Botswana Safaris

Much More Than a Classic Safari Destination

From lunar-like desert landscapes and open grasslands to riverine forests and papyrus-lined canals, Botswana vacations deliver the very best in land- and water safari experiences. Furthermore, you can combine luxury and adventure in some of the world's remotest locations, while the magical sights and sounds of Africa leave you with memories you'll cherish forever.

Botswana's Okavango Delta is arguably one of the most sought-after safari destinations on Earth. Travellers come here to experience the world's biggest inland wetland that is completely surrounded by a desert. Tourists also flock to Chobe National Park to witness the highest concentrations of wild elephants anywhere in Africa.

Desert, delta, rivers and baobabs, unusual species like lechwe and sitatunga, sensational birdwatching, an annual zebra migration, exquisite Botswana accommodation… Botswana really does have it all.

1. One-of-a-Kind Safari Activities

The diversity in Botswana's terrain lends itself to an array of unique activities to suit virtually anyone with an interest in the outdoors. Whether it's your first trip to Botswana or your tenth, there is always something exciting and new to experience in one of Africa's friendliest countries.

From gliding through the Okavango Delta's tranquil waterways on a traditional mokoro (think of it as the ‘Venice of Safari’) to socialising with a family of Kalahari meerkats, Botswana vacations offer the kind of experiences found nowhere else in Africa.

• Go on mokoro excursions and boat cruises – some of Africa's best aquatic safari activities.
• Meet and interact with habituated meerkats.
• Enjoy quad bike (ATV) rides and desert sleepouts on Makgadikgadi Pans – one of the biggest salt flats on Earth.
• Go game viewing on horseback – one of the best things to do in Botswana.
• Learn about the life of one of the oldest cultures on Earth – meet the San Bushmen of the Kalahari.
• Get a bird's eye view of the Okavango Delta on helicopter and balloon safaris.

2. Phenomenal Game Viewing All Year Round

Thanks to a mild climate and an abundance of wildlife in heavyweight destinations like the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park, Botswana vacations deliver superb safari experiences any time of the year.

The Big 5 (elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard) tops the list of what to see on a Botswana safari for every first-time visitor. Rare and unusual wildlife like wild dog, brown hyena, lechwe and sitatunga are also very special sightings. But if you want to experience Botswana in all its game-viewing glory, head to Chobe to see colossal elephant herds and Savuti or Moremi for a predator spectacle.

• Track the Big 5 in the Okavango Delta's Moremi Game Reserve.
• See our planet's biggest elephant herds on a Chobe safari.
• Encounter Savuti's powerful lion prides – famous for taking down big animals like buffalo, giraffe and even elephants.
• Enjoy excellent leopard sightings in Moremi.
• Spot rare and unusual animals like wild dog, brown hyena, sable, red lechwe and sitatunga.

3. Some of the Finest Safari Lodges & Camps in Africa

Despite some camps being situated on remote islands in the heart of the Okavango Delta, they still take ‘glamping’ to a new level with facilities like spas, gyms, outdoor bathtubs and private plunge pools. You may even find swimming pool pavilions and in-room, wood burning stoves in the middle of the Kalahari!

Consistently rated as one of the best luxury safari destinations in Africa, Botswana offers a range of exclusive lodges and camps for travellers in search of privacy. Properties situated in private game reserves also deliver superb flexibility for activities while staying in luxury Botswana safari camps & lodges – their guides may drive off the tracks when searching for animals, most offer night game drives, and some even offer guided walking safaris. Botswana's private game reserves protect some of the last great wildlife wildernesses on Earth and contain just a handful of intimate camps – most of which are only accessibly by light aircraft or boat.

• Stay at some of the most luxurious safari camps in Africa.
• Enjoy off-road game viewing, night drives, and walking safaris – exclusive to camps in private game reserves.
• Discover secluded lodges situated on small islands in the Okavango Delta.

4. The Best Off-the-Beaten-Path Safari Destinations

From the evergreen labyrinth of the Okavango Delta to the rolling savannah of the mysterious Savuti and the far-flung stretches of the Makgadikgadi salt flats, Botswana vacations deliver the ultimate off-the-map safari adventures.

Holding almost a mythical status, the Okavango Delta is at the heart of Botswana's safari attractions and best explored by boat or mokoro (a traditional dug-out canoe that is propelled through shallow waters by skillfully pushing a pole). The Makgadikgadi Pans are the remnants of a superlake that once covered an area bigger than Switzerland. It's a gigantic, near-desolate landscape scattered with fossils and patrolled by curious meerkats and arcane brown hyenas.

Then there are the vast plains of the Kalahari, offering an astounding antidote to the modern world. This is where to go in Botswana to meet the San Bushmen, the first cultures of Southern Africa whose centuries-old adaptation to this harsh environment is legendary.

• Explore the Okavango Delta's myriad of waterways under the watchful eyes of kingfishers and fish eagles.
• Be awestruck by the seemingly endless space of the Makgadikgadi Pans – the photographic opportunities are exceptional.
• Discover the mysterious Savuti area, home to a mercurial water channel and notoriously large lion prides and hyena clans.
• Journey to remote corners of the Kalahari to witness Botswana's zebra migration, the longest terrestrial wildlife migration in Africa.

5. Easy Logistics & Convenient Add-Ons

Thanks to dedicated airports that service the Okavango Delta and Chobe regions, you can enjoy quick and easy air transfers on a Botswana vacation. Many of the private game reserves have airstrips, which makes flying in via light aircraft effortless.

Because of regular flights and accessibility to other blockbuster destinations like South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, it's easy to augment your Botswana vacation. Adding a visit to beautiful Cape Town, the gigantic Victoria Falls, or Namibia's ancient desert landscapes is very straightforward.

• Quick and easy air transfers between Botswana's safari destinations.
• Dedicated airstrips in private game reserves.
• Easily add South Africa, Zimbabwe or Namibia to your Botswana vacation itinerary.