Botswana National Parks and Game Reserves

Botswana National Parks Map

In many of Botswana's parks you will need to consider having a 4 Wheel drive vehicle particularly during the rainy season (between November and March) with some roads being impassable even with 4 wheel drive. Some roads and rough and very sandy all year round.

Location

Lying in the north of the country, the Chobe river borders with Namibia.

Best time to visit

Wildlife viewing and bird watching is good all year round. October/November is considered the best time for wildlife viewing is generally considered to be the dry season when the concentration of animals along the riverfront increases daily. The animals congregate along the River to make use of the life-giving waters in a barren wilderness. October is the hottest month and the peak raining season is during January and February.

Size

approx 11,000 km² (Botswana's second largest park)

Whats to see

The park has the most varied wildlife of all of Botswana's parks with one of the highest populations of Elephant to be found here. The wide Chobe River is the lifeblood of the area and feeds adjacent flood plains much.

Location

Eastern corner of the Okavango Delta in the north west of Botswana.

Best time to visit

July to October

Size

approx 4,870 km²

Whats to see

Described as one of the most beautiful wildlife reserves in Africa. It combines mopane woodland and acacia forests, floodplains and lagoons. It is the great diversity of plant and animal life that makes Moremi so well known. It is one of the few places where you may be lucky to see a Red Lechwe antelope, but there are also many other animals such as elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas and rhinos. The Moremi Game Reserve is also renowned for its birdlife.

For those who want to get close to African wildlife without going on safari, this park is ideal. It's conveniently close to Gaborone but, once you enter the park, you really are in the bush. Whether you stay for a day or a week, Mokolodi offers a magical experience.

Activities include rhino tracking (yes, you can get really close on foot), giraffe tracking, walking with the elephants, game drives, and horse trekking. For many visitors, though, the highlight is the cheetah experience. Once you've been licked by a cheetah the memory will stay with you for ever.

The Mokolodi Wildlife Foundation is a charity dedicated to conservation and education projects. All revenues from visitor activities are used to fund these projects.

Location

Situated in the north-west of the country.

Best time to visit

Game viewing is good all year round, but the best months are May to November.

Size

16000 sq. kms km²

Whats to see

It is home to an abundance of wildlife including crocodile, hippo, water bucks and various fish species which can be seen from safari vehicles and boats. The delta waters meet the sands of the Kalahari desert making the whole area very beautiful and scenic which is why it is referred to as the 'Jewel of the Kalahari'.

Nearby Towns

Maun is the main town of the region and situated on the southern edge of the Delta. It is Botswana's main tourist capital. Having one of the busiest centres in the country as flights from Gaborone, Victoria Falls, South Africa and Namibia fly there daily.

Location

Situated in the centre of the country.

Best time to visit

November to March - when it may rain. May to October is hot, dry and dusty in the Kalahari with little water and limited animals.

Size

approx 52,000 km²

Whats to see

Home to a wide variety of antelopes including eland, gemsbok, kudu, red hartebeest and springbok and also has a number of wildebeest, giraffe, lion, cheetah, leopard, wild dog and brown hyena. The majority of the park is flat, vast open plains. Deception Pan is the parks most popular spot because it attracts large numbers of game after the rains from February to April.

Through a cooperation between the Botswana and South African Governments, the Kgalagadi National Park is the first official Transfrontier and it managed jointly by both countries. The Botswana section covers an area of about 28, 105 sq.km with plenty of wild animals, including wildebeest, eland, hartebeest, gemsbok and springbok. Super predators like lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena can also be viewed. Camping areas on Botswana side include the Rooiputs camping grounds, some 25km up the Nossob River Valley from the entrance gate. Poletswa grounds lie in the northern section of the Nossob Valley.