budget guesthouse or backpacker room in Maun (e.g. a self-catering guesthouse near the river, £15-25/night)
- →Shared airport shuttle into Maun
- →Provision shopping for the bush
- →Sundowner walk along the Thamalakane River
Into the Khwai community concession
Khwai
Join a small-group mobile camping safari heading north to Khwai Community Concession (note: this is the area known for night drives and off-road sightings, not the Moremi proper). Most self-booked versions combine Khwai with Moremi Game Reserve. Travel is by shared 4x4 safari vehicle over the sand road via Mababe, roughly 3-4 hours. Afternoon game drive and night drive in the concession — Khwai is one of the few parts of Botswana where guides can drive after dark, so leopards and serval are on the cards.
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle from Maun, included in the multi-day camping package (~£35-50/day per person for transport+guide+food when shared 4-6 people)
🛏Small-group mobile camping in Khwai (dome tents, sometimes en-suite for a supplement) or a budget community camp
- →Shared 4x4 transfer to Khwai
- →Afternoon/evening game drive and night drive in Khwai concession
Full day in Khwai — dawn and dusk drives
Khwai
Early morning game drive (leave camp by 05:30) along the Khwai River channels. Wild dog, lion, elephant and huge herds of buffalo are possible. Back for brunch, siesta through the heat, then another drive in the late afternoon. This is the day to add the bucket-list extra: a scenic light aircraft flight into the Okavango Delta, bookable in Maun through operators like Moremi Air or Mack Air for roughly £110-160 per person for a 25-40 minute Delta scenic flight, or a shared mokoro (dugout canoe) day trip from Maun (approx £55-80) if you want the water experience instead. Neither is included in the original tour, so budget depending on your taste.
🚌Safari vehicle game drives (included in package)
🛏Small-group mobile camping in Khwai
- →Dawn game drive in Khwai
- →Afternoon game drive
- →Optional: scenic Delta light aircraft flight (~£110-160) or mokoro day trip (~£55-80)
Back through Maun to Makgadikgadi
Makgadikgadi Pans National Park
Morning game drive out of Khwai, then the long sand-road transfer back to Maun (about 4 hours). After lunch/resupply, head east to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park — the Boteti River section where the water flows through the dry season and attracts elephant and zebra. Evening game drive along the Boteti River. The transfer and campsite can be booked through most Maun-based safari operators or done yourself if you hire a 4x4 with roof tent (park permits approx £15-20/day).
🚌Shared 4x4 safari transfer, approx 6-7 hours driving with stops; fuel/vehicle share roughly £45-60 per person for the day
🛏Campsite inside or adjacent to Makgadikgadi (e.g. a basic NP-operated or budget camp)
- →Game drive en route to Maun
- →Shared transfer to Makgadikgadi
- →Afternoon game drive along the Boteti River
Makgadikgadi: elephants on the Boteti
Makgadikgadi Pans National Park
Brunch-style day: early morning game drive along the Boteti where the river pools draw large elephant herds in the dry season (July-October). Return to camp for the heat of the day, then an afternoon drive and sundowner on the pan edge with a cool box of drinks. Note: entering the salt pans themselves (Ntwetwe/Sua) requires a separate permit and usually a guide — if you want Ntwetwe Pan with quad bikes, this is available as an optional add-on from a Maun/Gweta operator for about £60-90, but it's a long drive and generally not part of the 8-day itinerary.
🚌Safari vehicle (included in the multi-day package)
🛏Campsite in/adjacent to Makgadikgadi
- →Early morning game drive
- →Afternoon game drive and sundowner on the pan
- →Optional: quad bike salt pan excursion (~£60-90)
North to Nxai Pan National Park
Nxai Pan National Park
Break camp and drive north over the dusty Makgadikgadi road towards Nxai Pan National Park (roughly 2-3 hours plus gate admin). This is the fossil-pan park made famous by Baines' Baobabs. Nxai Pan has its own campsite (South Camp, operated by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks) — you need to book through Botswana's DWNP or a Maun booking agent in advance, and pay park fees on arrival (approx £12-15/day plus a £4 vehicle fee). Afternoon game drive in search of the resident lion pride, bat-eared fox, oryx and springbok.
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle, ~3 hours driving
🛏Nxai Pan South Camp campsite (basic facilities, pit latrines)
- →Shared 4x4 transfer to Nxai Pan
- →Afternoon game drive in Nxai Pan
Nxai Pan dawn drive and Baines' Baobabs
Nxai Pan National Park
Early morning drive before sunrise — Nxai is big cat country and the light at dawn on the pan is stunning. Brunch at camp, then head out to Kudiakam Pan and Baines' Baobabs (the ancient baobab cluster photographed by explorer Thomas Baines in 1862). Late afternoon sundowner, then final evening around the campfire.
🚌Safari vehicle drives
🛏Nxai Pan South Camp campsite
- →Dawn game drive in Nxai Pan
- →Guided visit to Kudiakam Pan and Baines' Baobabs
- →Sundowner on the pan
Nxai Pan to Maun & onward
Maun
Final morning game drive, then the drive back to Maun (3-4 hours). Drop at the airport for onward flights — most self-launchers either fly Maun→Johannesburg (~£90-160 one way) or head overland to Victoria Falls via Kasane (long bus journey, about 8-9 hours, or a flight ~£120-180). If staying a night in Maun, a shower, laundry and cold beer at a backpacker lodge is well deserved.
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle to Maun (~3.5 hours); airport drop included in many packages
🛏Optional final night in Maun if flying the next day (£15-25)
- →Morning game drive
- →Return transfer to Maun
- →Drop at Maun International Airport or town
Self-launched vs. Little Roz Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Little Roz Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,560 | £2,400 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £840 per person (35%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Little Roz Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,560
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Botswana Safari Self-Launched: Maun, Khwai, Makgadikgadi & Nxai Pan cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,560 per person for 8 days in Botswana. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Little Roz Tours?+
Yes — Little Roz Tours charges around £2,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,560 — a saving of roughly £840 (35%) per person.
How long is the Botswana trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Botswana.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, backpacker trip through Botswana, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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