Walking Safaris in Botswana

Discover Botswana

In Botswana, every rustle, footprint and scent in the air has a story to tell. A walking tour of Botswana allows the true variation of the earth’s geography to unfold before you—a seemingly endless and pristine wilderness.

Thirty-eight percent of Botswana is protected as national park, reserve, or wildlife management area, meaning sightings of the country’s numerous species of wildlife are all but assured. The Taodillo trail in the northwest, a well-marked five mile trail, transports you through harmonious savannah forests, where sightings of beautiful rare birds like the Slaty Egrets are near daily occurrences—all while you walk past Iron Age rock paintings of bird species that date to 800 AD.

A day hike around the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans provides a chance to explore one of the most remote places on earth. The dry lake bed of Lake Makgadikgadi—once the size of Switzerland—has been a salt desert for thousands of years. Here, meerkats scurry in the shadows of baobab trees and herds of zebra can often be seen in the distance, allowing walkers a true escape from the modern world

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Country Highlights

Scale the gentle slope of “The Sleeping Giant”—Kgale Hill—which offers spectacular view of the city of Gaborone.
Nourish yourself with a bowl of seswaa, the national dish of Botswana, a hearty meat stew served over slow-cooked polenta.
Visit the the Botswana National Museum’s main campus in Gaborone where ancient works of bushman artists are displayed alongside contemporary African artwork.

Okavango Delta

Explore the sprawling grassy plains of the Okavango Delta—home to myriad species of wildlife—which flows from the Angolan highlands, across Namibia’s Caprivi Strip and into the harsh Kalahari Desert. If you’re lucky you might spot a lion on the prowl or a herd of buffalo moving in unison.

Mokoro

Take to the waters of Botswana’s gentle deltas in a mokoro, a traditional canoe-like vessel commonly used as a popular mode of transport, widely utilised for game viewing safaris. Glide through the water as you keep your eyes peeled for animal sightings.

Elephant Nation

Botswana has six main forest reserves, all located in Chobe District. Chobe National Park is home to an estimated 100,000 elephants—the highest concentration of elephants anywhere in the world. Wake up to these magnificent creatures having their morning drink at the watering hole right outside your safari tent.

Expert Local Guides

Experience your destination like an insider with people who call it home.

Russell Gerber

Russell Gerber was born in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and earned degrees in Zoology, Ichthyology, and Marine Biology at Rhodes University while also developing an intense passion for both the environmental and cultural conservation of Africa. Russell has led both land- and water-based safaris in Botswana as well as in other parts of the world, including South Africa, Mozambique, and Thailand. With past experience managing safari camps, Russell spent years in remote locations where he developed his keen tracking skills. His love of the environment is equaled only by his enjoyment of sharing his extensive knowledge of the natural world with his guests.

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