Botswana Travel Guide
One of the last truly wild places on earth. Plan your safari here.
Botswana Safari Travel Guide
There are places in the world that simply feel different the moment you arrive – where the scale of the landscape, the quality of the silence, and the proximity of wild animals combine into something that is genuinely difficult to put into words. Botswana is one of those places. From the extraordinary, labyrinthine waterways of the Okavango Delta to the vast elephant herds of Chobe, the ancient red sands of the Kalahari, and the shimmering salt pans of the Makgadikgadi, Botswana is a country of staggering ecological diversity. It is also, by deliberate government policy, one of the least crowded safari destinations on earth. The result is a wilderness experience that feels entirely your own – remote, intimate, and utterly unforgettable.
Where Is Botswana?
Botswana is a landlocked country in the heart of Southern Africa, bordered by South Africa to the south, Namibia to the west, and Zimbabwe and Zambia to the northeast. Despite being one of Africa’s larger countries, it has a relatively small population – most of the land given over to protected wilderness and conservation areas.
How to Get to Botswana
The vast majority of safaris in Botswana are fly-in experiences, and this is very much part of the adventure. You will arrive into one of two main gateway towns: Maun, in the northwest, which serves as the primary entry point to the Okavango Delta and the broader northern safari circuit; or Kasane, in the far northeast, which sits on the doorstep of Chobe National Park and is just an hour’s drive from Victoria Falls.
Both Maun and Kasane are served by daily direct flights from Johannesburg, which connects seamlessly with international arrivals from Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. There are also now daily flights from Cape Town to Maun and in season, from Windhoek. From your gateway town, light aircraft transfers whisk you directly to your safari camp, often in under an hour, with the added bonus of watching the Delta’s extraordinary patchwork of channels and islands unfold beneath you. For the adventurous, a self-drive in a capable 4×4 is possible in some areas, though many of Botswana’s most sought-after camps are accessible by light aircraft only. Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, has an international airport but is not a practical starting point for a safari – you will want to route through Maun or Kasane.
A Botswana safari pairs naturally with a visit to Victoria Falls, just across the border in Zimbabwe or Zambia, or with the private reserves of South Africa – both make for seamless and deeply rewarding combinations.
Botswana Safari Ideas
From premier fly-in camps to mobile safari adventures – browse our recommended itineraries and find your perfect match.
Plan Your Botswana Safari
Botswana is a destination that rewards careful planning and genuine expertise. The right combination of camps, regions, and timing can make an enormous difference to your experience and that is exactly where we come in.
What Does a Botswana Safari Cost?
Botswana sits firmly at the premium end of the safari spectrum, and it is worth understanding why. The government’s deliberate “high value, low impact” tourism model limits visitor numbers across the country, which drives operational costs for remote camps – everything must be flown in, maintained in places with no road access, and staffed to exceptional standards. What you receive in return is an exclusivity and quality of experience that is genuinely rare.
Current indicative pricing per person per night (sharing, fully inclusive of meals, game drives, and local drinks) is broadly as follows:
- Comfortable 4-star: Low season $500–$750 / High season $900–$1,200
- Luxury 4-star: Low season $700–$1,000 / High season $1,100–$1,500
- 5-star luxury: Low season $1,000–$1,500 / High season $1,500–$2,500
- 5-star premier: Low season $1,200–$1,800 / High season $2,500–$5,000
To give a practical sense of scale: an 8-night safari in peak season at premier camps will typically cost upwards of $20,000 per person, while a well-chosen 4-star safari in the same season runs from around $9,000 per person. Travelling in low or shoulder season can reduce these figures by as much as 30–50% – a significant saving that is well worth considering if your dates are flexible.
Please note that prices are indicative and subject to change. Contact us for current confirmed rates tailored to your specific itinerary.
Almost all camps operate on a fully inclusive basis – all meals, game drives, teas, coffees, and local drinks are included. Premier camps extend this to top-shelf spirits. Park fees, laundry, and airstrip transfers are generally included too. Internal charter flights between camps are an additional cost and should be factored into your overall budget from the outset.
Booking seasons in Botswana:
- Green / Low Season: January to March and December (excluding Christmas and New Year)
- Shoulder Season: April to May or June and November
- High Season: June or July to October
Private Concessions or National Parks?
This is one of the questions we are asked most often, and it is worth taking a moment to understand the difference – because it does shape your experience.
National Parks in Botswana – including Moremi and Chobe – are government-managed and open to all visitors, from self-drive day-trippers to guests of lodges within the park boundaries. They offer excellent wildlife and some fine lodges, but come with standard national park rules: no off-road driving, no night drives or walking safaris, and no limit on the number of vehicles at a sighting. They are generally more accessible in price and logistics.
Private Concessions are a different world entirely. These are vast, exclusive areas leased from the government and managed by individual lodge operators under strict conservation guidelines. Visitor numbers are tightly controlled, off-road driving is permitted, night drives are standard, and walking safaris are often on offer. If you find yourself at a sighting, access is carefully managed so that the experience remains intimate. The lodges in these concessions are almost universally on the luxury end of the spectrum.
Our honest advice: if you value exclusivity, wildlife immersion, and a sense of genuine remoteness, the private concessions are where Botswana works its deepest magic. And if your budget allows as many of these lodges do come with a higher price tag. That said, combining a night or two in the national park – particularly Chobe – with a stay in a private concession gives you a wonderfully well-rounded picture of the country.
Safari Camps, Lodges and Mobile Safaris
Botswana is predominantly a canvas destination – and magnificently so. The finest camps in the country are tented structures built to leave a light footprint on the land, and yet they deliver a level of comfort and beauty that surprises almost everyone who visits for the first time. Think four-poster beds, copper soaking tubs, sweeping wooden decks overlooking floodplains, and meals that would not be out of place in a fine restaurant. Camps like Mombo, Xigera, and DumaTau sit at the very pinnacle of African safari accommodation – extraordinary places that combine outstanding guiding with a level of design and hospitality that is genuinely world-class.
Beyond the premier camps, there is a broad range of excellent lodges offering every comfort you could ask for at a slightly more accessible price point. The Desert & Delta Safaris portfolio, for instance, delivers a thoroughly satisfying luxury safari experience across both national park and private reserve settings. Machaba Safaris has a range of classic safari tents across various areas, as does Ker & Downey and Kwando Safaris. Plus a heap of privately owned lodges to explore.
Mobile safaris deserve a special mention. These are journeys where a small group travels through the wilderness – typically through Moremi and Chobe – staying in private campsites that move with the season and the wildlife. At the more luxurious end, a private chef, comfortable ensuite tents, and a dedicated guiding team make this an experience of remarkable intimacy. For those who want to feel genuinely immersed in the bush rather than visiting it from a fixed location, a mobile safari is one of the most rewarding ways to experience Botswana.
Set Departure Tours cover either a mobile safari or a lodge stay safari. These tend to be the more affordable way to visit Botswana, but no less rewarding. Some companies offer German language hosted tours, which helps if English is not your native tongue.
Where to Go on a Botswana Safari
Botswana’s safari regions are diverse enough that no two itineraries need look alike. The Okavango Delta is the jewel in the crown – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world’s largest inland delta, offering game drives, walking safaris, boat cruises, and the iconic mokoro. Moremi Game Reserve sits within the Delta and delivers excellent Big Five sightings in beautiful riverine landscapes. To the north, the Kwando, Linyanti and Selinda concessions are vast, wild, and particularly celebrated for wild dog and lion. Savuti is legendary for predators, Chobe for its epic elephant herds and river cruises, and Khwai for year-round wildlife and community-led safaris. Further afield, the Makgadikgadi Pans transform dramatically after the summer rains, drawing zebra migrations and flamingoes in their thousands, while the Central Kalahari rewards those seeking solitude, black-maned lions, and skies that go on forever.
For a full guide to each area, including the best camps and when to visit, see our Botswana Safaris page.
When to Go on Safari in Botswana
Botswana can be visited year-round, and each season brings its own distinct rewards.
The green season (roughly December to March) brings afternoon thunderstorms that transform the dry Kalahari bush into a lush, vivid landscape. This is the season of newborn animals and thousands of migratory birds, and it is a particular favourite among wildlife photographers. Lodges are quieter, rates are lower, and the experience – though different – is no less extraordinary. We love this time of year so much we even wrote an article about it! Have a read at our Botswana Green Season guide
The shoulder season (April to June and November) offers a beautiful middle ground: the bush is beginning to dry out, making animals easier to spot as they gravitate towards water sources, but without the peak-season crowds or price premiums. Many experienced safari-goers consider May and June the finest months to visit.The high season (July to October) is when Botswana is at its most iconic. The bush is dry and sparse, the animals concentrate around the last remaining water sources, and game viewing reaches its peak intensity. This is the season most visitors plan around – and for very good reason.
Luggage and Weight Restrictions
Because most safaris in Botswana involve light aircraft transfers between camps, luggage restrictions are strict and non-negotiable – and it is important to plan for this before you travel. All internal Botswana airlines, including Wilderness Air, Mack Air, SafariAir, and Moremi Air, require soft bags only. No rigid frames, no hard-shell suitcases. Wheeled bags are acceptable only if the wheels and handle are collapsible and do not form part of a solid structure.
The maximum dimensions per bag are 30cm wide x 35cm high x 70cm long, and the total weight allowance is 20kg per person – including your hand luggage and any camera equipment. These restrictions also apply in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The idea is that these bags need to be squashed into a small hold in the plane.
The good news is that you need far less than you think. Safari lodges provide all toiletries, laundry is included at most camps, and the dress code is entirely casual. If you are transiting through Johannesburg, there is a luggage storage facility at the airport for anything you don’t need in the bush. Excess luggage can also be purchased on the light aircraft if absolutely necessary. All of these airlines will also store your bag, but this only works if you are entering and departing through Maun.
You will also be asked to provide your body weight when booking. This is standard practice across all Botswana operators and is required by the charter airlines for aircraft safety calculations.
Visas
Most visitors – including those from the USA, UK, and across Europe – do not require a visa to enter Botswana. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your return date and should contain a minimum of two blank pages (more if you are visiting multiple countries). Visa requirements do change, so we always recommend confirming with your local Botswana embassy or consulate ahead of travel.
Travelling with Children
Families travelling with children should be aware of an important entry requirement that catches many travellers off guard. All children entering and exiting Botswana are required to carry an unabridged birth certificate – the full version listing both parents’ details. This applies regardless of whether the child is travelling with both parents, one parent, or a guardian. If a child is travelling with only one parent, a letter of consent from the absent parent is strongly recommended and in some cases required by border officials. Guardians travelling with children who are not their own should carry a letter of authority signed by both parents, along with copies of the parents’ passports or identity documents. These requirements apply at all entry points, including the popular land crossing between Victoria Falls and Kasane. We always recommend checking the most current requirements with your local Botswana embassy before travel, as regulations can change.
