Botswana Wildlife Safaris

Botswana has a good wildlife population and you can expect to see most of the big animals on a safari here. Sightings of lions are frequent; in particular an encounter with the black-maned lions of the Kalahari is unforgettable. Elephants, hippo, buffalo, zebra and giraffe are all abundant. 

Botswana is home to a plethora of wildlife in some extreme wildlife habitats, from the arid salt pans of the south to the wetland ‘swamps’ of the Okavango Delta and Moremi Reserve and the luscious flood plains of the Chobe River. These areas provide unique ecosystems in which some dramatic wildlife sightings can be experienced. 

Botswana's mammals are typical of what you would expect to see on the savannah plains of a number of African countries. However, it is the sheer number and frequency of sightings that make a Botswana wildlife safari extraordinary. Healthy prides of lions patrol their territories, leopards lounge in trees waiting for their unsuspecting prey to wander by, hyenas scavenge viciously, elephants congregate in vast herds and antelope graze the verdant grasses of the Okavango Delta providing for a thrilling wildlife safari. In addition, there are 550 recorded species of birds which flourish across the country.

A variety of different areas can be recommended for your Botswana holiday depending on what you wish to see and when you want to travel, be it honeymoon safari, family safari, small group safari or private luxury safari. Wildlife sightings get better and more frequent as the dry season progresses, from June through October, as wildlife converges in areas with a consistent water supply so are slightly easier to predict. As these herds of herbivores converge on disappearing waterways, predators follow, making for exciting times as travellers watch the brutality of Africa unfold before their eyes.

For those that wish to get up close and personal with the wildlife of Botswana there is also the unique opportunity to spend the morning with the three elephants of the Grey Matters Project. Run by Doug and Sandi Groves, this not-for-profit organisation was founded in 1999 and aims to educate people, whether tourists or local, about the relationship between elephants and the surrounding environment. Throughout the morning you are able to touch and feel the elephant’s skin, walk alongside their huge bulks and sit in the bush having lunch as they graze through their dinner in the background. This is a highlight of any safari but a truly unique experience for a Botswana honeymoon safari combining both an educational and adrenaline-filled experience. 

It’s not just the huge animals for which Botswana is famed, spend some time at Makgadikgadi Pans and you are likely to come across some inquisitive meerkats, known to – on occasion – use humans as look out posts. Here you might even spot the elusive Aardwolf or brown hyena.