Botswana Travel Guide

Botswana is Africa's Costa Rica -- the country is genuinely engaged in saving its wildlife for posterity. After all, they've banned all hunting -- period -- a bold statement that every tourist who would rather see animals than shoot them should support. And Botswana is full of animals -- maybe not the mega-herds of East Africa, but a stunning variety thriving in landscapes that, in many cases, are relatively untouched by people.

What I said about the Okavango Delta applies to virtually all destinations in Botswana. Their remoteness gives you the feeling of being one with nature even if only for a short period of time. Enjoying a campfire under the nightly glitter of the overarching Milky Way is somehow surreal.

Botswana was a very friendly country. I never felt in danger, and everyone was always happy to help you out. We camped at numerous locations throughout the country and never had an issue. Beautiful scenery and wonderful people! and so many elephants!!

Tourism is the priority for the government and the people. Culture of Botswana is welcoming and friendly. Botswana has one of the largest inland delta and non intrusive and respect for privacy are great.

The quality of the guiding is brilliant, and while the parks and lodges are more expensive than elsewhere in Africa, they are well worth it.

Botswana is a lovely, uncrowded, well run, country that feels safer and friendlier than many of its neighbors.

The whole trip included three days in the Okavango delta, a birder's paradise. Everything was perfecly organised and the tour guide very professional and knowledgable. A journey to remember.

The people of Botswana are so friendly and welcoming, and the scenery and wildlife are amazing. It's so different from other parts of Africa I've been to.

Totally an old style African Safari

After one of our families most exciting safaris, I thought I just have to post our recent trip.

A mobile safari seemed like a good family adventure for two young teenagers, easily bored by museums or treks through old cities. We chose Botswana for our family and on our first three days in Botswana we enjoyed amazing water safaris through the Okavango Delta.

By boat we were able to move around the delta easily while getting amazingly close to the animals, and the huge array of colourful birdlife. The elephants seemed right at home in the marshland and were not disturbed as we approached.

At our accommodation our tents were assembled by a beautiful lagoon, complete with a pod of snorting hippos. On arrival a startled impala bounded through the camp, being chased by wild dogs, then swam across the lagoon. On our walking safari the next day we came across a pack of 15 wild dogs – a rare and wonderful sighting.

After the first three days we swapped the boat for a land cruiser and headed off for three nights in the Moremi National Park. One night, when I got up to use the en-suite (a tarpaulin area at the back of the tent), I peered over to see the moonlit face of an equally startled elephant, just meters away. He moved on to the next tree for a good munch. More elephants offered themselves as a photographic backdrop in the morning as we had breakfast and on the safari drives we were lucky to spot leopard, honey badgers and incredibly, a daytime sighting of a serval.

The following morning we were woken early by the roar of male lions, seemingly close. Our knowledgeable guide woke us to say we were skipping breakfast to board our vehicle and explore. Sure enough 500 metres up the road we came across two kings of the jungle, marking their territory, roaring at another pride. Magic.

After a recovery night at the Maun where the kids got a quick Wi-Fi fix, we headed off to Nxai Pan. This was a total change of scenery with salt pans, majestic baobab trees and an arid open bush environment. The waterhole was the epicentre of our game drives. We watched the passing parade of elephant, giraffe, springbuck, and wildebeest as they took turns to rehydrate.

The African sunsets were spectacular. And on the last night a mother cheetah decided to show off her frisky teenagers for our cameras.

Tour organisers, Rebecca and Anton from Lelobu Safaris in Maun, and our guides, cook and camp assistants all took amazing care of us, ensuring we were safe and comfortable at all times. Botswana is a spectacular country, best seen in the true African style – by a mobile tented safari. A totally magic experience for the whole family. The family from Australia with my niece and nephew, both absolutely loved this experience before we came to Cape Town, Cape Town has also been a great add on to end our trip in Africa.

Bots is a safe and unspoilt country, with lots to do and see and (at least in the low season) few people or tourists to be seen.