Exclusive Botswana Adventures
A land of striking contrasts, from the shimmering white salt of the Makgadikgadi to the great sandy plains of the Kalahari and the verdant seasonal oasis of the Okavango, Botswana is for the traveller in search of a deeper and more authentic encounter with the African wilderness.
With abundant wildlife, a sparse population and a long-standing commitment to low-volume, environmentally sensitive tourism, Botswana offers an African safari that feels truly wild, yet can be experienced in considerable comfort.
Signature Botswana Journeys
Explore our handpicked collection of Botswana’s most extraordinary journeys — each signature journey is designed to immerse you in the heart of the wild.
“Our deep-rooted expertise will help guide you through the myriad possibilities to deliver a richly textured and uniquely personal realisation of your aims.”
Where to Go on Safari in Botswana
Okavango Delta & Moremi Game Reserve
The Okavango Delta is one of Africa’s great natural spectacles — a vast inland delta where floodwaters from Angola transform desert into a shimmering labyrinth of channels, lagoons and palm-fringed islands. Moremi Game Reserve, at the Delta’s heart, combines permanent water with dry woodland and floodplain, offering superb year-round wildlife viewing.
Okavango Delta safaris are best known for mokoro journeys through reed-lined waterways, walking safaris on remote islands and exceptional predator sightings from discreet camps. The annual floodwaters typically arrive between May and July, paradoxically during Botswana’s dry season, concentrating wildlife on higher ground and creating dramatic contrasts between water and wilderness. Timing your visit carefully allows you to experience either water-based safaris at their peak or broader land-based exploration as waters recede.
Chobe, Savuti & Linyanti
Chobe National Park is renowned for its extraordinary elephant herds, particularly along the Chobe River where boat safaris offer a distinctive perspective on wildlife gathering at the water’s edge.
Further south, Savuti’s open plains and marshes are known for powerful predator dynamics, while the Linyanti wetlands offer a quieter, more exclusive experience defined by intimate camps and exceptional guiding. Together, these regions reward those seeking high wildlife density combined with varied safari styles — by boat, vehicle and on foot.
The Kalahari Desert & Central Kalahari Game Reserve
The Kalahari is elemental and vast. In the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, fossil river valleys draw wildlife to nutrient-rich grasslands following seasonal rains. Black-maned lion, cheetah and large antelope herds define the landscape.
This is Botswana at its most spacious — particularly compelling after summer rains (January to April), when zebra and wildebeest migrate across the pans and plains. Walking with San trackers or witnessing a traditional trance dance offers insight into one of Africa’s oldest cultures and a profoundly different safari rhythm.
Makgadikgadi Pans
The Makgadikgadi Pans are surreal in scale — immense salt flats that appear lunar in the dry season and transform after rain into shallow lakes attracting zebra migrations and prolific birdlife.
Here, quad biking across salt crusts, sleeping beneath ancient baobabs or spending time with habituated meerkats creates a safari experience defined by silence, horizon and sky.
Tsodilo Hills
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Tsodilo Hills rise unexpectedly from the Kalahari sands in the far north-west of Botswana. Their rock art galleries, some thousands of years old, speak to the deep spiritual history of the region. Visits here add cultural depth to a Botswana journey, particularly for travellers drawn to archaeology and human origins.
Why Travel to Botswana with The Explorations Company
We’ve been introducing our guests to Botswana’s remarkable wildlife and traditional Basarwa San communities since 1989. Accompanied by some of the continent’s finest wildlife guides and indigenous trackers, they have followed vast elephant herds through Chobe’s riverine forests, searched for black-maned lion in the fossil river valleys of the Kalahari, stood before the ancient rock art of the Tsodilo Hills, and fallen asleep beneath twisted baobabs with the Milky Way for a roof.
Experiencing Botswana well requires careful calibration of timing, region and style of travel. How you move — by mokoro, 4×4, horseback or light aircraft — is shaped by the seasons as much as by your interests. We match exceptional camps and private mobile safaris to your ambitions. Whether you are discovering Africa for the first time or returning in search of greater depth, we shape journeys around access, expertise and the quiet privileges that transform a safari into something lasting.
When is the Best Time to Visit Botswana
Botswana’s seasons shape the safari experience more distinctly than in many other African destinations.
Mid-May through mid-August are the winter months with cooler days. This is the time that the Okavango floodwaters arrive, spilling out of the floodplains and creating many thousands of islands. As the waters start to recede, the shallow waters see exceptional wildlife concentrations in the Delta, along the Chobe River and along the Linyanti Rivers. This is peak safari season, particularly strong for water-based activities and predator sightings.
September through December is the driest time where wildlife is very concentrated around remaining water holes and river systems, but the temperatures are also high and it can become uncomfortable for travellers who don’t like the heat.
November to December: The “green season” begins with short rains, bringing dramatic skies, newborn animals and excellent birding. Visitor numbers are lower, and landscapes start to rejuvenate and feel vibrant and expansive.
January to April: Summer rains transform the Kalahari and Makgadikgadi. Zebra and wildebeest migrate across the pans, and the Central Kalahari offers some of its most compelling game viewing. The Delta remains productive, though some water levels vary by year. The bird migration sees a host of breeding birds arrive, and fabulous sunsets.
There is no single best time — only the best time for what you most wish to experience. Our role is to align flood cycles, migration patterns and camp locations with your priorities.
Make a Difference
Our work in Botswana has long been grounded in long-term partnerships with conservation initiatives and local communities. From supporting San-led guiding experiences to working with camps committed to low-impact tourism, your journey contributes to preserving both wilderness and culture without compromising authenticity through our careful partner selections and our Impact Programme.
For a more immersive safari, include an authentic ‘giving back’ experience whilst in Botswana. Visit Travel For Impact in Maun to experience the multitude of ways they support local communities, including supporting women in northern Botswana to become artisans and earn a living through their handmade crafts, providing holistic care for orphaned and vulnerable children. Alternatively support Elephants for Africa who are supporting elephant conservation by working towards human-elephant co-existence in rural farming communities.
Discover our Impact Programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Botswana good for a first-time safari?
Yes. Its low visitor density, stable infrastructure and exceptional guiding make it ideal for both first-time and experienced safari travellers seeking space and authenticity.
Can I take a family safari to Botswana?
Yes, Botswana works exceptionally well for families, particularly those seeking space, privacy and meaningful wildlife experiences. Private guides, exclusive-use camps and mobile safaris allow each day to be tailored around different ages and interests. There is a private camp in the Delta with an excellent safari designed around educational and meaningful family safari experiences. We also love the Makgadikgadi Pans for family adventure such as quad biking, meerkat encounters and spending time with San guides to create lasting shared memories across generations.
How private is a Botswana safari?
Botswana’s commitment to low-volume tourism means camps are typically small and widely spaced. Private concessions and mobile safaris allow for highly exclusive wildlife encounters.
What are accommodation options like?
Botswana’s camps are among Africa’s finest: intimate, thoughtfully designed and often positioned in extraordinary wilderness settings. Options range from refined, permanent tented camps to fully serviced private mobile camps. Private mobile safaris, led by top wildlife guides, are particularly rewarding for those that value experience over opulence. They allow you to move fluidly through remote concessions, sleeping under canvas in carefully chosen locations and adjusting your route with the seasons.
How do you travel between regions?
Light aircraft transfers connect remote airstrips across the Delta, Chobe and Kalahari efficiently. In some areas, boat transfers and seasonal road routes add variety to the journey.
Begin Your Botswana Safari
Speak to our luxury safari specialists to begin shaping your bespoke Botswana safari itinerary. Call us on +1 855-216-5040 or UK +44 (0) 1367 850566 or make an enquiry.
Bespoke Botswana Wildlife Journeys
Explore our exclusive collection of remarkable wildlife journeys in Botswana, where each itinerary offers a curated selection of the most awe-inspiring wildlife experiences created by our travel experts.
Luxury Botswana Experiences
Explore a range of remarkable, personalised experiences waiting for you during your visit to Botswana.
