North-west Kalahari & Panhandle
North-west Kalahari & Panhandle
From sparkling, near-silent waterways to the spine-tingling wonder of ancient rock paintings, magic comes in many guises.
That the north-west Kalahari receives so few visitors simply adds to the allure.
As it follows its course along the so-called Panhandle before fanning out into the Delta, the Okavango River brings life not just to the land but to the people who have long lived here. For centuries, the river Bushmen have fished these waters from dugout canoes, competing for their catch with fish eagles, kingfishers, herons and any number of other water birds.
Today, these skills, passed on from generation to generation, enhance the trip of many a traveller. Experience the primeval thrill of tiger-fishing under expert guidance, or marvel at the natural beauty of the Okavango on a tranquil mokoro trip at dawn.
While fishing put food on the table, food for the soul came in a very different guise: the Tsodilo Hills. Rising above the western Kalahari, these four hills are the spiritual heart of the San, or Bushmen, woven with meaning and symbolism. Deep within their shadowy folds, painting after rock painting is displayed in an evocation of this ancient world, the world of our long-distant forebears.
To follow in their steps is to discover The Lost World of the Kalahari, Laurens van der Post’s tribute to this remarkable site: a sacred world whose presence – like that of the grandest cathedral – commands the utmost respect.
Safaris visiting North-west Kalahari
Just ideas, we'll always tailor-make a trip for you
Pygmy Mouse Self-drive Safari
18 days • 10 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO VICTORIA FALLS AIRPORT
A truly epic southern African self-drive safari adventure from Namibia’s mountains and deserts, along the lush Caprivi Strip to Botswana and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, staying at luxury lodges throughout.
US$6,240 - US$10,500 per person
Rock Hare Self-drive Safari
20 days • 12 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO VICTORIA FALLS AIRPORT
An in-depth look at Namibia from the Namib Desert to the Caprivi, with additional stops in Botswana and Victoria Falls. This three-week adventure includes an unrivalled mix of environments and is great value.
US$5,300 - US$8,430 per person
Sable Self-drive Safari
12 days • 7 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO VICTORIA FALLS AIRPORT
A great-value southern African self-drive adventure from Namibia along the Caprivi Strip to Botswana and Zimbabwe, combining other-worldly landscapes, unforgettable wildlife spectacles and rarely visited places, and ending at Victoria Falls.
US$6,200 - US$9,370 per person
Most recent reviews of our safaris to North-west Kalahari
Click below to browse all 81 reviews from North-west Kalahari & Panhandle. All from our travellers; all are in full & unedited.
Arrived 5 Sep 2024, 18 nights
"My Sep 2024 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 24 Aug 2024, 14 nights
"Our Aug 2024 trip - Panhandle, Moremi, Savuti and "
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 23 Jun 2023, 15 nights
"My Jun 2023 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 11 May 2023, 22 nights
"My May 2023 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 15 Jan 2023, 15 nights
"My Jan 2023 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 24 Nov 2022, 20 nights
"Namibia, Botswana and Vic Falls Trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 21 Jul 2022, 19 nights
"My Jul 2022 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 18 May 2022, 22 nights
"My May 2022 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 13 May 2022, 21 nights
"My May 2022 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 27 Jul 2019, 29 nights
"Third time with Expert Africa, still happy"
Overall rating: Excellent
Where to stay in North-west Kalahari
Our suggestions for safari camps in North-west Kalahari & Panhandle
Nxamaseri Lodge
From its beautiful island setting, Nxamaseri Lodge offers superb fishing and birdwatching in a relatively affordable area of the Okavango.
Tsodilo Sleep-Out
Within walking distance of the region’s ancient rock art, the Tsodilo Hills Sleep-out Camp is an immersive overnight experience for guests at Nxamaseri Island Lodge.
Feline Fields
In a remote corner of the Kalahari, Feline Fields offers guests a luxurious stay in a seldom-visited part of Botswana.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings in North-west Kalahari
This is their success for sightings in North-west Kalahari & Panhandle. Click on a species for more detail. How we work this out.
87% success
38% success
11% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
When to go to North-west Kalahari & Panhandle
Our month by month guide: What it's like to visit North-west Kalahari in Botswana
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Botswana in January
January is at the peak of Botswana’s rainy season. These rains are often in the evening and are short but heavy, with occasional thunderstorms. Temperatures will still be high but cooler than October–December. Animals are generally dispersed, and not easy to spot, with the best game viewing found in the north of Chief’s Island and on the eastern and southern sides of the Okavango Delta.
January is also one of the best months to see the zebra and wildebeest migration in the Makgadikgadi salt pans and at Nxai Pan. Migratory birds abound throughout northern Botswana, along with a large number of breeding flamingos in the flooded salt pans. Rates are generally relatively low, making this a good time to visit on a budget.
- Temperatures are still warm, with occasional thunderstorms
- The bush feels alive; birdlife is at its most spectacular
- Big game is dispersed
- Zebra & wildebeest migration at its height
- Availability in lodges and camps is often very good
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in January
Botswana in February
The weather in February is very similar to January, with heavy rain most days – often towards evening – and temperatures on the high side, albeit cooling off from the rains and surface water. Across northern Botswana, the landscape feels green and alive; insects and smaller animals are more easily seen, and many birds and animals are raising their young. However, the rains have created pools and waterholes in the bush and thicker vegetation and tall grass makes it trickier to spot larger animals.
Further south, the game viewing is beginning to pick up in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Visitor numbers remain low, with attendant rates and availability in camps and lodges.
- Temperatures still warm with occasional thunderstorms
- Many animals with young; birdlife at its most spectacular
- Big game is dispersed
- Game viewing picking up in the Central Kalahari
- Visitor numbers are low, so camp availability can be very good
Our view
This is not a great time to visit
Weather in February
Botswana in March
March usually sees Botswana’s main rains starting to tail off. Many days will be clear, with a strong sun raising temperatures. On some days clouds will build, and the late-afternoon may see a short thunderstorm. Across the country, the landscape is green and alive. Many birds and animals are finishing raising their young. Much of the migration is now moving north towards the Savute area or Chobe National Park, though thick vegetation still makes it trickier to spot even larger animals.
March is one of the best times to be in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, where many of the pans fill up and animals come to drink, closely followed by predators. With few visitors in most areas, rates may still be relatively low.
- Variable weather: rains tailing off but still hot
- Occasional small thunderstorms
- Many animals finish raising their young; birdlife still spectacular
- The best time to visit the Central Kalahari Game Reserve
- Few tourists visit during March, so rates often low
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in March
Botswana in April
During April the rains have usually stopped, though there may be still be the odd late downpour. This results in clear skies and a lovely green, lush landscape. Night-time temperatures usually start to drop during April with this being most noticeable in the Central Kalahari and the Makgadikgadi areas. The Central Kalahari is really coming into its own at this point and from April through to May/June the Savute region is a particular favourite of ours, with good predator/prey interaction.
In much of northern Botswana, the camps are coming into their “shoulder” season, so rates are on the rise but still relatively low.
- Evening temperatures cooling with just the odd shower
- Northern Botswana is green and lush
- Many animals still with young; good predator/prey interaction
- Central Kalahari and Savute the best places for wildlife
- A popular shoulder season time to book. Rates relatively low
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in April
Botswana in May
May is a very popular month to visit Botswana, often the last month of the “shoulder” season before camp rates hit their peak. While there is very little chance of rain, the annual floods from Angola are starting to make their way through the northern part of the Delta, and will eventually reach the majority of the Okavango late June.
With cooler temperatures morning and evening, predator activity tends to be higher, although tall grasses can still obstruct game viewing. With cool crisp evenings, and the game viewing really picking up, this is the favourite time to visit for many of our team – and camp bookings throughout Botswana are snapped up quickly.
- Cool mornings and evenings with little chance of rain
- Game viewing is beginning to pick up
- Predator activity increasing, though grasses still quite high
- Last month of “shoulder” season for most camps
- Availability goes quickly throughout Botswana
Our view
A very good time to visit
Weather in May
Botswana in June
June is the real start of the dry season. Temperatures are still cool in the morning and evenings with night-time temperatures sometimes reaching freezing, rising to 25–30 degrees Celsius during the day, with blue skies. Along with this comes a certain clarity to the air, favourable for serious photographers. Surface water and waterholes begin to dry up during this period and many animals begin to congregate around the remaining areas with water.
Visibility is improving as the grass is beginning to die back, and game viewing is very good everywhere, with particular improvement in the Kwando–Linyanti areas. Not surprisingly, camp availability is becoming scarce and rates are high.
- Warm, comfortable days; cold nights, morning & evenings
- Air clarity favours serious photographers
- Wildlife is gravitating to waterholes, making game-viewing productive
- Grasses beginning to die back
- Most camps are into peak season, with rates correspondingly high
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in June
Botswana in July
Evenings and mornings are still cool in July, and this combined with great game viewing makes it one of the most popular times to visit Botswana. Vegetation is really thinning out now making game easier to spot, with the few remaining waterholes attracting lots of wildlife. The north-eastern side of Chobe National Park, along the Chobe River, is also very rewarding, although this area can become very busy.
Game viewing is extremely good in the Khwai areas, too, but again, this is a public area and – unlike in the private concessions of the Delta – vehicle numbers can be high. Camps are now very much into the peak season, and tend to be full.
- Comfortable days; cold nights, morning & evenings
- Game viewing very good as vegetation dies back and waterholes dry out
- Chobe Riverfront and Khwai areas become very busy
- Private concessions helps to avoid potentially high vehicle numbers
- Now very much into peak season
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in July
Botswana in August
August is a popular time to visit Botswana, coinciding with the European summer holidays, and camp availability is difficult. Temperatures are generally cool at night, and comfortable during the day, although towards the end of the month they can rise above 35 degrees Celsius (albeit with low humidity). Cloudless skies bring spectacular star-gazing. Wildlife has congregated around the few remaining water sources, and much of the vegetation has now died back, so wildlife viewing tends to be varied and rewarding, particularly in the Okavango Delta.
Depending on the rains in Angola this can also be one of the best times to see the delta floods at their peak.
- Dry, warm days, with mainly cool nights
- Cloudless skies with spectacular stars at night
- A fantastic time for wildlife watching, particularly in the Okavango
- Traditionally one of the best times to see the Delta in full flood
- Peak season: so high rates and many lodges full
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in August
Botswana in September
September is another favourite month for some of our team members. Daytime temperatures are getting warmer, but nights remain cool. With the drier conditions, most of the greenery has faded from the landscape, and dust or even smoke create hazy conditions that aren’t great for photographers – though this does result in fantastic sunsets.
This is another extremely good month for game viewing, with large numbers of elephant and buffalo congregating in the Chobe region and migrant birds begin to return to Botswana. Rates remain high – and availability correspondingly low.
- Warmer days and cool nights
- One of the best months for wildlife viewing
- Large congregations of elephant & buffalo in the Chobe region
- Hazy conditions less good for photographers, but brilliant sunsets
- High season rates; many lodges & camps are full
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in September
Botswana in October
October is the one of the hottest months of the year, and usually one of the driest. Towards the end of the month the chances of rain can increase, and along with this can come greater humidity. The air is usually dry and hazy, making photography more challenging, but the lack of water and vegetation result in very good big-game viewing.
Water levels are now much lower, so water-based activities such as boating, mokoro trips and fishing cease in many of the camps which are not on major tributaries.
- Hot temperatures, with the chance of rain towards the end of the month
- Great big-game viewing
- Less opportunity for water activities in camps as floods recede
- Hazy air not great for photographers
- Final month of the peak season in camps
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in October
Botswana in November
November usually marks the end of the dry season in Botswana, when increasing temperatures drive a rise in humidity, sometimes culminating in the first rains. These are often short but very heavy showers in the late afternoon or during the night, and can be spectacular. The rains lower the temperatures slightly but bring a flush of green back into the dry landscapes. As waterholes in surrounding areas fill, wildlife will gradually begin to disperse as it is not restricted by the availability of water.
November is a great time for birdwatching, with the arrival of many migrant birds. The first couple of weeks are very popular with travellers looking for great game viewing at lower rates as Botswana enters the “shoulder” season.
- Hot in the middle of the day; sometimes humid
- Heavy showers increasingly likely as the month progresses
- Wildlife watching still good, but less reliable once it rains
- Migrant birds start to arrive
- “Shoulder” season brings mid-range rates in camps
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in November
Botswana in December
The rains in Botswana have now started, bringing some respite to the high temperatures. Game viewing becomes harder as wildlife is more dispersed but great sightings can still be had in the right areas such as Khwai and the Kwara and Mombo concessions.
Areas such as the Makgadikgadi Pans change completely with the salt pans becoming covered in a shallow layer of water attracting large numbers of breeding flamingos. Low-season rates at many camps are a draw.
- Temperatures starting to fall from the highs of October/November
- Very high chance of rain, usually large heavy storms for short periods
- Flamingos return to breed at the Makgadikgadi Pans
- Wildlife more dispersed, so game viewing more challenging
- Typically low-season rates in the camps
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in December
North-west Kalahari & Panhandle: In detail
North-west Kalahari & Panhandle
Stretching across three countries and 930,000km2 the sand-covered plain of the Kalahari Desert is enormous.
To the west, its reddish sands merge with those of the Namib in an uninterrupted sand sea, halted only by the Atlantic Ocean; to the south the sands give way to the mountain ranges of the Cape as the climate changes; and to the north and east the hills and rivers of Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe give rise to a more verdant landscape.
Given its vast size and variety, it is impossible to address the Kalahari in its entirety in just one section of our website. So we break it down into more manageable chunks, including the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, the Kalahari's Salt Pans and the Okavango Delta, and this section on the North-west Kalahari and Panhandle.
Compared with some of the more well-known areas of the Kalahari, the north-western region may seem remote, inaccessible and empty. However, there are some truly special places, which can be incredibly rewarding for those willing to make the effort to reach them.
The Okavango Panhandle
However, the birdwatching in this area is also first class, with rarities such as African skimmers and Pel's fishing owls as well as a host of egrets, storks, kingfishers and warblers. These camps offer a good-value Okavango experience, especially if you are driving on the west side of the Delta, perhaps as an extension of a trip down Namibia's Caprivi Strip.
Tsodilo Hills
It’s a magnificent and magical sight that needs to be experienced before you can begin to understand its significance. Archaeologists have found evidence of human activity here dating back at least 100,000 years, and the area remains a place of significant cultural importance for the San people who call this region home. Perhaps it is this rapidly changing living link to our ancestors that makes the whole area so intriguing.
The area is best visited on a superb day trip from Nxamaseri Lodge or as a part of a private mobile safari; contact us for details.
Gcwihaba Caves and Aha Hills
Gcwihaba, which translates as "hyena's hole", is Botswana’s only known major cave network. Linking two separate entrances is a system of passageways and chambers that form a walkable route of approximately 1km long, albeit with many dead ends. Given the size and remoteness of the caves we suggest exploring them only with a local San guide, which should prevent you getting lost.
Straddling the Namibia–Botswana border, the Aha Hills are the smaller, more rugged cousins of those at Tsodilo. Their isolation and existence draw in the intrepid, though there is seemingly little else to detain visitors. That said, there are a couple of impressive sinkholes – albeit very difficult to find – and this is one of a few areas where travellers can arrange to see a San Bushman trance dance. Given the remoteness of these areas it is really only possible to visit as a part of a private guided trip, or whilst staying at the superb and intriguing The Lodge at Feline Fields.
Map of North-west Kalahari & Panhandle
Choices for where to stay in North-west Kalahari & Panhandle
North-west Kalahari & Panhandle: Safaris
The choice of safari holidays to the North-West Kalahari is more limited than to other regions of Botswana. All of them are relatively long trips, lasting around two weeks each. Travellers who like to explore independently might consider the self-drive Cheetah safari or Red Lechwe safari, which take in Botswana and Namibia. These give you the chance to travel at your own pace and with great flexibility.
Pygmy Mouse Self-drive Safari
18 days • 10 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO VICTORIA FALLS AIRPORT
A truly epic southern African self-drive safari adventure from Namibia’s mountains and deserts, along the lush Caprivi Strip to Botswana and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, staying at luxury lodges throughout.
US$6,240 - US$10,500 per person
Rock Hare Self-drive Safari
20 days • 12 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO VICTORIA FALLS AIRPORT
An in-depth look at Namibia from the Namib Desert to the Caprivi, with additional stops in Botswana and Victoria Falls. This three-week adventure includes an unrivalled mix of environments and is great value.
US$5,300 - US$8,430 per person
Sable Self-drive Safari
12 days • 7 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO VICTORIA FALLS AIRPORT
A great-value southern African self-drive adventure from Namibia along the Caprivi Strip to Botswana and Zimbabwe, combining other-worldly landscapes, unforgettable wildlife spectacles and rarely visited places, and ending at Victoria Falls.
US$6,200 - US$9,370 per person
Top 3 lodges & safari camps in North West Kalahari & Panhandle
In Shakawe itself, there’s only one real option, but there are several water-based camps on the river about 10km south of town that cater mainly for fishing and birdwatching. Ask us for more details of what's where, and what's likely to suit you best!
Nxamaseri Lodge
From its beautiful island setting, Nxamaseri Lodge offers superb fishing and birdwatching in a relatively affordable area of the Okavango.
Feline Fields
In a remote corner of the Kalahari, Feline Fields offers guests a luxurious stay in a seldom-visited part of Botswana.
Tsodilo Sleep-Out
Within walking distance of the region’s ancient rock art, the Tsodilo Hills Sleep-out Camp is an immersive overnight experience for guests at Nxamaseri Island Lodge.
Excursions in North-west Kalahari & Panhandle
Optional, extra day-trips and excursions that are possible while you’re staying in North-west Kalahari & Panhandle. Talk to us: these excursions are usually best arranged before you go.
Helicopter Flight - Botswana
Various: from 30 minutes to half a day.
Low-flying, agile and offering superb views, helicopters are an ideal way to move around the Okavango Delta.You can use them instead of fixed-wing inter-lodge transfers or as an addition to other wildlife watching activities, and of course, helicopters can hover to allow that perfect pic, whereas fixed-wings can’t.
More about Helicopter FlightVideos from North-west Kalahari & Panhandle
Watch these videos to learn more about North-west Kalahari & Panhandle