Botswana has something for nearly every traveler. From newlyweds on a honeymoon safari to family reunion safaris, solo travelers to couples’ retreats, and everything in between, Botswana is the prime destination for your trip of a lifetime.
With more than 40% of its land protected again poaching and natural resource deprivation practices, Botswana is bustling with a wealth of wildlife and exclusive game reserves. In fact, many of the private game reserves, which make up 17% of protected land, are so exclusive that they only permit access to visitors staying on those reserves.
If you’re looking to plan the ultimate Botswana safari vacation, choose from the very best game reserves and parks in Botswana:
Top Game Reserves and Parks:
Linyanti and Selinda concessions: Known primarily for its abundance of elephants, the Linyanti and Selinda concessions attract thousands of elephants during Botswana’s dry season (months between May and November). Some of the top safari tours to partake in while visiting these concessions are mokoro (canoe) safaris, night drives, and boat safaris.
During night drives, you can witness a wealth of nocturnal creatures come out of hiding including the bush baby, wild cats, hyenas, lions, owls, and leopards.
Okavango Delta: Comprised of secluded islands, sprawling savannah, wildlife-abundant rivers, and vast floodplains and lagoons, Okavango Delta is a wildlife-lover’s dream. Because the Okavango Delta is strewn with intricate rivers and waterways, a canoe (mokoro) safari is the region’s most celebrated activity. Although power boat tours are also an option, a mokoro safari is more relaxing and allows you to get much closer to the water and water’s edge. Without the sound of an engine, you have the ability to listen to the orchestra of nature as birds sing and skim the water, frogs chirp, and a light breeze blows.
The Okavango Delta is also considered one of the best places in the world to witness a variety of bird species. From Pel’s fishing owls to African fish eagles, kingfishers to slaty egrets, wattled cranes to African pygmy geese, and carmine bee-eaters to blacksmith plovers, there is no shortage of birds in the Okavango Delta.
Moremi Game Reserve: Arguably Botswana’s most beautiful reserve, the Moremi Game Reserve is comprised of more varying eco-systems than the Okavango Delta area. With over 1,160 square miles of dense forests, floodplains, islands, and swamps, this game reserve attracts an abundance of diverse creatures including antelope, waterbuck, red lechwe, ostrich, elephant, zebra, buffalo, leopard, spotted hyena, various bird species, and much more. You might even spot the elusive dung beetle while visiting Moremi.
Chobe National Park: Spanning roughly 4,250 square miles, the Chobe National Park is one of the best places in Botswana to partake in a power boat tour. Watch as large herds of elephants cross through the water with their baby’s playfully running side by side with their mothers.
For bird lovers, the time between September and October is an exceptional time to visit the Chobe National Park as thousands of carmine bee-eater colonies begin to breed.
When to travel to Botswana:
Although Botswana provides exceptional game viewing year-round, the best time of year to visit is usually during the dry season in months between May and November. Some areas do, however, lose some of their animals to migration patterns during the months outside of the dry season. Specifically, the Linyanti and Selinda concessions lose much of their elephant and zebra population due to natural migration patterns.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I visited Botswana a few years ago and stayed at Little Kwara Camp which appears to be even more expensive by many hundreds of dollars a night compared to when I was there. I do wish Botswana wasn’t quite so pricey.
I did have an amazing experience at the camp. I was all alone in my cabin and had the privilege of an elephant’s visit. A big brute of an elephant came within 8 feet of my cabin door and hung around for about half an hour. Of course the camera batteries died within minutes of his arrival.
I have been to Etosha and the Serengeti too and loved every minute of my travel safari experiences. I dream of more.
That sounds like a wonderful experience Leigh!
I see what you mean about Botswana’s prices. It has become an extremely popular destination over the years. But, there are other areas of Africa that are just as wildlife-plentiful and stunning, and a bit less expensive than Botswana. Something to consider for the future!
Nice informative article,!
Hi sandy, Botswana safaris can be expensive but there are other cheaper alternatives. For example instead of lodging , you could camp.
Also ,some tour operators are much more expensive then others, you could instead use a smaller company (they seem to be cheaper).
Another alternative you have is to visit during the low peak season (November to April).., prices are always much cheaper than during the winter season.