50 Best Places to Visit in Botswana: The Ultimate Travel Guide

Botswana, located in the heart of Southern Africa, is one of the world's most acclaimed wildlife and eco-tourism destinations. Famed for its vast, undisturbed wilderness areas, the country encompasses the pristine Okavango Delta—a UNESCO World Heritage wetland blooming in the middle of the Kalahari Desert—alongside elephant-dense Chobe National Park, the surreal Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, and ancient San rock art at Tsodilo Hills. Guided by a commitment to high-value, low-impact sustainable tourism, Botswana offers an uncrowded, deeply rewarding African safari adventure.

Why Visit

Botswana provides an authentic African safari experience defined by pristine wilderness and abundant wildlife. Here is why you should visit:

• The Okavango Delta: The world's largest inland delta, offering mokoro (dugout canoe) safaris through crystal channels.
• Elephant Capital of the World: Chobe National Park is home to over 50,000 African elephants.
• Surreal Salt Pans: The shimmering white Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pans, featuring Baines' Baobabs and zebra migrations.
• Rich Cultural Heritage: Ancient spiritual rock art at Tsodilo Hills and traditional San bushmen wilderness encounters.

Quick Facts

50 Best Places to Visit in Botswana

1. Okavango Delta

• Location: Northwestern Botswana
• Best Time to Visit: May to October (Flood season & prime wildlife viewing)
• Category: UNESCO World Heritage & Wetland Safari
• About the Place: A shimmering oasis formed where the Okavango River fans out across Kalahari sands, creating lily-lined waterways, islands, and dense concentrations of big game.
• Travel Instructions: Accessible via light aircraft bush flights departing from Maun Airport.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Okavango Delta

2. Chobe National Park

• Location: Chobe District, Northern Botswana
• Best Time to Visit: May to October
• Category: National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary
• About the Place: Renowned globally for supporting Africa's largest concentration of elephants, alongside massive herds of cape buffalo, lions, hippos, and river cruises along the Chobe River.
• Travel Instructions: Situated near Kasane; accessible via Kasane Airport or overland from Victoria Falls.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Chobe National Park

3. Moremi Game Reserve

• Location: Okavango Delta, Central-Eastern Section
• Best Time to Visit: June to October
• Category: Game Reserve & Self-Drive Safari
• About the Place: The oldest protected area in the Okavango Delta, combining mopane forests, floodplains, and lagoons teeming with big cats, wild dogs, and rhinos.
• Travel Instructions: Accessible by 4x4 self-drive vehicles or charter flights from Maun.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Moremi Game Reserve

4. Makgadikgadi Salt Pans

• Location: Central Botswana
• Best Time to Visit: May to October (Dry season quad biking) / November to March (Zebra migration)
• Category: Salt Flat & Desert Wilderness
• About the Place: One of the world's largest salt pan networks, offering vast white horizons, quad biking, stargazing, meerkat encounters, and seasonal zebra migrations.
• Travel Instructions: Reached via Nata or Gweta along the main highway between Maun and Francistown.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Makgadikgadi Salt Pans

5. Central Kalahari Game Reserve

• Location: Ghanzi & Kweneng Districts
• Best Time to Visit: December to April (Green season wildlife congregation)
• Category: Game Reserve & Desert Wilderness
• About the Place: Africa's second-largest reserve, covering vast Kalahari sand dunes and fossilized river valleys like Deception Valley, home to black-maned Kalahari lions.
• Travel Instructions: Requires fully equipped 4x4 vehicles with long-range fuel tanks or private fly-in charters.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Central Kalahari Game Reserve

6. Savuti Marsh (Chobe National Park)

• Location: Western Chobe National Park
• Best Time to Visit: May to October
• Category: Wildlife Reserve & Predator Territory
• About the Place: Famous for its unpredictable Savuti Channel, open grasslands, bull elephant gatherings, and legendary lion pride hunting behaviors.
• Travel Instructions: Accessible via deep sand 4x4 routes from Kasane or Maun, or fly-in safari airstrips.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Savuti Marsh

7. Tsodilo Hills

• Location: Okavango Sub-District, Northwestern Botswana
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Category: UNESCO World Heritage & Rock Art
• About the Place: Revered by the San people as the "Louvre of the Desert," featuring over 4,500 ancient rock paintings dating back thousands of years across four dramatic hills.
• Travel Instructions: Located 50 km boundary drive from Shakawe; accessible via 4x4 or guided tour.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Tsodilo Hills

8. Nxai Pan National Park

• Location: Northern Edge of Makgadikgadi
• Best Time to Visit: December to April (Wildlife viewing & green season)
• Category: National Park & Baobab Landscapes
• About the Place: A fossilized lake bed featuring open grass plains, giraffe herds, lions, and the famous Baines' Baobabs rendered immortal by Victorian painter Thomas Baines.
• Travel Instructions: Located north of the Maun-Nata highway; 4x4 vehicle strictly required.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Nxai Pan National Park

9. Khama Rhino Sanctuary

• Location: Serowe, Central District
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Community Wildlife Sanctuary
• About the Place: A community-based wildlife project established in 1992 to protect Botswana's endangered white and black rhinoceros populations.
• Travel Instructions: Situated 25 km outside Serowe on the main road toward Orapa; suitable for 2WD and 4x4 vehicles.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Khama Rhino Sanctuary

10. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

• Location: Southwestern Corner, Bordering South Africa
• Best Time to Visit: March to May
• Category: Transfrontier Peace Park & Red Dunes
• About the Place: A vast peace park spanning red Kalahari dunes, dry riverbeds, gemsbok antelope, leopards, and cheetahs.
• Travel Instructions: Entry via Tsabong or Two Rivers gate; 4x4 capability mandatory.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

11. Chief's Island

• Location: Heart of Moremi Game Reserve
• Best Time to Visit: May to October
• Category: Private Concession & Luxury Safari
• About the Place: The largest island in the Okavango Delta (70 km long), offering unmatched predator sightings and premier luxury lodge concessions.
• Travel Instructions: Exclusively fly-in access via bush plane airstrips.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Chief's Island

12. Baines' Baobabs

• Location: Nxai Pan National Park
• Best Time to Visit: May to October
• Category: Natural Monument
• About the Place: A cluster of seven giant ancient baobab trees overlooking a dry salt pan, famously painted by explorer Thomas Baines in 1862.
• Travel Instructions: Reached via a sandy 4x4 track inside Nxai Pan National Park.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Baines' Baobabs

13. Kubu Island (Lekhubu)

• Location: Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
• Best Time to Visit: May to September
• Category: Sacred Site & Granite Island
• About the Place: A sacred granite rock island rising out of the flat salt pans, adorned with ancient baobabs and pre-historic stone walls.
• Travel Instructions: Deep salt-pan 4x4 navigation required from Letlhakane or Gweta.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Kubu Island

14. Tuli Block & Mashatu Game Reserve

• Location: Southeastern Corner, Bordering South Africa
• Best Time to Visit: May to September
• Category: Wilderness Reserve & Rock Formations
• About the Place: Known as the "Land of the Giants," featuring red sandstone cliffs, massive nyala trees, large elephant herds, and horseback safaris.
• Travel Instructions: Accessible by road via Pont Drift border post or charter flights to Limpopo Valley.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Tuli Block & Mashatu

15. Khwai Concession

• Location: Bordering Moremi Game Reserve
• Best Time to Visit: May to October
• Category: Community Concession & Night Drives
• About the Place: A community-run wildlife area along the Khwai River allowing off-road game tracking, walking safaris, and night drives.
• Travel Instructions: Located near Khwai Village, accessible by 4x4 from Maun or North Gate Moremi.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Khwai Concession

16. Gaborone

• Location: Southeastern Botswana
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Capital City & Urban Heritage
• About the Place: Botswana's modern capital city, featuring the Three Dikgosi Monument, National Museum, vibrant shopping malls, and nearby nature reserves.
• Travel Instructions: Served by Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE).
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Gaborone

17. Maun

• Location: Ngamiland District
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Safari Gateway Town
• About the Place: The bustling tourism capital and launching pad for Okavango Delta flights, filled with safari outfitters, riverside cafes, and artisan markets.
• Travel Instructions: Served by Maun International Airport (MUB).
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Maun

18. Kasane

• Location: Border of Four Nations (Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe)
• Best Time to Visit: May to October
• Category: Border Town & River Gateway
• About the Place: Gateway town to Chobe National Park, set along the Chobe River where Botswana meets Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
• Travel Instructions: Served by Kasane International Airport (BBK).
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Kasane

19. Boteti River & Meno a Kwena

• Location: Bordering Makgadikgadi National Park
• Best Time to Visit: May to November
• Category: River Wildlife Sanctuary
• About the Place: A dry-river channel rejuvenated by delta waters, attracting thousands of zebras and wildebeests during dry-season migrations.
• Travel Instructions: Located near Khumaga village off the A3 highway.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Boteti River

20. Nata Bird Sanctuary

• Location: Nata, Central District
• Best Time to Visit: December to April (Flamingo arrivals)
• Category: Community Bird Reserve
• About the Place: A community-managed sanctuary on Sowa Pan where thousands of pelicans and pink flamingos gather during rainy months.
• Travel Instructions: Situated 20 km south of Nata village along the Francistown highway.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Nata Bird Sanctuary

21. Mokolodi Nature Reserve

• Location: Near Gaborone
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Nature Reserve & Education
• About the Place: A non-profit wildlife sanctuary near Gaborone offering game drives, rhino tracking, giraffe feedings, and night safaris.
• Travel Instructions: Located 15 km south of central Gaborone.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Mokolodi Nature Reserve

22. Linyanti Wildlife Reserve

• Location: Northwest of Chobe National Park
• Best Time to Visit: May to October
• Category: Private Reserve & Marshes
• About the Place: An exclusive private concession centered around the Linyanti River, famous for wild dogs, leopards, and massive elephant herds.
• Travel Instructions: Fly-in charter airstrip access.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Linyanti Wildlife Reserve

23. Gcwihaba Caves (Drotsky's Caves)

• Location: North-West District
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Category: Natural Geological Caves
• About the Place: A remote cavern system set among sand dunes, filled with stalactites, stalagmites, and subterranean bat colonies.
• Travel Instructions: Extreme 4x4 expedition required from Maun or Ghanzi.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Gcwihaba Caves

24. Francistown

• Location: Eastern Botswana
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Urban Commercial Center
• About the Place: Botswana's second-largest city and historic gold-rush hub, housing the Supa Ngwao Museum detailing Kalanga history.
• Travel Instructions: Connected by rail and paved highway from Gaborone.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Francistown

25. Kgale Hill

• Location: Gaborone
• Best Time to Visit: Early morning or sunset
• Category: Hiking & Viewpoint
• About the Place: Known as the "Sleeping Giant," offering popular weekend hiking trails to its 1,300m summit for vistas over Gaborone and Gaborone Dam.
• Travel Instructions: Located in southern Gaborone near Game City Mall.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Kgale Hill

26. Goo Moremi Gorge

• Location: Tswapong Hills, Palapye
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Category: Sacred Nature Reserve
• About the Place: A lush cliff canyon containing permanent waterfalls, sacred ancestral grounds, and breeding colonies of endangered Cape vultures.
• Travel Instructions: Located 60 km east of Palapye; guided hiking tours mandatory.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Goo Moremi Gorge

27. Ghanzi & San Cultural Center

• Location: Ghanzi District
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Category: Indigenous San Heritage
• About the Place: The cultural hub of the Kalahari San (Bushmen), offering bush walks, traditional dance ceremonies, and handmade crafts.
• Travel Instructions: Located along the Trans-Kalahari Highway connecting Maun to Windhoek.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Ghanzi

28. D'Kar Art Centre

• Location: D'Kar, near Ghanzi
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Art & Culture
• About the Place: A San artists' collective producing vibrant contemporary paintings and linocut prints celebrating Kalahari folklore and wildlife.
• Travel Instructions: Situated 40 km north of Ghanzi along the main highway.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to D'Kar Art Centre

29. Three Dikgosi Monument

• Location: Gaborone Central Business District
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: National History Monument
• About the Place: A towering bronze statue monument depicting Chief Khama III, Chief Sebele I, and Chief Bathoen I who traveled to London in 1895 to secure protection.
• Travel Instructions: Located in the CBD plaza of Gaborone.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Three Dikgosi Monument

30. Planet Baobab & Gweta

• Location: Gweta, Makgadikgadi
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Eco-Camp & Giant Baobabs
• About the Place: A quirky, famous safari outpost surrounded by giant baobab trees, offering meerkat walks and sleepouts under starry desert skies.
• Travel Instructions: Located right off the A3 highway near Gweta village.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Planet Baobab

31. Serowe & Khama III Memorial Museum

• Location: Serowe, Central District
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Cultural Heritage & Royal History
• About the Place: One of Botswana's largest traditional villages, ancestral seat of the Khama royal family and home to historic tribal kgotla meeting sites.
• Travel Instructions: Connected via paved highway north of Gaborone.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Serowe

32. Mochudi & Phuthadikobo Museum

• Location: Bakgatla Territory
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Village Heritage & Museum
• About the Place: A historic village situated on a hill, featuring traditional decorated mud compounds and a museum dedicated to Bakgatla history.
• Travel Instructions: Located 40 km northeast of Gaborone.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Mochudi

33. Manyana Rock Paintings & Livingstone Tree

• Location: Manyana Village
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Archaeological Site & History
• About the Place: Rock art outcrops painted by ancient San hunters, beside an enormous fig tree where missionary David Livingstone preached in the 1840s.
• Travel Instructions: Located 50 km southwest of Gaborone.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Manyana Site

34. Lake Ngami

• Location: Ngamiland, South of Okavango
• Best Time to Visit: June to October (During flood periods)
• Category: Seasonal Lake & Birdwatching
• About the Place: A historic lake famously documented by David Livingstone, seasonally filling with water to attract thousands of waterbirds.
• Travel Instructions: Located 80 km southwest of Maun.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Lake Ngami

35. Old Palapye Ruins

• Location: Near Palapye
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Category: Historical Ruins
• About the Place: The stone remains of King Khama III's 19th-century capital city, including burnt-brick walls of a historic London Missionary Society church.
• Travel Instructions: Located 28 km burnt-gravel road drive from Palapye town.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Old Palapye Ruins

36. Kazungula Four Corners Bridge

• Location: Kazungula, Border with Zambia
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Landmark Bridge & River Vista
• About the Place: An engineering masterpiece bridging the Zambezi River where Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, and Zimbabwe meet.
• Travel Instructions: Located 10 km east of Kasane town center.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Kazungula Bridge

37. Gaborone Game Reserve

• Location: Gaborone City
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Urban Game Reserve
• About the Place: One of Africa's busiest small city reserves, harboring rhinos, kudus, impalas, zebras, and picnic spots inside city limits.
• Travel Instructions: Situated in eastern Gaborone off Limpopo Drive.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Gaborone Game Reserve

38. Thamaga Pottery Village

• Location: Thamaga Village
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Artisan Craft Village
• About the Place: Home to the Botswelelo Centre, where local artisans produce hand-molded earthenware ceramics decorated with traditional Setswana patterns.
• Travel Instructions: Located 40 km west of Gaborone.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Thamaga Pottery Village

39. National Museum and Art Gallery (Gaborone)

• Location: Central Gaborone
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Museum & National Art
• About the Place: Preserves ethnographic displays, stuffed natural history specimens, and traditional craft collections alongside contemporary paintings.
• Travel Instructions: Centrally located along Independence Avenue.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to National Museum and Art Gallery

40. Tswapong Hills

• Location: Central District
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Category: Geological Range & Waterfalls
• About the Place: A soaring red sandstone mountain range rising 400m above surrounding plains, rich in iron-age archaeological sites and natural springs.
• Travel Instructions: Accessed via Palapye or Lerala villages.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Tswapong Hills

41. Shoshong Hills

• Location: Mahalapye Sub-District
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Category: Historic Tribal Capital
• About the Place: Surrounded by protective granite hills, this historic 19th-century trading crossroad served as capital for the BaNgwato tribe under Chief Sekgoma I.
• Travel Instructions: Located 40 km west of Mahalapye.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Shoshong Hills

42. Selebi-Phikwe

• Location: Eastern District
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Mining Heritage & Lakes
• About the Place: A historic copper-nickel mining center now transitioning into eco-tourism, featuring nearby Letsibogo Dam water sports and birdwatching.
• Travel Instructions: Connected via paved highway from Francistown.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Selebi-Phikwe

43. Otse Hill & Vulture Colony

• Location: Otse Village
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Highest Point & Bird Reserve
• About the Place: The highest point in Botswana (1,491m), featuring dramatic cliffs hosting a breeding colony of Cape vultures.
• Travel Instructions: Located 45 km south of Gaborone along the Lobatse highway.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Otse Hill

44. Pandamatenga

• Location: Chobe District
• Best Time to Visit: May to October
• Category: Agricultural Plains & Wildlife Corridor
• About the Place: Known as Botswana's granary, where vast commercial crop fields sit beside key elephant migration corridors leading to Hwange National Park.
• Travel Instructions: Located 100 km south of Kasane along the A33 highway.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Pandamatenga

45. Lake Xau

• Location: Central District
• Best Time to Visit: May to October (During flood years)
• Category: Seasonal Lake
• About the Place: A wetland fed by the Boteti River on the edge of the Kalahari, attracting pelicans, flamingos, and wild horses during flood cycles.
• Travel Instructions: Located south of Mopipi village; 4x4 required.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Lake Xau

46. Shakawe & Okavango Panhandle

• Location: Far Northwestern Edge
• Best Time to Visit: September to December (Tigerfish season)
• Category: Fishing & River Lodges
• About the Place: The entry channel of the Okavango River before it reaches the delta, world-renowned for tigerfish angling and birdwatching lodges.
• Travel Instructions: Accessible via paved A35 highway north from Maun.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Shakawe

47. Northern Tuli Game Reserve

• Location: Tuli Block
• Best Time to Visit: May to September
• Category: Private Game Reserve
• About the Place: A private wilderness area featuring dramatic rock formations, riverine forests, leopard tracking, and ancient archaeological sites.
• Travel Instructions: Accessible via Pont Drift border or Limpopo Valley Airfield.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Northern Tuli Game Reserve

48. Seleka Conservancy

• Location: Limpopo River Valley
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Private Nature Conservancy
• About the Place: A secluded sanctuary along the Limpopo River offering walking safaris, birdwatching, and bushveld landscapes.
• Travel Instructions: Located in southeastern Botswana near Martins Drift border post.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Seleka Conservancy

49. Mahalapye

• Location: Central District
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Commercial & Transit Hub
• About the Place: A bustling town set along the dry Mahalapswe River bed, known for local markets and traditional Setswana food stalls.
• Travel Instructions: Situated along the main highway and rail line halfway between Gaborone and Francistown.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Mahalapye

50. Lobatse

• Location: Southeastern Border
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Judicial & Historic Town
• About the Place: Nestled between green hills, home to Botswana's High Court, historic meat processing plants, and pioneer trails.
• Travel Instructions: Located 70 km south of Gaborone near the South African border.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Lobatse

Featured Image

Mokoro Canoe Safari in the Okavango Delta