Botswana rewards curiosity. From the wildlife-rich Okavango Delta to the vast Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, this southern African country offers striking contrasts. Come for the big game and open landscapes. Stay for the quiet moments: stargazing, canoeing through gentle channels, or exploring ancient rock art that tells stories thousands of years old.

Here are some of the most exceptional experiences that showcase Botswana’s wildlife, culture and conservation.

Walk the Okavango with Beagle Expeditions

Exploring the Okavango Delta on foot offers a deeper connection to the landscape. Beagle Expeditions runs privately guided walking safaris in a remote concession between its Kweene and Magwegwe seasonal camps. Small groups and private departures make each journey personal and flexible. Guests track wildlife, interpret animal signs and experience the bush in complete tranquillity.

Accommodation is simple yet refined. Spacious Meru tents feature fine linens, soft lighting and thoughtful details throughout. The Beagle team is renowned for its warm hospitality, enhanced by touches such as a mokoro pool filled with cool Delta water: a welcome retreat after a day on foot. Accessible only by helicopter, Beagle delivers an exclusive Delta safari centred on expert guiding, wilderness and quiet luxury. The attention to detail, both in comfort and design, is simply the cherry on top.

Take a Sunset Cruise on the Chobe River

An evening on the Chobe River is a defining part of any Botswana safari. As the sun sinks low, elephant herds gather at the river to drink and cool off. Hippos rise from the shallows and crocodiles slide silently through the water. Along the banks, buffalo come down to graze while antelope linger in the last of the light. Overhead, fish eagles call and kingfishers flash past in a blur of colour.

The cruise lasts around three hours, setting out in the golden glow of late afternoon. Moving quietly along the river gives guests an easy, uninterrupted view of life on the water’s edge. As dusk falls, the sky deepens and the bush comes alive with the sounds of the evening. Bring a light jacket for the return and your camera for scenes that define the spirit of the Chobe.

Sleep Out Under the Stars on the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans

Spend a night out on the salt pans and experience one of Africa’s most surreal wilderness encounters. After a fireside dinner, your camp team prepares your “home” for the nights: comfortable bedrolls complete with a mattress, crisp linens, a pillow, and warm blankets. As night falls, you drift off beneath a canopy of stars, the Milky Way blazing across the vast, silent expanse — a moment of pure safari magic.

This is where the white salt crust of the pans meets the edge of the Kalahari, a striking contrast to the lush waterways of the Okavango Delta. In the dry season, the pans are at their starkest – wide, silent and just  beautifully out of this world. Some camps offer quad bike excursions across the open flats before you settle in for the night. When the rains return, the pans transform, drawing herds of zebra and wildebeest as they follow the seasonal migration.

The rare stillness of sleeping out in one of Africa’s most remarkable landscapes.

Go Canoeing on the Selinda Spillway with Selinda Explorers

When the Selinda Spillway floods, it opens one of Botswana’s most distinctive safari experiences. Swap the vehicle for a canoe and move quietly along the waterway that links the Okavango to the Linyanti. The easy rhythm of paddling brings close views of elephants on the banks, red lechwe in the shallows and excellent birding overhead. Canoeing is seasonal and depends on water levels, so timing matters.

Great Plains Conservation’s Selinda Explorers offers guided canoeing when conditions allow, often paired with guided walks.

Spend a Night on a Sleep-Out Deck

Botswana’s starbeds combine the thrill of the wild with the comfort of a well-run camp. Raised above the ground, these open platforms look out over busy waterholes or open plains, giving guests an uninterrupted view of the night sky. They offer an unforgettable way to connect with the wilderness, surrounded by the sounds of the bush.

Each deck is carefully designed for safety and ease, often with a private bathroom below and warm bedding for the cool night air. You fall asleep to the call of hyenas or the low rumble of elephants and wake to the soft light of dawn spreading across the landscape.

A hosted sleep-out blends adventure and stillness, offering a rare chance to experience the African night in comfort, solitude and complete peace of mind. Here is a selection of camps offering this unique experience: Ker & Downey’s Kanana & Dinaka Camps, Tubu Tree and Jao Camp in the Jao Concession, Skybed by Natural Selection in the Khwai Private Reserve, Camp Okavango by Desert & Delta Safaris also offers this magnificent experience.

Experience Horseback Riding in the Okavango Delta

For experienced riders, exploring the Okavango Delta on horseback offers a powerful way to connect with the wilderness. Okavango Horsesafaris was established in the 1980s, one of the Delta’s pioneering horseback safari operators recently changed owners. Gareth and Alex Peake will continue the legacy of the founders PJ and Barney Bestelink offering a family-run, authentic camp known for small groups, skilled guides and well-schooled horses.

Routes shift with the annual flood levels to ensure both rider comfort and the welfare of the horses. From the saddle, you might canter across shallow floodplains, watch elephants feeding nearby or move quietly through open woodland as antelope scatter ahead.

This is not a casual ride but a true horseback safari, designed for confident riders looking to experience Botswana’s wildlife from a rare and unforgettable perspective.

Visit the Tsodilo Hills

The Tsodilo Hills, often called the “Louvre of the Desert,” are a UNESCO World Heritage Site with more than 4,000 ancient rock paintings. These works show stories of spirituality, hunting and daily life from long ago. Local guides interpret the images and share the cultural meaning of sacred sites such as Rhino Cave. This destination pairs beautifully with a Delta or Pans itinerary, adding culture and depth to your journey.

Responsible Travel, Real Impact

Botswana’s conservation success comes from its low-volume, high-quality tourism model. Travellers contribute directly to wildlife protection and community support. Choose operators that invest in conservation and respect local people and habitats.

Remember, Botswana’s experiences are seasonal. The Selinda Spillway fills only when water levels are high. Skybeds operate from April to October. Salt pan sleep-outs are best during the dry season. Our team of safari Specialists will plan your visit around these natural patterns for the best experience. Contact us on info@safarispecialists.net or have a look at our safari ideas on our website: https://www.safarispecialists.net/safari-collection/safari-specialist/