Our Team 
Our Tour Experts Okavango Delta
Made up of lagoons, channels and islands, the Okavango Delta is one of the world’s largest wetland ecosystems, teeming with wildlife. Starting…
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Our Team Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
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Our Tour Experts We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
Botswana Safari
Botswana – it’s far more than beauty, bushmen and big cats. Take in everything this African country offers with a bespoke itinerary that includes horseback and hot air balloon excursions.
Botswana safaris are undoubtedly the ultimate luxury safari experience in Africa. Botswana holds about 25 per cent of Africa’s elephants and is one of the only countries where you can still find vast herds.
Many of Botswana’s lodges have raised themselves to a level of sophistication that is the envy of hotels around the world, whilst maintaining a sense of adventure and remoteness. Botswana’s unique combination of wilderness landscapes and its variety of game make a Botswana safari a holiday that you will not forget.
Highlights of Botswana
Makgadikgadi Pans
A place of extremes – from a lush watery expanse in summer to a golden wilderness in winter.
Chobe National Park
From the floodplains that surround the river, to the grasslands of the Savuti March, a unique abundance of wildlife and birdlife can…
Selinda Reserve
Selinda Reserve is a privately owned, 135,000-hectare concession located on the flood plains of the Selinda spillway and part of the great…
Tuli Block
Tuli Block is an area of reclaimed farmland, allowed to return to its natural habitat, and where native wildlife has been carefully…
Linyanti Reserve
The Linyanti region is located to the north of the Okavango Delta, adjacent to Chobe National Park and takes in some of…
Kalahari Desert
The Kalahari Desert is an area of stunning vistas and vast night skies, of salt pans, deserts and grasslands - all transformed…
What to expect on your Botswana safari holiday
You need time to enjoy your Botswana safari. Do not rush the experience. Botswana is a big country and getting around is largely done by scheduled light aircraft. As flights are frequent and easy, combining two or three areas of the country on one safari holiday is not only possible but highly recommended by our Botswana safari experts.
Where to go on your Botswana safari
The most famous areas for wildlife are in the north – the Okavango Delta, the Moremi Game Reserve, Linyanti, Selinda and Chobe National Park. These areas are home to masses of big game, as well as some of Africa’s finest safari camps.
The south is largely desert and thus a fabulous contrast to the watery north. See the San Bushmen of the Central Kalahari and experience the vast emptiness of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, the remains of one of the world’s largest super lakes. Here the desert isn’t always dry – when the rains arrive the area bursts into life and see the second largest zebra and wildebeest migration in the world. Ask our Botswana safari experts for more details as to when is the best time to experience this migration.
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Explore Botswana
- Makgadikgadi Pans
- Chobe National Park
- Kalahari Desert
- Okavango Delta
- Selinda Reserve
- Linyanti Reserve
- Tuli Block
Experiences
What to do in Botswana
- Spend a few days in the Okavango Delta, the world’s largest inland delta with a myriad of waterways, channels and islands and home to an abundance of game.
- Take a luxury mobile safari in the Moremi, moving with the animals.
- Quad bike across the flat empty expanse of the Makgadikgadi Pans camping out under the stars – a very different type of safari holiday.
- A safari by boat is a great way to see the huge elephant herds of Chobe National Park.
- Spend time watching the antics of a habituated group of meerkats at Jack’s Camp.
- Walk with the San bushmen and learn how they have adapted to life in the harsh desert environment.
- See the black-maned lions of the Kalahari and search for the elusive Pel’s Fishing Owl.
Places to stay
Every captivating tailor-made itinerary needs a perfect base. Our team has handpicked this collection of properties to give you luxury options in styles to suit any adventure.
Botswana
Muchenje Safari Lodge
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Safari and Wildlife Lodge - £££££
Situated within the Chobe Forest Reserve on the…
Botswana
Duba Plains
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Safari and Wildlife Lodge - £££££
A remote and intimate tented camp, Duba Plains…
Botswana
Camp Okavango
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Safari and Wildlife Lodge - £££££
Situated just outside the northern boundary of Moremi…
Botswana
Savuti Camp
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Safari and Wildlife Lodge - £££££
Savuti Camp is situated in the Linyanti Concession…
Meet our experts
A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.
Jackie Devereux
I was born in Zimbabwe. With a dad who was in the police force, we moved from place to place. I have always been passionate about travel. My grandparents mentioned that our ancestors set off from the Horn of Africa – Ethiopia – looking for better cattle pastures. They ended up settling in the south-eastern hills of Zimbabwe, in the Great Zimbabwe area. Talk with our experts
- 1 855 2037885
Bridget Cohen
Aged five and with my Curious George toy safely tucked under my arm, I set off with my family to travel around Europe in an orange VW minibus. Looking back on the adventures we had along the way, I now know that this was where my love for travel and exploring began. Talk with our experts
- 1 855 2037885
When is the Okavango Delta in full flood?
The floodwaters from Angola start to return in May and remain fairly full to July/August. However, the course of the flood can be affected by shifting tectonic plates, meaning that flood levels vary across the delta from year to year.
What should I take on safari?
Cotton layers such as T-shirts, a light fleece, shorts and a pair of long trousers are the key items. The temperature can vary quite a bit from the early morning game drive to the heat of the day. Sun screen, a hat and a swimming costume are the other necessities. It is best to avoid bright colours for a safari. Footwear should include a pair of sandals or flip flops and some walking shoes (trainers would usually be fine).
What can I expect to see in the Okavango Delta?
Bear in mind that you will be navigating through the waterways between islands, some of which are actually floating themselves. The vegetation is characterised by tall papyrus plants, which can obscure your view, so it is unwise to expect to see all of the Big Five whilst staying at a water-based lodge.
The birdlife is magnificent and as you glide along in a mokoro canoe, your guide will be able to point out some of the smaller amphibious creatures that make the delta their home. Most lodges in the delta will offer a guided walk on the islands, and you can expect to see everything from antelope and warthog through to lions and elephants.
At lodges that offer game drives, the chances of seeing wildlife are often better. However, these are more commonly located on the fringes of the delta. For the perfect delta experience, we always recommend combing a water-focussed camp with a land-focussed one.
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Speak to our experts
Our team is waiting to help you tailor a trip that will leave you with stories for a lifetime. Call us on
01285 601 784Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge and expertise sets us apart. So too our curiosity. A curiosity of the world and of you, and your passions. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you.
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