Botswana Safaris and Group ToursExplore the breath-taking wildlife on one of our Botswana guided group tours

The Big Five are the five species most sought after by travellers on a Botswana safari. They are lions, leopards, African elephants, rhinos, and buffalo. We give our travellers the best chance possible to spot the Big Five on their Botswana safari tours. We include game drives and boat cruises in Chobe National Park, which is one of the country's premier safari destinations. And we visit the Okavango Delta. Both of these Botswana highlights are home to the Big Five. Botswana's Okavango Delta is one of the most diverse destinations in Africa, home to all manner of exotic wildlife including a rich tapestry of rare bird life. And Botswana's wider wildlife-rich landscapes and national parks are home to all manner of rare African species, from wild dogs to cheetahs and the Kalahari black-maned lion! Of course, no wildlife encounters can be guaranteed, as wild animals are unpredictable. Leopards in particular are hard to spot, because they are well camouflaged and mostly nocturnal. But you are sure to see some incredible wildlife, and you never know, you may be able to tick off all five on your Botswana tour!

If travelling on one of our overland Botswana holidays, we recommend you read our guide to overland camping safaris. You can also see a detailed packing list in the Trip Notes for each tour. Some of the important items to remember on your African safari are: sleeping bag, travel pillow, towel, Mosquito spray (with active DEET ingredient - especially important at the Okavango Delta!), your own personal first aid kit, torch, antibacterial wipes, a photocopy of your passport data, and your Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate. Please note that on our comfort camping safaris, camp bed, mattress, sleeping bag and pillow are provided.

The local payment is a cost per person that needs to be paid in US Dollars cash only. It is this payment that in part covers the park fees and other inclusions such as meals as detailed on each tour page. The local payment also covers your arrival transfer and first night’s accommodation. Our comfort camping safaris also have a small local payment, to be paid in South African rand or USD (check each tour for details) at the start of your trip. Please note that due to exchange rate fluctuations in the US dollar, the local payment amount may be subject to changes. This payment will be collected by your tour leader at the Welcome Meeting on day 1 of your escorted tour. Our Reservations team can give you more information about the local payment, the cost of which can be found on each tour page. Please note that a per person local payment also applies to some of our Botswana lodge safaris.

According to the 2022 LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index, Botswana scores a D+ rating for LGBTQ+ traveller safety, ranking 73rd out of 203 countries. Although same sex marriage is not legal, there are legal protections for workers based on their sexual orientation, and 26 – 50% of consulted citizens consider Botswana a good place to live for gay and lesbian people. There are no legal punishments for same sex relations. The LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index is designed to provide a good overall picture of attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community in each country and may not reflect the experience of foreign travellers to the country.

On our overland Botswana trips (excluding comfort camping), solo travellers will be matched up with another solo traveller of the same sex, with whom they will share a tent. If there is no other solo traveller of the same sex on the tour, you will have a tent to yourself at no extra cost. If you book a Handpicked Botswana lodge safari, a single supplement applies per person for solo travellers. The cost of this per person can be seen on the tour page for each trip.