Highlights of Zimbabwe & Botswana Self Drive 16 days

Along the cracked and crop-less landscape on the road between Maun and Francistown you will find the intriguingly named Planet Baobab camp, the Baobab capital of the world where the average age of each tree is 4000 years.

At Planet Baobab you will find the largest and coolest pool in the Kalahari and the funkiest bar, a well known watering hole for travellers of every description and colourful characters from throughout Maun, plus a beautiful restaurant serving interesting and delicious dishes from all across Africa.

There are a number of accommodation options including traditionally styled Bakalanga or Baobab huts with en-suite showers, dome tents with fully made up stretcher beds or you can even pitch your own tent or park your own 4x4 in our shady campsite.

A stay at Planet Baobab is one full of fun, relaxation and adventure. You can spend your evenings round a camp fire or the communal blaze in the lelwapa enjoying a cool drink, and spend your days getting up close and personal with super-friendly habituated meerkats, touring the local village and learning about Batswana culture, visiting a local cattle post or visiting Nxai Xini Pan to seek out ancient stone tools and fossils.

You could quad bike across the Makgadikgadi Pans n the dry season, sleeping under the stars or take a 5 night quad bike expedition to the remote and mysterious Kubu Island.

During the wet season see can see the spectacular migration which is host to between 35-75000 zebra and wildebeest, Southern Africa’s last and little-known annual migration.

Botswana has the largest variety of mammals in Africa & the Kalahari is the desert with the greatest species diversity in the world.

Located in Kasane on the banks of the Chobe River this delightful camp which offers a variety of accommodation options is perfectly situated for the Chobe National Park and is within close proximity to 3 different airports making it one of the most accessible lodges in the area.

Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia meet right on the doorstep of Chobe Safari Lodge so it is an excellent getaway location for guests looking to explore all of the marvellous areas associated with these regions - including Chobe, Victoria Falls and Caprivi.

Accommodation at Chobe Safari Lodge is provided in 46 Luxury Safari Rooms, 22 Luxury River Rooms and 8 Rondavels.

The luxury Safari Rooms at Chobe Lodge offer the utmost in safari opulence, with air-conditioning, luxurious en-suite bathrooms, satellite TV, elegant furnishings including large comfortable beds and private patios with stunning views over the river.

The twin-bed River Rooms are just as luxurious, also boasting en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning and private patios. The River Room complex also has its own riverside garden where guests often take time to photograph the resident monkeys and mongoose.

The Rondavels - the original Chobe Safari Lodge accommodation - are located a very short walk to the main complex and offer traditional style accommodation for guests looking for a more authentic safari experience. These thatched units are all elegantly furnished and have air-conditioning and en-suite bathrooms.

There are also camping options available so your choice of accommodation is endless.

The main area of the complex offers a beautiful restaurant where delicious home-cooked meals are served daily, a stunning swimming pool for relaxing in the warm African sunshine, 2 bars including a wonderful cocktail bar overlooking Caprivi flood plains, a health and beauty salon and a curio & crafts shop.

The complex also has its own boats on which guests can enjoy wonderful dinner cruises. You can dine under the stars as the boat cruises on the Chobe River between the shores of Botswana and Namibia - offering the ideal way to unwind and enjoy the unique surroundings of Chobe by night.

Other activities on offer at Chobe Safari Lodge of course also include morning and afternoon game drives. Chobe National Park boasts the largest concentration of elephant in Africa, along with many other species of big game, and you can choose to witness this amazing spectacle via game drive, boat cruise or even on a scenic flight. Other activities available include sunset boat cruises, private boat hire, Victoria Falls day trips, fishing and Namibian village walks.

This newly constructed camp right on the border of the Moremi Game Reserve combines luxury with simplicity and is a 100% eco-friendly development.

Lying on a palm fringed island in the Okavango Delta the camp is surrounded by the Moremi's game-rich seasonal floodplains and overlooks the beautiful Chief's Island.

At this abundant oasis amid the vast plains and pans of the desert that covers most of Southern Africa you will find accommodation for 34 people in 16 luxurious en-suite tents which have been raised on decks to ensure spectacular views of Chief's Island. Each tent has its own eco-friendly shower heated by solar power, delightful furnishings and private veranda.

The main building consists of a large open plan deck that has a spectacular view over the Boro River on to Chief's Island. A large thatched roof houses the welcoming dining room, bar and lounge area. You will also find further small private lounge areas which have been created for guests to enjoy a private moment as they take in the beautiful surroundings. There is also a luxurious swimming pool for cooling off after a long day of wildlife viewing and a curio shop full of traditional mementos to remind you of your stay.

Due to the proximity to the Okavango Delta the Moremi Crossing Camp offers many water-based activities for guests to enjoy. Some of the most popular activities include Mokoro excursions where you will be transported through the bustling river life on traditional dug out canoes - with a picnic lunch for those who want to make a day of it - and motor-boat sunset cruises where you can explore the crystal clear channels of the Boro River with just the sounds of the nearby hippos for company. Other activities include bush walks where you can encounter large game in their natural habitat and island camping where you can spend the night on a wilderness island and get up close to Africa's nocturnal wildlife.

Ivory Lodge is set on its own 6000-acre conservancy bordering Hwange National Park which is the largest National Park in Zimbabwe. Ivory Lodge is built in the treetops of giant teak forests – diverse habitats attract a variety of wildlife and bird life.

This camp offers personal attention to a maximum of 20 guests in 7 standard treehouses, of which one is a family unit, and 2 tented suites. The elevated en-suite rooms are positioned with sweeping views of the waterhole that is floodlit by night. The central dining area, bar and library are set around the deep blue pool - a welcome haven from the scorching midday heat. Bush cuisine offers campfire barbeques under a massive blanket of stars.

Ivory Lodge also has a hide next to a waterhole where a heightened wildlife experience is within a stone’s throw away. Activities on offer are walking and game drives in both the concession and Game Park. Night drives in the concession can also be arranged on request.

Camp Amalinda is situated just outside Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe and is nestled in the granite domes and kopjes of the Matobo Hills and has some of the most majestic rock scenery in the world. This exclusive safari lodge is tucked away in an ancient Bushman’s shelter within the Matobo National Park. Camp Amalinda echoes the essence of tranquillity and the majesty of untamed Africa.

Amalinda consists of nine individually thatched rooms including two honeymoon suites, which are set into the huge boulders and have a panoramic view of the Matobo Hills. The camp has a central area with a library, a chess room located amongst the treetops, and an open-air dining room with a huge teak table. There is a natural cave wine cellar, and a “boma” area with a fireplace. The camp has a swimming pool overlooking a waterhole where resident wildlife comes to drink, and a heritage spa.

Mammal and bird species are prolific and include the highest concentrations of leopard and black eagle in the world, as well as a healthy population of the endangered black rhino. Activities include game viewing by foot or vehicle. You can track the endangered black rhino or drive through the granite hills in the footsteps of Cecil John Rhodes and visit his world famous tomb known as the “View of the World”. Matabele cultural visits are also on offer.

Thamalakane River Lodge is ideally located an easy 20-minute drive from Maun Airport en route to the famous Moremi Game Reserve. It is a secluded haven of tranquility nestled in a grove of mature riverine trees on the bank of the Thamalakane River.

All chalets and common areas have terraces that take advantage of the 180 degree view of the riverbanks lined with fluttering reeds visited by an ever changing array of water fowl and birds. Accommodation is in a range of chalets and tents, all with en-suite facilities.

A'Zambezi River Lodge is located in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe 25km from the airport, nestling on the banks of the Zambezi river within the periphery of the Zambezi National Park. The imaginative architecture with its sweeping curve of grass thatch blends well with the lush green lawns. A'Zambezi is the perfect retreat to relax and unwind in the quiet ambience of the African wild life and nature, whilst enjoying renowned services.

87 well appointed and air conditioned rooms including 44 doubles, 37 twins, 2 luxury King Suites, 2 Queen Suites and 2 paraplegic rooms. Nonsmoking rooms available. Majority of the rooms have balconies facing the river and swimming pool whilst the rest face the National Park and the gardens

A delightful resort, set in open countryside at Tsamaya, near Francistown, on the road from Bulawayo to the Makgadikgadi Pans park. There is superb birdwatching within the area and other game viewing, as well as a 9 hole golf course

There are five self catering chalets, each with outside shower, plus camping facilities.