29 Best Places to Visit in Botswana

Botswana, located between Namibia and South Africa, has a population of about 2.5 million and its capital is Gaborone. The country experiences two main seasons: rainy and dry. Most people live in the north and central regions.

Botswana is known for its diverse landscapes and wildlife, including the Kalahari Desert, Okavango Delta, and Chobe River ecosystem.

Chobe National Park is notable for its wide range of animals, including elephants, lions, and various birds. The country offers numerous outdoor activities and is recognized for its friendly atmosphere.

Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta is one of Africa’s premier wildlife viewing areas, featuring diverse wildlife in its lush wetlands. It supports 122 mammal species and many local communities, fed by the Okavango River from the Angolan highlands.

Accessible from Maun, the gateway to Moremi Game Reserve, the Delta offers activities like bush walks and mokoro boat rides for close-up wildlife experiences. Guided boat trips are a highlight, with knowledgeable guides providing insights into the animals’ habitats.

Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park, in northern Botswana, is known for its large elephant and Cape buffalo herds, which gather along the Chobe Riverfront during dry months.

Other wildlife includes hippos, zebras, and big cats in the Savuti Marsh. The park offers game drives, bush walks, and boat tours.

Botswana has two main seasons: wet (November to April) and dry (May to October). The dry season is the best time to view wildlife in Chobe.

Savuti Marsh, on the park’s southern edge, is also densely populated with wildlife during this period. Most travelers prefer the dry season due to better road conditions and fewer pests.

Moremi

Moremi, located in the Okavango Delta, is known for its diverse wildlife and birdwatching, with over 500 bird species. It is home to the Big Five, various antelope, and the vast Makgadikgadi Pans.

Moremi offers safaris with a wide range of animals. Though smaller than Chobe National Park, it boasts a higher concentration of wildlife. Birdwatching is especially impressive during summer. Guided tours are available.

Moremi Game Reserve

Moremi Game Reserve, covering 40% of the Okavango Delta, is one of the world’s largest and was Africa’s first tribally-created sanctuary. It offers diverse landscapes, including swamps, wetlands, and forests.

The reserve is home to elephants, buffalo, leopards, zebras, and more. Activities include guided walks, 4×4 safaris, and night wildlife excursions. Accommodation ranges from luxurious lodges to tented camps.

Wildlife viewing peaks from July to October when animals congregate around permanent water sources. Rainy seasons may limit access but offer excellent birdwatching.

Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Central Kalahari Game Reserve, in central Botswana, is home to diverse wildlife like giraffes, cheetahs, and hyenas. It features fossilized river valleys and basic campsites. A 4×4 vehicle with extra fuel is essential, as supplies are scarce.

The reserve experiences dry winters (May to October) with cold nights, and a short dry season in September. Seasonal changes influence vegetation and wildlife sightings, which may include black-maned lions or cheetahs.

The reserve has three parks, with Nxai Pan being the smallest, known for its buffalo, elephants, and ancient baobab trees.

Khama Rhino Sanctuary

Khama Rhino Sanctuary, 200 miles from Gaborone, is accessible via well-maintained roads and offers various accommodations. It provides guided tours, rhino tracking, and a restaurant. The park is open daily from 7 am to 7 pm.

Game drives, lasting about 2.5 hours, are available day and night. Morning drives are recommended for adults. The sanctuary is located 25km south of Serowe, 5km beyond Paje. After visiting, travelers can explore Kubu Island in the Makgadikgadi Pan.

Mokolodi Nature Reserve

Mokolodi Nature Reserve, located in southern Botswana near Gaborone, offers unique wildlife experiences. The best time to visit is May to September, with cooler temperatures and thinner vegetation. The reserve is home to endangered white rhinos and offers guided walks, night drives, and elephant tracking.

Accommodation options include chalets and camps with self-catering facilities. Activities range from horseback safaris to giraffe and rhino tracking. The reserve also features a conservation education center. It’s an easy day trip from Gaborone.

Gaborone

Gaborone offers wildlife viewing at the Gaborone Game Reserve and Mokolodi Nature Reserve, both known for their rhino populations. Additionally, Kgale Hill provides scenic city views.

For culture and shopping, visit the National Museum and Art Gallery, the historic Main Mall, and the large Riverwalk Mall with its numerous shops, cinema, and restaurants.

Gaborone Game Reserve

The Linyanti Wetlands, an iconic Botswana wilderness, is known for its large elephant population and diverse wildlife, including numerous bird species. It is considered one of the country’s top destinations.

Notable reserves include the Gaborone Game Reserve, established in 1988 for wildlife conservation, offering bird-watching, picnic areas, and an educational center.

Additionally, the Okavango Delta Game Reserve, named Africa’s best in 2008, features a diverse ecosystem with guided and self-drive tours available.

Gaborone Dam

The Gaborone Dam, on the Notwane River, is a major tourist attraction with a capacity of 141 million cubic meters. It offers wildlife viewing, picnics, and water activities, including a yacht club with regular events.

Nearby, outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy canoeing, yachting, and bushwalking. Kgale Hill offers hiking trails and scenic views. Botswana’s highlight is its diverse wildlife, with the Okavango Delta being a notable attraction.

Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls, a popular Botswana destination, offers stunning views and adventure activities like microlight or helicopter flights. Guided tours are optional.

The best time to visit is June to August for aerial views, game viewing, and mild temperatures. During these months, the lunar rainbow is also visible.

Tsodilo Hills

Tsodilo Hills National Park features diverse wildlife, over 500 archaeological sites, and ancient rock art. Notable finds include old mongongo nuts and Iron Age artifacts.

The hills offer year-round hiking, but access requires a 4×4 vehicle, especially during the wet season. Dry season visits provide spectacular views. The park’s rock art, spanning hundreds of meters, is a major attraction.

Makgadikgadi Pans

Makgadikgadi Pan National Park features vast salt pans, grasslands, and islands, with diverse wildlife and birds. Notable accommodations include Camp Kalahari and San Camp, offering various activities.

Nearby Nxai Pan National Park shares a border and offers excellent game viewing. The best time to visit is during the dry season (March to October), when water attracts waterbirds and triggers migrations of wildebeest and zebra. The park is closed during the rainy season.

Kasane

Kasane, in northeastern Botswana, serves as the gateway to Chobe National Park, known for its elephants. It is also home to the Caracal Biodiversity Centre and the Chobe Crocodile Farm. The town is accessible via the Kazungula Ferry from Zambia.

Kasane offers day trips, including Chobe River cruises and visits to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Game drives during the dry season allow for tracking lions and elephants. The town provides a convenient base for exploring the area and has good public transportation.

Khutse Game Reserve

Khutse Game Reserve, in the Central Kalahari, offers diverse landscapes and wildlife, including cheetahs, lions, and elephants. It is well-connected with mobile coverage and has public campsites with basic amenities.

The reserve features pans and dry river valleys, providing excellent year-round game viewing. Common sightings include lion, gemsbok, and springbok. Nearby villages of the Kgalagadi people dot the periphery. Several campsites, like Golabodimo Pan, are available for accommodation.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, located in the Kalahari Desert and bordering South Africa and Namibia, is one of the world’s largest conservation areas. It is known for its diverse wildlife, including migratory animals like eland and blue wildebeest, and various raptors.

The park offers game drives and several accommodation options, including chalets at Kgalagadi Wilderness Camp and campsites like Twee Rivieren and Nossob.

Facilities include a restaurant serving traditional Kalahari dishes, a bakery, a liquor store, and fuel for vehicles. The best time to visit is during spring.

Nxai Pan

Nxai Pan National Park, in northeastern Botswana, is part of the Makgadikgadi Pans and covers 2,578 square kilometers. It features a large salt pan, diverse wildlife, and the famous Baines Baobab trees.

The park offers extensive grasslands for grazing animals, thorn trees, and Mopane woodlands housing leopards. Wildlife includes lions, springbok, and bat-eared foxes. Despite being less salty than Makgadikgadi Pans, Nxai Pan is rich in wildlife.

Maun

Maun, founded in 1915, is the gateway to the Okavango Delta and has grown steadily since the 1990s. It is accessible via Maun airport, served by several airlines, and located 5 km from the city center.

The town offers cultural tours, including market visits and insights into indigenous people. With over 30,000 residents, Maun features wildlife, the Thamalakane River, and historic government buildings. It was originally the tribal capital of the Batawana people.

Kalahari Desert

The Kalahari Desert, covering much of Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa, is a must-visit for its unique landscapes shaped by wind and rain. In northern Botswana, the Kwando Reserve offers abundant wildlife and two safari camps.

The Kalahari, a 900,000-square-mile savannah, has extreme temperatures. Summers can exceed 40°F, while winters can drop to -10°F. The best time to visit is between May and August when temperatures are relatively low.

Lion Park Resort In Botswana

Lion Park Resort in Gaborone has added a marketing department to boost brand awareness and attract tourists. The resort features lion enclosures, water slides, Africa’s tallest roller coaster, a campsite, and a restaurant.

The market is small and slow to develop, with moderate entry barriers. The Botswana Power Corporation may implement load shedding during high demand. While the resort offers various attractions, food quality could be improved.

Sossusvlei

To reach Sossusvlei, you can fly in or take a 5-6 hour overland tour in a 4×4 vehicle. The area offers unique flora and fauna, making it ideal for exploration and picnics.

A permit is required, and the park’s gates open at sunrise and close at sunset. The best times to visit are early morning or late afternoon. Allow about 60 km to reach the gate.

Caracal Biodiversity Center

The Caracal Biodiversity Center in northern Botswana focuses on education and conservation. It houses diverse animals and plants, including rehabilitated wildlife. Visitors can learn about local environments and native animals, with over 250 species present.

The center hosts school children, teaching them about environmental issues. It also cares for orphaned and rescued wildlife, helping to reduce local fears. Over 60 rare species reside here.

Tuli Block

Tuli Block, a 12,000-hectare private game conservation area in Southern Africa, is home to large herds of elephants, various antelope species, lions, leopards, and wildebeest. It also offers luxurious safari lodges and excellent birdwatching with over 350 species.

Game viewing is best during the dry season (May to October) when wildlife is easier to track. The summer months offer lush vegetation and bird activity. Additionally, visitors can explore local villages like Motlhabaneng, interact with residents, and learn about their culture.

Kubu Island

Kubu Island, a national monument in Botswana, is known for its stunning landscapes and over 30,000 flamingos after the rains. Stay in the island’s camp, run by local Bushmen, to support the community.

Explore the island independently or with a guide to learn about its prehistoric past and wildlife. Activities include quad-bike safaris, with accommodation and meals provided at the camp. The island’s ancient rock outcrops offer excellent photo opportunities.

Khama Rhino Sanctuary

Khama Rhino Sanctuary, in southern Botswana, is a community-based wildlife project established in 1989. It spans 4,300 hectares and hosts 30 game species and over 230 bird species. The sanctuary offers economic benefits to the local community.

Accommodation options include chalets, dormitories, and campsites. Activities include game drives, walks, and rhino tracking. The sanctuary is accessible by road, 25 km from Serowe, and is protected by an electric fence. The nearest international airport is in Gaborone.

Linyanti Wildlife Reserve

The Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, bordering the Chobe River, is home to diverse wildlife including elephants, buffalos, lions, and various antelope species. It offers unique experiences like walking safaris and boating tours.

This 125,000-hectare private reserve is less crowded than others, making it an excellent choice for wildlife safaris. It is bordered by the Linyanti River and Chobe National Park, with two-thirds of the Savute channel within its boundaries.

Savuti National Park

Savuti National Park, part of Chobe National Park, is known for its diverse wildlife, including the endangered African wild dog, lions, and elephants. The Okavango Delta nearby hosts shy brown hyenas and bat-eared foxes.

Savuti offers dramatic game viewing, with large buffalo and antelope herds, as well as various predators. Big cats and wild dogs are common. Permanent waterholes ensure year-round elephant presence. The area’s vegetation ranges from savannas to Camelthorn sandveld. Winter is a good time to see migrating game.

Francistown

Francistown, in eastern Botswana near the Zimbabwe border, was once a bustling gold rush town. It is home to the Supa Ngwao Museum, showcasing traditional wood carvings and cultural exhibits of the Kalanga people. Nearby attractions include the Tachila Nature Reserve and the ancient Domboshaba ruins.

The city has a subtropical, semi-arid climate with a rainy season from November to March and a dry season from April to October. Notable developments include the Diagonal Plaza, Nswazi Mall, and Barclays Bank. The area offers a mix of retail, office spaces, and shopping complexes.

Jwaneng

Jwaneng, Botswana, offers outdoor activities like windsurfing, water sports, and paragliding. Understanding wind statistics is crucial before engaging in these activities.

Located 160 km southwest of Gaborone, Jwaneng is known for its diamond mine, one of the world’s richest. The mine sits at the convergence of three kimberlite pipes, with a highly automated recovery plant.

Takeaways

Botswana offers diverse landscapes and wildlife, with the Okavango Delta providing unique safari opportunities. Staying in a safari camp enhances the experience, offering outdoor accommodations and tours.

The country boasts numerous national parks and attractions, making it ideal for adventure and exploration. Highlights include the Okavango Delta, with safari camps being a great way to meet fellow travelers.