Botswana Safari Guide: Okavango Delta, Chobe & the Kalahari

Botswana has long followed a high-value, low-volume tourism policy: large private concessions, few beds and strict limits on vehicles. The result is a sense of wilderness that is hard to find elsewhere, with game drives where yours may be the only vehicle at a sighting.

It is also home to the world’s largest elephant population and to the Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage site where seasonal floodwaters spread across the Kalahari. Few places offer wildlife viewing by vehicle, boat, mokoro and on foot in a single trip.

Most itineraries combine a water-based camp with a land-based one, then add a contrasting landscape such as the pans or Chobe.

Most itineraries are fly-in safaris: small planes shuttle you from Maun or Kasane between camps, often with spectacular low-level views over the delta. Luggage is strictly limited, typically around 20 kg (44 lb) per person including hand luggage, in soft-sided bags, so pack light with our safari packing list.

Camps are mostly luxurious tented camps on raised decks, each in a private concession where night drives and walking are often allowed. Long-established operators include Wilderness and &Beyond, and most stays include meals, drinks and activities.

June to October is peak season. The Okavango floods arrive in the dry season, because rain from the Angolan highlands takes months to reach the delta; water levels usually peak around June to August. You get full channels for mokoro trips while animals concentrate around permanent water. September and October are hot and superb for game.

November to April is the green season: lush scenery, dramatic storms, newborn animals, migratory birds and lower rates, with the zebra migration in the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan. See our best time for safari guide.

Kasane, the gateway to Chobe, is roughly 90 minutes by road from Victoria Falls including the border, so many itineraries add two nights at the falls. Others start in Cape Town or the Sabi Sand. If you’re weighing the two countries, see South Africa vs Botswana.