Botswana Safari Cost 2025 – Everything You Need to Know!

If you want to visit one of the most pristine and exclusive safari destinations on earth, Botswana should be at the top of your list. My safari in Botswana quite frankly blew my mind, providing me with some of the best wildlife encounters that I’ve ever had!

Exploring the breathtaking Okavango Delta and fulfilling my dream of seeing African wild dogs in their natural habitat made Botswana’s high price tag absolutely worth it!

It goes without saying, safaris in Botswana don’t come cheap. To give you an example, my recent 10-day Botswana safari staying in luxury mobile tented camps within Botswana’s prime wildlife areas, came with a price tag of $650 per person per day, excluding international flights and tips. Whilst this may seem expensive, the experience was so incredible that I can confidently say that the safari was worth every penny.

Botswana and, more specifically, its Okavango Delta region is the most expensive and exclusive safari destination in Africa with some lodges charging up to an impressive $7,000 per adult per night.

There’s a good reason for the price, however. This high price tag for safaris in Botswana helps limit visitor numbers and protect their fragile ecosystem, whilst giving those lucky enough to visit, an unrivalled and intimate safari experience with very few other vehicles.

Incredibly, almost 40% of the country is given over to wildlife and while a few other safari destinations such as Tanzania (38%) and Namibia (43%) also dedicate significant portions of their land to wildlife conservation, Botswana is particularly notable for its vast, uninterrupted wilderness areas.

These extensive and uninterrupted protected regions make Botswana one of the few places in the world where you can see African wild dogs as they require extremely large territories to thrive.

Botswana’s low-density high-price tourism model is considered the gold standard for tourism and preserves Botswana’s natural environment.

The country is also one of the most politically stable and economically successful in Africa.

In this guide I’m going to go into more detail on how much safaris in Botswana cost, including a breakdown of costs as well as what you can expect on a luxury safari vs a budget safari.

Botswana Safari Costs At a Glance

The chart below shows you typical prices for a Botswana safari when working with a local tour operator which is the most popular method of booking a Botswana safari.

The alternative booking method, via a larger global travel agent such as those based in the US and UK will usually be between 30% to 300% more than the local operator prices shown below to cover their additional overheads and costs.

We’ll cover the pros and cons of booking with local operators vs international travel agenets later in this guide.

The cost per day (usually given as the cost per person per day), will vary depending on a number of factors including whether you’re travelling in high season or low season, the number of people in your group, your accommodation choice and your mode of transport between parks e.g. road or air.

The total cost for your safari is mostly dictated by how many days you choose to spend on safari. As a starting point, I’d recommend a 7-day Botswana safari itinerary, however if your budget and diary permits, a 10-day Botswana itinerary would allow you to explore the country’s key highlights.

The most popular type of Botswana safaris are mid-range safaris in what are considered luxury mobile tented camps and cost around $650 per adult per day (prices vary a little depending on the season).

We’ll dig into these prices and what each safari type entails in just a moment to help you better understand how the costs breakdown and how you can achieve the best value for your budget.

How Much Will Your Botswana Safari Cost?

Safaris in Africa are definitely not a cheap holiday and Botswana is perhaps the most expensive and exclusive safari destination in Africa. However, Botswana offers an incredible and unique once-in-a-lifetime safari experience.

Whilst there are a few small and very expensive safari lodges at the high-end in many of the top safari destinations, what’s notable in Botswana is that entry level safari lodge prices are much higher. I.e. a typical semi-permanent* tented camp in Botswana can be $800 per adult per night compared to say $400 in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park.

This is a direct result of the very tight limits on visitor numbers necessary to protect Botswanas fragile ecosystem. Other factors such as the remoteness of the lodges also plays a role too.

*Most parks in Botswana stipulate that lodges and camps are are semi-permanent so if they ever close down they will leave no trace on the environment.

Mobile luxury tented camps are a secret cost-optimising tip which I’ll talk over in detail in this guide.

However, even utilising mobile luxury tented camps (rather than semi-permanent lodges) puts a typical Botswana safari cost at $650 per adult per day. There are ways you can go on safari in Botswana slightly more cost-effectively and slightly less luxuriously for $450 per adult per day, which I’ll cover later in this guide.

At $450 per adult per day, Botswana’s starting price for a private budget safari is notably higher than the starting prices of a private budget safaris in Kenya ($300 per adult per day) and Tanzania ($350 per adult per day).

Group Basic Camping Botswana Safari Costs

Entry level safaris in Botswana take the form of a basic group camping safari which cost around $300 per adult per day.

You’ll share the camping experience with strangers, which differs from a private safari where it will just be your group sharing the campsite and safari vehicle.

You’ll sleep in traditional small ground tents which mean you’ll be sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor and you’ll usually have to pitch in with setting up and taking down your tent on moving days. This reduces the number of staff required compared to budget safaris which have porters to take care of setting up the more spacious tents and proper beds. Pitching in with setting up and taking down the tents means you’ll have less time for game drives.

With Botswana being geared to luxury safaris, it can be quite hard to find a good group budget camping tour and unless you enjoy really roughing it, I’d recommend spending more on a budget or mid-range safari, where you’ll be very well looked after with comfortable beds in large tents and experienced guides.

A basic group camping safari may be combined with self-drive to further reduce costs. However, most of the self-driving tourists I came across had significantly fewer wildlife sightings as they lacked the experience and communication network that the experienced guides use to show you the best sightings.

When you book a basic camping safari through a international travel agent, you’ll usually be in large groups of 18 or more and travel in a large overlanding vehicle (think of a safari truck combined with a bus). Local operators who offer basic group camping safaris tend to have smaller groups and use extended 12 seater safari vehicles.

Whilst both options offer inferior visibility compared to private safari vehicles, especially if you are in the middle seat, the local operator trucks are the best of the two options.

• Apart from when you self-drive you can’t typically get basic camping with a private safari so both local company and International travel agency options are shared safaris.
• The private self-drive option is cheaper than the private local supplier safari because you’re saving on the driver/guide.
• The international travel agent price is higher than the local safari company because you’re paying for their overheads and profit on top of the local company who carries out the safari. Whilst the price difference is not as much here, they tend to have bigger groups and use larger overlanding buses compared to the local operators to reduce costs.

Budget Botswana Safari Costs

Budget safaris cost around $400 per person per day and for a relatively small budget increase, represent a big step-up in luxury compared to basic group camping.

Budget safari accommodation comprises full-height mobile tented camps with proper beds and ensuite bathrooms with toilets and warm drop showers. The tents will be set up on private camp sites.

You won’t have to lift a finger, with a team of porters to put up and take down the tents (and the rest of the setup including dining tents, kitchen tents) on moving day whilst you spend the day on safari.

As well as your team of porters, you’ll have a private chef and driver guide.

Notes on the budget safari costs

• You can save around 20% if you choose a shared (group) safari package where you share the truck with strangers. However, it can be hard to find group options in Botswana and private safaris gives you a lot more flexibility.
• The private self-drive option is cheaper than the private local supplier safari because you’re saving on the driver/guide. However, since you’re paying a lot of money anyway you might as well pay a little bit extra for a driver guide to make sure you have the best sightings as well as a more relaxing experience. Additionally, if you’re self-driving, it’s down to you to setup and dismantle camp which takes time and energy and takes away from time that could be spent on safari.
• The international travel agent price is higher than the local safari company because you’re paying for their overheads and profit on top of the local company who carries out the safari.

Mid-Range Botswana Safari Costs

A mid-range Botswana safari will typically cost around $650 per adult per day. 

This is my preferred balance of costs vs luxury and could be described as ‘glamping’. You get the real safari feel of being out in the wilderness whilst having many of the luxuries we’re used to as well as some we might not be, such as a private chef.

I was spending a good chunk of my time on safari with morning and afternoon game drives so I didn’t miss the extra amenities at the lodges which come with luxury safaris. However, if you’re not worried about costs or are planning to spend mornings or afternoons relaxing back at base then luxury safaris in lodges / fixed tented camps could be a better fit.

Accommodation will comprise a luxury mobile tented camp which is a more spacious version of the budget mobile tents.

You’ll typically go on a morning game drive with a tea and coffee break and freshly made biscuits / scones on safari, then back to camp for lunch and some relax time, followed by tea and cake before going on an afternoon game drive. Finally you’ll return for a three course dinner and camp fire and finally bed. Of course with private safaris you can customise your itinerary as much as you want.

The safari team moves the camp around usually on private campsites which will be used exclusively for your camp.

This type of safari doesn’t mean that you’ll have to give up all of your creature comforts. You’ll have your own private chef, private porter and traditional bed nestled within a spacious tent, an en-suite bathroom with hot drop showers, and a western toilet.

There are separate staff tents, kitchen tents and dining tents.

When you move to a new location the team will take down the entire camp whilst you’re on your game drive and set everything up again at the new camp site ready for your arrival.

From your perspective the whole process is effortless.

Since you don’t have to help set up camp yourself, this gives you much more time to spend relaxing or going on game drives.

Mid-range safaris are an excellent choice for people who want to feel like they are on a safari adventure while still enjoying some of the comforts of home.

Before and after the safari you’ll usually stay in traditional hotels and lodges in the main towns such as Maun and Kasane. These are very nice and I’ve included a couple of example pictures below.

• The private self-drive option is cheaper than the private local supplier safari because you’re saving on the driver/guide. However, since you’re paying a lot of money anyway you might as well pay a little bit extra for a driver guide to make sure you have the best sightings as well as a more relaxing experience. Additionally, if you’re self-driving, it’s down to you to setup and dismantle camp which takes time and energy and takes away from time that could be spent on safari.
• The international travel agent price is higher than the local safari company because you’re paying for their overheads and profit on top of the local company who carries out the safari.

Luxury Botswana Safari Costs

If you have a large budget and are searching for an exclusive safari experience, Botswana is the place to be! 

A luxury Botswana safari staying in semi permanent tented camps / lodges will typically set you back around $1,300 per adult per day, while the more expensive lodges can cost $7,000 per person per night.

The high price of a luxury safari is predominantly due the cost of the small and exclusive tented camps and lodge accommodation that is on offer in the reserves.

The country is geared up for luxury safaris and boasts some of the most expensive and remote safari lodges on the continent!

Some of the lodges are in exclusive private conservancies such as Chiefs Island in the Okavango Delta which have even stricter limits on visitor numbers than the already strict limits for Botswana as a whole.

The low-impact, high-cost tourism model of Botswana inherently means higher prices but in return it gives you a never ending, pristine and unspoilt environment in which to experience some of the best wildlife viewing in the world.

We’ll go into why they cost so much later in this guide but the quick answer is they are remote which means suppliers have to be flown in and numbers of visitors are strictly limited.

The lodges are usually located on private reserves which border the main national parks with very limited numbers of lodges and rooms meaning you’ll often be the only car at sightings. This is a key benefit for Botswana anyway and on luxury safaris it’s even more remote and quiet.

You can also consider visiting during the wetter off-season. Also known as the ‘green season’, this time period offers as much as 40% savings.

With luxury Botswana safaris, you’ll often fly on small safaris planes such as the one I’m boarding below. With some of most remote lodges this is the only way to access them!

• The private self-drive option is cheaper than the private local supplier safari because you’re saving on the driver/guide. However, since you’re paying a lot of money anyway you might as well pay a little bit extra for a driver guide to make sure you have the best sightings as well as a more relaxing experience. It’s important to note that some lodges are so remote that you can’t actually self-drive to them and so going on safari with the lodge is the only option.
• The international travel agent price is higher than the local safari company because you’re paying for their overheads and profit on top of the local company who carries out the safari.

Factors Affecting Your Botswana Safari Cost

When you receive a number of safari quotes, you might end up wondering why one quote is coming out higher than another quote and which is actually the best value. I’ll attempt to answer that question below.

Below are the factors in order of which will have the biggest impact on your safari cost.

Whilst this order is correct for most cases, one notable exception is for solo travellers on private safaris. For solo travellers, group size will move up to position 2 in terms of factors affecting your safari cost for budget safaris or position 3 for mid-range because you’re shouldering all of the fixed costs (vehicle, guide etc).

1. Type of Safari Company

There are four different ways you can organise a Botswana safari Itinerary: self-drive (DIY), local safari company, hotel provided safaris, international safari company (located in US, UK etc).

I’ll go into each of these options below and their effect on costs.

Self-Drive (DIY) Costs

Self-drive safaris are popular with those who like to do everything themselves and prove their self-reliance as they navigate across the country.

On the other hand, some tourists opt for self-drive as a way to reduce costs compared to working with a safari company who would provide a vehicle, driver guide and arrange the logistics including accommodation.

Doing a self-drive safari gives you a lot of freedom to decide what you want to see, where you want to go, and what pace you want to travel at. Costs involved in self-drive include vehicle rental which is usually between $150 and $200 USD per day, campsite costs which are $30 – $50 per person per night, fuel costs and food, making it the lowest-cost option.

Whilst most self-drivers will stay at camp sites with ground tents or roof top tents on their vehicle, some self-drivers with big budgets combine self-driving with luxury tented camps and lodges accommodation.

However, this freedom (both physically and financially) comes at a cost. While Botswana is a much easier place to self-drive than either Tanzania or Kenya, it is still challenging to spot animals without a guide for a few reasons. 

First, it’s hard to scan the landscape for animals while still paying attention to the road. Second, unless you are a trained specialist, you are unlikely to ever be able to match the hawk-eye vision of the safari guides. And third, and maybe most importantly, the safari guides have a communication system set up that allows them to inform each other when they spot animals. This saves a ton of time since you aren’t driving around in circles in hopes of finding something. 

For example, we spoke to a couple who’d been self-driving for 30 days and still hadn’t seen the wild dogs but with an expert guide we saw wild dogs on three occasions within 10 days.

Safety is also an issue with self-drive safaris as you really need to understand wildlife behaviour in case you get into a slightly sketchy situation. Would you know what to do if you happen to stumble upon a bull elephant in musth or a protective breeding herd of elephants? These gentle giants can suddenly look very scary when you realise that they are likely bigger than your entire vehicle (and yes, you can see in my Moremi video here that we did have an elephant mock charge us whilst we were on foot and it was our skilful guide who averted catastrophe).

Now that we have covered the costs associated with going on a self-drive safari and the pros and cons of it, let’s take a deeper look at the costs associated with arranging one. This should help you plan out your budget and give you a rough idea of the additional costs that you may run into while you are travelling.

I’m no stranger to self drive and In 2017, I embarked on a self-drive adventure across Namibia and had an incredible experience. This worked well as safari was only a small part of my Namibia adventure so I didn’t miss not having a guide. However, when I’m going somewhere primarily to see wildlife, I’ve found a good guide to be essential.

The below chart gives you a rough idea of where your money goes when you opt for a self-drive Botswana safari.

Local Botswana Safari Company Costs

After numerous safari expeditions over the past 10 years, this is my favourite way to organise a safari in Africa. I’ve found it gives the ultimate combination of service and value for money.

The best local Botswana safari companies are an invaluable partner in planning and delivering a personal and tailored safari experience. They will use their local knowledge and contacts to ensure an unforgettable experience.

Local Botswana safari companies are generally locally owned and managed and have a staff of local employees so I feel good knowing I’m supporting them. They are able to arrange your full safari including transport, accommodation, internal flights and driver guides.

They only thing they often can’t organise is international flights but I’ve never found this a problem.

I’ve found the sweet spot is working with local companies who are big enough to consistently deliver a high service level even at the busy times of year but small enough to care about every single customer’s safari experience.

Local tour operators in Botswana have special rates from accommodation due to the volume of business they give them and can often book accommodation more cheaply, as part of a larger safari package, than the rates you can get booking direct.

They usually own their own fleet of safari vehicles and have experienced driver guides who’ve worked with them for many years.

These local companies often act as the local face of international tour agencies who outsource their own safaris to them.

Due to their low overheads, many small local tour operators in Botswana only include a small 15-20% margin in their quotes which goes towards their wages and limited business overheads leaving them with 5-10% profit. Whilst these margins are slightly higher than East Africa they are still very low compared to international tour operators.

Overall, I have had great experiences working with local tour operators. In fact, I’ve yet to have anything other than an incredible experience but I do complete thorough our due diligence on every company I work with which probably helps!

The below chart gives you a rough idea of where your money goes when you book your safari with a local safari company.

International travel agent / safari company (US, UK etc.)

We have probably all seen Facebook ads or have gotten emails from big international travel agents advertising tours to different parts of the world. These companies are quick and easy to book with and offer some protections.

However, like most things in life, this convenience comes at a price. This time, it’s in the form of the markup that these travel agents charge and often less local knowledge and experience compared to local operators.

After chatting to local operators, I soon discovered that these travel agents use the same local tour operators that we discussed above. The local operators simply apply the stickers of the international tour company to their own trucks for the duration of the safari.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with that but it’s good to be aware that you are paying an often large premium for essentially the same end product.

The reason for the extra costs is that, on top of paying the local safari company to deliver the safari, you are now also covering the staff costs, marketing costs, office costs etc. of the international travel agent who is arranging the trip.

The extra amount you pay on a like-for-like basis when booking through an International operator ranges greatly from 30% to a massive 300% more with some high-end luxury safaris.

International travel agents in the UK / US do offer a number of key benefits:

Firstly they can book International flights unlike many of the small local safari companies. 

Secondly they may offer some form of purchase protection such as in the UK you will typically be covered by the Package Travel Regulations, a set of rules that those selling and booking package holidays and linked travel arrangements must follow. Also in the UK, if the travel agent books international flights as part of your package, you will be covered by the ATOL scheme.

In America there are schemes such as the Airline Passenger Protection Act and the Federal Aviation Administration’s consumer protection rules which apply when booking through a local travel agent in the US.

Finally, international travel agents usually have a lot of experience with high-end requests such as chartering private jets and working with the most expensive lodges so for budgets for $25,000+ per person they can really offer a lot of expertise.

It’s worth noting that, in my experience, it’s possible to achieve a satisfactory level of protection yourself when booking directly with local tour operators. Here are my top tips:

Use your credit card when paying the deposit payment as credit cards typically offer purchase protection. In the UK it’s called Section 75 and you can read how this applies to specific cards such as Visa UK. Check your home country’s credit cards protection terms and conditions for your specific situation. Secondly, purchasing good comprehensive travel insurance with travel interruption cover or similar can provide peace of mind.

These days, I always prefer to book with a local tour operator as you end up with the same safari tour at a much better price and benefit from the local knowledge of the locally based safari company.

This is even more important when you are going to an expensive destination like Botswana because that price gap could be the difference of being able to book a mid-range safari instead of a budget one.

The below chart gives you a rough idea of where your money goes when you opt to book your safari with an international US / UK etc. safari company.

Hotel Provides Safaris & Fly-in Safaris Costs

There are two reasons you might choose to “fly-in” to your safari accommodation in Botswana.

1. You want to get there quicker and avoid a long drive. In this case you might have a safari company who arranges their own vehicle and driver as part of the safari package or you may use the lodges’ vehicles but this is usually a more expensive option.

2. Some of the lodges in Botswana, especially the most expensive, can be so remote that flying in is the only real option. In these cases you’ll almost certainly use their own vehicles and guides for your safari.

If you plan to spend quite a bit of time relaxing in your accommodation and have a large budget then flying directly to your lodge and between lodges in the case of longer trips can work well.

When staying at remote lodges or if you’re planning to perhaps have half day game drives (and the rest of the day to relax) then you’d typically use the lodge’s own safari trucks and guides when you want to go on a game drive. These game drives will usually be shared with other guests with the expectation of some of the most expensive lodges.

Safari lodges in Botswana tend to be very expensive to stay in for a few reasons. First, they are often very, very remote with no road access. Everything needs to be flown in by plane, including big bulky items such as food, new bedding, alcohol, spare parts for game-driving vehicles, etc.

This can make the costs of these items jump up dramatically, especially when you consider that there aren’t really any big airports, just landing strips that can handle very small aircraft. 

Game drives may be included in their daily rate, in which case the cost of the vehicle, staffing costs, and fuel also need to be absorbed into the overall price.

Secondly, due to government restrictions, each lodge is only permitted to have a certain number of rooms which isn’t very high. They then need to charge a premium on their rooms to help cover the costs of running the hotel and remain profitable since the level of service is usually very high, they tend to have the same overheads as big lodges in other parts of Africa but with a fraction of the rooms.

Due to the high costs associated with accommodation and food, this is where the majority of your safari package price will be allocated.

To give you a rough idea, flights between lodges cost approximately $300 per person per flight. While this doesn’t seem bad at first glance, especially when you consider how much time it saves you from transferring between parks, this adds up really fast if you are visiting multiple destinations or if you are travelling with a family.

2. Safari Accommodation Costs

When you work with a local tour operator for a budget or mid-range safari your luxury mobile tented camp accommodation typically represents about 33% of total safari cost and when you. This makes accommodation including the porters to put up and take down the camp and private chef the largest cost for your safari.

For luxury accommodation, such as semi-permanent  tented camps and lodges these can make up 50 – 75% of your total safari cost.

The level of accommodation is the single biggest factor in explaining the differences between the costs of budget, mid-range and luxury safaris.

Botswana safari lodges, tented camps and mobile tented camps usually charge on a full board basis, per person rather than per room. However, two people sharing a room will be a lower cost than having a room to yourself.

Table showing typical prices per person per night on a full board basis in peak season

To help you get a better idea of the prices for lodges inside the parks, I have created the price list below. It’s possible to find cheaper accommodation outside of the parks but this is often pretty far away from the park entrance. As a result, this is a false economy in my opinion.

Since the best time to view wildlife is just after sunrise, it’s essential to locate yourself in the reserves near to the action.

Mid-Range will usually be glamping in luxury mobile tented camps except at Chobe Riverfront.

Location	Budget (standard mobile tented camps)	Mid-Range (luxury mobile tented camps)	Luxury (permanent lodges and tented camps)
Moremi Game Reserve	$180	$240	$1040
Khwai	$155	$220	$1040
Savuti, Chobe	$200	$255	949
Chobe Riverfront (Kasane)	$30	$50	$325
Makgadikgadi Pan	$110	$160	$949
Central Kalahari Game Reserve	$310	$440	$819

Below I have included a table which details campsite prices for each of Botswana’s key safari destinations.

Location	Camping (Campsite Rental Only)
Moremi Game Reserve	$50
Khwai	$50
Savuti, Chobe	$75
Chobe Riverfront (Kasane)	$50
Makgadikgadi Pan	$25
Central Kalahari Game Reserve	$45

Budget Botswana Accommodation Costs

($50 – 100 per room per night outside of the reserves / 100 – $310 per person per night inside reserves)

There are a few budget tented camps that cost around $150 per person per night. These are often self-catering so you would have to bring all your own food and cooking utensils so this is usually only a good option for people doing self-drive safaris. 

Mid-range mobile tented camps with ensuite bathrooms typically come as part of a mobile safari and the price includes the cost of the safari operators setting up your tented camps. They usually rent out a private campsite and set up kitchen and dining tents etc. on that spot. You will have a private chef and porters.

Mid-Range Botswana Accommodation Costs

($150 – $1,000 per person per night inside reserves)

Similar to mid-range mobile tented camps with ensuite bathrooms typically, luxury mobile camps come as part of a mobile safari and the price includes the cost of the safari operators setting up your tented camps. They usually rent out a private campsite and set up kitchen and dining tents etc. on that spot. You will have a private chef and porters.

At the higher end you might find some of the lower cost semi-permanent tented camps in this price bracket.

Luxury and Luxury+ Botswana Accommodation Costs

($800 – $7,000 or more per person per night inside reserves)

Semi-permanent tented camps and lodges are often located within the national parks themselves which makes it easy to roll out of bed and get straight to wildlife viewing.

Since permanent  lodges are often not permitted in protected wildlife areas due to local regulations, these lodges are designed to be semi-permanent and can be removed easily. I think that this is a really interesting feature of these lodges as it has an impact on the design and architecture of the lodges, making the experience feel even more unique.

Safari lodges also normally come with full board so all your meals are covered and you can expect to dine on some truly delicious meals. Since there are very, very few restaurants located within the parks or anywhere nearby, this is basically a necessity unless you want to spend your entire vacation with a growling stomach. 

Prices can drop by as much as 40% in the low season compared to the high season prices shown.

3. Time of Year

During the high season, you have the best chance of seeing wildlife. However, the prices are at their highest. 

On the other hand, the low season offers discounts of up to 40% on accommodation, however, your chances of seeing wildlife are lower.

Prices for mobile safaris fluctuate less than semi-permanent lodge prices as they’re already very good value for Botswana. For example peak season luxury mobile safaris might cost around $650 per person per day in high season and $550 in low season.

This difference in the discounts is also due to lodges only being part of the total safari cost whereas mobile safaris are the full package and some elements such as an experienced guide are not going to be any cheaper in low season as they are always in high demand.

Low Season

The low season runs from December to April. Some lodges and camps close down completely while others offer greatly reduced rates (sometimes as much as 40% off the high season rate!).

There may also be roads closed or impassable due to heavy rainfall which may end up interrupting your safari plans. These rains make the landscape green and lush which does make wildlife harder to see but conversely provides some great photo opportunities.

High Season

The high season starts in July and finishes in the first half of October. This is when you’ll find the least amount of vegetation and water so it’s easiest to spot wildlife as they make their way to the watering holes or to the Chobe riverfront. This is also when the accommodation prices are at their highest.

Shoulder Season

The shoulder months include late April, May, June October, November, and December. October and November can get very, very hot but May generally brings little to no rainfall, moderate temperatures, and few clouds. Prices in shoulder season can be around 20% lower than peak season making them good value.

Low Season

Botswana’s low season, known as the green season, runs from late December to mid-April. This is the rainy season. January and February especially are typically very wet months characterised by heavy rains. Whilst the weather may not be ideal, prices at this time of year are at their best, with lodges offering up to 40% off.

4. How You Travel Between Parks

Your mode of transport between parks can have a pretty big impact on the cost of your safari and your travel times.

There are two main options for getting around Botswana – by land or by air. Let’s dig into those two options and their costs.

Toyota Land Cruiser Safari Truck

This is by far one of the most popular ways to get around the national parks of eastern and southern Africa. Toyota Land Cruisers are built for rough terrain and are the perfect transport option to explore the parks.

Land Cruisers come with various specifications based on the luxury level of your safari and whether you’re a photographer wanting photography spec trucks.

The Land Cruisers used on safaris have been specially adapted to help suit the needs of safari-goers. They are completely open-sided, allowing you to enjoy panoramic views of the wilderness. Additionally, the front windscreen is foldable, allowing uninterrupted views even from the front of the car. Other modifications include the inclusion of a fridge, power sockets to charge your vehicles and large seats, typically only 2 to a row so that everyone has a window seat. It’s worth noting that budget safaris may use vehicles with 3 to a row.

To give you a rough idea, within your safari package, the daily cost of the safari vehicle in Botswana plus a driver guide will be around $350 – $400 per day depending on specification and the experience of the guide. This cost is split between all the people sharing the truck so the more people in your group the less the vehicle will cost per person.

This is more expensive than east Africa but the trucks tend to be higher specification and the driver guides are more expensive as it’s a richer country so wages are higher and they are often highly trained.

Scheduled & Chartered Propeller Planes

The other main option for getting from park to park is by taking a scheduled or chartered propeller plane. The planes are usually 12 seats for scheduled flights or less for chartered flights.

Scheduled flights usually cost around $300 per person with chartered flights starting around $500 per person.

They are fun but can be a little bumpy.

5. Group Size

The fifth biggest factor effecting your safari is group size. Having said that, if you’re a solo travellers this will probably be an even bigger factor than it is for groups of two or more as the difference in cost between one person and two people is pretty high as you can see with the vehicle example below.

Below is a breakdown of vehicle costs per person as well as the savings that you get each time you add an additional person to the group. For example, if you are travelling alone, you can expect to pay around $350 for the safari vehicle and driver guide per day. If you find another person to travel with you, the price drops down to $125 each. If there are three of you, then you will pay around $84 per person and so on. 

Party size	Truck contribution per person	Group size savings per person
1	$350.00	$0.00
2	$125.00	$225.00
3	$116.67	$8.33
4	$87.50	$29.17
5	$70.00	$17.50
6	$58.33	$11.67
7	$50.00	$8.33

6. Botswana Safari Park Fees Costs

Park fees in Botswana are a smaller factor in terms of the total safari cost compared to East Africa.

If you have recently visited Tanzania or Kenya, you may notice that the park fees are much more reasonable than Botswana. 

This helps offset the other higher costs of a Botswana safari.

Below you’ll find a breakdown of the safari park fees for the most popular parks in Botswana. Popular Botswana National Parks and Reserves 2024/25 Prices based on current exchange rates at the time of writing.

These are entrance fees only. Any overnight and camping fees are covered in the accommodation costs section.

Park Name	Adults (Age 18+) Low Season	Adults (Age 18+) High Season
Moremi Game Reserve	$20	$20
Khwai Community Area	You only pay for camping fees	You only pay for camping fees
Chobe National Park	$40	$40
Central Kalahari Game Reserve	$10	$10
Makgadikgadi Pan	$14	$14
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	$27	$27

Botswana Cultural Experience Tours Costs

Whilst I love lots of game drives, it can be nice to break things up a bit with some cultural activities to learn a bit more about the history and culture of Botswana.

Costs for Visiting the San Bushmen

The San Bushmen are an indigenous hunter-gatherer tribe found throughout southern Africa. As one of the oldest surviving cultures of the region, visiting this group gives a compelling look into the human history of the area. Botswana has the highest concentration of San people in southern Africa which makes this a great place to get to know more about their unique culture and history. 

Although the San bushmen numbers are dropping, they can still be found in the Kalahari and Makgadikgadi or Nxai Pan regions. There are a few different ways that you can visit the tribe. First, you can visit them on a short one to two hour bush walk that you book through a local tour operator or a large travel website like Get Your Guide or Viator. The second option is to book a safari package that has a focus on the San Bushmen culture. The final, and probably easiest, option is to join one of the bushmen tours offered by your accommodation. They are sometimes included as part of your daily activities but if not, they can be organised upon request. 

Although all of the bushmen experiences will be slightly different, you may be given the chance to learn simple survival skills such as lighting a fire, discover medicinal plants, and have a lot of fun!

Special Interest Safari Costs

People travel to Botswana for a wide variety of reasons. Some are eager to see elephants from the comfort of a boat or safari vehicle while others can’t wait to lace up their hiking boots and explore the parks on foot. 

Luckily, there is a wide range of special-interest safaris that you can choose from. Some of these safaris come at a premium as they may include extra staff and equipment.

Birding Safari in Botswana Cost

There are over 600 different species of birds that can be spotted on a birding safari in Botswana which makes this country a magical place for budding ornithologists. November to March is the best season for bird watching as popular birding hotspots such as the Okavango Delta, Chobe, and the Kalahari have a population explosion. This coincides with the tourism low season when visitors can find greatly reduced prices at many of the safari lodges. 

Birding safaris in Botswana typically cost an extra $75 – $150 per person per day on top of the usual safari costs and tend to span 10 – 20 days or more.

The extra cost is partly due to the specialist guide required.

Photography Safari in Botswana Cost

Almost everyone who visits Botswana wants to walk away with some amazing photographs. 

The splendid scenery, magnificent wildlife, and interesting culture give photographers plenty of inspiration! Photography tours are ideal for people who are very serious about getting the best shot. 

Photography tours tend to be a little more expensive than other safaris because more seats are left empty in the safari vehicles to ensure that everyone has space for their camera equipment. Sometimes the vehicles will be modified with drop sides to allow for low level shots. 

They also tend to move at a slower pace than normal safaris to allow people to time, get focused, and snap away. Finally you will usually have a specialist photography guide or even a separate photography expert to provide guidance on getting the perfect shot.

A typical photography safari will typically cost an extra $75-200 per person day on top of the usual safari prices. If the trip involves being joined by a well known photographer then prices could exceed this.

Hiking and Walking Safari in Botswana Cost

If you love to exercise and want to get a different perspective of Botswana’s wildlife, a hiking or walking safari may be the perfect route to take (pun intended)! 

Walking safaris allow you to see animals at a much slower pace and can help you feel more in touch with nature. Although they are relatively new on the safari scene, many lodges offer short bush walking safaris to their guests. You can do walking safaris in the Okavango Delta, Chobe, and Linyanti.

Walking safari usually costs around $150 – $200 per person per day. Shorter bush walks are available at lower rates.

Helicopter Safari in Botswana Cost

Have you ever imagined yourself soaring like a bird above the African landscape? Well, here’s your chance! 

Helicopter safaris allow visitors to get a bird’s eye view of the Okavango Delta, Linyanti, Kalahari, and the salt pans of Makgadikgadi while venturing into completely cut-off areas that no other form of transportation can access. 

These can be woven into your normal safari activities so you can get plenty of time on the ground and in the air and can sleep comfortably in the lodge or camp of your choice at night.

A 45-minute scenic flight over the Okavango Delta will cost around $300 per person with a minimum of two passengers required.

Horse Riding Safari in Botswana Cost

If you are a keen equestrian and love the idea of exploring Africa’s diverse landscapes on horseback, you are in luck! Horse-riding safaris are available throughout Botswana, ranging from the deserts of the Kalahari to the delta’s wetlands. 

Horse riding safaris give you the chance to slow down and immerse yourself in the moment as your four-legged friend weaves its way through the serene landscape. All while getting close-up views of many of Botswana’s most famous inhabitants!

The locations you can visit on horseback depend on the level of experience that you have on horseback as well as how much time you have. This then impacts the overall cost of the horseriding safari.

Horse riding safari starts at around $700 per person per day including riding safaris and accommodation based on 5 days. It’s harder to arrange single day rides as most operators only offer multi-day horse riding safaris.

Night Drives Safari In Botswana Cost

Night drive safaris are another unique safari experience that is available in private reserves.

They are fascinating as you get a chance to see many of the nocturnal animals that you are unable to view during the day as well as big cats and other predators hunting after dark.

Typically night game drives will be included at no extra cost in your safari package assuming you are staying in a private reserve which allows them such as the Kwai Community Area near the Okavango Delta.

Water-based Safari in Botswana Cost

Botswana’s waterways are teeming with wildlife. So, what better way to spot some of your favourite African residents than by boat? 

Boating along the Okavango Delta or the Chobe River gives you a whole new perspective of life here. Things move at a much slower pace than when you are in the back of a 4×4 and you’re sometimes able to go much deeper into the park than you can in a safari vehicle.

There are two main boating safaris that you can take:

1. Mokoro safari in the Okavango Delta, a traditional wooden boat that resembles a canoe. Long and narrow, these boats are great for going into shallow water due to their design.

Full day mokoro safaris start at $150 – 200 per person. Shorter trips are also available and would typically be arranged as part of your safari package.

2. Motor boat cruises on Chobe River. These boats can normally hold around 6-8 people. They sit low in the water and have open sides that are great for taking photos.

Costs start at around $50 per person for a 3 hour motor boat cruise or  $150 for a full day.

Many of the boating safaris are seasonal due to the variance of water levels in the delta and the Chobe River. It’s usually only available from May until August when water levels are higher but there are some areas of the Okavango Delta when it’s available all year round. 

If you really, really can’t get enough of being on the water, you may also want to look into houseboats. These boats have just a few guest rooms and are ideal for small groups or families. 

Boat safaris are usually considered an add-on safari experience that can be incorporated into a longer vehicle-based safari.

Fishing Safari in Botswana Cost

The panhandle of the Okavango Delta is one of Africa’s most acclaimed fishing destinations thanks to its variety of fish and breathtaking landscape. 

The park operates a catch and release policy which gives anglers the choice to toss out a line while having little negative impact on the environment. 

Fishing safaris can be an exciting add-on to your Botswana safari package or may even be offered as one of the daily activities of your lodge.

Full day fishing safaris in the Okovango Delta start at $160 per person including lunch and usually require a minimum of 2 – 3 guests.

Specific Species Safari Costs Botswana

Botswana is famous for being one of the best places to see a few unique species and some visitors may want to focus their sights on destinations and camps that give the best chances of seeing a particular animal.

Personally I wanted to maximise my chances of seeing wild dogs in Botswana as seeing them in the wild has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember.

I have given details for a few of these animals below for your reference.

I personally didn’t pay any extra although I did have a fantastic guide already who was happy to maximise my chances of seeing wild dogs.

Specialist safaris can cost more where they require specialist guides or more expensive locations and camps.

Meerkats

Botswana is home to the southern African meerkat and is considered to be one of the best places in Africa to view them. 

These curious little critters can be found throughout the Kalahari Desert in central and southern Botswana. 

They love the region’s vegetated sand dunes that provide the perfect place for their dens and their dinner. The best place to see meerkats in Botswana, and therefore all of Africa, is around the Makgadikgadi Pans. 

These salt pans cover around 10,000 square kilometres of land and are home to a number of meerkat families. 

Alternatively, meerkats can also be found in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park on the border of Namibia and South Africa. 

You can easily visit the meerkats of the Kalahari as many camps offer meerkat experiences at sunrise and sunset. These experiences visit habituated families, allowing you to gaze in awe and amusement at these elusive, yet adorable animals. Some of the most popular camps for meerkat safaris include Camp Kalahari ($700 and $1,100 per night), San Camp ($1,845 – $2,330), and Jack’s Camp ($1,965 – $3,395). All of these camps are located within the Kalahari Salt Pan.

Wild Dogs

Botswana is one of the last places in Africa to give you a good opportunity to see wild dogs in the wild.

These not-the-dog-next-door canines sport adorably oversized ears and are able to cover huge distances and move very quickly which makes them one of the more difficult animals to track.

Your best hence to see them is during denning season.

They are most commonly found in Moremi Game Reserve, Chobe Nationasl Park and Linyanti Game Reserve so these parks provide a great starting point for wild dog seekers. 

Unlike the meerkat encounters above, wild dog tracking is party based on luck as well as an excellent guide so you definitely want to situate yourself in an area with sightings are frequently reported.

Elephants

As the largest land mammal, elephants create quite the iconic sight as they cross the Okavango Delta. Elephants are frequently found in the Okavango Delta, Chobe, and Linyanti. As a result, most visitors who want to see as many elephants as possible (and honestly, don’t we all?) tend to stay in these regions.

Botswana is home to over 132,000 elephants which is a lot considered the size of the country and you are bound to see many of them during your time in the Okavango Delta or Chobe River.

You don’t typically have to pay any extra costs to see elephants on safari although it’s much safer to see them with a guide compared to self-drive if you’re planning to get closer to them.

Other Safari Costs

While most of the big expenses will be covered in your safari package, there are a few smaller items that you should make sure to budget for when planning your trip. These can vary significantly based on the type of traveller you are and the experience that you want to have so keep this in mind!

Extra Activities

While game drives are normally always included in the safari price, extra activities such as hot air balloon rides, night walks, cultural activities, etc, may not be. When you are confirming your trip, double-check with your tour operator what extra activities will need to be paid out of pocket.

Tips / Gratuities

Tips make up an important part of the salary of your safari guide and driver and it’s important to tip them for their services. 

The amount that you tip is entirely up to your own discretion but there are some general guidelines which I have detailed below in the tipping section.

It’s recommended to give your guide their tip at the conclusion of your safari.

It’s preferred to tip in USD but you can also tip in Botswana Pula (BWP), Euros and GBP.

Visas

Citizens from the UK, US, Canada, Australia and much of Europe don’t need a visa to enter Botswana and can stay for up to 90 days without one. Make sure your passport has an expiry date of at least 6 months after your arrival date, and that you have a minimum of 3 blank pages. 

If you’re travelling with children under 17 years, you’ll also need to have a certified copy of their birth certificates.

You can check exactly which countries need a visa on the Botswana eVisa website.

Clothing

When you are going on safari, I recommend wearing loose-fitting clothes in neutral colours.

The key is layering as temperatures can fluctuate a lot through the day.

It can get pretty cold in the early morning and in the evenings, especially when you are zooming around in an open-air safari vehicle, so it is a good idea to always keep a down jacket or jillet with you and also a wind breaker and beanie hat or similar.

Outside of a few gift shops located within the safari lodges, there are very few places where you can pick up extra clothes so make sure that you pack plenty of layers and have a few spares of everything in case you get wet. 

Lodges don’t require formal wear for the evenings so you can save some space and weight by wearing casual attire.

You’ll want to avoid blacks, dark blues, bright colours or white as these can disturb animals and attract the pesky tsetse fly.

Vaccines & Medication

You should always speak to your healthcare provider before travelling abroad to make sure your immunisations are up to date, and to check if anything further is advised. Remember to do this at least 2 months before travelling, as some vaccination courses can take a few weeks. 

Wherever you travel in the world, you should make sure your routine vaccinations are up to date too. 

Hepatitis A, Tetanus and Typhoid are often recommended for Botswana. Depending on the locations you’ll be visiting and the activities you’ll be undertaking, vaccinations like Hepatitis B and Rabies may be suggested. 

If you’re arriving from a country listed as a transmission risk, you must have proof of a yellow fever vaccination.

You can find information about recommended vaccinations below:

US citizens Guide to Botswana vaccines

UK citizens Guide to Botswana vaccines

Anti-malarial tablets are also recommended for Kenya and these cost around $2 per day. You would typically take the tablets for a few days before your trips and some time after. Please check instructions for your specific Anti-malarial tablets.

How Much Cash To Take

Typically Botswana safari accommodation is full board and quite remote so when you’re on the safari you don’t actually tend to spend any money with the exception of tips at the end and perhaps some souvenirs.

For lodges where you need to settle your bill at the end, they will usually always accept card payments but you can always check in advance to make sure.

Before and after your safari you might spend a day or two in a town near the Airport such as Maun and here most places take card payments.

Regarding currencies to take: USD and Botswana pula are widely accepted. For tips you can get away with GBP or Euros if necessary.

Cash for Tips

Tipping is technically optional but it’s pretty much the done thing in Africa, especially for the guides. 

Below are industry standard tips in Botswana at the time of writing.

Driver Guide: USD 15.00 per person per day

Safari Chef: USD7.00 per person per day 

General Staff such as Porters: USD5.00 per person per day

Take lots of $1 bills as they are a great way to give a small tip such as to someone who helps with your bags.

Cash for Souvenirs

I bought my souvenirs from Bushman Crafts in Maun opposite the airport and paid by card. 

Everything had prices printed on so no need to haggle. Map books were about $25 and hand carved wild dogs were around $30.

We didn’t visit any tribes on this trip, otherwise I would have bought them directly using USD.

Other Costs

I usually take around 100% more cash than I think I’ll need as a backup in case the card machine doesn’t work at a restaurant or to pay taxis. There’s always more people you want to tip than you expected such as the staff at the hotel before you start your safari etc.

Final Thoughts

Whilst Botswana may be one of the most expensive options when it comes to African safari destinations, the higher price tag makes a safari here feel extremely special and exclusive. With fewer vehicles to contend with than on a Tanzania or Kenya safari, Botswana feels like a peaceful haven and well worth the additional costs in my opinion.

If you want to learn more about going on safari in Botswana, I have created an in-depth 10 day itinerary that takes you through the country’s best national parks and game reserves.