available in Botswana
offering Safaris
Reserves and Wildlife
Areas
Overview
Located in Southern Africa, with a population of just 2 million spread across its 224,000 square mile range, Botswana is among the most sparsely populated countries in the world. It is perhaps no surprise then that Botswana safari tours are both popular and fruitful for those seeking some of Southern Africa’s untouched wilderness. The predominantly flat landscape is dominated by the Kalahari Desert, but it is also home to the incredible Okavango Delta, one of the largest inland deltas in the world. Alongside the Limpopo River Basin it provides Botswana with a truly unique and diverse natural habitat.
With such a large and unspoiled landscape on offer, choosing the right Botswana destination to enjoy a safari can sometimes be difficult. Moremi Game Reserve found within the Okavango Delta is an excellent place to start your safari in Botswana. Contrasting permanent water reserves with drier savannah areas, the Moremi creates some startling contrasts. At around 1900 square miles, the reserve contains mopane woodlands, acacia forests, floodplains and lagoons providing a welcome home for its flora and fauna. On a Botswana safari tour, you might be lucky enough to see the African wild dog and may just catch a glimpse of a leopard.
Next on the list of the best safaris in Botswana is Chobe National Park. This has one of the largest game concentrations in Africa, offering the best chance of seeing the spectacular Kalahari elephant which roam freely. The park itself is split into four distinct areas; Savuti Marsh, home to warthogs, impala, wildebeests and the occasional lion; Linyanti Marsh, where hippos wallow as crocodiles look on; Serondela, situated in the extreme north-east with floodplains that host giraffes and buffalo; and the Hinterland, a hot and dry grass woodland home to Africa’s largest antelope, the eland.
The centre of Botswana is dominated by the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, the second largest reserve in the world covering some 52,800 square miles. This makes it one of the most unique Botswana places to visit. The majority of this park is flat bushland sparsely populated with ancient trees. Safari trips here are likely to take in the fossilized salt pans and rivers, one of which runs through Deception Valley. Here the big cats rule and you will find lions, cheetah and leopards stalking eland, gemsbok, kudu and hartebeest to name but a few. Thus, making it a great destination to view some of the finest Botswana wildlife.
As part of the Great Salt Pans, the Makgadikgadi Pans in the heart of Botswana provide a stark, and sometimes surreal, safari for those who crave the experience of a truly unspoiled Africa. Covering around 10,000km² of the Kalahari, the pans are vast, with each salt pan ranging from the size of a pond to gargantuan scale. The Makgadikgadi Pans are bordered on each side by the Central Pans and the Boteti River Area.
Finally, to complete a Botswana vacation, perhaps include a visit to the Khama Rhino Sanctuary to learn more about Botswana’s rhino population which is under constant threat. A community-based wildlife project, the sanctuary provides prime habitat for the extremely rare black and white rhino as well as making an excellent home for more than 230 species of bird including a healthy population of ostrich.
Botswana Safari Travel Seasons
The best time to go to Botswana is;
- Jun–Oct – High Season. Peak time and low availability for lodges in the north, warm days and dry nights, October can be very hot.
- May & Nov – Shoulder Season. May nights can be cold, but otherwise an ideal and cheaper time to travel. Read here for more information about Botswana Weather.
General Information
- Capital city – Gaborone
- Currency – Pula
- Languages – Setswana, English, Afrikaans
- Size – 581,730 sq km, about the size of France or Kenya
- Population – 2.250 million (2016)
Travel Insurance
- Travel insurance is essential for all international travel. Click below to find out more.
Botswana Travel Safety and Health
- The CDC recommends the following vaccinations for Botswana: hepatitis A and typhoid. Check with your doctor which other vaccinations you might need and make sure your routine vaccinations are all up-to-date.
- Malaria is present in Botswana – get medical advice on which prophylaxis to take.
- Yellow fever is not a risk but if you are travelling from an infected region you will need a yellow fever certificate as an entry requirement.
- It is best to stick to drinking bottled water.
Tourist Information
Featured Botswana Travel Partners
Tony Mobile Safaris
Tony Mobile Safaris offer mobile safaris in the central, northern and Kalahari regions of Botswana. We...
Moonstroll Vantage Expeditions
We are a small and personal company that specializes in private, tailor-made and group travel to Southern...
Shipungo Safari & Tours
We offer: Day trips and overnight trips, mokoro trips, scenic flights, mobile safaris, boat cruises and...
Pros
- Low-density tourism and eco friendly lodges
- Best places to visit in Botswana for wildlife viewing
- Beautiful and diverse scenery of dry desert, saltpans, savannah grasslands and delta waterways
- Low population and vast undeveloped areas
- Political stability and safety
Cons
- Access to the best areas comes at a premium
- Availability can be limited during high season
Featured Botswana Travel Partners
Tony Mobile Safaris
Tony Mobile Safaris offer mobile safaris in the central, northern and Kalahari regions of Botswana. We...
Moonstroll Vantage Expeditions
We are a small and personal company that specializes in private, tailor-made and group travel to Southern...
Shipungo Safari & Tours
We offer: Day trips and overnight trips, mokoro trips, scenic flights, mobile safaris, boat cruises and...
Arriving in Botswana
- Most travellers arrive by air, usually through the regional hub Johannesburg and then into Gabarone or Maun
- Regional connections also include Windhoek, Victoria Falls, Livingstone, Hwange and Harare
- If you are already in the region (Zambia, Namibia or Zimbabwe) then you can drive into Botswana
Getting Around
- Botswana is a large country with much safari travel being done in light aircraft from local airports Kasane and Maun
- Maun is the major safari hub with hundreds of light aircraft flights into the bush every month
- Most Botswana safari itineraries include all transport
Visas Requirements in Botswana
- Visas are not required by most visitors, but please check before travel –
Botswana Visas
Featured Botswana Travel Partners
Tony Mobile Safaris
Tony Mobile Safaris offer mobile safaris in the central, northern and Kalahari regions of Botswana. We...
Moonstroll Vantage Expeditions
We are a small and personal company that specializes in private, tailor-made and group travel to Southern...
Shipungo Safari & Tours
We offer: Day trips and overnight trips, mokoro trips, scenic flights, mobile safaris, boat cruises and...
Botswana Safaris
Mesmerising Africa – Houseboat, Chobe and Vic Falls
- 11 Days
Stay on a houseboat in the Okavango Delta to truly experience its scenic beauty, enjoying lazy days exploring...
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Country:Zimbabwe, Botswana,
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Departures:Year Round
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Length:11 Days
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Start/end:Start in Maun, end in Victoria Falls/Livingstone/Kasane
9-Day Lion Safari
- 9 Days
This fantastic safari covers some of very best wildlife regions in Botswana with a wide range of animal...
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Country:Botswana,
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Departures:Year Round
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Length:9 Days
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Start/end:Start in Maun, end in Kasane
South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana Safari
- 14 Days
Packed with wildlife viewing, scenic beauty and a wealth of optional activities, this safari takes in...
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Country:Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe,
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Departures:Year Round
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Length:14 Days
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Start/end:Start in Cape Town, South Africa, end in Maun, Botswana
10-Day Botswana Desert Camping Safari
- 10 Days
Visit Botswana's desert regions of Tsodilo, Kalahari, Makgadikgadi Pan and Nxai Pan on this adventure....
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Country:Botswana,
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Departures:Year Round
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Length:10 Days
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Start/end:Start/end in Maun
Vic Falls to Chobe National Park Day Trip
- 1 Days
Visit the famous Chobe National Park in Botswana on an amazing day of spectacular game viewing as you...
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Country:Botswana, Zimbabwe,
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Departures:Year Round
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Length:1 Days
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Start/end:Start/end in Victoria Falls
Chobe National Park Day Trip
- 1 Days
Our day trip to Chobe National Park, which is an 8-hour day trip from Livingstone in Zambia to Botswana's...
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Country:Botswana,
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Departures:Year Round
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Length:1 Days
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Start/end:Start/end in Livingstone
4-Day Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Nxai Pan Safari
- 4 Days
Embark on a trip into the vast lands of Botswana's Central Kalahari Game Reserve and experience Nxai...
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Country:Botswana,
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Departures:Year Round
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Length:4 Days
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Start/end:Start in Maun, end in Maun
Botswana & Namibia Self-Drive Safari
- 21 Days
This ultimate 3-week self-drive safari takes you from Botswana's premium game viewing areas to truly...
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Country:Botswana,
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Departures:Year Round
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Length:21 Days
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Start/end:Start/end in Maun
14-Day Botswana, South Africa and Victoria Falls Safari
- 14 Days
This two week safari takes you to some of the best spots in South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe. Experience...
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Country:Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa,
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Departures:Array
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Length:14 Days
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Start/end:Start in Cape Town, end in Victoria Falls
Okavango Delta, Chobe & Victoria Falls
- 10 Days
This 10-day safari offers you the opportunity to explore some of Botswana's highly sought after safari...
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Country:Botswana, Zimbabwe,
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Departures:Array
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Length:10 Days
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Start/end:Start in Maun, end in Kasane
Partners offering Safaris in Botswana
Countries in the same Region
South Africa
- 8 Partners
- 15 Tours
Home to some of the richest biodiversity on earth, South Africa has a wealth of scenic gems for visitors to experience, from mountains, lakes and oceans to winelands, national parks and deserts.
Zambia
- 6 Partners
- 15 Tours
With vast tracts of remote wilderness and few tourists, a visit to Zambia offers genuine adventure with high quality guides sharing their knowledge on game drives, night excursions, walking and canoe safaris.
Namibia
- 8 Partners
- 11 Tours
This remarkable country is home to an array of breathtaking safari areas; the Namib Desert with its red sand dunes, Damaraland, home to unique desert-adapted species and Etosha National Park with its wildlife and salt pan scenery.
Zimbabwe
- 6 Partners
- 15 Tours
Zimbabwe still rates as one of the greatest Southern African safari destinations. Despite its recent troubles, it offers a superior safari experience and is home to some of the very best guides in the business.
Swaziland
- 1 Partners
- 1 Tours
Despite being the smallest country in the southern hemisphere, the Kingdom of Swaziland packs a punch with everything it has to offer, brimming with colourful rich culture, laid-back friendly locals, natural beauty and amazing wildllife.
Mozambique
- 4 Partners
- 3 Tours
Mozambique is a tropical paradise that has so much to offer visitors; soft, dune-covered beaches and turquoise-coloured oceans, rich coral reefs and uninhabited archipelagos. Inland the vast wilderness is recovering from years of civil war. Situated in the southern end of the Great African Rift Valley, the Gorongosa National Park lies in the wild heart of central Mozambique.
Malawi
- 3 Partners
- 0 Tours
Malawi’s varied landscapes include green plains, mountainous areas, forests and river valleys. Despite its relatively small land mass for an African country, Malawi boasts a large number of national parks and open spaces making it ideal for a safari holiday.
Madagascar
- 2 Partners
- 1 Tours
Lying off the southeast coast of Africa, Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world and a unique ecological environment. The island split off from the ancient landform of Gondwana some 88 million years ago and has since remained an isolated landmass. This has resulted in the spectacular biodiversity for which Madagascar has become known, with an astonishing 90% of its wildlife unique to the island.