BOTSWANA
THE ULTIMATE SAFARI DESTINATION

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Beautiful Botswana

BREATHTAKING BOTSWANA

A landlocked country in Southern Africa, Botswana boasts a striking natural landscape defined by the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta, which becomes a wildlife oasis during the seasonal flooding.

From the crystal-clear waters of the Delta to the famous elephant herds of the Chobe National Park and a myriad impressive flora and fauna spectacles between, Botswana offers some of Africa’s most scenic reserves and a host of impressive wildlife.

Okavango Delta

A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Botswana’s most iconic attractions, the Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana that’s known for its sprawling grassy plains and spectacular wildlife sightings. The Delta comes alive as a lush oasis during the seasonal flooding between June and August, and the sight of water in the desert is truly magical. Home to no fewer than 530 species of birds, 160 species of mammals, 155 species of reptiles and 1500 species of plant, it really is an African Eden. Notable wildlife in the area include the African bush elephant, African buffalo, hippopotamus, lechwe, topi, blue wildebeest, giraffe, Nile crocodile, lion, cheetah, leopard, brown hyena, spotted hyena, greater kudu, sable antelope, black rhinoceros, white rhinoceros, plains zebra, warthog and chacma baboon. It’s also home to the richest pack densities of the endangered African wild dog.

MOREMI GAME RESERVE

Renowned for its brilliant birdlife, Moremi Game Reserve is situated within the Okavango Delta. Visitors navigate past birdlife, hippos and crocodiles on dugout canoes on the reserve’s famous waterways, and the popular land-based safaris in the area offer sightings of savannah game including lions, leopards and rhinos.

Chobe National Park

Taking its name from the Chobe River that forms its northern boundary, Chobe National Park boasts Africa’s single largest concentration of elephant. Botswana’s first national park and the most diverse, Chobe offers vegetation ranging from lush floodplains to the scorched Savuti marsh. It’s classic big game country, with the legendary herds of elephant and buffalo being matched by notably large prides of lion. While it’s Botswana’s third largest park (after Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Gemsbok National Park), it has one of the greatest concentrations of game in all of Africa.

Makgadikgadi Pans

These shimmering salt pans are believed to be the largest in the world. Mostly appearing as glaringly white, endless plains, they transform into one of the most important wetland areas in Botswana during the rainy season. Situated between Maun and Francistown, the pans are what remains of an ancient lake, and now form part of the route of Southern Africa’s largest migration. When it rains and they become lush grass plains, they attract scores of water birds and great herds of game. It’s recommended to visit the pans during both the dry and wet seasons in order to see their dramatic appearance at their driest, and then watch them fill with water and attract a myriad flamingos, pelicans, ducks and geese alongside large herds of zebra, wildebeest and other game as the rains begin to fall.

NXAI PAN

One of the Makgadikgadi Pan salt flats, Nxai Pan is an extensive plain generously covered with acacia trees. In the south of the Pan is a large cluster of baobabs rendered immortal in 1862 by painter Thonas Baines, a member of Livingstone’s expedition. The area offers spectacular game viewing between November and March, with huge herds of zebra, wildebeest, springbok and gemsbok attracting predators the likes of lion, cheetah and hyena. The focal point of the Pan is the water hole, which is only two kilometres from the entrance and provides a permanent home to lion, giraffe, kudu, impala, ostrich, birdlife, springbok and more, with gemsbok, elephants and zebras visiting during the rains. Seeing the thousands of zebra dropping their young at the pan during this time is a particularly memorable experience.

MAUN

The third largest town in Botswana, Maun is most visitors’ gateway to the Okavango. An eclectic mix of modern buildings, native huts, malls, restaurants, bars and hotels, it’s the tourism capital of Botswana, and the headquarters of numerous safari operations. Maun International Airport is the destination of both domestic and international flights to the country.

KASANE

Another popular gateway town, Kasane is in the northeast of Botswana, near the Namibian border. While best known as the gateway to the famous Chobe National Park, it also offers a few attractions of its own, including the Caracal Biodiversity Centre which shelters rescued wildlife, and the Seboba Nature and Recreational Park, with its river walks, picnic spots and cultural village.

FAQ Botswana

When is the best time to go?

Botswana actually only has two seasons, a wet and a dry season. In the dry season from April to October it will be easier to spot game but the wet season is the period when many species calve and the perfect time for spotting birds. Average temperatures in Botswana fluctuate from 20 degrees in winter (May – August) to 30 degrees in summer ( October – February )

What is the best way to travel around

Compared to some of its neighbouring countries like Namibia and South Africa, Botswana does not offer the best infrastructure for self-drive safaris. Also, the most stunning areas of the Okavango Delta and many of the other national parks in Botswana are surrounded by swamps and waterways. It is simply not possible to get there by car.

Therefore all of our Botswana Safaris are Fly-in Safaris. With a small and light aircraft, it is easy to hop around the country and reach the most remote destinations.

However, if you combine Botswana with a Self-drive in Namibia, for example, we can create a sort of Fly-in and a Self-Drive combination where you leave the car behind for a couple of days to head deeper into the Bush.

How to get to Botswana?

Fly to Botswana via South-Africa (via Johannesburg) to Maun or to Kasane.

You can also easily fly to Victoria Falls

Our favorite places to stay in Botswana

Chobe Bakwena Lodge

Jack’s Camp

Royal Tree Lodge

Sandibe Okavango Lodge

Vumbura Plains

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This post is also available in: Dutch

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