Botswana Day Trips

4.8/5 – 419 Botswana Reviews

Botswana is an incredible destination, from the lush Okavango Delta to the sands of the Kalahari. It’s also a remarkable place to go on safari and watch wildlife as it has numerous world-class safari destinations within its borders. Clearly, it deserves as much time as you can give it. But if you only have a day to explore, it’s still worth doing because a day spent in Botswana is always going to be an amazing adventure. Whether you only have a day in the country on a flying visit from just across the border, or you’re simply looking for a day trip while you’re in Botswana, there are so many memorable experiences to choose from.

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5 Questions About Botswana Day Trips

Expert

Answered by

Anthony Ham

Anthony is a writer and author of nearly 150 Lonely Planet guidebooks, including ‘Botswana & Namibia’ and ‘Southern Africa’. He writes about Botswana and the wider region for magazines and newspapers around the world. He is also author of ‘The Last Lions of Africa’, which is partly set in Botswana.
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What day trips are popular in Botswana?

“One of the most popular day trips in Botswana is a scenic flight or helicopter excursion from Maun out over the Okavango Delta, in the north of the country. The Delta is a vast network of waterways, islands, diverse vegetation and big animal populations, and to see it all from the ground could take months, if not years. From up above, you’ll not only get a sense of its scale but you’ll also see so many incredible views. Even the elephants look like ants from up in the sky! Another popular day trip is to visit the Chobe riverfront from across the border in Namibia, or even from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. This wildlife-rich riverbank in Chobe National Park is quite compact, which lends itself to shorter visits. An excursion on the Chobe River is also possible here. It’s all very close to where Botswana’s borders with Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia intersect, which makes it possible to visit here and return back across the frontier by nightfall.”

What day trips are available from Maun?

“Maun is the main safari hub in Botswana and while there’s little to see in the town itself, it does serve as a fine base for a day trip or tour into (or over) the nearby Okavango Delta. As already mentioned, a scenic flight or helicopter excursion over the Delta is one of the most popular day trips. Because each flight only takes an hour or two, this leaves time for other possibilities. One of these is a 4WD excursion by road to the southern Okavango Delta. Although part of the Delta’s charm is its remote inner reaches, you can still get a taste of this remarkable wildlife-filled landscape by driving to the southern shore of some of the channels. The only problem with a trip of this kind is that you’re likely to be visiting during the heat of the day, which is the worst time for seeing animals, and for doing so in the worst photographic light.”

What day trips are available from Gaborone?

“There are a number of excellent day trips from the capital city of Gaborone, including the rock art of Manyana or Matsieng, the weaving center of Lentswe-la-Oodi Weavers in Mochudi (which also has some brightly painted homes), and Mokolodi Nature Reserve. The reserve has some captive cheetahs, as well as free-roaming giraffe, zebra, warthog, baboon, spotted hyena and more than 300 different bird species. You can even go rhino or giraffe tracking, although the rhinos have their own enclosure. The small provincial town of Thamaga also has a few cultural projects that are worth visiting. Tantalizingly close to Gaborone but probably beyond the range of a day trip are the Khama Rhino Sanctuary to the north and Khutse Game Reserve to the west. Either of these would work well for a weekend excursion.”

Is it possible to see the Big Five on a 1-day safari in Botswana?

“It’s extremely difficult to see the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) on a 1-day Botswana safari. The problem is the rhino, which is present in only two places in the country: Khama Rhino Sanctuary in eastern Botswana, and in some corners of the Okavango Delta, where they’re difficult to see. With such a short amount of time at your disposal, it’s also difficult (though possible) to see the other four species. Your best chance to see the other four is either on a day trip to the Chobe riverfront, where lion, elephant and buffalo are commonly seen, and the elusive leopard is certainly present. The other option is probably to see these animals from the air on a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta. It’s worth remembering that all of these animals (with the partial exception of the rhino) are present in many areas of Botswana. But wildlife viewing requires time and patience, and you’d have to be really lucky to see so many animals in such a short space of time.”

How much does a Botswana day trip cost?

“A Botswana day trip will vary greatly in cost, depending on what you’re doing. If you’re going on a scenic flight or helicopter excursion, prices can start at around US$150 per person for quite a short flight. This is probably the most expensive form of a day trip, and it will cost significantly more the longer you fly. Even with other day trips, such as a guided game drive into the Okavango Delta or to the Chobe riverfront, you’ll need to factor in the cost of a guide, vehicle and driver, which can be surprisingly expensive. You may also need to factor in things such as visa costs if you’re crossing a border in the course of the day. Keep in mind also that day trips in general can be expensive because all of the costs (e.g. transfers) are concentrated into one day, rather than being spread out over a number of days. On the other hand, you shouldn’t need to factor in accommodation.”

Botswana Reviews

4.8/5 419 Reviews

Expert

Mike Unwin –

Mike is an award-winning wildlife writer, former editor of Travel Zambia magazine and author of the Bradt Guide to Southern African Wildlife.

Desert and Delta

5/5

Botswana has perhaps a more single-minded focus on safaris than does any other African destination. After all, the country is so empty that there is little else to tempt the visitor. It is dominated by two very different landscapes: to the...

Full Review

Expert

Harriet Nimmo –

Harriet is a zoologist with more than 20 years’ experience. She has the privilege of working with the world’s top wildlife photographers and photo-guides.

Africa at Its Most Wild

5/5

If I had 48 hours left on this planet, I would spend it on safari in Botswana. Botswana is my favourite African country. It still feels so wild, there is abundant wildlife, a huge variety of scenery and habitat…and only 2.4 million, very...

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Mark Lovejoy –

Reviewed: Dec 23, 2025

Absolutely incredible

5/5

Chloe at Off 2 Africa was amazing! She was very knowledgeable and extremely helpful in customizing my trip. The trip that we worked out was absolutely fantastic and I would recommend them to anyone.

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Ines Barth –

Reviewed: Dec 4, 2025

Beautiful country

5/5

We had a wonderful time in Botswana visiting 3 regions ( Chobe National Park,River Khwai,Okavanko Delta) Especially the Okavanko Delta impressed with its natural beauty. Our trip was well organised and everything run smoothly.Everyone...

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Maris ******** –

Reviewed: Nov 25, 2025

Beautiful land with beautiful people and many various animals

5/5

We visited Botsvana Chobe and Okavango delta in november.It was'nt our first safari in Africa,but it was extremly rich with possibilities to see many animals and birds in close proximity.This 8 day safaris was planed by Ranger Buck Safaris...

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Kathy –

Reviewed: Sep 30, 2025

High expectations met!

5/5

Have wanted to safari in Botswana since I heard about the Okavango Delta many years ago. It exceeded my hopes! Our tented camp was right on the water, with elephants wandering by, and hippos talking at night! Best of all, there were almost...

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Botswana Day Trips

1-Day Moremi Game Reserve Explorer

1-Day Mokoro in the Okavango Delta

1-Day Chobe Wildlife Quest

1-Day Mokoro Trail on the Okavango Delta Waterways

1-Day Chobe National Park, Return to Victoria Falls Town

1-Day Explore Moremi Game Reserve

1-Day Affordable Mokoro Safari

1-Day Chobe National Park Safari

½-Day Authentic Chobe River Big Five Safari

1-Day Okavango Emerald Isles Mokoro Trip

1-Day Moremi Game Reserve Excursion

1-Day Mokoro Trip

1-Day Chobe River and Land Safari Combo with Lunch

1-Day Chobe Day Tour

1-Day Discover Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana & Namibia

1-Day Chobe National Park Full Day Trip from Livingstone

1-Day Chobe National Park Experience

1-Day Chobe NP Safari Experience

1-Day Chobe River Safari and Game Drive

1-Day Trip to Chobe National Park

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5 Questions About Botswana Day Trips

Answered by

Anthony Ham

5 Questions About Botswana Day Trips

What day trips are popular in Botswana?

What day trips are available from Maun?

What day trips are available from Gaborone?

Is it possible to see the Big Five on a 1-day safari in Botswana?

How much does a Botswana day trip cost?

Botswana Reviews

Desert and Delta

Africa at Its Most Wild

Absolutely incredible

Beautiful country

Beautiful land with beautiful people and many various animals

High expectations met!