A beginner’s guide to safari vacations in Botswana.
But in recent years, Botswana has been nipping at the heels of those countries.
Botswana is an anomaly in Africa, said Ian Proctor, president and managing director ofUltimate Africa Safaris.
Credit:Marc Stickler Photography/Courtesy of Natural Selection
It is considered one of the safest and most stable democracies on the continent.
Botswana has become his go-to destination, and in no small part because of the modernization of its government.
Citizens receive free universal health care, and LGBTQ+ communities are legally recognized, he cited as examples.
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And with a very small population, its wilderness areas are unparalleled and, importantly, uncrowded.
Ready to pack your bags?
Really, its not nearly as arduous as it seems.
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American carriers now offer multiple direct options per day into South Africa from New York and Atlanta.
Temperatures are more moderate during these winter months, and malaria is less prevalent.
They launch the gamut from rugged toultra-luxeand are scattered across every corner of the countrys dynamic terrain.
Brad Japhe
Youll want to allot ample time to explore the Okavango Delta.
you’re free to be surrounded by thousands of zebra and wildebeest and be the only car there.
Brad Japhe
As for individual standouts,Jacks Campis king of the desert.
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In the Delta, a similar level of luxury can be found atTuludi.
The seven-room property sits on the Khwai Private Reserve 772 square miles of floodplain awash with wildlife.
Suites feature outdoor baths and plunge pools.
Peter & Beverly Pickford Wildlife Photography/Courtesy of Natural Selection
It will feature all the trappings of five-star living, including butler service and its own gym.
The whole camp is positioned alongside a gently rolling river crowded with hippos, lions, and zebra.
Youll also likely paddle past hippos, whose eyes hover menacingly just above the waterline.
Brad Japhe
A short game drive brings you to a repurposed shipping container abutting a watering hole.
In the salt pan, you could marvel at colorful creatures of all shapes, sizes, and speeds.
I see the most interesting things here at night, especially, Sande said.
Brad Japhe
I just recently saw two honey badgers fighting off some jackals.
No two game drives are ever the same.
A lot of a safari experience depends on good fortune, of course.
At Tuludi, for example, elegant pasta dishes are mainstays on the menu.Sable Alleyhas its own pizza station.
The flavorful beef stew is frequently served for supper along with local bread,phapatha.
Vegetarians can keep an eye out formorogo, a spinach dish studded with onions and tomatoes.
When it comes to cocktails, gin is king here, and Okavango even has its very own.
The award-winning eponymous offering is distilled with local botanicals, including the mopane seed.
Alternatively, book a stay atSan Campand youll drive into the heart of the Kalahiri for cocktail hour.
A makeshift bar is set up atop the pale, crusted earth, just in time for sunset.
Once it gets dark, a multi-course feast is prepared by campfire, with nary another soul in sight.
For dessert, gaze up at the most dazzling star-scape youll ever see.
