BOTSWANA

Botswana is the leader in low-impact, upmarket tourism in one of Africa’s last wilderness areas. The beauty of the Okavango Delta can be discovered on an unforgettable game drive or exploring by mokoro canoe, while Chobe National Park, Moremi Game Reserve and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve combine stunning landscapes with exceptional wildlife.

Rates (USD) $204 to $1,066 pp/day
Best Time to Go Mar to May (Dry parks), Jun to Sep (Okavango, Chobe)
High Season July to October
Size 581,730km² / 224,610mi²

Pros & Cons

• Low-density tourism and eco-friendly lodges
• Excellent wildlife viewing in northern parks
• Beautiful and diverse scenery of dry desert, saltpans, savannah grasslands and delta waterways
• Low population and vast, undeveloped areas
• Political stability and safety
• Expensive upmarket safaris with fewer budget options

Wildlife
Botswana has an abundance of big African animals such as elephant, giraffe, hippo, buffalo and zebra. Big cats aren’t as prevalent, but there are still plenty of lions to spot. Rhino is also making a comeback here. If you’re keen on seeing rarer animals, you can find endangered antelopes and African wild dogs in some of the country’s northern parks.

Wildlife Highlights
In addition to big cats, the Okavango Delta and Moremi contain one of the largest populations of the highly endangered African wild dog. Wild dog packs roam over large territories and spotting them is 'hit-or-miss' except when they are denning. Sitatunga, red lechwe and puku can be found in the Okavango Delta, Moremi and Chobe's riverfront area. These rare antelopes have adapted to a semi-aquatic habitat and spend a lot of time in shallow water.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing
In general, wildlife viewing is best during the Dry season (May to October). Vegetation is thinner, and animals concentrate around water making them easier to spot. The Okavango Delta floods from June to October, providing the opportunity to watch wildlife in this unique ecosystem.

The drier parks in the Kalahari area offer better wildlife viewing during the Wet season (November to April) when fresh grasses attract wildlife from the north.

POPULAR ATTRACTIONS IN BOTSWANA

• Central Kalahari GR
• Chobe NP
• Makgadikgadi Pans NP
• Moremi GR
• Nxai Pan NP
• Okavango Delta