I recently had the opportunity to host the Hideaways Botswana fam trip, between 23 – 30 October 2025. I was joined by an amazing group of agents from across the world, each bringing years of travel experience and passion for Africa: Amir Renaui from Travel Experts, Catherine Henson from Exclusive Africa Experiences, Denise Dingwall from Beyond the Dream Travel, and Stefanie Zimmermann from Kalahari Calling.
Our adventure kicked off on 23 October when I met my wonderful travel partners at Maun Airport, boarded a helicopter, and flew northeast over the Delta en route to Hideaways Mankwe Tented Retreat. If you want to feel the scale of Botswana, look at it from the sky. Endless water channels, islands, and wilderness stretching in every direction.
A Warm Welcome at Mankwe Tented Retreat
The moment we landed at Hideaways Mankwe Tented Retreat, we were welcomed by the team singing a soulful song, warm towels in hand. This heartfelt gesture followed us throughout the trip, from lodge arrivals to post–game drive returns.
John and Idah introduced us to Mankwe, and during our walkabout we stopped at the plunge pool, only to find a pack of wild dogs trotting past. Denise was ecstatic, she had mentioned before the trip that wild dogs were on the top of her list. Later that afternoon, we spent almost half an hour watching the pack of nine interact, pups tumbling over each other with a stick.
Our evening drive with MG ended on an open pan where a bar setup waited for us, perfectly positioned for a stunning sunset.
From that first dinner onwards, the food became its own highlight. Thoughtful menus, traditional boma dinners in beautiful settings, cultural singing and dancing, packed lunches for long days, and breakfasts that made early mornings feel easy. And yes, I became very familiar with the biscuit tin.
Full Day into Moremi
The next day took us deep into Moremi West. Elephants bathing in the mud, zebra and buffalo grazing together, two full-bellied male lions sleeping under a tree. Thanks to a tip from another guide we also found four lionesses and a cub tucked into the shade trying to escape the heat.
Journey to Mogotlho Safari Lodge
On day three we left Mankwe a little later than usual, enjoying another drive with MG as we made our way to Hideaways Mogotlho Safari Lodge on the Khwai riverbank.
That afternoon at Mogotlho we were treated to a beer, wine, and gin tasting, hosted by Greg and Mischau, from local breweries and South African producers. A relaxed and fun way to spend time together, and something I don’t think many expect to experience deep in the bush.
Our sundowner drive brought one of the most memorable moments of the trip. While watching the sun drop over the river, a herd of about 30 elephants crossed in front of us. As we held our breath in awe, another herd of 40 appeared from the left, guiding their calves through the water. Pure magic.
Morning Bush Walk and Afternoon Surprises
The next morning began early with a bush walk briefing by our guide, “King” George. He walked us through hand signals, protocols, and what to do should we encounter potentially dangerous animals: elephants, lions, or buffalo.
Out on the walk we spotted hippos in the water, a lone elephant in the distance, learned about termite mounds, and even came across warthogs scurrying away in the grass.
Our afternoon game drive brought us to a hyena den where five pups played outside the entrance. We later visited the depression, an open landscape where marsh stretches to the horizon and where hippos and elephants move freely.
From Khwai to Kasane to Camp Kuzuma
Day five began with a peaceful mokoro trip along the estuary, just 30 minutes from Khwai Airstrip. From there we flew to Kasane, enjoyed lunch and a slow cruise on the Chobe River, before continuing on to Hideaways Camp Kuzuma, hosted by Arno and Adele.
Camp Kuzuma is the kind of place to be undisturbed and enjoy the serenity and quietness at the lodge. Time almost felt like it slowed down, where we could spread our time between relaxing, a quick snooze, armchair game viewing, and a game drive. Our game drives treated us to sightings of giraffe, elephant, wildebeest, tsessebe and zebra, and on our way back from an evening drive, Daniel spotted movement in the dark that turned out to be two bush babies leaping between the trees. Later at dinner, elephants gathered at the waterhole beside the lodge, almost as if they had come to say farewell.
Farewell
Our final morning arrived far too quickly. We packed up, shared a few last laughs and began the journey home with full hearts and overflowing memory cards.
There is so much more we saw and experienced but some stories are best kept for future guests to discover in person. Botswana always holds a little magic back until you are standing right inside it.
A huge thank you to the lovely agents who joined me. I hope this trip sparked new connections and that we will explore more wild places together again soon.
