BOTSWANA SAFARI HOLIDAYS

Botswana is undoubtedly one of the best wildlife safari destinations in Africa. Botswana is a success in Africa, stable, wealthy through diamonds and through developing sustainable tourism with the finest low impact, high-quality safari holidays. With less than 3 persons per square kilometre and around 20% of the land protected much of Botswana is still a really wild, big sky country; a flat land under a huge dome of beautiful delicate blue that is so well mimicked in the country's flag.

Any luxury Botswana safari holiday offers a stunning intensity of wildlife much of which is associated with the jewel of Botswana, the Okavango Delta. Consequently, any Botswana safari is likely to combine superb hosting by the wide variety of lodges and camps with expert guiding and incredible wildlife encounters. Your holiday in Botswana is guaranteed to be an intimate and educational safari experience.

Botswana is also a land of stark contrasts. The vast Kalahari Desert, an evocative, arid bush country that is home to meerkats, gemsbok, black-maned lions and the fabled San Bushmen who demonstrate how they survive in this harsh land; a fascinating addition to any Botswana safari. Sitting and sharing making a fire using sticks with them is a thrilling and humbling experience. Out here too are the shimmering Makgadikgadi Pans, the salty remnants of a pre-historic super lake. Among the surrounding grasslands that attract a huge zebra migration are isolated palms and immense historic baobab trees.

The Okavango Delta is an amazing safari destination, its beautiful channels of clear deep blue water flowing around myriads of lush green islands are safari paradise found. Small camps usually with no more than 8 rooms in huge private wildlife concessions ensure that your safari holiday is unique. The superb range of camps in the Okavango Delta is accessed by light aircraft from Maun which is easily reached from Johannesburg. Safari game drives from the 'dry' camps and activities on the water such as being poled along in a mokoro or dug-out canoe from a 'wet' camp are the highlights of a Botswana safari. Red lechwe, sitatunga and Pel's fishing owl are among the special species of the Okavango whilst just to the north Duba Plains is famous for its interactions of lions with large herds of buffalo.

Moremi Game Reserve covers about 20% of the Delta and generally provides a more affordable alternative for a Botswana safari holiday. Inclusive, comfortable mobile camping safaris operate throughout this region of Botswana and into Chobe National Park. Here you will find some of the largest elephant herds in Africa.

Finally, in northern Botswana, beyond the Okavango are Selinda, Kwando and Linyanti which have ancient occasional watercourses and dry grassland channels surrounded by mopane and riverine woodland with small pans and riverside reed beds that attract a wide range of wildlife. For instance, sable antelope and wild dogs are more common in these areas.