Botswana is one of the wealthiest countries in Africa thanks to rich mineral deposits and a small population.  Great tracts of land remain unpopulated, or are given over to wildlife conservation.  The landscape of Botswana is characterized by the Kalahari Desert and the somewhat contradictory Okavango Delta.  In the case of the latter, the Okavango River drains into the desert, forming a great network of channels and lagoons.  It is one of the richest wildlife areas in Africa.

Botswana has cleverly restricted the size of camps and lodges in most Parks, and most camps, in the Delta particularly, are reachable only by light aircraft, lending the experience an air of privileged exclusivity.  That said, some of the best opportunities for really getting to know this country come in the form of mobile safaris overland.  However, once in the Delta, game viewing is often in hand-punted dugout canoes or mokoros or on foot.  There is plenty of choice when it comes to camps and lodges in the Delta, but the seasonality means it’s helpful to know your stuff to be in the right place at the right time.

Beyond the waterways, some of the most unusual encounters happen in the expansive pans of the Makgadikgadi.  The eccentric Jack’s Camp and San Camp offer walks with the hunter-gathering San people, often accompanied by entirely wild but highly curious meerkats.  The pans are expansive; it is possible to see the curve of the earth when out in glaring white expanse.  Granite islands where ancient baobabs grow also provide a playground for the adventurous.  Safaris to the Kalahari too are for those that have an aversion to the low-hanging fruit of the safari world and are content to lose themselves in the wilderness for a short while.  Despite the implication, the desert is a haven for big game.