4 Top Destinations and Activities in Botswana in 2022

Did you know that Botswana is one of the oldest locations on the planet that has been continuously inhabited by humans?

Dating all the way back to 70,000 years ago, modern humans have continuously been settling and living in Botswana. In the past few years, researchers have even stated that Botswana might have been the birthplace for Homo Sapiens. 

Today, Botswana is an emerging country with a population of about 2 million, and is surprisingly not the first country many people look at when planning a trip to Africa. With a rich history, diverse wildlife and environments, and the most welcoming people, it is truly a shock that more people don’t visit Botswana when traveling to Africa.

In this article, we’re going to go over the top 4 places you can visit, and things to do in the beautiful country of Botswana in Southern Africa.

1. Explore Gaborone

Gaborone holds the seat of government for Botswana, and is also the economic capital for the country. It is ranked 149th among other national capitals in terms of population, which still makes it more populated than the capital city of India, New Delhi.

How can this be? It’s true that the New Delhi metropolitan area has a population 15 times that of the whole of Botswana. However, because it is actually split up into several districts (which are considered different cities), the capital of India only ends up with a population of 250,000. 

The relative high concentration of people in the capital of Botswana is largely thanks to their booming economy. If you’re interested in the economy of Botswana, we recommend researching various Botswana financial experts, such as this one here.

2. Land and Water Safaris

Botswana is best known for its water-based activities on safari trips. You can drift through the lush swamps and wetlands on a mokoro canoe or motorboat to take in the exotic wildlife the country has to offer. The motorboat safaris are our personal recommendation, as they tend to encounter the picture-worthy African wildlife such as hippos, elephants, crocodiles, and more.

For land-based safaris, the landscape is different but much of the wildlife is on land, so you will be able to view more animals than you would on a water safari. In addition to that, the vehicle safaris can sometimes drive to specific locations if you want to see a certain type of animal.

3. Nomad Tours

A great way to take in all Botswana has to offer is to go on a week long camping trip across the entire country. Nomad Africa is a company founded in 1997 by Alex Rutherford, who has been backpacking across Africa his entire life.

Nomad Africa offers tours across the entirety of Southern Africa, with some spanning across multiple different countries, such as the Victoria Falls to Johannesburg tour. For Botswana, we recommend their Botswana Highlights – North or South, or the Botswana Explorer tour. 

The Highlights tour splits the country into either the northern part or the southern part, and each tour lasts 6 days. In the northern tour, it has a focus on nature as you will get to explore the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, and the Savuti Game Reserve. Additionally you will be able to ride on a river cruise that will stop at Victoria Falls.

The South version of this trip is essentially the north but in reverse. You will leave Victoria falls, making your way south through the country.

4. San Bushmen

Probably the best way to truly appreciate Botswana is to spend some time with the San Bushmen people, also known as the Kalahari. They are an indegenious hunter gatherer community to Botswana, and have thrived in the region for 20,000 years.

By going on guided walking tours led by the San people, you can learn about their culture that has remained intact for so long, as well as the medicinal plants in the region that they use.

If you are interested in spending time with the Kalahari people, then we recommend checking out San Camp. This Eco-friendly camp is run entirely on solar energy while not losing any luxury for its guests.