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Botswana is without a doubt one of the most spectacular wilderness areas on the planet. The variety of its landscapes affords itself to a wide range of activities suitable for almost anyone with an interest in the outdoors. Whether it's your first or fifth visit to Botswana, there's always something new Things To Do In Botswana.
Choosing what to see and do in Botswana is difficult because safari is almost everywhere you look in this country! However, it is our responsibility as Falcon Safaris to assist you in making decisions and tailor-make an unforgettable safari for you, your friends, and family. We've compiled a list of Botswana's must-see attractions.
Botswana has some of the most beautiful landscapes in Southern Africa and deciding where to go on safari can be pretty tough. This travel guide gives you an insight on some of the top attractions that you have to visit in Botswana.
The Okavango Delta is one of the world’s largest inland deltas. It is formed where the Okavango River meets the Kalahari Desert. It is referred to as “the river that never finds the sea”, since the water in the delta is not emptied into the sea. The delta attracts wildlife in large numbers from herds of elephants, wild dogs, lions and cheetahs. To get a good view of these animals, you can opt for a safari in a dugout canoe, or hop in a classic game drive. If you are a little more active then you can get up close and personal with wildlife on a walking safari.
The Moremi Game Reserve is a small reserve but still one of the best destinations in Botswana. Its small size allows you to see a variety of animals as they are more or less in one place. It shares its borders with Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta. This makes it easier to combine all three in one trip. It’s best for viewing game and seeing migrations. The ecosystem in Moremi is home to all the major natural species in the region.
Chobe National Park is the third largest national park in Botswana but one of the most visited parks in the country. It is famous for its huge elephant population hence its other name; the land of the giants. The Park has three wildlife areas, Chobe Riverfront, Linyanti Marshes and Savuti. Chobe has campgrounds for self-drivers, tented camps as well as luxury fly-in lodges. One of its biggest advantages is that it is the most accessible to the town of Kasane.
This remarkable location features remoteness, silent desert, and the sounds of lions roaring at night. It is roughly the size of Denmark and one of the largest protected areas in Africa, though much of it is inaccessible. This is a big-sky country, with black-maned Kalahari lions, a full complement of predators, and a wonderful sense of isolation. Springboks, bat-eared foxes, lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals, and brown hyenas are also common. Within the park, there are only two permanent lodging options. Birds abound, with larger species such as ostriches and kori bustards (the world's heaviest flying bird) among them.
The Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is a large salt pan covering an area of 3,900 kilometres. This makes it one of the largest salt pans in the world. It is located right in the middle of the Savanna in the north-eastern part of Botswana. The area has low rainfall and the famous Boteti River of the area rarely flows to capacity. It however has a few grasslands and everlasting pools that attract a lot of animals to the area. Common animals to see here are the waterbuck, birds, bushbuck and hippos.
Are you looking for things to do in Botswana? Then consider this your lucky day because there is so much you can do and we have listed a few options that we think you should try out.
Botswana game drives never cease to capture the fascinated attention of travellers. The country itself is a wildlife paradise brimming with adventure at every corner. The guides are friendly, informative and have so much knowledge about the game and the environment. Generally most parks and reserves have incredible game viewing opportunities but we recommend you try Chobe National Park for the large herds of elephants and The Moremi Game reserve for an up close experience with Africa’s predators.
Botswana is unique because it has some of the rarest animals that you can find in Africa. Going on a safari in Botswana is special because you get to see these animals that half the people travelling to Southern Africa won’t get even a glimpse of. In the semi desert areas like the Kalahari you will find one of the most beautiful and stylish looking antelope in Africa, the orxy. In those desert areas you will also come across some rare shy desert animals, the aardvark, aardwolf, bat eared fox, brown hyena and meerkats.
Up in the northern part of the country antelopes like the sable and the waterbuck can be found, which are not so common in this region. The Okavango Delta offers some of the best views of the rarest antelope species, the leaping red lechwe and the shy sitatunga. Spotting the sitatunga on a regular day should be considered pure luck as it is so much harder than spotting a leopard. Also keep an eye for wild cats, they are very common in Botswana in the Savuti and Linyati areas.
Many clients claim they are "not into birds" prior to going on a Botswana safari. This is up until they are met with the thrilling challenge of spotting birds in the distant trees. The most fun birds to spot are the Pel's fishing owl, the kori bustard or the fish eagle as it takes off and glides into the sky.
For good bird-watching opportunities you should visit in the summer time between November and March. This is when the migrating birds arrive and join the resident birds and fill up the savannah. The most common birds you will see are the pied kingfishers, oxpeckers, black egrets, carmine bee-eaters; and ground hornbills, the inspiration for Zazu from The Lion King. Bird-watching is ideal for photography and relaxation.
If you want to learn about the world’s oldest culture then why don’t you meet the San? The San are the first nations of Southern Africa and are indigenous hunter-gatherer groups. They mastered this difficult terrain around 20 000 years ago, honing their survival skills through generations. Today, you can learn about everything from medicinal plants to folklore about how elk got their long horns or how the world came to be. Join the San on guided walking adventures to learn about their unique culture, incredible tracking and hunting abilities, and extraordinary knowledge of medicinal and poisonous plants.
You have to experience a lovely aquatic safari in the delta at least once during your visit to Botswana. Nothing beats this ultimate relaxation ride (mokoro ride) on a light and environmentally friendly fibreglass canoe. A mokoro ride is one of the most peaceful experiences you'll ever have: you'll be poled along quietly while your guide points out beautiful lilies, tiny painted reed frogs, and goliath herons.
Don't worry about hippos: the polar gently taps the side of the mokoro to warn them that humans are approaching! It's the Okavango Delta's iconic game viewing vehicle,' allowing you to get closer to the animals in 'the Venice safari.' When approaching water-adapted wildlife such as sitatunga antelope, hippo, crocodiles, and elephants, your guide will turn off the engines, but power boating allows you to travel further away from your lodge and see more remote areas of the Delta.
There is nothing more unique and exciting than going on a hot air balloon over some of the most beautiful landscapes in Botswana. Not only is it thrilling but it gives a bird’s eye view of the pristine wilderness areas.
The Chobe River, located in Chobe National Park to the north, is frequently where safaris to Botswana end. And what a grand finale! A sunset cruise is a traditional way to end the day, as you can see fish eagles, crocs, hippos, a plethora of birds, and even water monitors from the boat. The unique angles for wildlife photography that boat-based game viewing provides is an added benefit. The crossing of elephant families from one bank to another, however, is always a show stopper. The leader crosses patiently, feeling for submerged rocks and logs, testing the depth of the water, and essentially choosing the safest route.
The Big 5 tops the list of what to see on a safari in Botswana. There’s a good chance you’ll spot all of them, especially in Moremi, Chobe and the Okavango Delta. The Rhino however is under great threat, but innovative conservation programmes have been put in place to help the animals live another day.
Get an opportunity to stay in Botswana’s luxury lodges and camps. Botswana offers breath-taking views, whether in the Savuti marsh, the Chobe floodplain, or the Okavango Delta. Despite the fact that most of the country is fairly flat, the sky appears higher and bluer. The clouds are more intense, and the sunshine more life-giving. Bring your wide-angle lens to capture Botswana's breath-taking scenery.
Despite their cute and cuddly appearance, meerkats are fearless suricates with an incredible social structure and lookout system. Because they are fearless, they quickly become accustomed to humans and, in fact, begin to use us as convenient lookout posts! One of the best family-friendly things to do in Botswana is to visit the Kalahari, where meerkats prefer drier, sandy conditions for burrowing.
Some of the best restaurants and bars are located in the major towns and cities. In rural villages and less developed areas food is generally traditional, a maize-based porridge (pap) with some stew. These are common sources of protein for the locals. Most of the safari lodges and camps serve international-style dishes.
There is so much to do in Botswana and the list is endless. There is always something for everyone, from those that love adventure to those that want to relax. Botswana is definitely the place to go for more unique activities.
It has high temperatures all year round ranging between 25°C (77°F) and 34°C (93°F).
Most rainfall (rainy season) is seen in January and December.
Yes, the months May, June, July, August and September are very dry.
October has an average maximum temperature of 34.0°C (93.2°F) and is the warmest month of the year.
The coldest month is July with an average maximum temperature of 25.5°C (77.9°F).
January tops the wettest month list with 175mm (6.9in) of rainfall.
July is the driest month with 0mm (0.0in) of precipitation.
August is the sunniest month with an average of 320 hours of sunshine.
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Falcon Safaris is a moderate-to-luxury safari operator dedicated to providing guests with the ultimate African experience. Get more ideas on what to do on the Victoria Falls Travel Guide
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We travelled with Falcon Safaris in Zimbabwe and Botswana for 16 days. Falcon designed a wonderful trip with private guide to the most interesting sites in both countries. The organization of the whole trip was excellent, flights within the country, accommodation and activites. The guides were very knowledgable and told us a lot about the countries, their history, people, economy and much more. Wevisited the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, the Victoria Falls and a number of national parks in both countries.
Rhino tracking was a real adventure! We had tremendous further game drives and saw very many animals - we did the Big Five. We had much more activities than planned and enjoyed very much.We strongly recommend Falcon Safaris to everyone planning a trip to Southern Africa and East Africa.
Our Consultant Vimbai was very helpful and accommodating. We stayed at the Elephant hills hotel which was nothing short of amazing.Our activities included a helicopter flight, dinner cruise as well as a morning game drive. All the activities were absolutely amazing.
We worked with Gertrude to schedule and organize everything and she did an excellent job. I asked a lot of questions via e-mail and she answered everyone in a timely helpful manner. Our guide at Victoria Falls was also great. He met us at the airport, provided a thoughtful tour of the Falls and got us to our next guide in Botswana. Our lodgings at River View Lodge were just as described- very comfortable and excellent food. All the staff were so pleasant and helpful. If I had to do it again I would arrange a morning boat ride as well. We only did the sunset boat rides and they were the high point of our entire trip- we saw so many animals and our guide was very knowledgeable. Just a great experience. Our lodgings at Oddball's Enclave was rustic and we loved it. So great to disconnect from the world for a bit. Leo, our guide, was the best - got us out and about, saw fantastic wildlife and got back to camp safely each time. Doc manages the camp so well. This whole trip was planned and organized by Falcon Safaris and we could not have been happier.
Falcon safaris have given my the correct advice with excellent service. The only suggestion will be to work closer with the lodges to confirm bookings as soon as possible. We have booked and pay our deposit a year in advance. We have only receive our final convermation from Chobe Safari lodge a week before departure. I do realize its not within your controle but with limit alternatives and a group of 14 people it becomes an issue to find alternative accomodation if the booking was cancelled.
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