Botswana Travel Guide

Out of the world safari, pure isolation and nature at its finest.

We undertook a mobile tented safari starting in the Okavanga Delta and ended with 3 nights at the Matesi Lodge in Zimbabwe. From start to finish this was a safari that would leave you wanting more and wanting to go back. All the people we met were helpful and friendly and wanted to ensure we had the best time ever. The mobile safari allowed us to be isolated from the general hustle of the safari vehicles and this gave you time and space to enjoy the surroundings. The guides are superb and extremely knowledgeable and they take time to ensure you get to see what you want to see. No mobile phone coverage and isolation from every day life gives you a sense of really being in with nature and this was priceless.

A land of rich grassland, varied wildlife and clear water but dusty houses.

I spent 5 days staying in the Okavango swamps and two days in Chobe. The Okavango swamps are more about relaxation, birds and river animals such as hippos and crocodiles. What land animals are about are hidden by the thick hedge of reeds that line the Okavango delta. We were entertained by a day's excursion into the swamps by being punted around in the local mekoros (dugout) and then led through the bush by a knowledgeable guide who taught us about the health or nutritional properties of the vegetation as well as visiting the giant Baobab tree. Afterwards we took a long refreshing dip in the clear waters of the Kavango.
From the lush vegetation of the Okavango, we drove south east into drier scrubland and were disappointed at seeing our next campsite in Chobe, a barren dustbowl with the basic of amenities. But we were rewarded later that day by a spectacular safari on riverboats as we got really close up to wildebeest, large herds of elephants, cape buffalo and a myriad of birds, all while sipping gin and tonics.

We saw a huge variety of wildlife while camping in well kept campgrounds.

Botswana was definitely more remote feeling and wild that what I'm used to (and I grew up in rural America). I saw animals all the time while I traveled Botswana. The people were really kind as well.

Botswana is a beautiful, unique and incredible place to visit. It is also probably the safest and friendliest holiday destination in Africa, which is a bonus.

Central Kalahari is so spacious and dry that animals are spread widely. The other parks however have more density of all kind of animals, also as a result of more water.

I have now been to several spots in South Africa and Botswana. I can highly recommend Botswana - particularily the Okavango, Chobe River, Moremi and Makgadikgadi Pans. Each area has its own beauty - even at the end of dry season. The wildlife is rich. Camping wild is thrilling. The people are lovely. And if you are a meat eater - Botswana has the best beef in Africa!

A vast range of habitats - we visited the Kalahari, Okavango Delta and Chobe all three were entirely different but captivating. Botswana is quieter and you feel more at one with nature as there aren't the hordes of vans viewing every Cheetah or Leopard you come across, you really are out in the country but feel totally safe, well fed and watered.

We only visited the north and west but the contrast between Chobe and the Okavango was quite marked and the two really complemented one another.

Botswana is an excellent safari destination, there are easy safari's such as the one in Chobe where the roads are easily passable and the wildlife is plentiful. You can also do more challenging safaris such as the one in Makagadikgadi where there are fewer tourists and the roads are quite sandy. Botswana has a reputation for being expensive and whilst there are many luxury lodges, it is possible to do the holiday on a budget. Our biggest expenses were the flights and car hire.

Outside of the Delta Botswana is a dry country of flat, bush-covered semi-arid terrain. We didn't travel the southern parts of the country that are pure desert, but I expect that the scenery there is equally stark. This kind of country has real beauty but can easily get monotonous because there is little variety.