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Walking safaris in Botswana
Walking safaris in Botswana
Walking safaris in Botswana
Walking safaris in Botswana
Walking safaris in Botswana

Botswana offers a few places for great walking safaris...

...with experienced walking guides.

Walking safaris are a great way to explore the wilderness.

Botswana walking safaris

The best lodges & camps for walking safaris in Botswana

Botswana isn't well known for walking safaris. This stems primarily from the lack of strong national guiding standards for walking safari guides. The result is that there are only a few camps that we recommend for walking safaris - ones where we know that the owners focus on high-quality guiding for walking safaris.

Secondary reasons for this may be the amount of water in the Okavango Delta. This means that there are lots of other activities to do and the thick bush in some areas, which often doesn't lend itself to walking safaris. That said there are a handful of camps whose primary focus is on walking safaris - and these camps do it very well.

The good news is that the very few camps that we can recommend for walking safaris in Botswana do a superb job - and parts of northern Botswana do make great areas to explore on foot.

Call one of our Botswana specialists for more information on where the best walking safaris are in Botswana.

Sandibe Safari Lodge

Sandibe focuses primarily on day and night game drives, but they also offer guided walking safaris, with specialist walking guides based in camp. You'll learn about the Delta's ecosystem, plant life, the 'small five' and how to read the tracks and signs left by animals.


Kanana

Guests at Kanana Camp can do bush walks with an experienced, armed guide. These are usually slow walks, often following old hippo paths through the bush. The guide will explain tracks and signs with a view to giving visitors a deeper understanding of the environment.


Kanana

Guests at Kanana Camp can do bush walks with an experienced, armed guide. These are usually slow walks, often following old hippo paths through the bush. The guide will explain tracks and signs with a view to giving visitors a deeper understanding of the environment.


Onguma Camp Kala

Want a break from Namibia's bumpy roads? Why not stretch your legs on a walking safari, accompanied by a guide from Onguma Camp Kala? It's a great way to see another side of the bush.

Nkasa Lupala

Experience the lush environment of the Caprivi Strip on a walking safari from Nkasa Lupala. Led by a professional guide and an armed community ranger this is a great opportunity to experience the bush from a different perspective.


Ongava Lodge

Expertly trained, armed guides lead walking safaris from Ongava Lodge in the Ongava Reserve. The focus of these walks is often on tracking white rhino, although you may also see some of the reserve's wide variety of other game species.

Kazile Island Lodge

Led by a professional guide a walking safari from Kazile Island Lodge is great opportunity to focus on the small things and see things often missed from a 4WD.

Walking safaris elsewhere in Africa

Our top ideas and inspiration for Walking safaris in other countries.


Walking safaris in Kenya

Kenya

Walking is prohibited in most of Kenya's national parks and reserves; driving is often the only option...

Walking safaris in Namibia

Namibia

Namibia has some of Africa's most dramatic scenery and many great hikes and walking trails: it's ...

Walking safaris in Tanzania

Tanzania

Tanzania classifies its wild areas in different ways, each with different rules - meaning that ...

Walking safaris in Zambia

Zambia

Zambia offers Africa's widest choice of reliably excellent walking safaris. Strict guiding exams ...

Walking safaris in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Walking can be a big part of a safari in Zimbabwe. Exceptionally high guiding standards due to ...

Where to see wildlife species in Africa

Maximise the chances of seeing your favourite African animals based on traveller sightings reports from the field.


Lion

Lion

Panthera leo

Lions are at the top of the food chain and also most safari wish-lists, but with their numbers falling fast, any encounter with these majestic apex predators always feels like a privilege.

82% SUCCESS

2,934 sightings from 3,600 observations

Where to see lion in Africa

Leopard

Leopard

Panthera pardus

The most numerous of Africa’s big cats, leopard occur across many habitats, from wild tracts to populated areas. Their grace and their elusive nature make them a unique safari drawcard.

47% SUCCESS

1,875 sightings from 3,986 observations

Where to see leopard in Africa

Cheetah

Cheetah

Acinonyx jubatus

The cheetah is the fastest land animal and the only cat that hunts by pure speed. Found largely in open grasslands, its slim, elegant form is today an increasingly rare sight.

33% SUCCESS

1,008 sightings from 3,047 observations

Where to see cheetah in Africa

Wild dog

Wild dog

Lycaon pictus

African wild dogs are among the continent’s most compelling animals. Much misunderstood, these rare, tie-dyed canids are amazingly efficient hunters with a fascinating social life.

31% SUCCESS

840 sightings from 2,672 observations

Where to see wild dog in Africa

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena

Crocuta crocuta

The spotted hyena may be thought of as ‘ugly’ and ‘cowardly’. In fact, this versatile and intelligent carnivore is one of Africa’s most fascinating and warrants attention on any safari.

55% SUCCESS

2,098 sightings from 3,799 observations

Where to see spotted hyena in Africa

Brown Hyena

Brown Hyena

Parahyaena brunnea

This largely solitary scavenger is one of the more elusive and little-known of Africa’s carnivores. Shaggier than its spotted cousin, it occurs only in the arid southwest of the continent.

17% SUCCESS

239 sightings from 1,448 observations

Where to see brown hyena in Africa

Meerkat

Meerkat

Suricata suricatta

These highly sociable little mammals have an endearing appearance and comical antics. Found in the drier areas of Southern Africa, close encounters are a sought-after experience.

22% SUCCESS

85 sightings from 395 observations

Where to see meerkat in Africa

Elephant

Elephant

Loxodonta africana

By far the biggest of the so-called Big Five – indeed, the largest land animal on the planet – the elephant shapes the very landscape it inhabits and is a defining presence on any safari.

91% SUCCESS

3,504 sightings from 3,850 observations

Where to see elephant in Africa

Buffalo

Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

One of the ‘Big Five’, buffalo earned a fearsome reputation in hunters’ tales. By contrast, big herds of these sociable bovids are placid, but mount formidable defences against predators.

83% SUCCESS

2,472 sightings from 2,982 observations

Where to see buffalo in Africa

Giraffe

Giraffe

Giraffa camelopardalis

The world’s tallest land mammal, giraffes are herbivores which have evolved many unique adaptations. Their iconic outlines tower above the bush in many of Africa’s wildlife areas.

86% SUCCESS

3,374 sightings from 3,911 observations

Where to see giraffe in Africa

Hippo

Hippo

Hippopotamus amphibius

The territorial calls of the hippo create a signature soundtrack to Africa’s rivers & wetlands. Despite an endearing smile, this aquatic herbivore has a notoriously aggressive disposition.

89% SUCCESS

2,562 sightings from 2,875 observations

Where to see hippo in Africa

Black Rhino

Black Rhino

Diceros bicornis

The black rhino is the smaller and rarer of Africa’s two rhino species but has the more fearsome reputation. Shy and heavily persecuted, it tends to stick to cover.

31% SUCCESS

607 sightings from 1,963 observations

Where to see black rhino in Africa

White Rhino

White Rhino

Ceratotherium simum

The white rhino is the largest and most numerous of the world’s five rhinoceros species. They are larger, easier to see and generally more approachable than the black rhino.

44% SUCCESS

476 sightings from 1,083 observations

Where to see white rhino in Africa

Oryx

Oryx

Oryx sp.

Oryx are impressive antelopes, with a powerful physique and elegant markings set off by rapier-like horns. They cut a distinctive dash in some of Africa’s harshest landscapes.

70% SUCCESS

1,272 sightings from 1,823 observations

Where to see oryx in Africa

Eland

Eland

Taurotragus oryx

Africa’s largest antelope, eland are culturally important from prehistoric rock art to modern game farms. Though widespread, they are also shy so sightings are uncommon and often fleeting.

49% SUCCESS

1,405 sightings from 2,877 observations

Where to see eland in Africa

Roan antelope

Roan antelope

Hippotragus equinus

Africa’s second largest antelope and one of its most handsome, with a powerful build and distinctive markings, roan are wary of people, but renowned for their bravery against predators.

23% SUCCESS

457 sightings from 1,958 observations

Where to see roan antelope in Africa

Sable antelope

Sable antelope

Hippotragus niger

Perhaps Africa’s most beautiful antelope, sable are renowned for their combative nature, even holding off lions. Shy and restricted in range, sightings of sable are always special.

22% SUCCESS

436 sightings from 1,952 observations

Where to see sable antelope in Africa

Sitatunga

Sitatunga

Tragelaphus spekii

The sitatunga is the most aquatic of Africa’s antelopes and specially adapted to its swampy habitats. Though widespread across Africa, only a handful of places offer reliable sightings.

19% SUCCESS

60 sightings from 316 observations

Where to see sitatunga in Africa

Wildebeest

Wildebeest

Connochaetes sp.

Superficially bovine in appearance, wildebeests are known for their spectacular migrations sometimes in huge numbers. These resilient animals are some of Africa’s most successful herbivores.

68% SUCCESS

2,383 sightings from 3,524 observations

Where to see wildebeest in Africa

Zebra

Zebra

Equus sp.

The zebra is a quintessential African animal: the horse in stripy pyjamas at the end of every child’s A–Z. There are three species, of which the plains zebra is much the most common.

84% SUCCESS

3,684 sightings from 4,366 observations

Where to see zebra in Africa

Pangolin

Pangolin

Smutsia sp.

Pangolins appear to be more pine cone than animal in their unique armoury of scales. These nocturnal, ant-eating oddities are not only highly elusive but also increasingly rare.

2% SUCCESS

52 sightings from 3,201 observations

Where to see pangolin in Africa

Aardvark

Aardvark

Orycteropus afer

The aardvark is one of Africa’s most bizarre and enigmatic animals. A shy, nocturnal termite-eater, signs of its presence may be scattered about the bush whilst sightings remain elusive.

2% SUCCESS

67 sightings from 3,205 observations

Where to see aardvark in Africa

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Need inspiration?

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