5 of the Best Places to Visit on your Botswana Safari Adventure

Botswana safaris are exceptional, offering a range of unique experiences that make it stand out from other African safari destinations. Trying to figure out where to go on safari in Botswana is exciting. Known for amazing destinations, exclusivity, luxury, and low-impact tourism with an emphasis on conservation and sustainability, a Botswana safari is difficult to beat. Choosing the best places to visit on your Botswana safari adventure can be daunting. Here is my list of the best 5 Botswana destinations. 

5. Tsodilo Hills: The ''Louvre of the Desert''. 

While not your typical Botswana safari destination, Tsodilo Hills is a unique and mystical experience. Located in northwest Botswana, close to the Namibian border, and a 6-hour drive from Maun, Tsodilo Hills is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Home to over 4,500 rock paintings and carvings, dating back thousands of years, that offer a glimpse into the ancient civilizations that once lived here.  

Visited for over 100,000 years, Tsodilo is revered by local communities as the home of ancestral spirits and is an important place of worship. Visitors to Tsodilo Hills can take part in guided tours, offered by local Hambukushu and San communities, who share their knowledge and traditions about rock art and the significance of the hills in their culture. The hills themselves are also an attraction, with their unique and awe-inspiring shapes, rising out of the Kalahari Desert. There are three main hills, each with its own significance and associated stories. Tsodilo Hills is comparatively close to Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, and Chobe National Park. The best time to visit Tsodilo Hills is during Botswana’s dry season from May to September when the weather is cooler and the skies are clear, making it easier to explore the area on foot.  

4. Chobe National Park: River Safari & Elephants 

Chobe National Park is a renowned Botswana safari destination. One of the largest game reserves in Southern Africa, Chobe safaris are famous for serene waterways, boat-based safari viewing, and the huge elephant herds that call the park home. Chobe National Park is home to a wide range of wildlife, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffalo, and of course, elephants. Visitors can expect to have a thrilling safari experience with a range of activities to choose from. 

Chobe National Park is most famous for its enormous elephant population which is thought to number more than 50 000 individuals. It is not uncommon to see hundreds of elephants at a time, particularly during the dry season when they congregate around the Chobe River to drink and bathe. Visitors can witness these magnificent creatures up close during game drives, boat trips, or even walking safaris. Visiting Chobe on a Botswana safari is about more than just the elephants. Chobe is Botswana’s most biologically diverse reserve and boasts 4 unique safari ecosystems, the Serondela area, Savuti Marsh, Linyanti Marsh, and Nogatsaa. 

The best time to go on safari in Chobe National Park is during the dry season, which runs from May to October. This period offers the best game-viewing opportunities as the wildlife congregates around the remaining water sources. One of the highlights of Chobe is the water-based safari on the Chobe River. Here, visitors can witness a range of wildlife, including hippos and crocodiles, as well as numerous bird species that inhabit the riverbanks. 

3. The Savuti Marsh: Predators & Unique Botswana Safari Landscapes 

The Savuti Marsh, fed by the Savuti Channel is one of the most intriguing wildlife destinations in Botswana. Technically a part of Chobe National Park, this unique Botswana safari destination warrants a special mention.  

The Savuti Marsh, north of the Mbabe Gate, is a relic of an ancient lake. In recent times, Savuti has become famous for the erratic flow of the Savuti Channel. Because the Savuti Channel dries up for long periods of time and then flows again (it began flowing in 2010 for the first time since 1982), the area is dotted with dead trees which gives Savuti an other-worldly feel. Savuti’s other claim to fame is the large lion prides that have been known to bring down buffalo and even elephants. 

The best time to visit Savuti is during the dry season, which runs from May to October. During this time, the weather is cooler and drier, and game spotting is at its best. Because the area is covered with savannah and grassland, wildlife interactions are particularly dynamic. While lions are the star attraction, there is an impressive array of wildlife, including rhino, warthog, kudu, zebra, blue wildebeest, and elephants, as well as other predators like cheetahs, African Painted wolves, leopards, and hyenas. The Linyanti Marsh in the upper reaches of the Savuti area is considered one of the most picturesque in Botswana and is far less visited than the more popular Savuti.  

2. The Kalahari Desert: Stargazing & Endless Horizons. 

The Kalahari Desert is a vast semi-arid region that spans across southern Africa, covering over 900,000 km2 of Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana. Known for its striking landscapes of red sand dunes, expansive salt pans, and scattered acacia trees, the Kalahari Desert is a captivating safari destination. One of the best places to experience a Kalahari Desert safari is the Central Kalahari National Park in Botswana.  

One of the largest game reserves in the world, The Central Kalahari Game Reserve covers over 52,800km² (about 32808 mi²) of Botswana’s pristine desert. This vast expanse of untouched wilderness offers a unique and unparalleled safari experience, with desert specialists like the black-maned Kalahari lions, cheetahs, leopards, oryx, springbok, eland, curious meerkats, and more.  The Central Kalahari National Park offers pristine, off-the-beaten-track safaris in a wilderness of deep silences and endless horizons. It is a star gazers paradise, located in the middle of Botswana, the heart of the Kalahari Desert is a great place to lose yourself in the stillness of vast horizons. 

The wet months from December to April are the best time for a desert safari to this arid wonderland. With the nourishing rains, the Central Kalahari National Park’s open grasslands are covered in wildflowers and grasses, attracting herbivores from miles around. Deception Valley in particular hosts large concentrations of game animals that attract predators like cheetahs, lions, and hyenas. The abundance of life and the presence of predators make for an intriguing and unforgettable Botswana safari adventure. 

1. The Okavango Delta: The Best Botswana Safari Destination

Botswana’s Okavango Delta is a truly unique and special destination that will leave a lasting impression on any safari enthusiast. The Delta is the largest inland delta in the world, spanning over 15,000 km², and is home to a myriad of life including 130 mammals and over 500 bird species that call the Okavango Delta home. What makes the Okavango truly remarkable, however, is the life-giving water that flows into the Delta in the dry season. 

During the dry season, when plants wither, and animals search for permanent bodies of water that can sustain life, crystal-clear water drains into the desert from Angola. This annual flood has created an oasis of islands, grassland, and swamps, that provide this otherwise arid area, with life-giving waters in the dry winter months. Game viewing is phenomenal with a vast array of wildlife, including elephants, lions, hippos, and hyenas, among many many others. The Okavango Delta offers a truly authentic and immersive safari experience that is hard to find elsewhere in the world. 

Considered one of Africa’s most beautiful wildlife areas, Moremi Game Reserve covers the diverse eastern part of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Moremi’s habitats offer a superb all-around African Safari experience on land or by mokoro canoe. The best time to visit the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve is during the dry season, which runs from May to October. During this time, the weather is cooler and drier, and game viewing is at its best with animals crowding in to take advantage of the abundant water. 

Botswana Safari Adventures 

African Budget Safaris has an array of Botswana safari tours for you to browse. If you are ready to book the adventure of a lifetime but would like some more information, chat with one of our safari consultants who have a wealth of experience to draw from. 

Andrew Hofmeyr Naturalist, Artist & Writer

On the outskirts of Marloth Nature Reserve, Andrew can be found walking and swimming in the beautiful Langeburg Mountains. He is passionate about animals, birds, reptiles, and plants and loves nothing more than an adventure in nature. An established artist with a master's in English literature, Andrew has traveled far and wide but South Africa still has his heart.