Botswana

Summary
When to go
Where to stay

Botswana contains some of the very best wilderness and wildlife areas in Africa. With a population of only about two million people, occupying a country two and a half times the size of the UK, Botswana has been able to adopt forward-thinking land policies that set almost 40% of the country aside for nature and so offer visitors the finest possible authentic wildlife experiences.

The Okavango Delta is the world’s largest intact inland delta; a 16,000 sq km wetland paradise located within the arid Kalahari Desert. Each year floodwater flows into the Okavango from its source in the Angolan highlands over a thousand kilometres away, creating a unique wetland that supports and sustains a huge diversity of magnificent wildlife. While the beauty of this seasonal gin-clear water wonderland is astonishing, the Delta also provides a year-round wilderness sanctuary that offers excellent prospects for game viewing. 

The private reserves of The Linyanti and The Selinda total a staggering 600,000 acres of private prime game viewing, shared between just five small camps. The reserves contain many varied habitats including marshes, waterways, riverine forests, dry woodlands and ancient floodplains, and are home to the world-famous Savute Channel and Selinda Spillway. This is an area renowned for its predators and large concentrations of game, made famous by the National Geographic films of Dereck and Beverly Joubert that include Eternal Enemies, chronicling the unique interaction between lions and hyenas.

Makgadikgadi is a relic of one of the world’s largest super-lakes, which dried up thousands of years ago as a result of the continued shifting of the earth’s crust. During the dry season visitors can cross the vast Makgadikgadi Pans on quad bikes to visit remote archaeological sites, where discoveries continue to be made of previously undocumented fossil beds of extinct giant zebra and hippo. But when the rains come this arid wasteland magically transforms into one of the most important wetland sites in Africa: a breeding ground for huge flocks of flamingo and other migratory birds. The rains also regenerate the grasses, which attract the last surviving migration of zebra and wildebeest in southern Africa.

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve of more than 12m acres is the largest conservation area in Botswana and the second largest in the world. While rightly famous for its wildlife throughout the year, the summer rains bring some truly outstanding viewing opportunities as the fossil riverbeds and verdant flatlands come alive with herds of gemsbok, springbok and blue wildebeest, which in turn attract good concentrations of black-maned lions and cheetah. The abundance of predators and their prey is perfectly complemented with lush green landscapes and floral displays. The reserve is also one of the best places in the world to see honey badgers.

Botswana has a semi-arid climate, with hot, wet summers and mild, dry winters. The rainy season runs from mid-November to mid-April, and most of the rain falls in the north and east of the country between December and March. The national average rainfall is 475 mm per year, but this varies greatly from place to place. The driest areas are in the Kalahari Desert, where annual rainfall can be as low as 100 mm. The wettest areas are in the northeast, where annual rainfall can exceed 1,000 mm.

Temperatures are generally warm to hot year-round. The hottest months are October to March, when average daily temperatures range from 29 to 35 degrees Celsius but can approach 40. The coolest months are June to August, when average daytime temperatures range from 20 – 25 degrees Celsius but minimums can go down to 2-3 degrees.

Rainfall is highly variable in Botswana, and droughts are a regular occurrence. In recent years, the country has experienced a number of severe droughts.

The best time to travel on safari is between May and November.

 

Hyena Pan

Hyena Pan is situated in the stunning 500,000 acre Khwai Private Reserve in the north-eastern part of the Okavango Delta. Find out more

Jack’s Camp

A safari to the luxurious Jack’s Camp is an extremely unusual desert safari experience; focusing on the vast emptiness of... Find out more

Macatoo Camp

African Horseback Safaris is based at Macatoo Camp which is situated on a Palm fringed island in a private 500,000... Find out more

Sable Alley

Sable Alley Camp is situated in the stunning 500,000 acre Khwai Private Reserve in the north-eastern part of the Okavango... Find out more

San Camp

San Camp is the sister camp of Jacks Camp but is only open in the dry season. Spectacularly located right... Find out more

Selinda Camp & The Selinda Suite

Selinda Camp is in the vast 320,000-acre private game rich Selinda Reserve right on the banks of the Selinda Spillway.... Find out more

Wilderness Abu Camp

Wilderness Abu Camp offers the extraordinary privilege of immersing yourself in a herd of African Elephants; to walk with them,... Find out more

Wilderness Chitabe Camp

Wilderness Chitabe Camp is one of the best game viewing camps in the Okavango Delta. Situated between 2 major river... Find out more

Wilderness Chitabe Lediba

Wilderness Chitabe Lediba with only 5 tented rooms is one of the most intimate camps in Botswana’s Okavango Delta; in... Find out more

Wilderness Duma Tau

Wilderness Duma Tau is situated in the prolific wildlife haven of the private 300,000 acre Linyanti Game Reserve; an area... Find out more

Wilderness Jacana

Wilderness Jacana is an intimate luxury tented classic camp situated in the stunning private Jao Concession on the western side... Find out more

Wilderness Jao Camp

Wilderness Jao is one of the most beautiful and luxurious camps in the Okavango Delta and in our opinion one... Find out more

Wilderness Kings Pool

Wilderness Kings Pool is a beautiful, luxurious camp situated in front of an oxbow lagoon in a prime game viewing... Find out more

Wilderness Kwetsani

Wilderness Kwetsani is a stunning little camp in the beautiful 150,000 acre private Jao Concession on the western side of... Find out more

Wilderness Linyanti Tented Camp

Where the Linyanti marshes meet the Savuti Channel, lies the exquisite Wilderness Linyanti Tented Camp. This remarkable eco-luxury camp is... Find out more

Wilderness Little Mombo

The Mombo area is arguably the best game viewing area with the greatest concentration of big cats in Botswana. This... Find out more

Wilderness Little Tubu

Wilderness Little Tubu is a stunning little 3 roomed camp just around the corner from its sister camp offering more... Find out more

Wilderness Little Vumbura

Wilderness Little Vumbura is one of the most beautiful and romantic camps in the Okavango Delta situated in the remote... Find out more

Wilderness Mombo

The Mombo area is arguably the best game viewing area in Botswana with the greatest concentration of big cats in... Find out more

Wilderness Qorokwe

Wilderness Qorokwe is in an awesome, game-rich private area in the south-eastern reaches of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. This concession borders... Find out more

Wilderness Savuti

Wilderness Savuti is in the vast Linyanti wildlife reserve which is renowned for its predators and large concentrations of game,... Find out more

Wilderness Tubu Tree

Wilderness Tubu Tree is based on the western side of the Okavango Delta in an area of great biodiversity offering... Find out more

Wilderness Vumbura Plains

Wilderness Vumbura Plains Camp is a uniquely luxurious camp in the very far northern reaches of the Okavango Delta. Contemporary... Find out more

Zarafa Camp & The Dhow Suite

Zarafa Camp is a magnificent luxury tented camp in the vast 320,000 acre private Selinda Reserve and looks out over... Find out more

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