Located in Southern Africa, Botswana is landlocked by neighboring Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Nearly 40% of the country has been designated as national parks and wildlife reserves.
Botswana’s most distinctive feature is the Okavango Delta, one of the largest inland deltas in the world. The scale and magnificence of this Delta have secured a position as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Each year, fresh rainwater flows down from Angola, into the Okavango Delta to create a wetland and wildlife wonderland unlike anywhere else on earth. It supports a huge diversity of wildlife year round that makes for the most glorious game-viewing experience. Some of the animals you will likely encounter on your visit to the Okavango include elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, crocodile, the elusive sitatunga, and a host of plains game. In addition, with nearly 600 bird species Botswana offers unique opportunities for bird lovers as well.
In the northeast are the Chobe and Linyanti reserves which possess diverse habitats that include marshes, waterways, riverine forest and dry woodlands: the perfect environment to attract large concentrations of game, particularly elephant and buffalo and all the predators.
To the South lies the Kalahari Game Reserve, one of the biggest protected areas in Africa. The Kalahari Plains are home to the black-maned lion and some of the best cheetah viewing in the world, particularly in the summer months when huge herds of springbok, oryx and wildebeest attract predators from all corners of the desert. At first sight this environment appears a barren desert of rolling sand dunes but closer examination reveals grasslands, bush, scrub, tree savannah, dry riverbeds and rocky outcrops, ideal habitat for gemsbok, springbok, brown hyena, and hartebeest. During the dry season, the days are cloudless and the early mornings and evenings are cool, perfect for a safari. This arid, starkly scenic landscape is an amazing contrast to the Okavango Delta but a jewel in itself.
Climate in Botswana
The rainy season is from December to March with temperatures ranging from 18°C to 33°C (64 °F to 91°F) and the long dry season from April to November with temperatures of 6°C to 22°C (42°F to 72°F).
Suggested Botswana Safari Activities
- Walk in the pristine wilderness of Moremi National Park
- Serenely glide through the waters of the Okavango Delta in a Makoro
- Splash through the waters of the Okavango Delta on horseback cantering next to a herd of Impala
- Explore the vast and unspoiled pans of the Makgadikgadi and Kalahari Desert
- Visit the native San bushman of the Kalahari Desert
- Watch life unfold before you in the remarkable Okavango Delta with its vast array of wildlife
- Accompany a family of elephant for a walk in the wilderness at Abu’s Elephant Camp
