Florent

Heavy rains, closed parks… Moremi and Kwai (my favourites, of course). The scene is set for this second act of Botswana 2026: it’s definitely going to be a muddy affair. Time to pack the wellies.

The itinerary will be revised at the last minute, thanks to the flexibility and expertise of Tawana Self Drive. With the road between Maun and Moremi closed, we have to head north via the east, reach Kasane and stop off at Nxai Pan before continuing along the Boteti River.

Right from the start, the tone is set: in the early morning, a pair of white-backed owls mating above the Land Cruiser to kick off this second day.

We then continue towards Chobe River Front and the magnificent Ihaha camp, on the riverbank. Then on to Savuti, land of lions and breathtaking scenes. The track between the gate and Savuti camp has turned into a veritable swamp. We really appreciate the power of the Land Cruiser’s 4.2-litre V6 engine as we struggle to get out of the deep pools of water.

Encounters with the big cats are certainly on the cards… but my favourite, the leopard, is always a bit late to the party.

The mud got the better of us on four occasions. A real learning experience: using the winch, the jack, the sand plates… and some great teamwork with our South African friends. A special mention to the South African woman who said to us, with a smile: “Not too bad for a Frenchman!”

We even had to spend a night in the bush to get the vehicle out of that muddy mess.

After six days in Savuti, we headed back to Chobe River Front and then Nxai Pan, hoping to see the pride of lions we’d spent so much time observing in 2024. To no avail.

We ended this road trip having covered 2,800 km of tracks, dust and a huge amount of mud. But above all, memories etched in our minds forever.

Roll on Act 3!

Published on: 11 April 2026