Botswana Safari Holidays

A safari to Botswana can cost anything from $400 per day to over $2000- per day. Remember, Botswana is a unique, high-value experience but often comes with a premium price tag. The country’s tourism strategy prioritizes low-impact, low-density travel, meaning fewer visitors pay more for exclusive experiences free from crowds, queues, and large hotels. While Botswana may not be the most affordable African safari destination, its pristine wilderness and exceptional wildlife encounters make it worth the investment.

The cost of a Botswana safari ranges from $400 to $4,000 per person per day, depending on various factors such as the time of year, type of accommodation, length of stay, destination, and activities chosen. Key cost considerations include:

1. Time of Year: Prices vary greatly between seasons. High-season rates (June to October) can be significantly higher than those in the low (December to March) or shoulder (April, May, November) seasons. Traveling during the green or shoulder season is a cost-effective option.
2. Accommodation Type: Options range from comfortable 4-star lodges to ultra-luxurious 5-star premier camps. Approximate costs per person per night:
   • 4-Star Comfortable: $400–$600 (low season) / $750–$990 (high season)
   • 4-Star Luxury: $500–$800 (low season) / $850–$1,300 (high season)
   • 5-Star Luxury: $800–$1,000 (low season) / $1,300–$1,600 (high season)
   • 5-Star Premier: $900–$1,200 (low season) / $1,500–$2,200 (high season)
   • Mobile Camping: $500 (low season) / $1,000 (high season)
3. Duration of Stay: Many lodges offer discounts for extended stays, which can make your trip more affordable.

Destination and Activities: Remote areas like the Okavango Delta command higher prices. Activities such as game drives are typically included, but extras like hot-air balloon safaris can significantly add to the cost.

Most safari camps offer all-inclusive packages covering meals, local drinks, game drives, park fees, laundry, and airstrip transfers. High-end lodges may also include premium liquor and luxury amenities like copper bathtubs and Swarovski binoculars.

With tailored planning by our team experienced Voyage2Africa safari experts, a Botswana holiday can be customized to suit a range of budgets. Don’t rule it out—enquire with us to see what’s possible!

Most Western passport holders, including those from the USA, UK, and much of Europe, do not require a visa for stays under 90 days. However, visa requirements can vary depending on your nationality, so it’s essential to confirm with the Embassy of Botswana in your country before traveling.

Passport Requirements:

• Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned departure date.
• You need a minimum of 2 blank pages in your passport for immigration stamps. If you plan to visit other countries like South Africa or Namibia afterward, ensure you have at least 3 blank pages.

These requirements are strictly enforced by immigration authorities, so double-check your passport’s validity and blank page availability before you travel. For those travelling to Botswana’s neighbouring countries (Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe) you can obtain visas for these countries in Gaborone.

A Botswana safari offers a unique and exclusive experience, very distinct from other African destinations. Known for its remote wilderness, diverse landscapes, and low-impact tourism model, Botswana is perfect for travellers seeking intimate wildlife encounters and pristine environments. Unlike safaris in South or East Africa, wildlife sightings in Botswana are often more private, shared only with those in your small group.

Botswana’s strict tourism policies emphasize low-volume, high-quality travel. This approach limits the number of visitors, ensuring minimal environmental impact while providing a more exclusive experience. The result is a quieter, slower-paced safari with fewer crowds and a focus on deeper connections to nature. A typical day on safari begins at dawn, the best time for wildlife viewing. After the morning game drive, guests return for a hearty breakfast and relax during the midday heat, enjoying lodge amenities like pools, libraries, or lounges. Afternoon drives often continue into the evening, allowing sightings of nocturnal animals.

Unique Landscapes of Botswana

Botswana boasts some of Africa’s most iconic and contrasting landscapes:

Okavango Delta: This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the world’s largest inland wetland, featuring a maze of lagoons, islands, and channels. It’s a haven for wildlife and bird species.

Makgadikgadi Pans: Starkly beautiful salt flats offer a surreal backdrop and seasonal wildlife events like the annual zebra migration.

Kalahari Desert: Vast grasslands and friendly meerkats define this desert, which also hosts a wealth of wildlife during the green season.

These diverse ecosystems make Botswana one of the most rewarding safari destinations in Africa.

Abundant Wildlife of Botswana

Botswana is renowned for its incredible wildlife and conservation efforts. From the lush waterways of the Okavango Delta to the arid beauty of the Kalahari, Botswana offers unparalleled natural diversity and wildlife. Whether you’re tracking elephants along the Chobe River, gliding through the Delta on a mokoro, or marvelling at the starry skies over the Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana is a safari destination like no other. If you value exclusivity, pristine wilderness, and intimate wildlife encounters, Botswana should be at the top of your safari bucket list. Wildlife highlights include:

Big Five: Lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo can all be found here.

Elephant Population: The country is home to the largest population of elephants in Africa, particularly in Chobe National Park.

Endangered Species: Botswana is a prime destination to spot African wild dogs, one of the continent’s rarest predators.

Birding: Bird enthusiasts can see rare species like Pel’s fishing owl and other migratory birds.

Safari Activities in Botswana

Botswana offers a variety of safari activities that blend land and water experiences, including:

Game Drives: Early morning and evening drives through private reserves often extend into the night, revealing nocturnal wildlife.

Mokoro Rides: Traditional dugout canoe trips in the Okavango Delta allow you to explore its waterways quietly and intimately.

Walking Safaris: Guided walks focus on the smaller details of the bush, from tracks to unique flora.

Boating Safaris: Some camps offer thrilling speedboat excursions.

Luxury and Exclusivity of safaris in Botswana

Botswana’s safari lodges and camps are known for their eco-friendly construction and luxurious amenities. Many are located in remote areas accessible only by light aircraft, ensuring seclusion. While permanent electricity may not be available in mobile camps or remote lodges, these accommodations focus on delivering a high-end experience with features like outdoor bathtubs, gourmet meals, and Swarovski binoculars for wildlife viewing.

The best places to visit on safari to Botswana vary based on your budget and the time of year. Botswana safaris offer incredible variety: the northern woodlands feature vast wetlands and rivers teeming with biodiversity, while the Kalahari boasts game-rich grasslands and sun-scorched salt pans.

Each destination provides unique experiences, with countless activities to enjoy. Combining these highlights is easy, thanks to light aircraft charters that connect destinations, offering a seamless fly-in safari and stunning aerial views along the way.

Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta, the pride of Botswana, is the world’s largest inland delta and an unparalleled safari destination. This emerald-green paradise in the heart of the red Kalahari is a network of winding channels, vast floodplains, and lush woodlands, created by annual rains that transform it into a thriving haven for wildlife. The Delta is home to an astounding variety of animals and birds, making it the centerpiece of most Botswana safari experiences.

A visit to the Okavango Delta offers exclusive encounters at luxury camps situated on private concessions, ensuring privacy and intimate wildlife interactions. The annual floods fill its waterways, allowing visitors to explore by traditional mokoro canoes and boats, offering a unique perspective on this stunning ecosystem. Protected by the renowned Moremi Game Reserve and privately managed conservation concessions, much of the Delta remains pristine and unspoiled.

An Okavango Delta safari is an unforgettable adventure, featuring diverse activities such as game drives, nature walks, boat rides, and canoe safaris. Its breathtaking landscapes and abundance of wildlife make it the crown jewel of Botswana’s safari areas and a must-visit for any nature enthusiast.

Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park, one of Botswana’s premier safari destinations, is renowned for its incredible wildlife and breathtaking landscapes. The park is home to the largest concentration of elephants in the world, with vast herds often seen along the iconic Chobe River, which forms its northern boundary. This river is a lifeline for wildlife, attracting hippos, crocodiles, and a remarkable variety of bird species, making it a hotspot for nature enthusiasts.

Chobe’s diverse ecosystems, from lush floodplains to expansive woodland savannahs, provide habitats for a wide range of animals. Herds of antelope, zebra, and other large herbivores roam its plains, drawing predators like lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas. The park offers unforgettable safari experiences, including thrilling game drives and unique boat safaris on the river, providing close-up encounters with wildlife and stunning views of the surrounding landscapes.

For a classic Botswana safari, spending several nights in the Chobe area is essential to fully appreciate its rich biodiversity and ensure sightings of its iconic wildlife in this spectacular setting.

Kalahari Desert and Makgadikgadi Pans

Botswana’s Kalahari Desert is a captivating destination that offers unique and rewarding safari experiences. This vast, semi-arid landscape transforms during the rainy season, when its grasslands burst to life, attracting migratory wildlife such as zebras and springboks, followed by predators like lions and cheetahs. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve, one of the largest protected areas in Africa, provides an exclusive safari experience with its remote, untouched wilderness.

Visitors can explore the stark beauty of the Makgadikgadi Pans, an otherworldly salt pan landscape, and meet the iconic meerkats that inhabit the area. The Kalahari is also home to the San people, whose ancient culture and bushcraft skills add a rich cultural dimension to any visit.

The easiest way to travel to Botswana is with regular daily flights from Johannesburg.

To get to Botswana, most international travellers fly into one of its main airports. The primary international gateway is Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) in Gaborone, the capital. However, for easier access to Botswana’s iconic safari destinations, regional airports like Maun Airport (MUB) and Kasane Airport (BBK) are popular entry points. Maun is the gateway to the Okavango Delta, while Kasane is ideal for exploring Chobe National Park.

Flights to Botswana typically connect through major African hubs such as Johannesburg (South Africa), Nairobi (Kenya), and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). Major airlines like Air Botswana, South African Airways, and Ethiopian Airlines offer routes to and from these hubs, making it convenient to reach Botswana from international destinations.

For those already in Southern Africa, it is quicker, easier, and more cost-effective to fly into Botswana from Johannesburg or Cape Town in South Africa. Most visitors land in Maun for the Okavango Delta or Kasane for Chobe. Once in Botswana, safari lodges often have access to landing strips, and light aircrafts are the standard mode of inter-lodge transfer, ensuring seamless travel within the country’s vast wilderness.

Another popular and highly recommended way to reach Botswana is via Victoria Falls, located just a short road transfer or flight from Chobe National Park. Victoria Falls is well-connected to South Africa, with direct flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town.

The northern town of Kasane, located at the borders of Zimbabwe and Zambia, is another key gateway to Botswana. Daily flights from Johannesburg provide easy access to Kasane.

For those combining their trip, Victoria Falls is just an hour away by road, making it an ideal extension to a Zimbabwe or Zambia safari. While Gaborone is Botswana’s capital, starting your safari typically requires flying into Maun or Kasane.