8 Day Luxury Botswana Safaris

Wildlife and natural areas in Botswana are among the greatest in Africa. About 38% of Botswana is dedicated to national parks, reserves, and wildlife control zones.

This stunning southeast African nation has borders with South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Zambia. It provides access to thousands of square miles of authentic wilderness.

Travellers to Botswana can observe herds of animals crossing dry migratory routes or lounging by dams and rivers in the country’s twelve national parks and reserves.

Three of the best places to visit in Botswana include the Kalahari Desert, Okavango Delta, and Chobe. With eight days to explore, you may see at least three or even four major safari destinations.

Luxury resorts that have opened in Botswana in recent years have attracted visitors from all over the world. Luxury cabins and campsites can be found all around and typically provide high-quality services and a variety of enticements to their customers while also protecting their natural surroundings.

Some of the luxury lodges and camps are:

Chobe –

Chobe Game Lodge.
Leopard Hills
Chobe Water Villas

Okavango Delta –

Duba Plains Camp.
Mombo Camp.
Abu Camp overlooks a lagoon.
Vumbura Plains.
Jao Camp tucked away on a remote island.
Belmond Eagle island Lodge.
Eagle Island Lodge situated on the Delta’s Xaxaba Island.

Makgadikgadi Pans

San Camp situated in the Makgadikgadi Pans on the Kalahari Plains.

Jack’s Camp located in the Makgadikgadi Pans.

Meno a Kwena perched above the Boteti River on the border of the Makgadikgadi Pans.

Moremi Game Reserve –

Chief’s Camp in the Moremi Game Reserve.
Camp Moremi in the Moremi Game Reserve.
Okuti Camp in the heart of the Moremi Game Reserve.

Other –

King’s Pool Camp overlooking the waters of King’s Pool Lagoon in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve.
Tuludi Camp in the Khwai Private Concession.
Little Tubu Camp situated on a remote island in the Jao Private Concession.

What to Expect on an 8 Day Luxury Safari in Botswana

On an 8-day luxury safari in Botswana, you can visit various of the country’s tourist attractions and enjoy its spectacular scenery and animals.

It will be worthwhile if you visit could visit more than three destinations as you will have enough time when planning an eight-day safari.

Some of the most popular safari destinations in Botswana are:

The Kalahari or Kgalagadi Desert which cover about two-thirds of Botswana. It is mostly desert area with sparse vegetation, but abundance wildlife.
The Moremi Game Reserve is situated in the Okavango Delta and is a very popular tourist destination. Traveling in a mokoro (dugout canoe) or in an open safari vehicle allows you to do spot many of the animals found in this area.
Chobe National Park is the second largest reserve in Botswana. The Chobe River flows through the park and game is seen in abundance in the area surrounding the river in the summer as well as winter months.
The Okavango Delta is one of the most popular tourist attraction with the Okavango River the main natural attraction. This wetland of islands and channels with about 15,000 square km of waterways and wetlands, attracts a wide diversity of wildlife.
Makgadikgadi Pan Game Reserve is a salt pan situated in the middle of the dry savanna of north-eastern Botswana and one of the largest salt flats in the world.
A number of private game reserves are found in the Linyanti Concessions that lies in the Kwando-Linyanti rivers system. This untamed wilderness in the perfect location for those seeking a unique African adventure.
The Tsodilo Hills is situated in the northwest of the country and is of interest for those interested in African history and culture. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hiking safaris are popular in this area.
Nzai Pan National Park is situated in Northern Botswana and consists mainly of forest and savanna woodland and large areas of open grassland. The Nxai and Kgama-Kgama Pan are the most popular to visit.

In visiting most destinations, you will begin your safari in Maun which is seen as the tourist capital of Botswana.

Highlights on your trip may include the following:

Visiting the Kalahari you can join the San bushman on a guided walk. They will teach you all you need to know about their culture, how to track and hunt and how they have survived in the dry piece of land for centuries.
The Chobe National Park is the first National Park and also the third largest park in the country. Most game found in Botswana can be seen in this vast area.
The Okavango Delta was listed as the UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014. The delta covers an area of around 15 000 square kilometres, stretching its boundaries to the Kalahari Desert. The diverse wildlife with endemic flora and fauna makes the region perfect for a safari.
Since your trip will start in Maun, you can visit the many shopping malls and restaurants as well as reserve accommodation in the many luxury lodges in and around the town. Spend some time in the Thye Nhabe Museum and the Motsana Cultural Centre.
Hiking in any of the areas is highly recommendable, especially in the Thamalakane Hills or along the Chobe river where you will have some close encounters with the wild life of the area.
A must inclusion on your trip is a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta or the Kalahari. You have many options, like in a light aircraft, helicopter or a hot air balloon.
The magical white sands of the Makgadikgade Salt Pans in the Kalahari Desert with allow you to have many fossil sights as well as study some Bushman remnants.

Best Time for an 8 Day Luxury Safari in Botswana

The best time for families to visit Botswana is during the winter months which runs from April to October. During this time, you are more likely to see an abundance of wildlife, as they all gather around the water and there is less chance of rain. Mosquitoes are also fewer.

What to Pack for an 8 Day Luxury Safari in Botswana

You should bring the following:

Short cotton pants
Cool tops and shirts
Long pants and shirt for cooler evenings
Sweater
Warm jacket
Wind breaker
Hiking boots and sandals
Prescription and normal medicine
Personal items
Camera and binoculars
Insect repellent

Selecting a Tour Operator for an 8 Day Luxury Safari in Botswana

Finding the right tour company is essential if you want to go on an eight-day safari in Botswana. You will be able to see some of the best natural and wildlife sites in the country. Tour guides have been around for a long time in Botswana, so they are very knowledgeable about the landscape and the animals that live there.

Popular Itineraries for an 8 Day, 7 Night Luxury Safari in Botswana

Itinerary 1 – Nxai Pan, Okavango Delta, and Linyanti

Day 1 – Arrive at Maun and catch a light aircraft flight to Nxai national park to arrive in time for lunch. Go on a game drive the afternoon.
Day 2 and 3 – Rise early and enjoy breakfast. You can decide to either spend the rest of the day exploring the salt pans and surrounding area with a game drive or go on a walk with the local San bushman.
Day 4 and 5 – After breakfast you will fly out to the Okavango Delta to your next luxury lodge travel to arrive in time for lunch. For the next two days you can go on game drives, cruise on the river on a mokoro or motorboat or go on a hike.
Day 6 and 7 – After breakfast you will travel to your next destination in Linyanti. Much of the same activities will be available in Linyanti.
Day 8 – After breakfast you will be flown or driven back to Maun.

Itinerary 2 – Kalahari Desert, Okavango Delta, Kwando Concession

Day 1 to 3 – Arrive in Maun and travel in a light aircraft to the Central Kalahari where you will spend the next two nights a Tau Pan. Activities include game drives, nature walks with the Bushmen trackers and star gazing. Additional trips can also be organised to Deception Valley, Piper, Sunday and Passarge pans.
Day 4 and 5 – Get up early and after breakfast fly out to Kwando Splash Camp in the Okavango Delta, within the Kwara Reserve. Activities over the next couple of days include mokoro excursions, boat activities, game drives, hiking and even fishing. out to the Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta which should be a two-hour drive. Activities will include game drives, boat or mokoro cruises, bird watching and even star gazing. You will also have enough time to relax.
Day 6 and 7 – After breakfast you will once again pack up and fly to the Linyanti Wetlands and stay at one of the luxury lodges or camps. Activities include boat cruises, game drives, walks and fishing.
Day 8 – You will enjoy your final game drive before flying back to Maun.

FAQ

How many nights in Okavango Delta?

The very minimum stay in the Okavango Delta should be three nights, if staying at a land and water camp to ensure you have a good general Okavango experience and to make the most of your safari.

What is the best time of year to go on an 8-day luxury safari in Botswana?

The best time to go on an 8-day luxury safari in Botswana is the during the dry winter season, which stretches from May through to September.

What time of year does the Okavango Delta flood?

The flood waters normally arrive at the start of the dry season between July and August. During the wet season from December to March, Botswana wildlife is widely dispersed.

Is a Botswana safari expensive?
A 4 to 6-day safari will cost anywhere between R10 000 and R14 000 per person per day, depending on the type of package you chose.

Where do you fly in to visit the Okavango?
The nearest international airport to the Okavango Delta is Maun Airport.