If money is no object, Botswana is the ultimate safari destination. Botswana holidays are undeniably expensive, but fantastic - reserves are private and exclusive, accommodation is stylish and luxurious. Wildlife and guiding are superb and the service is second to none. Following the rains, massive herds of grazers migrate from the Okavango Delta and Chobe River to the deserts of the Kalahari and the lunar landscape of the Makgadikgadi Pans, in one of the biggest animal migrations in the world. Botswana offers a stunning safari experience, for those with deep pockets!
OUR TOP PARKS
- Okavango Delta Safaris -
- Linyanti -
- Moremi Game Reserve -
- Chobe National Park -
- Makgadikgadi Pans -
OUR TOP EXPERIENCES
Mellow Mokoro trips
Impressive elephant herds
Walking Safaris
Exciting predator action
Real extended riding safaris
BOTSWANA HOLIDAYS
Why Choose a Botswana Safari?
1. Botswana wildlife alone could fill the top 5! This is a veritable Eden: 100,000 elephants at peace in the Okavango Delta and the Moremi Game Reserve's unbelievable wildlife concentrations, excellent wild dog, 100-strong hippo pods manning the waterways, and desert-adapted lions roaming the Makgadikgadi and famous Chobe National Park game drives. There is nowhere else quite like it.
2. As well as the big five and more, there is the scenery - particularly from above (usually in a Cessna Caravan light aircraft). Travelling around Botswana between camps and lodges is a highlight in itself.
3. Botswana is famous for its vast and exclusive private reserves containing some of Africa's most luxurious safari lodges. Only camp guests may enter the reserve, so your safari experience is completely private and intimate; nowhere else on an African safari can consistently guarantee such exclusivity.
4. Botswana is safe, warm and welcoming. This is a country which has never been colonised and has exceptionally low rates of crime and corruption.
5. This is one of the last true wildernesses on earth. Here you really can be on your own in the wild, whether that’s in the middle of the eerie Makgadikgadi Salt Pan, the Kgalagadi, or the lush Okavango Delta. Or even hop over to the Victoria Falls where the mighty Zambezi river crashes to the ground in either Zambia or Zimbabwe for a bit of B&B after your safari... Or head to the bright lights of Cape Town. All these things are within arm's reach from a Botswana safari.
BUT watch out for the prices! Botswana is nothing if not expensive. This is a deliberate strategy to preserve the natural environment, and it isn’t about to change. As a result, this is probably the only place that will look the same when your children bring their children on safari, as it does now.
Where is Botswana?
Botswana is in Southern Africa, and is bordered by Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa. Please see below our map of Botswana and all the best safari parks in the country.
When to go on a Botswana Safari Holiday?
The beginning of the year is Botswana's green season. The rains can fall heavily and although the birding is never better, this is not the time to visit in search of big game. By way of slight exceptions to the rule, the fresh grazing in the Central Kalahari Desert and Makgadikgadi do attract large herds, and concentrations of game are always high in Chobe. However the usual big game areas (Okavango, Linyanti, Selinda etc) do not guarantee good viewing during this season. As a result, there is some superb value for money to be found at this time of year.
From the middle of April the Okavango comes into flood, turning the dry sands of the Kalahari into a lush inland delta where lily-scattered floodplains attract huge numbers of game. This is arguably the best time of year to travel as the landscapes and game-viewing are stunning, yet high season rates do not kick in until the middle of June. The dry season, from July onwards, is the best time to visit Botswana for excellent wildlife all round, and even more thrilling big cat action. August, September and October are the peak months, when the huge herds congregate around the (gradually diminishing) remaining water. Low season rates return in November, when the heat begins to rise. From the middle of November onwards, the rains break and the cycle of the green season starts again...
How to get to Botswana & travelling around
Most international flights go via Johannesburg to get to Botswana, and fly straight into the country from there. Once you arrive in Maun, Gaborone or Kasane, most itineraries will have you travelling around Botswana by light aircraft (usually a Cessna caravan) as most of the camps are "fly-in" destinations. You can self-drive, but this only really happens in Chobe. In the Okavango Delta, it can be fun to travel between lodges or camps by boat if they are close enough and if the water levels allow. Road transfers can be arranged for some areas but aren’t advised, or possible in the Delta for much of the year, due to flooding.
Advice from the Botswana travel experts
Every one of our dedicated small group of Botswana experts has travelled extensively throughout the country, returning every year to see what's new and if anything has changed. This, coupled with over 20 years experience planning African safari itineraries means that although our website is as comprehensive as possible, it is best to ring us up for a chat about your travel plans. Whether you are in the initial researching stage, or have picked out your favourite lodges in the country, we are here to help.
Further Information
For more information abouta Botswana safari, make sure you check out some of our recent Botswana related blog posts:
Top 5 Botswana Lodges
the best botswana lodges
Botswana Itineraries
