Great! You’ve decided you’re going on a safari, and you’ve managed to narrow it down to two destinations when choosing where to go. South Africa or Botswana. But now comes the hard part: which one suits your needs, tastes and preferences best?
In this post, I’ll share the differences between going on safari in South Africa and Botswana to help you decide which one to pick. It’s a tough decision, but both offer a dream safari worth taking!
A comparison between South Africa and Botswana
Deciding between a safari in either South Africa or Botswana isn’t something you can do based on one factor alone. To help make your choice a little easier, we’ve listed some of the main considerations you might have when picking your next destination.
| South Africa | Botswana | |
| Cost | Plenty of budget safari options are available, but luxury experiences can be costly | Typically more expensive than South Africa, but a good choice of safaris available for all budgets |
| National parks | Kruger Park and its private nature reserves offer exceptional wildlife viewing, but lesser-known parks like Phinda and Addo should not be overlooked | Botswana is home to world-class destinations for safaris, including the Okavango Delta, Chobe River and the Central Kalahari desert |
| Types of safari | Game drives, night drives and bush walks will be on offer, depending on your lodge | Most lodges offer game drives and night drives, while some can also organise bush walks and water-based safaris |
| Animals | All of the Big 5 live in South Africa, as well as other iconic safari species and marine animals along the coast | Visitors may be lucky enough to spot all of the Big 5 as well as other iconic species, such as wild dogs, red lechwe, hippos and cheetahs |
| Accommodation | There’s a wide range of accommodation types available, from budget camps to high-end luxury lodges | Botswana is world-renowned for high-quality accommodation and great hospitality. There are lots of choices available, especially on the luxury end |
| Weather | South Africa enjoys relatively mild temperatures throughout the year, though temperatures are slightly lower than those in Botswana | Botswana’s proximity to the equator brings mild temperatures, lower humidity and fewer days of rain than South Africa |
| Things to do | In addition to safaris, there’s plenty to do in South Africa including city breaks, extreme sports as well as food and wine tourism | Though most things to do in Botswana revolve around wildlife, there are also trips on offer to the desert and to the capital city, Gaborone |
| Getting around | Johannesburg is well-serviced by many well-known international airlines, and there are plenty of options for transportation across the country | Flights often require a transfer through Johannesburg before reaching Botswana but, once there, transportation is easy via bush planes and road transfers |
Now let’s look at each of these in detail…
Cost
Cost is often the biggest factor for people when comparing South Africa to Botswana. Botswana is considered to be one of the most expensive destinations to go on safari, with an average 3* lodge costing 573 USD per person per night, in comparison to South Africa’s 232 USD. Beyond the cost of the lodge, transportation and food is often cheaper in South Africa too.
That said, there are also plenty of options for places to stay in Botswana, from the cheapest campsites and guest houses to the most luxurious (and expensive!) 5* lodges. In the same vein, you can also spend a lot of money on a top-notch safari tent in South Africa.
The truth is, regardless of your budget, you’ll be able to find a holiday in both countries that suits it. You may just get a little more bang for your buck in South Africa.
For more information, check out my dedicated post on the cost of a safari.
National Parks
Botswana and South Africa each have a ‘star’ national park within which to see animals, but also other reserves and areas that are lesser known and worth exploring.
South Africa’s Kruger National Park is one of the most well-known national parks in the world, and the private nature reserves along its borders offer an ideal habitat for the Big 5 and other animals. The landscape is comprised of grassy plains, forests, rivers and bushveld too, making for diverse scenery and animals too.
Beyond Kruger, South Africa is home to Addo Elephant Park, Kgalagadi, Marakele and many other national parks you should check out while you’re there. My page on South Africa gives more details on each of these to help you choose which parks to add to your bucket list.
In Botswana, the huge swampy inland delta, the Okavango Delta, is the star of the show, offering a unique landscape within which to see wildlife. After the seasonal floods, the land’s vast grasslands become swampy and lush, giving visitors a unique chance to traverse on dugout canoes in search of animals. It really is a place that all animal lovers should visit at least once.
In addition to the Okavango Delta, the Chobe River and the central Kalahari each offers another entirely different environment. Again, check out my page on Botswana to help find your favourites.
Types of Safari
Of course, both South Africa and Botswana offer traditional game drives, though the vehicle you’ll do that in completely depends on the lodge or safari company you book with. Also depending on where you are staying, you may also be able to enjoy sundowners, bush breakfasts and night drives as part of your game drive, but make sure you check with your lodge before booking if you’re particularly keen to do one of these.
If you want to find out what a typical day on safari looks like, including game drives, I’ve put together a standard day plan here.
South Africa is well-known for its walking safaris and bush walks with knowledgeable guides. The purpose of these walks isn’t so much on viewing animals (in fact, they try to avoid that!) but more to experience the sights and sounds of the bush during the day while most animals are resting.
Some lodges in Botswana also offer walking safaris, but they’re not quite as widespread as in South Africa. Make sure you check with a lodge before booking if this is on your bucket list.
Water-based safaris in Botswana are plentiful, despite being a landlocked country. The Okavango Delta welcomes visitors on mokoro (dug-out canoes) for an incredibly serene experience, while the Chobe River regularly sees safari goers on motorised boats observing the animals along the banks and traversing the waters.
Animals
Being so close in location, you wouldn’t be surprised to hear there isn’t much difference in the animals you’d see in Botswana compared to South Africa. While both countries are home to the Big 5, there is a slight variation in other species.
The most significant difference is that, being a landlocked country, you cannot see marine animals in the wild in Botswana. Yet, ocean safaris and trips along the coast in South Africa will mean you could see dolphins, various species of whales and sharks, sea birds, seals, sea lions, plenty of fish and even penguins near Cape Town.
In comparison, Botswana is home to some of the most iconic species you won’t find in South Africa, including the red lechwe. This poster boy for the Okavango Delta can only be found in parts of the Okavango and in Linyanti, Namibia, so if spotting this antelope is on your bucket list, Botswana is your best bet.
If you want to know whether Botswana or South Africa gives you a better chance of seeing a particular member of the Big 5, it’s important to remember that wild animals can come and go as they please. This means that what you see on any particular day completely depends on the animals and whether they want to be seen.
On our own trips to both countries, we’ve had some excellent days of wildlife spotting, seeing absolutely everything we wanted to, but other days have been more challenging but just as enjoyable.
Accommodation
Both South Africa and Botswana are popular safari destinations, so both have a wide choice of places to stay.
Botswana is well-known for its exceptional hospitality where everything just works. You are always greeted with a smile, a song and a warm handshake. This is regardless of whether you are staying in a luxurious lodge or a budget camp.
South Africa also has a wide variety of accommodation types depending on your budget. Those travelling on a budget can enjoy basic amenities at tented camps within the national parks, while those looking for something a little more luxurious could benefit from somewhere different. Of course, traditional safari tents exist, but also rondavels, treehouse lodges and more. Just pick your favourite!
I have written separate posts on the best places to stay in Botswana, as well as lodges in South Africa, so also take a look at those for more information.
Weather
As South Africa and Botswana are located very close to each other, they both share similar climates. That said, Botswana’s proximity to the equator means it is blessed with drier, sunnier days, higher temperatures and lower levels of humidity than South Africa.
The below table shows the average temperatures and rainfall levels for both countries and, as you’ll see, it is close!
| South Africa | Botswana | |
| Average daily high | 25c | 29c |
| Average daily low | 12c | 13c |
| Average humidity | 62% | 49% |
| Total precipitation per year | 584mm | 489mm |
| Days of rain per year | 58 days | 44 days |
| Hours of sunshine per year | 3,100 hours | 3,400 hours |
Despite what the numbers above say, everywhere will have good days and bad days weatherwise. And that completely depends on the time of year you travel and also just pure luck! Weather should therefore only form a small part of your decision-making process.
Things to do
South Africa is a well-known travel destination for many reasons, not just for safaris. Food and wine lovers flock to South Africa to enjoy trips to the vineyards and wineries in Stellenbosch, while adrenaline junkies spend their time on bungee jumps, diving and zip lining.
Of course, Botswana is best known to tourists for its safaris, but there are a few other reasons to visit, including heading to Gaborone, the capital city, as well as trekking into the desert on quad bikes.
Getting around
With multiple international airports in South Africa and lots of choices of airlines that will fly you there, South Africa is very easy to get to from most places. There is also a wide range of transport in the country, including shared transfer services like Ashtons, airlines like Airlink and FlySafair!, and the option to hire your own car.
Most flights to Botswana require a transfer in Johannesburg or other airports in South Africa. However, if you’re lucky enough to live in South Africa or the UAE, reaching Botswana directly is a breeze! Once you’re there, charter airlines like Mack Air can move you around with ease. Helicopter transfers between safari lodges are reasonably common, as are road transfers too.
Check Skyscanner for more information on flights next.
Overall verdict: South Africa or Botswana?
As with all decisions, whether or not you choose to go on safari in South Africa or Botswana is dependent on so many factors.
If you’re looking for a good place to go on safari for the first time, pick South Africa. There’s a huge amount of things to do besides safari, it’s generally cheaper than Botswana, and you’ll find all the classic safari animals in its national parks.
But, if you’re a veteran safari-goer in search of a destination that offers some of the best wildlife viewing in the world, spectacular landscapes and lodges with the highest levels of hospitality, Botswana is the right choice.
If you really can’t decide, why not book a tour that takes in both? Many escorted tours from companies like G Adventures, Flight Centre and Go2Africa cover both Botswana and South Africa in the same itinerary, making it a great option for the still undecided!
Whichever you end up picking, one thing’s for sure: you really can’t go wrong. You’re bound to have an incredible time and, let’s face it, end up going to both eventually anyway!
