A Journeysmiths Travel Story: Botswana
With exclusive access to private concessions, you'll experience the untouched wilderness in complete seclusion, ensuring personal and immersive wildlife encounters.
Botswana’s commitment to low-impact tourism guarantees that you’ll witness the magic of its landscapes and wildlife while enjoying an intimate, sustainable experience that remains unmatched in its elegance and tranquillity.
Discover the Sanguine Sands of the Kalahari Desert
Plenty of species flourish in this flat, reddish landscape, from the notorious black-maned lion to entertaining meerkat mobs.
"Nothing makes you feel as alive or equally as peaceful as a night at Dinaka’s star beds.
Falling asleep under the Kalahari sky to the distant call of a lion; waking up to fresh coffee and a breath-taking sunrise I was reminded how blessed we are to explore the natural world. The star beds are quite simply one of the best things to do in Botswana."
Prime Wildlife Viewing in the Moremi Game Reserve
Moremi’s distinct dual personality: large areas of dry land rising between vast wetlands, attracts a myriad of game all year round.
Philippa’s Experience - Boating at Okuti
“Stepping into the boat right from Okuti Camp, we were only a minute or two into the journey when we came across our first elephant in the water. Little did I know how many more we would encounter during this idyllic activity, which concluded with sundowners to a chorus of hippo before returning to camp for dinner.”
Bird watching is just as exciting, with some 400 recorded species. The best way to see wading birds such as the hammerkop is on a mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) ride.
“Being in an open-sided helicopter above the wildlife-filled forests of the Okavango Delta is something I'll never forget.
The exhilaration, the ever changing landscape, and unique view of the wildlife were unlike anything I’d experienced on safari before.
When staying at a Ker & Downey Botswana property (I stayed at Shinde Camp), you can enjoy a helicopter flight as an additional activity, or use it as your mode of transportation to the next camp!”
What Makes Ker & Downey Camps in Botswana So Special?
Ker & Downey have a diverse portfolio of camps across Botswana, each offering a superb safari experience. The camps all combine authentic safari style with just enough modern luxury; the warm atmosphere ensures that you arrive as a guest and leave a friend.
A Warm Welcome
Whether it was the incredible guides, the singing before dinner or the chats around the campfire in the evening, each member of the team goes out of their way to make you feel at home in the heart of Botswana’s wilderness.
"With almost all Ker & Downey camps located on private reserves, you can expect to enjoy privacy for your game viewing.
A female leopard seemingly posing just for us in the bush, a male leopard having a stand-off with a hungry hyena, a lioness with adolescent cubs play fighting, a cheetah hunting and pregnant wild dog are just a few of the wildlife sightings I was privileged to enjoy."
- Philippa Page, Head of Operations
Dinaka rests within its own private concession on the northern edge of the world-renowned Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Surrounded by an expanse of ever changing desert landscape, Dinaka has several, permanent, life-sustaining waterholes which attract an abundance of wildlife all year round. The red sands in this corner of the Kalahari offer exceptional game viewing and a luxurious lodge to stay in too.
Located in a beautiful position alongside the Maunachira River, the peaceful oasis of Okuti Camp lies to the east of the Moremi Game Reserve. Overlooking luscious grasslands dissected by the meandering river, the camp is a serene base from which to explore the Moremi, an area renowned for its abundance of wildlife, including the big five.
Shinde Camp is one of the most beautifully located in the Okavango Delta, a sophisticated tented camp set on a lush island surrounded by crystal-clear waters and shaded by ebony and mangosteen trees.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
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.
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.
Escape into the wilds of Botswana, where the pristine landscape and varied wildlife abound. On a luxury safari in Botswana, you can expect to share your safari with only a handful of other guests, as our travel insider Philippa Page discovered.
Botswana is one of the best places for a family holiday of a lifetime! There are millions of animals across plains, deserts and deltas.
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.
Botswana, a land of contrasts, captivates travelers with its seasonal transformations. The Okavango Delta floods draw abundant wildlife, while rains blanket the Makgadikgadi and Nxai salt pans in green. Chobe National Park hosts vast elephant herds, and the north's lush landscapes contrast with the Kalahari's stark beauty in the south. This unforgettable journey offers Africa’s most exclusive safari in complete luxury.