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Botswana Safaris Journals Give You an Idea of the Best Botswana Safaris Available

Botswana safaris journals let you see exactly what trips there are like because they are photographed and written by people who have already been on such a holiday.

So if you want to know what to expect, where and with whom the best Africa vacations are, the unbiased, informal recommendation from trip reports are unbeatable.

The only way you are going to get better information is to go on one yourself. The journals are broken down by area according to where they took place. Simply click on the name of the person that went on the safari and get the full picture of their trip.

They include some stunning photographs and stories which will give you inside and in-depth information about a Botswana safari holiday.

Find out if any of the big cats have been seen, what the accommodation is like, how knowledgeable the guides are and a myriad of other nuggets of information. So take a look below and get some advice and tips that you definitely won't find in any guidebook...

Been On A Botswana Safari Before?

Give your travel opinion of what the experience was like and in the process help others who are still planning their African journey.

BOTSWANA SAFARIS TRIP REVIEWS

= Full trip report = Trip summary = Video clip = Interview audio clip = Telephone interview

Grouped By Wildlife Area
Grouped By Safari Company

Okavango Delta Travel Reviews


Okavango Delta Map The Okavango Delta covers an area of 15,000 sq kilometres (the size of Switzerland or Massachusetts) and is fed by Southern Africa's third-largest river, the 1 300km long Okavango River.

The mass of water attracts large numbers of game such as elephant, zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe, hippo, crocodile, lion and leopard and forms a unique ecosystem that is unrivalled anywhere else in the world.


Safari Agent:
Ebright Travel

19 June - 17 July, 2008
4 weeks

Chris and Debbie Llewellyn, USA & Mexico

Review Source: Review submission

Recently Added!! Chris and Debbie combined two Botswana camps with two in South Africa. They experience fantastic game viewing at all four camps and especially enjoyed Khwai River Lodge.

They highly recommend their Botswana safaris travel agent who put the whole safari together… » Full review

Full report


Safari Agent:
Ebright Travel

June 20, 2008
13 days

Pam and Wilbur Dong,CA, USA

Review Source: Submission

Recently Added!! The Okavango Delta is a birders paradise even during the winter months when there are fewer species around.

Pam and Wilbur were primarily interested in the birds on their trip but also welcomed all the game that they saw. If birdwatching is something you are interested in then their Botswana safaris trip report is a must read...» Pam & Wilbur's Botswana birding safari

Full report


Safari Company
Independent travel

July 2007
A few days

Suzie Jones

Review Source: Review submission

Suzie is a travel writer and her trip report shows it as she leads us on a virtual safari, from being welcomed with a refreshing drink when the small plane touched down to having dinner in a tree house.

This is a luxury safari and all she had to do was arrive and enjoy the wildlife, spacious tent and great fresh food. It seems she couldn't find fault with this Botswana safaris island holiday with a difference…» Shinde Island Camp review

Full report


Safari Style:
Overland
Accommodation:
Camping

June/July 2007
27 days

Mark & Cath

Review Source: TravelBlog

Mark and Cath braved a 27 day safari adventure through southern Africa in as part of an organised tour: an option that in their opinion might be less expensive than taking to the road independently but is not necessarily ideal if you don't want to follow a tight schedule.

Their trip started and concluded in Cape Town, South Africa and included destinations such as Botswana, Victoria Falls (the Zambian side) and Namibia.

Mark warns that they had some confusion entering Zambia regarding visa fees payable. Another point he makes that would do prospective visitors well to remember: make provision for very cold nights during the winter (May to August).

He was a little disappointed at not sighting any cheetahs, but says that the animals they did see more than made up for any inconveniences and disillusions met by them. They did however sight a leopard, against the one to three odds of such an event, so as far as the wildlife goes they were fortunate.

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Safari Company:
Capture Africa
Travel Agent:
Acacia Travel

Three days
Sharon Dewar, USA

Review Source: Tangodiva

If untamed wilderness and few other tourists are your style then Botswana safaris are just the ticket as Sharon found out on her first ever visit to Africa. She stayed at the Moghoto Camp, a private campsite near the Moremi Game Reserve in a spacious luxury tent replete with comfortable bed, nightstand and en-suite bathroom and shower.

Wildlife sightings were breathtaking and included a beleaguered lion crossing a river only to be attacked by a hippo and then charged by elephants as he just barely made it to the rivers edge and a successful ambush and killing of a warthog right in front of them by a lion pride...

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Safari Company:
Wilderness safaris
Travel Agent:
Expert Africa

Three weeks
Donna Hruska, USA

Review Source: Personal website

Donna stayed at the Chitabe, Little Vumbura and Savuti camps on her Botswana safaris trip and she had an unforgettable experience. The thing that really surprised her was how close you can actually get to the wildlife in an open topped Landrover.

A big advantage of private Botswana wilderness camps is that you can drive around after dark which allows you to spot nocturnal animals that are very rarely seen like porcupines and African wildcats. During the day Donna was treated to sightings of all of the big five animals and a wild dog pack...

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Safari Company:
Wilderness safaris

Three days
Michael, San Francisco USA

Review Source: Article

A luxury tented camp with a bar and pool, lion and elephant right on your doorstep. This is an African safari at its best.

The light aircraft that Michael flew in on was greeted by a herd of elephant walking right across the landing strip and they had to pull up and circle around again...» Michael's Okavango safari experience

Full report


Safari Company:
CC Africa
Travel Agent:
African Adventures

Ten days
Joe Eder, USA

Review Source: Top Adventure Tours

Joe says that his luxury Botswana safari was much more than he expected. He stayed at the Sandibe and Nxabega camps and had a butler who would carry his photography equipment for him.

The highlight of every day was to be able to watch and experience the spectacular sunsets which were all different in their own unique way. Both camps are situated on the river which means that there are often hippo about and he was awakened by one as it fed close to his lodge...

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Safari Company:
Exodus Overland

Two days
Kim Buckley and Richard Baxter, UK

Review Source: TravelBlog

Coming within ten metres of seventeen hippos in a small dugout boat might not be everybody's idea of fun but it was very exciting for Kim and Richard.

They also travelled around the Delta by speedboat which has the advantage of speed over the dugout canoe but isn't as peaceful...» Kim & Richard Okavango swamps overland trip

Full report


Safari Company:
Ebright Travel

Three days
Connie Ebright, USA

Review Source: Review submission

Connie has been all over Africa but says that Botswana is her favourite place on earth and that's saying something because she goes on a safari trip at least twice a year.

Read her journal and find out why...» Connie Ebright Botswana Safaris

Full report


Moremi Game Reserve Reviews


16 May to 11 June 2008
26 days

Janice Cabrera, USA

Review Source: Review Submission

Recently Added!! Janice visited Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe on her epic safari but the country that came out tops in her view was Botswana.

She really enjoyed the camping without fences portion of the trip that Botswana safaris offer where the camp was moved every two days and set up for them before their arrival.

Her trip report is full of nuggets of information that clearly illustrates why » Botswana is best

Full report


Safari Company:
Audi Camp Safaris

Four days
Bart & Karine

Review Source: African Wildlife Parks

After a lot of research, Bart & Karine decided on a private camping safari with a personal guide and cook, both who were great as were the food and Audi Camp (the starting point) itself.

They saw a nice variety of game although some areas are quieter than others. It started off well with their first lions mere kilometers into Moremi. Third Bridge was broken which caused some disappointment and effort by the guides to get to the better game viewing area, i.e. Xakanaka and the Kwai River. Throughout their safari they saw very few other cars.

Bart's highlights include a sunset motorboat trip on the Delta, seeing the agile red lechwes in real life and spending 2 hours with a mother leopard as she rested, made a kill and proceeded to play with her food for half an hour.

The trip report contains birding info and fantastic photos.

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Safari Company:
Umkulu Adventures

Two weeks
Kaj Baht, Denmark

Review Source: Telephone interview

If you're looking for a relaxed camping safari, Kaj's trip report will give you a good idea of what you can expect.

Like the fact that hippos grazing around your tent at night can be quite noisy! » Read Kaj's Botswana camping safari interview

Full report Telephone interview icon


Safari Company:
Grasslands Safaris

Six days
Tom, California USA

Review Source: Personal website

Even the safari guides had never seen anything like this - A flock of over a million quelea birds that blotted out the horizon as they search for food.

An amazingly rare and unique encounter...» Tom's Moremi Game Reserve adventure

Full report


Safari Company:
CC Africa

Two Weeks
Ian & Wendy, USA

Review Source: Personal website

Ian and Wendy went on a camping safari with six other people in the group which meant they could all have a window seat to spot the wildlife. And as this is luxury camping the spacious tents were set up for them every night with hot water basins ready for washing in the mornings. The bush shower was hooked over the limb of a tree and filled with water heated over a wood fire.

Even though there are no fences they never felt unsafe because the guides really know what they are doing. One night they woke up as an elephant started shaking a tree that they were camped under to eat the acacia pods that rained down onto their tent. Amazing stuff...

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Chobe National Park Reviews


Chobe map

11 000 sq kilometres of prime wildlife viewing land, Chobe provides breathtaking opportunities to see African animals in their natural habitat.

The highest concentrations of wildlife occur along the riverfront strip in Northern Chobe, but the Savuti Marshes and Mababe Depression. These are also excellent places to see lion, cheetah, hippo, elephant, giraffe, warthog, buffalo, brown and spotted hyena, baboons and wild dogs.


Safari Company:
Bushbaby Safaris

8 to 26 July 2007
19 Days

Yvonne Fox, UK

Review Source: Review submission

Yvonne and her husband visited three Southern African countries on her trip but her favourite was Botswana and in particular the Chobe National Park.

She sent in a detailed trip report containing very useful and thorough information about all the accommodation they stayed at and the food that was provided...» Bushbaby Safaris review

Full report


Safari Company:
Independent "self-drive" safari

Two Weeks
Johann Daffue, South Africa

Review Source: Telephone interview

Johann and his family live in South Africa and have a 4x4 vehicle, so going to Botswana on a self-drive safari is relatively easy. However he gives some great tips in his trip report, proving that not only people in a similar situation can enjoy Botswana and Chobe in this way.

Through his experience one learns some valuable lessons about life on the road in Africa... read all about it in his Chobe safari trip report »

Full report Telephone interview icon


Safari Company:
Gecko's Grassroots Adventures

Three Weeks
Wendy Hunt, New Zealand

Review Source: Telephone interview

Wendy spent part of her 3-week holiday to Africa on Botswana safaris, starting in Chobe but also visiting Moremi, Savuti and the Okavango Delta.

Unfortunately she didn't have a very positive experience, partly because of bad luck with wildlife viewing and the extreme cold weather she didn't expect to find in Africa.

It is especially from trip reports like these that you can pick up valuable tips to ensure your own safari turns out all you dream it to be...» Her full Southern Africa safari report

Full report Telephone interview icon


Safari Company:
Muchenje Safari Lodge

Two Days
Simeon Wallis, USA

Review Source: Blog

Chobe is an excellent place to see elephants especially close to the river and there were plentiful sightings of predators too.

The lodge caters for a maximum of 20 guests so you enjoy lots of personal attention from the staff and guides...» Simeon Wallis Chobe Botswana Trip

Full report


Safari Company:
Self-drive

Two Weeks
Leandri Coetzee, Kimberley, South Africa

Review Source: Review submitted

Recently Added!! Leandri went on a "perfect" self-guided trip to Chobe Safari Lodge camp, Makgadigadi Pans, Moremi Game Reserve and Nata, Botswana and saw buffalo, lion, elephant, giraffe, rhino, crocodile, hippo, monkey, waterbuck, kudu, gemsbok, hyena and wild dog.

A typical day consisted of "a drive early in the morning to see the animals at the water holes, ate breakfast, went for a drive again, went on the ferry on the mighty Zambezi River and had supper around the fire."

Her stay at Chobe Safari Lodge or more specifically the "unbelievable friendliness of the staff" and the "great dinners which consisted of a buffet with traditional meats: crocodile, game and and mopani worms" was a highlight.

Her advice to campers is to make a good list of their needs and she lists a torch as the most useful item she packed.


Safari Company:
Ecoafrica

Two Days
Ken Ratzlaff, Kansas USA

Review Source: Article

One of the premiere places to find game - especially elephants, buffalo, hippos, birds and a killer crocodile or two.

Ken went for a cruise on the river on this Botswana safaris trip and was lucky enough to see a whole herd of elephant crossing literally only the tips of their trunks sticking out above the water...» Ken Ratzlaff Chobe National Park safari

Full report


Linyanti & Selinda Game Reserve Reviews


Safari Company:
Linyanti Explorations

One Week
John Milbank, Australia

Review Source: Article

Selinda - Awesome photographs of a huge lion pride (21), wild dog, cheetah and lions feeding.

John believes that Selinda is the best place to go on safari in Africa bar none, and when you read his trip report it's hard to argue. Don't miss this one...» John Milbank Botswana safari holiday

Full report


Mashatu Game Reserve Reviews


Safari Company:
Wilderness Safaris and Desert & Delta Lodges

Ten days
Kevin Guidera, UK

Review Source: Submitted by traveller

Recently Added!! Kevin had a fantastic trip visiting a number of different Southern Africa safari areas.

He gives vivid descriptions of the accommodation, food and wildlife in each area with particular emphasis on Mashatu...» Mashatu Game Reserve Review

Full report


Safari Company:
Gap Adventures

May 2007
Five days

Heather, Canada

Review Source: Personal Blog

Heather had the incredible good fortune of seeing leopard, cheetah and lion all within two days of her arrival in Mashatu.

Unfortunately she fell ill on the third day and spent most of her time recovering. A very detailed Botswana safaris trip report on what to expect there...

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Accommodation:
Mashatu tent camp

March 2007
Two days

Dena Andrews, USA

Review Source: Personal blog

Dena went on two game drives and managed to see an amazing amount and variety of wildlife including the big cats.

She encountered a zebra with a neck wound probably inflicted by a lion...

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Makgadikgadi National Park Reviews


Accommodation:
Planet Baobab

Four days
Heather Awsumb, USA

Review Source: BotsBlog

Planet Baobab camp is situated right on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans and provides an ideal access point to this vast, dry lake. At the entrance to the camp there is a massive statue of an Aardvark which must rank as the most unique signpost in all of Botswana.

From here Heather and 10 friends went on an overnight Botswana safaris trip into the Pan...

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Accommodation:
Nxai Pan

Two days
Karen Smith

Review Source: Travelblog

There is no permanent accommodation on the Pan so camping is done "wild" with portable toilets and bucket showers.

Karen was amazed at the amount of stars that it's possible to see on Botswana safaris here because there is little interference from any artificial light sources...

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The Top Three Botswana Safari Companies

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