Our trip to the Kruger National Park was nothing short of unforgettable. The itinerary was incredibly well planned, giving us the perfect balance between adventure and relaxation. We had more than enough time to explore the park’s beauty, and still enjoy peaceful downtime by the pool, soaking in the atmosphere and the breathtaking surroundings.
The scenery was truly awe‑inspiring—from holding our breath as we watched lions in their natural habitat, to being completely mesmerized during the panoramic route. Every moment felt magical.
A huge part of what made this experience exceptional was our guide. Not only was he extremely knowledgeable, but also a true people’s person—engaging, warm, and passionate about the wildlife and the park. His insights and enthusiasm added so much to the journey.
This trip was an incredible blend of excitement, beauty, and serenity. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable and meaningful experience in nature.
Wildlife Tours in Botswana
Botswana Safari Holidays
Botswana Safari Highlights
Thanks to the country’s stable government and progressive social policies, Botswana is now one of Southern Africa’s hottest safari destinations. Here are four great places to visit in Botswana for animal lovers.
- Central Kalahari Game Reserve: The second largest wildlife reserve in the world (20,000 square miles), the Kalahari Desert is the ancestral home of the Bushmen people. Its diverse array of animals includes Lions, Leopards, Hyenas, Wild Dogs, dozens of Antelope species, and many more. The area’s annual Zebra migration is spectacular, but little-known.
- Chobe National Park: Chobe is home to over 120,000 Elephants– about 1/3 of the continent’s total population. The park offers lots of different ecosystems to explore, including savannah, swamps, floodplains, and mopane woodlands. Besides Elephants, Chobe National Park is a great place to see big cats, which are largely found in the Liyanti Marshes.
- Makgadikgadi Pans: These are the world’s largest salt pans in the world. When flooded, the area is visited by thousands of Zebras, Wildebeest, and Flamingoes. But even when they’re dry, the Makgadikgadi Pans are worth a visit for their surreal beauty. Visit at sunset to get stunning photos framed by the silhouettes of ancient Baobab trees.
- Okavango Delta: The most famous of Botswana’s many ecotourism attractions, the Okavango Delta’s 5791-square mile wetland area earned UNESCO protected status in 2014. In the winter its myriad canals and swamps attract some 200,000 large mammals (Cheetahs, Lions, Elephants, Rhinos, Wild Dogs, etc.) and over 400 bird species, including the Crested Crane, Hammerkop, and Sacred Ibis.
mandy-lee vermeulen Essential Kruger Safari
Zahrah Price Essential Kruger SafariThe Kruger National Park, known for being one of the best places on the planet to have the chance to view the Big Five. It is a must visit for first timers to South Africa. The itinerary is beautifully balanced with safari and a chance to view natural wonders along the Panoramic Route. I would highly recommend this trip if you are a wildlife enthusiast!
Linda Grierson Costa Rica's Coastal SecretsFrom steamy Tortoguero, with the howler monkeys waking us up at 5.00am (no need for an alarm!) to cool, mountainous Savegre thronging with hummingbirds, this was a tour of contrasting habitats each with their own variety of wildlife, plants and flowers. In addition to the wildlife elements of the tour, visits to the Aquiares coffee factory and CAITE research centre were incredibly interesting. The optional visit to the Bri Bri community was well worth it; we learned all about how chocolate is made from scratch and had great fun trying each part of the process.
While there were some longer travel days, they were well paced, never felt too onerous and we often saw interesting things en route. The boat trips were fantastic- just getting to Tortoguero and to Drake Bay were experiences in themselves, with opportunity to see lot of wildlife on the way. The snorkelling trip was amazing- we were able to swim above sea turtles, rays and amongst lots of colourful fish. Even if you don’t snorkel, the boat trip was worth doing- we saw a pod of humpback whales quite close to the boat, and a variety of birds.
The accommodation was comfortable and in all the hotel grounds we were able to spot a variety of wildlife- great for photographers who enjoy having a camera/phone in one hand and a ‘sundowner’ in the other!
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