Excellent Botswana safaris with SundownerSafaris: One of the most popular activities for visitors to participate in on their Botswana vacation is a day trip on the Chobe River. Chobe River day trips offer some of Africa’s best opportunities to see wildlife. You get to take charge of your river safari. There’re no time constraints or roaring engines to disturb the peace on the historic river. Another option is to take a ride on the houseboat. The houseboat’s upper deck gives an excellent vantage point from which to observe Chobe National Park’s wildlife as it floats along the Chobe River. The park houses over 80,000 elephants and is a great place to spot hippos, waterfowl, buffalos, crocodiles, and puku. You’ll find over 500 bird species in this marsh, making it a photographer’s dream. The onboard cash bar features a selection of refreshing beverages for purchase. Furthermore, every houseboat has at least a small boat. You may use the small boats to go on whatever excursions strike your fantasy. You can go to watch four-meter-long crocodiles or a phenomenal hippo fight. After taking in the local fauna, test your skills at tiger fishing or go on a pictorial safari to capture Africa’s grandeur. Whatever activities you choose to partake in are customized to cater to your specific interests. The dry months of May to October are the best time to visit if you’re hoping to see the most species along the riverbanks. If you’re interested in bird watching, the green season from November to April is the best. But if you’re looking only to enjoy the breathtaking scenery and spectacular sunsets, you can visit any time of the year. Find more details at Botswana safaris.

The 4,300-hectare reserve is located about 25km outside of Serowe and is heavily patrolled by the Botswana Defence Force to ensure the rhinos remain protected at all times. The sanctuary is centered around the Serwe Pan – a large grass-covered depression with several natural water holes in the Kalahari Desert of Botswana. If you are self-driving to Botswana’s northern game reserves, it’s a great idea to stop at the Khama Rhino Sanctuary and witness these magnificent and critically endangered species first-hand. While you’re in the park you can also opt to enjoy a walking safari, game drive, or track a rhino on foot with a guide.

Botswana has a huge advantage over the rest of the world when it comes to attracting tourists: the wildlife. The array of animals that reside in or pass through the country is phenomenal. Ranging from endangered animals such as wild dogs and rhinos to the numerous and thriving bird life that inhabits the area. The natural landscapes are impressive too from the vast and imposing Kalahari Desert to the sublime serenity of the Okavango Delta. The terrain here can feel vast and empty in some areas or dense and teeming with life in others but it is always a thing of beauty. The landscape is at once recognizable as African and will live up to all of your pre-trip expectations.

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.

This game reserve is the third largest in Botswana but it has one of the largest concentrations of rare game animals in the continent of Africa. The national park takes its name from the Chobe River which, at first glance is guaranteed to take your breathe away. As well as being a beautiful sight, the river supports an ecosystem of rare and exotic creatures including birds, elephants, lions, giraffes, baboons and buffalo. During the winter season it is possible to see a herd of hundreds of elephants at a time; a truly once in a lifetime experience.

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.

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. See even more details on sundownersafaris.com.