A luxury Botswana safari is about as exclusive as Africa gets. Botswana built its reputation on low-volume, high-value tourism, so its camps are intimate and its wilderness feels like yours alone — much of it explored by mokoro (dugout canoe) and on foot.
The Okavango Delta floods the Kalahari each year to create a labyrinth of channels and islands teeming with elephant, lion and wild dog, while Chobe holds the largest elephant population on earth.
Highlights of Botswana
Okavango Delta
A UNESCO World Heritage wetland explored by mokoro, boat and 4x4.
Explore Okavango Delta →Chobe National Park
Vast elephant herds and superb riverfront game viewing.
Explore Chobe National Park →Moremi Game Reserve
One of Africa’s richest reserves for big cats and wild dog.
Explore Moremi Game Reserve →Kalahari & Makgadikgadi
Desert-adapted wildlife, meerkats and the vast salt pans.
Explore Kalahari & Makgadikgadi →Recommended lodges & camps in Botswana
Where you stay shapes your whole safari. These are properties we know personally and return to again and again — chosen for their location, their guiding and the way they make you feel. Tell us which appeal and we’ll build your journey around them.
Mombo Camp
Often called the “place of plenty,” Wilderness’s flagship sits in a game-rich concession on Chief’s Island — arguably the finest big-cat viewing in Africa.
Machaba Camp
Machaba Safaris’ flagship on the Khwai River — elegant 1950s-style safari tents under ebony trees, with elephant and predators moving between the Delta and Moremi.
Little Machaba
Just four luxury tents beside the Khwai — Machaba’s most intimate camp, ideal for families or friends taking it exclusively.
Vumbura Plains
Contemporary raised suites in a private concession blending dry-land game drives with water activities — mokoro, boating and the Delta’s birdlife.
Duba Plains Camp
A Great Plains camp on a remote 77,000-acre concession famous for dramatic lion-and-buffalo interactions, with just five vintage-styled tents.
Chief's Camp
A Sanctuary camp on Chief’s Island in the heart of Moremi — luxurious pavilions and exceptional leopard and wild-dog sightings.
These are a few of our favorites — we work with many more across every price point. Have a specific lodge in mind? Tell us in your enquiry and we’ll secure it.
Know before you go
The practical details we handle for you — flights, entry, health and money — summarized here so nothing surprises you. Requirements can change, so we confirm everything when you book.
Getting there from the USA
Fly to Maun or Kasane via Johannesburg — nonstops to Joburg from Atlanta and Newark take about 15–16 hours, then a two-hour connection. Most guests overnight in Joburg or Cape Town on the way in.
Visas & entry
US passport holders enter Botswana visa-free for up to 90 days. Your passport needs six months' validity and a couple of blank pages.
Health
The Okavango and Chobe are malaria areas — most doctors recommend prophylaxis. No yellow fever certificate is needed unless you arrive from an endemic country.
Money & tipping
The pula is the currency, but lodges quote and accept US dollars and cards. Tipping is entirely at your discretion — most guests set aside about $20–25 per person per day for guides and camp staff.
Best time to visit
Dry season and peak Delta flood — the best game viewing.
Green season — newborn wildlife, birding and lower rates.
Planning & cost
Private, all-inclusive Botswana safaris from $9,500 per person.
Fly into Maun (MUB) or Kasane (BBK); light-aircraft transfers reach the camps. Since April 2025, US citizens need a Namibia visa — apply online in advance or on arrival in Windhoek (about N$1,600 / US$85).
Every journey is private, all-inclusive and tailor-made — your own guide and vehicle, the finest lodges, and a specialist on call throughout.
Continue exploring
Botswana FAQs
May to October is the dry season and coincides with the Okavango Delta flood — the best game viewing. The green season (November–March) offers newborn wildlife and excellent value.
Botswana is a premium, low-density destination; our private all-inclusive safaris start from around $9,500 per person.
No. US citizens can enter visa-free for stays of up to 90 days; your passport should be valid for at least six months.
Let’s design your Botswana journey.
Tell us how you like to travel and our experts will craft your private, tailor-made itinerary — no obligation.
Enquire now