Botswana Attractions & Highlights

One of the main Botswana tourist attactions is the vast wilderness that is offered with some of the most prolific and diverse wildlife viewing opportunities in Africa.

The Moremi Game Reserve and the Khwai Concession Area is renowned as Africa's finest areas for wildlife viewing as it has particularly high game densities. Explore the Okavango Delta to see hippos, crocodiles, water-adapted antelope like red lechwe and the rare sitatunga and hundreds of birds. Visit Savute, known for its lion prides and don’t forget Chobe National Park, famous for its thousands of elephants. The Remote Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Makgadikgadi pans have great numbers of animals sustained by the waterholes that dot the vast salt pans. Botswana’s game reserves are second to none for sheer numbers and variety of wildlife. 

Taking scenic flights over the Moremi and the Okavango Delta is one of the greatest experiences in Botswana. You can choose between scenic flights in light aircrafts or helicopter.  Moments after departing, you’ll start enjoying  breathtaking views. Experience the crystal-clear water channels and the spectacular beauty of the Okavango Delta. The incredible diversity and amount of wildlife encountered in the Delta becomes clear from above. As helicopters can land virtually anywhere, you can be taken to more remote and uninhabited areas. Optimise your photographic experience by asking the pilot to remove the doors before take off.

Floating along the waterways of the Okavango in a mokoro is a wonderful wilderness activity unique to Botswana.

A mokoro is a traditional style canoe that can seat two people. An experienced guide will steer you through the wetlands of the Okavango Delta giving you a perspective that will both excite and astonish you. Imagine gliding through water that mirrors the sky above, brushing past reeds and getting close-up views of elephants enjoying a bath in one of the channels. You might even catch a glimpse of lechwe or the rare sitatunga.

Go on one of our boat cruises in Botswana to get the best boat safari experience and some of the best and closest views of wildlife you might ever have. This activity is available in the Chobe River, Okavango Delta, Moremi and other areas in Botswana with a river ecosystem. Chobe boat cruises offer exceptional sunset and morning views of the Chobe river and its wildlife.  Explore the Okavango Delta’s network of channels and lagoons from a motorised boat that covers great distances, showcasing the magnificent landscape (season dependent).

A horseback safari is considered by many to be the ultimate safari experience involving horse riding in Botswana. These horseback and game viewing safaris are offered in the Okavango Delta and in the Kalahari Desert. You can choose between staying in luxury tented camps or mobile camps. The Delta’s riding safaris provide some of the best experiences. Horseback safaris caters for both riders and non-riders and use well-schooled horses and experienced guides.

The Bushmen (San) is an ancient race that have lived in the heart of Southern Africa for thousands of years. Heading out on foot with a local San bushman as your guide is a fantastic way to observe their culture and lifestyle. You can learn about their unique way of life and amazing survival skills when you visit the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans.

The Okavango Delta and the Chobe River are renowned as some of Africa's top fishing destinations. When going fishing in Botswana, try your hand at catching the fierce tiger fish or participate in one of the most exciting local fishing events  – the “barbel run”. The Okavango Panhandle is home to the barbel run where, from August onwards, millions of tiny fish are forced from the shallow floodplains into the main channels. This is when the hungry barbels (catfish) and tigerfishes assemble and drive the baitfish up into the panhandle where fly-fishermen await. The Okavango Delta is also a great fishing destination, especially the areas with permanent water. Local guides will take you fishing in remote areas where you can catch Tigerfish, Nembwe, African pike and Bream. The Delta’s best fishing months are September and October when the water is at its warmest. The Chobe River has tigerfish that range in size from 2kg to an impressive 12kg. The best months to catch is tigerfish is from May to October when rivers teem with baitfish. Spin and fly-fishing is best in May. June and July are the best months for catching tigerfish with the barbel run in August to September. Botswana has a catch and release policy. 

Taking part in a walking safari in Botswana it allows you to explore then wilderness on foot which is exhilarating, especially when you experience your first encounter with wild animals. It is really incredible and very different from seeing it from a vehicle. Walking safaris offer an alternative way of experiencing the African bush and is probably the best way to get up close and personal to nature. These safaris are on offer in the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve and in the Khwai concession area.

The stark and barren moon-like landscape of the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pans is a sight to behold and is highly recommended for a unique and remote safari experience. Imagine vast expanses of white, cracked mud, fringed by grasslands and iconic baobab trees co-existing in a very unique setting. In the wet season, this reserve can offer good wildlife viewing, particularly when large herds of zebra and wildebeest begin their westward migration.