The dug-out ebony canoes are particular to the Delta and have been used as transport for a considerably long time. This is a good thing because the Batswana have become as expert at punting around the odd hippo as we are at avoiding potholes when we’re driving. It’s not that we think we’re ever in any real danger (the guides understand their local wildlife), but these mokoros sit so tantalizingly low in the water, we always feel like a hippo must surely pop his yawning head up any minute and we’d be face to face. It’s exhilarating for any age, and the sawn-off seats with back support make the journey comfortable even for those with the creakiest of backs.

Quad Biking Makgadikgadi Pans

A unique adventure out onto the vast pans on quad bikes, sleeping out under the unfathomably huge African night sky, dwarfed by the surrounding baobabs on Kubu Island. This is a Botswana tour adventure of contrasts: the free-flowing adrenaline of quad biking with the meditative peace of the motionless pans; the individual life-affirmation of camping, huddled up with your family, with the humbling universality felt by a brush with the ancient Bushmen.

River Cruise – Chobe

River cruise specialists tend to gloss over Chobe because it’s pretty busy, being right by the border with Zimbabwe and Zambia, and much of the accommodation is not the style we like (many generic hotels and big lodges with over 20 rooms), However, Chobe is king when it comes to sheer numbers of elephants, and a cruise on the Chobe River is a definite highlight; there are even electric boats to ensure the environment is touched so lightly.

This is also the place for a great family introduction to Botswana as it’s still hooked up to civilization (wifi and phone signals) and there are some fab family suites dotted about. Its proximity to the Vic Falls makes it a great add-on to a Zambia, or a fun last stop on the way out of Botswana to the Vic Falls.

Riding – Delta & Makgadikgadi

We are big horse lovers, and we understand why this is the ultimate dream for anyone who feels the same. You may find yourself wading through floodplains to palm islands, cantering for miles across vast grasslands, or fast riding over expanses of the flat salt crust while on a mission to spot the shy brown hyena. These are serious, hours-in-the-saddle, riding adventures, not simply a trot out for an afternoon activity, so kids do have to be advanced riders, saddle-fit, and mature enough to ride in the wild.