Exclusive, remote and gorgeous, the Botswanan wilderness has something to inspire every traveller, between the stunningly verdant waterways of the Okavango Delta, the isolated expanse of the massive and breath-taking Makgadikgadi Pans and the vast, semi-arid grasslands and sands of the Kalahari Desert.

In the northwest, the Okavango Delta transforms the otherwise dry basin of the Kalahari Desert into exceptionally beautiful wetlands. The marshes support a variety of wildlife, including elegant cheetahs, regal lions, endangered black and white rhinos and hundreds of other species. Known as the Jewel of the Kalahari, the lush grasslands and crystal-clear waters of the Okavango form the world’s largest inland delta.

At the heart of the delta, the Batawana people established the Moremi Game Reserve, the first reserve in Africa to be founded by locals determined to protect their ancestral lands. Wildlife, including the “big five” game animals, flourish on the protected, picturesque floodplains. At the southern tip of Moremi, the Living with Elephants Foundation provides a home for orphaned elephants and offers close encounters with the intelligent, gentle giants.

Visits to Moremi are often paired with trips further north to Chobe National Park. The waterways of the delta flowing through the park attract the highest concentration of elephants in all of Africa. The Chobe River, which forms the northern boundary of the park, also attracts lion prides, graceful leopards, stout hippos and plenty of other animals. The calls and cries of the hundreds of bird species that call Chobe National Park home create the perfect soundtrack for a safari adventure.

The Okavango once fed an enormous lake to the east and further south, but the lake has long since evaporated, leaving behind the otherworldly Makgadikgadi Pans. Remote salt flats the size of Portugal, the pans are home to one of only two breeding colonies of greater flamingos in southern Africa. Perched at the edge of Makgadikgadi, San Camp has 360-degree views of the bleached flats and offers the opportunity to meet a curious and human-friendly family of wild meerkats. The camp is also near the route zebra and wildebeest herds regularly take while migrating between Makgadikgadi and Chobe National Park.

The pans are surrounded by the semi-arid Kalahari Desert, which stretches over most of Botswana and past its borders into Namibia and South Africa. A portion of it larger than Denmark at the centre of Botswana, called the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, is home to the semi-nomadic San people and several striking game species. The wet season brings renewed life to the reserve, attracting large antelope herds, sounders of warthogs and legendary black-maned lions, among other species. The reserve’s mosaic of clay pans, fossil river valleys, sand dunes and woodlands provide plenty of opportunities to explore.

The climate can vary over Botswana, which covers roughly the same amount of land as France. The year can generally be divided into two distinctive seasons, one wet and one dry.

The wet season begins in November and runs through March, turning parts of the country green with fresh vegetation. During the dry season, which runs from April to October, animals are drawn to the few water sources available, offering more reliable opportunities for game watching.

Temperatures:

Summer (October – April): Temperatures range from 25°C (77°F) to 40°C (104°F)

Winter (May – September): Temperatures range from 5ºC (42ºF) to 33ºC (91ºF)

Seasons:

April – May

• The beginning of the dry season is the perfect time to visit Chobe National Park in the spectacular Okavango Delta. Animals are drawn to the park’s permanent water sources – particularly the Chobe River – making conditions perfect for wildlife viewing. The sandy riverbanks entice an astounding variety of thirsty animals, including impalas, cape buffalo and enormous herds of elephants.
• Following the rains of the wet season, conditions are sometimes just right in Makgadikgadi’s remote Sowa Pan to attract giant breeding colonies of greater and near-threatened lesser flamingos. The colourful, particular birds brighten the grey, salt-rich waters left standing in the pan after the rains. Other animals in search of water also converge on Makgadikgadi, with predators closely following prey, making for fantastic game-viewing opportunities.

June – August

• The dry months suck the water out of the Makgadikgadi Pans, giving the area a far different atmosphere than seen earlier in the year. The pans, which are far too salty to support vegetation, seem desolate, isolated and peaceful. On some of the scrub-covered, sandy divisions between the salt flats, massive baobabs seem to stretch their branches out in all directions, creating a striking and iconic picture.
• Glide past the reeds and palms of the Okavango Delta, past unsuspecting reedbuck and red lechwe, while riding on a traditional canoe known as a mokoro. Led by seasoned guides, the boats offer unbelievable and unique opportunities to capture images of wildlife.

September - October

• The dry months make travel conditions perfect for a visit to the Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta. The reserve boasts of fantastic wildlife viewing opportunities along with one of the richest and most diverse ecosystems in all of Africa.
• Herds of wildebeest and zebra begin to migrate in October toward the Boteti River on the western edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans. At just the start of the region’s wet season, the roads in the area have yet to be inundated, making travel easier.

November – December

• The wet season offers the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the distinctive calls of the birds that call Chobe National Park home. Many of them aren’t shy, often allowing photographers to get close enough to obtain remarkable pictures. More than 460 bird species have been recorded in the park, making it a premier destination for birdwatching.
• The rains that become more common in December quench the parched sands of the Kalahari Desert and bring new life to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Animals congregate in the northern Deception Valley, where sweet grasses attract herbivores by the droves. Predators predictably follow, giving visitors the chance to see nature at its most raw.

January – March

• About 70 kilometres (43 miles) south of the Chobe River, the rains fill the clay Ngwezumba Pans in Chobe National Park. The water draws animals away from the river and offers great opportunities to catch glimpses of the local wildlife in action. Waterbuck, giraffes, puku and other herbivores gather to enjoy the seasonal bounty, followed by predators like the leopard and the hyena.
• The rains transform the dry grasslands of the Kalahari, turning the desert lush and green with vegetation. Wildebeest, giraffes and thousands of antelopes enjoy the bounty in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. As the wet season draws nearer to an end, roads become more passable, making for an easier journey.

One of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa and a UNESCO World Heritage Site deemed an "exceptional and rare beauty," the Okavango Delta is a pristine oasis covering more than 15,500 square kilometres (about 6,000 square miles) of the Kalahari Desert.

Why visit?

• Enjoy the small wonders of the Okavango Delta during a guided nature walk
• Get a bird's-eye view of the delta on a scenic helicopter flight
• Discover the region’s exceptional wildlife during a safari game drive
• Explore the delta’s lush, meandering channels on a traditional mokoro
• Go past the beauty of the Okavango Delta’s banks during a boat cruise

Track animals through the wild during a guided nature walk

Experience the beauty of the Okavango Delta from the perspective of those who call it home. Guided by experts with knowledge of native plants, local traditions and wildlife tracking, nature walks offer the chance to explore on a more intimate, personal level. Birding enthusiasts will want to keep their eyes peeled for any of the more than 400 bird species that make themselves home on the delta, including brightly coloured kingfishers, powerful martial eagles and endangered cape vultures.

Board a helicopter for unparalleled views of the delta

Get an incomparable view of the delta’s raw and spectacular landscape during a scenic helicopter flight. See the patchwork of islands, lagoons and plains that support the Okavango Delta’s diverse wildlife populations. Flights can be taken without doors, giving photographers unmatched opportunities to capture the astounding beauty of the wild.

Set off on a personalised, exclusive safari game drive

Embark on a rugged and classic safari game drive on a secluded, private reserve in the Okavango Delta. By day, search for graceful giraffes and playful zebras amid the floodplains. By night, watch for hippos in the waters or search for nocturnal honey badgers, porcupines and white-tailed mongooses.

Go with the flow on a mokoro trip

Follow routes laid out centuries ago by local San and Bayei people while exploring on a traditional mokoro boat. Expert oarsmen known as polers guide the boats past reed-covered marshlands, dotted with colourful frogs, and sandy islands topped with the bursting fronds of phoenix palms. Watch herds of frolicking elephants and grazing antelopes as you glide along the crystal-clear waters, allowing for amazing views of the native wildlife.

Go even further on a motorised boat cruise

Cover even more of the Okavango Delta’s serene landscape and see more of its iconic visitors. Pods of stout hippos bask in the papyrus-fringed waters, which also attract crocodiles and a mind-boggling array of water birds. Frogs appear as colourful lumps on the reeds, their calls creating peaceful background music to enjoy as you explore the Delta’s watery heart.

Distinguished as the only officially protected land in the Okavango Delta, the Moremi Game Reserve spreads out over more than a third of the delta, boasting of one of the most rich and diverse ecosystems on the entire continent. The astonishing landscape houses all the “big five” game animals, including near threatened white rhinos and critically endangered black rhinos. Explorers may find shy leopards lounging in the dense, riverine forests that spread out over the reserve or look out for endangered African wild dogs. Hundreds of species of birds are seen each year at the Moremi Game Reserve, their calls providing a natural and soothing soundtrack for visitors.

Why visit?

• Explore untouched wilderness on a safari game drive
• Discover the Delta’s picturesque waterways on a traditional mokoro*
• Enjoy spectacular birdwatching opportunities on the lagoons, which are home to more than 400 species of birds
• Visit Chief’s Island and the Moremi Tongue and see gorgeous landscapes that attract what might be the richest concentration of wildlife in all of Botswana
• Spot endangered species seen rarely in the wild, but which have sizable populations in Moremi, including free-ranging African wild dogs, slender cheetahs and powerful lions

Embark on a safari game drive for a custom-made adventure

Explore the untouched beauty of the open bush with a safari game drive in the Moremi Game Reserve. Set off in the morning to meet herds of grazing buffalo and antelope as they themselves stir to greet the day. Look out for predatory lions and graceful leopards as taciturn hippos and playful elephants enjoy the waters of the Okavango Delta. Learn about local animal habits and behaviours from expert guides during afternoon drives that stretch past nightfall. Expect to watch stars blanket the sky overhead, heralding the appearance of the Delta’s nocturnal denizens, including shy aardwolfs, sleek servals and agile genets.

Glide across the untouched Delta on a mokoro canoe

In the tradition of the local San and Bayei people, board a cosy mokoro and glide across the clear waters of the Okavango Delta. Expert oarsmen use poles whittled from the branches of terminalia tress to navigate the Delta’s maze of channels, islands and lagoons, guiding the mokoros past high reeds, unruly phoenix palms and unsuspecting wildlife. Enjoy unmatched opportunities to see nature at its most wild and its most raw while traveling the tranquil waters. Spy crocodiles as they stalk prey on the water’s edge, spot grazing herds of swamp-dwelling sitatunga and watch water birds’ nest along the islets. Enjoy the peace to be found amid the twisting, pristine waterways.

Across a gorgeous and remote expanse of Chobe National Park, the mysterious Savuti Channel flows and dries outside the pattern dictated by rainfall. After nearly 30 years without water, the channel abruptly began to fill once more in 2008, continuing a little understood natural pattern that’s endured for centuries. The waters feed the Savuti Marsh, a lush wilderness haven that attracts portly warthogs, mighty herds of elephants and hundreds of bird species.

Why visit?

• Take a nature walk and see ancient rock paintings and towering baobabs up close
• See the extraordinary dolomite rock formations of the Gubatsa Hills
• Search for wildlife during a personalized safari game drive
• Enjoy excellent opportunities for birdwatching
• During the rainy season, especially January and February, see huge numbers of zebras congregate to feast on the sweet grasses that appear across Savuti

Glimpse into the past during a guided nature walk

Join a nature walk to the Gubatsa Hills for the chance to see rock paintings left long ago by the semi-nomadic San people. Unlike most rock paintings, those found in the Gubatsa Hills are out in the open. The artwork, estimated to be more than 1,500 years old, depicts the area’s wildlife in brilliant colour from what archaeologists believe was a mixture of snake venom, blood and plant juice. Nearby, a cluster of iconic, centuries-old baobab trees tower over the bush. The silent giants create a soulful, introspective and peaceful environment. The distinctive, thin branches of the trees spread up and out in all directions, high above impressive trunks more than 7 metres (23 feet) around.

See more with a safari game drive tailored to your interests

Explore true African big game country with a safari game drive through Savuti. Between Chobe National Park’s northern boundary and the Linyati River, the wild lands boast of particularly large populations of predator species, including watchful lions, swift cheetahs and cackling hyenas. During the dry winter months, females prepare to den, allowing for more sightings of endangered African wild dogs. The dry spring season draws birds to the artificial watering holes in the area. Once the rains of summer drench the region, mighty herds of elephants begin majestic parades across the land while zebras numbering in the thousands feast on the bountiful, fresh grasses.

See the hundreds of bird species native to the Okavango Delta

Hundreds of bird species flit over Savuti each year, giving keen birdwatchers ample opportunities to enjoy the sights. Birding is best during the wet months of summer, from November to March, when countless migratory birds soar overhead. Among the species to be found in Savuti are the kori bustard, arguably Africa’s largest flying bird, the endangered ground hornbill and several species of raptors.

Formed from the remnants of what is believed to have been one of the largest inland lakes in the world, the vast and desolate Makgadikgadi Salt Pans manage to support an astonishing diversity of wildlife.

Why visit?

• Explore the rugged landscape on a safari game drive
• Make time to interact with playful and friendly wild meerkats
• Enjoy the luxury and adventure of a classic horseback safari
• Race across the salt flats on a quad bike
• Follow in the footsteps of ancient bushmen during a nature walk

Discover surprising wildlife during a safari game drive

The salt flats may appear barren at first glance, but even during the dry months they support a surprising amount of life – including migrating herds of wildebeest and one of Africa’s largest zebra populations. During the night, search for rare, shaggy brown hyenas and secretive aardvarks as countless stars crowd the sky overhead.

Meet a chatty colony of curious meerkats

At the edge of the Kalahari Desert, visit a colony of inquisitive and energetic meerkats. Get close and personal with the cheeky animals, who are no strangers to humans and who have sometimes been known to pull visitors into their antics. Watch the meerkats as they survey the desert, their noses held firmly in the air, and enjoy their playful encounters as they forage for food.

Indulge in a horseback safari

Venture across the flat, remote heart of the Makgadikgadi Pans during an exciting, three-night safari by horseback. Explore the otherworldly landscape at the heart of the massive, ancient lakebed and travel to the fringe of the pans to meet a human-friendly meerkat colony. Between rides past illusive ostriches and herds of zebras, enjoy comfort like something out of a movie in vintage-inspired canvas tents, complete with ensuite bathrooms and other accommodations.

Race across the stark landscape on a quad bike

Mount a quad bike during the dry season and experience the exhilaration of crossing one of the world’s largest salt pans at full tilt. Enjoy the solitude and peace of the salt flats, which can seem mystical and ethereal with nothing but the purr of a quad bike engine to break the enduring silence. The pans expand endlessly on the horizon from their centres, giving off the impression that you’ve been transported onto the surface of the moon itself.

Step back in time during a bushmen-led nature walk

Get a glimpse back in time and learn the ancient human history of the Makgadikgadi Pans during a nature walk guided by Zu/’hoasi Bushmen. Learn about the uses of native plants and game common to the area from people whose ancestors have inhabited the desert plains for centuries. Visit an authentic Zu/’hoasi Bushmen settlement and see the unique skills cultivated through history to allows these people to endure in the arid desert.