Botswana

Chobe National Park in Northern Botswana, known as 'the home of the elephant,' is teeming with over 50,000 of these majestic giants. The park is massive in size and offers a diverse safari experience. It includes the the very popular Chobe Riverfront in the North to the Savuti marsh and Mababe depression in the South. These regions all offer different landscapes and host to different wildlife, all areas offer a wide array of wildlife, including lions, leopards, wild dogs, elephants, buffalo and vibrant birdlife.

Attraction List:

• Chobe Riverfront: Offering both land and water safaris. River boat safaris provide unique views, with elephants swimming and playing.
• Savute/Savuti Region: Remote and exceptional for Leopard, Lions, Elephant, and Wild Dog sightings. Accessible by self-drive, fly-in, or mobile safari.
• Mababe Depresssion: A seasonal safari destination that is home to dense wildlife and very few safari camps, expect intimate safari and wild encounters.
• Zebra Migration: Thousands of zebras move from Chobe floodplains in the dry season to Makgadikgadi National Park in the wet season.

The Makgadikgadi Salt Pans are the world's largest salt pans and offer a unique blend of adventure and safari. Stretching endlessly, these pans provide extraordinary photographic opportunities during the dry season (June–October) when the lunar-like landscape creates a stunning horizon and unparalleled stargazing.

Attraction List:

• Dry Season Magic: Vast pans create a lunar-like environment, perfect for imaginative photography and awe-inspiring stargazing.
• Wet Season Transformation: December–March turns the pans into a shallow lake, witnessing wildlife migrations, especially zebras, and accompanying predators.
• Adventurous Activities: Quad biking across the pans, meerkat interactions, and sleep-outs are major draws for thrill-seekers.
• Cultural Encounters: Explore bushman walks and traditional encounters for a glimpse into the local culture.
• Varied Accommodations: From camping to luxury lodges, there are diverse accommodation options.
• Off-the-Beaten-Track Destination: For those seeking adventure and solitude, the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans are an ideal off-the-beaten-track destination.

Moremi Game Reserve is an amazing wildlife rich destination, offering self drive options, mobile safaris and luxury lodges. The large reserve is part of the Okavango Delta and one of Africa's most diverse habitats, combining savannahs and waterways, creating an ecologically significant reserve. Renowned for abundant wildlife, it provides epic safari experiences with diverse ecosystems supporting lions, leopards, African wild dogs, and a spectacular array of birds.

Attraction List:

• Abundant Wildlife: Lions, leopards, and endangered African wild dogs.
• Birding Diversity: Spectacular birdwatching opportunities.
• Access Options: Fly-in safari, self-drive, and mobile safaris for wilderness adventures.
• Ultimate Self-Drive: Moremi offers one of Africa's wildest self-drive experiences, requiring 4x4 and regional knowledge.
• Mobile Safaris: Guided by professionals, camping in remote areas for the ultimate wilderness adventure.
• Water-Based Safaris: Enjoy boat safaris and mokoros for a different perspective.

This pristine area adjacent to Moremi Game Reserve offers exceptional all year round game viewing, including common sightings of lion, leopard and wild dogs. The Khwai Region is situated in the South Eastern portion of the Okavango Delta and one can explore the waterways on Mokoros, or enjoy open vehicle safaris and walks with professional guides. Khwai is a community-led concession, where local villages manage and benefit directly from eco-tourism initiatives. It offers all types of accommodation options from budget options to luxury lodges.

Attraction List:

• Abundant Wildlife: Lions, leopards, Elephants and endangered African wild dogs.
• Birding Diversity: Spectacular birdwatching opportunities.
• Access Options: Fly-in safari, self-drive, and mobile safaris for wilderness adventures.
• Diverse Accommodation Options: Budget to luxury lodges available.
• Good for Self-Drive: Khwai offers unfenced wild campsites to be really immersed in nature, 4x4 and regional knowledge required.
• Mobile Safaris: Guided by professionals, camping in remote areas for the ultimate wilderness adventure.
• Water-Based Safaris: Enjoy mokoros and walking for a unique safari experience.

Travelling to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve offers an off the beaten track experience that speaks to the soul of adventure seekers. It's a vast expanse of unspoiled wilderness, where the desert's solitude and endless space creates an unparalleled sense of freedom. The reserve showcases desert adapted wildlife including the majestic black-maned kalahari lions, oryx and elusive brown hyenas. At some of the lodges, one may experience the local San Bushmen's culture offering a fascinating insight into the local inhabitant’s traditional way of life and desert adapted survival skills. The best time to visit is in the wet summer months (December to March) due to the abundance of wildlife, although at this time some roads become difficult to pass.

Attraction List:

• Self Drive Adventure: This is the ultimate wild camping experience. Knowledge of 4x4ing, self sufficiency and equipment is required.
• Unique Lodges: Luxury lodges offer the comforts whilst being in seriously remote locations.
• Close up predator sightings: Sightings of the black maned kalahari lions.
• San Bushmen: Some lodges allow for bushmen visits discovering this ancient cultures and their nomadic lifestyle in a harsh environment.

A surreal landscape that transitions between salt pans and savannah. The park hosts ancient baobab trees that stand amidst the expansive horizons, adding a touch of mystique to the scenery. The annual zebra migration passes through the National Park, where herds gather to graze on the fresh grasses after the rains, is a spectacle unlike any other. The best time to travel is the wet season (December to March). To note this is the opposite of the best time to visit the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park.

Attraction List:

• Visit the towering Baines Baobabs.
• Witnessing the annual zebra migration.
• Remote park offering more privacy and solitude.

The Linyanti is a region in Botswana known for its unique blend of wetlands, dry savannahs, and dense forests. It lies in the northwestern part of Botswana, near the border with Namibia and Zambia, and is part of the larger Chobe District. The area is primarily known for the Linyanti River which flows into the Chobe River, creating a rich ecosystem and providing critical water resources for the wildlife in the area.

Attraction List:

• Wildlife Diversity:  The area is also home to lions, leopards, wild dogs, buffalo, elphants, giraffes, zebras, and numerous antelope species.
• Linyanti Swamps: These wetlands create an oasis in the middle of Botswana’s drylands. The swamps, along with the river, attract large numbers of birds and other wildlife, making it a paradise for birdwatchers. You can see species like the white-backed vulture, African fish eagle, and wattled crane.
• Remote and Exclusive: The Linyanti is less visited compared to more famous Botswana destinations like the Okavango Delta or Chobe National Park. This makes it a more exclusive and tranquil destination, offering visitors a more private and intimate wildlife experience.
• Very Luxurious Lodges: Some of Botswana's most luxururious and premium lodges are situated in the Linyanti.
• Safari Experience: The area is famous for its high-quality safaris, with private game reserves offering luxurious accommodations and guided tours. Visitors can experience game drives, mokoros, boat safaris, and walking safaris.

Makgadikgadi Pans National Park in Botswana presents an extraordinary spectacle of contrasts, where vast salt pans meet diverse ecosystems. In the summer months (December to March) one can find the Zebra migration in the National Park, which is the longest distance mammal migration in Africa and the second largest by volume after East Africa’s wildebeest migration. There are both luxury lodges and campsites available to all travellers. This is a good combination with the Central Kalahari and Nxai Pans.

Attraction List:

• Watching elephant and other large mammals along the Boteti river.
• Witnessing the annual zebra migration.
• Remote park offering more privacy and solitude.
• Wild campsites and lodges.

For those seeking some culture and history, Tsodilo Hills in Botswana is a sacred site steeped in ancient history, earning the title "Louvre of the Desert" for its collection of rock art. These towering hills, regarded as spiritual beacons, showcase over 4,500 ancient paintings, revealing a cultural narrative spanning thousands of years. Exploring this UNESCO World Heritage Site offers a profound connection to the past, where every artwork tells a story of the indigenous San people's lives, beliefs, and rituals.

Attraction List:

• Hiking trails to see the ancient rock art.
• Beautiful scenery and cultural significance.

Maun is the gateway town to the Okavango Delta. It is a true safari capital with safari vehicles buzzing around the streets and most light aircrafts flying into the Okavango Delta from this town. Maun has some quaint stopover lodges situated along the Thamalakane river and offers a good rest stop for those self-driving between destinations. Whilst in Maun, one can enjoy a scenic helicopter flight over the Okavango Delta.

Attraction List:

• Scenic helicopter flights over the Okavango Delta.
• Day Trips: Mokoro excursions and Moremi Game Reserve.
• Elephant Havens: Visit the elephant orphanage just outside Maun.
• Visit the local restaurants: Dusty Donkey, Hilarys Cafe, The Brewery.

Kasane is the gateway town to Chobe National Park. The small safari town is situated along the Chobe River which is a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts and birders alike. The region is famously known for its boat trips on the Chobe River where one can get up close to all types of wildlife including Hippo’s, Crocodiles, Buffalo and Elephants. There are also safari drives into the park which gives one a much greater chance at spotting the more elusive predators including leopard and lion. The town is conveniently adjacent to Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and therefore day trips are easily possible from Kasane. Accommodation in Kasane ranges from camping all the way through to 5 star fully inclusive stays.

Attraction List:

• Chobe Riverfront: Offering both land and water safaris. River boat safaris provide unique views, with elephants swimming and playing.
• Vehicle safari along the Chobe Riverfront to enjoy the parks abundant wildlife.
• Day Trip to Victoria Falls, The Seven Wonder of The World.
• Photographic safaris on boat and on vehicle.