Campsite Booking Advice

**Snyman** · 2018/04/27, 05:47 PM

Good Afternoon All,

I am currently in the process of booking campsites for our self-drive safari in August 2018. I know we have left it rather late as it is peak season, and are therefore struggling to find campsites for 4 nights in Moremi/Savuti/Khwai area (the other nights on our trip are all booked). The companies I have contacted have sent me an invoice in USD, of around 55 USD (680 Rand) per person per night, which is out of the question. The other campsites we have booked are in the region of 200-250 Rand pp/night which is more realistic

I therefore have a few questions of advice:

1. Does anyone know of any campsites in Moremi area which do not take bookings and are operated on a first come first serve basis (e.g. Chobe Safari Lodge further North) - on this note I have read online that Khwai Community Campsite does not take bookings in advance, but other sources have said that they do - can anyone shed some light on this?

2. Does anyone have any contacts or names of companies they would recommend who will assist with bookings and charge a more reasonable rate?

3. In the event that we do not manage to book a campsite because all are full/too expensive, what steps can we take?
3a. To what extent can one negotiate with the campsite-security on arrival?
3b. Is asking to share a campsite with other campers a done thing?
3c. Can we just set up camp somewhere?
3d. Is it realistic that we could turn up and the camp will have space due to cancellations?

Advice would be appreciated, it is our first trip to Botswana and our dates aren't flexible so starting to get a bit concerned that we will be 'camp-less' for 4 nights... we are unsure whether this is a problem or not.

Thanks

**Katanga** · 2018/04/27, 09:16 PM

Try Botswana Footprints and NDM. Both charge BWP500 for the bookings. I just used BF and whilst it was slow and required constant chase ups. they did come through eventually.

**witklipbank** · 2018/04/27, 09:30 PM

Kyk na Mwandi View. Hul is op die grens van Chobe.

Dan onder die Botswana afdeling sal jy ook kry oor privaat kampe by Moremi. Kwai, ens. DJijara maar hy het nou nuwe naam,

**Rookie2014** · 2018/04/29, 12:53 AM

Originally Posted by Snyman

Good Afternoon All,

I am currently in the process of booking campsites for our self-drive safari in August 2018. I know we have left it rather late as it is peak season, and are therefore struggling to find campsites for 4 nights in Moremi/Savuti/Khwai area (the other nights on our trip are all booked). The companies I have contacted have sent me an invoice in USD, of around 55 USD (680 Rand) per person per night, which is out of the question. The other campsites we have booked are in the region of 200-250 Rand pp/night which is more realistic

I therefore have a few questions of advice:

1. Does anyone know of any campsites in Moremi area which do not take bookings and are operated on a first come first serve basis (e.g. Chobe Safari Lodge further North) - on this note I have read online that Khwai Community Campsite does not take bookings in advance, but other sources have said that they do - can anyone shed some light on this?

2. Does anyone have any contacts or names of companies they would recommend who will assist with bookings and charge a more reasonable rate?

3. In the event that we do not manage to book a campsite because all are full/too expensive, what steps can we take?
3a. To what extent can one negotiate with the campsite-security on arrival?
3b. Is asking to share a campsite with other campers a done thing?
3c. Can we just set up camp somewhere?
3d. Is it realistic that we could turn up and the camp will have space due to cancellations?

Advice would be appreciated, it is our first trip to Botswana and our dates aren't flexible so starting to get a bit concerned that we will be 'camp-less' for 4 nights... we are unsure whether this is a problem or not.

Thanks

Did you get offers for campsites e. g. Savuti in August at all?
If so I rather advise to book it. There is no alternative and the prices are as they are with min. 50US-$ per foreigner per night.

**TimmoBW** · 2018/05/02, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by Snyman

3. In the event that we do not manage to book a campsite because all are full/too expensive, what steps can we take?
3a. To what extent can one negotiate with the campsite-security on arrival?
3b. Is asking to share a campsite with other campers a done thing?
3c. Can we just set up camp somewhere?
3d. Is it realistic that we could turn up and the camp will have space due to cancellations?

Advice would be appreciated, it is our first trip to Botswana and our dates aren't flexible so starting to get a bit concerned that we will be 'camp-less' for 4 nights... we are unsure whether this is a problem or not.

Thanks

Sorry for being a suurgat but...skipping straight to #3:
3a. Please don't, unless in an emergency (which this is not).
3b. No it's not. See point 3a.
3c. No you cannot.
3d. No.

**Snyman** · 2018/05/02, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by witklipbank

Kyk na Mwandi View. Hul is op die grens van Chobe.

Dan onder die Botswana afdeling sal jy ook kry oor privaat kampe by Moremi. Kwai, ens. DJijara maar hy het nou nuwe naam,

Baie dankie,

Het reg gekom by Mwandi View - lyk baie nice!! Ook paar aande by Khwai - dankie weer!

**Snyman** · 2018/05/02, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by Katanga

Try Botswana Footprints and NDM. Both charge BWP500 for the bookings. I just used BF and whilst it was slow and required constant chase ups. they did come through eventually.

Thank you Katanga!