Botswana wilderness safaris guides in 2023

Botswana safaris advices right now: Botswana’s landscapes are captivating, but nothing compares to a morning hot air balloon safari. Okavango Delta is the most popular location for a hot air balloon ride in Botswana. Most tourists often regard Okavango Delta as one of Africa’s most pristine natural environments. Even when it’s dry, it’s a sight to behold, but when it floods, the delta takes on a new level of enchantment. You can watch zebras, lions, tigers, leopards, and baboons during this period. It is also a popular destination for bird watchers. When the delta’s water levels go up, there’s more wildlife concentration on the high ground creating a better viewing angle. Your hot air balloon tour starts before sunrise when the sun’s rays are still visible. As you float lazily above Okavango’s vistas, you get a spectacular look at Botswana’s beautiful wildlife and scenery. You’ll have one hour in the air to take in the exciting views and sounds of a hot air balloon excursion. Read additional info on wilderness safaris Botswana.

While Nxai Pan and Nxai Pain National Park is open to visitors and wildlife lovers all year round, the rainy (wet season – November to April) is undoubtedly the best time to visit this majestic part of Botswana. In addition to the annual zebra migration, visitors are more likely to witness vast herds and a wide range of wildlife during this time of year, including lions, giraffes, kudu, springbok, impala, wildebeest, ostriches, jackals, bat-eared foxes, to mention merely a few of its wildlife highlights. Not to mention the incredible variety of birdlife you’ll encounter. As the Nxai Pan National Park is located in the north-eastern part of Botswana, you can easily combine your visit with a trip to the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park, which reaches into the park.

This village is not far from Gaborone and is a great location for exploring the hills on foot. The village is surprisingly industrious and houses a number of small manufacturers such as glassworks, metal and pottery on the aptly named Pelegano Village Industry. The pottery factory in Gabane is particularly worth a visit due to its shop selling wares such as crockery, vases and other handcrafted decorative items. The most popular reason for visiting the village however is the great location for hiking.

Technically part of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, Nxai Pan was created as an extension to expand the conservation area. Situated within Nxai Pan you’ll find the magnificent and highly sought-after wilderness and safari destination, the Nxai Pan National Park. While the spectacular scenery and vast landscapes is one of the area’s main draws, boasting remarkable sand dunes, towering baobab trees, and of course the salt pans themselves, Nxai Pan and Nxai Pan National Park has so much to offer. During Botswana’s rainy season (from November to April), the lakebed becomes beautifully lush and green, playing host to an incredible variety of wildlife that migrate through the area. When flooded, the pans also offer exceptional birding and vast game-viewing opportunities. Another wet season highlight is the great annual zebra migration which sees thousands of zebras move through Botswana’s Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan National Parks. Although the Great Migration in the Serengeti and the Masai Mara is the most famous and biggest land migration in the world, Botswana’s zebra migration is actually the longest migration as well as the second largest migration of wildlife in Africa.

Wild, mysterious and amazingly vast, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is a true wilderness that will give you the impression that you are exploring Africa alone. Incredible grasslands engulf you by day whilst the skies at night are as clear as the clearest in the world. The rain in summer brings about countless wild beasts of all shapes and sizes including massive herds of animals like wildebeast and springbok. In the harsher winter months, the main reason to visit the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the unfathomable open terrain and true African wilderness.

Unlike most river deltas the Okavango River empties onto open land, flooding the savanna and creating a unique and ever-changing inland delta. The Okavango Delta is affected by seasonal flooding, with the delta floods covering over 6,175 square miles/ 16,000 square kilometers every year. The Delta’s peak flood season takes place during May – October (with water levels being at its highest during June – August). The Delta’s peak flood season coincides with Botswana’s dry season, which in turn coincides with great migrations of plains game from the dry hinterland. During the Okavango Delta’s dry season, around 260,000 mammals are estimated to congregate around the delta, resulting in pristine wildlife sightings and encounters. The Delta is also known as a world-famous stronghold for predators and an exceptional birding site, home to approximately 530 bird species.

If you’re looking for an unforgettable luxury travel safari destinations experience, look no further than Botswana. From the awe-inspiring wildlife to the world-class accommodations, Botswana safaris are sure to leave you with memories that will last a lifetime. Botswana is not only blessed with spectacular wilderness reserves, but the government’s decision to opt for a high-quality, low-impact tourism model means that many of the operators, particularly in the vast private concessions, offer a uniquely exclusive wilderness experience including activities such as night drive safaris and off roading to get up close and personal to the animals. Discover additional details at https://www.sundownersafaris.com/.