Join us in exploring Botswana. Our Botswana safari tours take you to the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, and the heart of Central Kalahari. Plenty of thrilling options await you. Packages for these Botswana safaris range from guided camping experiences to unmatched luxury at top-tier Botswana safari lodges. No matter your choice, a memorable and magical adventure is guaranteed.
We offer Botswana safari tours that cover flights, shuttle services, meals, and safari activities – simplifying your safari booking process. Understanding that everyone’s travel needs are different, our Destination Experts are ready to assist in crafting a unique Botswana safari plan that fits your schedule, financial plan, and wish list! Botswana boasts a diverse range of landscapes, providing an array of incredible experiences.
Picture yourself leisurely floating on a mokoro along the Okavango Delta’s water channels. Visualize your joy at sighting a herd of Chobe elephants near the Chobe River on your boat safari. Experience the adrenaline rush of spotting a lion pride during your guided stress-free Savute game drive. Get adventurous by quad biking over the vast salt pans of Makgadikgadi. Let the age-old knowledge of the San Bushmen enlighten you during an interactive walking tour. Experience wildlife in a fresh perspective – on horseback or bike riding safari in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve.
What does a Botswana safari cost?
Chobe National Park -Botswana Safari
Botswana’s Chobe National Park Safari’s average cost starts at $380 (USD). It’s a 3-day trip for up to 6 people. In addition to Chobe, you could also visit Okavango and Moremi. This tour lasts seven days. Costs range from $3,600 to $4,400, and it accommodates 2-8 people. Chobe National Park, established in 1968, is named after the Chobe river. Its proximity to Zambia, Namibia, and Zimbabwe makes it accessible for southern African tourists and visitors from Victoria Falls. Chobe teems with wildlife, boasting some of the highest populations.
Chobe National Park in Botswana is split into four zones, each unique: Chobe Riverfront, Savute, Ngwezumba pans, and Linyanti. The Riverfront is very popular, brimming with cape buffaloes and elephants. Its wildlife diversity is immense, home to lions, impalas, bushbucks, giraffes, kudus, hyenas, leopards, monkeys, baboons, and so much more.
The park also hosts 460 bird species, making it a bird watcher’s heaven. There’s so much to do, like making a game drive, bird watching, or boating on the river to spot crocodiles and hippos. The ideal time to visit is May to September when the climate is more relaxed and dry, making wildebeests, buffaloes, elands, and giraffes sightings easy.
Chobe is road-accessible, a cheaper option than other country parks. Staying isn’t an issue either; from campsites to luxury lodges like Chobe Safari Lodge, Kwalape Safari Lodge, Thebe Lodge, Chobe Bush Lodge, and Muchenje Campsite are all available.
Central Kalahari Reserve- Botswana Safari
Take the Central Kalahari Safari. It lasts three days. Plan on spending about $1100 per person. Or there’s the combined trip of Central Kalahari, Okavango, and Maun. This takes 8 days. Expect to pay more, around $4700 per person. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve was set up back in 1961. It covers a whopping 52,800 square kilometers! It sits in the Kalahari Desert, a region rich with stunning and captivating landscapes. That means flat expanses, but also heaps of dunes. Plus, you’ve have open plains, river valleys, thick bushes, and lush grasslands. And much more besides!
Each year, the game reserve buzzes with excitement. Thousands of zebras, alongside some wildebeests, make their annual migration across the rolling plains. Tourists find this to be a genuinely exceptional experience. The park also hosts a remarkable range of other animals. Visitors have spotted bush elephants and cheeky yellow mongooses. Keen eyes may catch a glimpse of a South African cheetah sprinting or a red hartebeest grazing. Scattered around are cape ground squirrels and beautiful sable antelopes. Iconic wildlife such as white rhinos, greater kudus, and cape buffaloes impress with their grandeur. Amidst all these, you can spot the towering South African giraffes and cheeky warthogs. Predators like the Kalahari lions, brown hyenas, cape foxes, and the black-backed jackals roam the land. Lastly, keep an eye out for the graceful elands, playful springboks, fast-running ostriches, and tricky honey badgers.
If you’re a culture enthusiast, the San Bushmen are a must-see. These nomadic hunter-gatherers have a deeply rooted history here. Visiting their communities is a unique and enriching encounter. Before undertaking this exciting journey, doing some research and early planning is recommended. As for lodging, here’s a list: Kalahari Plains Camp, Kalahari Tented Camp, Leroo La Tau, Dinaka Safari Lodge, Deception Valley Lodge, Kalahari Trail Blazers, Haina Kalahari Lodge, and Kalahari Arms hotel – Ghanzi. Each provides a distinct and comfortable stay.
Okavango Delta Safari Botswana
Check out these safari options in Kasane, Chobe, Moremi, and Okavango. The first one starts from $2600, and you’ll be exploring for six days! It’s perfect for a group of 2 to 4 people. There’s also an Okavango Delta & Chobe adventure starting at $2,800, which lasts five days! The Okavango Delta, located in the Northwestern corner of Botswana, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can find this fantastic place in the Kalahari Basin, where the mighty River Okavango feeds it. It’s a unique place to visit due to its seasonal flooding cycle and permanent marshlands. The size of the Okavango Delta changes from 15,000sqkm in the dry season, enlarging to around 22,000sqkm in the wet season.
The Okavango region is truly special, turning your dreams into reality. One of its standout features is River Okavango. It uniquely floods during the dry season – from June to October! You’ll find May to September as the best months to take in this magical sight. Critical spots in Okavango to explore include the Delta, the dry land, and the Panhandle – perfect for game viewing, boating, and bird-watching activities. This region is a biodiversity wonderland, housing over 122 mammal species, 444 bird species, about 1,300 species of unique flowering plants, and so much more. You’ll find an exceptional array of mammals such as lions, elusive black rhinos, cheetahs, African wild dogs, and the rare white rhino. Let’s not forget the other inhabitants – giraffes, kudus, waterbucks, zebras, buffaloes, duikers, wildebeests, elephants, hartebeests, impalas, and reedbucks.
With top-notch lodges throughout the delta, your visit to Okavango is bound to be memorable. Hence, we strongly recommend booking a lodge in the delta for an unrivaled experience.
Moremi Game Reserve Safaris
Check out these two intriguing safari options. The first, Makgadikgadi, Moremi, Okavango, and Chobe, starts at $4,500. The Moremi Game Reserve Safari is a nine-day adventure for groups of two to four. Next, we have the Moremi Game Reserve Safari, Khwai, and Okavango. This six-day journey starts at $2,230. The Moremi game reserve, covering nearly 3000 sqkm in the eastern Okavango Delta, began in 1962. The Batawana people established it to protect wildlife. They dedicated about a third of the Okavango Delta to this purpose. The reserve takes its name from “Chief Moremi.”
While small, the game reserve boasts an incredible array of animals you might see on a Botswana safari. It has unique features like the Moremi Tongue and Chiefs Island. Love taking in the sights? You’ll find beautiful vistas from the dense woodlands, open savannah grasslands, scenic Khawai River, and lagoons like Xakanaxa, great for bird watchers. Enjoy spotting birds? Moremi is a haven with more than 500 species, including both forest and water birds. On your journey, don’t miss out on the wildlife. Keep an eye out for the Southwest African lion, hyena, Angolan giraffe, impala, the majestic hippopotamus, rare black rhinoceros, swift South African cheetah, wildebeest, secretive Cape wild dog, formidable Cape buffalo, zebra, elephant, vibrant red lechwe and the cunning jackal.
Two ways to get to Moremi are by road, through Maun, or by plane. If you ask me, the ideal time to check out Moremi is from July to October, when it’s dry. Rain can pose a problem, making it tough to get there. A recommendation for drivers–stick to 4×4 safari vehicles. And don’t forget to hop on a boat for a water trip! It lets you see more exotic creatures, like crocodiles. There are plenty of campsites and lodges just outside the reserve. They’re great for seeing Wildlife. But bear in mind some lodges close from December to February. It’s rainy then, and the reserve’s harder to reach.
Maun Safaris
12 Days Premium Safari All included Cost: $ 7,830 Safari Length: 12 Days Group Size: 2 to 4 People Maun And Victoria Falls Safari Cost: $ 1,440 Safari Length: 6 Days Maun, a Botswana town, lies alongside the Thamalakane River. This bustling destination is often deemed as Botswana’s “tourism hub” due to its proximity to a myriad of tourist hotspots. It hosts various air charter and safari offices.
Nearby Okavango Delta, Maun has flourished significantly with time, boasting countless hotels, shopping facilities, rental car services and lodgings. Numerous tourists utilize Maun as a launchpad for their exciting adventures, often resting here a few nights before heading to the Okavango Delta.
Maun, a delightful town, opens up a world of diverse cultures. You can witness their cattle-rearing practices. And as you observe the cattle, you may spot the Red Lechwe by the Thamalakane River. The Nhabe museum offers a peek into the town’s past and boasts local art.
Makgadikgadi & Nxai Pan National Parks
Travel package: Makgadikgadi, Okavango & Chobe. Cost: $2,730. The journey lasts 13 days. Ideal for: 2 to 4 people. Another option: 7-Day trip to Makgadikgadi Pans & other destinations. Price? Only $1,440! This thinking-about-a-week-long adventure takes six days. Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan National Park takes up a huge space. It includes the biggest, Makgadikgadi Pan, and others like Kudiakam Pan, Nxai Pan, and Ntwetwe Pan.
In the parched season, the Park’s flatlands often lie bare. Animals flock together, seeking drinkable water, and even the Hippos delve into the deep pools created by the now-dried River Boteti. As this time of the year, the salt pans hold an exquisite beauty, a time also ripe for exhilarating activities like Quad biking.
The start of the rain season breathes life into the whole region. Water fills the pans, attracting water birds and triggering the migration of zebras and wildebeests. Moreover, the grasslands bloom anew.
You can visit the Park with ease from December to April. Its location in Northeast Botswana is convenient, allowing you to also explore Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. You’ll find camping accommodation options, including mobile camping at Makgadikgadi Pan camps, during your stay.
Tuli Block
The cost starts at $3650 (USD) for a 15-day tour with a maximum of six people. Tuli Block is known for significant landmarks like Solomon’s Wall, located near the Motloutse River in the southwest. Sitting on Botswana’s eastern side, it stretches between South Africa’s southern border and Zimbabwe’s north and east sides. It’s at the junction of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers and includes Tuli Nature Reserve and Mashatu Game Reserve. The block-like Tuli is narrow and rich in wildlife.
This place is impressive, filled with forested riverbanks, flat grasslands, rivers, rocks, towering baobab trees, and filled with elephants. There’s other wildlife too, like wildebeests, zebras, giraffes, kudus, leopards, hyenas, and cheetahs. But amongst them, the Black manned lion steals the show. Plus, this area has a history that spans back 80 million years! You can see astonishing African Rock Art/Paintings on Lepokole Hill and the Tswapong mountainside. People believe these were made by the San people’s ancestors. There are also numerous Stone Age spots. It’s a fantastic journey beyond what you’ve ever seen before.
The Tsodilo Hills
Starting Price: $520 (USD). This is a 3-day tour for groups of 6 or fewer. On the Botswana-Namibia boundary, you’ll find the Tsodilo Hills. Noted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002, the region is tiny but diverse, with caves and rock art. For over 100,000 years, people have lived here. There are roughly 4,500 rock paintings at the site. It’s thought that the San/bushmen who resided there crafted these artworks.
Packing options like the cliff trail, the rhino trail, and the lion trail, touring this area becomes a fascinating walkabout. It includes glimpses of art, caves, and local communities nestled near the hills. The significance of Tsodilo Hills, perceived as one of the oldest historical landmarks globally, makes each trail trek an engraving memory!
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Starting Cost: $850 (USD). Length of Trip: 3 Days. Maximum Group Size: 6 people. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is situated in the southwest corner of Botswana. This expansive park covers roughly 38,000 square kilometers. It operates as a solitary ecological entity and provides a unique opportunity for animal observation. While the ‘Big Five’ may not all be present, it’s still an awe-inspiring location. You can spot numerous creatures such as migratory wildebeests, brown hyenas, antelopes, hartebeests, Kalahari lions, and an array of wild cats. Birdwatchers will delight in the over 170 species recorded in the park. Accommodations are available at various camps on the South African side of the park.
Gaborone Walking Safaris
Starts at $250 (USD). Length of Tour: 2 Days. Maximum Group Size: 6. Gaborone holds the title of Botswana’s biggest city and capital. This city is famous for its Gaborone game reserve, housing animals such as impalas and wildebeests. A small distance from the city, you’ll find the Mokolodi game reserve. Here, you can partake in game drives or guided nature walks, marvel at rhinos, giraffes, and other wildlife inhabitants. Other must-see spots include the National Museum and the Art Gallery, showcasing local handicrafts and cultural art pieces. Don’t forget to visit Kgale Hill, serving up stunning city views. For bird watchers, this is a chance to see resident and migratory birds.
The city’s pleasant climate is perfect for numerous sports, such as volleyball, tennis, yachting, netball, rugby, swimming, horseback riding, boating, golf, football, and cricket. Fitness lovers have access to gyms and various fitness centers. For accommodation, you’re covered. Gaborone has a range of hotels and other lodging options.
Khama Rhino Sanctuary
Starting Price: $520 (USD). Time Needed: 1 Day. Maximum Group Size: 6. Khama Rhino Sanctuary was founded in 1992. It focused on protecting precious rhinos and reintroducing wildlife, boosting tourism to help locals. It’s a place where neighboring village schoolchildren and those from Francistown, the country’s second largest, oldest city, learn the importance of conservation.
Northern Botswana Tours
The safari in north Botswana highlights two key spots: Chobe National Park and the Okavango Marsh. These areas offer fantastic wildlife watching, including sightings of the famed “Big Five.” You might spot African wild dogs, giant hippos, stealthy crocodiles, and proud lions. Other notable wildlife includes sturdy buffalo, roaming wildebeests, tall giraffes, striped zebras, sturdy elephants, and graceful antelopes.
Best Time To Go On Safari In Botswana
Are they heading for a Botswana safari? Aim for the dry stretch from May to October. The weather typically varies from a cool 22 degrees centigrade to a warm 35 degrees centigrade. Days usually fill with warm sunshine, while nights and mornings can feel pretty chilly. Additionally, the Okavango Delta – a crowd’s favorite – peaks during this period. It grants you the greatest waterfall view.
Botswana enters its green season between November to April. It’s a perfect time for budget travellers with discounted safaris. There’s no flood of tourists during these months. Plus, many animals birth, and the landscape turns a lovely shade of green.
Botswana Safari Cost
Planning a safari in Botswana requires you to consider several factors. Your itinerary, lodging, travel period, transportation, and selected activities all need careful planning. Each impacts the total cost of your safari experience.
Budget Safari Botswana
If you’re a budget traveller, consider planning your safari during the green (wet) season, from November to April. One of the most economical and easy ways to enjoy a budget Botswana safari is with an Overland Safari holiday. These packages come complete with a pre-planned itinerary and a knowledgeable guide who also doubles as your driver. This way, you won’t need to worry about booking accommodation, renting a car, buying fuel, planning your itinerary, paying park entrance and activity fees, or even arranging your meals. Overland safari trucks are fully kitted out with stretchers, tents, camping chairs, and gas cooker stoves. The cost? On average, expect to pay between $250 and $350 for an overland Botswana safari tour.
Affordable Botswana Safaris
Your safari holiday guarantees a balance of decent comfort and value. You’ll stay in pleasant safari lodges or traditional safari camps, complete with air conditioning and a roomy bed and space. However, it’s best to secure your mid-range lodging early, particularly in the busy park safari season with lots of visitors. A mid-range Botswana safari can range from $400 to $525 daily.
Luxury Botswana Safari
Botswana offers plenty of luxurious safari experiences. Top-notch lodging awaits you in premier wildlife locations. Excellent service is a guarantee at these accommodations. Sometimes, you might switch locations by flight. These are short hops meant to bypass tedious journeys on dust-filled roads—numerous fun-filled safari activities are at your disposal. For a luxury safari in Botswana, prepare to budget around $700 to $1,500 each day.
Try out different activities on your Botswana Safari! Canoe Safaris will cost you $160. You can stay in Tented Camps, with prices starting at $300. Game Viewing? It’s $200. Or want to go for Private Concession Game Viewing? That’ll be $300. You can even go Hot Air ballooning for $600. Marvel at the Mighty Victoria Falls for just $150. Also, don’t miss the Water Safaris, priced at $200.
Where to stay in Botswana
As this article shows, Botswana has plenty of tourist spots. Each one offers a range of places to stay for vacation-goers, from simple campgrounds to mid-level options to luxurious lodgings. What you pick will be influenced by how much you have allocated for your safari vacation. Here’s a list of accommodations found within the country: Dinaka Safari Lodge, Leroo La Tau, Camp Savuti, Haina Kalahari Lodge, Camp Linyanti, Grasslands Bushman Lodge, Three Baobabs, Gunn’s Camp, Nxai Pan Camp, Meno a KwenaHaina Kalahari Lodge, Mashatu Tented Camp and Mopiri Camp.
Why is Botswana an expensive Safari destination?
So why is this stunning country so expensive? A handful of reasons have led to this. A key fact here is the governmental policy aimed at ensuring that wildlife tourism in Botswana is gentle on nature. As a result, various steep fees have been imposed. These include hefty concession costs, elevated park entrance charges, and considerable community fees. All these measures work to control the number of tourists visiting the safari hotspots while also benefiting local communities. High accommodation rates are another aspect of this strategy.
This is an overview of what you might spend on an average day on a Botswana safari. These prices include different activities, from mokoro trips to guided walks, game drives and park entrance fees. It also covers the cost of inbound flights at different times of the year and various accommodations where you might stay.
Factors that affect the cost of a Botswana safari
We’re breaking down the cost of a safari in Botswana. Three seasons impact the price: peak season from July to October, shoulder season running from April to June and November, and the wet season from December to March, except for Christmas. Tourist numbers spike high during peak season. The shoulder season also offers good game viewing. Lastly, the wet season sees fewer visitors. What is the main factor causing cost changes? Accommodation prices. In fact, a peak season safari can cost twice as much as one in the off-peak wet season.
Nature Of Your Dream Botswana Safari
Botswana provides three key safari experiences. These are the private mobile Safari, the tented lodge Safari, and group camping or hosted safaris. Each has unique features. Group camping or hosted safaris are a great choice if you’re travelling on a budget. Share costs with others in your group, such as renting the vehicle, paying for game drives and guide fees. This lowers the Safari’s total cost. Affordable accommodation comes in different forms. There are tents, permanent safari tents, guest houses, and chalets to choose from.
Tented lodging Safari
On these journeys, you’ll move between lodging facilities by air. Most of your travel itinerary doesn’t involve many road transfers, which affects Safari pricing in Botswana. There are three seasons to consider. The green season, from December through March, is the most budget-friendly. Then comes the shadow season, which spans April and November. Finally, there’s the high season, which runs from July to October and costs the most.
Different aspects lead to the fluctuation of lodge rates across seasons. For example, during festive and high tourist times, like August, rates often change. However, these adjustments aren’t standard for all lodges; the location plays a role. It’s important to note that it’s not just the lodge’s star rating that impacts surcharges. The variety of safari activities on offer, the quality of guidance, and whether the lodge is in a game reserve, national park, private conservation area, or community area also affect it.
Typically, the quoted cost for a journey in this category covers all inbound flights, as outlined in your itinerary. It also includes full board accommodation, which means all meals except alcoholic drinks. The price encompasses all activities available at each lodge, like Mokoro trips, game drives, motorboat rides, and guided walks. Plus, it covers all kinds of taxes – concession fees, conservation levies, and government taxes.
In various Safari adventures, you’ll be among other guests from your same lodge, like when you co-share a ride during game drives. Yet, if you’re a tourist with kids, it’s strongly suggested to reserve private game activities. This offers more ease and seclusion, adding to the enjoyment of your family African safari.
Private Mobile Safari Camps
If you’re planning a private mobile camping safari, good news—you’re in for a treat! You’ll travel in your vehicle, guided by a personal escort. We’ll head to remote wildlife sanctuaries, like Savuti, Moremi Reserve, and Khwai. Here, you’ll see wild animals up close. Dining under the stars is part of the deal, too! Usually, we camp for two or three nights in one location. Then, while you’re out having fun on activities like game drives, our team moves the camp to the next spot on your itinerary. A mobile Safari is the top pick for those wanting peace and privacy. It promises a unique, private safari experience. Want to get more out of your safari? You can even pair mobile safaris with lodge stays. Just a heads up—this tends to be pricey but great for folks ready to invest in their vacation.
There are three main types of private mobile camping. First, we have adventure camping. This is where you sleep in doom tents. These tents are set up at campsites. They come with a bucket for showers and community toilets. You’ll also get fresh bed linens and a sleeping bag. Second, there’s affordable camping. Here, you sleep in larger, roomier tents. They are big enough for a bed and mattress. You also get fresh linens here. Finally, there’s comfort camping. These are luxurious, large tents. Inside, you’ll find a comfy bed, a sitting area, and a private bathroom.
Your Safari Duration
Remember, a longer stay at a camp decreases your nightly expense. This means the total safari cost is cheaper with more nights spent at a camp. Suppose you are visiting Botswana for a safari of 4 to 7 nights. In that case, it’s a wise idea to split your time between two or even one camp. You’ll be able to take advantage of the great discounts offered for longer stays.
How to plan an affordable Safari in Botswana
Avoid the peak Season
Choosing when you go to Botswana is a great way to keep your safari trip affordable. From June to September, lots of tourists flock to Botswana, so discounts are rare. But, if you visit during the green season (the off-peak months of December to March) or the shoulder season (April, May, and November), you’ll find lots of good deals and special prices that can cut down the cost of your safari trip.
Choose Extended Stay
One effective measure to lessen the expense of a Botswana safari is longer camp stays. Not only does this technique offer unique lodging discounts, but it also diminishes the need for frequent in-bound flights between camps.
Go Mobile Camping
Picture a special moment when you’re immersed in nature, observing animals in their habitats and dining beneath a starry canopy. These experiences become realities with a Botswana Mobile Camping Safari. Not only can you soak up nature’s beauty, you can also save money. Instead of using posh, permanent camps that demand hefty prices, why not choose simple tents for your adventure?
Keep an eye out for new facilities!
An effective, yetless used method, is couting new facilities, lodges or c, or camps—these commonly offercial discounts, attracting vacationers.
Make a travel plan.
It’s often recommended to set a travel budget. This gives your tour operator a ballpark figure to work with. Be candid about your budget limits. That way, your tour guide can assist in picking affordable lodgings and activities that match your interests.