Botswana

Botswana is one of Africa's greatest safari destinations, with vast areas of unspoiled wilderness teeming with wildlife.

Botswana has long held a reputation as Africa’s most exclusive safari destination. Its emphasis on low-volume, low impact tourism has ensured that its vast wilderness areas have been maintained in a near-pristine state. For those who want to experience Africa as the early explorers did—remote, wild, and unspoiled—Botswana remains the safari destination of choice.

Often the highlight of any Botswana safari is the Okavango Delta, a wetland paradise located deep within the dry and arid Kalahari Desert. The tranquillity of the Okavango Delta is absolutely entrancing and exploring its channels, lagoons, floodplains and islands in a dugout canoe ensures an unforgettable safari.

Botswana’s wildlife is prolific and among the best in Africa, with highlights including the rare wild dog and brown hyena. Chobe National Park, among Africa's most famous safari parks, is known for its huge concentrations of elephant, buffalo and lion, and is one of the best areas in Botswana for game viewing, either by 4x4, on foot, or by boat along the Chobe River.

For those who are prepared to travel off the beaten track, the huge salt pans of Makgadikgadi are a fascinating addition to any Botswana safari itinerary. The pans are the remains of an ancient ‘superlake’ that covered much of southern Africa before drying up 10,000 years ago; here you can discover giant baobabs over 5,000 years old. Between November and April each year the Makgadikgadi is transformed into one of the most important wetland regions in Africa as the pans fill with water to become a breeding ground for huge flocks of flamingo and other migratory birds. The rains also regenerate the grasses, which attracts Africa's second largest migration of zebra and wildebeest, along with a host of predators.

Why not contact us to discuss the many options and current offers available for your personal Botswana safari. Our experts can tailor-make a Botswana holiday to suit your requirements and budget.

BOTSWANA TRAVEL ADVICE

The best time to visit Botswana for all round game viewing is April to October.
Birders will find the Botswana green season months of December to May extremely worthwhile.
The floodwaters usually reach the Okavango Delta in May and last until August.
For a beach holiday extension we recommend Mozambique, where there are many as yet unspoilt beaches.
A Botswana holiday serves as an excellent extension to a safari in Zambia and the Victoria Falls.
Botswana is a wonderful family holiday destination - many of the safari camps in Botswana have lenient child policies.

Regions in Botswana

Chobe National Park and Linyanti

The first and one of the largest game parks in Botswana, Chobe is also one of the most densely populated, famed for its elephant and buffalo herds. With four distinct eco-systems, ranging from lush floodplains to dense mopane forest, Chobe provides a greater variety of terrain than Botswana's other great game regions.

Makgadikgadi and Central Kalahari

Desert, salt pans and sweeping grass plains form one of our planet's most spectacular wilderness areas at Makgadikgadi and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. This dry, arid region poses a complete contrast to the lush wetlands of the Okavango Delta.

Moremi Game Reserve

Moremi is a dedicated game reserve situated in the heart of the Okavango, considered by many to be the most exceptional area of the Delta region, where all the major habitats and ecozones of the Okavango are conserved. Moremi offers the very best safari experience, with massive tracts of pristine land, populated only by game.

Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta is the world’s largest inland delta, and houses a diverse range of wildlife in its many ecosystems. The wildlife is incredibly diverse. Crocodiles and hippos populate the waters, while elephant, leopard, giraffe, cheetah, lion, baboon and a variety of antelope are all regularly seen on the plains. The birdlife, too, is prolific.

Tuli Block

The Tuli Block is a diverse wilderness of savannah, riverine forests, marshland, open plains and sandstone outcrops. It is a thin strip of land that stretches along Botswana's south-eastern border at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers. It borders South Africa to the south and Zimbabwe to the north.

Example itineraries in Botswana

Botswana Wildlife Safari

This 10-day safari itinerary allows you to explore in depth some of the most outstanding wildlife regions of Botswana - Moremi and the Okavango Delta. You will experience excellent game viewing, and have an opportunity to enjoy these very different regions of Botswana, each with its own unique features.

Victoria Falls and Chobe National Park

This six-day Botswana safari takes in the magnificent Victoria Falls and Chobe National Park. Starting in the town of Livingstone, you’ll have the chance to take part in a variety of excursions and activities, before heading to Chobe, Botswana’s first and, many would argue, finest game park.

Botswana Focus

Visiting the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, Chobe and Victoria Falls, this 9-day Botswana safari takes in the very best of the country's wilderness regions. You will stay in mid to upper-range safari camps and lodges. This modestly priced safari is ideal for families and small groups.

Botswana Explorer

Indulge in the adventure of a lifetime as you discover the most remote and untouched corners of Botswana’s iconic wilderness destinations. This mobile camping safari includes eight nights spent in comfortable domed tents with private bathrooms – each featuring en-suite flush w.c. and al fresco bucket shower – and one night spent at the Elephant Camp, within sight of the breathtaking Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world.

Botswana Green Season Special

This one week safari itinerary visits the most exclusive wildlife areas of Botswana - Linyanti and the Okavango Delta. You will experience superb game viewing with knowledgeable guides, and will be accommodated in luxury, fully-inclusive safari camps throughout.

Botswana Mobile Camping Safaris

Escape the crowds and travel to the remotest corners of Botswana on a mobile camping safari. These private safaris provide a more flexible alternative to lodge-based and fixed camp safaris, allowing you to travel off-the-beaten-track and at your own pace.

Elephant Song Trail - Moremi Walking Safari

Northern Botswana is home to one of the largest populations of wild elephant of any region in Africa. While these magnificent creatures are now endangered across much of the continent, in the wilds of Chobe, Okavango and Moremi – where this unique walking safari takes place – they continue to eke out an existence.

Selinda Photographic Safari

Experience a Wild Studio photographic workshop in the Selinda region of Linyanti on this 10-day Botswana safari with Victoria Falls extension.

Gomoti Plains and Machaba

7-day guided safari in the eastern Okavango’s private concessions, including three nights at the new Gomoti Plains Camp with special opening season discount.

Complete Botswana (Light Mobile Safari)

18-Day small group light mobile safari, visiting the Kalahari, Okavango Delta & Chobe National Park. This is a semi-participation safari, using private campsites.

Khwai, Chobe and Victoria Falls

Stay in the Okavango Delta's newest luxury safari camp, Sable Alley (opened May 2017), on this 8-day safari to the Delta, Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park.

Botswana, Namibia and Zambia Circuit Safari

This low-cost accommodated safari begins and ends in Livingstone, Zambia, and visits the core game-viewing territories of north-eastern Namibia and Botswana, including Caprivi, the Okavango Delta, Chobe and Makgadikgadi.