Africa Driven Reviews 

Drive Botswana organised the perfect trip for us in Namibia. A combination of camping and lodges which ensured we saw and experienced the country in a way we could never have done had we organised the trip ourselves due to his firsthand knowledge of Namibia. We shall be back Andy!

We normally organise our own trips but a planning a three week trip around Namibia, Botswana and a bit of Zimbabwe was too much so we opted for Drive Botswana after hearing other good reviews. We are so glad we did.

Phil and a team translated their real experience into the best itinerary for us. There were some points that without their guidance we thought we must had gone the wrong way (such is the wildness of some areas)! Every day we found ourselves saying "Phil's a genius" for some reason or another. For a self-drive trip where we were on our own, we also thought it was the perfect amount of instructions without being too prescriptive.

We were going to do this trip in 2020 but covid delayed it - Phil reorganised everything twice for us and was so accommodating.

The service is outstanding - questions are answers nearly immediately and any issues get resolved in an instance.

One point to note if you do self-drive - pay attention to the Avis safari vehicle - ie which type would most suit you and if everything works as some vehicles and their equipment are getting a bit tired.

In all, one of best companies we have delt with

My trip with my wife (both 70 years old) in Namibia (22 days, self drived) by Drive Botswana was excellent prepared without any complication or problems. The selection of visited places (town, nature, wild life, various accomodation in camps or lodges) were very good and interesting. The trip were from Windhoek to Ethosha, Terrase Bay, Swakopmund, dunes in Namib desert, Sesriem, Luderitz, Fish River Canyon) included the most interesant places in Namibia. The time and distances (total 4500 km) between all places proposed for our trip were optimal for us. The car Toyota Hillux with camp equipment and roof tent rented by Botswana Drive from Nabia2Go company was in perfect condition over the whole trip.
Many thanks to Andy for quick response to all my e-mails and very nice holiday in Namibia.
Jan and Zdena, Czech Republic

Words cannot express how amazing Drive Botswana have been but I shall give it my best go!

We initially got in touch with Andy in 2019, as we wanted to book a self-drive honeymoon around Nambia and Botswana in June 2020. We had researched several companies and Drive Botswana fitted the brief in terms of flexibility and budget. We went back and forth, with Andy being so accommodating with our whims, helping us to decide whether to go to the coast, or spend more time on safari - it was amazing being able to have a discussion with someone who knew the area back to front.

Then Covid happened. Andy was brilliant, he postponed our trip not once, but twice. We had to change some elemants, some companies were no longer available but he kept us updated and informed throughout.

We were able to go on the honeymoon in June 2022 and the information Andy provided was extremely helpful. There were detailed driving instructions which were more helpful than google maps and helped us to navigate the terrain and get to our destinations via the best route.

Every location we stayed at was phenomenal, picking up the vehicle was so easy, and we had the best time!

Thank you Drive Botswana!

We looked at several companies before choosing Drive Botswana, mainly based on their excellent reviews. From the start, they provided a platform that we worked together on, based on our route preferences and their expertise, some of the lodges had a limited number of rooms but they managed to book us in to all our choices and we even had an upgrade at Onguma the Fort to the Sultan Suite which was the most amazing location and stunning room.

Lots of miles on dusty roads which was so much fun, loved the skeleton coast drive which felt so remote, like the landscape of the moon. We had one tyre shread but this was covered under the package we had and we had this replaced at a local garage probably faster than you could in the UK.

Overall, we had the most amazing experience and we would thoroughly recommend Drive Botswana for the patience, expertise and advise

It was our first self-drive experience and thanks to Drive Botswana everything has been perfect! Phil and all the staff had been prompt and timely in every answer we needed since the beginning. In addition, they gave us all the indication to perfectly self-drive without any problem: maps, coordinates, phone numbers, lodge voucher...everything in our pocket, including a dedicated smartphone APP for the whole trip!
In addition to the (excellent) organization, everything during the stay was UNBELIEVABLE: car, lodges & hotels, meals, turistic guides, accomodation in general...PERFECT!!!

This was our second trip from Drive Botswana (my wife and traveled with them to Botswana years ago). This time, we traveled with our two kids (5 and 8) to Namibia. We stayed about 2 weeks and loved every minute of it. We did a mix of hotels and roof camping, touring the dessert, national parks, and other natural areas. It was a wonderful family trip. Andy had everything planned out perfectly. The right mix of driving times, events, restful times, exploration, etc. Truly a trip of a lifetime. We saw basically every animal you can see in Namibia! Namibia was great, Drive Botswana was great, the whole thing was perfect. If you want a family friend trip with nature, animals, and the environment, I can't recommend this highly enough!

Our trip was brilliantly organised by Andy through Drive Botswana. He understood completely what we did and did not want to do and see and organised the right mix of camping and luxury accommodation for a 3 ½ week trip through Namibia and Botswana. He was highly professional and very responsive as we went through the planning process, taking things out and putting things in to suit our whims and advising us on what was feasible / worth doing and what wasn’t. A major benefit of using Andy was that he had real insight into which campsites / lodges were available and could hold provisional bookings on our behalf. He recommended some absolute gems. Realistically, it would have been practically impossible to have organised this trip without Andy’s support, particularly in the short time available (we contacted Andy 2 ½ months before we set off). Andy was also on tap during our trip, at short notice getting us onto a spectacular balloon trip across the Namib, which appeared to have been sold out, and helping out with other minor issues. With regard to self-drive vehicles, we'd recommend discussing with Andy the various hire companies used by Drive Botswana and the different types of vehicle used as they all have their pros and cons, and booking the vehicle early to ensure that you get what suits you best. We’d have no hesitation in recommending Andy and Drive Botswana to anyone planning a self-drive trip. Thank you Andy!

The whole trip was really amazing! We came home safely with a big bag full of emotions and beautiful experiences. We had no kind of problems.
First of all, the whole organisation, from the chosen route to the kind of vehicle, from the camps to the transfers, all worked out very well! A big thanks to Andy and his team, you are really professional!

We recently returned from our second safari organized by Drive Botswana. In 2017 we took three weeks to drive from Windhoek, Namibia to Kasane, Botswana, visiting major game parks in both countries. We self-drove, camping about half the time and staying in lodges about half the time. All was well-organized and well-chosen. Andy did a great job of both advising and accommodating. This year we spent five nights between two lodges deep in the Okavango and then spent six nights camping on a self-drive from Maun to Kasane. Again Andy organized everything and it all came off without a hitch. On both trips we ended with a visit to Victoria Falls, also organized by Drive Botswana and stayed in well-chosen hotels. On both trips Andy recommended a photo safari on the Chobe River with Pangolin Photo Safaris in Kasane, and that was among the great highlights of the trips, and something we would not have chosen on our own.

We spent 2 unbelievable great weeks in Botswana where we met the african hospitality, had some adventurous rides (no breakdown 👍) and could observe the fantastic animal kingdom. The trip to the Victoria falls was definitely a good choice as well. The itinerary was well organized and made sense (included meals and activities). Thanks a lot to Andy and the team which did a great job

We initially booked our Namibian self drive safari pre-COVID and were eventually able to experience it this year. Throughout the COVID period, Phil from DriveBotswana kept in contact and was able to rearrange and rebook the whole holiday. We told Phil how long we wanted to go away for and he put together a programme that we could review and negotiate over. His local knowledge was essential to ensure that we got the most of the time that we had. We were not to be disappointed.
The lodges all had their individual feeling, weren't overcrowded, felt friendly and intimate and the food was delicious. Many had watering holes and sitting with your sundowner whilst elephants come to drink, is something very special. In August, the dry season, we found the wildlife to be abundant and we were overwhelmed with the amount of animals that we saw. The Namibian people were exceptionally friendly and some of the lodges that Phil picked for us were run by the local community. Namibian roads are pretty good on the whole, even down to the D roads - we didn't have any problems.
This was a holiday of a life time - each day bringing new experiences and wonders. Namibia has such a mixed landscape - from bush in the east to desert and coastline in the west. Phil provided our itinerary as an electronic copy for us to print, but also as an app - again another extra feature. As well as GPS co-ordinates, the itinerary also provided a description of each stage, with things to look out for along the way.
I would highly recommend Drive Botswana!

We had an amazing 13 day trip in Botswana and Zambia thanks to Drive Botswana. Our self-drive safari was perfectly organized. From our well-equipped vehicle, to our reservations, to our logistics, and any of the tweaks we had suggested to the itinerary. The whole team have a deep knowledge of the lodges, campsites, and roads, keeping your trip on track with an outstanding itinerary.

Their local knowledge provided us with some great experiences that we couldn't have organized ourselves. Everyone we encountered was top notch, timely, and friendly. From providing info on roads, camping reservations, fuel stops, groceries, distance, spots to avoid, we felt like our itinerary was expertly planned. The team is open to questions and suggestions and I wouldn't hesitate to use them again for a similar trip in the region.

THANKS Drive Botswana for an amazing trip!

Long awaited trip after 2 years Covid stop, this 4.000 km self-drive experience, originally planned for summer 2020, was finally rescheduled for 2022 and perfectly organised by Phil of Drive Botswana.

Based on our interests Phil skilfully enriched our itinerary with helpful advices and great suggestions about extra activities worth trying during our trip. Just to mention a few: the photographic safari on the Chobe riverfront, with the opportunity to use pro-gear and the guidance of an expert wildlife photographer on the best camera settings to shoot great pictures of the animals, or the overnight in Ntwetwe Pan sleeping in bedrolls under the incredible nightsky of Magkgadigkadi Pans, a once in a lifetime experience we will never forget.

The extremely precise day by day directions guided us through our 3 weeks journey, covering the most epic places in Botswana with detailed information like roads conditions, fuel stations and shops on the way, things to avoid, distance and timing. We really had it all covered by Drive Botswana, which is an incredible plus when driving places you haven't been before! With their knowledge behind the planned route we really felt confident and safe throughout our journey.

I would highly reccommend Drive Botswana as a preferred partner for a self-drive trip. We've been so happy about this experience we are already planning our next one with them for summer 2023.

It was easy and fun to organise our trip, thanks to Phil's prompt email response to our various inquiries. New itineraries were established depending on our wishes and we felt supported all the way.
In Botswana we were never disappointed with service providers and everything was as expected.
THANK YOU Drive Botswana for a wonderful trip, one of our best!

We went to Botswana for 16 days in July 2022 to discover the country on a self-drive safari as a couple. The organisation of the trip by Drive Botswana was incredible. We felt very well guided and safe. Andy listened to our wishes and was very available for our questions during the preparation.

Thanks to Drive Botswana we were able to discover beautiful areas with a well-equipped and efficient 4x4, stay in very good lodges and campsites, with very attentive and friendly staff and great service, and do excursions that will stay in our memories for a long time!

It was a wonderful trip, thanks again to Drive Botswana. We would recommend this country with its landscapes, wildlife and people that will for sure put stars in your eyes!

Sophie & Valentin

Back again in Norway after another good self drive safari organised by Drive Botswana, this time with our 12 year old grandson.
Travelling in Moremi and Chobe always gives you great wildlife experiences. The highlight in Botswana was 4 male Lions hunting buffalo along the track just after Mababe Gate towards Savuti, the big groups of Buffalo and Elephant on the Chobe Floodplains and the river Cruise in Kasane. This time we also visited Namibia and in Etosha the wildlife was good with sightings of Rhinos, Cheetah and plenty of Lions.
Hope to be back again soon.

Drive Botswana have prepared for our family (me, my wife and 2 children aged 15 and 12) a 3-week self driving safari trip covering Namibia, Botswana and ending at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. This was our first safari trip to Africa and as newbies we were little bit afraid how we will cope. It was fantastic! We travelled in late June and early July 2022 and were impressed at the cleverly designed plan of trip, well selected places for accommodation (almost each place was unique or very special in some aspect) and the diversity of wildlife we could see on our journey. We have managed to watch a great number of various animals including the famous Big Five. Our children were absolutely enthusiastic about the experience. Finally, all communication and support from Drive Botswana (trip instructions, special books on Namibia and Botswana, maps) were highly professional and really helpful. If you consider safari in Botswana and/or Namibia, I strongly recommend their services.

Andy and Phil helped us to plan an unforgettable trip to Botswana and Namibia. Whilst we knew the areas that we wanted to visit, we needed their knowledge of the roads, driving distances and accommodation to put together the best itinerary. When we were making the initial plans we found the virtual itineraries that they provided gave us a really clear idea of the routes and helped shape the trip. Both Andy and Phil were very quick to respond to any queries and the maps and driving directions provided as well were excellent.
We stayed in some amazing places and saw plenty of game, including some very close sightings of cheetahs, lions and rhinos.
We will certainly go back to Drive Botswana for our next trip. Thank you to Phil and Andy!

Amazing trip arranged perfectly by Andy, logistic really well planned with a direction handbook that makes the gps useless! Andy was really proactive during the planning phase as well, updating the trip according to our needs. We cannot wait for the next adventure! Thanks Gabriella&Gabriele