For some people Botswana safaris were a life changing event. The word safari means ‘journey’ in Swahili. We have done the journey many times with great pleasure and we do feel that also you will take home some unique and very special memories.
The Okavango Delta
The delta is created by the Okavango (Kavango) River, which flows from the Angolan highlands, across Namibia’s Caprivi Strip into the harsh Kalahari Desert.
Each year the Okavango River discharges approximately 11 cubic km (1.1 × 10¹³ litres) of water into the Okavango Delta. Most of this water is lost to transpiration by plants and by evaporation, with only 2% percolating into the aquifer system and into Lake Ngami.
The Okavango Delta is affected by seasonal flooding with flood water from Angola reaching the Delta between March and June, peaking in July.
This peak coincides with Botswana’s dry season resulting in great migrations of the plains game from the dry hinterland. As an oasis in an otherwise dry environment, the Okavango Delta is known for its superb wildlife. The large populations of mammals and birds, particularly in the breeding season, make the Okavango Delta one of Africa’s last remaining unspoiled wildlife habitats and Botswana safaris probably the best safaris in Africa. Please scroll down to see the best times to travel.
Please see our latest 7 Nights Botswana Safari Special:
Stay 7 nights, pay only for 6, plus Victoria Falls option.
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Namibia Okavango Safari | Victoria Falls Self Drive & Fly-in | 16 or 18 days
From: R41,990 Select date(s) -
Namibia Victoria Falls Okavango Safari | Self Drive & Fly-in | One Way 18 days
From: R64,635 Select date(s) -
Namibia Windhoek Victoria Falls Self Drive Safari One Way 14 days
From: R32,590 Select date(s) -
Okavango Chobe Victoria Falls | Luxury Fly-in Safari | 11 days
From: R99,900 Select date(s) -
Victoria Falls & Chobe Safari | Fly-in | 5 nights
From: R24,300 Select date(s) -
Victoria Falls, Okavango & Chobe Safari | Fly-in | 12 days
From: R44,922 Select date(s) -
Windhoek to Namib Rand to Victoria Falls Self Drive Safari One Way 14 days
From: R29,390 Select date(s)
Combine your Botswana ground safari with a luxury Chobe River House Boat safari:
Best Botswana Safaris seasons and game viewing in the Okavango Delta
Self-driving through the Okavango Delta requires some experience with sand roads. There are basically no petrol stations between Kasane and Maun. All our 4×4 vehicles are therefore equipped with X-Large fuel tanks and 2 spare wheels. Your best time to cross the delta is during the May to October period, as the animal life is concentrated along the flooded areas and the vegetation has dried out.
The best time for birding is during the rainy season (Nov. – March) as the migrant bird populations are returning and the plants are flowering and green.
Seasons of Central Kalahari
The seasons of the Kalahari consist of very dry and cold winters, (April to October) and very hot, wet and green summers (November to March). Wildlife is found throughout the year in the Kalahari, only more concentrated during the wet season.
The rainy season is your best time to view wildlife, as the herds concentrate in the valleys to feed on the lush grasses that have come up after the rains. Due to the scarcity of food in the dry season, wildlife disperses over larger territories and home ranges making them more difficult to find.
VISA
Visitors who want to go to Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls can obtain a Universal Visa for both countries at the border or in their home land. Please check with your foreign affairs office or the Botswana Embassy for the latest regulations.