BOTSWANA 2026 - Episode 1 - Into the Unknown

BOTSWANA 2026 | Episode 1 | Into the Unknown After nearly 10 months of planning, research, vehicle preparation, and route design, our Botswana 2026 Overlanding Adventure finally begins. In this first episode, we depart from our farm in Mpumalanga, South Africa, and start our journey towards Botswana. With record rainfall having affected large parts of Botswana in the months leading up to our trip, there was plenty of uncertainty about what conditions we would encounter along the way. This would be our first-ever self-drive safari through Botswana, covering thousands of kilometres over 17 days, travelling fully self-sufficient and largely off-grid through some of Southern Africa's most remote and spectacular wilderness areas. Our first stop takes us to Matamba Bush Camp in Limpopo, South Africa, where we spend our final night before crossing the Botswana border. Along the way, we discuss our route planning, vehicle and trailer preparations, the challenges posed by foot-and-mouth disease restrictions, and why careful planning is essential when undertaking a self-drive overlanding adventure of this scale. One of the biggest lessons we learned during the planning phase was just how accessible Botswana can be for independent travellers. While many visitors choose guided safaris, a well-planned self-drive adventure offers an incredible sense of freedom and allows you to experience the country at your own pace. A special thank you to Ultimate Routes for assisting us with route planning, campsite bookings, administration, and logistics. As first-time visitors to Botswana, their experience and local knowledge helped remove much of the uncertainty and allowed us to focus on enjoying the adventure. Join us as we begin our journey through: • Khama Rhino Sanctuary • Makgadikgadi Pans • Nxai Pan National Park • The Khwai Region • The Northern Okavango Delta This is Episode 1 of our complete Botswana 2026 Safari & Overlanding Series. Places featured in this episode Matamba Bush Camp Stockpoort Border Post Pahr's Halt Border Post Palapye Khama Rhino Sanctuary Vehicle & Overlanding Setup Toyota Hilux Off-road camping trailer Front Runner overlanding equipment Lithium battery and solar power system Self-sufficient off-grid camping setup If you enjoy ✅ Botswana Safaris ✅ Self-Drive Adventures ✅ Overlanding Africa ✅ Wildlife Photography ✅ Camping & Caravan Travel ✅ 4x4 Travel ✅ African Road Trips Please consider subscribing and following the rest of the series. #Botswana2026 #BotswanaSafari #SelfDriveBotswana #OverlandingAfrica #KhamaRhinoSanctuary #BotswanaTravel #Overlanding #ToyotaHilux #CampingBotswana #AfricanSafari #WildlifeAdventure #OkavangoDelta #NxaiPan #MakgadikgadiPans #WhileWeCan ____________________________________ My Equipment: Canon EOS R6 Mk II Canon EOS R DJI Osmo Pocket 5 Pro GoPro Hero 4 Canon RF 200-800 Lens Canon RF 24-105 Lens Canon EF 70-300 Lens Sigma 150-600 Contemporary Lens Rhode Video Mic Go II DJI Mic Mini Benro 6Pro Fluid Head Motion Mount _____________________________ Logo Design Pendulum Visual Communication http://www.pvconline.co.za/ _____________________________ Music - Artlist