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Istock 1140104805
Southern Africa’s most exclusive safari experience.

Luxury Botswana Safari

Enjoy Botswana’s magnificent landscapes and abundant wildlife through intimate, small-scale lodges. From wild wetlands to star-scattered desert skies, there’s nowhere quite like Botswana for an unforgettable private wilderness escape. Enjoy Botswana’s magnificent landscapes and abundant wildlife through intimate, small-scale lodges. From wild wetlands to star-scattered desert skies, there’s nowhere quite like Botswana for an unforgettable private wilderness escape.
Why Botswana?
Botswana may be landlocked, but its complex river systems define the country’s landscapes. The Okavango Delta is an ever-changing wetland best experienced by mokoro – a traditional canoe that glides through the papyrus-lined waterways, yielding breathtaking views of birds, crocodiles, lechwe, elephants and so much more.

Conversely, Botswana is home to the expansive Kalahari Desert and the Makgadikgadi Pans, the latter an ancient lake now one of the world’s largest salt pans. There’s nothing quite like a Botswana safari for immersing yourself in the contrasts between delta and desert, nor is there a destination better-suited for untethering from daily life. The finest safari lodges here are remote, designed to integrate with the environment and accommodate just a few visitors at a time – ensuring a delightfully private, luxurious holiday.

Seasoned bush pilots will fly you between lodges where you’ll meet experienced local guides who understand the land and wildlife movements. Botswana is spectacular year-round, but its nuanced seasonality and animal migration patterns demand expert planning. Let Journeysmiths curate your exclusive safari and connect with nature like never before.
  • Best in southern Africa for an exclusive, ultra-private safari.
  • Spectacular landscape contrasts from river to desert.
  • Home to Africa’s largest population of elephants and hundreds of species of birds, plus big cats, wild dogs and rare antelopes – just to name a few.
  • Superb small lodges on vast private wildlife concessions.
  • Diverse activity and wildlife viewing options including boats, walks, open vehicles, canoe and horseback.
  • Great for safaris all year round.
Boating Botswana
Connect with nature like never before
Your Botswana Safari Awaits
Top 10 Botswana Experiences
The sheer quantity of wildlife in Botswana is staggering; tens of thousands of elephants are just the headline when it comes to the immense diversity of life. A safari to Botswana feels as though you are stepping back thousands of years into what untouched Africa once was. We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.The sheer quantity of wildlife in Botswana is staggering; tens of thousands of elephants are just the headline when it comes to the immense diversity of life. A safari to Botswana feels as though you are stepping back thousands of years into what untouched Africa once was.

We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
Best Places to Stay in Botswana
Hero Image Exterior Xigera Camp Okavango Delta
Hero Image Exterior Xigera Camp Okavango Delta
Okavango Delta, Botswana
Xigera Safari Lodge
Catering to just 24 guests, Xigera Safari Lodge in the Okavango Delta offers an exclusive, intimate and personal experience, with phenomenal animal encounters both on land and on the water. The thoughtful service and generous hospitality is the cherry on top.
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Hero Image Exterior Image Chobe Under Canvas Chobe National Park
Hero Image Exterior Image Chobe Under Canvas Chobe National Park
Chobe National Park, Botswana
Chobe Under Canvas
One of the most authentic ways to visit Chobe National Park without compromising on luxury, Chobe Under Canvas offers excellent service, delicious ‘bush’ cuisine and an unmatched atmosphere. The camp is repositioned regularly to give you exceptional game viewing of the rich wildlife inhabiting the Chobe Riverfront.
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Hero Image Aerial View Zarafa Camp Linyanti Savuti
Hero Image Aerial View Zarafa Camp Linyanti Savuti
Linyanti & Savuti, Botswana
Zarafa Camp
Under a canopy of ebony trees, Botswana’s first Relais & Châteaux member property sits in all its glory. A photographer’s dream, Zarafa Camp is a private property where guests revel in luxury, as well as natural beauty. Downstream, the show stopping Dhow Suite - perhaps the most exclusive property in the whole of Botswana - promises to be absolutely unforgettable.
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Hero Image Exterior View Of Jacks Camp Jacks Camp Makgadikgadi
Hero Image Exterior View Of Jacks Camp Jacks Camp Makgadikgadi
Makgadikgadi, Botswana
Jack's Camp
An iconic camp that harks back to an era of glamour, Jack’s Camp is set in the striking Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. Whether visiting in the dry or green season, Jack’s offers guests an exceptionally stylish place to stay while admiring the wildlife and unique beauty of the pans.
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For Families
Choosing the right country is the starting point in creating the perfect luxury safari for your family. On safari in South Africa, you can expect exciting game viewing, a range of activities, privacy and the chance to engage with local cultures.Choosing the right country is the starting point in creating the perfect luxury safari for your family. On safari in South Africa, you can expect exciting game viewing, a range of activities, privacy and the chance to engage with local cultures.
Family Safari Exploring Sunset Natural Selection
Family Safari Exploring Sunset Natural Selection
Article
Top 10 Family Activities in Botswana
Booking your family safari to Botswana opens a door to a world of exciting adventure. From the minute your Cessna touches the bush strip, your family will be in the wilds with expert guides. We curated the top 10 family experiences in Botswana to whet your appetite.
Read more
Aerial View Jao Camp Okavango Delta
Aerial View Jao Camp Okavango Delta
Family Trip Idea
Family Safari in Botswana
From the glistening floodplains of the Okavango Delta, to the pristine wilderness of Linyanti, and beyond to the shimmering salt flats of Makgadikgadi - this family friendly safari will leave you all with lifelong memories. Experience the diverse ecosystems and wildlife Botswana has to offer in this spectacular journey from Delta to Desert.
Read more
Game Drive Children And Cheetah Little Vumbura
Game Drive Children And Cheetah Little Vumbura
Article
Botswana Family Safaris
Botswana is Africa’s most exclusive safari destination. Each enormous private reserve has just one or two luxury lodges guaranteeing a series of private experiences as you travel from one exquisite location to the next. Expert guides will take your family on safari among big cats and vast elephant herds in beautiful deltas and deserts.
Read more
Your Botswana Safari Awaits
Ready to start planning?
A luxury holiday crafted just for you
Plan Your Botswana Safari
Private Journeys Tailored to You
We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been crafting the finest tailor-made holidays to the world’s wild places. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you every time.We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been crafting the finest tailor-made holidays to the world’s wild places. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you every time.
Latest Articles from Botswana
Guest Tent Duba Plains Camp
Guest Tent Duba Plains Camp
Explore Desert and Delta
Ultimate Luxury Botswana Safari
From the pristine wilderness of Linyanti, to the glistening floodplains of the Okavango Delta, and beyond to the shimmering salt flats of Makgadikgadi - this Botswana safari will leave you with incredible memories from beginning to end. Experience the diverse ecosystems and wildlife Botswana has to offer in this epic journey from plains, to delta to desert.
Read more
5 Jul Horse Riding Hippo
5 Jul Horse Riding Hippo
Trip idea
Botswana and Victoria Falls
This memorable safari combines a journey through one of Africa’s most game rich areas, with a visit to one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Experience Botswana’s abundant wildlife in the spectacular Okavango Delta and Linyanti, before heading to the winding Zambezi River to see the astonishing Victoria Falls.
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Mokoro Exporation From Xigera Safari Lodge
Mokoro Exporation From Xigera Safari Lodge
Botswana and Cape Town Trip Idea
Safari and City in Ultimate Luxury
Travel across Southern Africa in complete luxury, staying at some of the most exclusive properties on the continent. With every single detail taken care of by exceptional guides and staff at each location, you can concentrate on what really matters - immersing yourself in an exclusive African safari experience.
Read more
Aerial View Jao Camp Okavango Delta
Aerial View Jao Camp Okavango Delta
Family Trip Idea
Family Safari in Botswana
From the glistening floodplains of the Okavango Delta, to the pristine wilderness of Linyanti, and beyond to the shimmering salt flats of Makgadikgadi - this family friendly safari will leave you all with lifelong memories. Experience the diverse ecosystems and wildlife Botswana has to offer in this spectacular journey from Delta to Desert.
Read more
Game Drive Children And Cheetah Little Vumbura
Game Drive Children And Cheetah Little Vumbura
Article
Botswana Family Safaris
Botswana is Africa’s most exclusive safari destination. Each enormous private reserve has just one or two luxury lodges guaranteeing a series of private experiences as you travel from one exquisite location to the next. Expert guides will take your family on safari among big cats and vast elephant herds in beautiful deltas and deserts.
Read more
Game Drive Children Giraffe
Game Drive Children Giraffe
Article
Activities on a Botswana Safari
Imagine gliding silently along an Okavango waterway in a mokoro canoe as zebra and impala graze the grasslands. Or cantering on horseback with your guide alongside giraffe. In the Kalahari, take an early morning walk with a San Bushman as he explains the ancestral secrets of survival.
Read more
Child Bushman Experience
Child Bushman Experience
Article
People of Botswana
Here’s something you might not expect. The people looking after you on safari might create some of your happiest safari memories. You’ll remember laughter and those after dinner stories and jokes around the campfire. During a three-night stay in a luxury camp, you’ll get to make friends with your guide, the chef, the vegetable gardener and the other people who love their work.
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Leopard Game Drive Seba Camp
Leopard Game Drive Seba Camp
Article
Animals on a Botswana Safari
Botswana is a great choice for an exclusive family safari. Roaming the spectacular deserts, deltas and savannahs are literally millions of animals. The fertility and abundant water of the Okavango and Linyanti Deltas supports an incredible 200 different mammal species. The Government’s high value, low volume tourism policy helps conservation and enables you to enjoy a top quality private safari.
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Family Sundowners Marshmallow Roasting Footsteps Camp
Family Sundowners Marshmallow Roasting Footsteps Camp
Article
Botswana Downtime & Combinations
Between safaris there is plenty for children to do in camp while the adults relax. Safari lodges may be small and in remote locations, but they have excellent facilities and your hosts’ purpose is to give you the best possible time. In this section we also suggest a couple of places that combine easily to complement your Botswana safari.
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Elephant Herd Near Duba Plains
Elephant Herd Near Duba Plains
Article
Top 10 Botswana Activities
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
Read more
Hyena Pan Main Area Dining Table
Hyena Pan Main Area Dining Table
Article
Go Exclusive In Botswana
The best way to give your family the facilities it seeks may be to book out an entire camp or lodge. Perhaps you are planning a multi-generation safari. Or you may want to fulfil a dream of walking, mokoroing and camping out in the Okavango. You may simply crave an extra degree of privacy. Most lodges we use take fewer than 16 guests, some take only eight, so booking a whole lodge is a viable option.
Read more
Family Safari Exploring Sunset Natural Selection
Family Safari Exploring Sunset Natural Selection
Article
Top 10 Family Activities in Botswana
Booking your family safari to Botswana opens a door to a world of exciting adventure. From the minute your Cessna touches the bush strip, your family will be in the wilds with expert guides. We curated the top 10 family experiences in Botswana to whet your appetite.
Read more
Family Boating In The Okavango Delta Botswana
Family Boating In The Okavango Delta Botswana
Article
Explore The Okavango Delta
Botswana is one of the best places for a family holiday of a lifetime! There are millions of animals across plains, deserts and deltas.
Read more
Meerkat Experience Family Kids Natural Selection
Meerkat Experience Family Kids Natural Selection
Article
Meet The Meerkats on a Kalahari Adventure
The Kalahari is a fascinating place for a family safari. The children can sit by a meerkat den watching these curious little creatures foraging and playing as one stands guard on its hind legs looking out for eagles. They can watch enthralled as a San Bushman reveals hidden secrets that have enabled them to survive here for thousands of years.
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