A 12-day Botswana safari expedition departing 30 May 2026 —
personally led, maximum 6 guests, priced at shoulder season rates
while experiencing prime June wildlife conditions.
First booking confirmed. 5 spots remaining.
At the Africa’s Eden trade show in December, I met a Botswana supplier I hadn’t worked with before. What started as a casual conversation turned into something unusual: they agreed to extend their shoulder season rates beyond the normal 1 June cutoff.
Here’s what that means for you:
We depart 30 May 2026 – still technically shoulder season, which locks in shoulder season pricing for the entire trip.
We’re in Botswana throughout June – when the wildlife viewing is at its absolute best. Early to mid-June is arguably prime time: the dry season is well underway, animals concentrate around water sources, and conditions are near-perfect.
The result? High season experience at shoulder season pricing – but only because of this specific supplier relationship and the 30 May departure date.
Once high season officially begins on 1 June, this pricing structure disappears. This isn’t a promotion or special offer – it’s simply how the relationship came together for this one departure.
Botswana is one of Africa’s most expensive safari destinations because it operates on a low-volume, high-cost model. What makes this different is that I’ve secured access to exceptional camps and conservancies at rates that are normally very hard to achieve – without changing the areas we visit, the quality of the experience, or how the trip runs.
The focus is on experiencing several very different wildlife areas across Botswana, each with its own character, finishing with Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
We begin in the Kalahari at Grasslands Safari Lodge — a National Geographic-featured property offering one of Africa’s most authentic Bushman cultural experiences alongside excellent wildlife viewing and white rhino conservation.
By late May/early June, the Kalahari is in beautiful transition — still relatively green from recent rains with exceptional light and excellent wildlife viewing. The owner-run property includes a productive waterhole directly at the lodge.
Activities: Game drives, Bushman cultural experiences with Neeltjie Bower (sixth-generation San descendant), rhino tracking, optional horseback safaris
Scenic road transfer into the Okavango Delta, stopping to visit local basket weavers. Gomoti River Lodge offers superb views over a seasonal lagoon with access to excellent game viewing in a private concession and full-day drives into southwestern Moremi Game Reserve.
Transfer from Gomoti to Khwai via scenic game drive including a boat cruise at Xakanaxa. Our upgraded tented camp overlooks the Khwai River in the NG19 Community Area – widely regarded as one of the top three wildlife areas in all of Botswana.
Classic safari territory with excellent game viewing, strong predator activity, and wildlife density that makes every drive memorable. Early June is prime time here.
This is a highlight: Full-day game drive transfer from Khwai to Chobe via Savuti – one of Botswana’s most legendary wildlife areas.
Savuti is famous for dramatic landscapes and exceptional predator activity, but visiting as a standalone destination is prohibitively expensive. By incorporating it as a transfer day, we experience this remarkable area without the high cost of overnight stays.
A long but spectacular day with outstanding wildlife and scenery.
Two nights in a comfortable mobile tented camp – proper beds, attentive service, bucket showers – positioned deep in the quieter sections of Chobe where wildlife viewing far exceeds the crowded riverfront lodges.
Safari as it should be: authentic, atmospheric, away from vehicle convoys. Chobe National Park is world-famous for elephant concentrations and exceptional predator sightings. Early June is excellent timing.
We finish at Victoria Falls with time to experience them properly from different viewpoints and make the most of what the area offers.
Included: Helicopter flight over the Falls (Flight of the Angels), Guided tour of Victoria Falls, Dinner at The Lookout Café, Full day at leisure with access to nearly 70 optional activities
After spending most of the trip in the bush, Victoria Falls works extremely well as a varied, energetic finish before heading home.
Late May into early June is one of the very best times to visit Botswana:
Early June is a sweet spot — you get all the benefits of the dry season without peak season crowds or pricing. The fact that this departure locks in shoulder season rates while offering high season conditions is what makes it genuinely unusual.
I’ve been organising bespoke African safaris for over 30 years, and I know the continent inside out because I’ve actually lived and travelled there extensively.
I work with a small number of clients each year to ensure everyone gets exactly the trip they’re looking for. I focus on conservation-friendly, intimate safari experiences — private conservancies and small camps, not mass tourism — and I only work with destinations and partners I know and trust personally.
This Botswana departure is personally led by me from start to finish. You won’t be handed off to a local representative— I’ll be there throughout, which means fluency in English and Norwegian, 30+ years of Africa knowledge, and someone who genuinely cares that you have an exceptional experience.
Maximum 6 guests means genuine intimacy, proper attention and the flexibility to adapt based on what the group wants.
This represents exceptional value for Botswana at this level, particularly given that we’re travelling during what is effectively high season. The pricing is only possible because of the supplier relationship and the 30 May departure date.
All payments held in PTS trust account for full consumer protection.
Deposit is due immediately to secure your spot. With only 6 spaces and the first booking already confirmed, I recommend deciding within the next week if you’re interested. Once we’re full, the opportunity closes.
Solo travellers are welcome. You’ll be charged USD 9,975 for single occupancy. If another solo traveller joins and wants to share, I’ll adjust your price to USD 8,250.
General fitness is fine. The trip involves early morning game drives, some walking, and one long transfer day (Savuti). Most activities are vehicle-based. If you can walk comfortably for a couple of hours, you’ll be absolutely fine.
You book your own international flights to Maun (arrive 30 May) and out of Victoria Falls (depart 10 June). I’m happy to help you find suitable options and advise on timing/connections that work best with the itinerary.
Yes, comprehensive travel insurance is required. I’ll provide general recommendations including coverage levels needed for safari activities and medical evacuation from remote areas.
I’ll provide full visa requirements once you’ve booked. Most nationalities get visa-on-arrival for both Botswana and Zimbabwe, but I’ll confirm based on your passport.
Yes – click here for the full day-by-day details including accommodation descriptions, activities and logistics.
I’ll send you booking confirmation, deposit invoice, and PTS trust account payment details. Once deposit is received, I’ll collect passport details, dietary requirements, and other essential information to finalize everything with the camps.
Fair question. I’m PTS-registered (full consumer protection), I’ve been doing this for 30+ years, and you can read reviews from previous clients here. More importantly, I’m leading this trip personally – you’re not being handed off to a stranger. What you see is what you get.
With the first booking confirmed and only 5 spots remaining, this trip will fill quickly. If the timing, itinerary, and pricing work for you, don’t wait.
Questions? Email andy.higgs@grownuptravel.co or call +47 459 19 660
The Grown-up Travel Company
Lauvåsbakken 18, 7540 Klæbu, Norway
andy.higgs@grownuptravel.co | +47 459 19 660
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