A country where silent deserts and grasslands dissolve into glossy lagoons and great, coursing rivers, Botswana is home to an astonishing collection of wildlife. Super herds of elephant, scampering packs of African painted dogs, plentiful birds and big cats in their numbers… The gang’s all here! And whilst the Okavango Delta may be the star of Botswana wildlife, there are plenty of other destinations stuffed with unique and spectacular creatures too. Read on for our guide on what to look for and where.
Okavango Delta
The mirror-smooth waterways and floodplains of the Okavango Delta have become synonymous with an epic Botswana safari and the Delta’s staggering collection of wildlife has a lot to do with that. The Delta is the stomping (and splashing) ground of the Big Five, and special mention has to go to Savuti, where you’ll spot enormous herds of elephant pursued by the lions who dare to hunt them. The Delta’s tributaries are renowned for their striking birdlife – we’re talking about hundreds of species – including kingfishers, bee-eaters, lilac-breasted rollers, purple herons, elusive pink-throated longclaws, kori bustards (the world’s heaviest flying bird) and Pel’s fishing owl – this is one of the best places to see them in the world.
On mokoro or boat trips, which are especially good in the Central Okavango and Moremi, scan the riverbanks for rare antelope including red lechwe, tsessebe, roan, sable and sitatunga. Keep your eyes peeled for the giveaway swish of a leopard’s tail in the trees on the banks, and at eye-level, you’ll float past impressive pods of hippo. Explore the landscape and islands by vehicle to spot packs of African painted dog or on foot amongst herds of migrating zebra, and then head out on a post-sunset drive to spy nocturnal species like civet, serval, porcupines, honey badgers and bush babies.
Chobe
Think of Chobe and the wide, snaking river likely comes to mind and for good reason; it’s here that wildlife gathers in droves to quench their thirst and cool off. Chobe is famously known as being home to two thirds of Africa’s elephant population and on a boating safari, you may just see them swimming by. Along the banks, you’ll also spy incredible numbers of lion and leopard, giant herds of buffalo and puku antelope (one of 16 species that live in Chobe), while the waters are alive with hippo and crocodile.
Linyanti
Cut across by the flowing Linyanti River, the Linyanti landscape is a blend of marshes and grasslands, lagoons and forests. Whether you’re floating along in a mokoro or taking it all in from a game vehicle, the massive herds of elephant are incredible to see and you should aim to visit between May and October for the best viewings, when the herds gather around reliable water sources. Linyanti is also one of the best places to see packs of African wild dog in the wild, especially between July and August when pups can be spotted scampering near their dens. Search for the region’s more secretive wildlife on night drives where a spotlight may reveal leopards on the hunt, the shining eyes of a bush baby, or the very (very!) rare pangolin.
Makgadikgadi
Located in the Kalahari Basin, the Makgadikgadi is one of the largest salt pans in the world and the wildlife viewing is intriguing. For most of the year, Makgadikgadi is an arid and sun-cracked landscape where desert-adapted creatures like aardwolf, aardvark and rare brown hyena roam. This is also a fantastic time to spend mornings with a family of habituated meerkats who just might choose to use you as a climbing frame or snooze in your lap. By January, the rainy season is in full swing, however, and the lagoons that form in the cracked earth welcome thousands of zebra and wildebeest on the second largest animal migration in Africa. This also means predators are out in full force including Kalahari black-maned lions and cheetahs. At the same time, the migratory birds arrive in colourful clouds including thousands of Greater flamingo who breed at the brimming Sowa Pan.
Just next to Makgadikgadi is Nxai Pan National Park, where the replenished pans attract elephant, 30-strong herds of giraffe and migrating zebras, followed by prowling leopard, cheetah, lion, spotted and brown hyena and African painted dog.
Central Kalahari
Despite being smack-bang in the middle of a desert, this section of the Kalahari is characterised by golden grasslands where unique, oft-unseen creatures make their home. Explore Deception Valley to see black-maned lions on their own turf, or head out on foot to spot colonies of meerkats eyeballing the landscape (and you) from rocky outposts. At night, there’s the chance to watch rare brown hyena, serval, caracal, spotted genet and leopard on the hunt, and honey badgers, porcupines, white-tailed mongoose and bat-eared foxes snuffling in the undergrowth. In February, see newborn oryx, zebra and red hartebeest taking their first steps around the now-brimming pans with predators in hot pursuit.
Tuli
Dubbed the ‘Land of Giants’, Tuli’s wildlife highlight is definitely the unbelievably large herds of elephant, which you can track and encounter (safely) on foot. Tuli is also big cat terrain, and black-maned lions, cheetahs and leopards hunt the plentiful buck and antelope in a game of wits. One of the most impressive areas is Mashatu Game Reserve, where you’ll have the chance to canter alongside zebra and giraffe on horseback, as well as looking for slinking jackals, bat-eared foxes and packs of African painted dogs amongst the grass.
