Safari in Moremi Game Reserve
Part of the Okavango Delta itself, Moremi mixes floodplain, lagoon, and woodland habitats in one of Africa's most biodiverse reserves.
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Southern Africa
Things to do in Botswana
The Okavango Delta flooding the Kalahari from the inside out, and some of Africa's most exclusive, low-impact safari camps.
Explore Botswana on the map →Budget$$$
Best for7-10 days
CapitalGaborone
VisaVisa-free up to 90 days for US/UK/most EU
CurrencyBotswana pula (BWP)
LanguagesSetswana, English
InternetLimited in delta camps, good in Gaborone and Maun
Typical lodging$90–$240/night
Driving sideLeft
Power & voltage230V / 50Hz (Type D/G plug)
Time zoneUTC+2
Emergency number997 (police) / 998 (ambulance)
Dialing code+267
★★★★★ Wildlife★★★★★ Luxury★★★★★ Adventure
Visa rules and emergency numbers can change without notice. Confirm the specifics for your nationality and dates before you travel.
Travel smart
Bottled water recommended outside major cities. 10% at restaurants; guides and drivers appreciate a daily tip.
Botswana pioneered a 'low-volume, high-value' tourism model that strictly limits visitor numbers, keeping its parks uncrowded and its wildlife densities among the highest in Africa. The Okavango Delta is one of the few major rivers on Earth that never reaches the sea: it fans out into the Kalahari Desert instead, creating a seasonal wetland from what should be dry sand.
When to go
Flood seasonMay–October
The Okavango Delta fills to its fullest as floodwater arrives from Angolan highlands, concentrating wildlife and making mokoro travel possible even where it wasn't months earlier.
Peak dry seasonJuly–October
Vegetation thins and water sources shrink, pushing wildlife toward remaining channels and waterholes, the most reliable window for sightings.
Green seasonNovember–April
Lush landscapes, newborn animals, and dramatic skies, with lower rates and thinner crowds, though some camps close and roads can flood.
Shoulder monthsApril–May, October–November
A reasonable compromise between the flood season's scenery and the dry season's concentrated wildlife, with fewer visitors than peak months.
20 things to do
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Wildlife & nature
10Track wildlife in Chobe National Park
Home to one of the largest elephant populations left on Earth, with river frontage that concentrates game especially in the dry months.
Watch elephant herds along the Chobe riverfront
Hundreds of elephants gather at the water's edge in the late dry season, visible from both land vehicles and river boats.
Explore the Makgadikgadi salt pans
One of the largest salt flat systems on Earth, a stark white expanse that floods briefly each year and draws migratory zebra and wildebeest.
Spot African wild dogs
Botswana holds one of the largest remaining populations of painted wild dogs, one of Africa's rarest and most endangered predators.
Photograph the zebra migration
Southern Africa's longest zebra migration moves between the Chobe River and the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pans each year, tracking seasonal water.
Take a sunset boat safari on the Chobe River
A slower-paced alternative to a game drive, with elephants, hippos, and crocodiles visible from the water as the light turns gold.
Visit a meerkat colony near the salt pans
Habituated meerkat groups near the Makgadikgadi allow visitors to sit at eye level as the colony goes about its morning routine.
Track lion and leopard in Linyanti
A private, low-traffic reserve bordering Chobe known for exceptional predator sightings without the vehicle crowds of busier parks.
Birdwatch the delta's wetlands
Over 400 recorded species make the Okavango one of the richest birdwatching destinations in Africa, especially for water and wading birds.
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Culture & history
3
Walk with San Bushmen guides in the Kalahari
Community-led walks near the salt pans sharing tracking knowledge and survival skills developed over tens of thousands of years.
See rock art at Tsodilo Hills
A UNESCO World Heritage site holding thousands of rock paintings across four rocky outcrops in the Kalahari, some over a thousand years old.
Visit a local village near Maun
Community tourism initiatives around the delta's main gateway town offer a look at daily life alongside the safari industry that surrounds it.
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Adventure & outdoors
5Glide through the Okavango Delta by mokoro
A traditional dugout canoe poled silently through papyrus-lined channels, spotting hippos, elephants, and birdlife at water level.
Quad bike across the Makgadikgadi Pans
A guided ride across the flat, cracked salt surface, often combined with a sleep-out under some of the darkest skies in southern Africa.
Take a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta
A small-plane flight revealing the delta's fractal channels and islands from above, a perspective impossible to get at ground level.
Go on a night game drive
Private concessions bordering the national parks allow spotlighted night drives for nocturnal predators the parks themselves don't permit.
Fish for tigerfish on the Okavango panhandle
A stretch of permanent river channel north of the delta known for some of the best tigerfishing in southern Africa.
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Coast & water
1Stay in a stilted Okavango Delta camp
Small tented camps built on raised platforms within the delta itself, often reachable only by boat or light aircraft.
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Slow days
1
Sleep out under Kalahari stars
Some camps offer a night on an open platform deck, with no tent walls between guests and one of the clearest night skies in Africa.
Common questions
▾Is Botswana safe to visit?
Yes. Botswana has one of Africa's most stable governments and low crime rates, and its safari industry is built around small, well-run camps. The real risks are the same as anywhere on safari: wildlife encounters, so guides' safety briefings are worth taking seriously.
▾Why is Botswana so much more expensive than Kenya or Tanzania?
Botswana deliberately limits visitor numbers to protect its ecosystems, which means fewer camps, smaller groups, and higher per-night rates rather than budget lodges. It's a genuinely different model, 'low-volume, high-value', built for a different kind of trip than a classic East Africa safari.
▾How many days do you need in Botswana?
A week focused on the Okavango Delta and Chobe covers the highlights well. Ten days lets you add Moremi or the Makgadikgadi salt pans without feeling rushed, since flights between camps eat into shorter itineraries.
▾Do I need a visa for Botswana?
Most US, UK, and EU passport holders can enter visa-free for up to 90 days. Confirm the current requirement for your specific nationality before booking, as rules vary by country.
▾When is the best time to see wildlife in Botswana?
July through October, the peak dry season, concentrates animals around shrinking water sources for the most reliable sightings. May through October also floods the Okavango Delta, making mokoro and boat safaris possible.
▾Is the Okavango Delta only accessible by plane?
Most delta camps are reached by light aircraft from Maun, Botswana's safari hub, since roads into the delta itself are limited or nonexistent. It adds cost but is part of what keeps visitor numbers, and environmental impact, low.
▾How much do Botswana's park entry fees actually cost?
International visitors pay in the range of BWP 270 to 500 per person per day at parks like Chobe and Moremi (roughly $20 to $40, depending on which fee schedule is current), plus a separate vehicle fee. Rates have moved more than once in recent years as Botswana adjusts its low-volume conservation model, so treat any figure as approximate and confirm with your operator or Botswana's parks authority before budgeting.
