Botswana is Africa’s premier destination for high-end, low-impact tourism. It is defined by the contrast between the lush, water-logged Okavango Delta and the arid expanse of the Kalahari Desert. With vast private concessions and a strict policy against mass tourism, it offers an incredibly exclusive and pristine wilderness encounter.
- Botswana
- ±581,730 km²
- Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, Central Kalahari
- Highest elephant density in the world; African wild dogs.
- High risk in the north (Delta/Chobe); low in the south.
- ~22°00′S 24°00′E
- Maun (Gateway to the Delta), Kasane (Gateway to Chobe)
- Most lodges are reached via light aircraft from Maun (MUB) or Kasane (BBK).
- Deep sand makes 4x4 essential for self-driving in parks.
- Massive herds in Chobe and the Linyanti regions.
- High concentrations of lion, leopard, and the endangered African wild dog.
- Hippos, crocodiles, and specialized antelope like the Red Lechwe and Sitatunga.
Sunny, clear, cold nights
The Delta floods; animals gather at permanent water sources.
Excellent birding and the zebra migration in Makgadikgadi.
- A UNESCO World Heritage site and the world's largest inland delta. It offers unique water-based safaris in traditional mokoros (dugout canoes).
- Famous for the Chobe Riverfront, which hosts the highest concentration of elephants in Africa, especially during the dry season.
- Located within the Delta, it is considered one of the most beautiful reserves in Africa, offering a high density of predators and the "Big Five."
- Known for vast salt pans and the second-largest zebra migration in Africa during the rainy season.
Game is easiest to spot in the dry winter months when the Delta is in flood, while the summer "Green Season" offers incredible birding and newborn mammals.
Botswana is the ultimate choice for travelers seeking privacy and unique water-based safaris (Mokoro). Its "low-volume" tourism model ensures an intimate connection with nature.