Botswana overview and best spots

• Very popular, includes some of Africa's best known safari camps in truly impressive wildlife and wilderness areas.  

• In general, the most expensive Southern African destination (look for good deals out of high season)

• Renowned for its mobile safaris and has some really excellent guides

• Best spots include the Okavango Delta, Moremi, Chobe, Selinda and the Kalahari

• Our top votes: Shinde and Mapula Camps in the Okavango (remote concessions, outstanding guides and excellent game); the Linyanti Reserve (best predators); Muchenje in the Chobe (remote and removed from the riverfront crowds); a small selection of mobile trips

• Lemons: none to speak of from the 2008 season

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Best spots

•    Okavango Delta:  
  • The Okavango isn't a designated game reserve but it surrounds the Moremi Game Reserve and it's recognized as one of the most important wetland wilderness areas in the world. Distinguished by a vast area of water set in Botswana's great Kalahari sands it experiences an annual flood from the north that creates a massive seasonally flooded zone around this huge oasis. Lechwe and Sitatunga are the main mammal specialties - the Okavango Delta is a birder's paradise. This area is well known for mekoro trails.
  • The delta is heavily influenced by the annual floods - timing a safari can be important. 
  • Access to the main camps is via light aircraft from Victoria Falls/Kasane or Maun.  
  • Best safaris: Shinde, Kanana and Mapula camps

•    Moremi Game Reserve:  
  • Moremi is the premier safari destination in the Okavango. A vast area that includes habitats from both the seasonally and permanently flooded zones of the delta. Moremi and its fringes in the Delta proper are home to some of Botswana's best and most exclusive safari camps. 
  • Best season is from April to November. Access to these spots is by light aircraft. Easily arranged. 
  • Best safaris: Xakanaxa, Okuti and Camp Moremi.

•    Chobe National Park:  
  • A very popular safari spot, recognized for having the highest concentration of elephants in the world. Chobe as a whole is home to a huge diversity of predators, plains game, small mammals and birds.  The Chobe river front is easily accessed from Victoria Falls on a short stop or day trip basis. The Linyanti and Savuti areas are more exclusive and offer some of the most productive wildlife safaris in Botswana. 
  • The Linyanti is relatively inaccessible, a remote area which has become well known for its walking safaris. 
  • Savuti is famed for Zebra migrations and continual struggle for dominance between lions and hyaena.  
  • Access to the river front is simple, the remoter spot are easily connected via light aircraft. 
  • Best safaris: Muchenje Camp, Linyant in the west, Savute in the south 

• The Kalahari: 
  • A huge area on one of the world's most extensive mantles of sand, Botswana's Kalahari includes three of Africa's remotest game reserves. 
  • Best tackled on a mobile safari with a specialist guide or fly in on a private charter. Open all year, best during the "green season" from December to March. 
  • Best safaris: mobile safaris, Deception Valley Lodge and Jack's and San Camp

Best time of year

•    ...for wildlife year round, really at its peak from July to October 
•    ...traditionally best for birding November to March (particularly Okavango) 
•    ...mildest climate May to July 
•    ...best discounts: April to June, watch high season specials July to October; excellent "green season" specials January to March.

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