Botswana, a huge, sparsely inhabited country with extensive stretches of protected wilderness, a diverse range of species, and an old history and culture, is one of the most popular safari destinations in Africa. From the traditional safari experience to seeing lesser-known locations like enormous salt pans and isolated lakes teeming with hundreds of bird species, Botswana offers a wealth of sights and activities. We’ve included a list of places to visit and some of the best things to do in Botswana as a starting point.

1. Locate the Lions that hunt buffalo.

The lions of Botswana are ferocious and skilled hunters of the buffalo, which is the most hazardous prey. It takes a group of skilled lionesses to defeat buffalo, who are extremely challenging to defeat. One of the simplest locations to witness this behavior is the Okavango Delta; it is both interesting and confronting, and people with sensitive personalities could choose to ignore it.

Even once a buffalo has been effectively held down, it frequently takes another half hour or so to die. At that point, the male lions show up, forcing the diligent females to retreat and wait for their turn to eat. However, keep in mind that reports of such meetings are more the exception than the rule and are never assured.

2. Get to Know the Chobe Elephants

With more than 120,000 elephants, Chobe National Park is one of the best locations on Earth to witness these enormous beasts in their native habitat. Between August and October, near the end of the dry season, large herds congregate at the riverbank.

Chobe is a fantastic park to visit for anyone on a road trip or on a tight budget because it is self-driveable. It is also simple to make the day trip from Victoria Falls in Zambia or Zimbabwe. For the finest chances to take pictures of elephants silhouetted against the breathtaking African sunset, take a sundowner river cruise.

3. Take a nap among the stars

One of the finest things to observe in Botswana, a country the size of France but with barely two million people, is the night sky that is unspoiled by light pollution. For safety, many campgrounds provide sleepouts on a platform with a guide close by.

Sleeping beneath the stars is a very romantic way to spice up a honeymoon or vacation with your significant other. Ask your guide to take you away from your lodge’s lights so you can spend some time taking in the stars in all their splendor if you don’t want to spend the night outside.

4. Discover True Seclusion in the Enormous Makgadikgadi Pans

A lake the size of Switzerland formerly covered Botswana’s enormous salt pans. A few isolated camps can be found on the Makgadikgadi today, offering a sense of isolation, a much-needed respite from contemporary life, and the opportunity to experience true wilderness.

It’s one of the few locations where you may actually feel isolated from the outside world and hear the “sound” of complete quiet. Although it’s not the first thing many people think of, a trip here is among the most incredible things to do in Botswana. Go for a walk with the San Bushmen or ride a quad bike over the pans. There is also an abundance of wildlife, including lions, brown hyenas, meerkats, zebra and wildebeest herds, cheetahs, and elephants (in the park’s west, close to the Boteti River).

5. Across the Okavango Delta, Mokoro

The Okavango Delta, a Unesco World Heritage Site and one of Botswana’s most well-known tourist destinations, is often explored in a mokoro, a traditional dug-out canoe. The smallest things you wouldn’t notice on a game drive, such tiny reed frogs, flying butterflies, small, colorful birds, and lovely water lilies, can be seen on a leisurely mokoro ride through the Delta’s canals.

Birdlife that could be scared by the loud engine of a safari vehicle is much simpler to spot when there is no noise, only the sound of the canoe being pushed through the water. You may see hippos cooling off in the shallows or elephants splashing from a safe distance.

6. Take a stroll beside the bushmen

Having inhabited southern Africa for at least 20,000 years, the San Bushmen are the region’s earliest inhabitants. As a result, each generation inherits the vast quantity of knowledge they have gathered about this area.

Although their way of life is evolving, they continue to adhere to their traditional knowledge and practices. You can go for an early morning stroll with the Bushmen at a number of locations across the Kalahari. They will tell you some of their land’s secrets, such which plant’s roots may supply water, which branches are the greatest for making arrows, and how to locate animals.

7. Examine Prehistoric Rock Art

Throughout the African continent, there are instances of rock art that provide evidence of cultures and peoples that existed thousands of years ago. However, one of the world’s greatest concentrations of rock art may be seen in Botswana.

Located in the country’s extreme northwest, the Tsodilo Hills are home to an estimated 4,500 works of art inside a mere 10km2/4mi2 region, according to Unesco. The rock art, which shows ritual dances, hunting, and wildlife, is believed to have been created between the Stone Age (which started around 3.4 million years ago) and the 19th century. One of the must-see tourist destinations in Botswana for history aficionados is this hallowed location.

8. Visit Lake Ngami for birdwatching

Numerous birds, including larger and lesser flamingos, lesser kestrels, Hartlaub’s babblers, and Kalahari robins, can be found in this lake. Some of these species are common, while others are endangered. The lake’s frequent disappearance makes it one of Botswana’s most fascinating sights, aside from the birdwatching opportunities. After David Livingstone visited it in 1849, it disappeared, and near the end of the 1800s, it was refilled. There are many birds about, even in dry conditions, but when it’s full, it’s a birder’s paradise.

9. Detox Digitally

Switching off is one of the healthiest things to do in Botswana, even though it might not be the first thing that comes to mind when organizing a safari. The best part is that you will be essentially compelled to go because Botswana’s safari attractions are located in extremely isolated locations and a growing percentage of camps and hotels lack Wi-Fi.

Make advantage of it as a reason to completely disconnect from your gadget, put on your “out of office” attire, and cease the never-ending scrolling pattern. You will feel much better as a result, and you will truly enjoy the safari experience to the fullest without any interruptions.

10. Dive Into “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” World

With his widely read series “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency,” set in the capital city of Gaborone, author Alexander McCall Smith elevated Botswana’s stature internationally. Fans of the novels and television shows can take a tour of the city that stops at Precious Ramotswe’s actual residence on Zebra Drive, her workplace across from Speedy Motors, and even travel outside of the city to see her family’s house in Machudi.