Botswana

One of Africa’s last pristine lands - from the watery paradise of the Okavango Delta, to the shimmering white saltpans of the Makgadikgadi.

Overview

Botswana is one of Africa’s last pristine lands and offers its visitors beautiful scenery and prolific big game in equal measure. From the watery paradise of the Okavango Delta, to the majestic baobab trees of the Kalahari, it is a gem.

Most people know of the Okavango Delta. Yet Botswana conjures up so many memorable images for those lucky enough to visit. The shimmering heat rising from the vast white salt pans of the Makgadikgadi. And the flight of a fish eagle as it glides over the waterways of the delta. Or perhaps the elephant family coming down to the Chobe River to drink at dusk?

You can spend your entire safari in Botswana. Or you add a few nights on safari in Botswana on to a visit to South Africa.

Botswana is never a cheap destination. However it’s never disappointing either. Plus it’s good to remember that a Botswana safari is all-inclusive with meals, activities, laundry and most drinks included. So there are no hidden extras.

The proliferation of safari camps in Botswana has made the choice of where to stay even harder. These Botswana pages are a great starting point. But there is no real substitute for talking to us about your safari plans.

How to travel around Botswana

Generally speaking, there are two main ways to safari in Botswana. The vast majority of our clients opt for a fly-in safari. You choose which areas you want to visit, which camps and for how long. But the alternative is to take a mobile safari. This is a particularly evocative way of enjoying the delta and the deserts of Botswana. We go into more detail of what to expect in our section on Mobile Camping in Botswana. This can be either private or joined a small group.

Full range of Botswana camps & lodges

We offer the full range of lodges in Botswana from moderate to top of the range. And we are completely independent. So we’re not locked into using one particular safari camp operator.

Selected Botswana safaris

Here are a couple of Botswana safaris to whet your appetite. More are found in the Tour selection below:

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Features

Why you may love it

  • Watery game-viewing by mokoro in Okavango Delta
  • Elephant-spotting by sunset boat cruises on Chobe
  • Canoeing on Selinda Spillway
  • True sense of wilderness with very few people
  • Quad biking on Makgadikgadi salt pans
  • Adventure safaris at Mashatu
  • Wild dogs in Linyanti Swamps
  • Bushmen (San) people of the Kalahari

When to visit Botswana

December to March

Summer Green Season

This is the Summer rainy season. The wildlife tends to be more dispersed and harder to spot. But the vegetation is lush and green, animals are being born and birding is superb. It's traditionally the time of more reasonable safari prices in Botswana which makes this most expensive of safari destinations more affordable.
AVG RAINFALL 79mm
MAX TEMP 32 ℃ / 90 ℉
MIN TEMP 19 ℃ / 66 ℉

April to June

Early Season

This is considered the shoulder season as the summer rains stop. The landscape is still green and lush but grasses start dying down. June is a transitional month and varies from year to year depending on the rains (and thus how early the flood comes. For some safari camps it is still shoulder season and so can be a good option for keeping safari costs down.
AVG RAINFALL 16mm
MAX TEMP 30℃ / 86 ℉
MIN TEMP 15 ℃ / 58 ℉

July to September

Peak Season

Traditionally this is the best time to visit as the dry season continues and the Okavango Delta comes into flood. During the dry season the bush is less dense and the animals flock to the water sources for water. This makes the Okavango Delta and the large rivers such as the Chobe a mecca for wildlife. Note that June & July night-time and early morning temperatures can be very chilly. In contrast temperatures heat up quickly in late September.
AVG RAINFALL 2mm
MAX TEMP 25 ℃ / 77 ℉
MIN TEMP 6 ℃ / 43 ℉

October to November

Approaching Rains

October sees hot temperatures prior to the start of the summer rains. Somewhere in November, the summer rains start. This leads to a dramatic change in game-viewing as the wildlife disperse across the plains. So November is a transitional month. It could be like October: very hot and dry with good game-viewing. Or it could be cooler with some rain and dispersed wildlife.
AVG RAINFALL 15 to 45mm
MAX TEMP 34 ℃ / 93 ℉
MIN TEMP 17 ℃ / 63 ℉

Popular tours & safaris

We arrange trips to more than 100+ destinations throughout the African continent.

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Download our Guide to Botswana Safaris

Major Game Reserves, Sample Tours & Camps, plus the low-down on Best Time to Visit! Get our free guide here
 

Mari Jacobs

Africa Travel Specialist

Hi I'm Mari, I'm here to help you plan your ideal holiday experience
Did you know
  • National Parks & Game ReservesComprises 40% of Botswana
  • AnimalsWorld’s largest concentration of African elephants

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Natasha Jantjies

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