Handpicked Botswana

Botswana’s – perhaps all of Africa’s – most famous safari destination, we decided that the Okavango is so jaw-dropping it needs a section of its own. Swollen by the heavy rains that fall over the Angolan highlands, the Okavango River bursts its banks and spreads across the surrounding desert in a dizzying array of channels, tributaries and lagoons.

The result is the world’s largest inland delta, and perhaps its most varied assortment of wildlife. You might catch swimming lions, African wild dogs, the Big Five, over 500 species of bird – the list is practically endless. The lodges here are towards the higher end of the market, exclusive properties with all the trimmings: pools, luxury tents, hot showers, first-rate guides.

When we visited, we explored the delta on foot, by car and (our favourite) by canoe. Our Botswanan guide skilfully steered us through the waterways in a traditional mokoro, pointing out the birds that were tricky to spot – and the elephants that were slightly less so. Truly, the experience of a lifetime and one we still daydream about in the office.

If you thought Botswana’s safari opportunities stopped at the Okavango, think again. This is a country with more protected space, relatively, than almost anywhere else on Earth and, as a result, it’s bursting at the seams with wildlife-watching spots.

One of our favourites is the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Africa’s second largest reserve that takes over where the lush delta ends. Although positioned at the heart of the Kalahari Desert, the landscape here is more salt pans and arid grassland that sandy dunes. The species that live here have adapted to that environment: expect elephants, mind-blowingly large herds of antelope and, if you’re lucky, the iconic Kalahari black-maned lion.

For those after a more traditional-looking desert safari, the gorgeous peaks of the sand dunes in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park should do the job – as well as the abundance of big cats in the area. Botswana’s first national park, Chobe, is another great option for safari-goers, its distinct ecosystems coming together across plains, riverbanks and winding channels.

Whilst in the Kalahari, no trip is complete without brushing up some knowledge about the San people. Desert dwellers for over 50,000 years, these remarkable people have long been thought of as southern Africa’s original inhabitants and, despite a chequered and at times tragic history of conflict, they remain a central pillar of Botswanan culture.

Walks through the bush and the desert with the help of an expert guide provides a fascinating insight into a bushman’s way of life, their ancestral skills and relationship with the land plain to see and a wonder to marvel at.

A community project in the village of D’Kar has seen locals open a contemporary art gallery, its prints and paintings a testament to the colour, vibrancy and joy of San culture. Not to be missed.

Botswana’s the home of a dizzying amount of wildlife. It’s also home to some of Africa’s most adrenaline-boosting adventures. On some of our slower days at Love To Explore, we drift off thinking about the Tuli Block, a parcel of land between Zimbabwe and South Africa where you can mountain bike the same routes crisscrossed by the elephants that still live there for millennia.

For those who prefer to let something else do the work, there are horseback safaris here, too, where you’ll gallop past throngs of giraffes and elands, as well as some of Africa’s most recognisable trees: the Baobab.

Slightly further inland and to the north, the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans are a lunar landscape populated by the occasional baobab and, if you’re lucky, some friendly meerkats. You can ride here, too, but for those in search of something a little more powerful, take a quad-bike tour of this vast salty network, before settling into camp in the evening to gaze at stars as you’ve never before seen them.

Botswana is, quite simply, a never-ending playground for the adventurer. We can’t wait to help you take your own.