Unlike a typical safari itinerary using fixed lodges and camps, a mobile safari allows you much greater flexibility to travel off-the-beaten path and to explore at your own pace, with the trade-off being that the camping facilities are more basic than you would expect to find at a luxury safari camp or lodge (though high-end mobile camping safaris, offering many of the same comforts that you would normally associate with a luxury camp, are also an option in Botswana). The appeal of mobile camping lies in the freedom it offers and the sense of adventure that comes with a traditional bush camping experience. With a private mobile safari, game-viewing activities can be conducted at your preferred pace and can be focused on your interests.
On a typical mobile safari, each day will start with your guide discussing with you what you hope to see and photograph. Your itinerary can then be adjusted to suit; how long you spend game-viewing, whether you explore on foot or by 4x4, and even where you set up camp that evening, might all be adjusted according to your interests. At the end of each day, you set up camp in the remote wilderness, with dinner served under the stars around the campfire, as you recount the highlights of the day. This really is a fabulous option for those who love the outdoors and getting up close to wildlife!
Botswana’s policy of low-volume, sustainable tourism – focussing on low visitor numbers in order to maintain its pristine wilderness areas – makes a private mobile safari here particularly rewarding. All of the major wilderness areas in Botswana have remote and rarely-accessed regions that are ideal for exploring on a mobile camping safari. Furthermore, Botswana’s wilderness areas allow for a range of activities. We can incorporate walking (outside the national parks), mokoro-ing and 4x4 game drives into your private safari itinerary. A mobile safari in Botswana also offers great photographic opportunities, as you are not restricted by the interests of other guests or game-viewing schedules as is the case at most safari camps and lodges. If you want to spend a full day pursuing a photo opportunity, you can do so!
A mobile safari should not be seen as a budget option. For small groups and couples, a private mobile safari can be comparable in cost to staying at a luxury lodge or camp. Rather, it is a different experience, best suited to those seeking a more private and intimate safari, with the added adventure that comes with bush camping.
In addition to private mobile camping safaris, small group mobile safaris, departing at fixed dates throughout the year and open to anyone to join, are also a very popular and affordable option in Botswana. Please see our page on Scheduled Group Safaris in Botswana for more information.
Contact us to discuss a tailor-made private mobile safari designed especially for you. We have been organising mobile safaris to Africa since 1991 and can help you plan the perfect itinerary!
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