Botswana safaris advices 2023: The Kalahari Desert is home to some of the most pristine wilderness in the world. The desert’s sandy terrain makes it perfect for off-roading on quad bikes. You will be able to see wildlife, such as zebras, elephants, and jackals. Anyone looking for a serious adrenaline rush should put quad-riding on their list of things to do in Botswana. You can enjoy some much-needed alone time when riding around Makgadikgadi’s desolate lunar landscape. After a long day of riding, you can relax by spreading out on soft bedrolls. The multi-day activities may incorporate visits to Chapman’s baobab and Kubu Island. The best time to visit for quad biking is during the dry season. At this time, neither flooding nor thick undergrowth will slow you down as you sprint from one turn to the next along the routes. Read more details on wilderness safaris Botswana.
Boasting sand dunes, salt pans, and a thriving diversity of wildlife, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is one of the best parks to visit in Botswana during the rainy summer months (November – April). Regarded as one of the largest parks in Botswana, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park covers an estimated area of 14,670 square miles/ 38,000 square kilometers. Its size is largely due to the fact that it encompasses two previously separate parks: The Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa and Gemsbok National Park in Botswana. While you won’t find the entire African Big 5 here, migrating herds of wildebeest and other antelope attract large numbers of predators and raptors – resulting in some pretty spectacular sightings. The protected area that makes up the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is unfenced, which allows the wildlife to follow their ancient migration routes.
Kasane is situated between the Four Corners of Africa; where Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Zamibia meet. It is a great spot to stay for visits to the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe or Botswana’s own Chobe National Park. The town’s own attractions include a huge Baobab tree that was once used as a prison due to its trunk that is so large a human can enter. There is also a snake park that houses around 50 snakes from 17 different species. Kasane is also wonderfully situated for exploring the Chobe River.
One of the largest salt pans in the world, Makgadikgadi was once a lake covering a vast 10,000 square kilometers of north-eastern Botswana. While the cracked and dry Makgadikgadi Salt Pans may not look like the type of environment that would attract a large population of wildlife, people will be pleasantly surprised when visiting this unique part of Botswana. During summer, the desolate dry expanses of Makgadikgadi come to life with thriving grasslands, attracting a vast diversity of wildlife, including springbok, wildebeest and zebra followed closely by lion and cheetah. Shallow waters begin to flood over seemingly endless pans, drawing thousands of flamingos. By far one of the top highlights of visiting the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans during Botswanan’s wet season is seeing Southern Africa’s largest zebra migration from the Boteti River. During the annual zebra migration visitors will have the opportunity to witness thousands of zebras move through Botswana’s Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan National Parks. The annual zebra migration is the second largest migration of wildlife in Africa.
The name may be a mouthful but the reasons to visit Makgadikgadi Pans National Park are simple. The park stretches from the Boteti River and for this reason supports a vast and diverse ecosystem. The wildlife is particularly varied in the dry season when animals come from miles around to the river which is the only source of water for a long way. Although mainly used as a stop off for tourists on the way to Muan or Kasane, Gweta is worth visiting for its namesake, the species of bullfrog that live in the area. The frogs hide themselves in the sand until it rains and they can emerge from their sandy slumber. Other than these amazing creatures, there is little to see in Gweta, although the fuel station here is handy for pass through and will probably see you call in at some point during your time here.
Besides enjoying an authentic African safari, by far one of the top things to do in Botswana is mokoro through the Okavango Delta. A mokoro is a traditional dug-out canoe which is used to traverse and explore the waterways and channels of the Okavango Delta. Enjoying a mokoro journey through the Delta is not only a unique bucket-list worthy safari experience, but gives you the opportunity to see and explore hidden gems, secret spots, rare sightings, and smaller things you’d miss on a traditional game drive.
The Republic of Botswana is in the heart of Southern Africa. In the years before its independence from the British in 1966, Botswana was one of the poorest and least-developed states in the world, but the discovery of massive diamond deposits and investment into a strong tourism industry has turned it into a shining success story. For travelers with limited time, wilderness safaris in Botswana is a great option as you can easily be transported via light aircraft transfer from one camp to another in between game drives. Most Botswana-only safaris start in Maun or Kasane, but many of our clients opt to add Victoria Falls or Cape Town to a Botswana safari. Discover even more information on https://www.sundownersafaris.com/.