An African safari is the epitome of experiential travel, and a journey to Botswana is no exception. Most travelers heading to Africa for the first time (or second) have regions like East Africa and Southern Africa top of mind. After all, Tanzania, Kenya, and South Africa are all major players when it comes to jaw-dropping safaris.

A herd of elephants in the Okavango Delta in Botswana

But in Southern Africa, just north of South Africa, Botswana offers travelers a bevvy of adventures not to be missed, even if it’s your first time on the continent. The wildlife, landscapes, and ecosystems are incredibly diverse—an absolute thrill for experiential travelers. It’s a wild, remarkable place with dazzling surprises around every corner.

Trips to Botswana are highly customizable, so you’re sure to have the luxury adventure of your dreams, right down to the last detail. Keep reading to discover the Botswana safari experience that’s perfect for you.

Where to Go in Botswana (and Beyond)

Geographically and ecologically speaking, Botswana is remarkably diverse. From arid salt pans to lush river deltas, Botswana offers something for just about everyone. Here are a few of our favorite destinations.

Central to any visit to Botswana is the Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world’s largest inland delta. Floodwaters from Angola spread southward each year, filling the Okavango Delta with flowing channels, pools, and lagoons. The result is a patchwork of waterways and islands that shelter countless species of wildlife. When the waters recede months later, the nutrient-rich soil left behind revitalizes the land.

The Moremi Game Reserve is known for a variety of wildlife, including the plethora of bird species found here

We absolutely love Moremi Game Reserve on the eastern side of the Okavango Delta. With nearly 500 species of bird, it’s a birder’s paradise. Moremi is also home to an astonishing variety of other wildlife, including lion, leopard, African bush elephant, African buffalo, black rhinoceros, black-backed jackal, common warthog, impala, plains zebra, blue wildebeest, hippo, giraffe, cheetah, and spotted hyena to name a few.

Located in the far north of the country, Chobe National Park is Botswana’s first national park and the most biologically diverse. It’s home to lush floodplains; woodlands filled with mahogany, teak, and other hardwoods; a marsh area influenced by tectonic movements; savannas and grasslands; and of course, the Chobe River.

About 50 miles east of Botswana’s northernmost point are the renowned Victoria Falls. Situated along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Falls make a great day-trip destination from certain points in Botswana. Or if you’d prefer to dedicate a few days to taking in the incredible 355-foot-high falls, it’s easy to combine a few days in Botswana with a few days at Victoria Falls.

At Chobe National Park, you have the opportunity to potentially witness the Big Five, including the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo

The Makgadikgadi Pan is a salt pan in northeastern Botswana. It’s situated in the center of dry savanna where, thousands of years ago, Lake Makgadikgadi once covered an area larger than Switzerland. It’s home to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park which boasts hippos, wildebeest, and zebras, as well as the whimsical baobab tree. The Makgadikgadi Pan’s barren, otherworldly landscape stands in stark contrast to the lush, water-filled Okavango Delta to the northwest.

The Kalahari Desert, a vast sand-covered plain, occupies almost all of Botswana. Within the Kalahari biome, in central Botswana, is the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Here, the harsh, sprawling grasslands are home to giraffes, cheetahs, hyenas, and wild dogs. You’ll also find rhinos, fascinating desert-adapted elephants, and the legendary Kalahari black-maned lion.

The Central Kalahari is off the beaten path and remote, perfect for the experiential traveler who wants a front-row seat to some of Botswana’s most awe-inspiring sights.

What to See and Do in Botswana

Botswana is home to a vast array of wildlife from dime-sized frogs and antelope to hippos, cheetahs, cape buffalo, and giraffes. The biodiversity is a major draw for lovers of wildlife—for good reason—but the vast landscapes alone would be worth the visit.

At the onset of the dry season, as the Makgadikgadi pans dry out, a mini migration begins as animals all over the region search for water. Massive herds of wildebeest and zebra move along the Boteti River, eventually reaching the Central Kalahari, all the while pursued by black-maned lions and cheetahs in search of dinner.

In Botswana, there’s more than one way to get around on your explorations. Safari on land in a game drive vehicle or on the water by boat. While in the Okavango Delta, a mokoro ride is a quintessential Delta experience and an absolute must for the experiential traveler. A mokoro is a dug-out canoe that is propelled and guided by a single person standing at the back using a pole called an Ngashe. Mokoros were traditionally made from the trunk of ebony trees but today, they’re often fiberglass.

Or for a truly luxurious bird’s-eye view of the Okavango Delta, why not take in the gorgeous vistas by helicopter?

If you’re particularly keen on spending an extended period on the water, you could consider staying on a houseboat for a few nights. This is a great option for travelers who love birding as the Okavango Delta is a haven for myriad feathered wildlife.

Exploring via a mokoro, a traditional canoe, in the Okavango Delta is a quintessential experience in Botswana

Like elsewhere in Africa, in Botswana, you’ll have your pick of luxury accommodations, from ultra-luxe lodges to barefoot luxury tented camps (and everything in between). Some of our preferred properties have internet access, others intentionally don’t offer it. All have wonderful food, comfortable game drive vehicles, first-rate safari guides, and incredible hospitality, as you’d expect.

For a truly unique safari experience, you could also consider fly camping. You’ll sleep in a tent specially designed to give you a wide-open view of the night sky while also enjoying the comforts of a real bed and luxury linens. This is the epitome of exclusivity, seclusion, and beauty, and you’ll never forget it.

And while the wildlife and landscapes are certainly something to behold, there’s still more to Botswana. The San peoples, members of indigenous hunter-gatherer groups that are the first nations of Southern Africa, make their home in Botswana’s Kalahari Desert and beyond. Travelers interested in a humbling, authentic cultural experience will relish time spent with the San. They live completely off the land. Going out on a walk with a San Bushman is a fascinating and eye-opening experience for the curious, culturally sensitive traveler.

It’s also worth noting that Botswana is a great place to take time to recharge. Many of the properties here intentionally don’t offer Wi-Fi, so if you’re looking for a chance to unplug and disconnect from the everyday world, Botswana is the place to do it.

Whatever your travel style and personal preferences, there’s an adventure to be had for you in Botswana. The seasonality of travel in Botswana, along with the wide range of different regions to explore, means that journeys here are always very customized. Itineraries vary from client to client, and it’s always exciting to see what sort of combination we’ll come up with next.

And if a safari is something you are considering, whether to Botswana or elsewhere on the continent, be sure to check out this post: Does Your Dream Safari Await You In Southern Africa or East Africa?

When to Go to Botswana

The dry season in Botswana is April to October. Animals are plentiful and easy to see since there’s less vegetation. This is also an ideal time to see the Makgadikgadi Pan. Days are warm to hot. Evenings can be cool or even cold, so layers are a must.

The rainy season, also called the “green season” is from November through March. But don’t let the humidity deter you. If you don’t mind packing some rain gear, it’s an ideal time for wildlife sightings (it’s prime breeding and hunting season for the resident game). Afternoon temperatures are hot and often humid, but the lightning and thunderstorms this time of year are astonishing.

In the Okavango Delta, the best game viewing is when flood waters are at their peak and as they recede.

Start Dreaming Today

Now is a wonderful time to start envisioning your next adventure. Safari planning generally requires advance planning, and the earlier you start, the better your options.

If you’d like to learn more about travel to Botswana, reach out to schedule your complimentary consultation here, and give yourself something thrilling to look forward to.

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Start dreaming today.