To help inspire or plan your trip to Botswana, some of its major attractions for travellers are shown below, including some of the best natural, historical, cultural and adventure sites in the country. These include all of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for Botswana which represent the best of the world's cultural and natural heritage.
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Wildlife attractions in Botswana

Chobe National Park
Chobe National Park
Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park is Botswana's third largest park at 11,700 km², named for the Chobe River, a tributary of the Zambezi, which forms the park's northern edge. The river forms a permanent water supply, giving Chobe the largest population of elephants in Africa, with some 100,000 individuals. River cruises here allow you to spot large elephant herds drinking from the river in addition to hippos and a myriad of birdlife. The park's other animal species include buffalo, kudu, zebra, puku, Chobe bushbuck and the big cats. The south-western corner of Chobe is known as the Savuti Marsh, a grassland that has been dried up for years. Three pumped water points provide excellent opportunities to view herds of elephant, buffalo and antelopes as well as the predators that pursue them.

Okavango Delta
Okavango Delta
Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta is the world's largest inland delta as the Okavango River, a tributary of the Zambezi, spills into the Kalahari Desert, creating a vast oasis over 15,000 km². The Delta comprises numerous water channels, lagoons and small islands. The region is rich in animal life, including elephant, giraffe, buffalo, lion, hyena, hippos and many antelope species, as well as a myriad of migratory birds. The Delta is best explored in traditional mokoro, the traditional dugout canoe, poled by skilled local guides. They navigate through a maze of narrow creeks and channels, cutting through beds of reeds, in one of the most relaxing and unique experiences Africa has to offer. This is African wilderness at its best - wildlife and a stunning natural setting in pristine, untouched land. The Okavango has numerous lodges or small islands to bush-camp (depending on your budget) which allows you to take a walking or horse-riding safari to spot the rich animal and bird life, swim in the waters (though beware crocodiles) and take mokoro trips to view the beautiful sunsets over the Delta.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Okavango Delta

Makgadikgadi Pans
Makgadikgadi Pans
Makgadikgadi Pans

The Makgadikgadi salt pans form the bed of an ancient dried up lake. Covering 16,000 km² it remains dry for most of the year but the rains in November attract vast flocks of flamingos and other migratory birds. Known for its spectacular sunsets, the Makgadikgadi is also the only place in southern Africa where you can witness the migration of tens of thousands of wildebeest and zebra.

Nxai Pans National Park

Nxai Pans National Park is over 2,000 km² in size. It's a combination of grasslands and thick bush and is famous for both its baobab trees and the Nxai Pan, an old lake bed that fills up in wet season. Notable animal species seen in the park include springbok, giraffe, wildebeest, various antelope and predators such as lion, leopard, jackal and hyena.

Moremi Game Reserve
Moremi Game Reserve
Moremi Game Reserve

Moremi Game Reserve is located in the north-eastern sector of the Okavango Delta and occupies almost one-third of the Delta's area. It was the first wildlife reserve to be founded by an African tribe, established by the Batswana tribe in 1963. It comprises swamps, wetlands, forests and dryland and contains an enormous diversity of animal and bird life, including elephant, buffalo, giraffe, wildebeest, a variety of antelope and predators such as leopard, lion and hyena in addition to over 500 bird species. Safaris can be taken on foot or by mokoro, offering a unique and authentic wildlife experience in unspoilt wilderness.

Khama Rhino Sanctuary

The Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a community-based wildlife project set up in 1992 with the aim of restoring the population of white rhinos and other species in the area of Kalahari sandveld around the Serowe Pan. Guided walking safaris afford the opportunity to view rhino, giraffe and a variety of other species that have settled or been relocated here.