Canoe & Camping Safari, Botswana

Canoe your way along the Selinda Spillway for three nights in the heart of this huge 320,000-acre nature reserve. Made up of vast floodplains, sprawling forests and habitat where only wildlife treads, this part of Botswana is perfect for safaris. Explore by day and then cozy up under canvas by night on this magical canoeing and camping safari.

Botswana is a wildlife lover’s paradise. For a start, it’s huge – roughly the same size as France. And secondly, the roads are few and far between, so hippos, lions, and elephants are left to their own devices. The Selinda Nature Reserve itself is a private space where animals can roam without fear as there’s relatively low human input here. It’s a flat, arid landscape with views that stretch for miles, and sunsets that belong on celluloid.

This epic canoeing adventure carves a path through 70km of the Selinda Spillway in the heart of the Selinda Nature Reserve. Harking back to the spirit of traditional safaris, you'll be making way by paddle and foot through an area rich with wildlife. Over the course of the 4 days, you'll paddle eastwards along the Spillway, from Motswiri to Selinda. Along the way, you'll leave the canoes and explore by foot, accompanied by an experienced guide. The Selinda Nature Reserve is home to about 300 species of birds, so there’s ample chance you’ll spot many on your safari. But it’s not just birds that flock here. Because no hunting has taken place here since 2004, bigger creatures like elephants, buffalo and sable antelope are also often spotted. And if you’re really lucky, you could even see a cheetah, lion or leopard.

Lots of safaris just involve sitting around in the back of a truck, twiddling your thumbs, waiting for the moment you spot that elusive giraffe. Not this one. You will be right in the thick of nature, paddling along peaceful waterways and hiking with hardly a sign of other humans for three nights. So, if you’re more of a ‘doing’ person then this will be right up your street. You’ll be canoeing and walking during the day, and camping at night. You’ll have to be ok with camping and short-drop toilets, but let’s face it, they’re a small price to pay for a great adventure safari in Botswana. Children above the age of 12 are welcome on this trip, guests over the age of 65 are most welcome, but are asked to provide a recent certified medical certificate. It is recommended that you stay at Motswiri Camp the night prior to departure. This means that you can have an early start on your first day. Contact us for details.