7-Day The Best of Botswana

Walking Stick Travel & Tours

4.8/5 – 87 Reviews

$2,695 pp (USD)

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This Tour Is Offered By

Walking Stick Travel & Tours

4.8/5
(87 Reviews)

Office In:: Botswana
Size:: 1-5 employees (Founded in 2010)
Tour Types:: Budget camping tours where clients assist with camp chores
Destinations:: BW

Walking Stick Travel Tours is a Botswana based mobile safari operation. The company is run by a highly experience staff who grew up in the legendary Okavango Delta and owned by Phillimon (Philly) Kamogelo. Philly started to drive a mokoro canoe at the age of seven. Before setting up his mobile safari operation Philly obtained his guiding license and worked at Odd Balls Camp and Orient Express for many years. Walking Stick Travel Tours is officially licensed by the Botswana Tourism Authority.

Reviews87

Luca –

Reviewed: Dec 30, 2024

Fantastic experience on land and on water

5/5

We booked our 5-day trip online through Safari Bookings and were later contacted directly by Walking Stick Travel Tours via email to clarify the details. This guided safari was the grand finale of our nearly three-week holiday in Southern Africa. During the first two weeks, our group of four had been traveling with a roof-top tent, exploring the region on our own.

Day 1: Arrival and Initial Safari Experience
Our private group was picked up from our hotel in the morning by Philimon, our guide. After a one-hour drive in an open-door safari vehicle, we arrived at the Wildlife Management Area of the Okavango Delta. There, we were handed over to a local team of four who are experts in conducting tours in the area.

We entered the Delta in two mokoros, traditional dugout canoes resembling long canoes, and were paddled for about an hour to our camp. Along the way, we encountered plenty of wildlife, including hippos, elephants, and numerous water birds. Upon arrival, we found the camp partially set up by the team.

Unfortunately, the first day had a minor drawback: we weren’t served a proper lunch. It wasn’t clear why, but it seemed to be a miscommunication between Walking Stick Travel and the local guides. As we later learned, Philimon typically leads these tours himself but had delegated this one due to the low water levels in his usual area during September.

In the late afternoon, we embarked on our first walking safari. Initially, we were skeptical, as walking safaris offer a much smaller range than vehicle safaris and animals are more likely to flee. However, the experience was far more immersive and rewarding. Spotting animals on foot felt thrilling and authentic, a stark contrast to the “zoo-like” feel of driving through national parks like Etosha in Namibia. Even smaller sightings, like red lechwe (gazelles) or birds, became fascinating.

The sense of vulnerability on foot—especially when approaching a pond with hippos, Africa’s most dangerous animal—was both exhilarating and humbling. Our knowledgeable guide, Rowan, shared insights that left us amazed after every walk.

Day 2: Extended Walk and Rare Wildlife Sightings
Our second day began with a three-hour walking safari, the longest Rowan had ever done (shorter options were available). We were incredibly fortunate to spot both a hyena and wild dogs—rare encounters. We also came across elephants, wildebeest, warthogs, hippos, giraffes, African eagles, and a variety of birds.

Rowan taught us fascinating details about the Delta’s ecosystem, including the sleeping habits of hippos, how elephant dung is broken down into soil by termites, and the essential role of aardvarks in creating burrows for other animals.

In the evening, we returned to the water in the mokoros to witness a breathtaking sunset, a serene end to an incredible day.

Day 3: Transfer to Khwai Reserve
This day brought our second minor issue: the guides didn’t bring enough drinking water. While we avoided dehydration by boiling water from the Delta, this was a significant oversight for a guided tour.

We departed the camp in the mokoros and met Philimon for the next leg of our journey: a 4-hour drive to Khwai Reserve. The ride in an open vehicle along a dusty, bumpy road in nearly 40°C heat was arduous, and we were relieved when it was finally over.

In the late afternoon, we went on an evening game drive and were rewarded with incredible sightings, including lions, elephants, buffalos, zebras, and many gazelles.

Day 4: Memorable Game Drives
On the fourth day, we enjoyed two extended game drives, one in the morning and another in the afternoon. The highlight of the afternoon drive was witnessing two hippos fighting, followed by our first leopard sighting of the trip. Philimon went above and beyond, even risking a reprimand from park authorities, to ensure we could see the elusive leopard as it emerged from the bushes.

Day 5: Departure
Our adventure ended with a transfer back to the airport.

Final Thoughts
Despite minor hiccups, this was an unforgettable experience. The food was excellent, and the guides were incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. Walking safaris in the Okavango Delta are a must-try for anyone visiting the region. The connection to nature, the sense of adventure, and the fascinating wildlife encounters make it an experience you’ll treasure forever.

Sebastian –

Reviewed: Nov 27, 2024

A unique adventure

5/5

We did a 10-day safari in October 2024 under the tent with Phillimon's Walking Stick.
During our tour we slept in 5 different places (Delta Okavango, Moremi, Khwai, Savute, Chobe).
We could only highly recommend this experience and the Phillimon team. Everything was very well organized, including the transfers between the camps, the organization of our life at the camp, the morning and evening safaris.
In addition, the airline lost our luggage and it arrived two days later, but Phillimon found a solution to help us out and he personally took care of our problem.
His team took very good care of us, even in the camping conditions, we ate every day like in a restaurant. The night under the tent in the middle of nature is simply a unique experience, because we could hear the sound of animals not far from us, but at the same time we felt completely safe.
We immediately noticed Phillimon's passion for his country and for nature, he knew how to pass on his knowledge to us and thanks to him we saw lots of animals during our 10 days.
Communication with him and his team went very well in English. They had lots of interesting stories to tell us.
If someone really wants to do a real Safari in Botswana, we recommend Walking Stick. Go with your eyes closed and let yourself be carried away by this team in the nature of Botswana.

(automatic translation from French)

Dianna and Michael –

Reviewed: Nov 26, 2024

Let Walking Stick Tours guide you through the essence of this powerful country

5/5

If you are seeking to be close to the animals, observe them from your camp chair, watch them roam through the campsite at night and early morning, then this is the safari for you. On this unforgettable 11 day journey we navigated the tranquil waters of the Okavango Delta , up early for daily safaris with our knowledgeable guide OT who prioritises your safety while enriching your adventure all the time incorporating everything magical savannah delivers. The thrill of spotting native wildlife (lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, hippos, Jackal, giraffes, zebras, painted dogs, hyenas, and many more all in the comfort of your vehicle, boat or mokoro. Our meals and sleep were interrupted by the call of the wild, so don' t miss this opportunity to create lasting memories as you soak up and sweat the harsh beauty of Botswana. Lastly, a special thanks to our "safari Squad" OT, (guide), Ollie (cook), Election (driver & camp hand) and Freddie (apprentice camp hand). Everyday you rose with a smile, great food and company as we journeyed through Moremi, Kwai, Delta, and Chobe National parks.

Fran –

Reviewed: Aug 28, 2024

Very professional and efficient and quick to respond to our enquiries

5/5

We found Walking Stick Tours to be very efficient and professional, always quick to respond to our enquiries and felt that the price of the trip was great value.
Our guide Gabana was so knowledgeable about the areas we were visiting and the animals and their behaviour that we could experience and enjoy the bush safely while still having close encounters. Tracking a female leopard in the early morning, and sitting close to wild dogs by their den with the two adults guarding the pups as they emerge, and the excitement of the rest
of the pack returning from a hunt were highlights. We will remember the many great moments throughout the trip for a long time.
We were well looked after by our camp chef Election who worked hard to provide us with tasty and filling vegetarian meals everyday, we never went hungry and nothing was too much trouble for the camp assistants always helpful and cheerful.
We have recommended Walking Stick Tours to others while on our travels and would not hesitate to book with them again if we return to Botswana

Ian & Sarah –

Reviewed: Aug 7, 2024

What a Fantastic Experience!

5/5

We had an amazing time! Thank you so much for everything.

Moses was a brilliant guide and ensured that we had a very positive experience taking home with us memories of a huge array of animals, previously only seen in books and zoos!

Simon and the team looked after us really well despite the challenges they faced with punctures and supply trucks. We loved our tents and found the camp beds really comfortable and the al fresco showers and loo surprisingly easy. Having animals so close to our camp made this especially magical.

The river safari in Chobe was a great end to the trip, allowing us to see many of the animals a lot closer up and from a different perspective, and the transfer from Chobe to Victoria Falls went very smoothly.

If we were doing this again, we would add in one or two extra days so that we could build in more 2-night stays during the holiday. This would make it more relaxing allowing for an occasional afternoon siesta instead of 3 consecutive days of long drives. That said, we thoroughly enjoyed what we did despite being very tired at the end!

A wonderful holiday and one that we will definitely recommend to others.

On the communication side, everything was great, but an indication of the potential travel times each day (in addition to the morning and evening jeep safaris) would have helped with our planning and to manage our expectations of time on the "road".