Botswana & Namibia: Delta & Dunes — Self-Launched
14 days · Botswana & Namibia
Exodus charges £3,400
No-markup version: ~£1,980 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 14-day overland adventure through Botswana and Namibia, covering the Okavango Delta's waterways by mokoro, the wildlife-rich Caprivi Strip, Etosha's waterholes, the Brandberg and its ancient San rock art, the German colonial coast at Swakopmund, and the towering dunes of Sossusvlei. Built for independent travellers using intercity buses, shared 4x4 transfers, self-booked lodges and hostels, and locally arranged mokoro and game drives. Costs are approximate per person.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Maun, gateway to the Delta
Maun, Botswana
Fly or bus into Maun and check into a budget lodge or hostel. Spend the afternoon changing money, buying supplies and snacks for the Delta, and sorting your light overnight bag for camping (your big pack stays locked at the lodge). Book your mokoro trip and Delta camp for tomorrow via a local operator such as Delta Rain or Old Bridge Backpackers. Evening: sundowners over the Thamalakane River.
🚌Flight to Maun (MAU) or intercity bus; local taxi into town
🛏Budget lodge/hostel in Maun (e.g. Old Bridge Backpackers, Sedia Riverside)
- →Arrive Maun
- →Change money and buy supplies
- →Book mokoro Delta trip
- →Sundowners by the river
Mokoro into the Okavango Delta
Okavango Delta
After lunch head to the Delta put-in point and board a mokoro (dugout canoe) poled by a local guide. Depending on water levels a 4x4 transfer may be used instead. Arrive at an island bush camp with dome tents, camp beds and bucket/bush showers. Swim in the clear channels, listen to hippo grunts and birdsong, and enjoy one of the best stargazing skies in Africa.
🚌Shared 4x4 transfer from Maun plus mokoro poled canoe
🛏Okavango Delta wild camp (dome tents, bush shower, mobile toilet)
- →Mokoro canoe trip
- →Island bush camp
- →Swim in Delta channels
- →Stargazing
Full day exploring the Delta by foot and mokoro
Okavango Delta
Rise early and spend the morning exploring waterways and islands by mokoro and on guided walking safaris. The Delta is home to elephants, lions, hippos, zebras and a huge variety of birds. Return to camp for lunch, enjoy sundowners and relax around the campfire after dinner.
🚌Mokoro and on foot
🛏Okavango Delta wild camp
- →Guided walking safari
- →Mokoro exploration
- →Sundowners
- →Campfire evening
Final mokoro safari and return to Maun
Maun, Botswana
One last Delta exploration before poling back to the collection point and returning to Maun after lunch. Free afternoon — optional scenic flights or helicopter rides over the Delta if you want a splurge. Otherwise relax by the pool and restock supplies.
🚌Mokoro and shared 4x4 back to Maun
🛏Budget lodge/hostel in Maun
- →Final mokoro safari
- →Return to Maun
- →Optional scenic flight (extra ~£180)
North to Guma Lagoon and the panhandle
Guma Lagoon, Botswana
Transfer north toward the panhandle of the Okavango. Expect deep sand tracks inaccessible to a 2WD — arrange a local 4x4 pickup at Etsha to reach the lagoon-side lodge. Afternoon is free; optional boat ride on the peaceful waters to spot hippos and birdlife.
🚌Shared minibus to Etsha 13, then local 4x4 transfer (~220mi/350km, 5hr)
🛏Waterside lodge/campsite at Guma Lagoon (e.g. Nguma Island Lodge)
- →Transfer to Guma Lagoon
- →Optional boat ride
- →Birdwatching
Cross into Namibia via Mohembo to Rundu
Rundu, Namibia
Continue north and cross into Namibia at the Mohembo border post. Drive through Mahango Game Park (good chance of elephants) then along the narrow Caprivi Strip to Rundu on the Kavango River near Angola. Check into a riverside lodge and watch the sunset over the water.
🚌Shared minibus/4x4 overland (~220mi/350km, 5.5hr)
🛏Riverside lodge in Rundu (e.g. Kaisosi River Lodge)
- →Border crossing Mohembo
- →Mahango Game Park drive
- →Caprivi Strip drive
- →Kavango River sundowners
Into Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park, Namibia
Drive to Etosha, Namibia's premier safari sanctuary — a mixed forest and grassland wilderness around a vast saltpan dotted with waterholes. Arrive in time for a late-afternoon game drive. Stay inside the park where possible near a waterhole, or at a neighbouring safari camp. Optional night drive bookable on arrival.
🚌Shared overland vehicle
🛏Park camp inside Etosha (e.g. Namutoni) or nearby safari camp
- →Drive to Etosha (~280mi/450km, 6hr)
- →Late-afternoon game drive
- →Waterhole wildlife watching
- →Optional night drive (extra)
Full game drive day in Etosha
Etosha National Park
A key Namibian experience: a three-hour morning game drive across the park. Look for zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, elephants, lions and black rhinos. Etosha is also great for birds — water birds on the pan, weaverbirds and hornbills in the trees. Spend the afternoon at waterholes and settle into your safari camp.
🚌Shared 4x4 game vehicle
🛏Etosha safari camp
- →Three-hour game drive
- →Big Five spotting
- →Birdwatching
- →Waterhole viewing
Drive to Brandberg in Damaraland
Brandberg, Damaraland
Head southwest into Damaraland, passing Damara huts, Herero houses and cattle. Stop in the small town of Outjo for coffee and cake at a German bakery. Arrive at a rustic community lodge at the foot of Brandberg, Namibia's highest mountain. Ideal spot for desert elephants along the Ugab River and spectacular stargazing. Optional 4x4 desert-elephant game drive (seasonal).
🚌Shared overland vehicle
🛏Community lodge at foot of Brandberg (e.g. Brandberg White Lady Lodge)
- →Outjo bakery stop
- →Drive to Brandberg (~235mi/380km, 6hr)
- →Optional desert-elephant 4x4 drive
- →Stargazing
White Lady rock art and on to Swakopmund
Swakopmund, Namibia
Morning walk (~1hr 45min) up a dry valley past granite boulders and birdlife to the White Lady rock painting, left by San hunter-gatherers over 2,000 years ago. If elephants are in the area an alternative lower valley walk is used. Then drive to the Atlantic coast and Swakopmund, a quirky German colonial town of cake shops and coffee houses, and Namibia's adrenaline capital.
🚌Shared overland vehicle
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Swakopmund (e.g. Prost Hotel)
- →White Lady rock painting walk
- →Granite valley hike
- →Drive to Swakopmund (~185mi/300km, 4.5hr)
- →Colonial town wander
Free day in Swakopmund
Swakopmund, Namibia
A free day to pick your own adventure: sandboarding or quad-biking in the dunes, deep-sea fishing, or a scenic flight over the Skeleton Coast. Or simply enjoy Viennese-style cakes, beach and dune walks, and this strangely European town on the edge of Africa. Book activities the day before via local operators.
🚌On foot / local taxi
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Swakopmund
- →Sandboarding or quad-biking (extra)
- →Optional Skeleton Coast flight (extra)
- →Beach and dune walks
- →Cafes and cake shops
Walvis Bay and into the Namib Desert
Sesriem/Solitaire, Namibia
Morning stop at Walvis Bay lagoon to see flamingos, then drive through Namib-Naukluft National Park — one of the driest and oldest deserts on Earth. Take the long gravel road through two small passes to Solitaire for lunch and cake, then continue to your guestfarm near Sesriem.
🚌Shared overland vehicle (~210mi/340km, 5.5hr)
🛏Desert guestfarm near Sesriem/Solitaire (e.g. Weltevrede Guestfarm)
- →Walvis Bay flamingos
- →Namib-Naukluft drive
- →Solitaire stop
- →Desert scenery photo stops
Sossusvlei dunes and Deadvlei
Sossusvlei, Namibia
Rise early to reach the world's tallest dunes in the soft morning light and climb one for sweeping views. See the eerie white pan of Deadvlei strewn with 900-year-old camelthorn trees — either walk ~4km to Hiddenvlei or take a 4x4 shuttle (extra) to Deadvlei. Watch for gemsbok and ostriches among the dunes. Final group-style dinner with your travel mates.
🚌Shared vehicle plus park 4x4 shuttle to Deadvlei
🛏Desert guestfarm near Sesriem/Solitaire
- →Sossusvlei dunes at sunrise
- →Dune climb
- →Deadvlei visit
- →Optional 4x4 shuttle (extra)
- →Gemsbok and ostrich spotting
Return to Windhoek and depart
Windhoek, Namibia
Early start for the long drive back to Windhoek where your self-launched adventure ends. Allow buffer time before onward flights. Optional extra nights in Windhoek if you want to recover before flying home.
🚌Shared shuttle/overland vehicle to Windhoek
🛏Not included (optional Windhoek hostel/hotel ~£35)
- →Drive to Windhoek (~210mi/340km, 6hr)
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,980 | £3,400 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,420 per person (42%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,980
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 & Namibia: Delta & Dunes — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,980 per person for 14 days in Botswana & Namibia. 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 Exodus?+
Yes — Exodus charges around £3,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,980 — a saving of roughly £1,420 (42%) per person.
How long is the Botswana & Namibia trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 day-by-day stops through Botswana & Namibia.
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, culture trip through Botswana & Namibia, 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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