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The Kalahari Desert covers about 70% of Botswana, making it one of the most sparsely populated countries in the word. Yet this landlocked country is home to an abundance of plains game, huge herds of buffalo and plenty of Africa’s apex predators. The magnificent Chobe National Park is a refuge for the world’s biggest population of Kalahari elephants, and the virtually untouched Okavango Delta is a World Heritage Site and arguably one of Nature’s greatest masterpieces – one of Africa’s last remaining Gardens of Eden.
Ranging from luxury Botswana safari tours to rugged adventures and multi-generational family vacations, here's our list of the best Botswana safari tours – all tried and tested and completely customisable to meet your travel wishes:
1. Romantic Getaway to Chobe, Okavango Delta & Moremi
Duration: 7 Days | Destinations: 3 | Accommodation: Luxury Safari Lodges
This romantic Botswana safari starts at a riverside retreat bordering Chobe National Park. Enjoy sunset boat cruises on the Chobe River, sipping on cocktails while watching hippos and elephants relish the water. A short-haul flight whisks you south to the lush wetlands of the Okavango Delta where you’ll spend two nights at a luxurious and intimate Botswana safari lodge. Go on morning, afternoon and early evening spot-lit game drives and walks in the bush. Another short-haul flight will take you to the largest island in the Delta, Chief’s Island. Your secluded thatch-roofed bush pavilion looks out over the magnificent Moremi Game Reserve’s Piajio floodplain, thick with game – especially predators like lions, leopards, hyenas and wild dogs.
Highlights:
- Game drives in Chobe National Park and Moremi Game Reserve
- Sunset boat cruises on the Chobe River
- Spa treatments in a unique ‘tree-top’ treatment room
- Sleep in mobile beds under the Milky Way
- Bathe by candlelight under the stars in a copper tub
- Mokoro (traditional canoe) trips in the Delta
- Rare rhino sightings at Chief’s Camp
Best Suited For:
- First-time safari travellers
- Couples
- Honeymooners
2. Authentic Safari in the Kalahari, Moremi Game Reserve & Okavango Delta
Duration: 8 Days | Destinations: 3 | Accommodation: Tented Camps
Spanning Botswana’s two great biomes – desert and delta – this fly-in safari delivers an amazing diversity of wildlife, birds and natural landscapes. Opening with a flight straight into the heart of the Kalahari, the experience begins on the golden grasslands of the Makgadikgadi Pans and a tented camp set under thorn trees.
The desert adventure continues at the next accommodation, set on the Boteti River and enjoying a rare (for Botswana) elevated view. It’s an important area for wildlife all year round and the game viewing is excellent, but here you can also explore the river by boat and interact with traditional Kalahari communities. And then a complete contrast: a flight to the fringes of the world’s largest freshwater delta – the Okavango Delta – and an especially wildlife-rich pocket: the Khwai River. Permanent water, open grasslands and shady woodland combine to support a huge array of animals – this area is renowned for rare animal sightings.
Highlights:
- Classic ‘desert and delta’ mix – great biodiversity and landscapes
- Heavyweight game viewing: elephants, buffalo, big cats, hippos and hyenas
- Great chances to see rarities like leopard, wild dog, roan antelope
- Comfortable en suite accommodation throughout
- Family-friendly camps and activities – suitable for older children
- Game drives, boat trips, quad-biking, guided walks and community visits
- Secret Kalahari zebra migration (November to February)
- Excellent bird watching all year round
Best Suited For:
- Adventurous travellers
- Family
- Couples
3. Adventure to the Delta, Savute & Chobe
Duration: 7 Days | Destinations: 3 | Accommodation: Safari Lodges, Tented Camp
Designed to deliver a top-heavy big game experience, this 7-day safari takes in three of Botswana’s premier game viewing destinations: the legendary Okavango Delta plus both the Savute and Chobe River regions of the Chobe National Park.
These three iconic parks are known to produce some of the best Botswana safaris due to the sheer density and diversity of wildlife. The journey begins in the tranquil waterways of the Okavango Delta where land- and water-based safaris are the order of the day. From there, it’s time to join the elephants in Chobe National Park. Venture to the lauded Savute region, otherwise known as predator paradise, and watch nature’s theatre unfold.
Highlights:
- Enjoy premier wildlife destinations
- Stay in excellent, ideally located safari lodges
- Fly from lodge to lodge
- Enjoy expertly-led game drives in open 4X4s
- Search for predators in wild & remote areas
- Marvel at Chobe’s huge elephant & buffalo populations
- Go on a Chobe River sunset cruise
Best Suited For:
- First-time safari travellers
- Couples
- Families
4. Family Botswana’s Khwai River & Linyanti Channel
Duration: 7 Days | Destinations: 2 | Accommodation: Luxury Tented Camps
Glide silently through the reeds on a mokoro (traditional canoe) while discovering the Delta’s smaller mammals and multifarious birds like saddle-billed storks, goliath herons, pygmy kingfishers, African skimmers, wattled cranes, slaty egrets and Pel’s fishing owl. Khwai Leadwood is the first accommodation on your journey and lies in a fig and leadwood forest on the Khwai River, featuring décor inspired by the era of Hemingway’s safaris.
From there, it’s time to soak in the unrivalled remoteness and sense of space at Linyanti Ebony, delivering one of the best Botswana safari experiences for families and small groups looking for privacy and exclusivity. The Linyanti Channel is rich with predators like lion, leopard wild dog and hyena, and the area is a vital passage for elephant.
Highlights:
- Authentic adventure in the wilderness
- Mokoro safaris, night drives and walking safaris in the Delta
- The wildlife-rich Linyanti Concession, an important elephant corridor
- Fly-in to each destination
Best Suited For:
- Families with children
- Small groups
5. All-inclusive Safari in the Okavango Delta, Moremi & Savuti
Duration: 6 Days | Destinations: 2 | Accommodation: Safari Lodge & Tented Camps
Enjoy a classic Botswana safari itinerary on this short but intensive package. You get amazing game viewing in both the Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta.
Begin your Botswana adventure in one of Africa’s heavyweight reserves – the Chobe National Park. You’ll be at the very heart of this huge conservation area in the legendary, game-packed Savute area, heading out on twice daily game drives and spending your evenings at the old-school safari camp – Savute Under Canvas.
Then you’ll head into the Okavango Delta and to Sandibe Lodge, set in a private concession on the banks of a permanent channel and opposite the Moremi Game Reserve. Not only will you enjoy 4×4 game drives in the area but you can also discover the Okavango’s aquatic habitats by traditional canoe and motorboat.
Highlights:
- Combine 2 of Botswana’s premier safari destinations
- Enjoy sensational game viewing throughout
- Camp in style at Savute under Canvas
- Search for Savute’s legendary predators
- Enjoy up-close elephant sightings
- Explore the Okavango Delta waters by canoe, 4X4 & boat
- Tick off dozens of bird species each day
- Go on guided walks & night drives at Sandibe
Best Suited For:
- First-time safari travellers
- Families
- Groups
6. 10 Day Botswana Explorer
Duration: 10 Days | Destinations: 2 | Accommodation: Houseboats & Camps
Begin by boarding a houseboat in the heart of the Okavango Delta where wildlife and birds abound. Your quintessential Delta experience comes full circle with game drives, fishing, excursions to Tsodilo Hills, and classic mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) adventures. From there, it’s back to land for an unforgettable game viewing experience form the comfort of a magical mobile tented camp.
The next phase of your adventure takes you to the heart of the Hyena Pan following a short charter flight. Venture through verdant woodlands and vast grasslands to discover the thriving local wildlife. All too quickly, it’s time to visit Meno A Kwena in Maun, which overlooks the iconic Makgadikgadi National Park. Walk alongside custodians of the land, the local San Bushmen, and discover their cultural history and traditions. Your final leg is undertaken at Thamo Telele on the banks of the Thamalakane River, a year-round natural theatre showcasing a vast variety of wildlife and river crossings.
Highlights:
- Iconic Okavango Delta game viewing
- Boat cruises and mokoro rides
- Game drives & bird watching
- Visits to Tsodilo Hills for ancient rock art
- Discover local cultures and history
Best Suited For:
- Intrepid travellers
- Adventurous travellers
- Couples
- Small groups
7. Botswana’s Delta, Moremi & Savute
Duration: 9 Days | Destinations: 4 | Accommodation: Luxury Lodges & Camp
Discover three of Botswana’s lauded game-viewing destinations; Chobe National Park, the Okavango Delta, and Savute. The adventure begins in the wild wandering waterways of the Okavango and wildlife-rich Moremi Game Reserve for exceptional sightings and activities. Enjoy mokoro (traditional dugout canoes) rides along the tranquil Xugana Lagoon and glorious walking safaris in the Xugana concession before venturing to Camp Moremi. Another gorgeous lagoon, Xakanaxa, awaits along with game drives and excellent bird watching year round. Predators here are abundant with scintillating sightings of endangered wild dogs.
From Moremi, it’s time to meet one of Africa’s largest concentrations of elephants in Chobe National Park. While the wildlife are awe-spiring, the park is also home to an incredible bird population, and thousands of migratory species each year. Chobe’s Savute region is famous for its large lion prides and hyena clans as well as impressive amounts of other game – impala, buffalo, giraffe, tsessebe, impala, cheetah, and leopard.
Highlights:
- A combination of Botswana’s top three wildlife destinations
- Exceptional up-close game viewing
- Fantastic bird watching throughout
- Great sightings of major predators
- An amazing variety of wildlife
- Land- and water-based safaris as well as guided walks
Best Suited For:
- First-time safari travellers
- Families with children over seven years
- Wildlife enthusiasts
- Birdwatchers
8. Romantic Falls, Zambezi & Chobe
Duration: 5 Days | Destinations: 2 | Accommodation: Elegant Hotel & Lodge
Your adventure begins along the banks of the Zambezi River at the Royal Livingstone Hotel. Located just a stone’s throw away from the mighty Victoria Falls, this is the ideal location to explore mosi-oa-tunya, “the smoke that thunders”, and all of the adventurous activities around it. Feel the rush of adrenaline while white-water rafting bungee jumping off Victoria Falls Bridge, or the thrill of Devil’s Pool. Enjoy the antithesis on serene cruises along the Zambezi River, canoe safaris, a helicopter ride over the falls dubbed ‘The Flight of Angels’, and exploring the town.
From there, the prolific wildlife of Botswana’s Chobe National Park await. Relax and unwind in the romantic, well-appointed Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero Lodge overlooking the river and its far-reaching floodplains. Enjoy the spectacular sunsets and exquisite views during your time here as well as fantastic game drives with expert guides.
Highlights:
- Explore the iconic Victoria Falls
- Enjoy ample adventurous activities
- See diverse wildlife in Chobe National Park
- Embark on exciting game drives
Best Suited For:
- Intrepid travellers
- Active and adventurous travellers
- Small groups
9. Family Safari in the Okavango Delta
Duration: 4 Days | Destinations: 1 | Accommodation: Tented Camp
Spend your time searching for the Big 5 or simply relaxing at camp while your children explore the Delta’s beautiful landscape, learning about life in the bush or trying their hand at fishing and tracking. At the end of their fun-filled wilderness academy training, they will have an informal evaluation of what they’ve learnt and receive certificates and T-shirts to welcome them into the Young Explorers’ Club. One of the best Botswana safari experiences for families with children.
Highlights:
- Intimate tented camping experience
- Mokoro rides along the Delta’s waterways
- Bush walks with professional guides
- Child-focused bush ‘academy’ with fishing, tracking animals, baking bread from scratch
- Private chef and two dedicated guides
Best Suited For:
- Adventurous travellers
- Families
- Small groups
10. Romantic Botswana’s Delta, Chief’s Island
Duration: 4 Days | Destinations: 1 | Accommodation: Luxury Camp
Explore the wild heart of Botswana’s Okavango Delta on this four-day journey. The wonderment begins admiring exquisite wetlands and woodlands brimming with wildlife. Your home for the next few days is Chief’s Island, the largest in the Delta, at the traditional yet luxurious Sanctuary Chief’s Camp, ideally located for land- and water-based safaris.
Venture out on game drives with knowledgeable guides, wind along waterways in a mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) or even a motorboat. An exciting combination of predators, savannah game, and aquatic animals await on daily excursions. When you’re not exploring, spend time relaxing by the camp’s pool or indulging in a massage and spa treatment. If you’re looking for a brief but thorough safari in Botswana, you can’t go wrong an immersive Okavango Delta experience.
Highlights:
- Beautiful lagoon views
- Indulgent massage and spa treatments
- Time spent in Botswana’s ‘predator capital’
- Land- and water-based safaris
- Stay on an island in the Okavango Delta
Best Suited For:
- Couples
- Families
Ready to Start Planning Your Botswana Safari?
Connect with an expert who’s been there. Get in touch with one of our Africa Safari Experts to help tailor-make a Botswana safari tour that’s right for you:
