Explore The Okavango Delta
One day you might be watching a family of meerkats by their desert hidey-hole. The next day you could be gliding across the idyllic waterways of the delta in a boat watching the thriving wildlife including bouncing antelope, grunting buffalo, and gentle giraffe. A few days later and you’re out on the open savannah plains watching 100 elephant around a waterhole. All in your own vehicle with your own friendly expert guide. Family holidays don’t get much better than this.
These are some of the best small lodges anywhere in Africa and some like Vumbura Plains and Lebala have two-bedroom suites for families. The food is excellent, can be child friendly and special diets present no difficulty.
Take a look at some of our favourite Botswana family safari camps below.
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.
Gomoti Plains was one of the most eagerly anticipated safari properties in Botswana and opened its doors to guests in March 2017.
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.
If you’re looking for a truly adventurous safari experience then this mobile safari camp is for you. Staying in a mobile camp that changes location regularly, you’ll be transported back in time to the very earliest days of safari.
One of the most remote, stylish and exclusive camps in the Okavango Delta, Duba Plains is set amid large floodplains and shaded by mighty ebony, fig and garcinia trees. Incredibly diverse game viewing and a wide variety of unique activities await you here.
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.
Perched on the banks of the Selinda Spillway’s watery wilderness, Selinda Camp hides amongst a grove of riverine trees. One of just a handful of Relais & Châteaux member properties in Botswana, the stylish camp was designed to create an indoor/outdoor experience and provides perfect big game viewing all year round.
On the banks of the Linyanti Channel, lies the sophisticated Linyanti Ebony Camp. Rising from marshes dotted with groves of riverine trees, the traditional tented camp is endowed with panoramic views of pristine wilderness. Home to healthy populations of predators, as well as many less seen species, the fantastic wildlife is sure to delight all year round - as are the exceptional guides.
Chobe Game Lodge offers five-star luxury in the wilds of the bush. A haven of peace and tranquillity, the lodge overlooks the winding Chobe River, which is frequented by a whole host of bird species and wildlife including the world’s largest remaining population of elephants. Fully Ecotourism-certified, Chobe Game Lodge is sure to provide an unforgettable experience for couples, small groups and families alike
Open vehicle game drives allow you to cover large distances spotting the Okavango's larger mammals. Short walks in the company of expert guides give your little ones the chance to looks for animal tracks, identify spoor and learn some bush survival skills.
On the Okavango's waterways there is boating, fishing and dugout canoeing, or back on dry land, for those experienced enough there is even horse riding.
Children with meerkat at Jack's Camp in the Makgadikgadi.
Encounter elephants on your game drives.
Elephants in front of the pool at Savute Safari Lodge.
Lion cub and family at Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge
Bushmen experience at Meno a Kwena Tented Camp.
Horse riding amongst a herd of zebra at Camp Kalahari.
Mokoro canoe experience at Oddballs Enclave.
Pool and family tent at Vumbura Plains Camp.
Wild dogs at King's Pool Camp in the Linyanti.
"As a father of two, Botswana is one of my favourite destinations to recommend to my clients for their family travel. There are so many unique experiences and many camps have really cool, specialist activities for kids! From 9 to 90 year olds, all of my clients return bursting with lifelong memories."
We are a boutique family travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made safaris to the timeless savannahs of Africa. 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 family travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made safaris to the timeless savannahs of Africa. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.
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.
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.