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Safari in Botswana

An expert guide to botswana's best safari reserves, camps and experiences.

Anthony Ham

• In this guide

Okavango Delta

Chobe national park, central kalahari game reserve, makgadikgadi pans national park.

• Need to know
• Getting around
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Of all the places I’ve been on safari in Africa, I think Botswana tops the list. There is so much to enjoy and, unlike in bigger safari destinations, in Botswana you’ll see a lot more wildlife than other travellers.

Botswana is where I went on my first self-drive safari, and, to this day, it remains my pick as the best place to drive yourself out into the wild in Africa. All but the inner reaches of the Okavango Delta are accessible in your own 4WD, and the experience of driving out into, and sleeping overnight in, lion country, or the amazing world of elephants, or miles from the nearest human being, remains my favourite way of going on safari.

At the heart of Botswana’s appeal are its signature wildlife destinations whose names – the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, Central Kalahari Game Reserve – read like a roll-call of storied wildlife kingdoms. And it’s not just the wildlife. From the deep greens and blues of the Delta in flood to the yellows and reds of the Kalahari, or the blinding whites of the salt pans, there is something elemental about Botswana’s call to the wild. In the following pages I’ll explain some of my Botswana safari highlights, and how you can see them for yourself.

featured botswana safaris

Popular Botswana Safari Through the Delta

Discover Botswana

Explore the okavango delta, kwando, the kalahari and chobe.

Best of Botswana Lodge Safari

Makgadikgadi Pans & Okavango Delta Safari Adventure

Botswana's Northern Highlights

10 day small group tour.

Okavango Delta horse riding safari

Discover botswana's amazing wildlife.

Affordable Victoria Falls & Chobe Safari

Chobe Camping Safaris

Okavango Kayaking Expedition

Unique camp-to-camp safari adventure.

Botswana Wildlife Camping Safari

Botswana's hidden gems.

Unlike Africa’s safari giants like Kenya , Tanzania , and South Africa , Botswana remains blissfully under the radar. Yet, it too faces the travel industry's irritating habit of focusing on the popular easy sellers at the expense of everywhere else. There's much more to Botswana than the Okavango Delta. In this guide I'll show you some of my favourite lesser-known Botswana safari spots.

Aerial view of the vast Okavango Delta, one of the best safari destinations in Africa

The best safaris in Botswana

Popular highlights & hidden gems.

Okavango kayaking expedition

Pretty much every Okavango tour itinerary will include a paddle on a traditional mokoro canoe. For something very different, set out on a multi-day, camp-to-camp kayaking expedition through the Delta. Paddle the gentle water spotting the planet's greatest wildlife and camp each night under the stars. Truly unique.

See elephants and more in Chobe National Park

Chobe incorporates two distinct regions: Chobe River (close to the Zimbabwe and Zambia borders), famous for its large elephant herds; and Savute (in the west), where a juxtaposition of contrasting habitats and handful of pumped water holes sustain a melting pot of species.

Chobe in general, but especially the riverfront, has one of the highest elephant densities in Africa and close-up sightings are almost guaranteed. Lions and leopards are also possible here, with giraffe, zebra, buffalo, hippo and crocodiles all commonly seen.

Game drives are the order of the day in Savute where wildlife-viewing is good year-round. Savute is known for its predators – I’ve always had luck with lion, leopard and cheetah here, and on my last trip I spent an afternoon watching a highly active den of African wild dogs. As with the rest of Chobe, elephants are everywhere in Savute.

Explore water world in the Okavango Delta

This is a world without fences and, because of the water levels, human settlements are mostly restricted to the Delta’s perimeter, leaving the rest to wildlife.

In the southern part of the Delta, including in Moremi Game Reserve and Khwai Community Concession, expect a mix of luxury tented camps and budget campsites catering mostly to those on self-drive safaris. The deeper you go into the Delta, the more the crowds thin, with entire concessions given over to the exclusive lodges and tented camps that are such a feature of a safari in Botswana. For most of the tourist season, many of these camps and lodges can only be reached by small plane. Out here, I’ve had the wildlife entirely to myself.

Taste true wilderness in the Central Kalahari

Measuring 52,000 square kilometres, I think this vast wilderness is a signature Botswana safari experience. Known for its golden grasslands, salt pans, sand dunes covered in vegetation and wide former river valleys, it’s a soulful experience that’s custom-made for a self-drive safari.

The mammal density and diversity are not quite a match for the northern parks making it less well-suited to first-time safari travellers but for the feel of a true African wilderness, CKGR is tough to beat.

Hugging the park’s northern boundary, the Hainaveld consists of a handful of compact, segregated, privately-owned reserves. The denser habitat means the landscape is less scenic than inside the park, but pumped waterholes concentrate the game in the dry season. Several of the lodges employ local Kalahari bushmen with legendary tracking skills, who will also teach you about their way of life on a guided walk.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Off the beaten path in kgalagadi transfrontier park.

In the far south of Botswana, this transfrontier park spills over into South Africa. The Botswana side of the park receives far fewer visitors than the South African sections across the border.

The scenery here consists of a dense scrubland and some of the loveliest salt-pan scenery anywhere in Botswana. With a number of hills overlooking these pans, they’re spectacular places, especially at sunset, and many of the self-drive campsites take full advantage of these hilltop positions.

Kgalagadi is known for its classic Kalahari wildlife, and aside from the usual oryx (gemsbok), giraffe and wide range of antelope species, I’ve always had luck with the extravagantly horned greater kudu, lion, cheetah and even a fleeting glimpse of meerkats.

The park provides habitat for nearly 300 different bird species, and I was particularly thrilled when the elusive Kalahari scrub robin and the vivid violet-eared waxbill visited my campsite one evening.

Tsodilo Hills

Ancient history in the tsodilo hills.

Rising from the barren, sandy plains of the Kalahari in a remote corner of north-western Botswana, these four hills project a certain kind of magic. Sacred to the indigenous San people and reputed to possess mystical powers (as Laurens van der Post found in the 1950s on a visit that formed the centrepiece of his classic The Lost World of the Kalahari), the Tsodilo Hills are best known as one of the world’s finest galleries of ancient rock art. More than 4,500 artworks – mostly paintings, but engravings, too – adorn the rock walls of the range, and some date back thousands of years.

Walking trails lead past the artworks that range in subject matter from whales and penguins (despite Tsodilo Hills being more than 1000 km from the ocean) to lions and human figures. I highly recommend you visit with a local guide to greatly enhance your visit.

Unless you’re self-driving and staying at one of the campsites in the shadow of the Tsodilo Hills, there is no accommodation nearby.

Northern Tuli Game Reserve

Explore northern tuli game reserve.

In the far southeastern corner of the country and formerly divided into a number of segregated farms alongside the Limpopo River, NTGR is now one of the largest privately-owned conservation areas in southern Africa. The spectacular landscape, featuring rolling hills, basalt cliffs, ancient riverbeds and towering granite kopjes , is unlike anywhere else in Botswana. In fact, when combined with its impressive portfolio of wildlife, it remains a mystery to me why more people don’t visit this remarkable place.

Expect regular sightings of elephant, giraffe, lion, leopard and cheetah as well as less common species like eland and klipspringer, and over 350 bird species. Ground-level photographic hides, ancient archaeological ruins and a choice of horse-riding, walking or even cycling safaris complete a chocolate box-assortment of activities.

Spot the flamingoes of Makgadikgadi Pans

Makgadikgadi Pans is famous for hosting one of the largest zebra migrations in Africa. Every year, tens of thousands of zebra migrate east-west through the park, between the pans in the east and the Boteti River out west. From high on the riverbank at the latter, I’ve watched zebras swarm down to the water’s edge in a haze of raised dust, dizzying stripes and distinctive zebra barks.

I’ve also seen flamingos away on the eastern pans in flocks so vast that they seem to move as a single entity. And I’ve drawn near to habituated meerkats just outside the park, and seen brown hyenas and aardvarks close to sunset.

Okavango Panhandle

Birding in the okavango panhandle.

Although not a big game destination, the broad and meandering Okavango River in the northwest of the country is a birder’s paradise, with over 350 recorded species including several iconic Okavango specialties. It is also popular among anglers, particularly around September, when the receding flood waters concentrate huge shoals of baitfish, attracting a melee of catfish, tiger fish, bream and birds. Activities are mostly by boat or on foot.

Other wildlife is far less common, and you’d be lucky to see much more than a crocodile or hippo in the river’s waters.

Nxai Pan National Park

Zebra migration in nxai pan national park.

I’ve always loved Nxai Pan – it’s never busy, my sightings of lion, elephant and cheetah seem perfectly framed by these big horizons, and the baobabs by the salt pans here are a striking presence. With a handful of campsites (including at remote Baines’ Baobabs, a remarkable cluster of seven ancient baobabs (named after explorer and painter, Thomas Baines) and just one upmarket lodge, there’s rarely more than a couple of other vehicles at any sighting.

As well as plenty of elephant, and a good chance of seeing lion and cheetah, Nxai Pan has a couple of other wildlife highlights to draw you here. After the rains, thousands of zebra migrate here from the Chobe and Linyanti rivers after the rains forming part of Africa’s longest zebra migration. And for reasons unknown, Nxai Pan is the only place in Botswana where you can see springbok and impala in the same place.

Kwando Reserve

Linyanti, kwando and selinda reserves.

Scattered along the northern waterways of the perennial Linyanti and Kwando rivers, and the seasonal Selinda spillway, the camps in these three neighbouring private concessions operate in a similar manner to those inside the Okavango Delta.

Game-viewing is as good as in the Okavango, with predator-tracking a particular specialty of the Kwando camps. Most camps offer game or wildlife drives, mokoro boat trips, and sunset boat excursions.

What you see in these parts depends very much on the time of year you visit. In Linyanti, for example, from May to October, expect to see lots of elephants, while zebras migrate through the area, usually from February to April. At other times, wildlife can be very scarce, although the November-to-April wet season is excellent for birding in all three concessions, with migrants from Europe and North Africa here en masse.

Chitabe & Qorokwe concessions

In 25 years of African travel, I’ve never seen as much high-quality wildlife as I have in these fabulous Okavango concessions. Over two recent days, I saw leopards, nearly 30 lions, dozens of elephants, a pack of 20 wild dogs, and a cheetah mother with six sub-adult cubs.

Splash Camp

Rory Sheldon

Splash Camp is a small camp in the private Kwara Reserve. Operated by Kwando Safaris who have better responsible travel credentials than most: locally based, no greenwashing, and supporting valuable community projects.

Khama Rhino Sanctuary

Botswana doesn’t have many rhinos but most of them are here in this small, little-known sanctuary, in Paje, east of Central Kalahari Game Reserve. On a recent visit, I was waylaid for nearly an hour by two male black rhinos fighting for dominance right along the main track.

See the baobabs of Kubu Island

For the best of the pans, Kubu Island is a glorious ‘island’ of baobabs south of Makgadikgadi. This was the first place I ever camped in Botswana, and the magic has never left me.

Camp out in Khutse Game Reserve

The southern extension of the CKGR, Khutse gets very few visitors (except on weekends). I love its remote campsites (I once slept here, 40 km from the nearest person), its classic Kalahari scenery, and its lions, leopards and so much more.

Nata Bird Sanctuary

Out in the east of the Makgadikgadi Pans, the pans of this rarely visited community sanctuary draw up to 250,000 flamingos and other waterbirds from November or December until March or April.

Planet Baobab

A budget-friendly option with self-drive access, offering all the activities of its more expensive sister camps on the edge of the pans.

Savute Under Canvas

Easily the pick of the mobile camps in Chobe, &Beyond’s tented camp moves around the park almost weekly and captures the spirit of a mobile camp at its best.

Botswana Camping Safaris

Into Botswana & Zimbabwe

15 day small group tour, botswana safaris: need to know, everything you wish you'd known before you booked, inside tip: self-drive safaris.

Much is made of Botswana aiming for high-end, low-density safari tourism and it’s not uncommon for a luxury camp in the Delta to cost well over US$1,000 per person per night in high season. But it’s actually the mid-range, rather than budget, traveller that finds it difficult to build a reasonably priced safari in Botswana.

Much as the Botswana government prefers not to publicise the fact, it has a fantastic network of campsites around the country. Some are privately run, others are run by the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP). Standard camping fees are USD $50/25 per adult/child. You can book directly through the park authorities or the private operators of the campsites, but you're better off booking through an agent. Renting a 4WD camper can seem expensive, but a two-week self-drive safari could end up costing the same for two people as one day on a fly-in, fly-out safari.

The best times for safari in Botswana

My favourite time to visit Botswana is during the dry season, June to September. During this time, most 4WD tracks are open, water levels in the Delta are ideal for mokoro trips and wildlife watching.

This period also corresponds with the high tourism season (which usually starts in June or July), so it’s also the busiest (and most expensive) time of year. During these months, it can also get extremely cold overnight and early morning throughout much of the Kalahari.

May or October can be a good compromise, although there’s a risk that the rains could linger or arrive early.

Access to the Delta may be limited, but the best months for birding are from November to March or April, when hundreds of migratory species arrive from Europe and North Africa.

Getting there & around

Although Gaborone is the capital of Botswana, the overwhelming majority of safari visitors to Botswana fly into Maun, in the country’s north-west. Maun is right alongside the Okavango Delta and not far from the Kalahari, and it has lots of safari companies, hotels, camps and restaurants and places to stock up on supplies making it the ideal gateway town.

Those heading to Chobe National Park may fly into Kasane, in the north-east. Kasane receives fewer international flights than Maun, but its proximity to Victoria Falls (84 km away by road, across the border in Zimbabwe) makes it well worth considering.

How a Botswana safari works

There are two main ways to go on safari in Botswana. One is to fly into Maun or Kasane (perhaps stay overnight, perhaps not) and then fly into one of the airstrips of the Okavango Delta or Chobe National Park. There you’ll be picked up by your accommodation, and then fly in and out of however many tented camps you’ll be staying in.

You can book all of this yourself, but most international visitors tend to book it via a tour operator.

The other option is a self-drive trip. You can fly into Maun or Kasane (or even Johannesburg) and pick up a 4WD, which will usually have a rooftop tent or other camping equipment. You’ll then drive yourself from one campsite to the next. Road and driving conditions in Botswana are significantly better than elsewhere in Southern Africa, but you’ll need to take obvious precautions such as driving during the day time and ensuring you’ve got sufficient supplies for long journeys.

Safari in the Okavango Delta

About the author.

Anthony is a renowned travel journalist and guidebook author and is one of the world's leading authorities on Africa safari, wildlife and conservation. He has been travelling to Africa for more than two decades to research Africa safari guidebooks for Lonely Planet. He is widely published in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, The Monthly, Virginia Quarterly Review (VQR), National Geographic Traveler, BBC Wildlife, Lonely Planet Traveller, Africa Geographic, The Independent, Travel Africa, among many others.

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Botswana: six incredible safari lodges

By Stanley Stewart and Douglas Rogers

I wake when it’s still dark. Elephants are trumpeting from the island and I can hear hippos grunting beneath the lodge. Somewhere, hyenas are whooping. Africa is waiting for me, out there in the darkness. It’s still chilly from the night; at this hour, my game drive feels almost furtive, an early-morning raid to catch nature unawares. A white-headed fish eagle flies away into the grey pre-dawn followed by a host of long-tailed starlings. A startled impala vanishes like a ghost. Giraffes glide among mopane trees, and a family of warthogs retreat, trotting away in military formation, their tails in the air like salutes. Around a bend, a herd of elephants is shambling across the track, dusty behemoths glancing at us over their shoulders. Carefully tucked into the centre of the group, their little legs working double time, are two baby elephants hardly bigger than Labradors. At the first light, here is a vision of earth long before the arrival of man.

Botswana is arguably the greatest wildlife destination on the planet. The Kalahari, Chobe National Park, the Moremi Game Reserve, Linyanti, the Okavango Delta are all legendary habitats. But Botswana is also home to the luxury safari, with some of the continent’s finest lodges, and I have come to see two of the most highly esteemed – Wilderness Safari’s King’s Pool Camp and Jao Camp, both established in the 1990s – which have recently undergone major sustainable rebuilds. Founded in 1983 by Colin Bell and Chris McIntyre, Wilderness has always been a pioneer among safari operators. Long before it became fashionable, they saw their camps and lodges as playing an important role in conservation and community development. The work of their two formidable non-profit organisations – Children in the Wilderness and Wilderness Wildlife Trust – is what attracts shareholders such as Bono and Richard Branson to the company.

King’s Pool, an isolated camp set on an oxbow lagoon by the Linyanti River, was named after King Carl XVI Gustaf who came to Botswana on honeymoon with his wife Silvia in 1976. It’s the archetypal Wilderness property – luxurious, sophisticated and small-scale. Location is everything here. Bordering Chobe, it shares the national park’s concentration of game, particularly predators, but benefits from the flexibility of a private concession, offering a range of activities from walking safaris to scenic helicopter flights that are not possible inside the reserve. It is also close to the Delta, and days end with a sunset cruise on the Linyanti, a world of hippos, crocs and aquatic wildlife, where you can watch elephants crossing the river into Namibia. The rebuild is a delight. Nine tents look out over the water with hippos wallowing and crocodiles snoozing open-mouthed, arranged discreetly beneath colossal lakeside trees so there are great views of the animals but not of the neighbours.

Pictured: the bedroom of villa four at Jao Camp, Botswana

I say ‘tents’, but it is like calling Longleat a country manor – they are really stylish villas of canvas and thatch. Carved African doors open into spacious bedrooms with colonial desks, handsome travelling chests, wardrobes and a pair of double-width armchairs – the kind you might have curled up in as child with your mother to read The Wind in the Willows – where you can drink morning coffee while watching jacana birds tiptoeing across the water lilies. In atmosphere, King’s Pool is the close cousin of Zarafa Camp, one of Botswana’s grandest, where a lagoon is also the compelling focus.

Pictured: walking safari with a river Bushman

In the bathrooms , pale travertine stone surfaces frame double showers; motifs of burnished brass, bleached wood and woven rope recur in light fittings, wall divides and tableware; weathered artefacts such as bowls, shields and gourds are links to the cultures of southern Africa. On the main reception terrace, which is open to the lagoon, the different elements – library, bar, seating areas, dining tables, fire-pits and fireplaces – manage to be both connected and independent, allowing for privacy or engagement with other guests over supper of local venison carpaccio and a wonderful South African Shiraz. The property is also completely solar-powered and has one of the lightest eco-footprints in Africa.

Pictured: thatching made of recycled plastic at Jao's Camp

But for all its smart details, King’s Pool is still a classic safari camp. A short flight to the west, in the middle of the Delta, Jao Camp is something else entirely. Privately owned by the Kays family but marketed as part of the Wilderness Safari group, Jao originally opened in 1999 as one of the first luxury properties in the Okavango. Since then, others have been playing catch-up. With this overhaul, Jao has raised the bar again. The camp sits on an island of leadwood trees and termite mounds, in the midst of shallow lagoons in the wet season and savannah woodlands in the dry. Elevated on high terraces and boardwalks to keep above the annual floods and enhance game viewing, Jao feels like the world’s most spectacular tree house. It is contemporary, innovative and dramatic. Like Singita Boulders Lodge in the Sabi Sands or Chinzombo Camp in Zambia ’s South Luangwa, it has escaped safari traditions for bold design concepts inspired by its environment.

The architectural design studio of Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens has created award-winning lodges throughout Africa and I would put my money on Jao Camp adding a statuette to their mantelpiece. There’s a thrilling mix of materials: steel tendons and hardwood beams support soaring thatched roofs; leather and linen sofas gather round a fireplace flue of oxidised steel; woven room dividers overlook bathroom sinks of matt metal. Botanical themes run through the place like creepers, in tables printed with leaf motifs, lamp shades mimicking palm leaves and a cascade of white ceramic flowers tumbling down towards the bar, while the pool , gym and spa canopies are large, open-weave ‘nests’ of bleached sticks. As for the trees in which the whole structure stands, they become just another exciting material integrated into the fabric of the building.

Pictured: a giraffe skeleton in Jao’s library

There are only seven villas – larger, lighter and more open than Jao’s former incarnation. From the plunge pools and fire-pits on the private terraces you can watch leopards shadowing impala. Game drives are unrivalled. We track a lioness with two cubs strolling past with the indifference of a boulevard flâneur. Back at camp, my favourite place is the rosewood-lined museum filled with books, maps and artwork, and a giraffe skeleton that reaches the ceiling. In the gallery on the first floor is a fascinating account of the Kays family, who still run Jao and now count six generations in Botswana. That they were able to acquire this concession against stiff competition, and make it one of the most gorgeous lodges in Africa, is a tribute to their professionalism and energy.

Africa Travel can arrange a trip to Botswana from £6,950 per person, including three nights each at King’s Pool Camp and Jao Camp, full board, British Airways flights via Johannesburg, transfers and safari activities.

Botswana's Okavango Delta is the undisputed king of the African safari, a land where swimming lions clash with buffalo. Douglas Rogers approaches it from four different angles in this feature from the June 2017 issue of Condé Nast Traveller.

In 1997, the wildlife filmmaker Dereck Joubert was flying over northern Botswana in a light aircraft when he saw a cloud of dust rising from the earth below. Joubert thought it was strange, given he wasn't flying over desert but the vast palm-and-papyrus-covered wetland of Botswana's Okavango Delta. Back then the delta was still something of an undiscovered world and this north-eastern pocket of the oasis - a remote island of marsh, grass and riverine forest known as Duba Plains - was thought to be deserted.

Olivia Morelli

Anna Prendergast

Suspecting the red cloud was being caused by poachers, Joubert dipped the plane to take a closer look. What he saw took his breath away: a primordial battle taking place between a herd of Cape buffalo and two ravenous island lions, the thunder of the buffalos' hooves and sinewy thrash of the bodies creating that great swirl of dust.

Joubert was so thrilled by the sight that, four years later, he and his photographer wife Beverly moved to Duba Plains and built a home (later to become their first safari camp under the Great Plains Conservation banner). The couple went on to shoot two of the most spectacular wildlife documentaries ever made: Relentless Enemies (2006) and The Last Lions (2011), chronicling the dramatic conflict between buffalos and lions stranded on Duba by the incoming rush of flood waters.

Pictured: &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge

I have tap-danced around the delta all my life, but never dived in. Born and raised in Southern Africa , I've travelled in and written about the region for decades, including the Chobe National Park in the north-east of Botswana, just 200km from the Okavango. Yet the scale and wonder of Africa's largest oasis has featured large in my imagination.

A Jackson Pollock splatter of blue on the bone-dry canvas of the Kalahari, the Delta's seasonal flood is caused not by local rains but by water originating 1,200km north, in the rugged highlands of central Angola. The Okavango River, known in Angola as the Cubango, flows south from those highlands for many months until it hits the flat Kalahari Basin. With its route to the ocean blocked, it then fans out to flood the landscape, seeping into deep hippo trails and forming swamps, islands, creeks and crystal-clear lagoons.

Pictured: the lodge bar at Belmond Eagle Island Lodge

When we think of floods, we think of devastation, but the Okavango Delta flood is different. It brings life: a luminous mosaic of plants, fish, birds and other wildlife. Botswana is famous for its diamonds, but its true jewel is the Okavango.

For most of Botswana's history, access to the delta was limited. Local tribes such as the Bayei navigated the channels in dugout canoes known as mokoros , but only the eastern edge of the region, Moremi, had any significant tourism. It was designated a game reserve in the early 1960s, when the country was the British protectorate of Bechuanaland. Back then, Botswana was one of the poorest countries on earth, but after independence in 1966 that changed. Democratic rule established under new president Seretse Khama, coupled with the discovery of vast diamond reserves in 1967, ushered in prosperity and growth hitherto unseen in the rest of Africa. (Khama and his marriage in 1948 to a white Englishwoman, Ruth Williams, is the subject of the biopic, A United Kingdom ).

Today, Botswana is a middle-income nation, often referred to as the Switzerland of Africa. The delta's emergence as the country's unrivalled draw only began in 1993, when the government modified its laws to allow companies to lease land on which to build safari lodges. So began Botswana's astonishingly successful low-volume, high-price safari model: lodges are limited to 24 guests, structures must be easy to dismantle, and the relatively short 15-year leases drives standards. In Botswana's big-stakes safari game, if you want to keep your concession, your product had better be brilliant.

Pictured: Belmond Eagle Island Lodge

From a handful of camps in the early 1990s, there are now some 90 lodges in the Okavango Delta, many among the smartest and most expensive in the world. But the genius of Botswana's safari model is that even as the area has become more popular, it has managed to maintain its natural state.

In Botswana's big-stakes safari game, if you want to keep your concession, your product had better be brilliant

The other miracle of the delta is that it is not a monoculture. 'You can fly 20 minutes in a light aircraft from a marshland to a riverine forest to a grassland habitat on an island ,' says Joubert. 'In other parts of Africa you'd have to fly for hours to see such variety.' Such complex and changing ecosystems mean lodges here offer a variety of different settings and experiences.

This past December I finally paid my first visit. Travelling in a clockwise loop, I had four camps in mind that would give me an idea of how varied the delta can be: the Belmond Eagle Island Lodge in the south; Little Tubu, an intimate three-tent camp in the north-west; Dereck and Beverly Joubert's Duba Plains Camp, where I hoped to see those lions and buffalo; and &Beyond Sandibe, a property so stylish it is said to have completely reinvented the architectural possibilities of the safari lodge.

Pictured: the sitting room at Duba Expedition Camp

Just a 20-minute puddle jump from Maun, gateway town to the delta, is the Belmond Eagle Island Lodge . Belmond (formerly Orient-Express Hotels ) also owns the Cipriani in Venice and Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire, among others. It has a reputation to maintain - and this classic camp, built in the 1990s, had started to look a little tired. So a decision was taken to close the lodge for 10 months and completely rebuild it. It reopened just before my visit in 2017.

Set under a canopy of fig and jackalberry trees, the main lodge is built in a figure-of-eight shape that mimics the bends in the Doro Channel, flowing 90 metres in front of it. A cocktail bar, its curved banquettes splashed with burnt-orange throws and tables laid with decorative chess sets, is at one end; a restaurant at the other, bird's-nest chandeliers of weaved brass swinging above. The most striking feature is a spinal wall in smooth black and rough grey Cemcrete. At first I was confused. Then I got it: the colours and textures allude to the hides of elephant emerging, wet and black, from the channel, turning grey as they graze and dry in the sun.

Pictured: entrance to &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge

December is the green (rainy) season in Botswana, but conversely the dry season for the delta, which floods between May and November. During the floods the main means of game viewing is by mokoro or river boat. But what sets the new-look Belmond Eagle Island Lodge apart is something rather grander: 35-minute aerial safaris in a Bell 206 four-seat helicopter.

I take an early-morning flight with master guide Franz Schmidt, a 30-something German. Lions had been heard overnight to the north, and after removing the chopper doors to allow unhindered views, we take off to find them, flying low over an oxbow river, skimming strangler fig trees and scattering giraffes. Hippos and crocs wallow in the mud on the banks.

Pictured: the kitchen at Belmond Eagle Island lodge

Schmidt points to a shady palm grove near a herd of grazing buffalo, the likely location of the lions. We circle a while and appear out of luck, but then I glimpse it: the tawny flash of a pair of cubs wrestling in the dust before disappearing behind the fronds.

The view is the thing, the land below a vast green plain dotted with palm trees, buffalo, elephant, waterbuck, warthogs and dozens of delicate termite mounds. Schmidt is as knowledgeable about the small things: palm trees are not indigenous here - 'their seeds come down river from Angola'. And those termite mounds, part of the classic delta landscape, are a vital element of the life cycle: they will eventually become dry islands on which animals will find sanctuary from the floods.

Pictured: the sitting room of Duba Expedition

Back at the lodge I find sanctuary in my tent, accessed by a wooden walkway from the main lodge. It has a private deck with an infinity plunge pool facing the river; the mini-bar is styled on a vintage Louis Vuitton travel case and is stocked with gin, olives and a cocktail shaker. I mix myself the requisite Martini. Later that evening I opt out of the regular game drive (wild-dog prints had been spotted) to fish from a mokoro , my guide Boitshepo Maphane poling me gondolier-style through the lilies and mud flats. I get some nibbles from catfish but the real thrill is watching four elephant appear on the eastern shore, slide down the bank, and wade tusk-deep to the other side, as if crossing a road. A herd of red lechwe antelope judged their progress like traffic cops.

If Belmond Eagle Island Lodge is all about high-flying glamour, my next stop, Little Tubu , is more concerned with keeping it wonderfully old school. This intimate three-tent camp, baby sister to adjacent Tubu Tree Camp - both managed by Wilderness Safaris - is owned by fifth-generation Botswanans David and Cathy Kays, whose family helped pioneer safari tourism here in the 1930s.Wilderness Safaris, arguably Southern Africa's leading blue-chip eco-tourism operator, founded in Maun in 1983, is still headquartered in the country. It's a winning combination.

Pictured: thatched rooms at Belmond Eagle Island Lodge

Little Tubu's beige canvas tents are set on raised decks linked by a roped boardwalk leading to a shaded sitting and dining area, with a bar counter built into a giant woodland waterberry tree. The entire camp overlooks an open floodplain. During the floods a lower deck and boma (a sand-floor enclosure where afternoon tea of carrot cake and fresh-baked scones is served) becomes a civilised dock from which to step into a mokoro and pole out on game-viewing expeditions. In the dry season there are traditional, twice-daily game drives.

Heading off at dawn with a garrulous guide called Cruise (who I naturally name Tom), I see my first adult lions of the trip: three females and a giant male enjoying a post-prandial nap in the shade of a strangler fig. The bloody carcass of a red lechwe, last night's feast, lies a few metres away. For the rest of the drive I take in the spectacular bird and plant life: iridescent lilac-breasted rollers flash through a sycamore forest; scarlet fireball lilies and white and pink crinum lilies add dazzling bursts of colour.

Pictured: the thatched sitting room at Duba Expedition Camp

There is a relaxed, artisanal atmosphere to Little Tubu. Run entirely on solar power, it feels more like remote bush home than lodge; my tent has a ceiling fan, but no air-conditioning, and a rustic, outdoor shower (from which I spy a bushbuck grazing happily below me). At night, glass jars containing mini solar lamps light the walkways. The dining room table is fashioned out of a thick slab of felled sausage tree. Meals have a traditional home-spun feel, too. On my final night I eat slow-cooked pumpkin, bream fillets and a beef stew heated on steel pots over a fire pit, shooting stars darting in the vast skies above.

My long-anticipated visit to Dereck Joubert's Duba Plains Camp, did not, at least initially, go as planned. My stay was due to coincide with the release of a white rhino on the 31,000-hectare concession, part of Rhinos Without Borders, a campaign led by the Jouberts' Great Plains Conservation company to translocate 100 endangered rhino from South Africa to Botswana. Twenty-five have already been moved, but the Duba delivery was cancelled when word got out of a poacher's camp in the Caprivi Strip, 130km north in Namibia .

Pictured: interiors at &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge

Botswana takes its conservation and anti-poaching seriously. Safaris long ago surpassed cattle ranching as the country's second biggest earner (after diamonds), and 40 per cent of the population in the wildlife-rich north is employed in the trade. Animals are the diamonds up here. The president, Ian Khama, in the same progressive tradition as his father Seretse, banned commercial hunting in 2014, and was a driving force behind the delta's UNESCO World Heritage listing.

We fly low over an oxbow river, skimming strangler fig trees and scattering giraffes. Hippos and crocs wallow in the mud

Great Plains has three camps in Kenya and six in Botswana, five of which are in (or on the edge of) the Selinda Reserve, in the country's north-east. Duba, however, is the flagship. In 2000, the Jouberts built a home here on the banks of a papyrus marsh (where they still live), then erected a separate six-tent camp after founding Great Plains. In 2016 they began a complete rebuild of that lodge and a new seven-tent camp set in a forest area overlooking marshland opened in March 2017. In addition, there's the fresh and contemporary Duba Expedition Camp: six sleek explorer-style tents of light canvas on raised decks, all set around an open-sided canvas dining marquee, with glorious views of a floodplain. Great Plains tends to attract fans of the Jouberts' films, and all their camps, including Duba Expedition, come with 400mm Canon cameras and heavy-duty Swarovski Optik binoculars for guests to use. It's the same hi-tech equipment Dereck and Beverly work with.

Of course, the great attraction of Duba Plains is what brought the Jouberts here in the first place: those animals captured so powerfully in Relentless Enemies . The film documents how the Tsaro lion pride, stranded on Duba, developed a taste for the buffalo they share the island with. The buffalo in turn learn to fight back. In one incredible scene the lions swim into the onrushing delta waters to take down their bovine prey. All the while the Tsaro numbers diminish, as the far bigger buffalo become expert at repelling the lions.

Pictured: the dining space at Belmond Eagle Island Lodge

At last I am close to the battlefield captured so memorably by Joubert. Led by my guide, Kops, I cross a makeshift wooden bridge over the reed marsh (I can see the Jouberts' rustic home on the edge of the tree line) and then, rather like crossing a border into another world, the landscape opens up into a vast floodplain. It reminds me of Kenya's Masai Mara during the rains: lush green grass stretching to the horizon, broken only by watering holes and giant termite mounds. We find the descendants of the famous Tsaro pride lazing against one of those mounds, the male alone, several females and eight cubs nearby. There are buffalo too, but they respectfully keep their distance, as do vast herds of lechwe.

The following morning, we run into two young lions from the same pride ambling down a rutted road. A minute later, a warthog crosses their path. On such chance meetings hangs life or death. The lions crouch, then spring. That little pig has no chance. Within seconds, the cats are crunching through its bones.

Pictured: a copper dugout canoe at &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge

It's a 30-minute flight south from Duba Plains and then a half-hour drive to &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge , through lush grassland and finally a forest of wild palms and tall figs. And there it is, a domed building of overlapping white cedar shale rising out of a clearing like the shell of a giant pangolin.

A symphony of wood, two-and-half storeys high, with giant arched beams of laminated pine holding up the dome, its front and sides are entirely open to a marshy everglade too thick with reeds to make out the river running through it. Café tables of bleached pine dot the lower-floor restaurant; upstairs there's a loft-like mezzanine bar, its swooping counter carved into the shape of a vintage ocean liner. My first thought is, this would be a great concert venue; my second is to order an espresso.

Pictured: a bedroom at Little Tubu Camp

The 12 rooms, identical pangolin-shaped pods, are built on raised platforms, like most places in the delta. But, unlike most places, my raised box bed (with remote-control mosquito netting) faces sliding doors that open onto a private deck with a plunge pool overlooking the reeds. But the star of the show is the indoor shower, a conical tower built in the shape of a termite mound with a shower head the size of a satellite dish.

This is safari lodge as design hotel: urbane, fashion forward, relentlessly contemporary. Aside from the design, the ethos is reflected in the organic, seasonal menu: lavish breakfasts of fresh fruit, waffles and artisanal coffee; build-your-own pizzas and deconstructed salads (beetroot, goat's cheese, rocket) for lunch; and fresh-baked red velvet cakes and pastries for afternoon tea. Dinners of springbok tenderloin and rosemary rack of lamb are served in an open-air boma, the area lit not by traditional lanterns but giant LED balls suspended from the trees.

Pictured: a hanging chair at &Beyond Sandibe

Now here's the thing: I'm an African and I'm supposed to scoff at such opulence. This is not a real safari! There are animals out there! Why are people checking emails?!

But the truth is, I love it. Instead of going on the requisite twice-daily game drives I read on the daybed by my plunge pool, cool down in that conical shower, mainline coffee in the restaurant, and email and Facetime with friends back home. And I'm filled with wonder at it all. Here, in tiny land-locked Botswana, on the edge of a vast African wetland that 50 years ago was cut off from the outside world, I'm immersed in state-of-the-art luxury and design. Hat's off to the little country that could.

The Explorations Company offers a nine-night trip to Botswana and the Okavanga Delta from £9,500 per person (based on two sharing). These Botswana safari holidays include two nights at &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge, two nights at Little Tubu camp in the northern Delta region, two nights at Belmond Eagle Island Camp and three nights at Duba Plains Camp, which adjoins the Moremi Game Reserve. The price includes accommodation on a fully inclusive basis, all activities in the camps and internal flights. Not included are international flights to Maun, Botswana, visas and travel insurance. South African Airways and Emirates both fly direct from London to Maun, Botswana.

This feature first appeared in Condé Nast Traveller June 2017

Keep scrolling to see more pictures of the best safari camps in Botswana

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Bar stools at &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge

The dining table at &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge

Interior details at &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge

Pans in the kitchen at &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge

New cement domes at Belmond Eagle Island lodge

Design detail at Belmond Eagle Island lodge

Earthenware at Belmond Eagle Island lodge

Exterior details at Belmond Eagle Island lodge

Inside Belmond Eagle Island lodge

One of the sofas at Belmond Eagle Island lodge

A chair in the bar at Belmond Eagle Island lodge

A cake at Belmond Eagle Island lodge

Pelicans flying over the Okavango Delta

Jao’s lodge at night

Botswana Safaris

Botswana safari guide – where & when to go, and what to see.

Botswana safaris are truly special. The country doesn’t see as many tourists as most other countries in Southern and East Africa, but this in no way diminishes the quality of the game viewing and safari experience Botswana has to offer – and in many ways, it’s a bonus. Rural Botswana is an inhospitable place for humans, but a country that manages to support an incredible diversity and density of animals. Botswana wildlife is hands down some of the best anywhere in the world.

Botswana is a large, wild country (approximately the size of France) with a decent – but very limited – road network where only the major roads are tarmacked. This makes Botswana a safari destination for the intrepid. If you’re planning on doing an independent, self-drive safari in Botswana a high-clearance 4WD vehicle and spirit of self-reliance are essential to get the most out of your visits to the national parks. The country is easily accessed from South Africa, with the capital Gabaronne just a few hours’ drive from Johannesburg.

Self-drive safaris are a big thing in Botswana and are popular with overland tours and independent travellers alike. You’ll need a rugged 4WD to access all areas, and be confident that you’re totally self-sufficient if camping on your own in the bush. If this safari-style doesn’t appeal then browse our guide to  safari companies in Botswana to speak to a professional.

Geographically Botswana is covered in scrub brush and savannah grasslands, with the occasional impressive geographic feature such as the Okavango Delta and adjoining Chobe National Park, huge salt pans, and the brutally picturesque Kalahari Desert. The country is landlocked and lies at a fairly consistent average elevation of 1,000m. The windswept and sand-based Kalahari Desert covers over 80% of the country in the south, west, and centre. To the north lies 15,000 km sq of the Okavango Delta, fed by the Okavango River and forming the northern border with Namibia .  To the east lie the great salt and clay desert of the Makgadikgadi Pans and occasional deciduous forests towards the Zimbabwe border.

One of the most impressive African rivers for wildlife, Okavango River supplies year-round water to much of northern Botswana, and ends in the inland Okavango Delta, support a vast array of Southern African mammal species. These include the big five , wild dogs , hippos , hyenas , honey badgers , and a broad range of gazelles and hoofed mammals.

Each year Botswana is home to one of Africa’s largest annual migrations , featuring huge herds of wildebeest, zebra, and other wild animals as they move from their winter ranges in the Makgadikgadi plains to the summer feeding grounds of the Nxai Pan region. Not as large in scale as the East African ‘ great migration ‘, but there are also far fewer tourists around to take away from the experience. This lack of tourists, the sheer scale of the wilderness and the abundance of game in Botswana’s national parks come together to make Botswana a safari destination that’s hard to better, wherever you visit in Africa.

Useful resources

Book a Botswana safari

Botswana wildlife

Botswana Tourist Board

Bostwana guidebooks

Botswana safari highlights

Okavango delta botswana, fly-in safari.

Safaris don’t come much better or more luxurious than an all-inclusive fly-in safari deep in the Okavango Delta . Take a four-seater flight over the wetlands, wildlife spotting as you’re flown to an exclusive, out-of-the-way lodge for a few days of game drives, safari walks , and boat trips .

Big five spotting

Go big game spotting at Chobe National Park – perhaps Botswana’s most famous national park . Boat safaris are a big draw here, with a waterfront teeming with wildlife… but you’ll have to be very lucky to see all big five from a boat – game drives in a 4X4 jeep are more the order of the day.

Leopard spotting in Moremi

The east side of the Okavango Delta Moremi Game Reserve is regarded as one of the top African leopard hangouts. On the fringes of the delta where water collects in small lagoons and fills grassy floodplains, antelope (and all sorts of other wildlife) are plentiful. Perfect leopard country.

Mokoro safaris on the water

The Okavango Delta offers ample opportunities to get out on to the water for some top-class wildlife viewing. Traditional wooden mokoros are a fun and eco-friendly way to head out on a canoe safari , though propeller boats are on offer too, and can easily be combined with superb walking safaris .

Best time to safari in Botswana

May to August is the best time to organize a safari in Botswana, as during this winter season the days are cool and sunny, and the lack of water drives the wildlife to congregate around permanent water sources. At this time getting around the country is fairly straightforward, with dust rather than water being the main obstacle. During winter months wildlife spotting is easy – simply find a river or watering hole and dig in to wait for the action. Bear in mind is that July and August is school holiday time, meaning more tourists than usual, higher prices for safari accommodation and tours, and busier national parks.

October to April is summer season in Botswana but brings with it severe heat and the rains – occasionally in extreme amounts. Getting around the country by road during summer can be disrupted by flooding, as many of the secondary roads are not tarmacked. Wildlife is also more dispersed and harder to spot, hidden by lush vegetation. An exception to this is in parts of the Okavango Delta where there’s so much flooding that many islands form, trapping wildlife which can be viewed from a boat – though vegetation still causes a problem.

Flights To Botswana

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Botswana Accommodation

Find safari accommodation in Botswana – from budget campsites to luxury lodges.

Botswana Car Hire

Considering a self-drive safari? Research and book car hire in Botswana.

Activities in Botswana

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National parks in Botswana

All national parks in Botswana are run by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), based in Gaborone, who enforce a strict no driving after dark rule in the parks. ( See this great article on driving in Botswana .)

Whilst not actually a national park or reserve, Botswana is renowned worldwide for the Okavango Delta region in the north of the country, providing water and supporting an incredible array of African wildlife.

Top Botswana national park picks

• Moremi Game Reserve

The only part of the Okavango Delta that’s officially a national park, Moremi covers almost one-third of the delta, and is packed with wildlife. There’s no public transport so you’ll have to get yourself there, but the trade-off is fewer tourists to share the plethora of wildlife with.

• Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park was Botswana’s first national park at an impressive 11,000 km sq. There’s easy access for spectacular game viewing from a boat on the Chobe river and the network of dirt and gravel roads. The Savuti area in south west Chobe is recognised as having one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa.

Makagadikgadi Nzai Pan National Park

Feel the unfettered freedom of driving through the never-ending parched-white salt pans, or plan your trip for the when the rains come and bird life and herd animals abound, including one of Africa’s largest migrations .

Central Kalahari National Park

One of Africa’s largest protected area at a whopping 52,000 km sq. Braving the tough conditions of Central Kalahari National Park in your own 4WD may reward you with viewings of hyena packs and prides of lions in the unforgiving desert.

All national parks in Botswana

Use the map to locate all national parks in Botswana. Click the icons for more info.

Get Directions

• Central Kalahari Game Reserve
• Makgadikgadu National Park
• Nxai Pan National Park
• Okavango Delta

Botswana safari resources

Botswana safari companies.

Though Botswana has a relatively low number of inbound tourists each year, a very high proportion of these come for the wildlife. Around the capital Gabarone and also Maun – the de-facto capital of the Okavango Delta – there are numerous safari tour companies to suit all budgets. Check out our reviews of safari tour companies in Botswana .

Botswana safari lodges

Botswana has a focus on low-impact, high-end safaris, and the accommodation on offer reflects this. Luxury safari lodges are the primary accommodation in Botswana, though there are also mid-range accommodation in the tourist enclaves of Maun and Gabarone. If you have your own tent most safari lodges have an area where you can pitch up for the night, along with decent washing and BBQ facilities as standard. Search and book safari lodges in Botswana , or find all accommodation in Botswana below.

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Top countries for safaris

• Botswana safaris
• Kenya safaris
• Namibia safaris
• South Africa safaris
• Tanzania safaris
• Uganda safaris

Safari basics

• Safari animals
• How to find the right safari company
• When to go on safari
• What to take on safari
• Safari clothing – what to wear
• Safari rules & etiquette
• Wildlife spotting tips

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Africa’s best game reserves

• Chobe National Park, Botswana
• Etosha National Park, Namibia
• Kruger National Park, South Africa
• Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
• Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
• Okavango Delta, Botswana
• Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

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• South Africa
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• Safari Reading List
• First-Timer’s Tips
• A Typical Day on Safari

Accommodation , Botswana

Best botswana safari lodges: 9 incredible places to stay in botswana.

Botswana is renowned for its world-leading hospitality. Lodge staff are welcoming, rooms are comfortable and, of course, the safaris are second to none. But with so many wonderful safari lodges in Botswana, it can be difficult to choose where to stay! 

Luckily for you, I’ve done the hard work in this post. I’ve picked out 9 of the best safari lodges in Botswana that guarantee a wonderful stay, no matter what your budget . 

Nxabega &Beyond Lodge, Okavango Delta

Nxabega (pronounced Na-bay-ha with a click on the n if you can manage it!) was the highlight of a recent trip to Botswana for me. This luxury safari lodge has 9 tents, each with a King-size bed, an en-suite bathroom with a shower and double sinks, a writing desk and a seating area. Outside each tent is an outdoor rainfall shower, a seating area and a comfortable swinging chair, overlooking the plains that surround the lodge. 

All of the staff at Nxabega are bright, cheerful and incredibly kind. Guests are looked after by a personal butler, who greets them after every game drive with a drink and serves them their food each mealtime. Meals are served at individual tables set up in the dining room, on the terrace around the swimming pool or, on special occasions, around the fire in the boma. There are multiple menu options, but rest assured – they’re all delicious! 

Located in the Okavango Delta, Nxabega lodge makes a wonderful base for game drives and mokoro trips. The land around the lodge is teeming with wildlife including leopards, lions, buffalo, elephants and rhinos, as well as wild dogs, baboons and hippos. 

A stay at Nxabega can be booked directly through &Beyond or Go2Africa .

Sandibe &Beyond Lodge, Okavango Delta

Sandibe (pronounced San-dee-bay) is one of the most luxurious and best safari lodges in Botswana. Guests stay in wooden cabins on stilts, furnished with items that wouldn’t look out of place in a boutique hotel in the city. Each huge bed is surrounded by a gorgeous canopy, while the comfortable seating area is ideal for a lazy afternoon before the game drive. The bathroom is super stylish, with double sinks, a conical shower with a skylight and a separate dressing area too. Behind the large sliding doors is an outdoor deck with a comfortable bench and plunge pool overlooking the plains. 

Sandibe’s communal areas are like no other safari lodge in the world. The main building was designed to resemble a pangolin, with a huge curved roof and tapered edges. It’s filled with plush cushions, sofas and armchairs, a cocktail bar, a designer fireplace, a dining room and an open kitchen where you have the option to build your own lunch every day. 

As an &Beyond lodge, guests are allocated a private butler who serves the food and drinks and looks after your every whim and fancy while staying at Sandibe. All the staff we met were wonderful, and help you feel right at home straight away. 

Safari guides and trackers at Sandibe are some of the best in the world. They’re incredibly knowledgeable about the animals in the Okavango Delta, as well as the history and geography of the area surrounding the lodge. We were lucky enough to see a large family of cheetahs on our first day, as well as lions, elephants and plenty of other animals throughout our stay. 

Book a stay at Sandibe over at &Beyond or Go2Africa . 

Boteti Tented Camp, Okavango Delta

Boteti offers one of the best value safaris in Botswana. As a tented camp, guests stay in traditional safari tents furnished with double beds, storage chests and private toilet facilities. Each tent has a terrace complete with chairs overlooking the grounds surrounding the intimate camp. 

Boteti’s communal areas allow guests to fully relax both before and after a game drive. With soft furnishings and other beautiful furniture inspired by nature around it, Boteti offers a real home-from-home. Enjoy a buffet breakfast and lunch while observing the comings and goings along the river, and make sure to join the staff in the cosy lounge for afternoon tea. In the evening, candlelit dinners are served in the dining area after a drink around the campfire. 

The camp is located a short drive from Maun, with airport transfers included in your stay. Its location outside of the major national parks makes Boteti a much more budget-friendly option, but still, with the same level of exceptional service you can come to expect in Botswana. Safari activities on offer include traditional game drives in the Okavango Delta and Moremi, mokoro safaris along the Boteti river, and nature walks in the surrounding area. 

Book a stay at Boteti Tented Camp with free cancellation on Booking.com , or directly through Boteti itself.

Chobe Under Canvas, Chobe National Park 

As the name suggests, guest rooms at Chobe Under Canvas are tents located in Chobe National Park. But, they are unlike any other tent you’ve stayed in before! Each one is furnished with solid wooden furniture including bedside tables with solar-powered lamps, a fully-stocked bathroom and comfortable King-size beds, laid with luxurious bed sheets and soft pillows for an excellent night’s sleep.

Chobe Under Canvas is a mobile camp, where the whole thing relocates every few weeks to allow the land to regenerate. This means the camp staff pack all the tents, furniture and supplies into trucks once all the guests have left, and set it all back up in a new location as if it has always been there. 

Safaris here take place in Chobe National Park and along the Chobe River. It’s a very popular area among tourists owing to the concentration of elephants and other big game that drink from the river banks. Both game drives and trips on the water are possible here, giving visitors a unique opportunity to view wildlife from an angle not often experienced. 

Get in touch with the travel advisers at &Beyond or Go2Africa to book. 

Ghoha Hills, Savuti, Chobe National Park 

Ghoha Hills is an example of an absolutely stunning safari lodge in Savuti National Park, Botswana. With communal buildings and guest tents in an elevated position, every moment of your stay comes with an exceptional view out over the African plains and an active waterhole. 

Despite being made of canvas, it’s hard to believe the rooms are tents, as they all feature real wooden floors, comfortable double beds, fully plumbed-in bathrooms, armchairs and a private outdoor balcony too. 

If you can tear yourself away from your room, Ghoha Hills boasts a massage centre, fully-equipped gym and swimming pool, and plenty of areas to lounge, eat restaurant-quality food and take in the sights and sounds of the bush. 

Both morning and afternoon safaris are conducted in open-sided jeeps, traversing along the private roads and waterholes of Savuti and Chobe National Park. Guests can also request a day trip out to Savuti Marsh, Baobab Theatre, Bushman Rock Paintings and Pimple Hills. 

A double or twin tent can be booked online with free cancellation at Booking.com . Alternatively, book directly with Ghoha Hill.

Are you also considering a safari in a different country? View my favourite lodges in Kenya or South Africa next!

Omogolo Bush Lodges, Okavango Delta 

For an exclusive experience in Botswana, choose Omogolo Bush Lodges , which borders the Okavango Delta. Accommodation here comprises one or two-bedroom houses that are available for private use. 

Staff are on-call at all hours of the day or night, for housekeeping or other requirements. The lodges are all self-catering, so make sure you bring enough of your favourite food with you to last the duration of your trip (or a private chef!)

Each lodge boasts a spacious lounge area, fully equipped kitchen and king-size bedroom (or two, depending on which lodge you choose!). The houses are built on stilts, allowing for an outdoor shower, expansive balcony and even a private bathroom overlooking the waterhole. The latest addition to Omogolo Bush Lodges, Mangwane, also boasts an outdoor firepit area as well as a swimming pool, perfect for relaxation. 

Located in 1,600 hectares of wilderness bordering the Okavango Delta, the staff can organise mokoro boat trips on the water, or guided bush walks in the area surrounding the lodges. Self-drive safaris may be available in the reserve, but so check with staff for the latest advice before booking. The private reserve is home to elephants, lions, hyenas, leopards, wild dogs and many prey species too. Guests may choose to simply observe the wildlife from the natural waterholes that each lodge overlooks.  

Find out more about the lodges available at Booking.com .

Savute Under Canvas, Savuti, Chobe National Park 

As the name suggests, Savute Under Canvas is a mobile tented camp with guests staying in traditional canvas safari tents, furnished with a king-size bed, storage chest and private bathroom with a bucket shower and flush toilets. In front of each tent is a set of camp chairs where guests can relax after a game drive with their feet in buckets of cold water.

Perhaps the most rustic on this list of the best Botswana safari lodges, the staff at Savute Under Canvas still know how to deliver a luxurious experience. Exceptional food is served around a central dining table for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which is made all the more impressive when you learn it’s all cooked in the minimal camp kitchen or on the campfire itself. 

Safaris at Savute Under Canvas are a wonderful introduction to Botswana. Guests join their guide on a traditional safari vehicle, allowing for exceptional game viewing of all the Big 5 and more. 

Askiebos: Samochima Bush Camp, Okavango Panhandle

This family-run camp on the banks of the Okavango offers comfortable accommodation in the heart of the natural forest. Translated from Afrikaans, ‘Askiebos’ means ‘sorry, bush’, which is what the owners said to the forest each time they made way for their family home. This desire to live in harmony with nature continues to this day, with Samochima Bush Camp ‘s owners offering outdoor showers, organic produce and open-air toilets for their nature-loving guests.  

Each luxurious tent sleeps two people in super-comfortable beds, with private bathrooms, fluffy towels and an area to relax outside on the deck. Some have mini bars, baths and wi-fi, but make sure you check before you book.

The beautiful communal lounge is furnished with comfortable sofas, plush cushions, blankets and plenty of places to enjoy the sights and sounds of the bush, as well as the nearby stream. Home-cooked food and warm hosts complete the long list of reasons guests return again and again to this slice of paradise in Botswana. 

Though not a traditional safari lodge in that game drives aren’t included in the package, there is still plenty of activities on offer. Enjoy sunset boat cruises, basket weaving workshops, guided bird walks and much more. 

Book a stay at Samochima Bush Camp on Booking.com with free cancellation. 

Xaro Lodge, Okavango Delta

Xaro Lodge is another permanent tented camp situated along the banks of the Okavango Delta, in an area considered to be a birder’s paradise. Only accessible by boat, guests are treated to the peace and tranquillity of an exclusive lodge, and all the luxury of one too.

Guests stay in canvas Meru tents fitted with double beds, a dressing area and a private en-suite shower. But with these tents, it’s on the outside that counts. Slide open the large glass door at the foot of the bed, and make yourself at home with a glass of wine in one of the chairs overlooking the river. Bliss.

Communal areas in Xaro Lodge are the perfect place to relax, with plush sofas, bookshelves, and a large dining table where exceptional food is served. Outdoor spaces include a swimming pool, armchairs from which to watch the sunset and a firepit ideal for getting to know your campmates after a busy day in the bush. 

With boat tours and cruises on the Okavango, walking safaris with expert guides and excursions to nearby World Heritage Sites all available for an additional cost at the lodge, there’s plenty to keep you occupied. But don’t ignore the simple pleasure of exploring the area around the camp, keeping your eyes peeled for the huge number of birds calling it home. 

Stays at Xaro Lodge can be booked with free cancellation on Booking.com . 

With such high standards of safari lodges in Botswana, it really is difficult to go wrong. Hopefully, this post has helped you narrow down your list ready for an incredible safari. 

Now you’ve chosen where to stay, make sure you check out my packing list to get ready for your trip! 

Anna is the founder of Really Wildlife. She's a 30-something lover of wildlife travel, vegetables and listening to the Lion King soundtrack on full blast.

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Where to Stay in Botswana

Top 10 Best Botswana Safari Lodges

Enjoy our specially curated selection that seamlessly blends luxury with the raw beauty of the African wilderness. Each accommodation featured in our list promises to be part of a unique safari experience, redefining luxury in the heart of Botswana Safaris . Get in contact below if you wish to stay at any of these amazing locations as part of your safari to Botswana.

1. Jack's Camp

Jack's Camp, located in the Kalahari Desert amid the world's biggest saltpans, provides a unique combination of adventure and education. The camp was discovered by adventurer Jack Bousfield in the 1960s and is currently run by his son, Ralph. Activities involve watching flamingos and wildebeests migrate seasonally and travelling via quad bikes through the massive Makgadikgadi salt pans.

2. Kwando Lagoon Camp

Kwando Lagoon Camp, located on the calm banks of the Kwando River, features eight deluxe safari tents that provide unequalled access to outstanding wildlife-watching chances. The camp, known for sightings of lion, cheetah, leopard, and wild dogs, overlooks the gorgeous Linyanti Wetlands, which provide a variety of habitats ranging from large plains to deep woods for exploration.

3. Mombo Wilderness Camp

Mombo Wilderness Camp is regarded as one of Africa's most opulent hotels, with nine magnificent safari tents lifted two metres above the ground, providing a continuous link to the animals below. Each tent has indoor and outdoor bathrooms, large verandas with private plunge pools, and day beds. Pool, gym, and in-room massages are among the communal amenities.

4. Shinde Camp

Shinde Camp, located on a beautiful island in the northern Okavango Delta, provides a calm water-based experience, including tranquil mokoro journeys and sunset boat excursions. In addition to aquatic activities, the private concession offers game drives and night excursions. Eight deluxe safari tents provide breathtaking views of the floodplains and lagoon, with twin beds, en-suite bathrooms, and private observation decks.

5. Vumbura Plains

Vumbura Plains provides the pinnacle of Okavango Delta luxury safari experiences, with two superb camps located between breathtaking canals and open grassland. Guests may easily switch between land and water experiences, from exhilarating game drives and guided walks to relaxing mokoro excursions and motorboat safaris.

6. Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp

Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp offers the very best of a luxurious but traditional Okavango Delta safari experience. Hidden below a canopy of towering ebony trees, the camp includes nine well-designed tented suites, each with en-suite bathrooms and private patios with sweeping views of a stunning lagoon. Enjoy both land and water adventures, such as thrilling game drives, mokoro excursions, and boat safaris through the Delta's crystal-clear canals teeming with wildlife.

7. Machaba Camp

Machaba Camp is a beautiful tented camp in the Khwai section of the Okavango Delta. Its name means fig tree, and in the local community, it represents life. The rule of this camp is to reconnect with nature and genuinely enjoy the lovely environment around us; the outdoor showers provide the ideal atmosphere for this. The position on the Khwai riverside is ideal for observing game and other flora and fauna; witnessing the animals' daily journey down to the river is spectacular.

8. Sitatunga Private Island Camp

Sitatunga Private Island, located in the magnificent waters of Botswana's Okavango Delta, provides an exclusive refuge with just three exquisite rooms, offering complete privacy and quiet. The island embraces its unique environment, providing a haven not just for visitors but also for the elusive sitatunga antelopes, which thrive in this aquatic wilderness.

9. Okavango Explorers Camp

Okavango Explorers Camp, located in Botswana's Selinda Reserve, welcomes travellers to go on a safari tour reminiscent of the continent's historical explorers. The camp, located at the crossroads of the upper Okavango Delta and the famed Selinda Spillway, provides access to two iconic wildlife-rich environments.

10. Beagle Expeditions

An intimate family-run camp that hosts an environment of simplistic luxury. Spacious dome tents with bedrolls laid out on soft padded carpets provide a warm and comfortable sleeping experience. Each tent has its own en-suite and bucket shower and there's a main area for guests to gather with tables, chairs and a chill-out corner. The backup team will set everything for you under the African sky.

THE 10 BEST Botswana Safaris

Safaris in botswana.

• Nature & Wildlife Tours
• 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Okavango Delta
• Victoria Falls
• Kalahari Breeze Safaris
• MOKORO TRAIL DISCOUNTED PACKAGE
• Likely to Sell Out
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. From Victoria Falls: Chobe National Park Small Group Tour

2. Chobe Full Day Safari Trip

3. 1 Day Okavango Delta Mokoro/Canoe Daytrip

4. 5-Day Explore Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana

5. Chobe Extended Day Trip from Victoria Falls - Zimbabwe

6. Moremi Full Day Trip In The World Renowned Moremi Game Reserve

7. Chobe Safari Day Trip From Livingstone

8. Chobe Extended Day Trip from Victoria Falls - Small Group

9. Chobe Full Day Trip From Victoria Falls

10. Full-day Safari Tour in Chobe

11. Victoria Falls to Chobe National Park, One Day Wildlife Adventure

12. 2 Nights 3 Days Chobe Safari ex Livingstone/ Victoria Falls

13. Chobe National Park from Victoria Falls

14. Victoria Falls Day Trip from Chobe - Silver Package

15. 2 Day 1 Night Chobe Safari ex Livingstone/Victoria Falls

16. 11Day WILDERNESS TRAIL:Okavango,Moremi&Chobe -WildCamping Safari +Victoria Falls

17. chobe 3hr sunset boat cruise

18. Moremi day trip

19. 11 Days Safari Tour In Botswana

20. Chobe Full Day Trip

21. 2 nights 3 days Overnight Mokoro Trail Okavango delta

22. Madikwe Game Reserve Day Tour (Minimum per booking: 5 People)

23. 4-Day Discover Victoria Falls, Chobe and Hwange Park

24. 2 Nights Okavango Delta Mokoro WildCamping Tour, all-inclusive

25. Okavango delta - Chobe Adventure 7 Nights/8 Days

26. 11 Days and 10 Nights Private Northern Explorer Tour

27. Luxury Okavango Safari - 3 Day

28. 1 Night Madikwe Game Reserve

29. Vicfalls daytrip from Kasane

30. 9 Day Best Of Northern Botswana & Victoria Falls - Mix of WildCamping & Lodges

What travelers are saying.

The Best Safari Destinations in Botswana

Central kalahari game reserve.

Great For : Escaping the rest of the world and self drive safari.

Highlights : The great zebra migration, tracking animals around shrivelling waterholes.

An evocative desert that covers most of Botswana, the Central Kalahari is where you’ll find thrilling safari drama . There isn’t much to eat nor much water, so the animals are widely spread.

But if you seek adventure and have a little patience you’ll be bumping between waterholes, coming across all kinds of desert magic.

Check out the national park campsites as this is one of the best places in Africa for a self drive safari .

Best Time to Visit the Central Kalahari : January to April, during and after the rains will show the most wildlife although it’s hard to get around. May to August is also wonderful.

Also Consider : Etosha National Park in Namibia has a similar, wild desert feel.

Combine With : Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, Caprivi, or destinations in Namibia.

Chobe National Park

Great For : Elephants, elephants, elephants. And lots of hippos.

Highlights : The world’s largest elephant population; river safari and budget mobile camps.

It’s possible to picture a herd of 15 elephants. Maybe you can imagine what 100 elephants look like. But 100,000? That’s how many reside in and around the Chobe forests and the experience is unfathomable.

Giraffe and hippos are also incredibly numerous, although the thick greenery makes it pretty hard to see the big cats.

River safaris provide a great introduction and you only need two days to really get a sense of what Chobe is about. Best of all, Chobe is really good value for such a unique safari, especially wild mobile camps in the forest.

Best Time to Visit Chobe : The dry season of May to November has the highest concentration of animals and it’s easy to get around; many of the herds disperse during the rains.

Also Consider : Nearby Linyanti and Selinda for a more exclusive safari in this region.

Combine With : Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta for a brilliant holiday week.

Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve

Great For : Celebrating the wonder of nature and being surrounded by wildlife.

Highlights : The landscape itself; water and walking safaris; getting lost.

Every year the Kalahari Desert floods , thanks to water that has spent three months snaking down from the Angolan Highlands. It creates one of nature’s great events , an oasis that attracts animals from hundreds of miles around.

Moremi Game Reserve is the game-rich heart of the Delta. More than a dozen concessions surround Moremi, each offering a fairly exclusive safari experience.

Just note that a Delta is difficult to get around so it can get expensive to safari here. In general, the further you go towards Moremi the more animals and the higher cost.

A mixed safari program is recommended as the Okavango is probably the best in Africa for a water-based safari and there are great walking and riding options.

Best Time to Visit the Okavango Delta : June to August is when the water is highest and is when the animals migrate here, but the Okavango remains a great destination throughout the rest of the year.

Also Consider : There’s nowhere else in the world like the Okavango.

Combine With : Chobe for a varied safari.

Selinda, Kwando and Linyanti Concessions

Great For :  Highly exclusive and intimate safari experiences.

Highlights : Everything; the landscapes, the guides, the activities and the chance to be alone with nature.

These private concessions showcase a mix of habitats, mingling Chobe-style forests with swamplands, grasslands, and floodplains. The safari experience is unparalleled but it’s also expensive and highly exclusive.

You’ll be paying upwards of USD 1000 per night and access to these concessions is restricted to just a handful of guests.

If you can afford such a premium it’s hard to find a better safari in the whole of Africa , given the abundance and variety of wildlife, plus the intimacy and diversity of experiences.

Best Time to Visit Selinda, Kwando and Linyanti : These destinations are superb all year around. July to October are considered the best months but the other months mean low-season price discounts.

Also Consider : Private concessions in the Greater Kruger .

Combine With : Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta.

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For a unique adventure check out our Trans-Serengeti Balloon Safari!

Best safari lodges in botswana.

From the waterways of the Okavango Delta to the Makgadikgadi pans, we share our favourite safari lodges in Botswana.

11 Apr 2023

Botswana is one of the best places in the world to see wildlife, and punches way above its weight, having an amazing range of environments for one country, plus the world's most famous inland river delta. There is a very wide range of accommodation to suit all budgets, from wild camping to immense tented suites. What you will love is completely subjective, but here are some of my favourites.

Starting with Botswana’s biggest draw, the Okavango Delta , I have divided this up into looking at accommodation options in Chief’s Island and the Moremi Game Reserve, and then looking at the Khwai area.

The Okavango Delta – Chief’s Island and Moremi Game Reserve

1. mombo camp.

Best for Ultra-Luxe

Renowned as the most luxurious camp in the Delta, Mombo delivers when it comes to glamour! Main Mombo has 8 super stylish tented suites (one is a Family Suite), and Little Mombo has just 3, each with its own huge wrap-around veranda with a plunge pool and day beds overlooking the waters of the Okavango. The interiors take safari chic to the limit, there are design details everywhere, such as pigmy beds from the Congo used as coffee tables. The beds are vast, the deep bathtubs are brass, the chandeliers sparkly, and there are indoor and outdoor showers. It is the perfect spot for a luxury Botswana safari.

Mombo’s location means that it is one of the first camps in the area to welcome the arrival of the annual flood and it enjoys exceptional game viewing year round. It’s also the best place in the Okavango to spot Black and White Rhino

All the usual activities are available from Mombo, walking, boating, mokoros and game drives night and day. For more information have a read of best activities to try in the Okavango Delta .

2. Delta Camp

Best for adventure

Off the beaten track, even by Okavango Delta standards, Delta Camp is a pared-back and simple camp, perfect for the adventurous type. There are no engines here, and activities are firmly focused on walking and mokoro (canoe) trips. The camp is deeply rooted in the local community and almost all the staff are drawn from the nearby village, so the connection to the area is strong.

Delta Camp has only 8 simple chalets, nested amongst the trees. They are all slightly different and some have 2 bedrooms making them ideal for families. My favourite room has no front wall at all so you are completely immersed in the landscape. Elephants passing through the camp shake the palm trees sending palm nuts clattering onto your roof – quite a wake-up but you get used to it quickly.

Delta Camp also boasts Botswana’s best treehouse. Nestled high up in a Mukuchumo tree, the treehouse has just been refurbished and has the bedroom, bathroom and deck all on one level. It is possibly not the overnight stop for vertigo sufferers but if you’re adventurous, and romantic and want to enjoy incredible views of elephants wandering underneath you this is the bedroom of your dreams!

3. Oddballs Camp

Best for budget-conscious travellers

Oddballs is a perfect reflection of its name, a joyously offbeat oasis in the heart of Chief’s Island. It was started to offer those with a smaller budget access to the heart of one of the best wildlife areas in the world, and it continues to do just that.

It’s been slightly upgraded since its early days of shared loos, and now all the tents have en-suite loos and showers, but it still stays true to its roots. The staff, like that at its big sister camp Delta, are all drawn from the local village, there are no engines at all, and peace, nature and relaxation are the main events here.

Oddballs Camp

4. Camp Okavango

Best for year-round water

‘Camp O’ as it’s affectionately known amongst old Botswana hands has an enviable location in the heart of the deep lagoons, large lakes and hidden, meandering channels of the Delta and therefore is one of the best places to explore by water all year round.

There are no game drives here, the focus is firmly aquatic! When and if you tire of boating, fishing and mokoro trips you can take game walks on nearby islands.

The camp is small enough to feel intimate and luxurious, but just big enough to have a buzz and the staff are likely to burst into song at any time, be prepared!

Camp Okavango

The Okavango Delta – Khwai Area

The Khwai area on the Northern edge of the Okavango Delta’s ‘outstretched hand’ comprises of a number of concessions, many of which are former hunting areas, which are now being successfully rehabilitated for the benefit of wildlife and wildlife lovers.

Stylish and playful

Tuludi is a small and elegant camp located in Khwai Private Reserve. It has only seven ‘treehouse style’ tents set beneath Leadwood trees and overlooking the game-rich floodplains. The main area is full of playful touches – the camp is connected by wooden walkways, and a slide takes you down from the elevated library to the main area. The details are beautiful and Tuludi has Botswana’s most beautiful bar – no contest!

What’s more, you’re doing good when you stay here, Natural Selection place conservation at the top of its agenda and proceeds from Tuludi are channelled straight back into the eco-tourism initiatives of the area and to the surrounding communities

Tuludi Camp

Savute and Linyanti

North of the Delta lie the Savute (or Savuti) and Linyanti areas, which link the delta with the Chobe River and are magnet for migrating elephants. It’s difficult to get to by road as the ‘roads’ are just deep sand tracks but ideal as part of a fly-in safari.

Savute is named after a mysterious channel which flows in a completely unpredictable manner unrelated to rainfall.

6. Linyanti Bush Camp

Best for off-the-beaten-track

In a country where everywhere is off the beaten track, Linyanti Bush Camp still takes the cake. Overlooking the Linyanti Marsh and backed by a forest of huge leadwood trees Linyanti rewards the intrepid traveller with great sightings of elephant and buffalo which are attracted to feed in the marsh.

It has only 7 tents so you feel far from the busier areas of the neighbouring Chobe National Park and I’m including it because it has lovely staff who make you feel perfectly at home, herds of ellies wander past the front of the camp and because of its location, you feel very much the explorer of times gone by.

Tents are simple but spacious with decks overlooking the marsh, and the honeymoon tent features an old-fashioned claw-footed bath on the deck – perfect for sipping champagne in!

Linyanti Bush Camp

7. Savute Under Canvas

Best for an authentic safari

One of the best options in Savute, and perfect for luxury-loving explorers is andBeyond’s Savute under Canvas. No one does mobile luxury like andBeyond and this camp is no exception. It only has 5 expedition-style tents and is entirely off-grid.

The tents are spacious and simple but a personal butler is on hand throughout so you definately won’t feel like you’re roughing it. andBeyond are famed for the quality of their service and nothing is stinted on, you’ll experience restaurant quality food, fine wines and exceptional attention to detail.

Game viewing is great - the Savute Marsh area is famed for its elephant-hunting lions, but other wildlife thrives and there are other attractions, such as the rock paintings at nearby Gubatsa Hills and walking to see a nearby avenue of ancient baobabs.

Chobe Waterfront

Where Namibia meets Botswana meets Zimbabwe meets Zambia is where you’ll find the Chobe River and Chobe National Park, home to one of the largest elephant populations in Africa.

It’s not everyone’s favourite area as it does attract a high number of visitors due to its proximity to the transport hubs of Vic Falls, Kasane and Livingstone, however, the wide blue waters of the river are undeniably beautiful and a sunset boat cruise is a glorious way to end the day and to take beautiful photos of ellie’s playing in the water.

8. Chobe Game Lodge

Best for location

The only permanent structure in the National Park, Chobe Game Lodge has an unmatched glamourous back story. It was where Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton honeymooned back in the 60s. The honeymoon suite is still the room to have, with its own plunge pool overlooking the grounds and the river.

The interiors of the rooms are light and bright with barrel roofs and colourful textiles. All have views facing over the manicured lawns (featuring the occasional warthog) to the dazzling blue waters of the Chobe River beyond. Chobe Game Lodge is also committed to lightening its environmental footprint, introducing electric safari vehicles and boats, and has recently been remodelled to ensure that it is fully wheelchair accessible.

Chobe Game Lodge

The Tuli Block is a wedge of land located in the far Eastern corner of Botswana, between South Africa and Zimbabwe at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers. It’s one of Botswana’s lesser-known destinations but is really easy to self-drive to from Johannesburg.

Mashatu is long established and the best-known lodge in the area, and rightly so, with an excellent reputation for game viewing and amazing elephant photography from its water-level hide.

But I’m also including a relatively new kid on the (Tuli) block, Koro Island Camp .

9. Koro Island Camp

Best new camp

I love Koro because it’s located on an island in the middle of the river and is only accessible by a suspension bridge so just getting to it makes you feel like Tarzan. It sleeps a maximum of 8 guests so is ideal for small groups or families with great outdoor space from which to enjoy a campfire and listen to the sounds of the night.

The tents are Meru style, under shade netting to keep them cooler, and feature en suite outdoor bathrooms, some with clawfoot bathtubs, perfect for stargazing, and the silk sheets add a touch of luxury. From Koro Island you can take walking safaris in the rugged Kopje strewn landscape, game drives and learn more about their pioneering research into the area’s wildlife.

• Makgadikgadi Pans

The alien landscapes of Makgadikgadi Pans are reminders of a time when a prehistoric superlake covered most of Botswana. Now the pans are home to migrating herds of zebra and flocks of waterbirds including flamingos during the rainy season.

A guide to Botswana's Makgadikgadi Pans

10. San Camp

Best for romance

San Camp shimmers above the bright white pans like a mirage, its white tents redolent of India’s colonial past. The interiors of the guest tents are luxurious with huge raised beds, and wooden panelled en suites. The communal areas are filled with cabinets of curiosities, fossils, animal skulls and prehistoric tools. There is plenty in here to keep you distracted, but of course, the adventure is outside. You can quad bike across the pans, go visit the habituated colony of meerkats nearby or go searching for elusive big game such as brown hyena and aardvark.

San Camp - glamorous, remote and utterly romantic .

Looking for some more inspiration? Take a read of these Botswana blogs.

Best Time To Visit Botswana

Best Family Friendly Safari Lodges in Botswana

Best places to see the big five in Botswana

Best places to see wild dogs in Botswana

Zebra Migration Botswana: everything you need to know.

Ultimate guide to a Safari in Chobe National Park

Botswana's Okovango Delta - Safari Guide

Which is the right camp for you?

I’ve already touched upon the fact that it’s not the cheapest location for a safari but Botswana is so worth saving up for! It delivers wildlife viewing experiences like nowhere else, and there is a camp, or selection of camps that will work for all budgets, allowing the safari lover to enjoy the thrill of back-to-basics canvas expedition camps to the hedonistic heaven of private plunge pools and butler service for those that like their wildlife with 5 stars. It’s possible to mix it up and experience different styles of camp across the different ecosystems, the possibilities are almost endless!

Ready to book your Botswana safari? Get in touch with one of our experts today - 01768 603715.

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Botswana Game Lodges, Tented Camps & Villas

Search our collection of the 132 best botswana game lodges, tented camps & villas, comfort level, property types.

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Located in the Okavango Delta, 4 Rivers enjoys exclusive use of the western side of...

African Bush Camps Atzaro Okavango Camp

Welcome to Atzaro Okavango, a premier safari destination that offers sustainable luxury in the heart...

African Bush Camps Khwai Leadwood

Botswana Okavango Delta Moremi Game Reserve

Set within the Okavango Delta’s community-run Khwai Concession, this beautiful camp is tucked under the...

African Bush Camps Khwai Lediba

Located along the banks of the Khwai River in the Khwai Concession of Botswana, African...

African Bush Camps Linyanti Expeditions

Botswana Chobe National Park

Linyanti Expeditions is an intimate expeditions camp situated in a private concession, bordering the Chobe...

andBeyond Chobe Under Canvas

Chobe National Park Botswana

Among the great game reserves of the world, Chobe National Park is home to one...

andBeyond Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp

Okavango Delta Botswana

A maze of sparkling lagoons, meandering channels and overgrown islands teeming with wildlife, Botswana’s Okavango...

andBeyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge

andBeyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge is situated on a permanent channel of the Okavango Delta,...

andBeyond Savute Under Canvas

Savuti Botswana

Savute, a remote and wild corner of Chobe National Park, stretches from the park’s northern...

andBeyond Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp

andBeyond Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp enjoys luxurious solitude on its own Delta island within a...

Belmond Eagle Island Lodge

Eagle Island Lodge, is the ultimate Okavango Delta water- experience-focused safari lodge. The lodge is...

Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge

Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge is a luxury lodge in Chobe National Park known for its...

Boteti Tented Camp

Botswana Okavango Delta

The rustic and locally-owned Boteti Tented Camp is situated on the banks of the Boteti...

Camp Kalahari

Makgadikgadi Pans Botswana

Camp Kalahari sits among acacias and Mokolwane palms on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Salt...

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Camp Moremi

Moremi Game Reserve Botswana

Camp Moremi has a well-deserved legacy in the Botswana tourism industry for being able to...

Camp Okavango

Camp Okavango, a unique and exclusive African safari camp is situated on the remote Nxaragha...

Camp Savuti

Botswana Chobe National Park Savuti

Camp Savuti has become famous for its exceptional game viewing opportunities. In particular, it is...

Camp Xakanaxa

Camp Xakanaxa is located on the banks of the Khwai River on the Xakanaxa Lagoon,...

Botswana accommodation options

Untouched landscapes, eco-tourism and a variety of adventurous activities, like mokoro cruises, guided game walks, cultural tours and Big 5 game spotting safaris , make Botswana a popular safari destination with fantastic options for Botswana accommodation.

Botswana’s careful accommodation development means there are relatively fewer properties compared to other safari destinations, but you’ll still be spoiled for choice for Botswana safari lodges, game lodges and tented camps in Botswana. 

Botswana stakes claim to Africa’s second biggest migration route , which means you’ll see massive herds of zebra, wildebeest and buffalo, which attract throngs of top predators.

Botswana Safari Lodges, Game Lodges & Tented Camps

Of all the safari destinations in Africa, Botswana has put possibly the most effort into its tourism business and infrastructure, offering some of the best Botswana safari lodges, luxury Botswana game lodges and tented camps for Botswana safari holidays . Many of Botswana’s camps are unique both in destination and character and none are fenced, allowing for the free movement of wildlife throughout the region. 

The Okavango Delta , Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park are some of the most iconic destinations where you’ll find some of the best accommodation in Botswana.

Top Botswana lodges include popular land-based safari lodges in Chobe and Moremi as well as water-based game lodges in the Okavango Delta and remote Botswana tented camps in the Kalahari. Situated in prime game viewing areas, Botswana accommodation features stunning landscapes and exceptional wildlife spotting opportunities close to your Botswana safari lodge, game lodge or Botswana tented camp. 

Botswana’s low-density tourism and eco-friendly lodges make it a stunning destination for your safari vacation. Chief’s Island, in the heart of the Moremi Game Reserve, is a massive sand island that covers 1000km2 of the central Delta region. On the north-western tip of Chief’s Island lies one of the Okavango’s most famous game viewing areas, the Mombo concession. When the water levels of the Okavango Delta rise during winter floods, many animals move to find dry land on the island.

Botswana has designed an Ecotourism Certification System to encourage tourism businesses to support responsible environmental, social, and cultural behaviour. 

In the Chobe National Park area, Chobe Game Lodge’s game vehicles are all 100% electric and only 5% of their waste is disposed of in a local landfill site. In the Okavango Delta, most camps are run on solar power and Botswana tented camps are designed to leave no trace once packed up. To support local communities, most camps are involved in projects like schools and clinics and fresh produce is bought from local farmers. 

Botswana’s Chobe and Savuti regions constitute a rich diversity of habitats that fall mostly within the boundaries of Chobe National Park, Botswana’s oldest wildlife reserve. Chobe National Park is located in the north-east of Botswana, falling within the convergence of two major biomes: Kalahari savanna meets broad-leaved and acacia woodland as well as Zambezi teak forest. Wherever you choose to spend your safari vacation, the country’s got you covered with some of the top Botswana safari lodges, luxury Botswana game lodges and excellent Botswana tented camps on the continent.

Popular Search Terms: Botswana accommodation, Botswana tented camps, Botswana safari lodges & Botswana game lodges

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Botswana is the richest, best governed, fairest and least corrupt country in Africa and one of the sunniest and most crime-free places in the world.

The country has a very strong conservation ethos, with over 30% of the total land area under full protection.

The landscapes are dominated by the vast and arid Kalahari Desert ...

... with wildlife tending to congregate around the few precious pans, rivers and floodplains.

The highest quality safari in Africa

Botswana is home to some of the finest wilderness areas, containing some of the greatest wildlife viewing and some of the finest safari camps on the continent, of that there is little doubt.

The luxury lodges of the Kruger Private Reserves in South Africa may be more convenient to access, offer greater levels of conventional comforts and be able to deliver up the big five before breakfast, but their landscapes are not so beautiful or anywhere near as vast and truly wild as those of northern Botswana.

Similarly an overland safari through Northern Tanzania may offer a much greater breadth of experience in terms of landscape, culture and wildlife viewing, but the core wilderness experience is nowhere near as pure as it is here.

Quite apart from the beauty of the landscape and the richness and diversity of the wildlife, the one thing that makes safari in northern Botswana so wonderful is the way the land has been divided up into private concessions. 

In a nutshell, the government grants safari operators exclusive use of vast private concession areas and strictly limits the number of guests that they are able to entertain there. This has leads to a pioneering type of high-value, low-volume low-impact tourism which is able to deliver amazing wilderness experiences to those lucky few who are able to afford it.

There are very few parts of Africa where such prime safari areas remain so pristine and untrodden.

Water-based safari in the Okavango Delta

The best known Botswana safari area is the Okavango Delta, arguably Africa's greatest wetland area.

Okavango is naturally famous for its water-based safari.

Drifting by mokoro canoe through the reed beds, taking in the bird, reptile and amphibian fauna is remarkably tranquil and hypnotic. The quintessential Botswana safari experience.

Travelling by motorboat through the papyrus swamps and open waters is naturally a faster, louder and less subtle, but offers greater chances of interaction with larger animals such as hippos, elephants and buffaloes in particular.

Hardcore wildlife viewing in Linyanti

Lying to the north of the Okavango Delta is the smaller Linyanti Waterfront. Here the ratio of wet to dry safari leans much more towards the latter end of the scale and the area has a reputation for some of the most hard-hitting and intense wildlife viewing in Africa.

The main highlights are elephants, which are here in prodigious numbers during the May-Nov dry season, as well as predators including lions, leopards, hyenas, cheetahs and wild-dogs, with an unusual amount of predator on predator action.

The Linyanti area perfectly compliments Okavango and most high quality safaris include camps in both areas.

The remarkable emptiness of Magkadikgadi

In the heart of Botswana lie the vast salt pans of Makgadikgadi, the remnants of a vast prehistoric lake. This is an other-worldly flatness, often quoted as being the closest most of us will ever get to visiting another planet.

A quad-bike trip out onto the Makgadikgadi pans is one of several amazing experiences offered out here by a small number of camps which specialise in making a great deal out of this apparently empty landscape.

Green season wildlife viewing in the Kalahari

The peak season for visiting the prime areas of Okavango and Linyanti are the dry summer months of May/Nov. 

During the converse Dec/Apr summer season, the light rains that fall across the Kalahari turn the usually parched landscapes into verdant pastures, which tempts enormous quantities of animals to migrate out from the permanent sources of water and gather together in secret locations amongst the fossilized dunes.

As well as the Makgadikgadi area mentioned above, the Nxai Pan and Central Kalahari reserves also benefit from this green season effect and most quality safaris look to include at least one of these areas in combination with Okavango during this period.

Flying around in light aircraft

Almost all of the quality camps in Botswana are accessed by light aircraft, which means that hopping around the country has become an integral part of the safari experience, which is extremely convenient and can provide some fabulous low altitude wildlife viewing.

Breadth of safari activities

Private concession holders in Botswana are permitted an unusual degree of freedom when it comes to safari activities.

All but the very wettest areas operate the usual vehicle safaris, on which the vast majority of serious wildlife viewing encounters are experienced.

All wet areas are permitted to operate safari by mokoro canoe and most also by motorboat, with some properties really specialising into this type of activity.

Almost all areas outside the national parks are permitted to also operate walking safaris, although not generally to the levels seen in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Several camps have built and maintain excellent wildlife viewing hides, some of which are amongst the best in Africa, most notably in the East Linyanti concession.

Night vehicle safaris are also offered in most areas, with the camps in Okavango Kwara and Linyanti Kwando having a particularly good reputation for taking it seriously. A good night drive can deliver a far higher level of predator action than the equivalent daytime activity.

There are also a few camps which offer top quality horse-back safari.

There are very few parts of Africa which are able to offer such a broad range of activities, which is the main reason that good safaris into the area can easily run to nine or more days. Although you do need deep pockets for a safari that long.

High quality of safari guiding

The lodges in Botswana deliver and exceptional range and quality of safari guiding. 

If you are looking for a really hard-hitting, intense, predator-focused, then the camps in the Okavango Kwara and Linyanti Kwando areas are truly outstanding.

If you are looking for a more gentle safari experience, then the camps in Linyanti Selinda and Okavango Duba Plains are exceptional, whilst those in Okavango Jao Flats, Okavango Vumbura Plains, Okavango Chitabe and Linyanti East can be extremely good.

Quality control

Because the whole of your safari is provided by the camp in which you are staying and because Northern Botswana is a relatively easy environment in which to operate, particularly politically, most safari companies are able to deliver exceptional levels of reliability, the likes of which are simply not possible in other environments.

Broken down vehicles are not a catastrophic problem, since another can be called out from camp. Food and beverage service can be carefully monitored and quality maintained from well equipped and well staffed kitchens. The whole experience from airstrip to airstrip can be delivered with an incredible level of organisation and, in a good proportion of cases, a great deal elegance.

If anything your safari is at risk of being too comfortable and too well organised to feel sufficiently adventurous, so it is worth pushing the envelope a little when choosing your lodges.

Botswana contains several key safari areas ...

The best known location is the fabulous Okavango Delta which, remarkably, floods in the middle of the dry season.

The Linyanti Waterfront is a lesser known safari area, but right up there with the very best.

Makgadikgadi is a dry desert area which offers a remarkable range of unusual and complementary safari experiences.

The absolutely vast Central Kalahari is another dry safari area and a great contrast to the wetlands.

Chobe is a very important reserve for conservation, but safari here is rather busy and lower quality these days.

Most visitors combine two, three or four camps in these key areas over a total of 6 to 14 nights in country.

Safari accommodation in Botswana varies from relatively simple and earthy bush camps ...

... to some of the most lavish, elegant and highly priced super-luxury lodges in Africa.

Access is primarily by air from Johannesburg, with easy connections to Victoria Falls and Cape Town.

The experience within Botswana is usually very clean and easy, simply hopping between remote camp locations by light aircraft.

The best time for safari is generally the May-Nov dry season, but there are very good reasons to visit year round.

The main potential downsides are very high prices, very high traffic in the public access areas and weaker wildlife in some areas Dec-Apr.

Botswana, like all locations, has a long list of potential downsides. Please do not be unnecessarily put off by this section. Our only intention in raising these issues is to ensure that you get to the best and most appropriate places and that your expectations are met and hopefully exceeded ...

Very high prices

The number one reason not to go on safari in Botswana has to be price. 

The vast majority of the best wildlife areas and the best lodges are contained within the fabulous private concession areas of Okavango and Linyanti, which are inherently expensive to visit. In fact the average price of camps in these areas is the highest in Africa. 

The fact that these lodges are simply out of range for the vast majority of people is an inevitable (and in fact deliberate) consequence of the low-volume, high-value tourism model being deployed by the government.

If you are amongst the many who are not prepared to pay the premium high season prices, then we recomment that you investigate the spectacular shoulder and low season savings or turn your attentions to other countries where safari is fundamentally lower cost.

Shortage of availability

The other negative consequence of low-volume, high-value tourism is that there simply are not enough beds to go around, even at these elevated prices.

The best Okavango and Linyanti lodges tend to sell out way in advance of virtually all other properties in Africa. In a good year they could probably sell their high season beds five or ten times over.

For the main Jun/Oct safari season we recommend booking a year in advance, especially if your dates are fixed and you have specific lodges in mind. If you have more than two people in your group than you could even think about booking even further ahead.

If you cannot book that far in advance then we recommend keeping your dates and itinerary ideas as flexible as possible, in order that we can work around the remaining availability. It can be possible to put great trips together right up until the last minute, we do have a few tricks up our sleeves to help us 'find' space!

Overcrowding in the public access areas

Those safari visitors to Botswana who are not able to afford the camps in the private concessions are obliged to stick to the national parks and other open access areas. This forces very high numbers of people into relatively small areas, causing major traffic and tonality issues. 

Whilst locations such as the Mopane Tongue sector of Moremi National Park may remain targets for South African self-drivers and budget overlanders, for the majority of international visitors they have become rather peripheral and unappealing.

Here at ATR we have always prided ourselves in being able to seek out decent lower cost alternatives, to work around the fringes to find ways of creating cool wilderness safaris that don't cost the earth. But Botswana is a stitch up, a very bold line has been drawn in the sand, separating quality high priced safari on the one side and still-quite-pricey but rather second rate safari on the other.

Narrow focus of Botswana flying safaris

Most people who contact us to arrange their first safari naturally think that their experience will focus mainly, if not exclusively, on watching animals. In fact many people are worried that after a couple or three days it might get a bit boring.

In reality a good safari is a much broader experience, made up of four roughly equal elements ... 

... spending quality time with wildlife ... journeying through amazing landscapes ... meeting local people and experiencing local cultures ... enjoying the lodges themselves

Safaris in Botswana tend to excel in the first of these four elements, offering probably the highest quality wildlife viewing in Africa.

But, as we will describe in the next few sections, Botswana safaris are usually deficit in the other three areas, meaning that experience here could be viewed as being rather narrow-focussed.

We often think of Botswana as somewhere that causes people to fall in love with the continent's wildlife. But a wider range of experience may be needed if you are to fall in love with Africa itself.

Lack of landscape

Northern Botswana is absolutely flat as a pancake. Although large parts of the country are extremely pretty, this is not the place to come for dramatic vistas, sweeping panoramas and distant mountain ranges.

The vast expanse of flatness can, in itself, be rather impressive, especially in areas such as Makgadikgadi where the vast nothingness causes the sky itself to expand into something much more dominant and impressive. Or in the Central Kalahari where the landscape undulates over ancient fossilised dunes under the same enormous skies.

The better watered areas such as Okavango and Linyanti are very scenic, with stunning waterfront and lagoon areas, dotted with stands of mature riparian woodland and scenic palm-covered islands.

But there may be times when you find yourself wishing for a little more scenic variety, especially amongst the vast areas of low mopane woodland, which seems to stretch on forever with few discernible landmarks to differentiate one place from the next.

Lack of cultural interaction

These days in Northern Botswana the vast majority of visitors experience virtually no significant interaction local people.

This is partially because the region has a relatively low population density. The sandvelt does not lend itself to agriculture and vast areas are needed to sustain livestock. So even when overlanding through the region there is relatively little opportunity to encounter and interact with local people in the same way that one might in other more naturally fertile parts of Africa.

However a much more significant factor is that the vast majority of visitors these days safari through the region by light aircraft. Apart from passing aerial views of Maun and Kasane when connecting in and out, chances are you will not see much in the way of local habitations. The experience is all about hopping between beautiful isolated lodges in the wilderness. So the only local people you will meet are likely to be those working at the camps themselves.

Most camps try to make up this deficit by getting the staff to convey something of their culture, which is generally a good thing, but it is not the same as meeting real people on roadsides, at markets and in villages.

Lack of overland options

We love overland safaris and sometimes feel quite sad that so much of modern day safari is carried out by air. A flying safari naturally does not have the same sense of journey that an overland safari can deliver, especially one through a more diverse set of landscapes.

But in this part of the world we agree that flying safari is the best way to go because ...

... the landscapes do not lend themselves to interesting driving routes ... the areas open to overland safaris suffer from serious traffic problems ... most of the best private concession areas cannot be accessed by road ... distances are large and road conditions challenging

If you are more interested in an overland safari then you are probably best advised to look at Northern Tanzania for a proper guided safari or Namibia for a self-drive and guided combination.

Flaccid lodges

When out on safari in Botswana the greatest risk is not that the lodges are too rough, but that they are too polished.

The private concession lodges of Okavango and Linyanti all have the potential to deliver absolutely mind-blowing experiences to their guests. They are in such amazingly wild, beautiful and abundant locations, they are often so beautifully constructed and the safari that they offer has so much potential to thrill and enchant.

Yet so many fall short.

Usually a lodge rated 8 or higher on our website would be indicative of a pretty decent offering. But in Okavango and Linyanti, where the natural environment gives a lodge such a great head start, a peak season score of anything lower than 9.5 is an indication of some degree of failure.

By far the biggest problem stems from the fact that the lodges in Botswana, although small in size, are actually owned or managed by larger companies which can bring with them an uncomfortably corporate and formulaic approach. Lodges with genuine individuality and personality are exceptions. Most lodges deliver a more mechanical type of service which, for those guests who have had the luxury of previously staying in more characterful properties in other countries, can feel rather shallow.

In these flaccid lodges guests tend to be treated to a rehearsed sing-a-long by staff on arrival, a whole barrage of stale banter during an over-long arrival briefing and a tirade of tired jokes over dinner. Safari activities in these lodges tends to be shorter and less involving, with guides not really engaging with their environment, simply taking guests on a tootle around whatever wildlife happens to be standing around rather than going out on a mission to track and find stuff.

We despair of these camps and have made repeated attempts to improve the situation. We are a large and significant customer for most of the offending safari operators and yet we find it very difficult to make substantive progress in this area.

The biggest problem is that most of the guests don't seem to notice that they are being short-changed by the tepid experience that they are being offered. By worldwide standards even the poor performing lodges here are very good hospitality facilties, so guests are happy. But these lodges should be delivering extraordinary and life-changing experiences.

We ask you to please try to read between the lines when we recommend one lodge over another, it can be politically difficult for us to openly criticise specific locations or operators.

Age and nationality profile of visitors

The dynamic of a lodge can be severely impaired when its guest profile becomes dominated by a single nationality or age group.

More than any other safari area, the Okavango Delta is favoured by an aged American customer base, the 'grey dollar' as it is affectionately known!

We estimate that of all visitors to the private concession lodge of the delta, over 75% are from the USA and Canada, with an average age around 60 years.

In most lodges this is a very uplifting customer profile, the guests tend to be extremely knowledgeable, engaged, kind, considerate, sociable and generally a real delight to spend time with.

In fact all of us here at ATR who have had significant exposure to guests of this profile over the years, whether in our sales office or in the camps, consider it to have been an absolute privilege and a pleasure. The cartoon caricature of the American abroad as a loud-mouth in plaid pants could not be further from the truth.

But in some lodges this profile is even more extreme, increasing to more like 95% American, with an average age of around 70 years. That means for every young honeymoon couple you need 10 octogenarians to maintain the average!

We have to be careful and aware of this issue when planning trips for honeymooners and families with young children.

Cattle fences and cheap beef

The issue of cattle fences is a major environmental subject which should concern all who are interested in wildlife conservation in Botswana.

Since around 1965 the government of Botswana has been erecting vast fences across the country in an attempt to prevent the spread of diseases between wildlife and domestic livestock.

These fences have caused a massive loss of wildlife, primary because they sever many of the key wildlife migration routes.

The fences are made necessary in order to comply with with beef importation rules from overseas food standards agencies, notably in the European Union. Beef production in Botswana is unnaturally promoted by the EU and others in the form of import subsidies and duty waivers. Yet beef production only represents 4% of GDP, benefits only a minority of wealthy Botswanans, has led to chronic overgrazing in delicate semi-desert ecosystems and a massive depletion of wildlife.

Wildlife tourism is worth a great deal more to Botswana than cattle production, so conservation bodies are trying to exert pressure on the government to start dismantling fences and increase the land areas under full conservation.

At the moment we are recommending that the best way that you can exert pressure on the Botswana government is to continue travelling to the country, since the stronger the demand for photographic tourism, the more conservation issues can take precedence over agriculture.

Does not combine easily with tropical beaches

In common with all safari areas in Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia, Botswana does not combine easily with any tropical beach locations.

Unlike the safari areas of Kenya and Tanzania, which are just a short hop by light aircraft away from the fabulous tropical coast, from here it is usually necessary to fly down to Johannesburg and overnight before continuing on to Mozambique, Zanzibar, Mauritius or the Seychelles.

It's not a disaster, but it certainly breaks the trip in two.

In common with virtually all decent safari areas, this part of the world is malarial, so your doctor will probably wish to prescribe prophylaxis drugs.

If you are pregnant, have young children or are in any other way concerned about taking such drugs, then you may prefer to safari in non-malarial areas such as Tswalu, Madikwe, Waterberg Mountains or Eastern Cape, all in South Africa.

Although you do need to appreciate that none of these areas are anywhere near as wild and wonderful.

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This Safari Company Has 9 All-inclusive Camps That Let You See the Best of Botswana by Foot, Boat, and Jeep

I visited three Desert & Delta lodges for one epic adventure. Here's how to craft your dream Botswana itinerary.

Nina Ruggiero is Travel + Leisure's senior editorial director and the co-founder of Be A Travel Writer , an online course for aspiring travel journalists. A New Yorker based in Los Angeles, she has a special interest in beach destinations, outdoor adventures, unique hotels, pet-friendly travel with her golden retriever, @travelswithcali, and all things Italy.

Camp Moremi

Camp okavango, chobe game lodge.

Nina Ruggiero / Travel + Leisure

It was day four of our trip to Botswana with Desert & Delta, and my fiancé and I were on our first safari by mokoro , a traditional dug-out canoe. Gliding quietly through the Okavango Delta in our sunken seats, it felt like we were the only people on the planet — until we turned the bend and caught a glimpse of our next surprise through the reeds. 

The staff of Camp Okavango, already fast friends of ours, stood ankle-deep in the river, grinning and waving their arms in the air, excited to show us the full bar they’d set up for sundowners, right in the middle of the water. As the sun started to set and they handed us our gin and tonics, an elephant appeared, perfectly on cue.

Nina Ruggiero / Travel + Leisure

Most evenings, our guide, Isak, took a “wrong turn” that ended with a cheeky smile and stunning cocktail setup in an impossibly remote spot, yet somehow we found ourselves truly surprised each time. Add in the serendipitous cooperation of the local wildlife, and you have a recipe for pure magic that couldn’t be replicated in the world’s best bars. 

That element of surprise kept us on a natural high all week long — with credit due to the human and non-human animals in almost equal measure. On day one, we laughed when Isak told us his favorite safari animal was the human. By the end, while I was personally still torn between lions and elephants, humans had moved far up my list. 

At Camp Okavango, we crossed the path of a lion while touring the bush on foot, got an overview of Nxaragha Island from a doorless helicopter, and went fishing downstream from a herd of hippos. At Camp Moremi, we started our mornings with families of monkeys, caught a majestic elephant water crossing, and watched the circle of life unfold as lions and lionesses took turns ravaging their prey. At Chobe Game Lodge, we marveled at spirited elephant calves splashing around while their elders protected them from crocs, and excitedly tracked little roars to find lion cubs playing at dusk. Leading each experience was a guide with encyclopedia-like knowledge that wowed us and enthusiasm that fueled our childlike wonder.

A 40-year-old company with nine camps and lodges that touch Botswana’s Chobe National Park, Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Moremi Game Reserve, Okavango Delta, Savuti Channel, and more, Desert & Delta offers safaris by jeep, foot, and boat. Guests have the chance to mix and match camps to form their dream Botswana itinerary, or they can choose from curated all-inclusive packages . With more than 40 percent of its land dedicated to conservation, it’s difficult to beat Botswana as a safari destination — it’s home to eight game reserves, four national parks, and the largest African elephant population in the world. And there may be no better way to see the best of the country on one trip than going with Desert & Delta.

Within minutes of our bush plane landing near Camp Moremi , we encountered a new type of traffic as a journey of giraffes crossed in front of us, swiftly reminding us we weren't in Los Angeles anymore. The camp's location inside Moremi Game Reserve means the safari starts before you even check in. We arrived on property — a few hours late after begging to continue the game drive — and found 12 thatched tents, rebuilt in 2018 with canopied beds, private decks, and rain showers made of stone and wood. Cozy common areas included a bush-side fire pit deck, a pool, a library lounge, and a bar built around an ebony tree. We had many group meals at the long, wooden tables in the thatch-roofed dining room, and one romantic, private candlelit dinner on the deck. 

On our November trip, morning and afternoon game drives through Moremi Game Reserve were where we found the majority of our animal sightings in Botswana, including lions, zebra, hippos, elephants, giraffes, wildebeest, and more. It’s also possible to see leopards, cheetahs, and wild dogs. Steps from camp, we hopped on a motorized boat and explored the channels of the Xakanaxa Lagoon, where we spotted birds of all colors and sizes, an elephant taking a swim, and an unforgettable red sunset. 

Located on a remote island in the Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Camp Okavango feels like a secret hideaway. It holds 12 suites connected by a wooden boardwalk and surrounded by lush vegetation. Views of the surrounding wilderness from the dining room and pool deck below are completely different and equally beautiful as the day shifts from morning to night. For adventurous guests, there’s also a sleep-out deck with an immaculate bedroom and bathroom on a raised platform under the stars. 

At Camp Okavango, safaris are by boat (motorized and mokoro), on foot (with two protective guides), or by helicopter (for an additional fee). There are no vehicles there, but as we cruised the delta past hippos and elephants, made eye contact with a vigilant mother giraffe on foot, and paused to let a shy family of warthogs scurry by us, we didn’t miss the Jeep. 

A true luxury lodge and the only permanent game lodge within Chobe National Park, it’s not hard to see why Chobe Game Lodge has attracted the likes of Prince Harry and Elizabeth Taylor, who wed Richard Burton there (for the second time) in 1975. The Lodge has 44 rooms, all looking out over the Chobe River, four of them with private plunge pools. With elegant dining areas and bars, a scenic boardwalk, and a billiard room, it’s easy to unwind between game drives and boat tours. 

Here, all guides are female — a training program for women has been running since 2005 — and innovations in ecotourism have been recognized by the Botswana Tourism Organisation. Safaris are run via electric vehicles in the park and electric boats on the river, both gentle on the environment and offering a quiet approach that helps guests observe animals up close. Each day, we looked forward to boarding our boat with our guide, Miss B., and watching elephant families revel in their time at the watering hole, often coexisting with lions, hippos, and crocodiles on one incredibly lively riverbank. 

A refurbished Nxamaseri Island Lodge reopened in May, and it now hosts Desert & Delta's first wellness spa. Guests are gifted a complimentary treatment and escorted to the spa by water in a mokoro. A new pool also looks over the Nxamaseri Channel.

Rebuilt and reopening in June for the 2024 safari season, Savute Safari Lodge now has 12 contemporary, temperature-controlled rooms with outdoor showers and Savute Channel views, plus indoor and outdoor dining, a pool, and a sunken wildlife viewing area that puts guests at eye level with the animals.

For a totally off-the-grid experience, guests of Desert & Delta's Leroo La Tau lodge between June and October can book a Makgadikgadi Salt Pan sleep-out to dine by an open fire immersed in nature and sleep on a rollout bed under the endless night sky. Leroo La Tau is also the best place to see a massive zebra migration — and it was refurbished with migration viewing in mind in 2023.

To browse all nine properties and the experiences Desert & Delta offers, visit desertdelta.com .

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The Okavango's waterways are often crystal clear; great for a tranquil mokoro trip.

The Makgadikgadi Salt Pans are the bed of an ancient lake

All of our fishing in the Okavango is done catch-and-release

Floating papyrus reed beds create a new experience for every boat trip

A leopard will exploit every possible advantage when hunting

Animals in Botswana's protected areas are generally relaxed around safari vehicles

The Gomoti River forms part of Moremi Game Reserve's southern boundary.

Botswana Safari Holidays

Botswana is a land of raw beauty, protecting one of the last great wildernesses on earth.

For a safari holiday, Botswana is hard to match. With no fences around the parks, reserves or wildlife concessions, the animals roam free across huge and mostly contiguous areas of the country. This, combined with strong protection of natural habitats, has resulted in healthy and stable wildlife populations. Here you'll find one of the highest concentrations of elephants in Africa, as well as a wide variety of other big game species, from buffalo and giraffe to the big cats: lions , leopards and cheetahs all thrive here. Botswana is even one of the last strongholds for Africa's most successful predators, wild dogs . For the visitor on holiday, the exclusivity of Botswana's safaris is a major draw – as is the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Okavango Delta . The government's policy of "low-volume, high-income" tourism has succeeded in spreading relatively few visitors across these vast expanses of wilderness, so you can expect a very private safari experience, one that you’ll share with animals, not people. If you're looking for a safari destination that offers the best of the best, Botswana is the place for you. With its stunning landscapes, abundant wildlife, and exclusive safari experience, Botswana is a truly unforgettable destination.

Botswana safari areas: the key destinations

A Botswana safari is often synonymous with the Okavango Delta , yet the entirety of northern Botswana mirrors the Delta's mosaic of ecosystems.

Even the Delta itself offers variety, with the central Moremi Game Reserve and surrounding private concessions providing secluded wildlife encounters. The private reserves in the Kwando-Linyanti area , and the Selinda Spillway, along with the popular Chobe Riverfront, boast impressive game sightings, and the lesser-visited Savuti in Chobe National Park is a magical spot for mobile safaris.

For a different Delta perspective, the more budget-friendly Okavango Panhandle to the north-west offers unique attractions and access to the ancient rock art of the Tsodilo Hills.

A comprehensive Botswana safari experience would also include the the vast, open saltpans like Nxai Pan and Makgadikgadi, set in the Kalahari with its transient wildlife and expansive skies, and the remote Central Kalahari Game Reserve .

Okavango Delta

41 places to stay

Often glamorous, always exclusive, a safari in the pristine wilderness of the Okavango Delta offers the ultimate in wildlife viewing.

22 places to stay

At the heart of the Okavango Delta, the game-rich Moremi has national-park status – without the exclusivity of the surrounding private reserves.

Kwando-Linyanti

13 places to stay

With wildlife aplenty and a heady mix of safari options, the exclusive private reserves of the Kwando-Linyanti area have serious appeal.

The most long-standing of Botswana’s safari destinations, Chobe is home to huge herds of elephant – and the lion who hunt them.

Central Kalahari

7 places to stay

Vast in scale, extreme in climate, the CKGR is the domain of adventurous-minded travellers in search of a very different wilderness.

Kalahari Salt Pans

Often overlooked, the vast, photogenic expanses of the Kalahari Salt Pans present unique rewards for the savvy visitor.

North-west Kalahari

3 places to stay

Much of the north-western Kalahari is very remote. There are a few good lodges here, but it is best visited on a mobile safari.

Long the starting point for expeditions into the wild, Maun is bustling little town that is still the safari capital of Botswana.

Ten best safari holidays in Botswana

All our wildlife safari tours are tailor-made, but to set the ball rolling we have carefully put together ten popular suggestions here.

These holidays vary, but each features all-inclusive safari lodges, excellent guiding and the incredible diversity of wildlife for which Botswana is renowned. So whether you’re in search of leopard or wild dog, or seeking out a magical mokoro trip along reed-lined channels, or looking for the vast African elephant herds that roam Botswana’s wilderness areas, you'll find all of them here.

Then contact us when you’re ready to delve deeper, and we’ll help to guide you through the complexities to find a trip that will be perfect for you.

Wild Dog Safari

13 days • 5 locations KASANE AIRPORT TO MAUN AIRPORT

An in-depth discovery of northern Botswana’s wilderness, from Chobe and the private Kwando Reserve to the Moremi and iconic Okavango Delta with a great variety of activities and wildlife.

US$12,230 - US$21,930 per person

Porcupine Safari

11 days • 4 locations MAUN AIRPORT TO MAUN AIRPORT

Visit dramatically contrasting landscapes boasting a variety of species during this exploration of Botswana’s top-safari destinations. A combination of national parks and private reserves allows for a range of activities.

US$10,710 - US$16,860 per person

Spring Hare Safari

9 days • 3 locations KASANE AIRPORT TO MAUN AIRPORT

An authentic and diverse safari to Botswana combining the Chobe Forest Reserve, Savuti Marshes and the Okavango Delta. Strong wildlife viewing, a variety of activities and excellent value camps.

US$7,290 - US$13,320 per person

Large-spotted Genet Safari

9 days • 3 locations MAUN AIRPORT TO MAUN AIRPORT

A luxury safari exploring the Okavango Delta and Linyanti–Savuti, two of the best wildlife viewing areas in Botswana, staying at three top camps renowned for their guiding for a first-class experience.

US$10,930 - US$23,640 per person

Red Lechwe Safari

Superb guiding from three fabulous camps full of character in three contrasting areas for a fabulous safari to the Okavango Delta and Kalahari Desert.

US$10,800 - US$25,210 per person

Steenbok Safari

A classic Botswana safari exploring the Moremi, Chobe National Park and Okavango Delta. Excellent wildlife viewing and a variety of activities from three of our favourite traditional tented camps.

US$7,260 - US$13,480 per person

Pangolin Safari

8 days • 3 locations MAUN AIRPORT TO MAUN AIRPORT

Three relaxed, local feeling camps in pristine settings – the Kwando Reserve and Okavango Delta. Guided by a driver and tracker at each, this a great trip for spotting Botswana’s top predators.

US$7,760 - US$16,190 per person

Bushbuck Safari

Discover three of Botswana’s best game-viewing regions with stays in the private Linyanti, Chitabe and Vumbura reserves. Intimate, smart camps offer a range of activities by which to discover these stunningly varied habitats.

US$13,570 - US$31,740 per person

Reedbuck Safari

Focussing on the Okavango Delta and combining the crème de la crème of Botswana’s camps – Zarafa, Vumbura Plains and Mombo – this is one of the finest safari experiences in Africa.

US$18,160 - US$36,280 per person

Tsessebe Safari

7 days • 3 locations MAUN AIRPORT TO MAUN AIRPORT

Visit three sister-camps in and around Moremi Game Reserve during this thorough exploration of the Okavango Delta. A range of activities provide excellent opportunity to observe the local birdlife, mammals and fauna.

US$7,790 - US$11,820 per person

View all holidays

Our travellers' most recent reviews of Botswana safari holidays

Feedback from our travellers is exceptionally important for us.

It helps us stay up to date with changes; it helps our travellers to plan their trips; and it even helps us to understand our travellers better. It’s also very valuable to partners running lodges and camps across Africa who appreciate feedback that is guaranteed genuine and often constructive.

All of our Botswana holiday reviews are published in full without us editing them. See all 1270 Botswana safaris reviews here , or click on a card below to read one of our most recent reviews in full.

Arrived 15 May 2024, 11 nights

"Botswana Magic 5/24"

Overall rating: Excellent

Arrived 9 Apr 2024, 15 nights

"My Apr 2024 trip"

Arrived 3 May 2024, 15 nights

"My May 2024 trip"

Arrived 3 May 2024, 9 nights

Arrived 12 Apr 2024, 7 nights

Arrived 17 Feb 2024, 11 nights

"My Feb 2024 trip"

Arrived 7 Feb 2024, 17 nights

"This was truly very special!"

Arrived 28 Jan 2024, 9 nights

"My Jan 2024 trip"

Arrived 18 Dec 2023, 20 nights

"My Dec 2023 trip"

Arrived 29 Oct 2023, 31 nights

"My Oct 2023 trip"

See all Botswana reviews

Our travellers' wildlife sightings across Botswana

Many of our travellers record their wildlife sightings for us – of the big cats, wild dogs, buffalos, elephants, giraffes, etc … – and kindly share these with us after their safari.

This is great citizen science! Analysing the data gives us a unique picture of the distribution of the species, and your chances of sighting a species at a camp on one of our Botswana safari holidays. ( Read how this survey works. )

The percentages below just give an ‘average’ percentage showing how likely a visitor on safari is to see each species in Botswana. To see much more detail for individual camps and lodges, see our interactive map showing the best locations for wildlife species in Botswana .

96% success

95% success

90% success

85% success

82% success

62% success

57% success

56% success

53% success

51% success

37% success

33% success

27% success

18% success

17% success

10% success

Where to find Botswana’s key wildlife species

Our travellers’ wildlife reports help us to work out the best camps and lodges to see Botswana’s key wildlife species.

So whether it’s wild dogs or leopard you’re after, or you’re passionate about pangolins, take a look at our data-driven maps which show the best places to seek each species out amongst the abundant wildlife that characterises Botswana’s wilderness.

For a map of the best camps and lodges for sightings of a given species, click on a card:

Panthera leo

Lions are at the top of the food chain and also most safari wish-lists, but with their numbers falling fast, any encounter with these majestic apex predators always feels like a privilege.

81% SUCCESS

2,999 sightings from 3,681 observations

Where to see lion in Botswana

Panthera pardus

The most numerous of Africa’s big cats, leopard occur across many habitats, from wild tracts to populated areas. Their grace and their elusive nature make them a unique safari drawcard.

47% SUCCESS

1,908 sightings from 4,077 observations

Where to see leopard in Botswana

Acinonyx jubatus

The cheetah is the fastest land animal and the only cat that hunts by pure speed. Found largely in open grasslands, its slim, elegant form is today an increasingly rare sight.

33% SUCCESS

1,037 sightings from 3,129 observations

Where to see cheetah in Botswana

Lycaon pictus

African wild dogs are among the continent’s most compelling animals. Much misunderstood, these rare, tie-dyed canids are amazingly efficient hunters with a fascinating social life.

31% SUCCESS

854 sightings from 2,736 observations

Where to see wild dog in Botswana

Spotted Hyena

Crocuta crocuta

The spotted hyena may be thought of as ‘ugly’ and ‘cowardly’. In fact, this versatile and intelligent carnivore is one of Africa’s most fascinating and warrants attention on any safari.

55% SUCCESS

2,144 sightings from 3,882 observations

Where to see spotted hyena in Botswana

Brown Hyena

Parahyaena brunnea

This largely solitary scavenger is one of the more elusive and little-known of Africa’s carnivores. Shaggier than its spotted cousin, it occurs only in the arid southwest of the continent.

16% SUCCESS

241 sightings from 1,483 observations

Where to see brown hyena in Botswana

Suricata suricatta

These highly sociable little mammals have an endearing appearance and comical antics. Found in the drier areas of Southern Africa, close encounters are a sought-after experience.

21% SUCCESS

86 sightings from 406 observations

Where to see meerkat in Botswana

Loxodonta africana

By far the biggest of the so-called Big Five – indeed, the largest land animal on the planet – the elephant shapes the very landscape it inhabits and is a defining presence on any safari.

91% SUCCESS

3,573 sightings from 3,933 observations

Where to see elephant in Botswana

Syncerus caffer

One of the ‘Big Five’, buffalo earned a fearsome reputation in hunters’ tales. By contrast, big herds of these sociable bovids are placid, but mount formidable defences against predators.

83% SUCCESS

2,520 sightings from 3,048 observations

Where to see buffalo in Botswana

Giraffa camelopardalis

The world’s tallest land mammal, giraffes are herbivores which have evolved many unique adaptations. Their iconic outlines tower above the bush in many of Africa’s wildlife areas.

86% SUCCESS

3,451 sightings from 4,002 observations

Where to see giraffe in Botswana

Hippopotamus amphibius

The territorial calls of the hippo create a signature soundtrack to Africa’s rivers & wetlands. Despite an endearing smile, this aquatic herbivore has a notoriously aggressive disposition.

89% SUCCESS

2,612 sightings from 2,933 observations

Where to see hippo in Botswana

Black Rhino

Diceros bicornis

The black rhino is the smaller and rarer of Africa’s two rhino species but has the more fearsome reputation. Shy and heavily persecuted, it tends to stick to cover.

620 sightings from 2,024 observations

Where to see black rhino in Botswana

White Rhino

Ceratotherium simum

The white rhino is the largest and most numerous of the world’s five rhinoceros species. They are larger, easier to see and generally more approachable than the black rhino.

44% SUCCESS

488 sightings from 1,109 observations

Where to see white rhino in Botswana

Oryx are impressive antelopes, with a powerful physique and elegant markings set off by rapier-like horns. They cut a distinctive dash in some of Africa’s harshest landscapes.

70% SUCCESS

1,300 sightings from 1,870 observations

Where to see oryx in Botswana

Taurotragus oryx

Africa’s largest antelope, eland are culturally important from prehistoric rock art to modern game farms. Though widespread, they are also shy so sightings are uncommon and often fleeting.

49% SUCCESS

1,449 sightings from 2,942 observations

Where to see eland in Botswana

Roan antelope

Hippotragus equinus

Africa’s second largest antelope and one of its most handsome, with a powerful build and distinctive markings, roan are wary of people, but renowned for their bravery against predators.

23% SUCCESS

464 sightings from 1,989 observations

Where to see roan antelope in Botswana

Sable antelope

Hippotragus niger

Perhaps Africa’s most beautiful antelope, sable are renowned for their combative nature, even holding off lions. Shy and restricted in range, sightings of sable are always special.

22% SUCCESS

441 sightings from 1,978 observations

Where to see sable antelope in Botswana

Tragelaphus spekii

The sitatunga is the most aquatic of Africa’s antelopes and specially adapted to its swampy habitats. Though widespread across Africa, only a handful of places offer reliable sightings.

19% SUCCESS

60 sightings from 323 observations

Where to see sitatunga in Botswana

Connochaetes sp.

Superficially bovine in appearance, wildebeests are known for their spectacular migrations sometimes in huge numbers. These resilient animals are some of Africa’s most successful herbivores.

68% SUCCESS

2,446 sightings from 3,604 observations

Where to see wildebeest in Botswana

The zebra is a quintessential African animal: the horse in stripy pyjamas at the end of every child’s A–Z. There are three species, of which the plains zebra is much the most common.

84% SUCCESS

3,760 sightings from 4,464 observations

Where to see zebra in Botswana

Smutsia sp.

Pangolins appear to be more pine cone than animal in their unique armoury of scales. These nocturnal, ant-eating oddities are not only highly elusive but also increasingly rare.

54 sightings from 3,273 observations

Where to see pangolin in Botswana

Orycteropus afer

The aardvark is one of Africa’s most bizarre and enigmatic animals. A shy, nocturnal termite-eater, signs of its presence may be scattered about the bush whilst sightings remain elusive.

68 sightings from 3,274 observations

Where to see aardvark in Botswana

When to go on safari in Botswana

Botswana’s weather is just one of the factors to consider when planning a safari holiday in Botswana.

The country’s climate pattern is typical of southern Africa, with a largely dry season between May and October, as daily temperatures rise to a sticky peak during October. Rain is expected November to April, typically afternoon thunderstorms. Then it can be harder to spot animals, but it’s an excellent time for birders. Click on the months below; see rainfall and temperatures here .

For water activities in the Delta, the Okavango Flood is relevant. Boating and mokoro trips are most likely to be possible between May and September – but choose your camps carefully.

Botswana peak season, when safaris are most expensive, is typically July to October. Wildlife watching can still be excellent during the “shoulder season” months of April, May and November – with the bonus of fewer visitors.

Botswana in January

January is at the peak of Botswana’s rainy season. These rains are often in the evening and are short but heavy, with occasional thunderstorms. Temperatures will still be high but cooler than October–December. Animals are generally dispersed, and not easy to spot, with the best game viewing found in the north of Chief’s Island and on the eastern and southern sides of the Okavango Delta . January is also one of the best months to see the zebra and wildebeest migration in the Makgadikgadi salt pans and at Nxai Pan . Migratory birds abound throughout northern Botswana, along with a large number of breeding flamingos in the flooded salt pans. Rates are generally relatively low, making this a good time to visit on a budget.

• Temperatures are still warm, with occasional thunderstorms
• The bush feels alive; birdlife is at its most spectacular
• Big game is dispersed
• Zebra & wildebeest migration at its height
• Availability in lodges and camps is often very good

A good time to visit, with pros & cons

Weather in January

Botswana in February

The weather in February is very similar to January, with heavy rain most days – often towards evening – and temperatures on the high side, albeit cooling off from the rains and surface water. Across northern Botswana, the landscape feels green and alive; insects and smaller animals are more easily seen, and many birds and animals are raising their young. However, the rains have created pools and waterholes in the bush and thicker vegetation and tall grass makes it trickier to spot larger animals. Further south, the game viewing is beginning to pick up in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Visitor numbers remain low, with attendant rates and availability in camps and lodges.

• Temperatures still warm with occasional thunderstorms
• Many animals with young; birdlife at its most spectacular
• Game viewing picking up in the Central Kalahari
• Visitor numbers are low, so camp availability can be very good

This is not a great time to visit

Weather in February

Botswana in March

March usually sees Botswana’s main rains starting to tail off. Many days will be clear, with a strong sun raising temperatures. On some days clouds will build, and the late-afternoon may see a short thunderstorm. Across the country, the landscape is green and alive. Many birds and animals are finishing raising their young. Much of the migration is now moving north towards the Savute area or Chobe National Park, though thick vegetation still makes it trickier to spot even larger animals. March is one of the best times to be in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, where many of the pans fill up and animals come to drink, closely followed by predators. With few visitors in most areas, rates may still be relatively low.

• Variable weather: rains tailing off but still hot
• Occasional small thunderstorms
• Many animals finish raising their young; birdlife still spectacular
• The best time to visit the Central Kalahari Game Reserve
• Few tourists visit during March, so rates often low

Weather in March

Botswana in April

During April the rains have usually stopped, though there may be still be the odd late downpour. This results in clear skies and a lovely green, lush landscape. Night-time temperatures usually start to drop during April with this being most noticeable in the Central Kalahari and the Makgadikgadi areas. The Central Kalahari is really coming into its own at this point and from April through to May/June the Savute region is a particular favourite of ours, with good predator/prey interaction. In much of northern Botswana, the camps are coming into their “shoulder” season, so rates are on the rise but still relatively low.

• Evening temperatures cooling with just the odd shower
• Northern Botswana is green and lush
• Many animals still with young; good predator/prey interaction
• Central Kalahari and Savute the best places for wildlife
• A popular shoulder season time to book. Rates relatively low

Weather in April

Botswana in May

May is a very popular month to visit Botswana, often the last month of the “shoulder” season before camp rates hit their peak. While there is very little chance of rain, the annual floods from Angola are starting to make their way through the northern part of the Delta, and will eventually reach the majority of the Okavango late June. With cooler temperatures morning and evening, predator activity tends to be higher, although tall grasses can still obstruct game viewing. With cool crisp evenings, and the game viewing really picking up, this is the favourite time to visit for many of our team – and camp bookings throughout Botswana are snapped up quickly.

• Cool mornings and evenings with little chance of rain
• Game viewing is beginning to pick up
• Predator activity increasing, though grasses still quite high
• Last month of “shoulder” season for most camps
• Availability goes quickly throughout Botswana

A very good time to visit

Weather in May

Botswana in June

June is the real start of the dry season. Temperatures are still cool in the morning and evenings with night-time temperatures sometimes reaching freezing, rising to 25–30 degrees Celsius during the day, with blue skies. Along with this comes a certain clarity to the air, favourable for serious photographers. Surface water and waterholes begin to dry up during this period and many animals begin to congregate around the remaining areas with water. Visibility is improving as the grass is beginning to die back, and game viewing is very good everywhere, with particular improvement in the Kwando–Linyanti areas. Not surprisingly, camp availability is becoming scarce and rates are high.

• Warm, comfortable days; cold nights, morning & evenings
• Air clarity favours serious photographers
• Wildlife is gravitating to waterholes, making game-viewing productive
• Grasses beginning to die back
• Most camps are into peak season, with rates correspondingly high

Fantastic: the very best time to visit

Weather in June

Botswana in July

Evenings and mornings are still cool in July, and this combined with great game viewing makes it one of the most popular times to visit Botswana. Vegetation is really thinning out now making game easier to spot, with the few remaining waterholes attracting lots of wildlife. The north-eastern side of Chobe National Park, along the Chobe River, is also very rewarding, although this area can become very busy. Game viewing is extremely good in the Khwai areas, too, but again, this is a public area and – unlike in the private concessions of the Delta – vehicle numbers can be high. Camps are now very much into the peak season, and tend to be full.

• Comfortable days; cold nights, morning & evenings
• Game viewing very good as vegetation dies back and waterholes dry out
• Chobe Riverfront and Khwai areas become very busy
• Private concessions helps to avoid potentially high vehicle numbers
• Now very much into peak season

Weather in July

Botswana in August

August is a popular time to visit Botswana, coinciding with the European summer holidays, and camp availability is difficult. Temperatures are generally cool at night, and comfortable during the day, although towards the end of the month they can rise above 35 degrees Celsius (albeit with low humidity). Cloudless skies bring spectacular star-gazing. Wildlife has congregated around the few remaining water sources, and much of the vegetation has now died back, so wildlife viewing tends to be varied and rewarding, particularly in the Okavango Delta. Depending on the rains in Angola this can also be one of the best times to see the delta floods at their peak.

• Dry, warm days, with mainly cool nights
• Cloudless skies with spectacular stars at night
• A fantastic time for wildlife watching, particularly in the Okavango
• Traditionally one of the best times to see the Delta in full flood
• Peak season: so high rates and many lodges full

Weather in August

Botswana in September

September is another favourite month for some of our team members. Daytime temperatures are getting warmer, but nights remain cool. With the drier conditions, most of the greenery has faded from the landscape, and dust or even smoke create hazy conditions that aren’t great for photographers – though this does result in fantastic sunsets. This is another extremely good month for game viewing, with large numbers of elephant and buffalo congregating in the Chobe region and migrant birds begin to return to Botswana. Rates remain high – and availability correspondingly low.

• Warmer days and cool nights
• One of the best months for wildlife viewing
• Large congregations of elephant & buffalo in the Chobe region
• Hazy conditions less good for photographers, but brilliant sunsets
• High season rates; many lodges & camps are full

Weather in September

Botswana in October

October is the one of the hottest months of the year, and usually one of the driest. Towards the end of the month the chances of rain can increase, and along with this can come greater humidity. The air is usually dry and hazy, making photography more challenging, but the lack of water and vegetation result in very good big-game viewing. Water levels are now much lower, so water-based activities such as boating, mokoro trips and fishing cease in many of the camps which are not on major tributaries.

• Hot temperatures, with the chance of rain towards the end of the month
• Great big-game viewing
• Less opportunity for water activities in camps as floods recede
• Hazy air not great for photographers
• Final month of the peak season in camps

Weather in October

Botswana in November

November usually marks the end of the dry season in Botswana, when increasing temperatures drive a rise in humidity, sometimes culminating in the first rains. These are often short but very heavy showers in the late afternoon or during the night, and can be spectacular. The rains lower the temperatures slightly but bring a flush of green back into the dry landscapes. As waterholes in surrounding areas fill, wildlife will gradually begin to disperse as it is not restricted by the availability of water. November is a great time for birdwatching, with the arrival of many migrant birds. The first couple of weeks are very popular with travellers looking for great game viewing at lower rates as Botswana enters the “shoulder” season.

• Hot in the middle of the day; sometimes humid
• Heavy showers increasingly likely as the month progresses
• Wildlife watching still good, but less reliable once it rains
• Migrant birds start to arrive
• “Shoulder” season brings mid-range rates in camps

Weather in November

Botswana in December

The rains in Botswana have now started, bringing some respite to the high temperatures. Game viewing becomes harder as wildlife is more dispersed but great sightings can still be had in the right areas such as Khwai and the Kwara and Mombo concessions. Areas such as the Makgadikgadi Pans change completely with the salt pans becoming covered in a shallow layer of water attracting large numbers of breeding flamingos. Low-season rates at many camps are a draw.

• Temperatures starting to fall from the highs of October/November
• Very high chance of rain, usually large heavy storms for short periods
• Flamingos return to breed at the Makgadikgadi Pans
• Wildlife more dispersed, so game viewing more challenging
• Typically low-season rates in the camps

Weather in December

Country guide

A guide to visiting Botswana

At first glance, the choices for a Botswana safari are bewildering. Public or private parks? Wet or dry areas? Permanent lodges or guided mobile safaris?

Whatever your choice, Botswana safaris are seldom cheap, but can be good value. Most trips include meals, activities, laundry and park fees; some even include drinks. There are no hidden extras. You'll see superb wildlife and have pristine environments virtually to yourself. For a holiday, a Botswana safari is wild, magical and very exclusive!

Where to go on a Botswana safari holiday

Before choosing where to go, consider the style of holiday you’d like. What wildlife is top of your wishlist? When do you plan to visit, and for how long? And would you like a lodge-based holiday or a mobile camping safari? If you have plenty of time, and the budget, combining a couple of different areas can provide a more comprehensive experience of Botswana's diverse wildlife and landscapes. Northern Botswana’s key destinations include the exclusive private reserves of the Okavango Delta Safari Reserves which, like similar reserves along the Kwando and Linyanti rivers , come with a hefty price tag. Two national parks offer similarly excellent wildlife but are slightly less exclusive: Moremi Game Reserve at the heart of the Delta, and the busier but more affordable Chobe Riverfront within the Chobe National Park , while for something seriously remote, make for the big, open skies of the Kalahari's Salt Pans and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve .

Botswana’s best wildlife areas: public parks or private reserves?

The public parks of Chobe National Park and Moremi Game Reserve form the core of northern Botswana's protected areas. Their wildlife and scenery are often superb, but you will share the area with other vehicles and people so these public reserves don't offer the most exclusive of safari experiences in Botswana, especially along the Chobe River. Strict park rules forbid driving at night, conducting walking safaris, or driving off “road” – which is especially annoying when interesting game is spotted away from the track. Surrounding these parks, however, is a patchwork of private wildlife reserves or “concessions”. Each covers about 800–2,500 square kilometres (some 300–950 square miles), yet each contains just a handful of small, private safari camps, with guests arriving by air. They have no campsites or public access so wildlife watching is generally undisturbed. They also offer much greater flexibility. Their guides may drive off the tracks when searching for game; most offer night drives; and some offer walking safaris guided by expert armed guides.

Environment: dry or wet areas?

For the purposes of deciding on your holiday options, you can divide Botswana’s safari environments very roughly into two categories: dry and wet areas. We usually advise travellers to mix different types of camps and environments, in order to experience the full range of safari activities, flora and fauna. Most camps stand on, or close to, large dry areas, which are easiest to explore by 4WD on a game drive. It's in these drier areas that you'll usually have the best sightings of big game, plus dry-country bird species. Many camps also have access to wet areas – some with deep water, others with shallow. You'll usually explore areas with deep water by motorboat, driven by a guide. Shallower floodplains are best seen from a mokoro, or dug-out canoe. Birdwatching can be excellent, and the ambience amazing, but you'll usually see less game in a wet area than in a dry one.

Permanent camps or guided mobile safari?

All Botswana's permanent safari camps use open 4WD safari vehicles and professional safari guides, and most are very comfortable. Tents and chalets usually have en-suite flush toilets and hot/cold showers; many have fans and some even have air conditioning. Take a look at our suggestions for Botswana safari holidays , then talk to us : the specialist team at Expert Africa can describe them from personal, first-hand experience, and guide you to the best options for your trip. Comfortable camping and luxury tented mobile safaris are a great way to explore the best wildlife areas in Botswana, led by a professional and knowledgeable guide. Join a small group of like-minded travellers on a scheduled holiday or take a private guided mobile safari to a location of your choosing on dates that suit you.

Botswana in context: history, environment & people

Bordered by Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia, Botswana arose from the former British protectorate of Bechuanaland in 1965. Within just a few years, the discovery of diamonds was to underpin the economy, and tourism was introduced, based on a “high-revenue, low-volume” policy to protect the country’s pristine environment. A land-locked country just a little larger than France, Botswana consists mainly of a gently undulating sandsheet punctuated by the occasional isolated outcrop of rock. In northern Botswana, two major features stand out: the vast inland river delta of the Okavango and the Kalahari’s enormous saltpans. Botswana’s climate follows a similar pattern to that of most of southern Africa. The people of Botswana date back some 60,000 years to the hunter gatherers of the Kalahari, whose ancestors are the San (or Bushmen). Today’s society is dominated by the Batswana, whose Bantu language of Setswana is one of the country’s official languages – the other being English. For some general country information, see our General Information on Botswana .

Maps of Botswana: two styles

Take a look at the satellite map of Botswana , below, and the geography of northern Botswana is thrown into graphic relief. Even at this scale, the dramatic sweep of the Okavango Delta , fanning out from the broad Panhandle as it enters the country in the north-west, stands out against the surrounding, largely arid terrain. Most of Botswana’s main safari camps are found within the wider parameters of the Delta, but some are clustered in the Kwando-Linyanti area to the north-east and along the Chobe River within Chobe National Park . To find the location of these and other safari camps and lodges, just zoom in on the map.

To the south-east, the huge white expanse of the Kalahari's Salt Pans is clearly visible, while south again is the vast emptiness of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve . With just a handful of safari camps in these areas, visitors are a rarity – but the rewards can be significant.

Need inspiration?

Let our trip chooser narrow down the options for you

Understand more about Botswana

Information to help you prepare for your trip to Botswana.

Okavango Delta Flood

Types of Botswana safaris

Migrations in Botswana

LGBT Travel in Botswana

Tipping in Botswana

This complex variable may seem like a minor point for most visitors – but both the flooding levels, and the levels of local recent rain, will influence your activities and should be taken into account when choosing where you visit in the Delta. The water levels at any point in the Okavango Delta depend mainly on three variables: first, the local rainfall in your location; second, the height of the seasonal flood of the Okavango; and third, your location within the Okavango Delta. Roughly speaking, the further north and west you are in the Okavango, the higher the flood you’re likely to experience. So read up more by clicking here, and chat to our Botswana experts who will be able top guide you in much more detail as to the current situation is.

Most travellers visit northern Botswana on a fly-in safari , so can explore a combination of environments. Flight transfers between camps are quick and easy, and seeing Botswana’s key safari destinations from the air is a scenic flight in itself: all part of the adventure. Most of our Botswana safari holidays are fly-in safaris, suitable for single travellers, couples, or small groups of friends or family. We offer a variety of private mobile safaris in Botswana, like our private guided mobile in Moremi . These safaris focus purely on you and your companions, using small, private camps which are exclusive to your group. Expect a team of staff looking after you, spacious tents, excellent food and private guiding. Visitors who prefer very independent holidays occasionally ask us about self--drive safaris in Botswana – but with routes through the national parks which are barely tracks in the sand. We can’t recommend self-driving holidays in Botswana: best look west, where we there are some great self-drive safaris in Namibia .

Much of southern Africa’s wildlife moves with the seasons, including zebras, wildebeest, buffalo and elephants. Large numbers of these animals seem to spend the driest months beside permanent water – the Chobe River, the Kwando–Linyanti rivers and the Okavango Delta – and then move into the vast vegetated sand-sheet of the Kalahari for the wetter months. During the rainy season, researchers have shown the great Salt Pans in the Kalahari to be the focus of one of the longest terrestrial migrations in Africa, primarily zebra but also including wildebeest and other animals. Bird migration may have a lower profile, but Botswana’s wet season sees huge numbers of migratory birds arriving into the Okavango Delta from the northern hemisphere, making this a mecca for birders.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) travel to Botswana

The vast majority of Botswana’s people are very friendly to visitors, and we have never heard of any issues experienced by our travellers, or other travellers in Botswana, due to their sexuality – including any LGBTQ+ travellers. To put this in context, Botswana has long been recognised as one of Africa’s most stable countries, with the longest continuous multi-party democracy in Africa. The constitution implies freedom of individuals and expression, and while there are some laws against homosexuality, we aren’t aware of them ever having been applied to tourists. That said, it's important to be aware of both the law and the current climate of opinion. So read on and do please check your government's latest travel advice before you go.

Tipping in Botswana is always voluntary, and should depend on the quality of service received. While we would encourage visitors to tip in appreciation of good service, we’d also like to point out that excessive tips can throw out the local economic balance. Before you decide on what to tip, consider who and when. Behind every successful safari is a dedicated team of staff, all of whom have worked hard to ensure that you have enjoyed your trip – so do consider them as well as your guide and your waiter. Usually we would recommend tipping at the end of your stay, perhaps using the staff tip box, or placing your tip in a labelled envelope or series of envelopes so that there can be no misunderstanding.

Ideas for safari holidays in Botswana

In the heart of southern Africa, northern Botswana offers a real variety of options for an unforgettable safari holiday.

From the arid Kalahari in the south to the well-watered forest glades further north, the region’s varied ecosystems attract the large numbers of big (and small) animals for which Botswana safaris are famous. Huge herds of elephants and buffalos , for example, gravitate to the Okavango Delta , the area close to the Kwando and Linyanti rivers , and the northern Chobe Riverfront . Whilst cheetahs and other dry-country species frequent the drier areas, including the Central Kalahari Game Reserve .

Every bit as impressive as the wildlife on a Botswana holiday is the wilderness: endless pristine areas almost untouched by human influence. The feel of remoteness in the middle of stunning landscapes combined with the constant presence of wildlife make a safari holiday here unique.

Look through the ideas below, then Talk to us ; we can create the ideal Botswana safari holiday for you.

Pygmy Mouse Self-drive Safari

18 days • 10 locations WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO VICTORIA FALLS AIRPORT

A truly epic southern African self-drive safari adventure from Namibia’s mountains and deserts, along the lush Caprivi Strip to Botswana and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, staying at luxury lodges throughout.

US$6,080 - US$10,280 per person

Mopane Squirrel Safari

6 days • 2 locations MAUN AIRPORT TO MAUN AIRPORT

Visit two wildlife-rich private reserves in an exploration of the Okavango and Kwando regions. Sister camps Splash and Lagoon camp provide a range of immersive activities, and their long-stay discounts make for an excellent-value safari.

US$5,890 - US$11,770 per person

Honey Badger Safari

Two smart sister camps offer access to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the heart of the Okavango Delta. Experience a spectacular range of habitats and wildlife through diversely exciting safari activities.

US$5,790 - US$10,150 per person

Great Egret Safari

12 days • 4 locations MAUN AIRPORT TO VICTORIA FALLS AIRPORT

A wonderfully varied adventure to Botswana and Zimbabwe combining three fantastic safari areas, a luxury river cruise and the mighty Victoria Falls.

US$9,210 - US$17,120 per person

Slaty Egret Safari

4 days • 2 locations MAUN AIRPORT TO MAUN AIRPORT

Two luxurious, intimate camps provide a highly personalised exploration of the Chitabe concession and private Vumbura reserve within the Okavango Delta. A range of water and land activities allows for stunning sightings.

US$7,000 - US$14,130 per person

The Highlights of Africa

17 days • 7 locations CAPE TOWN AIRPORT TO KIGALI AIRPORT

An epic adventure taking in some of Africa’s most incredible sights and wildlife experiences, from Cape Town to the Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls, the Maasai Mara and an encounter with mountain gorillas.

US$14,350 - US$18,220 per person

Rock Hare Self-drive Safari

20 days • 12 locations WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO VICTORIA FALLS AIRPORT

An in-depth look at Namibia from the Namib Desert to the Caprivi, with additional stops in Botswana and Victoria Falls. This three-week adventure includes an unrivalled mix of environments and is great value.

US$5,130 - US$7,310 per person

Let us help you customise your trip

All of our holidays on this site are just ideas; none are fixed. All of our trips are tailor-made, so we'll always adapt them to suit you. Talk to an Expert and let us help you to work out your perfect trip.

Talk to an Expert

Call us now! We’ll match you with the Specialist in our team who is best suited to help you. Then together we can start planning your trip.

Set up your itinerary

Based on our experience and your ideas, your specialist will create a detailed, costed itinerary. We’ll refine it together, until we have a trip that you’re perfectly happy with.

Prepare for your trip

The same Specialist will make the seamless arrangements for your trip, send you detailed travel documents, and be available to answer any questions before you depart.

Travel with peace of mind

After you set off, you’ll be cared for by our partners in Africa, most of whom have worked with Expert Africa for decades. And if you ever need us urgently, we’re available 24/7.

When you return

We love to learn about your trip, and so will always be grateful if you’ve the time to give feedback to your Specialist when you return.

Where to stay: Botswana's best camps & lodges

On this carousel below, you’ll find over 100 of Botswana’s most interesting safari camps and lodges, ranked by their popularity. From the luxurious retreats where every detail whispers opulence, to the simpler charms of a safari experience that's anything but ordinary, they all offer adventures tailored for you. Whilst even the humblest, like our private mobile camp in Moremi , may not be lavish, it does offer its guests something far more precious – exclusivity amidst the wilderness: an adventure that belongs only to you. Dive deeper into each camp's story by clicking on it below, or choose one of the areas of Botswana to explore the spectrum of camps and lodges nestled there.

Lagoon Camp

Within the vast Kwando Reserve, renowned for its wild dogs, Lagoon Camp offers excellent game viewing that focuses on predators.

Kwara Camp's private reserve boasts land and water activities year round, with excellent game-viewing opportunities and access to permanent channels of the north-east Okavango Delta.

Lebala Camp

With enthusiastic guides and trackers, Lebala – in a vast private reserve – is particularly well-placed for seeking wild dogs.

Muchenje Safari Lodge

One of our favourites in the area, Muchenje is a small, welcoming lodge at the quieter, western end of the Chobe Riverfront.

Little Vumbura

On a secluded island within a private reserve, Little Vumbura combines superb game viewing with a broad diversity of habitats in a truly picturesque setting.

Shinde Camp

With experienced staff and a wealth of activities, Shinde offers a traditional safari in an exceptionally varied and wildlife-rich environment.

Tau Pan Camp

The comfortable Tau Pan camp inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve offers some of Botswana's best summer game viewing and birdwatching.

Chitabe Lediba

Chitabe Lediba, in Botswana's southern Okavango Delta, is a small family friendly safari camp; it offers great dry-land safaris and in our experience consistently delivers good game sightings.

Nxamaseri Lodge

From its beautiful island setting, Nxamaseri Lodge offers superb fishing and birdwatching in a relatively affordable area of the Okavango.

Splash Camp

Set in the Kwara Reserve, offering superb wildlife viewing year-round, Splash offers both land and water activities led by guides with a particular knack for tracking big game.

Sandibe Safari Lodge

The luxurious Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge lies in a private concession in the heart of the Okavango Delta, beside Moremi Game Reserve, with superb big-game viewing.

In a beautiful part of the Delta, Kanana focuses on fantastic water activities and birding – including exclusive access to an impressive heronry.

Chitabe Camp

In the southern Okavango Delta, the excellent Chitabe Camp concentrates on dry-land safaris in an area that we've found particularly good for wild dog sightings.

Selinda Camp

In an attractive area that is particularly rich in game between June and November, the luxurious Selinda Camp caters particularly well for photographers.

Private Mobile

The Botswana Private Mobile Safari has no fixed location; it's exclusive to your group and comes with a top professional guide. Expect comfortable camping, great food, and a superb wildlife experience wherever you decide to go.

Chobe River Lodge

Overlooking the Chobe River, the intimate Chobe River Lodge is a haven of tranquillity away from the bustle of Kasane.

Thamalakane River Lodge

With its tranquil riverside location, Thamalakane makes an excellent buffer between a tiring long-haul flight and the magic of a safari.

Camp Kalahari

Overlooking the Makgadikgadi Pans, Camp Kalahari is great value; come for quadbiking excursions on the salt pans, cute meerkats, excellent Bushman walks, and interesting 4WD safaris.

DumaTau, in the private Linyanti Reserve, offers game drives, seasonal boat cruises and walks. Wildlife safaris here are quite seasonal, and are at their best during the height of the dry season, between June and October.

Shinde Footsteps

Small and simple, but comfortable, Shinde Footsteps focuses on walking safaris as well as game drives; it also runs a special children's programme so is particularly suitable for families.

Thamo Telele

On the outskirts of Maun, Thamo Telele is set in a private game reserve with walking trails and a giraffe experience: ideal at the start or end of a safari.

Linyanti Bush Camp

An increasingly rare find in Botswana, Linyanti Bush Camp blends relative simplicity with numerous activities and very good guiding.

Gomoti Plains

Overlooking a tributary of the Gomoti River, Gomoti Plains Camp is a classically designed camp with very comfortable tents in a good game-viewing area.

Nxabega Tented Camp

Nxabega offers a selection of both land- and water-based activities, plus very good guiding, food and service, but game viewing can be somewhat erratic.

Tubu Tree Camp

A traditional tented camp with a distinctive tree-house feel, Tubu Tree offers some of the best game viewing in the Jao Reserve.

Vumbura Plains

Indulgently stylish and luxurious, Vumbura Plains offers superb game viewing and birding on an exceptionally varied private reserve.

Savute Safari Lodge

Savute Safari Lodge sits on the banks of the Savuti Channel within Chobe National Park, and offers access to excellent game viewing, especially during the dry season.

Xigera Safari Lodge

Located deep in Botswana's Okavango Delta, Xigera Camp normally focuses on mokoro excursions and motorboat trips, with 4WD game drives when water levels permit.

Machaba Camp

Overlooking the Khwai River to Moremi Game Reserve beyond, the classic Machaba Camp combines comfort with excellent game viewing.

Nxai Pan Camp

Offering good summer game viewing and visits to Baines Baobabs, the comfortable Nxai Pan Camp is currently the only permanent camp in Nxai Pan National Park.

Xakanaxa Camp is a well-established traditional camp beside a huge lagoon within the Moremi Game Reserve, with access to some superb game viewing.

Khwai Lediba

Khwai Lediba offers a traditional African safari experience, with very comfortable tented accommodation, in a fantastic game area north of the Moremi Game Reserve.

Sable Alley

Smart, independent and well-run, Sable Alley overlooks a beautiful, hippo-filled lagoon within the diverse Khwai Private Reserve.

Jacana Camp

Jacana Camp is a small safari camp with an informal island feel; it is ideal for water-based activities in the Delta and offers excellent birdwatching.

Savuti Camp

For years the Savuti Channel ran dry, but it's now flowing again and this newly refurbished, 7-room lodge has pride of place to witness the spectacle.

Jack's Camp

Jack's Camp was the original camp in the Makgadikgadi area, and many still consider it the best. Come for a unique and memorable experience, but not for prolific game viewing.

Selinda Explorers Camp

The luxurious, traditional tented Selinda Explorers Camp offers a mix of walking, canoeing and game drives led by really top notch guides in a game-rich area.

Kalahari Arms Hotel

Kalahari Arms Hotel, in the town of Ghanzi, is a practical overnight stop for travellers crossing the Kalahari to or from Namibia.

Chobe Under Canvas

This is a typical location for Chobe under Canvas, a small, semi-permanent camp in the Chobe Riverfront area that offers good value for money and high standards of care.

Kwetsani Camp

Deep in the Delta, overlooking a floodplain, Kwetsani Camp is a small, high-end camp with good access to areas for land and water-based activities.

Savute Under Canvas

A mobile camp with the comforts of a semi-permanent tented camp, Savute Under Canvas offers guided game drives within the Savuti region of Chobe National Park.

With an innovative design and good service, Okuti Camp offers game drives and boat trips in a beautiful, game-rich part of Moremi Game Reserve.

The simple but stylish San Camp lies in a stunning location beside the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, where highlights are quadbiking, meerkats, and Bushmen walks.

Mapula Lodge

For an affordable yet varied safari encompassing a range of eco-systems, the traditional Mapula Lodge takes a lot of beating.

Chobe Safari Lodge

Chobe Safari Lodge is a good value, hotel-style lodge in the heart of Kasane offering game drives, boat cruises and fishing trips.

Zarafa Camp

Zarafa is an exclusive camp overlooking the scenic Zibadianja Lagoon within the Selinda Reserve, a particularly game-rich area between June and early November.

Duba Plains Camp

Duba Plains Camp is a traditional safari camp, best known for the thrilling lion and buffalo interaction that is often found here in broad daylight.

Chobe Elephant Camp

Located in one of our favorite areas of Chobe National Park, Chobe Elephant Camp is a simple but well-appointed camp with a strong bush feel.

Baines' Camp

Baines' Camp is a well-run, intimate camp in a pretty part of the Okavango, offering a range of activities and the option to spend a morning walking with elephants.

Duba Explorers Camp

Intimate and elegant, Duba Explorers Camp promises a firm safari focus in a remote corner of the Okavango, led by a team who value the highest guiding and hosting standards.

Stanley's Camp

In a private concession south of Moremi Game Reserve, Stanley's Camp offers 4WD game drives, seasonal water activities and a superb elephant interaction.

Kalahari Plains Camp

Kalahari Plains Camp, situated in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, is a traditional tented camp offering some of Botswana's best summer (Dec–Mar) game viewing, and an introduction to authentic Bushman culture.

Chobe Game Lodge

Chobe Game Lodge occupies an enviable riverfront location within Chobe National Park and boasts well-earned 'eco' credentials, as well as an excellent all-female guiding team.

Pom Pom Camp

Amidst stunning Okavango Delta scenery, Pom Pom offers idyllic mokoro trips in season, great birdwatching, and increasingly good big-game sightings, especially leopards.

Meno A Kwena

Meno A Kwena Tented Camp is an old-style safari camp, run by an experienced Botswana expert. Overlooking the bed of the Boteti River, it's a great place to relax and watch wildlife at the camp's waterhole.

Little Tubu

Little Tubu is a new, traditional camp with just three tented chalets and a distinctive tree-house feel. The areas around it can be explored by water and land-based activities year round.

Mombo is one of Botswana's most exclusive safari camps, set in a beautiful, remote location within the Moremi Game Reserve and with exceptional game densities.

Ngoma Safari Lodge

With sweeping views across the floodplains of the Chobe River, Ngoma offers superb food and flexible safari activities.

Riley's Hotel

In the heart of Maun, about 3km from the airport, Riley’s makes a relatively reliable stopover for one night.

In a pristine wilderness environment deep in the Okavango Delta, the seasonal Pelo Camp is tented yet comfortable, with activities focusing on excursions by mokoro.

Beautifully located in a private concession overlooking the Gomoti River, the traditional Mma Dinare is very well-priced for the Okavango Delta.

King’s Pool is a top-end luxury safari camp with a price tag to match; the game viewing can be very good during the dry season.

Edo's Camp is a small camp with only four spacious tents overlooking a permanent waterhole. Surrounded by 20,000 hectares of private game conservancy you can expect to see white rhino, springbok, oryx and eland here.

Chief's Camp

Chief's Camp is situated on Chief's Island, within the Okavango Delta's Moremi Game Reserve. Experience one of Botswana's top game-viewing areas by 4WD and mokoro.

Xaranna is a plush tented camp amongst the idyllic waterways and islands of the Delta. Each air-conditioned tent has a plunge pool. Water activities and pampering are the focus here.

Little Machaba

Overlooking the Khwai River and Moremi Game Reserve beyond, Little Machaba is a classically designed camp with very comfortable tents in a great game-viewing area.

Fairly rustic, and relatively inexpensive, Hyena Pan overlooks a natural waterhole that attracts an almost constant parade of animals.

Seba Camp is a luxury camp in a lovely location that offers the full range of water and land safari activities, depending on the time of year. This camp is particularly suitable for families.

Little Mombo

One of Botswana's top safari camps, Little Mombo stands on the north side of Chief's Island, in the heart of the Okavango Delta's Moremi Game Reserve.

Camp Moremi

In one of the best locations for game viewing in Botswana, Camp Moremi sits at the tip of the Mopane Tongue, overlooking Xakanaxa Lagoon.

Linyanti Ebony

Independently owned and run, the small Linyanti Ebony sits on the same site as Linyanti Bush Camp, with similarly high standards of guiding, and a strong emphasis on the wildlife experience.

Situated in a private reserve close to Moremi Game Reserve, Skybeds offers a simple yet wonderful opportunity to sleep under the stars and watch wildlife from your bed.

In a beautiful area with fantastic water activities, Jao combines an idyllic location with high levels of luxury and service, and a top-end spa.

Deception Valley Lodge

A private reserve on the border of the CKGR, Deception Valley Lodge offers more flexible activities than within the reserve and a particularly good Bushman experience.

Chobe Chilwero

On the periphery of Chobe National Park, Chobe Chilwero offers luxurious surroundings and excellent food, which complement superb game viewing on game drives and boat trips.

The newest addition to Ker and Downey Botswana’s portfolio, Dinaka is based on a private game reserve on the northern boundary of the CKGR.

Linyanti Expeditions

Tip-top guiding. In tune with the habitat. Down-to-earth, authentic camp comfort. A place of wilderness safari harmony.

Sango Safari Camp

Sango offers comfortable tented accommodation, without some of the frills often found in Botswana's camps, with an area that's scenic and gets excellent, consistent game sightings.

Located in a private concession in the southern reaches of the Okavango Delta, overlooking the Gomoti River, Rra Dinare is a traditional-style, well-priced camp.

Savute Elephant Lodge

Savute Elephant Lodge is a luxurious camp on the banks of the now flowing Savuti Channel. This is a classic big-game area, although its location within Chobe National Park does limit the activities which are possible here.

Setari Camp

Setari Camp stands on an island dotted with palm trees, close to the base of the Okavango’s ‘Panhandle"

4 Rivers is a new camp in a previously in accessible area of the excellent Kwara concession.

Leroo La Tau

From the western bank of the Boteti River, Leroo La Tau overlooks the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, where game concentrations are highest from July to October.

Camp Kuzuma

Camp Kuzuma sits in the Kazuma Forest Reserve and is an excellent place to see elephant in particular. Away from the busier riverfront area of Chobe National Park this camp offers a luxurious base form which to explore this less visited region of northern Botswana.

Abu Camp is an exclusive safari camp on the western side of the Botswana's Okavango Delta - offering superb elephant-back safaris and opportunities to walk with them too.

Tuludi is a brand new luxury camp, within the Khwai Private Reserve, built on a site under giant leadwood trees and overlooking the Okavango Delta floodplains.

Little Sable

Little Sable camp is located in the Khwai Private Reserve – which borders the Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe

Elephant Valley Lodge

Elephant Valley Lodge is a lovely camp in a beautiful setting – sit in its hide and watch the wildlife come to drink at the waterhole. Activities focus on boating and drives in Chobe which - although very busy, and a long drive from the lodge – is very rich in wildlife.

Little DumaTau

Small and sophisticated, Little DumaTau lies adjacent to its larger sibling in the private Linyanti Reserve, overlooking a beautiful lagoon.

Okavango Explorers

The traditional, tented Okavango Explorers Camp offers a mix of walking, canoeing and game drives led by great guides in a wildlife-rich area.

Khwai Bush Camp

Kwhai Bush Camp offers great guiding, excellent wildlife watching and simple but comfortable accommodations the productive Khwai community area.

Kiri Camp is the latest Okavango offering from the excellent team behind Machaba. In an exciting new location in the heart of the Delta we cannot wait to visit this new camp.

Duke’s Camp

On a remote island within a vast private concession, the eclectic Duke’s Camp is nestled among mature trees overlooking wildlife-rich plains of the Okavango.

Shakawe River Lodge

Shakawe River Lodge has a picturesque location on the banks of a channel of the Okavango River.

Okavango Walking Safari

The Okavango Delta Walking Safari camps in a secluded Okavango Delta Reserve where there are few roads; the ideal location for a walking trail led by an expert guide.

New for 2024, Karangoma is a classic, tented camp offering walking, canoeing and game drives, in partnership with the local Bukakwe San clan.

Feline Fields

In a remote corner of the Kalahari, Feline Fields offers guests a luxurious stay in a seldom-visited part of Botswana.

Atzaro Okavango

With a high level of tasteful luxury promised at Atzaro, we think it will be best suited to travellers seeking a touch of pampering alongside their safari.

Deep in the heart of the Okavango, Mokolwane promises adventure in a largely untouched area.

Migration Expeditions

A seasonal safari camp in Nxai Pan National Park focussed on the area's annual zebra migration.

Eagle Island Lodge

Eagle Island Lodge is a luxurious camp with international-style facilities including air conditioning and intercom in each room; offering water based activities in the Okavango Delta.

Mokete Camp

New for July 2023, Mokete has 9 luxurious tents, raised on platforms above the surrounding bush and offers an experience of the Kalahari Wilderness.

North Island

Deep in quintessentially 'Okavango' territory, between deep-water and dry-land habitats, promises to be a great combination from a team who know all about the best in the Okavango.

Khwai River Lodge

Khwai River Lodge is a luxurious and well-equipped safari camp, on the northern edge of Moremi Game Reserve. This area isn't exclusive, but it is beautiful and has excellent game.

Sitatunga Island Camp

Tucked away in a pristine corner of the Okavango Delta, the exclusive Sitatunga Private Island is a water-based camp offering boating, mokoro trips and fishing.

Qorokwe Camp

Luxurious and contemporary, the relatively new Qorokwe Camp is a gem in the Okavango Delta, offering land- and occasionally water-based activities in a prime wildlife area.

Khwai Leadwood

Khwai Leadwood is a luxurious lodge located in the heart of the Khwai Community Concession, offering guests exceptional service, stunning scenery, and unforgettable wildlife experiences.

Gham Dhao Lodge

Gham Dhao Lodge is one of a number of lodges located on the northern boundary of the CKGR, offering a year-round Kalahari experience.

An exclusive new lodge on the banks of the Gomoti River, Tawana will have just eight very spacious suites.

Special kinds of holidays in Botswana

From Family safari holidays to the most indulgent, luxurious safaris – Botswana has an exceptionally broad appeal.

Wildlife is a given, but so are the birds; with more than 400 species to be found in the Okavango Delta alone. Less obvious, perhaps, are adventure activities, all with expert guides, from walking safaris to riding safaris .The exclusive private reserves offer the perfect setting for a Botswana honeymoons safari : think moonlit baths, dinner by candlelight and sleeping under the stars.

Lodges with spas add a further touch of indulgence. At the other end of the spectrum, family-friendly safaris offer real flexibility, with some exciting “bush” school options. Then there are specialist photography holidays in Botswana : camps have specially-adapted game-viewing vehicles and boats; some even have high-end cameras and lenses available to guests.

Whatever matters to you about your safari holiday; talk to us about it and if it can be done – we’ll make it happen.

Birdwatching

Diverse habitats, discreet hides and superb guiding.

Cultural experiences

Get an insight into Africa's cultures and history.

Family holidays

Hand-picked camps for an incredible family safari.

Romantic safaris and castaway island retreats.

First-class service, scenic vistas and unparalleled comfort await you during these carefully selected luxury holidays. 

Photography holidays

Great holidays to suit the keen photographer.

Private villas & houses

Enjoy Africa with just your friends & family

Riding holidays

Explore Africa's wilderness on horseback.

Solo Travel

Trip ideas ideally suited for a solo traveller.

Explore Africa's most scenic trails on foot.

Walking safaris

Explore Africa's untouched wildernesses on foot.

Wellness escapes in stunning locations

Wildlife safaris

These trips include hard-hitting game and fascinatingly elusive species alike, as well as superb guiding and a variety of diverse ecosystems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Botswana FAQs

Numerous questions occur when you’re planning a Botswana safari, the sort of thing that you’d like to ask a friend who has been before, but may seem trivial.

Those below are some of the questions that we’re frequently asked, from what to expect on a mobile safari, to why Botswana is expensive. Everyone is different, though, so please do contact us with your questions – however trivial; we’re here to help.

Why are Botswana safaris so expensive?

Botswana has positioned itself as a high-cost, low-impact tourism destination, in order to protect the environment. In addition, many of the region’s great wildernesses are exceptionally remote, making operational and transport costs proportionately high. For the visitor, the rewards are many. Exclusivity is at the heart of a Botswana safari, with only a few lodges and camps in each of the vast private reserves, employing some of the industry’s top guides. Even in Botswana’s national parks and game reserves, safari lodges – and visitors – are limited. A further plus is that except in hotels in places such as Maun and Kasane, most trips include meals, activities, laundry and park fees, and some even include drinks. So while costs are often high, Botswana safaris can offer very good value for that money.

What are the tents like on a tented safari?

Except on a mobile safari like this , the “tents” in a game lodge are as far from camping as you could imagine. For the most part they’ll be walk-in structures with a metal or wooden framework, with stretched canvas sides and roof. In the simplest, screened windows set into the canvas keep out bugs, and roll back “doors” may open onto a private veranda with a view, while see-through covers and canvas blinds can be rolled down at night or during the rainy season. At the luxury end of the spectrum, some “tented rooms” may boast sliding glass doors and air conditioning. All will have en-suite bathrooms, ranging from the simple but functional to the seriously hedonistic.

What's a mobile safari like?

Essentially, you’ll be staying in small but comfortable tents – think glamping, or “comfort camping” – that are moved on a regular basis by your mobile safari crew, leaving no permanent footprint. There’ll usually be at least two if not three different locations, with guests enjoying guided safari activities while the camp is moved to the next location. Typically you’ll have breakfast in camp, prepared over an open fire, then you’ll set off to explore on a game drive, sometimes with a packed lunch, sometimes returning to camp at midday. Come the evening, you’ll return to camp for a bucket shower in your own tent, followed by drinks and a hearty meal under the stars. All mobile safaris cater for just small numbers, with some, such as our private guided mobile safari , exclusive to one group of travellers – making them ideal for a family safari or small groups of friends travelling together.

What’s a typical day on safari?

Most Botswana safari lodges offer two activities a day. After an early-morning wake-up call – usually at or just before sunrise, when wild animals are at their most active – you’ll be offered a hot drink and a snack, or a more substantial breakfast, before you set out. This is usually on a morning game drive, but it could be a walking safari, a mokoro or motorboat trip, or even a short canoe safari. At most lodges you’ll return late morning for a substantial, well-prepared meal, either brunch or lunch. Siesta time follows, the opportunity to sit back with a pair of binoculars and scan the surroundings, or to relax with a book. Mid-afternoon sees tea or coffee with cake, and perhaps a savoury snack, ready for your late-afternoon activity. Sometimes you’ll return to the lodge before sunrise; in the private reserves you may stay out for sundowner drinks before returning for dinner.

Can I self-drive around Botswana?

While driving yourself around parts of northern Botswana is possible, it’s not something we offer – with the exception of short forays into the Okanago’s Panhandle as part of an add-on to a self-drive trip around Namibia. Firstly, because many of the best safari areas in Botswana are in private reserves, which are completely off-limits to all self-drive travellers. The only way to visit most these is on a fly-in safari. Self-drive safaris are effective limited to the national parks and reserves – typically Chobe , Moremi , Nxai and Makgadikgadi – which are generally much busier, and more regulated, than the surrounding private reserves. Through these national parks, the “roads” these are scarcely more than sand tracks, which change with the seasons. Trips through these become expeditions on which you must take all of your camping equipment, food and supplies. The complete lack of back-up means that they’re far from relaxing holidays: what do you do if your track is blocked by a fallen tree, or an area is made impassable by a flood? Without a knowledgeable guide, finding the very wildlife that you’ve come for is simply pot luck on a self-drive – and you’ll spend much of your time focusing on getting around, camping and cooking for yourself. Whilst several of Expert Africa’s more adventurous Botswana experts have done these trips – and we’ve even written the definitive guidebooks on how to do them – we don’t recommend them and don’t organise them for travellers. So our safaris in Botswana leave the driving, the cooking and your comfort to the experts, leaving you to enjoy the animals, the landscape, the sheer wilderness that is Botswana’s biggest draw.

How many nights should I stay?

Many of our suggested Botswana safaris can be fitted into a week’s vacation, ranging from four to seven nights. This is plenty to explore a couple of areas of northern Botswana, perhaps two camps within Moremi Game Reserve , or visiting both Chobe National Park and a private reserve within the Okavango Delta , without feeling rushed. For those with plenty of time, the options are endless. Combine a week on a Botswana wildlife safari with time visiting the lesser-known attractions of the North-west Kalahari , or the Kalahari's Salt Pans , or seek out the rarities – such as sitatunga, Pel’s fishing owl, the slaty egret or sable antelope – in different areas of the Delta . A balance of wildlife and cultural attractions can also be appealing; Botswana has a wealth of ancient rock art just waiting to be explored.

Our other African destinations

At Expert Africa, we're experts in African travel. If Botswana is too pricy, we can guide you to look at several great alternatives.

Zambia stands out with its exceptional wildlife and intimate camps, including several top-notch owner-operated establishments that compete with Botswana's best. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe offers an experience which is often more rustic, but hugely enhanced by the sheer quality of its safari guides.

For an entirely different but equally thrilling safari, consider Namibia . Its vast landscapes allow for self-drive adventures that come at a fraction of Botswana's cost – including world-class safari elements.

For those wishing to pair their safari with aquatic activities or seaside relaxation, the east coast of Africa beckons. We recommend Kenya , Mozambique , Malawi , and South Africa . Island extensions to Zanzibar or the Seychelles are also fantastic options.

And if encountering mountain gorillas is a dream of yours, Rwanda should not be overlooked.

The choices are varied, so contact us ; to help you to craft your perfect safari – wherever that may be.

Humanity’s ancestors lived in Kenya, which is now home to people speaking 42 languages, and some of Africa’s rarest, most magnificent wildlife.

With tropical rivers, Rift Valley plateaux, the crystal-clear waters of Lake Malawi and a stunning lakeshore, Malawi invites relaxed exploration.

An ocean paradise protected by world-class marine parks, Mozambique’s idyllic archipelagos offer heavenly hideaways, outstanding diving and laid-back luxury.

Spectacular scenery, diverse wildlife and a rich cultural heritage await discovery by air, with a guide or on a self-drive adventure.

This small, mountainous country offers Africa’s best gorilla treks, other good safari options and a profound human element in every trip.

The ultimate glamorous getaway: the lush islands of Seychelles are enchantingly beautiful and stylish sanctuaries for both wildlife and ocean-lovers.

South Africa

Cosmopolitan Cape Town, world-class wineries, brilliant ‘Big Five’ safaris and spectacularly diverse scenery make South African holidays fabulously exciting and enjoyable.

East Africa’s biggest country has a wide range of parks to explore and some of the Indian Ocean’s best island retreats.

Home to walking safaris, exceptional wildlife, superb guiding and the mighty Victoria Falls, Zambia is Africa at its most alluring.

The ultimate Spice Island: Zanzibar’s mystique, marine life and chic beach retreats make it Africa’s most alluring archipelago.

Stunning national parks teeming with game, plus Africa's finest professional guides and the spectacular Victoria Falls: Zimbabwe is enthralling.

Elephant safari in Linyanti

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Botswana Safari Tours & Vacations

• Destinations
• Botswana Safari Tours & Holidays

It really is a zoo out there

Ever wanted to watch migrating zebras run across the African plains or feel dwarfed as a herd of elephants passes you on the highway? On  safari in Botswana, experience the brilliance of the natural world up close as you fill up your camera roll with exotic wildlife, beautiful sunsets and the breathtaking natural landscape of Africa . With some of the world's most renowned game reserves such as Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta , Botswana has a spectacular variety of birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and aquatic life that call it home. So grab your binoculars, keep the lens off your camera and buckle in because you're not going to want to miss a second. 

Our Botswana safari tours

Okavango Experience

10 days from 1728.

Tour through Johannesburg, Maun, Chobe National Park, the Okavango Delta and Victoria...

Explore Southern Africa

18 days from 2925.

Spend some time exploring Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe with included safari...

Cape Town to Vic Falls

22 days from 2903.

Spend three weeks exploring South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, from Cape...

Botswana Highlights

9 days from 2518.

Discover the culture, wildlife and waterways of Botswana on an adventure that visits...

Experience Southern Africa

16 days from 4662.

Visit Africa and travel through southern Africa's beautiful regions. Visit South Africa...

Tailor-Made trips

Take four or more on an exclusive trip and tailor your itinerary

Botswana Adventure

10 days from 4332.

Visit Africa and travel through Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe on a tour from Windhoek...

Highlights of Botswana safari tours

Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park is probably what you picture when someone says 'safari in Africa'. Located near the  Okavango Delta , the park sits alongside the Chobe River and is home to what is thought to be the largest concentration of African elephants in the world. The majestic mammals often come to drink and bathe in the waters alongside other wildlife friends (and foes) including the cape buffalo, impala, hippos, lions, leopards and cheetahs. There are so many ways to spend your time here. Go on a 4x4 game drive, hop on a sunset cruise along Chobe River or simply sit back and listen to the noises of the great outdoors.

Makgadikgadi Pans

Get a first-hand glance at one of the largest salt pans in the world in what used to be Lake Makgadikgadi. The Makgadikgadi Pans are a beautiful mixture of baobab trees, salt flats and grassy plains, best explored in a 4x4. However, if the scenery alone doesn't tempt you, then hopefully you’re more swayed by its residents. Arguably the cutest animal on safari, the meerkat is native to the Ntwetwe salt pan and is often found huddling in mobs by the sand dunes. You'll also be among some of the world's largest animals such as the elephants and giraffes as well as some of its pinkest as the area is home to a flamboyance of flamingoes.

Boteti River

The Boteti River is a must for die-hard zebra lovers as over 25,000 zebras are known to migrate here from the neighboring game park. Due to the numbers and their stripey coats, it’s likely you’ll see them if you’re there in the migrating season. Since the Boteti River is the only permanent water source in the area, there’s always likely to be a number of animals perusing its shores. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re more interested in the prey or the predators, you’ll likely see them all. Find leafy-green eaters such as giraffes, springboks and oryx enjoying the lush vegetation and the toothy species, namely the lions, cheetahs and wild dogs, lurking hungrily nearby.

Khama Rhino Sanctuary

While not quite as fanciful as their mythical cousins the unicorn, rhinoceros sightings are almost as rare these days due to their near-extinct status. Luckily, places like the  Khama Rhino Sanctuary  have homed and rehabilitated rhinos since 1992 and are now home to both black and white rhino residents. The sanctuary has a successful breeding program and is protected with anti-poaching patrols. The continuing goal for the KRS is to reintroduce as many rhinos as possible back into their natural wild habitats, so visiting this amazing place is definitely worth the animal sightings, not to mention supporting their mission.

When is the best time to visit Botswana?

Winter (April through August) is a good time to visit Botswana. The days are usually mild and wildlife is generally quite easy to spot. The summer can bring frequent rain, which can make it difficult to travel around some of the national parks. Wildlife also tends to disperse during the summer rains, making animals a little harder to spot.

Read more about the best time to visit Botswana

Do I need a COVID-19 vaccine to join an Intrepid trip?

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Learn more about Intrepid's COVID-19 policy

Do I need a visa to travel to Botswana?

Australia: No visa required

Belgium: No visa required

Canada: No visa required

Germany: No visa required

Ireland: Yes - visa required

Netherlands: No visa required

New Zealand: No visa required

South Africa: No visa required

Switzerland: No visa required

United Kingdom: No visa required

USA: No visa required

Citizens of countries not listed above, including most EU countries, should check with the relevant consulates as to whether a visa is required. For passengers requiring a visa to Botswana, application forms can be downloaded from the  Botswana Government website,  as well as instructions for applying.

Entry Requirements - Yellow Fever Certificate:

A valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate is required for all passengers over one year of age who arrive or are transiting through Botswana, from a country or region listed by the World Health Organization as infected by yellow fever. Travelers who are unable to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate issued at least 10 days before arrival will be refused entry. There is no option for travelers without a vaccination certificate to be vaccinated on arrival. Please note this also includes transiting through an infected country or region.

Children travelling to Botswana:

Please note that if you’re traveling to Botswana with a person under the age of 18 then you need to provide a certified copy of the child’s full unabridged birth certificate in order to enter the country (the one listing the child’s details and both parents’ details. - the short birth certificate which only lists the child’s details won’t be accepted).

Additionally, if the child is traveling with only one parent, with neither biological parent, or is unaccompanied, then they must provide an affidavit of the consent of the parent(s) that are not traveling, to prove that the trip is made with both parents' consent. Please contact your nearest Botswanan Embassy if you have further questions regarding this.

Can I drink tap water in Botswana?

Drinking tap water isn't recommended in Botswana. For environmental reasons, try to avoid buying bottled water. Instead, fill a reusable water bottle or canteen with filtered water. Ask your leader where filtered water can be found, some hotels we stay in may have drinking water available. It's also advisable to avoid ice in drinks and peel fruit and vegetables before eating.

What are the best animals to see on safari in Botswana?

Some of the top animals to see in Botswana include the big five (lion, leopard, elephant, black rhino and buffalo) as well as giraffes, antelopes, zebras, wildebeest, hippos and crocodiles.

What is ATM access like in Botswana?

You will be able to find ATMs in the big cities, airports and regional towns of Botswana. Rural areas, national parks and small villages will have limited to no ATMs, so be sure to carry other payment options before traveling out of the big cities.

Read more about Botswana

• The Okavango
• Find A Safari
• Accommodation

The Best of Botswana Safari

A flagship Botswana itinerary featuring some of the most beautiful and luxurious camps Africa, set in prime locations. Explore the remote wilds of the Linyanti, the game rich plains of Chief’s Island and the beautiful Okavango waterways of Jao. Outstanding safari experiences take place in some of the most sought after and exclusive locations in the country through a variety of land and water activities. A top notch and spoiling safari for the bucket list, best enjoyed in high season with the arrival of the flood waters.

This weeklong safari begins in the northern frontier of Botswana, in the Linyanti reserve, between the Okavango Delta and Chobe. The Linyanti private reserve is over 100 000 hectares and boats superb game viewing with varied habitats home to a great range of wildlife and birdlife. Truly off the beaten track and exclusive. The area is particularly well known for the huge elephant numbers which visit the area in the dry season. Lying between two important elephant corridors, a stay at Duma Tau camp supports the protection of these amazing animals.

Duma Tau was rebuilt in 2020 and reopened as a premier camp, even more beautiful than before. With uninterrupted views over the Osprey Lagoon, each of the spacious suites with and inside and outdoor showers., private plunge pools, a treatment spa and a wellness centre. Activities include game drives, boating, a photo hide and sleep out deck.

Moving on after two nights to the beating heart of the Okavango Delta, to Chief’s Island where you will stay at one of Africa’s most famous camps, Mombo. Known as “the Place of Plenty’’ this is some of the Delta’s most fertile land, home to impressive concentrations of game. Prolific wildlife includes an assortment of plains game, buffalo, elephant, giraffe, blue wildebeest, Burchell’s zebra and the stealthy predators that trail after them. With the recent reintroduction of both endangered Black and White Rhino into the surrounding area, this is one of the best places in Botswana. Accommodation is lavish following a full rebuild in 2018. Mombo is an eco-sensitive lodge and fully solar powered.

The itinerary ends at picturesque Jao Camp in the western of the Delta, an area which focussed more on the stunning aquatic scenery of the Okavango than on big game, though game drives are available on game rich Hunda Island. Best visited from June-September when the flood waters transform the plains to a wetland wonder explored by mokoro and boat. The camp was rebuilt in 2019 and has return to its former glory, a luxurious oasis in the Okavango, with a spa featuring a full range of natural therapeutic treatments. A perfect ending to your safari, a chance to slow down and soak up the beauty of the Okavango before you depart.

Day 1 - Duma Tau

On the day of your arrival at Maun Airport, you are greeted by your Wilderness Safaris’ guide who will assist you onto your scheduled charter flight to Duma Tau -translated from Setswana as “Roar of the Lion’’ - in the Linyanti Concession. A short flight of 45 minutes, followed by a 35- minute game drive transfer to Duma Tau Camp, resting under majestic Ebony and Mangosteen trees.

Lying close to the Zibadianja Lagoon, the source of the Savute Channel, Duma Tau shares this concession with Savute, Linyanti and Kings Camp and is similar in landscape to the northern riverfront of Chobe National Park.

Settle into your contemporary luxury suite with private plunge pool and extensive views over the floodplains.

During mid- afternoon, join your guide for a tasty high tea spread before exploring the wilderness, either a boat ride at sunset or a 4x4 game drive.

With open floodplains to the west and the Savuti Channel to the south, there is plenty of wilderness habitat to discover and a chance to witness predator and prey interactions that Linyanti is renowned for as the game of survival plays out before you.

Stopping in a scenic spot you will toast the setting sun with some drinks before returning to camp for dinner below the stars.

Day 2 - Duma Tau

The day begins with an early morning wake-up call as the pale sun rises promising another glorious African day. Early mornings bring the best chance of catching predators while they are active. After a light breakfast your guide traverses’ shallow streams, riparian mopane forest and fertile plains to introduce you to the prolific game here where hungry predators and elephant often take centre stage.

On return to camp, enjoy a delicious brunch followed by a few hours to yourself, enjoy your beautiful room relax by the pool or indulge in a host of luxurious spa treatments.

Around mid-afternoon you meet for high tea and depending on water levels at the time of your safari, you will enjoy a boat excursions along the Linyanti river where both general game and an impressive list of bird species can be appreciated or set off to photo hide, or even a game drive.

There is also the opportunity to spend a thrilling night on a private sleepout deck located over the lagoon.

Day 3 - Mombo Camp

You rise early and set off on your morning activity, planned the night before with your guide. Perhaps a game drive or even an early morning safari walk, a chance to get closer to nature as you tread through grass and sand that only a short while before formed the footpaths and hunting grounds for various animals active under the cover of night.

After a hearty breakfast your guide will return you to the airstrip in time to board your Wilderness Air flight to Mombo Camp.

A flight of 40 minutes over the splendid blue and green hues of the Delta transports you to Chief’s Island situated in the Moremi Game Reserve. This is the biggest island in the central Okavango.

On arrival at the airstrip your guide will be waiting to transfer you to camp, a brief 15-minute drive to Camp. You will settle into your beautiful suite and have some time to relax and explore the camp before you set off on your afternoon activity.

Mombo camp offers game drives only. These are thrilling enough! Sightings range from elephant, giraffe, impala, blue wildebeest and Burchell's zebra to numerous prides of African lion and specialist carnivores such as the endangered African Wild Dog and plains-loving cheetah. Your first afternoon game drive, departing after late afternoon high tea, and lasting approximately 3 hours, will give you a good taste of what is to come!

Having soaked up the sunset you return to camp for dinner, with pre-dinner drinks served around the campfire, followed by dinner, which could be an indoor or outdoor affair. Retire to your beautiful suite to rest for the next day’s adventure.

Day 4 and 5 - Mombo Camp

For the next two days you will enjoy early morning and late afternoon game drives. A few hours spent between activities over the siesta hour offers the chance to really enjoy this beautiful setting and your palatial room, or even to work out in the gym or pool should you wish to work up an appetite between meals. facilities

Early morning game drives occasionally end with a bush brunch venture where scrumptious and carefully prepared food delights are served in the open wilderness, free from fences and man -made structures.

Game drives here focus on your big game safari experience as well as the smaller predators like serval and side-striped jackal which are occasionally seen. Plenty of photographic opportunities will present themselves so best to ensure your camera is at the ready.

Due to Mombo Concession’s positioning on the ecozone between east and west Okavango Delta there is an enormous abundance of wildlife that benefits from this region. This extends from desert dwellers in the East-lying ancient Kalahari grassland vegetation, to the west where soil is fertile and floodplains that have dried up centuries ago give rise to permanent savannah divided by patches of dense mopane forests and acacia woodland. The Delta floods, occurring every year, ensures that varied species make use of all habitats. Sightings of black and white rhino in the Okavango Delta are restricted to Chief’s Island.

Day 6 - Jao Camp

Today you will enjoy one last game drive before departing for the final stop of your safari, Jao camp. Set on a scenic island on the north western Okavango plains, 10 minutes drive by safari vehicle from the airstrip.

Following a full refurbishment in 2019, Jao Camp has been returned to its former glory as a leading Okavango luxury camp. It is a super sophisticated camp with five luxurious open – planned suites and two ultra-luxe villas each with private sala for relaxing afternoon siestas. A romantic Star Bed is a seasonal option when water levels permit.

Having settled into your new Okavango home and spent some time simply enjoying the serene landscapes of Jao you will meet your guide for high tea in the mid-afternoon before setting off on your first activity.

The activities at Jao alter with the seasons and the arrival of the annual flood, from around April-June to September. When the flood waters are high the focus will be on mokoro rides, boating, fishing and walking. When the waters are lower the water activities will be shorter, and may not even be possible at all. Game drives will instead be the focus here, mainly on the Hunda Island, which is rich in wildlife.

Day 7 - Jao Camp

This morning, water levels permitting you set off on a traditional mokoro excursion, an ideal way to appreciate the early morning light, smells and sounds of the water channels of this amazing delta. Bigger game such as elephant can be viewed on the river- banks and though the focus is usually on the smaller creatures and flora and fauna. This is also a chance to learn more about the traditional way of like for the people of the Okavango, for whom the mokoro is their traditional form of transport. The birding is wonderful here, with resident birds such as Meyer's parrot, African harrier hawk, black heron, coppery-tailed coucal, and black crake will be celebrated by keen birders to the Jao Concession.

Return to camp for brunch and a siesta, perhaps pamper yourself with a massage treatment at Jao’s onsite spa facility or while away a couple of relaxing hours with a good book viewing game from the elevated main deck.

In the afternoon you set off on a boat ride, walk or 4x4 afternoon game drive. On drives each guest will have their own window seat, showing off the many Red Lechwe typical of this area, followed by their primary predator – lion- as well as elephant, buffalo, leopard, tsessebe, zebra, hippo and crocodile, the rarely seen and very shy sitatunga and spotted-necked otter.

Your last evening is spent regaling stories and wild experiences of the past few days with fellow travellers over a sumptuous dinner typical of Jao hospitality.

Day 8 - End of Safari

Wake up to the distinctive sounds of Africa as they etch themselves into your memory before enjoying breakfast and then departing with your guide for the Airstrip and your flight back to Maun Airport – approximately 20- minutes away by air.

On arrival, you will be met and assisted onto your connecting flight, should you need to wait in Maun the wilderness lounge is available.

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Extensions to this safari

Feline fields.

Feline Fields is a beautiful boutique lodge, an oasis in some of Botswana’s most remote and harsh landscapes. Great thought has gone into every detail offering the very highest level of luxury and service. It offers a unique and spoiling experience and a wonderful variety of activities there is something for everyone here- nature lovers, culture vultures, sports enthusiasts and spa seekers. One of the best and most authentic San Bushman experiences is found here.

The Silo is a historic grain silo, unbelievably, the platform for this five star hotel based in the heart of the Cape Town Waterfront. Contained within the upper six storeys of the silo, the industrial architecture is a sophisticated masterpiece based on abstraction –clean lines, basic geometric shapes and liner elements. More wonders lie below at the Zeitz MOCAA Art Museum. With stunning rooms, a superb restaurant, beautiful bar, spa, swimming pool this is an outstanding hotel.

• Duration 7 Nights
• Rates Jan 2024 USD 16,863 Feb 2024 USD 16,863 Mar 2024 USD 16,863 Apr 2024 USD 19,685 May 2024 USD 24,156 Jun 2024 USD 31,846 Jul 2024 USD 31,846 Aug 2024 USD 31,846 Sep 2024 USD 31,846 Oct 2024 USD 31,846 Nov 2024 USD 19,685 Dec 2024 USD 30,586

Featured Properties

DumaTau is a top luxury camp with a spectacular setting on the magnificent Osprey lagoon in the remote wilds of northern of Botswana. It has a prime location to experience the famous elephant mega herds and good all round game too. Following an extensive rebuild in 2020 Duma Tau has reopened as a premier luxury camp offering a sumptuous safari experience. The Osprey retreat features a wellness centre, gym and lap pool. Activities include game drives, walking and boating.

Mombo is a flagship Botswana camp, one of the finest in Africa, offering superb game viewing and an extremely luxurious safari. With a prime location on Chief’s Island and some of the highest concentrations of wildlife in the Okavango, Mombo is top of the wish list for many. Rebuilt in 2018, Mombo reopened as an even more luxurious camp though maintaining the essence of the original Mombo which so many have come to love.

Jao Camp is a flagship Wilderness Premier Camp and is one of the Delta’s most luxurious camps. Set on the Jao concession in the north western Okavango, the camp is surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery to be found anywhere in this pristine wilderness. Completely rebuilt in 2019, Jao returns as one of the most opulent camps in the Okavango with five suites and two villas. Each villas comes with its own private vehicle, guide, chef and butler.

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Botswana National Parks: An Extensıve Guıde

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Before we delve into exploring Botswana National Parks let’s quickly head down into memory lane. After the devastating world wars and civil wars ended in most of Southern Africa, wildlife conservation became one of the primary concerns at national parks. Over the years, safari tourism has become increasingly popular thanks to the enormous attempts to bring wild animals back. 

There are a lot of factors for a country to be considered a top safari destination, such as ideal climate, nutritious soil, water sources, and isolation. Botswana national parks offer all of that and more.  

With more than 80% of the land allocated to wildlife, Botswana’s national parks and game reserves are unrivaled. In this article, we will take a detailed look at the African safari tours in Botswana.

Botswana National Park Regions

Botswana is about the size of France with approximately 224711.456 mi² miles (224711.456 mi), situated between 62.6°F – 80.6°F (17°C – 27°C) and 68°F – 86°F (20°C – 30°C).

One of the features that make Botswana ideal for wildlife is that this country consists mostly of plateaus rather than mountains. The altitude varies slightly throughout the country.

As a geographical region, Botswana can be divided into three distinct terrains. Almost 70% of the country is taken up by the Kalahari Desert in central and southwest Botswana. This is expected in the driest area because this region receives a minimum amount of rain.

The northeast of the country encompasses Makgadikgadi Pans, a large collection of several salt pans that flood seasonally. The central north and northwest are taken up by Okavango Delta, which is Africa’s largest inland delta fed by surrounding rivers like the Chobe River and Zambezi River.

Climate in Botswana

Botswana has a semi-arid climate in general; however, there is a transition from arid to subtropical as you go north. Overall, the country has two distinct seasons, dry and wet. The dry season is between April and October, while the wet season is between November and March.

The average temperature is 57.2°F (14°C) in the dry winter season and 26°C in the wet summer season. The day temperatures are around 25°C (77°F) during winter, but it can get very cold at night with temperatures around 6°C (42.8°F). 

October is usually the hottest month with a maximum of 36°C (96.8°F). The annual rains that start in November bring relief as the temperature slightly drops to 20°C – 30°C (68°F – 86°F). The rains are usually in the form of heavy showers in the afternoon. 

The Kalahari region experiences a long dry season with minimum rainfall to the extent of severe drought. Okavango Delta is the other extreme in the north, where the rains cause part of the delta to be partially submerged. The best time to visit Botswana is during the temperate summer period of May to October with moderate rainfall. 

Wildlife in Botswana National Park

Considering the diversity of landscape, vegetation, and climate, it is no surprise that Botswana is the ultimate African safari destination. Through the combined efforts of the government and the local communities, a majority of Botswana is allocated to wildlife.

Amongst Botswana parks, you will find national parks that offer not only exciting sights of the big five but also massive herds of antelopes, rare species and migratory birds. Before talking about the best national parks in Botswana, let’s summarize the scope of wildlife in the country. The dry Kalahari region is abundant in antelopes and predators that have adapted to the dry climate. 

The Makgadikgadi Pans witness a tremendous migration of herbivores like zebra, elephant, and wildebeest, while many predators follow and hunt them. 

The Okavango Delta and the riverbanks in the north are ideal for rhinos, buffalo, elephants, big cats, and antelopes, but they are also home to species living in the delta such as hippo and crocodile.

The main predators are the black-maned lion, leopard, cheetah, both brown and spotted hyena, bat-eared fox, and wild dog. 

Also, check out some of our blog posts on Zimbabwe and Eswatini National Parks.

• Your Safari Packing List for Botswana
• The Most Exhaustive List of African National Parks
• Other Travel Destinations in Africa
• What are the Main Tourist Attraction in Africa?
• 15 Best Countries to Visit in Africa for Vacation

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The Best Safari Spots in Botswana National Parks

Kgalagadi transfrontier park.

Situated at the intersection of South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana, Kgalagadi is a transfrontier park that transcends country borders. As the southwestern tip of Kalahari, it is characterized by excellent wildlife sightings with massive red dunes in the background. 

The park is ideal for watching predators prey on herbivores because it provides natural lookout points on top of the dunes.

Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Central Kalahari is the second-largest game viewing reserve in the world, even larger than countries like the Netherlands. 

With the vast expanses of Savannah interrupted by only dry river beds and dunes, your sight is limited by the sky and the horizon. Although some animals have difficulty adapting to the desert-like environment, Central Kalahari is considered the best spot for cheetah sightings. 

The park is also renowned for the prominent San heritage, which you can observe by joining walking safaris guided by Bushmen trackers.

Botswana’s Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park founded near the Chobe River is the oldest Botswana game reserves and national park in Botswana. The wildlife in Chobe is regarded as one of the most diverse and the highest population in Africa. 

It has four distinct ecosystems that boast a wide range of vegetation and attract all types of wild animals. Besides the big 5 herds containing thousands of animals, Chobe is home to rare antelopes like sable, red lechwe and roan. The park’s proximity to Victoria Falls makes it an ideal gateway into countries like Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Moremi Game Reserve

Moremi Game Reserve occupies the eastern half of Okavango Delta, one of the largest inland deltas in the world. The delta features both wet and dry plains that draw hundreds of mammal species. 

With over 200,000 large mammals, Okavango’s Moremi is one of the densest game reserves in Africa and the best for viewing wild dogs and hyena in riverine forests. Besides the conventional Botswana National Parks safari tours, the highlight of Moremi is the traditional mokoro cruise that offers an authentic river-safari experience.

Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

Makgadikgadi is the second largest salt pan in the world after Bolivia’s Uyuni Salt Pan. Although it is mostly desolated throughout the year, annual rains help the growth of grassland nutritious for herbivores. So, the region receives a massive migration of zebra, springbok, and blue wildebeest, followed by large predators like lions and leopards. 

Nxai Pan Game Reserve

Nxai Pan, one of the largest pans in Makgadikgadi, has a separate game reserve. Its fauna and flora are similar to the rest of Makgadikgadi. But Nxai Pan has a bonus sight of the famous Baines’ Baobabs, a rare Baobab species that was depicted in the stories and paintings of the famous explorer Thomas Baine.

Mokolodi Nature Reserve

The safari parks in Botswana are mostly far from the capital city Gaborone, so Mokolodi Nature Reserve stands out since it is only 10 km outside the city. The nature reserve was founded by the Mokolodi Wildlife Foundation that aims to conserve rare species like southern white rhinoceros. The park is home to big 5, as well as rare species indigenous to northern South Africa. 

Stevens Ford Game Reserve

This private game reserve is part of the Tuli Block near the Limpopo River. It offers a relaxing getaway at luxurious cottages and campsites next to wildlife viewing areas with species of zebra, giraffe, waterbuck, hippo, crocodile, eland, and occasional big cats. 

Khutse Game Reserve

This private game reserve is 240 km to the north of Gaborone and bound by Central Kalahari and Makgadikgadi in the north. It encompasses geographical features of both Kalahari and Makgadikgadi, creating a stunning landscape with salt pans and dunes. Khutse Game Reserve is also home to small San and Bakgalagadi Villages.

Mashatu Game Reserve

Mashatu is in the northern Tuli Block towards the eastern tip. This large private game reserve offers some of the best viewings of leopard, wild dog, and elephant in the country, although rhino and buffalo are absent.

The Most Commonly Asked Questions While Visiting Botswana National Parks

Yes, you can. However, that leaves you vulnerable to insect bites and sunburns, so we strongly advise against it.

Southern Africa countries like Botswana and South Africa which are located in the Southern Hemisphere close to the poles do experience relatively cold weather. It surely does get cold at night and early in the morning, especially during the dry season. The temperatures can drop below 50ºF (10ºC) in the Kalahari area.

You need a passport, but Botswana doesn’t require a visa for citizens from certain countries. Check the official website to see what the current requirement for your country is.

Maun is generally a safe place, and violent crime is rare. However, you still need to be vigilant and protect yourself from petty theft and avoid walking alone in the dark.

Conclusion: Botswana National Parks

Botswana, a sparsely populated country, protects some of Africa’s largest wilderness areas. With a Safari-based tourism-strongly controlled and often upscale, this vast land of nature is an important source of revenue for the country. Botswana is also second to the largest producer of diamonds in the world and has been transformed by trade into a middle-income nation (source: world’s largest producers of diamonds) .

With a continuously growing wildlife ecosystem that sees 17% of Botswana land area devoted to wildlife conservation (source: Today in Botswana ) and a Government who supports wildlife conservation by constitutionalizing the wildlife conservation act into law, Botswana would continue to be a tourist top choice destination for everything regarding wildlife safari in Africa.

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10 Reasons to go on Safari in Botswana

Oct 19, 2019 | Adventure Safari , Brave Africa Safari , Conservation , Most Popular Blogs

Before you decide where to go on your African safari, check out our ten reasons to go on safari in Botswana . We know you’ll love the Okavango Delta, Kalahari Desert, and Chobe National Park. Because if you’re looking for a safari that offers:

• 130,000 elephants
• Fewer crowds
• Conservation-focused tourism
• Incredible scenery
• 3,000 lions
• An adventurous experience
• Remote locations
• LGBTQ+ friendly policies
• Friendly people
• The best safari location in Africa

Look no further than Botswana! It’s truly a one-of-a-kind destination that everyone should experience.

1.    130,000 Elephants – The most of any African country

Botswana is known as “The Land of the Giants.” The country boasts 130,000 elephants , almost double the number of elephants you’ll find anywhere else in the world. This makes Botswana a haven and last refuge for these majestic creatures for the last 15 years.

What this means is that when you go on safari in Botswana, you’re almost guaranteed to see elephants every single day , multiple times a day. In fact, on our most recent trip out, we rarely had lunch without a few elephants stopping at a nearby watering hole to drink while we ate. Elephants roamed near our camp, came directly up to our safari car, and were almost everywhere we looked.

Botswana has the highest concentration of elephants by far.

2.    Fewer Crowds — The experience is focused on quality, not quantity

The last thing you want when you go on safari is to be surrounded by crowds of people. After all, you’re heading to Africa to see the wildlife, not more tourists.

Botswana is considered the “road less traveled.” Fewer people think about Botswana when they consider locations for their African safari, and so there are far fewer tourists. For example, in Kenya’s Masai Mara, there are 7,000 beds available for tourists. In Botswana’s Linyanti Reserve ( just outside of Savuti ), there are only 58 beds in the same size area.

Botswana also has legislation in place that limits the number of tourists that can be in any single area. You won’t find as many tourists on safari in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, or the Kalahari Desert, and the camps are kept small. Most camps, including Brave Africa, max out at six tents, 12 guests. We also max out our safari vehicles at just six guests, so that every row has only two people and no middle seat.

The idea of Botswana is to have fewer crowds and more animal encounters. And isn’t that what you want?

3.    Conservation Focused — Botswana is ranked #1 in the world for conservation

Botswana is considered one of the last sanctuaries in Africa with untouched wilderness, making it a haven for endangered species. More than 25% of Botswana’s land area has been set aside for parks and reserves, dedicated to protecting the stunning landscapes and wildlife.

In 2017, the Lonely Planet ranked Botswana the #1 country in the world for conservation , saying, “they keep visitor numbers deliberately lower than they could so that they can manage the environmental impact of wilderness tours.”

For example, let’s take a look at rhinos. In 2001, Botswana had no rhinos left, so the country passed serious legislation focused on combatting poachers and protecting wildlife. Poaching in Botswana was punishable by death for a few years, and they are the only country to deploy the national military to keep poachers out. Today, around 400 rhinos have been reintroduced to the Okavango Delta.

4.    Incredible Scenery — Varied and stunning landscapes in the Okavango Delta, Kalahari Desert, and Chobe

Botswana is home to some of the most pristine and stunning landscapes in all of Africa. You can find a little bit of everything in the country from dusty red deserts to lush swamplands, sweeping floodplains, expansive savannahs, and vibrant forests. Honestly, during one all-day game drive, you can travel through a complete range of raw, rugged, and stunning landscapes.

In particular, the magical Okavango Delta stands out as Botswana’s main draw. It’s 16,000- square kilometers of wilderness with some of the densest wildlife in the world. The area is considered one of the largest inland water systems on the planet and home to one of Africa’s most diverse and vibrant ecosystems .

It’s a dazzling area with an abundance of lions, wild dogs, leopards, hippos, elephants, giraffe, kudu, and more. Then, there’s the Kalahari Desert that extends 900,000 square kilometers and covers much of Botswana. A semi-desert, it offers vast tracts of land that are excellent for grazing after good rains. This area is home to black-manned lions, oryx gazelle, and the incredible flamingo migration in Makagadikgadi Pans.

5.    3,000 Lions — Second only to Tanzania in lion populations

Lions can also be found throughout Botswana. In fact, after Tanzania, Botswana claims the largest population of lions in Africa. They thrive throughout the Okavango Delta , Central Kalahari, and Savuti. Best yet, lions in Botswana have some unique distinctions.

The Kalahari Desert is the only place in the world where you can see black-manned lions . These lions are known for their massive size and beautiful manes. Beyond their stunning manes, they also tend to have higher levels of testosterone, a better chance of survival, and a healthier disposition.

Then, in Savuti, there’s a pride of lions known as elephant killers . This incredible pride has learned how to take down adult elephants. While it’s not something you particularly want to witness, it makes the Savuti lions stand out for their unique hunting habits.

6.    Adventurous Experience — Harkens back to the original safari experience

Since there are fewer tourists in Botswana, it creates a more intimate safari experience. It also translates into a much more adventurous safari that harkens back to the old days when Africa was relatively untouched by the rest of the world.

When you go on Safari in South Africa, Kenya, or Tanzania, you’ll notice that the animals tend to be very tame. Just search for videos on YouTube of cheetahs jumping on cars or a herd of zebra walking right near a car. There are so many tourists funneled through these destinations every year that the animals are desensitized. You might as well be at a zoo for all the attention the wildlife will pay to you.

That’s not the case in Botswana. Many animals in Botswana’s Okavango Delta and Kalahari Desert are still skittish around cars and people, which makes for a very different experience. It truly feels like you’re in the middle of the African Bush searching for incredible animals. Every day is an adventure, wondering what you’ll find and encounter. And because the animals are less used to humans, you always feel privileged when you have a fantastic sighting.

For example, we ran into a cheetah on our last time out that clearly did not recognize the sound of vehicles. As soon as it heard our engine, it took the cautious approach and disappeared. And while it was disappointing not to have more time with the cheetah, it was incredible to think that we may have been some of the first people to ever see him.

When you go on safari in Botswana, you feel more like an explorer, braving uncharted territory. And you feel grateful and proud of every perfect picture captured, and experience enjoyed.

7.    Remote Safari Destinations — Bush planes are required to go on safari in Botswana

Part of the adventure experience in Botswana is getting to your camp. While you’ll drive most places in South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania, Botswana requires bush planes. The Okavango Delta is massive and can swell to three times its permanent size in the rainy season. This means that driving to your remote camp isn’t feasible. Instead, you have to fly into dirt airstrips.

We think this remoteness is what makes Botswana so incredible. There are no roads near your camp, just dirt paths. A Botswana safari is truly an exclusive and immersive experience where it’s all about the wilderness.

8.    LGBTQ Friendly —Tolerance is promoted, and same-sex relationships are legal

This year, Botswana’s High Court unanimously voted to overturn laws that criminalize homosexuality. It was a momentous win for the LGBTQ+ community in Botswana and reflects the values of Botswana’s society.

During the ruling, Judge Michael Leburu admitted that the current laws were “discriminatory” to the LGBTQ community and violated Botswana’s constitution. He argued that overturning them was a matter of “protecting human rights.”

9. Friendly People —Botswanans are some of the nicest people you’ll meet

Botswana might be one of the least densely populated countries in the world, with a population of just over 2 million, but its people are the best. Botswanans are some of the friendliest and most accommodating people that you’ll meet. They take great pride in their country and in giving their best in everything they do.

You’ll be welcomed into Botswana with warm smiles and open hearts. Culturally, singing is incredibly important, so you’ll likely enjoy a song or two during your visit. You might even get to enjoy a few ululations on behalf of Botswanan women, as they show their excitement and happiness.

10. Best Safari Location — Botswana is regularly ranked as one of the best safari destinations

Chobe National Park is ranked as the #3 best safari destination in Africa by Fodors . It earns this prestigious title because of its incredibly dense game concentration. The area is “teeming with wildlife year-round,” Fodors writes. They also call Chobe a “stronghold of endangered species such as wild dog, cheetah, and brown hyena.” In particular, they recommend the Savuti Marsh , which we visit on our safaris.

CNN Travel recently put Botswana’s Kalahari Desert on its list of the eight best safari destinations in Africa . They write, “the Kalahari Desert represents Africa at its most brutally wild.” They highlight it as a “land of pure adventure” where you can gain insight into the diversity of Africa. They state, “there’s nothing better than a two-stop safari combining the shimmering pans of the Kalahari with Okavango wetland wilderness.”

Botswana also shows up on CNN Traveler’s “ Most Beautiful Countries in the World ” list. They talk about the Okavango Delta, calling it a “real-world Eden, where cheetahs, zebras, buffalo, and rhinos roam freely.”

According to Conde Nast Traveler, “ Your First Safari Should Be in Botswana .” The article talks about the country’s unique tourism model that focuses on fewer people, but high spenders, so the economy grows, and there’s as little impact on the environment as possible.

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Top 20 Best Botswana Safaris - Compare 376 Tours

5-Day Botswana Luxury Tour

$3,346 to $5,317 pp (USD)

Botswana: Private tour Luxury Lodge & Tented Camp

You Visit: Kasane (Start) , Chobe NP, Okavango Delta, Maun Airport (End)

4.9 /5  –  149 Reviews

11-Day Highlights of Botswana Safari

$7,541 to $11,090 pp (USD)

You Visit: Maun (Start) , Nxai Pan NP, Okavango Delta, Linyanti (Chobe NP) , Kasane (End)

Gondwana Tours & Safaris   Tour operator has an office in Botswana

5.0 /5  –  79 Reviews

4-Day Midrange Victoria Falls and Chobe Safari Combo

$1,170 to $1,290 pp (USD)

Zimbabwe & Botswana: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle) Mid-range Lodge

You Visit: Victoria Falls (Start) , Chobe NP, Victoria Falls Airport (End)

MoAfrika Tours

4.9 /5  –  1270 Reviews

11-Day Northern Explorer Trip

$6,655 pp (USD)

Botswana: Private tour Mid-range Camping & Lodge

You Visit: Maun (Start) , Moremi GR (Okavango Delta) , Khwai Concession (Okavango Delta) , Savuti (Chobe NP) , Kasane (End)

Wild For Game Safaris   Tour operator has an office in Botswana

5.0 /5  –  17 Reviews

7-Day Exciting Chobe, Khwai & Okavango Delta Safari

$4,924 to $6,875 pp (USD)

Botswana: Private tour Mid-range Tented Camp & Chalet

You Visit: Kasane (Start) , Chobe NP, Khwai Concession (Okavango Delta) , Okavango Delta, Maun Airport (End)

Explore & Travel Africa

5.0 /5  –  35 Reviews

3-Day Thrilling Vacation in Chobe National Park

$1,100 to $1,210 pp (USD)

Botswana: Private tour Mid-range Lodge

You Visit: Kasane (Start) , Chobe NP, Kasane (End)

5.0 /5  –  128 Reviews

8-Day Victoria Falls, Chobe and Moremi Affordable Safari

$3,280 to $4,500 pp (USD)

Botswana & Zimbabwe: Private tour Luxury Lodge & Tented Camp

You Visit: Victoria Falls (Start) , Chobe Riverfront (Chobe NP) , Moremi GR (Okavango Delta) , Maun Airport (End)

Discover Africa Safaris

5.0 /5  –  427 Reviews

6-Day Your Unforgettable Botswana Tour

$2,618 pp (USD)

Botswana: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle) Budget Camping

You Visit: Kasane (Start) , Chobe NP, Savuti (Chobe NP) , Moremi GR (Okavango Delta) , Maun (End)

Tony Mobile Safari   Tour operator has an office in Botswana

5.0 /5  –  82 Reviews

16-Day Combined Chobe & Central Kalahari

$7,700 to $8,470 pp (USD)

Botswana: Shared tour (max 12 people per vehicle) Budget Camping & Guest House

You Visit: Maun (Start) , Passarge Valley, Deception Valley (Central Kalahari GR) , Central Kalahari GR, Moremi GR (Okavango Delta) , Moremi GR (Okavango Delta) , Chobe NP, Kasane (End)

Early Kingfisher Safari   Tour operator has an office in Botswana

5.0 /5  –  23 Reviews

6-Day The Perfect Botswana Family Safari

$2,156 to $2,398 pp (USD)

You Visit: Maun (Start) , Okavango Delta, Makgadikgadi Pans NP, Maun (End)

5.0 /5  –  42 Reviews

7-Day Best of Victoria Falls, Chobe and Okavango Delta

$2,550 pp (USD)

Botswana & Zimbabwe: Shared tour (max 8 people per vehicle) Budget Camping & Lodge

You Visit: Victoria Falls (Start) , Chobe Riverfront (Chobe NP) , Chobe NP, Savuti (Chobe NP) , Khwai Concession (Okavango Delta) , Maun Airport (End)

Skytheme Safaris   Tour operator has an office in Botswana

5.0 /5  –  4 Reviews

10-Day Extraordinary Expedition

$5,495 to $9,568 pp (USD)

Botswana & Zimbabwe: Private tour Luxury Lodge

You Visit: Maun (Start) , Makgadikgadi Pans NP, Okavango Delta, Savuti (Chobe NP) , Chobe NP, Victoria Falls (End)

Safari Online

5.0 /5  –  116 Reviews

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$572 to $589 pp (USD)

Botswana: Shared tour (max 15 people per group) Budget Camping

You Visit: Maun (Start) , Okavango Delta, Maun (End)

Mosu Safari Tours   Tour operator has an office in Botswana

5.0 /5  –  32 Reviews

7-Day Last Minute Deal - Kalahari / Linyanti / Okavango

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You Visit: Maun (Start) , Linyanti (Chobe NP) , Okavango Delta, Central Kalahari GR, Maun Airport (End)

Savanna Safaris and Tours   Tour operator has an office in Botswana

5.0 /5  –  16 Reviews

9-Day Victoria Falls + Chobe + Okavango Delta

$3,256 pp (USD)

Botswana & Zimbabwe: Shared tour (max 30 people per vehicle) Mid-range Lodge & Tented Camp

You Visit: Victoria Falls (Start) , Chobe River, Elephant Sands GR, Makgadikgadi Pans NP, Okavango Delta, Maun Airport (End)

Escape to Adventure Safaris

5.0 /5  –  99 Reviews

4-Day Camping in Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve

$1,579 pp (USD)

Botswana: Private tour Budget Camping

You Visit: Maun (Start) , Okavango Delta, Moremi GR (Okavango Delta) , Maun (End)

Shipungo Safari & Tours   Tour operator has an office in Botswana

5.0 /5  –  56 Reviews

4-Day Okavango Delta & Boteti River Tented Safari

$1,155 to $1,276 pp (USD)

Botswana: Shared tour (max 10 people per group) Luxury Lodge

You Visit: Maun (Start) , Moremi GR (Okavango Delta) , Okavango Delta, Maun (End)

The Mzansi Experience

4.7 /5  –  64 Reviews

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$1,007 pp (USD)

Botswana & Zimbabwe: Shared tour (max 8 people per vehicle) Mid-range Lodge

Africa Incoming

4.7 /5  –  13 Reviews

5-Day Botswana Tour

$1,788 pp (USD)

Walking Stick Travel & Tours   Tour operator has an office in Botswana

4.8 /5  –  74 Reviews

3-Day Chobe National Park Camping Tour from Vic Falls

$715 pp (USD)

You Visit: Victoria Falls Town (Start) , Chobe NP, Victoria Falls Town (End)

5.0 /5  –  18 Reviews

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GLOWING SPLINT ADVENTURES

A Journey to Sustainability and Adventure.

Best Botswana Safari Locations: Top Places to Experience Wildlife.

• Safari Trips

Best Botswana Safari Locations.

Botswana is famed for its vast wilderness and rich animals, making it a popular safari destination. With so many alternatives, it might be difficult to determine which safari site to visit. In this post, we will showcase some of the top Botswana safari destinations and explain what makes each one distinctive.

The Okavango Delta is one of Botswana’s most popular safari sites. This UNESCO World Heritage site is a huge inland delta that is home to a wide variety of species, including elephants, lions, hippos, and more. Visitors may explore the delta by boat, mokoro (traditional dugout canoe), or on foot, providing a fully immersive safari experience.

Chobe National Park is another famous safari destination, with Africa’s largest number of elephants. In addition to elephants, tourists may see buffalo, giraffes, and zebras. The park also includes the Chobe River, where tourists may go on a boat safari and watch wildlife drinking and bathing on the riverbanks.

Table of Contents

Botswana Safari Types:

Botswana provides a wide range of safari experiences to suit varied interests and budgets. Here are some of the most common forms of safaris in Botswana:

Self-Drive Safaris

Self-drive safaris are great for independent travellers looking to explore the outdoors at their own speed. Botswana has a well-developed road network, and several national parks and reserves provide self-drive routes. Visitors can rent a 4×4 car and drive alone to observe the animals or hire a guide to join them.

Guided Safaris

Guided safaris provide an excellent opportunity to observe animals up close with the assistance of an expert guide. Visitors may pick from a variety of guided safari options, including day tours and multi-day expeditions. Guides are informed about the region’s ecology and fauna and may give insight into animal behaviour.

Walking safaris

Walking safaris provide a unique opportunity to explore the nature on foot. Botswana offers various walking safari opportunities, ranging from short walks to multi-day hikes. Walking safaris provide an excellent opportunity to see the ecosystem’s tiny elements, such as plants, insects, and birds.

Mokoro safaris

Mokoro safaris are a classic method to experience the Okavango Delta. A guide steers visitors in a dugout canoe, known as a mokoro, across the shallow waters. This is a tranquil and serene way to see wildlife, such as birds, hippos, and crocodiles.

Mobile Tented Safaris

Mobile tented safaris provide a unique opportunity to explore the environment in luxury. Visitors stay in tents placed up in various areas around the safari, allowing them to observe different aspects of the ecology. Mobile tented safaris provide an excellent opportunity to observe a range of species and settings.

Luxury Lodge Safaris

Luxury lodge safaris provide a high-end safari experience, complete with opulent lodgings and top-tier facilities. Visitors may enjoy gourmet dinners, spa treatments, and other pleasures while immersed in the woods. Luxury lodge safaris are an excellent opportunity to experience wildlife in luxury and elegance.

Best time to visit Botswana

When arranging a safari vacation to Botswana, it is critical to consider the optimal time to visit. The nation has two different seasons: dry and rainy. Each season provides a distinct experience, and selecting the best time to come may significantly improve the safari experience.

Dry Season Advantages

The dry season in Botswana lasts from May to October. During this time, the weather is dry and bright, making it ideal for game viewing. Due to a lack of rain, animals are compelled to gather around water sources, making them easier to identify. Furthermore, the foliage is less thick, making it easier to spot species.

The dry season is also ideal for birding in Botswana. Many migrating birds visit the nation during this season, and the lack of rain concentrates water sources, making them easier to see.

Wet Season Experiences

The wet season in Botswana lasts from November to April. During this period, the weather is hot and humid, with a higher likelihood of rain. While this may not seem like the best time for a safari, the wet season has its own set of unique adventures.

The wet season is the greatest time to witness baby animals because so many species give birth during this period. The rich vegetation also creates wonderful views, transforming the region into a green paradise.

Overall, the ideal time to visit Botswana is dependent on what you want to see and do. The dry season provides the finest game watching opportunities. If you want to witness baby animals and appreciate the beautiful surroundings, the rainy season is the best time to go.

Best Botswana Safari Destinations

The okavango delta.

The Okavango Delta is one of the world’s biggest inland deltas and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a unique habitat distinguished by seasonal floodplains, luxuriant vegetation, and a network of waterways and lagoons. Visitors may explore the delta on mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) tours, boat safaris, and guided walking safaris, experiencing a wide range of wildlife like as elephants, hippos, crocodiles, lions, and other bird species.

Moremi Game Reserve:

Moremi Game Reserve, located in the Okavango Delta, is recognised for its abundance of species and different ecosystems, which include forests, savannahs, and marshes. Visitors may take game drives, guided walks, and boat safaris to see predators like as lions, leopards, and wild dogs, as well as big herds of buffalo, antelope, and elephants.

Chobe National Park:

Chobe National Park is known for its massive elephant herds that cluster along the Chobe River during the dry season. Boat rides along the river provide fantastic opportunity to see elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of birds up close. Chobe also provides superb game drives, with opportunities to view predators like lions and leopards, as well as plentiful plains wildlife.

Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve provides an unforgettable safari experience in a wide and lonely natural environment. Visitors may take guided game drives through the beautiful desert landscapes, experiencing species like as desert-adapted lions, cheetahs, and meerkats. The reserve also provides good astronomy possibilities owing to its distant position and little light pollution.

The Linyanti Wildlife Reserve

The Linyanti species Reserve, located in northern Botswana, is recognised for its various ecosystems and abundance of species. Visitors may take game drives, walking safaris, and boat cruises to witness elephants, lions, leopards, and uncommon species like African wild dogs and sable antelope.

Botswana Wildlife and Habitat Experience.

Botswana is well-known for its huge wilderness regions, which are home to a diverse range of animals, flora and fauna. Visitors to Botswana may expect to view some of Africa’s most recognisable creatures, including the Big Five.

Big Five Sightings

Botswana is one of the greatest sites in Africa to witness the Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants, rhinoceros, and buffaloes. The country’s national parks, including as Chobe National Park, Moremi Game Reserve, and the Okavango Delta, allow tourists to observe these spectacular creatures in their native environment.

Birdwatching Opportunities

Botswana is also a birdwatcher’s delight, with over 590 different bird species found across the nation. The Okavango Delta is an excellent bird-watching destination, with regular sightings of the African fish eagle, wattled crane, and Pel’s fishing owl.

Predator Encounters

Botswana also has various additional predators, such as cheetahs, wild dogs, and hyenas. Visitors to Botswana may see these predators hunt and interact with their prey in the country’s national parks and reserves.

Unique Flora and Fauna.

Botswana’s unique ecology also supports various kinds of flora and wildlife that are not found anywhere else in the world. The Okavango Delta, for example, is home to the papyrus reed, which offers habitat for a variety of bird species, including the elusive sitatunga antelope.

Overall, Botswana provides an exceptional wildlife and ecosystem experience, allowing tourists to witness some of Africa’s most famous creatures as well as rare flora and fauna in their native setting.

Safari Accommodations Botswana.

Botswana has a variety of safari lodging alternatives to suit different budgets and interests. There are options for everyone, from campsites to lodges and tented campers.

Camping is a popular choice in Botswana for individuals who like the outdoors. Many of the campgrounds are located within national parks and reserves, allowing guests to interact with the animals. Most campgrounds provide basic amenities such as bathrooms and showers, but guests must provide their own camping equipment and food. It’s crucial to note that certain campsites require advance reservations, so check ahead of time.

Lodges are a more opulent alternative for safari lodgings in Botswana. Many lodges are located outside national parks and reserves, yet they nonetheless provide excellent wildlife viewing possibilities. Lodges typically include en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning, and other facilities such as swimming pools and restaurants. Some resorts also provide spa treatments and other activities, such as hot air balloon rides.

Tented camps

Tented camps provide a unique safari experience in Botswana. These campgrounds are typically placed within national parks and reserves, bringing tourists closer to the animals. Tented camps provide a more true wilderness experience, with tents complete with en-suite facilities and comfy mattresses. Some tented campgrounds include guided hikes and other activities including mokoro rides (traditional dugout canoe trips).

Overall, Botswana has a variety of safari lodges to suit all budgets and interests. Whether you choose to rough it in a campground or relax in a resort, there is something for everyone.

Travel Tips and Preparations Botswana.

Health & safety.

Botswana is a safe nation to visit, but you should always take steps to keep yourself safe. Visitors should take malaria prophylaxis and see their doctor before travelling. It is also advised that you carry bug repellant, sunscreen, and a first aid kit. To avoid waterborne infections, consume bottled water or use water purification pills.

Packing Essentials

When preparing for a Botswana safari, consider the climate and activities you will be partaking in. It is advised that you wear lightweight, breathable clothes and comfortable walking shoes. Visitors should also include a hat, sunglasses, and a waterproof jacket. It is essential to have a camera and binoculars to capture the stunning animals and surroundings. Additionally, guests should bring a power adaptor to charge their personal gadgets.

Photography Tips

Botswana has some of the greatest wildlife photography possibilities in the world. Visitors should bring a camera with a zoom lens to photograph the animals from a safe distance. It is critical to respect animals and not disrupt their natural behaviour. Visitors should also be conscious of the lighting conditions and change their camera settings appropriately. It is advised that you carry multiple camera cards and batteries to avoid missing any photo possibilities.

Cultural Experiences

Botswana has a rich cultural and traditional heritage, and tourists may immerse themselves in the country’s dynamic and diverse cultural experiences. Here are some of the greatest cultural events to incorporate into your Botswana safari itinerary:

Local Village Visits

Visiting small communities is an excellent opportunity to discover Botswana’s true culture. Visitors may connect with people, learn about their lifestyles, and obtain a better grasp of the country’s history and traditions. Some of the most popular settlements to visit are the San in the Kalahari Desert and the Batswana in the Okavango Delta.

Cultural Tours

Cultural excursions are another excellent opportunity to explore Botswana’s rich cultural history. These excursions are given by professional guides who educate visitors about the country’s history, traditions, and customs. Some of the most popular cultural trips include visits to historical sites like as the Tsodilo Hills, which include hundreds of rock drawings and engravings, as well as the Great Zimbabwe ruins.

Craft markets

Botswana is well-known for its thriving arts and crafts sector, and visiting craft fairs is an excellent opportunity to support local entrepreneurs while also taking home one-of-a-kind mementos. Visitors may discover a variety of handcrafted handicrafts, including as traditional pottery, baskets, and fabrics. Some of the greatest artisan markets to visit are the Thapong Visual Arts Centre in Gaborone and the Maun Market in the Okavango Delta.

Overall, Botswana provides a rich and diverse cultural experience for visitors, and including cultural activities into your safari schedule is an excellent way to obtain a better knowledge of the nation and its people.

Botswana Safari FAQs

What qualifies botswana as a renowned safari destination.

Botswana is known for its extensive wilderness regions, scenic scenery, and abundance of animals. It provides private safari experiences in some of Africa’s most isolated and pristine wilderness places, including as the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, and Chobe National Park.

When is the ideal time to go on a Safari in Botswana?

The optimal time for a safari in Botswana is determined on your choices and the exact places you intend to visit. The dry season (May to October) is often regarded as the ideal period for wildlife viewing, since animals concentrate around water sources, making them easier to identify. However, the wet season (November to April) provides lush vistas, migrating bird observations, and lower prices.

What animals can I expect to encounter on safari in Botswana?

Botswana is home to a varied range of wildlife, including elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, antelope, and several bird species. Each locale provides unique opportunity to view various animals in their native environments.

What safari activities are offered in Botswana?

Botswana has a variety of safari activities, such as game drives, walking safaris, boat cruises, mokoro (traditional canoe) trips, and guided nature walks. Visitors may experience a variety of environments, including the Okavango Delta’s floodplains and the desert expanses of the Kalahari Desert.

Are Botswana safaris ideal for families with children?

Yes, safaris in Botswana are appropriate for families with children, depending on their age and the safari camp’s rules. Some lodges and camps provide family-friendly lodgings, children’s activities, and specialised guides to provide a safe and pleasurable experience for families.

What sorts of lodgings are available on a safari in Botswana?

Botswana has a range of lodging options, including luxury tented camps, safari lodges, mobile tented camps, and wilderness campsites. Many lodges and camps are located within private concessions and provide unique safari experiences complete with opulent facilities and personalised service.

How can I get to Botswana for a safari?

Visitors to Botswana commonly fly into the country’s major airports, which include Gaborone’s Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, Maun International Airport, and Kasane Airport. Domestic aircraft, road transfers, and boat transfers are available to access safari areas around the country.

What should I carry for my Botswana safari?

Packing needs for a Botswana safari include lightweight and neutral-colored clothes, comfortable walking shoes, sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen), bug repellant, binoculars, photography equipment, and any personal prescriptions or toiletries. Check with your safari operator for particular packing advice.

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Animals Around The Globe (US)

10 Best African Countries for Safari

Posted: April 30, 2024 | Last updated: April 30, 2024

Unleash the explorer within and embark on a journey that echoes with the rhythmic heartbeat of the wild! If you’re craving the ultimate safari adventure, look no further. We’ve meticulously curated the ultimate guide to unveil the 10 Best African Countries for Safari, designed especially for intrepid travelers yearning to witness nature’s grandeur up close.

Investigate the 10 Best African Countries for Safari below:

#1 Botswana

Recommended Tours:

Thus, poachers are seen as enemies of the people. As a result, Botswana has come into view as Africa's most sought-after ecotourism destination. Starting from the Chobe National Park to the Moremi Nature Reserve, you'll be able to witness numerous gems all around the country.

Back in 2014, Botswana widely banned the hunting of wild animals and implemented strict laws which are still in practice. The country resumes its zero-tolerance for poaching and their very own environmental minister, Tshekedi Khama, has even launched a shoot-to-kill policy for poachers.

Botswana, with its wildlife conservation and natural parks, is a haven for nature lovers. It is currently in the top 5, as its approach to the protection and conservation of wildlife is worth the praise. As a country, it is very forward-thinking, some may even call it aggressively forward-thinking when it comes to its preservation and anti-poaching laws.

Not only do they have some of the best conservations, but Kenya is also home to 1100 different species of birds, 115 amphibians, 280 reptile species and not to mention 390 species of mammals. It is without any doubt, one of the best places to go for a Safari and witness wildlife.

When it comes to parks and national reserves, Kenya houses 16 national reserves and 25 national parks. Along with that, the country also boasts numerous private conservations which are open for visitors.

Kenya, as a country for Safari, is a force to reckon with. Its stunning wildlife environment is too phenomenal to put into words. Most of the African countries will not be able to even compete with their national parks and wildlife conservations. If you don't visit there at least once in your life, you're missing out on a huge chunk of excitement.

Its fertile land provides a safe and comforting home to around 200 mammal species. This includes elephants, hippos, monkeys and so much more. Along with 650 bird species and 5,500 plants. Even though the country is still underdeveloped and most of the population live in rural households, its national parks, and sight-seeing destinations are on the top 10 of our lists.

Even though many would face some difficulties in locating Malawi on a map, given how tiny it is, the country is home to the world-renowned Lake Malawi National Park. This is practically one-third of the country and is the most biodiverse lake in the world.

Most of the land in Namibia is occupied by the Kalahari and Namib Deserts. Along with that, the country also has 12 national parks and many other areas which are protected. So, if you go there for a safari, you'll have many rich areas to see and explore.

When it comes to countries with the least amount of population, Namibia is one of them. Which proves to be a good thing for nature. This is because most of the land in Namibia is still unspoiled by human filth or any sort of development, giving nature a chance to breathe.

In the country's Volcanoes National Park, you'll find 10 habituated gorilla families. Groups of 8 trekkers can visit them for one hour per day. But that's enough to get the best African safari experience. And as a nature lover, you'll enjoy the experience to the max.

If you've been around for some time, you'll be familiar with Rwanda's mountain gorillas. They were famously broadcasted and their fight for survival was shown on  National Geographic . This was all thanks to the late  Dian Fossey  back in the 1970s who advocated for the rights of these mountain gorillas throughout her life.

Considering the tragic history surrounding the mass genocide of the people of Rwanda back in 1994, it's truly a blessing what the country has achieved in the past 25 years. There have been countless investments in infrastructure. This has resulted in the country being a very fast-growing destination for ecotourism.

#6 South Africa

But given all the advantages, it's safe to conclude that South Africa also suffers from over-tourism. I mean, if you have so many great attractions, people will flock towards it. Chances are that you'll find yourself in the middle of dozens of unruly visitors who are not too keen on obeying the rules. This occurs mostly during the peak seasons.

Annually, the country has one million visitors. Its biggest attraction is the Kruger National Park with its enrichment in biodiversity. Visitors there also have the liberty to self-drive, thus, getting a first-person private but superb experience. 

For some time now, South Africa has been climbing the charts to become one of the most popular destinations for African safaris. Given its location, South Africa is a very convenient and cheap destination for people from the United States. Besides that, the country also boasts a well-developed infrastructure which makes it perfect for luxury travelers as well.

#7 Tanzania

One of the most popular locations would be the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The country is also a haven for 1100 different bird species. It's no wonder that Tanzania gets this much rep. Especially when the country boasts so many wonders.

We talked about Kenya being the top destination for Safari. Now Tanzania here takes second place in being the continent's most popular safari destination. And why shouldn't it? The country has 16 national parks and an extraordinary amount of wealth and wildlife wonders for the people to witness.

Some of its natural attractions include housing the highest mountain range in Africa. It also has the world's largest free-standing volcano and the second-largest freshwater lake. With its 30 national parks and other wildlife reserves, Uganda boasts many more sanctuaries which are worth the visit. Especially if you're a lover of nature and wildlife.

Often called "The Pearl of Africa", Uganda is certainly a great pick for an African safari. Its reputation as being one of the best ecotourism destinations comes from the country's natural attractions and wildlife.

Out of its 20 national parks, the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is home to many wildlife animals such as African elephants, Angolan giraffes, Cape buffalo, etc. Other than that, there are many private ownerships of National parks, notably the Kasanka National Park which is near the basin of Lake Bangweulu. It's a safe place where visitors can see 400 different avian species.

Zambia may be a bit far down the list of popular destinations for your African safari, but many consider it to be a destination for diversified and immersive safari experiences, and making a notable feature on our 10 Best African Countries for Safari guide. The country is steadily focusing on conservation as their president has shown a keen interest and is working on building the nation's economy as well as the infrastructure.

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