When it comes to top safari destinations, Botswana is high up on the list for many travellers. Its vast wilderness areas, exceptional wildlife, superb, luxury camps and lodges make it a sought-after stop on most visits to southern Africa.
These are just a handful of the incredible experiences that this beautiful country offers that you don’t want to miss.
1. Visit the Okavango Delta
The spectacular Okavango Delta is the world’s largest inland delta – a verdant landscape of twisting channels and waterways, home to a magnificent array of wildlife. The many islands are dotted with iconic baobabs and swaying reeds.
Arguably the best way to experience this unique destination is in a mokoro or a dug-out canoe. As you’re poled silently along these waterways, you’ll see plentiful birdlife along the banks and species like elephants and antelope coming to drink and snack on the grassy banks. Keep an eye out for the rare and shy sitatunga – an aquatic antelope that thrives in these boggy areas.
2. See the elephant herds of Chobe
Chobe National Park is one of Botswana’s largest conservation areas and home to the biggest elephant population on the planet. These gentle pachyderms gather in large herds along the banks of the Chobe River, particularly during the dry season (between May and October). More info on this multi day cruise safari.
The river banks are not just a popular haunt for elephants during the dry season, but most species gather here, seeking water from any remaining sources. Huge herds of buffalo, as well as predators like hyena, jackal, and lion can be spotted.
3. Enjoy a Big 5 safari in Moremi
Located in the central and eastern area of the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve is revered for its diverse habitat and impressive animal populations. The varied landscapes encompassed by the park include forests and lagoons, as well as the floodplains and islands of the Delta.
Game viewing here is excellent pretty much all year round, and you’re likely to spot species including the Big 5 (lion, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, and rhino), as well as leopard, wild dog, zebra and many more. Bird watchers won’t be disappointed with over 400 species to spot – some migratory and some endangered.
Moremi is a popular self-drive destination and very rewarding for photographers.
4. Meet meerkats in the Kalahari
Meerkats (or suricates) are adorable members of the mongoose family that are famous for their upright lookout posture and curious little faces. With the success of the Lion King movies and the popularity of Timon the meerkat character, more people are wanting to encounter a meerkat in the wild. If you’re travelling to Botswana with the kids, this is one not to be missed.
Meerkats are devilishly quick and usually scamper out of sight before you’ve spotted them, so aren’t always easy to see in their natural habitat. They are, however, easily adapted to humans and extremely curious, and some camps in the Kalahari have nearby colonies that guests can visit and interact with. These camps often report local meerkats clambering up guests to use them as elevated lookout points! Spend a Morning with the Meerkats.
5. Explore bushman culture in the Kalahari
The Kalahari is home to the indigenous San hunter-gatherers. Having lived in this unforgiving and harsh landscape for over 20 000 years, the San have perfected survival and have immense knowledge of nature and deep spiritual heritage.
Join the San for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, learning about their incredible tracking and hunting skills, listening to their folklore, and exploring their unique culture. This is not a staged tourist activity, but an authentic experience offering a glimpse into one of the oldest cultures on our planet.
6. Take a hot-air balloon safari
A hot-air balloon safari is a great way to explore any safari region, but particularly the Okavango Delta. This bird’s-eye-view offers a different perspective of this unique landscape and allows you to fully appreciate the sheer scale of the Delta.
The relative silence of a balloon flight allows you to see this majestic landscape and the wildlife below without too much disruption. This is the perfect experience for a romantic Botswana honeymoon.
Note: Balloon safaris must be booked separately and well in advance. This activity is heavily dependent on the weather.
7. Go mobile camping
There are few more thrilling experiences than to spend a night beneath a canopy of stars in the heart of Botswana’s wilderness. Stargazing when in the bush is something that simply needs to be seen to be believed. The lack of any other light sources and the absence of pollution makes for some truly spectacular stargazing.
Mobile camping in Botswana is not your average camping experience. Forget wrestling with a tent, sleeping on the cold hard ground, and cooking your own meals over a campfire. Mobile camps in Botswana offer all the comforts of a safari lodge – soft beds, spacious tents, hot water, and flushing toilets.
You’ll get to enjoy the wilderness at its best without having to sacrifice luxury.
8. Visit Nxai Pan and Baine’s Baobabs
Nxai Pan is an extensive salt pan that comes alive during the rainy seasons. When seen from the air, the bleached dry lake can be clearly seen against the otherwise grassy surroundings. What was once an old lake bed is now an acacia-dotted landscape where wildlife gathers seasonally. The rainy season here attracts species including zebra, wildebeest, lion, cheetah and hyena, among others.
In the south of Nxai Pan lies a grove of seven large baobab trees, known as the Sleeping Sisters. The surrounding landscape is so flat and so arid that these enormous sentinels stand out from a distance. These iconic trees were painted and immortalized in 1862 by Thomas Baines, a member of Livingstone’s expedition.
Also, check out this once-in-a-lifetime experience, the Photographic Hides at Mashatu Lodge.
